The Murders That Made Us How Vigilantes, Hoodlums, Mob Bosses, Serial Killers, and Cult Leaders Built the San Francisco

Short DescriptionIn The Murders That Made Us, bestselling author Bob Calhoun tells the story of San Francisco one crime at a time through the destination city’s most violent and depraved acts.Sales and Market BulletsSan Francisco crime history is an evergreen topic. Calhoun investigates infamous subjects such as the Zodiac Killer ciphers, the murder of Harvey Milk, the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, Alcatraz prison, Al Capone, Jim Jones, Anton LaVey curses, Silicon Valley scandals, and more.The author was born in San Francisco, CA, and currently lives in San Leandro, CA. He spent four years exploring the seedy side of San Francisco’s history in his weekly true crime column, Yesterday’s Crimes, and has a unique and deeply researched perspective on the subject.Bob Calhoun was first drawn to true crime with the revelation that his mother was once a suspect in a brutal murder case on the outskirts of San Francisco. His journey to unlock his family’s history through the details of this once-notorious crime of passion is retold in the personal essay that begins The Murders That Made Us.While titles such as Notorious San Francisco (Paul Drexler, RJ Parker Publishing, 2019) or Death in California (David Kulczyk, Craven Street Books, 2009) focus on crimes from the Bay Area’s past and arrange them with no real sense of order, The Murders That Made Us weaves the killings, heists, and scams into a narrative arc that tells the story of the city of San Francisco itself.AudienceReaders of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and other true crime booksListeners of My Favorite Murder and other true crime podcasts: Wine and Crime, Felonious Florida, Serial, Teacher’s Pet, Someone Knows Something, Dr. Death, Casefile, CriminalFans of true crime documentaries and shows: Mindhunter, Making a Murderer, The Jinx, The Keepers, The Killing SeasonLocals and those interested in the Bay Area The 170-year history of the San Francisco Bay Area told through its crimes and how they intertwine with the city’s art, music, and politicsIn The Murders That Made Us, the story of the San Francisco Bay Area unfolds through its most violent and depraved acts. From its earliest days when vigilantes hung perps from downtown buildings to the Zodiac Killer and the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, murder and mayhem have shaped the city into the political and economic force that she is today.The Great 1906 Earthquake shook a city that was already teetering on the brink of a massive prostitution scandal. The Summer of Love ended with a pair of ghastly drug dealer slayings that sent Charles Manson packing for Los Angeles. The 1970s come crashing down with the double tragedy of Jonestown and the assassination of Gay icon Harvey Milk by an ex-cop. And the 21st Century rise of California Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump insider Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Vice President Kamala Harris is told through a brutal dog-mauling case and the absurdity called Fajitagate. It’s a 170-year saga of madness, corruption, and death revealed here one crime at a time.