Genealogy of a Murder, Lisa Belkin
Genealogy of a Murder, Lisa Belkin
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Genealogy of a Murder
Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night

Author: Lisa Belkin

Narrator: Erin Bennett

Unabridged: 12 hr 56 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/11/2023

Synopsis

Independence Day weekend, 1960: a young cop is murdered, shocking his close-knit community in Stamford, Connecticut. The killer remains at large, his identity still unknown. But on a beach not far away, a young Army doctor, on vacation from his post at a research lab in a maximum-security prison, faces a chilling realization. He knows who the shooter is. In fact, the man—a prisoner out on parole—had called him only days before. By helping his former charge and trainee, the doctor, a believer in second chances, may have inadvertently helped set the murder into motion. And with that one phone call, may have sealed a policeman's fate.

Alvin Tarlov, David Troy, and Joseph DeSalvo were all born of the Great Depression, all with grandparents who'd left different homelands for the same American Dream. How did one become a doctor, one a cop, and one a convict? In Genealogy of a Murder, journalist Lisa Belkin traces the paths of each of these three men—one of them her stepfather. Her canvas is large, spanning the first half of the twentieth century: immigration, the struggles of the working class, prison reform, medical experiments, politics and war, the nature/nurture debate, epigenetics, the infamous Leopold and Loeb case, and the history of motorcycle racing. It is also intimate: a look into the workings of the mind and heart.

About Lisa Belkin

Lisa Belkin is an award-winning journalist and the author of narrative nonfiction books. Her career at the New York Times includes stints as a national correspondent, medical reporter, and contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine. Her previous book, Show Me A Hero, was made into an HBO miniseries.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Brendan on January 25, 2023

Sometimes less really is more. Lisa Belkin's Genealogy of a Murder is a case of wonderful research going badly wrong. The book centers around the murder of a young cop in 1960. Belkin traces the lives of multiple families as they finally converge on that fateful night. There are some very good parts......more

Goodreads review by David on December 29, 2023

4.5 stars rounded down. I suspect an audiobook is the best way to experience this book. The author has an interesting way of narrating the stories, she's present but not in the way and she expresses herself very well. Many times her points felt deeply meaningful and humanizing. I was immediately take......more

Goodreads review by Lesley on March 26, 2023

This book covers very interesting territory but I found myself wishing it had been edited better. The number of people described becomes unwieldy unless the reader is taking notes, and the breadth of the focus felt too wide for me. But when it was good, it was very, very good, gripping and eye-openi......more

Goodreads review by Brianna Hart on July 25, 2023

I was honestly really impressed with how the author linked this all together. At first, you don’t see the connections but then as the story winds on you start to put pieces together. I thought it was a really interesting tale of politics, genetics, and how lifestyle can impact a person. Then on top......more

Goodreads review by BookStarRaven on February 21, 2023

Genealogy of a Murder by Lisa Belkin is a well-researched, expansive work following three generations of families. A doctor, a prisoner and a police officer are all involved in a murder. We know this from the beginning. Belkin transports the reader back to the early 1900’s, years before the murders......more

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