From the critically acclaimed, award-nominated author comes a new noir crime classic about one of the most notorious trials in American history....
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Aug 30, 2011
James
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On Labor Day weekend in 1921, silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle booked several rooms at the St. Francis hotel and proceeded to throw a helluva party. During the course of the festivities, an aspiring actress named Virginia Rappe died under mysterious circumstances. In consequence, Arbuckle found himself on trial for murder, both in the courtroom and in the newspapers, where William Randolph Hearst, in particular, exploited the story for everything it was worth.
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Jun 20, 2010
Arachne8x
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Devil's Garden is a well done historical fiction novel about the Fatty Arbuckle case. In historical fiction, I like the best books that take few liberties, and mostly just fill in gaps in some story from our past with their fictionalization of one of the prevailing theories of how things went down. I knew nothing about the murder and rape that Fatty Arbuckle was accused of when I read the book, but I found it riveting.
I won't recount the case here because I think it's bad form to giv More...
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Apr 09, 2009
Jennifer
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Well, I was pretty excited about this book because of the topic, and the prelude pages were promising, although dang, I'm not sure he used the word "whore" quite enough. Maybe he could have fit in a few more opportunities to throw it in there, maybe mix it up a little? At any rate, I was slapped in the face on the very first page of the novel proper with a pretty vulgar, dehumanizing, and above all unnecessary reduction of women to a certain body part. Because I don't like slapping
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Jun 15, 2009
TBML
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A fun noir read chronicling the 1921 murder trial of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. Dark and atmospheric, we are immersed in 1920’s San Francisco—complete with fog, Chinatown, and dangerous docks. A cast of characters including Dasheill Hammet, William Randolph Hearst, and a number of other Hollywood names wind their way through the pages of this book by Ace Atkins. Although the writing is sometimes repetitive (there are a lot of meaty hands, fat satchels, and good bread) and the ending a bit of a
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Sep 06, 2011
columbialion
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Although somewhat convoluted and overly worded, "Devil's Garden" is a birds eye account of the infamous Fatty Arbuckle 1921 murder/scandal case that dominated Hollywood and riveted Americans nationwide. Author Atkins employs some license to reconstruct the various plots and subplots surrounding the high profile actors involved. Throughly researched, from then Pinkerton op Sam Dashiell Hammett to antagonist and newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, Atkins illuminates and reconstruc
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Jul 08, 2009
Sandra
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Excellent! Fascinating historical account of how Fatty Arbuckle was framed for murder & tried 3 times before finally being found not guilty. He was accused of squishing a woman to death while raping her. He was framed by billionaire William Randolf Hearst because Fatty had once been intimate with Hearst's movie star girlfriend. Although Fatty was found innocent, he was blackballed from show business for the rest of his life. The narrator of this story is Dashiell Hammett, a Pinkerton agent,
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Aug 14, 2011
A neat glimpse into the life and trial of Hollywood's first "superstar" Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and the death of Virginia Rappe, who was a ne'er do well that was a 'star collector' (the polite term). Great for those who wondered what actually happened and how something that would've easily been forgotten today was a major death blow to an actor's life and career in the 1920s.
Dec 28, 2009
Debbie
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This plot is based on the Fatty Arbuckle scandal of the early 1920s. The detective in this case in no other than Sam Hammett, working for the Pinkertons. Sam is newly married and newly a father, suffering from TB and not really the settling down sort. Arbuckle is caught up in a plot to ruin his career which is reported daily in the Hearst papers. Good period feel.
Aug 06, 2011
Dee
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ok...did not, did not, like this book. Boring! I only finished it because Marion Wrenn is leading our discussion group on it. She is terrifice and will probably find a million good things in the book. I Look forward to her talk, but not a fan of the book. I did not like the writing style which I think was supposed to be "noir". Not my taste I guess.
Jun 01, 2011
Linda
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It took a while to get into this book, but it was well worth it. The development of the characters is superb and the unfolding of the plot keeps you enthralled. But because the reason for Fatty's framing isn't revealed until halfway through the book, it can be a little frustrating. Great description of that time in San Francisco.
Jun 13, 2009
Joyce
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I am an Ace Atkins fan. This accounting of the Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuckle case and first trial, as told by Sam (Dashiell) Hammett, who was, at the time, a Pinkerton Detective involved in the defense, and William R. Hearst's involvement with the death and it's consequences was absolutely fascinating. Who knew that "celebrities" were as tacky in the late teens and early 20's as they are reported to be now?
Oct 16, 2009
Veralene
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Great read about SF in the 1920's, the murder trial of actor Fatty Arbuckle, and the evil doings of that asshole William Randolf Hearst.. FA's defense attorney hires a Pinkerton investigator named - drum roll - Dashiell Hammett - and the rest is history.
Feb 27, 2010
Kevin
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This should actually be in a different category because it was based on a true story, but the author extrapolated on it to make a very intriguing novel. I had difficulty determining where the history stopped and the story started. The characters were rich and the story was enthralling. I knew nothing about Fattie's story, so this was informative as well as entertaining.
Dec 19, 2010
Jo Marie
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I didn't really like the way this was written, but the story of Fatty Arbuckle and his trial for rape and murder, and the private detective assigned to the case, (none other than Sam Dashiel Hammett) is really interesting.
Dec 28, 2010
Bayneeta
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I found this slower reading than I had expected; still liked it, but the maps on the ends pieces kept me flipping back and forth thying to locate where everyone was. Like the time period (early 1920s); liked the subject matter ("Fatty" Arbuckle's trial for murder and Hammett's early days as a Pinkerton agent). Read for a Crime Novel discussion group.
Aug 07, 2011
Great blend of fact and fiction set in prohibition era San Francisco. Gum shoe detective mixed with Holleywood glamour. A solid read.
Aug 06, 2010
Rebecca
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God, I loved this book. It had it all (for me, anyway): Dashiell Hammett, early Hollywood, yellow journalism, murder and mayhem, chippies and dicks, Fatty and The City.
May 18, 2009
Stu
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I knew Dashiel Hammet was a detective before writing The Thin Man and The Maltese Falcon, but I had no idea he was an investigator in the Fatty Arbuckle case.
Apr 22, 2009
Elpheaba
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I read it because I have always been interested in the "Fatty" Arbuckle case. Honestly, that case still deserves a good book, this is not it.
Jul 28, 2009
Jennifer
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This was a pretty good historical mystery with Dashiell Hammett (aka Sam Hammett) as the detective and the Fatty Arbuckle/Virginia Rappe scandal as the main story. WR Hearst also serves as a main character. I thought it was pretty well written.
Apr 02, 2011
Martha
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A fictionalized account of the Fatty Arbuckle trials, the silent film star who was framed for a murder charge
Jul 29, 2009
Alan
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Pretty good take on the infamous Fatty Arbuckle case and a good description of 1920s San Francisco.
Jan 21, 2010
Michele
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I really enjoyed this audio book. I think Dick Hill did an excellent job as reader - his voice just fit the story.
Jul 10, 2009
Jessica
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I really enjoyed this - Atkins keeps Hammett's noir feel but uses language and pacing differently enough that it doesn't feel derivative. A good companion to Joe Gores's Spade and Archer.
Nov 23, 2010
Ajaxwriter
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Ace Atkins, former reporter for the Tampa Tribune, has delivered another book based on a historical crime. This time the subject is Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle.
Feb 13, 2012
Feb 13, 2012
