by Gus Pelagatti
"Wicked Wives" is based on the true story of the 1938 Philadelphia murder scandals in which seventeen wives were arrested for murdering their husbands. Mastermind conspirator Giorgio DiSipio, a stunning lothario and local tailor who preys upon disenchanted and unfaithful wives, convinces twelve of them to kill their spouses for insurance money. The murder conspiracy is very successful until one lone assistant D.A., Tom Rossi, uncovers the plot and brings the perpetrators to justice. "Wicked Wives" is a story made for Hollywood, combining murder, corruption, treachery, love, lust and phenomenal detail as it vividly captures Depression-era Philadelphia.
About The Wicked Wives, from the author:
The Wicked Wives, is a noir suspense
thriller of historical fiction: murder, betrayal, court room drama, love
and lust based on the true story of the 1938 poison scandals in Philadelphia.
When I was eight years
old, I overheard adults in our South Philadelphia
neighborhood discussing seventeen disenchanted and unfaithful neighborhood
wives who allegedly murdered their husbands for insurance money. This was
a fascinating topic for an 8 year- old boy eavesdropping on adult
conversation. People were discussing the true story of Philadelphia’s
infamous 1938 poison murder conspiracy scandals. My fascination
led to obsession as I grew older, and I knew that I had to write about these
women, their lovers and their husbands.
The setting of The Wicked
Wives takes place when the times were marred by the Great Depression
and the prelude to World War II, and is largely confined to the City of Philadelphia. At 293
pages, the novel is equal parts murder, suspense, love, lust, corruption,
treachery and intriguing court suspense leading to a dynamic ending.
The protagonist, First
Assistant D.A., Tom Rossi is placed on the horns of a dilemma. He wants
the party’s nomination for District Attorney but powerful Deputy Mayor
Bill Evans refuses to back him; unless Tom prevents the arrest of the deputy’s
niece, Lillian Stoner, for the homicide of her husband, Reggie.
Evans demands that Tom not order an autopsy on the
body. He gives Tom 24 hours to decide or threatens to have him
disbarred, defeated in his campaign to win the nomination for D.A. and to
have his girl, Hope, fired as a nurse from her city job. Hope is
part African American, but can pass for white.
Tom’s anger at Evans
outweighs his logic. Before an autopsy confirms a homicide, he
orders arrests of Lillian and her lover, Giorgio DiSipio, for the murder of
Reggie Stoner. Their arrests make headline news. Homicide is
deluged with phone tipsters accusing Giorgio of being involved in many other
similar suspicious deaths involving adulterous wives and insurance. Many
of the wives live within a few blocks of Giorgio’s tailor shop. But, the
medical examiner concludes that pneumonia caused death, not
homicide. Infuriated, Evans has Hope fired, damages Tom’s political
future, begins disbarment proceedings against him and causes a break-up of
his love affair with Hope. The Globe Newspaper headline
reads: “D.A. Candidate’s Girl-friend Fired From PGH for Lying About
Colored Background.”
A fascinating
conspiracy unfolds. The poison gang’s colorful and hilarious characters
help to deep-six a minimum of 20 husbands. The supporting
cast includes Giorgio, “The Don Juan of Passyunk Avenue.” Aside
from Lillian, “the society wife”, the wives include Rose, the “Kiss of Death
Widow,” Eva "the nymphomaniac" and the "hopelessly in
love" Joanna.
The gang’s ring
leaders, the mysterious Lady in Black and her companion, the Giant, continually
elude arrest and systematically execute key state witnesses prior to the
wives’ trials.
After many comical
episodes, intriguing detective work and two suspense filled high profile
trials, 10 wives plead or are found guilty of murdering their husbands.
Tom concludes that a life without the love of his girl-friend is a life without
pleasure. He goes to her with hat in hand to propose marriage. But
Hope coldly rejects him.
The Wicked Wives is a story made for Hollywood, combining murder, corruption, treachery, lust
and phenomenal detail as it vividly captures Depression-era Philadelphia.
I'm a practicing trial
lawyer with offices in center city Philadelphia. I
began my law career as a criminal lawyer, and have more than forty-seven years
of criminal and civil court- room trial experience. It is from this
experience and personal interviews with judges, lawyers, and witnesses that
were involved in these cases, that the novel is based.
About the author:
Gus Pelagatti is a practicing trial lawyer with over
47 years of experience trying civil and criminal cases including
homicide. He’s a member of the Million Dollar Advocate Forum, limited to
attorneys who have been recognized as achieving a standard of excellence as a
trial expert. He has spent years researching the true story of the 1938
insurance scam murders, interviewing judges, lawyers, police and neighbors
involved in the trials.
Gus was born and raised within blocks of the main conspirator’s tailor shop
and the homes of many of the wives convicted of murdering their husbands.
This sounds really good, I love truth based crime novels and grew up right outside Philly in NJ..so that adds to my interest. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review.
ReplyDeleteWow! I never heard of this murderer case and the book is a fascinating read indeed. I love to watch Snapped so this is right up my alley.
ReplyDelete