The Detroit True Crime Chronicles

Tales of Murder & Mayhem in the Motor City

By: Scott M. Burnstein

Narrated by: Charles Constant

The Detroit True Crime Chronicles sets forth the rich history of criminal activity in the Motor City. Using information from declassified federal documents and many firsthand accounts, the book focuses on the city's local Mafia, key mobsters, drug kingpins, serial killers, and unsolved crimes.

Included in this comprehensive account of criminal life in Michigan's great border city are the stories of "Ernie the Greek" Kanakis, Henry "Blaze" Marzette, Eddie Jackson, "Baby Ray" Peoples, Demetrius Holloway, Butch Jones, Leroy Buttrum, "Frank Nitti" Usher, "Maserati Rick" Carter, "Rocking Reggie" Brown, "Wonderful Wayne" Davis, Young Boys Inc. (YBI), Murder Row, Best Friends, Pony Down, John Wolfenbarger, "Billy Wadd" Smith, Harry "Taco" Bowman, "Tony Jack" Giacalone, "Frankie the Bomb" Bommarito, "Singing Sam" Cattalanotte, the Purple Gang and the Burnstein Brothers, "Black Bill" Tocco, Joseph "Legs" Laman, Christopher Busch, the Chaldean Mafia, the Chambers brothers, "Joe Uno" and "Tony Z" Zerilli, "Black Jack" Tocco, "Papa John" Priziola, "Machine Gun Pete" Corrado, "Jimmy Q" Quasarano, "Gentleman John" Claxton, Carmine "The Doctor" Lombardozi, Angelo "The Chairman" Meli, "Frankie Three Fingers" Coppola, "Cockeyed Joe" Catalanotte, the Badalamenti Group, Benedetto Evangelista, Bobby "The Animal" La Puma, and, of course, Jimmy Hoffa.

©2013 Scott M. Burnstein (P)2021 Tantor

History nicely explained

As a Michigander, the mispronunciation of many words was a little disturbing , but other than that pretty good review of the history of southeast Michigan

Varied stories

Check out this author’s podcast - The Original Gangsters if you’re into organized crime. It’s probably the best OC podcast out there.

Great info

Very in-depth writing on a vast number of organizations. Kind of ended abruptly, but other than that a very good book.

Well written. Well read. A total history with all factions included. No wasted words.

A total history with everyone included. Including mobsters, black gangs, bikers, and general criminals. Excellent book!

Good book on organized crime in the D

I was expecting more insider knowledge on the purple gang since the author is a relative.... there wasn't much new that I didn't Lready know from other books on the gang. otherwise interesting book.