Murder in the Garden: Famous Crimes of Early Fresno County

By Scott Morrison

Book Overview

Presenting 15 famous cases from Fresno, California, set in the first part of the 20th century, a long-time detective in the sheriff's office introduces key figures such as a bootlegger, an unfortunate local dubbed Alligator Jack, and a perpetrator known as the Fig Garden Fiend. Featuring local landmarks such as Mussel Slough--the setting for Frank Norris's The Octopus--and offering additional commentary that compares these sensational past cases to current high-profile criminal cases. A consideration of the changing face of crime, this history reveals a modern upswing in child abuse, multiple murders, and kidnapping cases and highlights the extended nature of the current legal process as compared to the open-and-shut character of the early 1900s.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0941936996
• ISBN13: 9780941936996
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Craven Street Books
• Length: 159 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book!

I'm from Fresno so I know all the areas their talking about in the book. It's interesting to read about the crimes and law enforcement so long ago.