For the Thrill of It by Simon BaatzRead about another entry on the list.
Just in case you’re confused, this book is not about the thrill of driving fast cars or bungee jumping or going clubbing every night until 5 a.m. Perhaps the subtitle will clear things up: Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz Age Chicago. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were 19 and 18, respectively, in 1924 when for — as the title implies — the thrill of it, they abducted and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in broad daylight. The killers thought they were too smart to get caught and were convinced they’d committed the perfect crime. Except for the fact that they left behind a crucial piece of evidence that, even in the days before DNA testing, put the proverbial nail in their coffin. Plenty of crimes jockey for the title of “Murder of the Century,” but the unflappable, sadistic teenagers at the heart of this case make it a prime contender for the dubious honor.
The Page 99 Test: For the Thrill of It.
--Marshal Zeringue
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