Reviews for Butchers Dozen

The average rating for Butchers Dozen based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2021-09-04 00:00:00 Kristoffer Eriksen Collins returns to Eliot Ness during his time as Safety Director for the City of Cleveland as Ness takes on the most important criminal case in Cleveland history, The Torso Murders. Ness was historically involved in the Torso Murders and Collins does a good job of weaving historical fact in with the fictional narrative. The murders went unsolved, though Ness believed he found the murderer, but would have been unable to have obtained a conviction. Here, Collins uses a fictional proxy for Ness' preferred killer, one that is almost as politically connected as the individual that Ness believed was the killer. Collins is a master at the historical detective novel. And while the Ness books aren't on par with his Heller novels, they're still a good read that deftly blends history and fiction.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-11-03 00:00:00 Tom Walcott I received my signed copy of this novel as giveaway from the author with the request that I provide a review. I am a big fan of Max Allan Collins. I have read all of the Quarry novels, Ms. Tree, many of his Mickey Spillane adaptations and one of Nathan Heller books. I am not as fond of his historical adaptations. I gave this novel 4 stars. The first third of the book was a little slow as Collins established the historical background and factual basis of the story. Once we get about from midway through to the end, the story and writing grab you in typical Collins fashion. My rating is a blend of a 3 for the first third and 5 for the rest of the book. I knew nothing about the historical case that the book is based on before reading the book. Strongly recommended for fans of the Devil in the White City.