The Brick Slayer

By: Harold Schechter

Narrated by: Steven Weber

Publisher's summary

A series of brutal home invasions terrified Los Angeles in 1937. They ended in Chicago a year later with the arrest of African American teenager Robert Nixon, igniting racial tensions in an already appallingly divided city.

Tortured in custody and portrayed by the press in the most lurid and flagrantly racist terms, Nixon faced an all-white jury. It would be the fastest conviction in the history of Cook County. Used as inspiration for Richard Wright’s classic social protest novel, Native Son, the case against Nixon is a still-relevant examination of bigotry, suppressed rage, and the making of a murderer.

The Brick Slayer is part of Bloodlands, a chilling collection of short addictive historical narratives from bestselling true-crime master Harold Schechter. Spanning a century in our nation’s murderous past, Schechter resurrects nearly forgotten tales of madmen and thrill-killers that dominated the most sensational headlines of their day.

©2018 Harold Schechter (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

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3 out of 5 stars

By Commoncent$ on 07-03-18

Native Son reference

Bloodlands collection – 6 books The Pirate, Little Slaughterhouse on the Prairie, Brick Slayer, Panic, Pied Piper, Rampage
Crime stories, whether in movies, TV or books always reflect the morality and mortality of humans – as cautionary tales to warn us…me especially. The bigger the human flaws or outsized characters; the villain(s) or defenseless victim(s), the press (broadsheet & tabloid), psychiatrists, police, and/or lawyers the more I gawk...
Note: all the ebooks were tricked out with Kindle in motion special effects. Bumped up the ante to the sensationalism...can’t tell if that’s a shot at the press or not…
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Brick Slayer – short story with racism and murder at its core. What makes it significant is the fact that author Richard Wright was greatly influenced by this killer trial & news fodder to create his epic novel, ‘Native Son’, which is on my to-read list and I’ll probably read it much sooner now.

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4 out of 5 stars

By Jennifer C. on 11-15-22

Short and Troubling Topic, but Good

A compelling story about a disturbing historical practice and equally disturbing murders. Well written and we'll voiced by the narrator.

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4 out of 5 stars

By The Invisible Girl on 06-03-19

Fans of Richard Wright/Native Son must read!

A historically important case, as well as a juicy true crime fix, which I'd never heard of, with very good and important context provided. Admirers of Richard Wright and/or Native Son, may be as grateful as I am for the amazing links...including relevant citations. (NOTE: While very worthwhile and interesting info, it's still a very scanty read. It seems like a poor business ploy to create all these tiny Schecter pieces as separate purchases. They know many admire him and want to read all we can, but, really?)

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