Return to Guntown: Classic Trials of the Outlaws and Rogues of Faulkner Country

by John R. Hailman

A federal prosecutor in Mississippi for over thirty years, John Hailman routinely worked with federal agents, lawyers, judges, and criminals of every type imaginable. Encouraged by the acclaim for his earlier book, From Midnight to Guntown , he has opened even more of the astonishing cases within the over thirty-five boxes full of trial stories he carried into retirement.

Hailman gathers colorful exploits of eccentric modern criminals from William Faulkner's Mississippi, where savvy victims often outwit their criminal perpetrators. Characters range from rich but incompetent drug lords and nationwide gun-runners to bumbling Dixie Mafia kidnappers. The book ends with “Fancy Frauds” in which ingenious con men (and women) offer hilarious but surprisingly sophisticated “special deals” on tax-free gold mines in Mexico and bargain (but bogus) Viagra. Chapters include “Guns, Bombs, and Moonshine Whiskey,” “Drug Kingpins Have Troubles Too,” “Crime Victims Fight Back,” “Mere Theft,” and “Fancy Frauds.” Written to entertain and enlighten, these stories will delight any fan of the true crime genre and anyone who enjoys good writing and the skill of a master storyteller.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 14, 2015

Reviews

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The librarians at Winona, Miss., borrowed a copy of the late John Hailman's "Return to Guntown" for me recently; I turned it back in today, having savored so many of his true crime stories from the Northern District of Mississippi over the years he served the federal court system. My first job out of MSCW was with the Oxford, Miss., Eagle, and there was a federal courthouse at Oxford; was one at Greenville, too, and Aberdeen. I recognized many of the "players" in Hailman's vignettes! It had been quite a long time, though! And eventually, reporter Alma Stead was delegated to "covering" most of the stories from federal court in Oxford. Before she worked for the Eagle though, Alma, the wife of an Ole Miss teacher, had reported for the Tupelo newspaper. Man, those were the days, and I recommend Hailman's books.

[Judith Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even if you don't live in Mississippi, you will find much to laugh about, be amazed about, or simply shake your head about in the cases experienced by this author.