Last Call

A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York

By: Elon Green

Narrated by: David Pittu

"This true-crime gem—Green's first full-length work, sensitively and incisively narrated by Pittu—is an illuminating and deeply humanizing testament to victims overlooked by the media and forgotten in cultural memory...An insightful and essential conversation among author, narrator, and producer concludes this highly recommended recording." -- Booklist, starred review

*This program includes a bonus conversation with the author*

The gripping true story, told here for the first time, of the Last Call Killer and the gay community of New York City that he preyed upon.

The Townhouse Bar, midtown, July 1992: The piano player seems to know every song ever written, the crowd belts out the lyrics to their favorites, and a man standing nearby is drinking a Scotch and water. The man strikes the piano player as forgettable.

He looks bland and inconspicuous. Not at all what you think a serial killer looks like. But that’s what he is, and tonight, he has his sights set on a gray haired man. He will not be his first victim.

Nor will he be his last.

The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the ‘80s and ‘90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the skyhigh murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten.

This gripping true-crime narrative tells the story of the Last Call Killer and the decades-long chase to find him. And at the same time, it paints a portrait of his victims and a vibrant community navigating threat and resilience.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books

"Green’s sensitive portraits of the victims, and his deeply researched re-creation of an epoch of gay history, provide its soul. Inherently shocking material needs no dramatization, and David Pittu’s understated narration highlights the tragedy and horror of these crimes. “Last Call” is the kind of book that keeps you wide awake all night turning the pages. As an audiobook, it will keep you wide awake all day as you drive, hoping you don’t get wherever you’re going before it ends." -- New York Times

"In this astonishing and powerful work of nonfiction, Green meticulously reports on a series of baffling and brutal crimes targeting gay men. It is an investigation filled with twists and turns, but this is much more than a compelling true crime story. Green has shed light on those whose lives for too long have been forgotten, and rescued an important part of American history." -- David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon

An astonishing untold tale & top notch narration.

I really had no expectations of this story, but right from the beginning, my attention was captured. It was a tale where the crimes are touched on but Elon Green cared for the victims and the routines of the victims. There is a sensitivity and compassion about the lives of victims which is something that is almost never done in true crime. David Pittu is outstanding, and he knows how to make a story come alive. It is such an astonishing combination. Superb writing and peerless narration with social history and sociological insights into victims and criminal takes you there. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Very timely reminder of the risks of pickups...

Given the arrest on April 3rd of 3 men accused of drugging and murdering men, they met at gay bars in New York City. this book is very timely. Very well written, researched and performed. I don't usually consume this kind of literature but I found it compelling.

Thoughtful viewpoint

Very interesting profile of the victims of a serial killer. It took me several starts to get into it, but the 3rd time was the charm.

Excellent

Excellent deep dive on a case in which the surface had never even been scratched. Important also is the author’s belief that it’s the victims who matter in these tragedies, not the murderers.

Great story and book, needs better voice editing

Great story telling! Vividly tells bits and pieces of the lives of victims and their families. Grabs you by the heart. The performance is great up until the last hour. Sounds like they took 3 takes and constantly switch them out with one another. It’s very distracting. Other than that, highly recommend.