The "Double Indemnity" Murder
Subtitle: Ruth Snyder, Judd Gray, And New York's Crime of the Century
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Published: October 30, 2006
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 411
ISBN-13: 9780815608240
Subjects: Crime & criminology; True Crime; United States - 21st Century; New York; Investigation; Women murderers; Biography / Autobiography; United States - 20th Century/20s; Murder - General; New York (State); Criminals & Outlaws; United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic; Biography; Murder; United States
Description: "Queens Village was a picture-perfect postcard New York suburb. But in March 1927 the facade of respectability was stripped away to reveal an underside of greed, lust, and crime. Few incidents in crime history have been so notorious as the murder of Albert Snyder by his wife and her lover. Resonant of the footloose Jazz Age, it made persistent headlines and led to a sensational trial. The crime spawned a 1920s Broadway play and inspired the classic noir film of the 1940s, Double Indemnity. This book assesses the entire case, from grisly slaying and shabby cover-up to sharp police work and aftermath. Moreover, it explores sociocultural questions that beg to be answered: what effect does news reportage exert upon high profile cases, and why did such a transparent crime earn such an enduring place in the popular psyche?"--Jacket.