Books

Al Capone: Chicago’s King of Crime, was published in 2006 by Altitude Publishing.

Al Capone is largely considered to be the most famous gangster of all time. From his early days as an unpolished hoodlum on the streets of New York, to his notorious reign as Chicago’s premier mob boss, Capone cultivated an illicit career full of deplorable highs and astounding lows. For years, his larger-than-life persona and legendary criminal deeds shocked and captivated millions of people around the world.

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February 14, 1929

Chicago, Illinois

The gangsters looked at the cops in disgust, then turned to face the garage wall, as ordered. All seven of the criminals were connected to Bugs Moran—Al Capone’s biggest enemy in Chicago. Figuring the cops were a bunch of cowboys who hadn’t been paid off, the gangsters put the palms of their hands against the wall and uttered dark threats about what would happen when police brass got word of the raid. The cops ignored the threats and readied their weapons. Then, in a methodical fashion, the officers—actually a crack team of assassins in disguise—raked Moran’s gang with gunfire. When the shooting stopped, all seven men were dead or dying. And Scarface Al Capone had become top mob boss of all Chicago.

Crystal Meth: The Number One Drug Problem in North America was published in 2006 by Altitude Publishing.

Methamphetamine is the dirtiest, nastiest illegal drug in the North American pharmacopoeia. A super-potent version of the stimulant amphetamine, crystal meth will keep you wired and awake for days at a time. Essentially a poison, methamphetamine is manufactured in clandestine labs from legal, easily obtainable ingredients. Read about the history of this drug and how do-it-yourself ingenuity plus the Internet turned a once obscure high into “the fastest growing drug threat in America” according to a National Conference of State Legislatures briefing paper.

Autographed copies of my books are available for sale. Send me an email at nhendley@interlog.com for details or purchase through PayPal.

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With his wife, Amy at his side, David Parnell—a sometimes factory worker and full-time methamphetamine addict—placed the muzzle of the gun under his chin. He pulled the trigger, blowing off most of his facial features. Splattered with her husband’s blood, Amy was in hysterics. Eventually, she managed to call 911. With his ears ringing from the concussive sound of the shot, Parnell realized he was still alive. The meth coursing through his body was so powerful that his self-inflicted wound hadn’t knocked him unconscious.

Edwin Alonzo Boyd: The Life and Crimes of Canada’s Master Bank Robber, is my first book. Altitude Publishing of Alberta released it in the fall of 2003.

My tome details the life of Edwin Boyd, the flamboyant leader of the infamous Boyd Gang. This criminal crew conducted a series of bank robberies around Toronto in the early 1950s and eluded police on two separate prison breaks.

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Edwin Alonzo Boyd’s fingers twitched as he tapped the 7.45 mm automatic pistol tucked in his belt. The weapon was one of five handguns in his possession, all of them loaded and ready for action. A briefcase filled with stolen cash lay on the floor of his bedroom.

It was March 1952. The Korean War was still raging but the public seemed more interested in a newfangled invention called television. Dwight Eisenhower would soon be elected president of the United States and the Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League.

But Boyd had no time to think about television of politics or hockey. He had other things to worry about. For a start, scores of policemen were scouring the country for him. As head of the so-called Boyd Gang, he had organized some of the most spectacular bank robberies in Canada’s history. His face had been splashed on the front pages of newspapers across the nation, and his gun slinging exploits had become the stuff of legend.

The son of a respected police officer, Boyd was an army veteran with an adoring wife and three kids. He had charm, athletic skills and loads of charisma. And yet there he was, a wanted man in a rented room, waiting for the police to come crashing through his door.

In years to come, Boyd would have plenty of time to ponder how his life had “gone bad”. For now, however, his only concern was keeping out of jail and hanging on to whatever cash remained from his tenure as Canada’s number one bank robber.

The Black Donnellys:
The Outrageous Tale of Canada’s Deadliest Feud is my second book. Altitude Publishing of Alberta released it in the spring of 2004.

This book looks at the notorious Donnelly family of Lucan, ON. After fleeing poverty-wracked Ireland in the 1840s, the Donnellys established themselves on stolen land in southern Ontario. The seven Donnelly boys and their father soon acquired a reputation for violence and mayhem, burning down barns and assaulting townspeople. The family seemed unstoppable, until a vigilante group decided to seek a permanent solution to their reign of terror.

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The terrified boy raced out of the burning farmhouse into the freezing night. Blind with fear, Johnny stumbled barefoot over the frozen ground to the nearest farmhouse. Behind him, the Donnelly residence was spouting huge flames.

Far off in the distance, the Banshee – a mythical creature from Irish folklore – was wailing. According to the Irish immigrants who settled Biddulph, the Banshee’s cries foretold death and destruction.

Johnny ran on, with the ring of the Banshee in his ears, desperate to escape the Donnelly death house. In the distance, framed against the dark night sky, he could see the farmhouse of Patrick Whelan, the Donnelly’s closest neighbour. Johnny raced towards the house, weeping from fright and cold.

Dutch Schultz:
The Brazen Beer Baron of New York was released by Altitude Publishing in the spring of 2005.

Schultz was an infamous American gangster who rose to prominence in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Through a combination of street smarts, ruthlessness and sheer gall, Schultz became a top bootlegger and racketeer in New York City. Widely disliked, Schultz’s career came to an end when his mobster peers turned on him.

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Here is a short excerpt to pique your interest:

October 24, 1935

The Dutchman was dying. The bullet in his gut had caused massive internal injuries and sent his temperature soaring. Staring fixedly at the ceiling from his hospital bed, Arthur Flegenheimer – aka Dutch Schultz – cried and babbled. In his delirium, he began weaving a weird tapestry of unconnected phrases, names and oaths.

A police stenographer sat by the gangster’s side, taking down every word. The authorities hoped Schultz might reveal Mob secrets in his final monologue. But Dutch proved as elusive in his dying hours as he had been in life.

“No, no. There are only 10 of us and there are 10 million fighting somewhere in front of you, so get your onions up and we will throw up the truce flag,” he raved. “Oh, please let me up. Please shift me. Police are here. Communistic … strike … baloney … honestly, this is a habit I get; sometimes I give it and sometimes I don’t. Oh, I am all in. That settles it. Are you sure? Please let me get in and eat. Let him harass himself to you and then bother you.”

None of it made any sense to the police. They kept listening, however, as Schultz rambled on, his mind journeying back and forth over the course of his brief, but spectacular criminal life.

John Lennon:
Music, Myth and Madness was released by Altitude Publishing in the spring of 2005.

John Lennon’s all-too-short life was characterized by music, myth and madness. A musical revolutionary, he was terribly insecure about his voice, talent and public image. While millions idolized him, his personal life was a mess.

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Here is a short excerpt to pique your interest:

John Lennon paced backstage, an anxious figure dressed in white with long hair and a beard. He idly strummed an electric guitar that was strapped over his shoulder. In a few minutes, he would play his first full-fledged solo concert without the Beatles.

He surveyed his backup band, hastily assembled in London only hours earlier. His superstar guitarist, Eric Clapton, was laid out on the ground behind the Toronto stage, having just resuscitated from a drug-induced stupor. Lennon didn’t feel much better himself. Perhaps if the band had had time for a proper rehearsal …

His new wife, Yoko Ono, hung close to his side. The Japanese avant-garde artist had become John’s constant companion. They had made music and created art together. Now, he was relying on her to firm up his shaky nerves.

Lennon adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and ran a pick over his guitar strings. So much had changed in the music world since the Beatles stopped touring in 1966. Would audiences still like his music? Could the band manage a set?

In the distance, Lennon could hear the expectant screams of the crowd. A stagehand stepped forward and motioned to Lennon. It was time.

Flashing a weak smile, he roused his ragged band – Clapton too – and led them, hearts pounding, into the uproar.