Wicked City Summary and Reviews

Wicked City
by Ace Atkins

Wicked City
List Price: $14.00
Our Price: $2.50
You Save: $11.50 (82%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.57 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Ace Atkins
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-04-07
ISBN: 0425227073
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Berkley Trade

Book Reviews of Wicked City

Book Review: Amazingly Accurate for a Work of Fiction
Summary: 4 Stars

Having grown up in Phenix City, Alabama during the 1940s and 1950s, and witnessed the city's cleanup in 1954, I was amazed at the historcal accuracy of the events portrayed by Mr. Atkins. Many readers express surprise at how and why Phenix City acquired its reputation as "Sin City U.S.A." One must recognize that the city was relatively poor with a work force mainly comprised of workers in the cotton mills of Columbus, Georgia just across the Chattahootchie river. There was little by way of legitimate business in the city comprising a tax base. For many years, until the 1954 cleanup, the local mob had convinced most of the people that the city, including its churches and schools, could not survive without the mob's financial support. The beneficiaries didn't complain. There was also an understandable reluctance by so-called "law-abiding citizens" to complain for fear of making themselves the target of mob retribution. And, reacting like ordinary folks usually do in any circumstance, some just "didn't want to get involved."

As Mr. Atkins writes, there were a handful of principled, determined, and couragous citizens who took on the mob and helped overthrow the lawless regime. Sheriff Lamar Murphy was certainly one of those individuals. Among other things, Sheriff Murphy identified the eye witness to the murder of Albert Patterson, the Democrat nominee for Alabama Attorney General, and this witness' testimony was instrumental in convicting the triggerman in the murder. Some commenters expressed surprise that a fellow who pumped gas for a living could take on the job of sheriff and perform it so well. Mr. Atkins' book shows that it can and did happen in Phenix City, Alabama.

Literature & Fiction Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Women ImageLittle Women
by Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops: $5.00
The Killing Ground ImageThe Killing Ground
by JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowning ImageSaving Fish from Drowning
by Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancy ImageLife Expectancy
by Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princess ImageConstant Princess
by Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1) ImageWolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)
by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Sahara ImageSahara
by Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy) ImagePerelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)
by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.76
Price in other shops: $10.50
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towers ImageThe Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towers
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Mars ImageRed Mars
by Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Tragedy and the Triumph of Phenix City, Alabama ImageThe Tragedy and the Triumph of Phenix City, Alabama
by Margaret Anne Barnes
Mercer University Press; Published: 1999-01-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $24.69
Price in other shops: $30.00
Devil's Garden ImageDevil's Garden
by Ace Atkins
Berkley Trade; Published: 2010-03-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops: $15.00
Crossroad Blues (Nick Travers Series) ImageCrossroad Blues (Nick Travers Series)
by Ace Atkins
Busted Flush Press, LLC; Published: 2010-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.34
Price in other shops: $15.00
White Shadow ImageWhite Shadow
by Ace Atkins
Berkley Trade; Published: 2009-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.94
Price in other shops: $16.00
Devil's Garden ImageDevil's Garden
by Ace Atkins
Putnam Adult; Published: 2009-04-02; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.55
Price in other shops: $24.95
DIRTY SOUTH                 MM (Nick Travers) ImageDIRTY SOUTH MM (Nick Travers)
by Ace Atkins
Avon; Published: 2005-03-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.86
Infamous ImageInfamous
by Ace Atkins
Berkley Trade; Published: 2011-04-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.01
Price in other shops: $15.00
White Shadow ImageWhite Shadow
by Ace Atkins
Berkley Trade; Published: 2009-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.58
Price in other shops: $15.00
The Ranger (Quinn Colson Novels) ImageThe Ranger (Quinn Colson Novels)
by Ace Atkins
Putnam Adult; Published: 2011-06-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $15.41
Price in other shops: $25.95
Devil's Garden ImageDevil's Garden
by Ace Atkins
Berkley Trade; Published: 2010-03-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.00
Price in other shops: $15.00