Book Review: American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper by Daniel Stashower

What do you do when a new type of killer is on the loose? If you’re in 1936 Cleveland, Ohio,
you call the Untouchable Eliot Ness.

Part biography, part historical account of the brutal Kingsbury Run slayings, otherwise known as
the “Torso Murders,” American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America’s Jack the Ripper
by Daniel Stashower is a thrilling, if gruesome, account of how Ness came to the Cleveland area
after his work with the Untouchables in Chicago and his work on shaking up Cleveland’s police
system in order to root out all the corruption he could find. But when there’s a fanatic killer on
the loose, it’s not long before Ness is forced to turn his attention away from corruption and vice
and towards the grisly slayings happening in Kingsbury Run.

In 1936, the term “serial killer” doesn’t exist. And yet, six bodies have turned up since January
and in September, Ness is forced to attend to this phenomenon as more seem to be on their way.
No one can agree to a profile of the killer. Some say he’s a surgeon, some say he’s a butcher.
Some say he’s a pervert, some say he’s a cannibal. Coroner’s reports on the six bodies have been
just as conflicting and only two have been identified. It is a strange time to be alive in Cleveland.
In the time of President Roosevelt, ticker tape parades, and the rise of the automobile, Ness is on
the verge between the old and new worlds in policework. Forensic science is emerging and
gaining traction with the younger policemen as Ness himself sweeps away the well-established,
crooked, veteran cops in Cleveland and ushers in a true age of reform. Fingerprinting is taking
the nation by storm and is beginning to help solve crimes, though not necessarily in sweeping
numbers. And chemical analyses are brewing to the point where gunshot residues can be used to
more clearly indicate whether a case is a murder or a suicide on scene, rather than just at the
coroner’s office.

It is a tale told colorfully and rich with historical detail as it weaves in quotes from local
newspapers, like The Cleveland Press and The Plain Dealer. It is not for the faint of heart as it is
ripe with viscera and gore, holding nothing back as heads roll towards detectives’ feet and torsos
float to shore in the Cuyahoga River. This, dear reader, is one of the few books I cannot
recommend a meal with. Perhaps a nice tea, or glass of wine to settle your nerves, but save the
popcorn for your favorite movie, once you’ve had your fill of reading for the day.
The language used is simple and easy to digest but filled with vicious detail, and the majority of
the book is not overtly gory, leaving most of the gore for small to modest, very intense sections
where the forensics of each specific case are being discussed. Again, not for the faint of heart.
Separated into three parts, American Demon covers the entirety of the two “acts” of Eliot Ness’s
career. “Part I: Al’s Nemesis” contains information on Ness’s actions against Al Capone in
Chicago during the Prohibition movement and how that led him to stardom and acclaim, and
how he became a sort of “has been” once the 18 th Amendment to the United States Constitution
was repealed and he no longer was required to bring down bootleggers like Al Capone.
This leads to “Part II: The Mad Butcher Strikes Again” and how Ness was brought to Cleveland
as the Director of Public Safety in charge of reinvigorating the Cleveland Police Department by

routing out the corruption running rampant within. While Ness is cleaning up the city, he’s
ignoring a very large problem right under his nose – the Kingsbury Run or “Torso Murders” that
have been occurring since 1934. The city, unsettled by these grizzly and continuous slayings,
demands he do something as more and more body parts are found around the city and on the
shores of Lake Erie. Finally, some suspects begin coming into focus: first a local man who’s
known to have had a relationship with one of the victims; and a mysterious Doctor X whose
profile is slowly being pieced together and being revealed to the papers.

“Part III: Who Is This Mad Torso Killer?” takes the reader through the final series of steps of the
investigation, the continued corruption of the Cleveland Police Department, and the slow,
downward spiral of Eliot Ness. During the investigation into the person known as Doctor X,
more police brutality is revealed as the Doctor is given the third degree as investigators try to
coerce a confession. After the Doctor is let go, he is put under surveillance and other suspects are
pursued. The pursual of other suspects reveals even more police brutality in the Cleveland PD
system, reflecting poorly on Ness whose sole job was to clean out the crooked cops and prevent
this kind of thing from happening.

Each chapter not only has a catchy title – including but not limited to “Chicago Has Fallen” and
“There Goes Eliot Ness” – but begins with timely and relevant quotes, usually from local
newspapers or various government officials, such as a quote attributed to Ness himself:
“Anything I whisper to a friend comes out in the newspapers the next day as if I’d shouted it
from a megaphone on Public Square” (p. 215).

The audiobook, which pairs beautifully with the text, is a treat to the ears. It is well-read and
easy to listen to, despite the material. It is a touch slow, so if you’re impatient like me, expect to
hit that playback speed dial and bump it up a bit (trust me, audio quality will be fine for the first
few notches; but if that doesn’t matter to you, then by all means, crank that thing up). The
audiobook marks in about twelve (12) hours and is a solid choice if text is not your preferred
mode. Or, you can do like I do and double dip!

There is one major difference between the Kindle and paperback editions of the novel: there are
various photos of Ness, his three wives, clippings Ness scrapbooked, and other relevant and
interesting photos from his lifetime included in the Kindle edition that are not found in the
paperback edition. Status of this gallery in the hardback edition has not been determined by this
reader at this time.

American Demon currently retails on MacMillan’s site for $29.99 in hardback, $26.99 digital
audio, $12.99 e-book, or $20.00 paperback. Otherwise, it is available on Amazon for $29.99
hardback, $20.00 paperback, and $20.24 on Audible ($14.95 with membership).

Born in Cleveland, OH, Daniel Stashower is an author of mystery fiction and historical
nonfiction, specializing in true crime. His works include but are not limited to: The Beautiful
Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe and the Invention of Murder (2006); Teller of Tales:
The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle (1999); and The Dime Museum Murders (1999).