SOLVED. novelization of a true crime: Vivian Gordon, Mayor Jimmy Walker [s]

[John]

I read a novel (from the '80s, I believe) that was based on the Vivian Gordon case which brought NYC mayor Jimmy Walker down during Prohibition and loved it.
It's basically about a young girl who was framed for prostitution by a handsome "Black Irish" cop and sentenced to prison. When she's released, she plots her revenge. I don't think it ended with the girl (based on real-life Vivian Gordon) being murdered as it did in real life. If memory serves right, she got her revenge and then some.
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanx!

[Kym]

Lullaby and Good Night by Vincent Bugliosi?

[John]

Thanx for replying, Kym!
The Bugliosi book isn't the one, alas. The book I remember had alot to do with the drop-dead handsome "Black Irish" beat cop who made a career out of arresting young girls for prostitution unless they could pay bribery (in real life, the cop couldn't explain how he had a $75,000 bank acc't -a fortune at that time- on a beat cop's salary). I can't thank you enough, tho, for this tip because it looks like the real-life case that inspired the Bugliosi book (which wasn't the Vivian Gordon case) was used for the novel that begat RKO's "Millie" in 1932 and Pola Negri's German masterpiece "Mazurka" in 1935, a mystery I've been trying to solve for years. I'll be looking into all this and will probably buy the Bugliosi book.
I can't thank you enough!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Here's an article about the Vivian Gordon case:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history...

The handsome beat cop was named Andrew McLaughlin.

[John]

Nice! Thanx mucho!!

[Ayshe]

John wrote: "because it looks like the real-life case that inspired the Bugliosi book (which wasn't the Vivian Gordon case ..."
Why do you think so? Its subtitle is "a novel inspired by the true story of Vivian Gordon".

[John]

Thanx, Lobstergirl!
I meant to get back to Kym (see above) on this since I do believe the Bugliosi just might be the book I'm thinking of. I'm interested enough to get it and will remember if it is, and if it isn't, I'm sure I'll like the book since the tale itself fascinates me. Lately I've been into Roaring Twenties true-life corruption & crime in NYC that became national sensations in the news ("yellow journalism" was fan-tastic back then, Heart made millions peddling it). I just read "Who Killed The Broadway Butterfly?" by George Anthony, based on the still-unsolved murder of showgirl Dot King (the basis for Louise Brooks' "The Canary Murder Case").
Thanx again and can't wait to read the Viv Gordon piece. What stood out for me (and still remember decades later) was the "homme fatale", a devastatingly handsome Black Irish villain operating with impunity behind the badge of the law.

[John]

I'm not at all sure it isn't the book now, ashye. In the paperback tome I read in the way back when, I hazily remembered the immoral "anti-heroine" (tho more sinned against than sinning in the beginning) didn't die at the end, like real-life murder victim Viv Gordon but there are too many similarites to the book I'm remembering to more-or-less dismiss the Bugliosi after reading it's Amazon synopsis. Anyway, I'm most interested in this particular "Tales From The City" era in Manhattan's Prohibition history. I'll be getting the Bugliosi!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

John, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[John]

I'm sure this is the one I've been looking for, 'LG' -thanks!
Every time I got a tip from "Good Reads" and said, "I'm not sure that's the one", I bought it and, sure enough, that was the one. Memory plays tricks when you've read a book over 30 years ago, I guess.
Right up until last year, I read at least 10 books a year but I haven't cracked one yet in 2020 (although I do have them piled up on my bedroom floor). I'll be adding this to my 'amazon' wish list today -what's one more. I've got alot of catching up to do!
Thank you so much for reminding me.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Terrific.

[John]

It's definitely the one!
I picked up a paperback (used/good) on 'amazon' yesterday and recognized the cover after all these years.
Not only that, I skimmed the review section and sure enough, I didn't mis-remember, either.
Bugliosi's book is a novelization of the Vivian Gordon case and he gave his fictional tale a "happy ending" (unlike the real-life Viv).
I'm so glad you reminded me of this book and I'm looking forward to a re-visit.
Thanks again!