". . . a provocative read and a pleasing window into 19th-century crime with an unusual leader—an immigrant woman. Recommended for historical crime buffs, those interested in women's history, and the general reader." —Library Journal
“Queen of Thieves, like Conway’s previous books, paints a vivid and cinematic picture of New York City during the Gilded Age with its colorful cast of characters. This time, the story centers on one of America's first organized crime bosses, Fredericka Mandelbaum, a woman who gained enormous money and power during her rise as matriarch of the underworld.” —Will Staples, screenwriter
“Mr. Conway, true to his roots a newspaperman, has written a gripping, page-turning historical account of Fredericka Mandelbaum, making it as fresh and relevant as if it were ripped from today's headlines.” —Jesse Dubuc, coauthor, The Attack of the HMS Nimrod: Wareham and the War of 1812
Praise for King of Heists
“Engrossing . . . Conway skillfully paints a backdrop of fierce and flamboyant personalities who paraded across the Gilded Age . . . [H]e capably recounts his story against a background of glitter and greed.” —Publishers Weekly
“A page-turning account of one of the most brazen crimes of our time.” —Reader’s Digest
“Conway, a college prof and ex-newspaper man, covers this ancient tale in a way that makes it feel like a hot news story.” —New York Post
Praise for The Big Policeman:
“Conway portrays his subject’s cleverness and excesses with a flawed-hero flavor that should draw in true-crime fans.” —Booklist
“An essential read for those interested in police work, detective stories, and New York City history.” —Library Journal
“A fascinating, fast-moving account of one of the most polarizing and influential figures of 19th-century New York. ” —Daniel Stashower, author of The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder
“A treasure trove of information not only on larger-than-life pioneering detective Thomas Byrnes but also on law-and-order in wide-open nineteenth-century Manhattan.” —David Pietrusza, author of Rothstein: The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series
". . . a provocative read and a pleasing window into 19th-century crime with an unusual leader—an immigrant woman. Recommended for historical crime buffs, those interested in women's history, and the general reader." —Library Journal
“Queen of Thieves, like Conway’s previous books, paints a vivid and cinematic picture of New York City during the Gilded Age with its colorful cast of characters. This time, the story centers on one of America's first organized crime bosses, Fredericka Mandelbaum, a woman who gained enormous money and power during her rise as matriarch of the underworld.” —Will Staples, screenwriter
“Mr. Conway, true to his roots a newspaperman, has written a gripping, page-turning historical account of Fredericka Mandelbaum, making it as fresh and relevant as if it were ripped from today's headlines.” —Jesse Dubuc, coauthor, The Attack of the HMS Nimrod: Wareham and the War of 1812
Praise for King of Heists
“Engrossing . . . Conway skillfully paints a backdrop of fierce and flamboyant personalities who paraded across the Gilded Age . . . [H]e capably recounts his story against a background of glitter and greed.” —Publishers Weekly
“A page-turning account of one of the most brazen crimes of our time.” —Reader’s Digest
“Conway, a college prof and ex-newspaper man, covers this ancient tale in a way that makes it feel like a hot news story.” —New York Post
Praise for The Big Policeman:
“Conway portrays his subject’s cleverness and excesses with a flawed-hero flavor that should draw in true-crime fans.” —Booklist
“An essential read for those interested in police work, detective stories, and New York City history.” —Library Journal
“A fascinating, fast-moving account of one of the most polarizing and influential figures of 19th-century New York. ” —Daniel Stashower, author of The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder
“A treasure trove of information not only on larger-than-life pioneering detective Thomas Byrnes but also on law-and-order in wide-open nineteenth-century Manhattan.” —David Pietrusza, author of Rothstein: The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series
09/01/2014
Conway's (coauthor, Attack of the HMS Nimrod; King of Heists) latest book delves into the story of Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum, an early pioneering woman of crime. A German Jewish immigrant to 19th-century New York City, Mandelbaum created an empire based on stolen goods, which passed through her "legitimate" dry goods store. By 1880, it's estimated that her personal wealth was over $1 million and she controlled a large criminal network that provided services and bribed officials. Conway presents fascinating details about the grittiness of life during the Gilded Age in the nation's largest city, as well as smaller biographies of Mandelbaum's contemporaries and cocriminals such as Sophie Lyons, Adam Worth, George Leonidas Leslie, and Charles W. "Piano Charley" Bullard. While the book is well researched and well written, it is hard to know exactly how much of the story is fact or legend. No matter, it is a provocative read and a pleasing window into 19th-century crime with an unusual leader—an immigrant woman. VERDICT Recommended for historical crime buffs, those interested in women's history, and the general reader.—Amelia Osterud, Carroll Univ. Lib., Waukesha, WI
