Hangman

A serial killer known as the Hangman terrorizes Buffalo, New York, targeting African American men. Absom Zeitoun, a mixed-race homicide detective, takes on the case alongside his partner as they race to stop the murders. The investigation forces Zeitoun to confront his own identity and past while navigating racial tensions in the city. As he pursues leads and examines evidence, he discovers connections between the current killings and Buffalo's troubled history. The novel combines elements of police procedural and psychological suspense, building tension through multiple perspectives and timelines. The winter setting of Buffalo serves as both backdrop and metaphor as the detectives pursue a killer who seems to vanish into the snow. This crime thriller examines themes of racial identity, institutional prejudice, and how the past shapes both individuals and communities. Through its exploration of a segregated American city, the story raises questions about justice, belonging, and the weight of historical trauma.

Readers found this police procedural tense and fast-paced, though some felt it relied too heavily on genre tropes. Liked: - Strong character development of Detective Abbie Kearney - Details about Buffalo's history and neighborhoods - Effective buildup of suspense - Emotional depth in victim portrayals - Clear writing style Disliked: - Predictable plot twists - Too many convenient coincidences - Unresolved subplot threads - Repetitive descriptions of weather and locations - Some found the ending rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (150+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "The Buffalo setting becomes a character itself" - Goodreads reviewer "Started strong but lost steam in the final third" - Amazon reviewer "Character motivations didn't always make sense" - Barnes & Noble reviewer The book received consistent praise for atmosphere but criticism for plot mechanics.

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🔎 The book chronicles Buffalo's first African American detective, Willard Gatewood, as he pursues a serial killer in 1920s New York. 🏆 Author Stephan Talty is a New York Times bestselling author who grew up in Buffalo, the city where this true crime story takes place. ⚖️ During the time period covered in the book, only 1% of Buffalo's police force was Black, despite the city having a significant African American population. 🗯️ The killer in the story left taunting notes for the police, similar to other infamous serial killers like Jack the Ripper and the Zodiac Killer. 📍 The case took place during the Great Migration, when millions of African Americans moved from the South to Northern cities like Buffalo, fundamentally changing America's urban landscape.