Unknown Queer History

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Last Call is an enlightening and somewhat gruesome story that delves into the murders of four gay men that frequented bars and gay hotspots in New York City during the early nineties. While the thread that draws the story together is the murders, the story also manages to weave in background of both the victims and the environment, giving the reader a look into the lives of gay men when they were growing up and figuring out their sexuality, as well as the places they could go, relatively safely, to seek out romance, companionship and liaisons. While not entirely unexpected, it's sad to think that these deaths didn't merit the dedication of crime units the way pretty white girls do (nothing does). And even more so that there'd been so little coverage when a suspect was found and found guilty. The book does get a little heavy-handed on some of the details at points, which veers the book into technical areas and away from story-telling, which I think would have built stronger empathy with gay men during this time and the struggles against discrimination, being stuck in a no-win situation with law enforcement, and the terrifying fear of AIDS. But overall I felt like this was fascinating, informative, and willing to delve into a part of American history that doesn't get a lot of attention.