For the Thrill of It cover art

For the Thrill of It

Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz Age Chicago

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For the Thrill of It

By: Simon Baatz
Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
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About this listen

It was a crime that shocked the nation: the brutal murder in Chicago in 1924 of a child by two wealthy college students who killed solely for the thrill of the experience. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were intellectuals - too smart, they believed, for the police to catch them. When they were apprehended, state's attorney Robert Crowe was certain that no defense could save the ruthless killers from the gallows. But the families of the confessed murderers hired Clarence Darrow, entrusting the lives of their sons to the most famous lawyer in America in what would be one of the most sensational criminal trials in the history of American justice.

Set against the backdrop of the 1920s - a time of prosperity, self-indulgence, and hedonistic excess in a lawless city on the brink of anarchy - For the Thrill of It draws the listener into a world of speakeasies and flappers, of gangsters and gin parties, with a spellbinding narrative of Jazz Age murder and mystery.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2008 Simon Baatz (P)2017 Audible, Inc. Americas History Law Murder State & Local True Crime United States Inspiring Scary

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All stars
Most relevant  
Meticulously researched book, sets all the known facts out in great detail. Very much an unbiased account of the crime, arrest, trial and aftermath, author sets out no opinions of his own.
Narration takes some getting used to as the narrator puts the wrong emphasis on certain syllables and words in a strange way. However, perhaps it’s just an accent that I am not used to.

Very Detailed

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This has so much research done that the author could easily have gotten lost and written a piece of dry drivel facts. This is not one of those books. From the word go it is paced well and the narrator does a fantastic job of getting the tone for each chapter right. There was so much I didn't know, This book fills in lots of blank spaces and expands on facts that are commonly known. It's the perfect telling of a very disturbing piece of history.

Amazingly researched and compellingly told

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I knew a bit about this case, as i enjoy true crime but this went into the background of the case in a lot of detail a lot of which was knew to me.

I have seen other reviewers comment on the narrator. He does have his own style but i didn't mind that and i certainly didn't find it too fast

Indepth coverage if a well known story

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For the first time ever, I am unable to finish a book. The VO was alright, but definitely felt overly dramatic and mispronounced a few terms here and there, but the content of the book is the real problem. It was bad enough hearing unnecessary details about a football game prior to the murder, but that was only a taste of the off-topic information overload to come. Around chapter 7/8 onwards, you start to hear almost nothing about the case the book is apparently about! I don't need to know the extensive credentials and background of each and every lawyer, psychologist, and politician unless that information has some bearing on THIS case! If this was a fiction, a fairytale, perhaps I'd appreciate the detailed physical description of random characters, but given that it ISN'T, I don't need a detailed description of completely random, inconsequential characters from other cases! It got so frustrating, I couldn't even continue with the book as background noise while at work. Absolutely wouldn't recommend!

Woefully 'unthrilling'

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Interesting true crime book and well narrated. It was a sensational crime at the time. It would have been interesting to know if it had any effect on the US criminal process

Interesting book

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I found this very compelling. The author has provided so much detailed information not just about the murder but about the history of Chicago in the 1920s, the development of psychiatry in relation to the mentally ill and the influence of Clarence Darrow, the great American lawyer. The link between the law and the corruption that reigned in Chicago during this period is covered in detail and there are examples of many other contemporary murder cases and their outcomes that are relevant to the Leopold and Loeb case.

The narrator does a sterling job - I found the ideal speed for me was 1:1. The clarity of the voice and its simple narration without too many inflections took a little getting used to, but it seems to ideally match the writing style. The writing itself seems factual, non-judgemental and objective. The author resists the urge to submit to sensationalism. Now and then he slips into a novelistic form, as though the writer knows what the subject is thinking or feeling - but I personally found this forgivable as the writer's restraint overall was impressive.

Terrific listen - I learned a lot!



Detailed Research reveals Chicago in 1920s

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Should have stuck to the story line and not added the unnecessary padding. Narration was clear and pace was comfortable listening.

Good story but too much irrelevant information

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The basic story was very interesting but there was far too much unnecessary detail that it could have been told more succinctly in a third of the time. I even had to increase the speed of narration to get through it.

So detailed

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Filled with detail & with an unusually good narrator, this book doesn’t miss any of the controversial nature of this crime & it’s trial. I highly recommend it.

Excellent book, sticks to facts.

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This is an amazing true crime book and an absolute must for everyone who is also interested in the history of law and it's developments in the 20th century. Very detailed and interesting on so many levels.

Mind you, I had to listen to it on 0,8 slowdown because the narrator, well, he is trying to break speed records left and right. The book is unlistenable at normal speed. This guy was really in a hurry to get it over with.

Amazing story with roadrunner narrator

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