Where the Bodies Were Buried

Whitey Bulger and the World That Made Him

By: T. J. English

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author T. J. English, the acclaimed master chronicler of the Irish Mob in America, offers a front row seat at the trial of one of the most notorious gangsters of all - Whitey Bulger - and pulls back the veil to expose a breathtaking history of corruption and malfeasance.

Whitey Bulger was, following the death of Osama bin Laden, the number-one fugitive on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list; he remained at large for 16 years. One of the most prominent mobsters in Boston's criminal underworld from the 1970s until his disappearance in 1995, Bulger was sometimes romanticized as a Robin Hood-esque thief and protector who looked out for his South Boston neighborhood.

But the truth was much more complicated - and infinitely more sordid - as his trial on racketeering charges revealed in alarming detail. Throughout the era in which Bulger was a crime boss, he was also a top echelon informant (TE) for the FBI, supposedly helping prosecutors make organized crime cases against the mafia by feeding them information that could win them convictions in court. His relationship with the criminal justice system - an arrangement he inherited from a previous generation of gangsters and corrupt lawmen - represents the hidden horror of the Bulger story and the battleground on which prosecutors and defense lawyers clashed at his trial.

There have been other books on Bulger, but none like this. T. J. English - author of Paddy Whacked, the definitive history of the Irish mob - was present every day of the proceedings, and in Where the Bodies Were Buried gives us not just an account of the trial but also a deeply sourced, disturbing portrait of the decades-long culture of collusion between the Feds and the Irish and Italian mob factions that ruled Boston and much of New England from the 1970s forward.

©2015 T. J. English (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

Comprehensive but interesting

Fascinating story detailing the trial and life of Bulger. My only criticism is that the author clearly has a problem with modern media and considers himself in an ivory tower above them. However, this book provides more detail and insight into this case than any other book or film I've seen on the subject.

Dirty all the way around

Thorough, comprehensive account of a sordid history of crime, perpetrated by gangsters and the government. The only quibble would be that the author is a bit too prone to the random literary or cinematic allusions, and oddly constructed gastrointestinal metaphors.

Boston Corruption Exposed

TJ English interviews and exposes crimes and murders if a large cast of characters. The corruption of the FBI in Boston and Washington as well as criminal behavior of the Boston prosecutors office. The trial coverage of Murderer Whitey Bulger is very interesting and story and Narration were great!

Great Narration

Excellent story- TJ English is fantastic writing about the Mic Mafia. Nothing lower than Boston hoodlums ... but the Irish with their whining about "Irish need not apply" for a hundred years and their 100% rat quotient
and their stupidity accepting Bulger for 30 years of activity with the Feds and not picking it up?!??????!??......Any other ethnic criminal gang would have picked up that Bulger was a rat in a week. Ironic that he died at the hands of a real gangster..a mafiosa

Informative-- Bolger and the FBI's participation!

I enjoy books about true crime/historical & famous trials-- trial lawyers would enjoy reading the account of this trial, witness-by-witness. The FBI's participation and outright complacency is shocking as they could have saves many lives. I wonder how much of such activities go on today... reminds me of the dreadful Iran-Contra affair by the Reagan admnistration.

Not enough Bulger

This was a well documented court case and backstory, however, there was not enough "Bulger" in it, instead you get an entire book on the background into the people who testified against Bulger.

Amazing story. Narration not my style!

Incredible revelations in this book. Some amazing facts and insights. A well researched and written account but the narrator read it like a newscaster which made it soulless and kind of ruined it for me. If you can get over that this is a great true crime story.

Fantastic!

TJ English is a fantastic author, and this book is no exception. The fact that he got to know many participants in the story so well and obtained many personal insights, makes this book so great. I knew a lot about Whitey Bulger before listening to this, but still heard lots of details for the first time. If you love true crime stories, you won't be disappointed!

Excellent but subtly political

Great history of the Bulger mob years. It’s a little annoying how the author subtly pushes his liberal bias. He makes sure to announce a corrupt politician as “conservative” but then will only name another even worse politician without giving a party affiliation… further research finds they were democrats.. Billy Bulger was a prominent DEMOCRAT.

Overall great book and fascinating story. Well written, and narrated. Worth the time, just don’t be fooled by the “conservative government is worse than the mob” propaganda.

Whos more corrupt? Bulger or the Fed. Government.

Any additional comments?

I really liked the voice of the narrator. The author has great access to many insider convicted criminals and this makes the story interesting. It is well written. Brian Kelley the prosecutor is a real douchebag as he tries to cover for all his corrupt individuals in law enforcement. I really like the woman juror in the last chapter - she's a brilliant thinker and guardian of the constitution and liberty. Anybody that says that mankind is good by nature is a fool and needs to read just how depraved the human heart is. The federal government and their cover up is just as bad as the convicted murderers.