True crime publications are important tools for looking into the past and ensuring the voices of victims are heard. However, it is far too common for True Crime to lose sight of the victims in the 'excitement' or 'scandal' of the story. Last Call avoids those pitfalls for the most part.

Author Green does a good job of presenting the facts and circumstances of the murders in an engaging but straight forward manner. There is little sensationalism to be found, but instead a careful look at the victims and cultures of the time. At times the details are little much, with Green turning over every possible stone, no matter how small. Despite this, the story still flows well and is easy to understand.

Thank You to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Elon Green for the ARC.

I had not heard of this these murders or the serial killer. They had flown under the radar for quite some time as little, if anything, had been said in the newspaper or tv. Elon Green has done his research. The book contains a lot of information, but not in such a way that it bogs down the writing or offers too much. The book is still an easy read. I also like the fact that it gives a history of what was happening during the times of the murders, such as nonacceptance, backlash, and fear of being gay. At the end of the audiobook, there is an interview with the author, and a discussion on whether or not the police, the politics, etc. hampered or helped in solving the case. I would recommend it for those who like true crime, murders LGBTQQ, east coast, arm chair detectives, police procedures, an crime solvers.

3 stars. Decent enough book. It was disturbing to read about these real-life events and attacks, and remind us to be careful. The writing was okay, serviceable but not that exciting. I ended up skimming at times, as I wasn't as engaged as I could have been. Then again, I'm not the biggest true-crime guy out there; you won't see me caught up on too many crime marathons on TV!

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Pretty good account of a serial killer that I can guarantee 90% of people have never heard of! It did get a bit slow towards the middle, and I lost interest. However, I finished it and learned quite a bit!

I absolutely loved this book. I was so excited when I was approved for it, and I cannot wait to write a more thorough review. A+!

I’m incredibly sad this took me so long to read because it is an exquisite book. I cannot believe I had never heard of these crimes before, shocking, considering how in tuned to true crime I am. Green does an amazing job at telling the story of the victims.

This book tells the true story of 4 gay men who were murdered in the Northeast USA at a time when the general public were obsessed with the recent emergence of HIV/AIDS. There was rampant homophobia and scorn for this population, some of it purely due to homophobic beliefs and some due to fear and misunderstanding. The author does a remarkable job in giving these men and the LGBTQ community from that time, a voice. It is obvious that a lot of research and time went into the writing of this true crime book. It was worth it! The tale is told but the nuances of the cases are brought to life as well.
Definitely recommend to true crime readers.

#ReadLastCall #NetGalley #CeladonBooks

I am a big true crime fan. I swear I feel like I have heard so many stories that there can't be anything new but this one surprised me. I feel like this one has not seen the light until now because in that time, gay men weren't cared about or considered worthy. This was incredibly detailed which I appreciated. I want this writer to write more true crime books!

I very much enjoyed this book. I think Elon Green did an amazing job of telling the stories of the victims, rather than the killer. I was fascinated that I was born and raised not far from the murders (NJ) and I'm a true crime junkie and never once heard of this case. I truly came to care for the victims and I appreciated that Elon Green gave them a voice when they never been recognized to others. This book read like a novel and I thought it was excellent.

Green produces a solid cold case story, bringing readers into the brutal and mysterious murders of four gay men in the 1990s. However, while the bones of the narrative are gripping, his writing is far more evocative in its social history side. He delivers a granular portrait of the gay bars linked to the killings and the subculture that supported them (Five Oaks' Village clubbiness and the Townhouse's Upper East Side aesthetic). The book also makes each of the people involved here, from the victims to the killer, come alive in ways that true-crime books too often fail to accomplish.

This was a very interesting book about a serial killer and his victims. This little known case covered three states but still did not make the nationwide news. The author did a wonderful job of telling not only the killers story but the victims stories. It was strange to read about one of the victims that was from the area I grew up in. The author did a great job of describing the area, the attitudes and the culture of the area at that time. Even through the author reasearch was abundant and consise, like Mr. Green you are left with the question of why the killer did it. You can theorize but there is no definitive answer. I would consider this book a must read for anyone intersted in criminal justice.

Last Call is the perfect blend of true crime and social science, providing an intimate look at a community on the outskirts of mainstream, when being gay and AIDS were too often considered synonymous.

Unlike most true crime, this book doesn't focus solely, or even mostly, on the killer. First we meet each of the known victims. We step into their lives, witness their struggles, visit the NYC clubs, and emotionally connect to them as humans, rather than simply gay victims.

We then meet the killer who managed to elude detectives and blend into society over the years. And, of course, we meet those detectives as we follow an investigation that would've been so different had the victims been pretty young blondes from wealthy communities.

Last Call shows us what happens when a particular group—whether LGBTQ, prostitutes, runaways, etc.—is marginalized within society, pushing them into the outskirts and placing them at higher risk. It's well written, respectful, thought-provoking, and sad

I have been a long-time listener of the true-crime genre via podcasts, and during the last couple of years have been adding more true crime titles into my overall reading. There is a wide range of storytelling in this medium, and what I have found is that I connect with the storytelling that focuses on investigative journaling and digging into who these people really were. I follow hosts and authors who share with detail and also compassion when pulling back the curtain on the people who were able to commit such horrific crimes and the victims and families that will be impacted forever.

Right from the very first page of Last Call, you can tell author Elon Green did his due diligence with both his research and his efforts to share the lives of those impacted with honor and dignity. Not only is this a story of a long-time serial killer who preyed on gay men in the 80s and 90s (which also was the height of the AIDs crisis) but also shares the social commentary of a very dark time in our modern history.

Green writes with empathy and great detail on just how unjustly the LGBTQ community was treated during this not-so-distant past. Not only was it a dangerous time to be gay but discrimination and hate were a part of these people's everyday lives. When gay men started to go missing in NYC, not only was it not prioritized, but it was also pushed under the rug by police and many city and state officials. Last Call shares the stories of these victims, the families, friends, and advocates that pushed for answers, and the search for the killer.

This book is a deep dive into this horrific story that honors the men that were lost while also bringing you along on the search for both the truth and for justice. Whether you have picked up a true crime book before or this is your first time, I highly recommend Last Call. As a reader, it was utterly fascinating while also illuminating me on just how far we have come and the work that still needs to be done to better support the LGBTQ community today.

Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting true crime story about life in queer NYC in the 1980s-1990s. The author does a good job with descriptions of life in NYC at that time. The crime segments were often graphic (as one might expect). I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but overall, a very interesting read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book took me quite a while to get through, not because I disliked it but because it was so thorough I needed to digest all of it! Despite being so thoroughly researched, I never felt bored or like there were parts of the story that weren't interesting to me. Elon Green did a wonderful job of weaving in need-to-know facts as well as nice-to-know ones, which is a skillful thing for a writer to do - and not an easy feat. This felt different from other true crime books I've read. It centered around the victims, for one thing, and thoroughly told the stories of their lives. It also captured New York City in the 1980s and '90s during the AIDS epidemic and the history of violence against the LGBTQ community in New York. It spent very little time discussing the murderer, which I know will turn off some true crime aficionados, but I found it incredibly refreshing. I hope Elon Green writes another true crime book - I'll be the first to buy it.

<i> Thank you to NetGalley and Elon Green for providing a free copy of this novel for an unbaised review</i>

I was extremely captivated by this true-crime novel about a string of murders tied to a gay-bar in NYCity. This was full of descriptions of New York in the 1980s and 1990s along with many social issues the gay community faced; including the human rights campaign of AIDS and HIV. As a teacher, this has some graphic depictions of violence due to the evilness of the murders, so I won't be adapting this for classroom use. But can easily see recommending this to the right student who is mature enough to appreciate the content.

I just want to give a shout out to Elon Green for focusing on the <i>victims</i> of this serial killer and giving them a voice and story. So many times we idolize and are extremely fascinated by the killers, but I truly appreciate that I was 3/4 of the way through before Green even introduced the murderer/killer. I think he handled the topic with grace and maturity and empathy and it came across in his writing.

In between this true crime narrative is the historical depiction of gay rights issues. <i>Are we really surprised that cops completely ignored the murders of gay men in the 1990s?</i> We also get tidbits of information about legal battles, systematic bigotries, and closeted gay men who lived double lives for decades. Extremely informative into a perhaps forgotten history and the grievances of an entire community.

Overall, a great true-crime book that I would highly recommend.

This was a competently written book, but it wasn't what I was expecting/looking for. I'll admit, I'm not a huge True Crime reader, but when I do...I prefer the more salacious. This one was pretty cut and dry, and focused on the victims moreso than the killer...the opposite of what I thought the book was going to be. And with just over 200 pages, I was hoping for a deeper dive. Maybe there isn't enough material for the story to have gotten a longer tell? Not sure. Either way, there will probably be a right audience for this one, but for me...It lacked in the departments I was looking for.

Victim centered true crime focusing on the Last Call Killer. I appreciated how Green painted such vivid pictures of each victim and his world, with particular focus on families and friends. An understanding of who each person was, not as a victim, but as a brother, friend, father, or husband, lends a level of humanity that is sometimes lacking in true crime writing.

The one downfall with this narrative focus is that it leads to a rather abrupt ending. Little time is spent on the trial and after such a thorough lead up, the book sort of fizzles out. Still a good read overall and worthwhile to shine a spotlight on the victims of a serial killer.

A stunning look at a section of LGBTQ+ history and culture that is often ignored. While Last Call takes place during a prominent era in LGBTQ+ history (the HIV/AIDS epidemic) and explores a theme we've all, unfortunately, become too used to (violence against the LBGTQ+ community, particularly gay men), the specificity of the settings, crimes, and Green's research make Last Call feel utterly new. The crimes covered in this book might be new to some readers, including myself, but the attention placed on the humanity and personhood of each victim makes each new discovery in the book all the more tragic. The loss of life, and the effects each loss had on communities and families, is overwhelming, and Green's care in humanizing these events is immaculate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC of this gritty tale of serial murder and social history.

Elon Green’s Last Call tells of a string of murders that occurred in early-90s New York City and New Jersey, with the victims being found throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York. Green immediately grips the reader with the tale of one body found along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and the story of the closeted Philadelphia political hanger-on who attended a fundraiser in New York City, and then decided to go to a piano bar, where he likely met his murderer.

While this is a very promising beginning, Last Call veers between late-century AIDS-era gay social histories Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and even Youngstown, Ohio, details of the NYPD bureaucracy and homophobia, sketches of victims, all the while trying to fit into a tight “true crime” genre format, which hurts what could have been a great story, and makes it, overall, a missed opportunity.