The Lady Gangster of Jazz Age New York

by Anthony M. DeStefano

Vivian Gordon was born in Indiana and educated in a Catholic boarding school with her sisters. She was a rebellious child and in 1920 she went to New York City to pursue a Broadway career and she changed her name to Vivian Gordon. She was one of the many “Broadway Butterflies” hoping to become a famous star. However, Vivian found her true calling as a con woman, high end escort, blackmailer and a racketeer. Prohibition was in effect but that didn’t stop the many speakeasy’s that were in underground NYC. If you paid enough, the corrupt police and politicians turned a blind eye and Vivian was in the middle of it.

On February 26, 1931, Vivian’s mutilated body was found dumped in the Bronx. Who killed her? As the police began to investigate they discovered that Vivian had kept a diary listing the names of more than three hundred politicians, philanthropists, businessmen and gangsters. The city was nervous and people were about to be exposed but would it make any difference in corrupt New York City?

Anthony M. DeStefano has written true crime books about other mobsters but in this book he sheds light on Vivian Gordon , a not very well known women, who was in the thick of the Jazz Age and prohibition. It is a fascinating look into the corruption in Jazz Age New York City and the author’s research is amazing. There are a lot of characters in this book and I liked that at the end of the book the author tells the reader what happened to the major players in the story If you like True Crime stories or just want to read a fascinating story, Broadway Butterfly: Vivian Gordon: The Lady Gangster of New York is for you!

Thanks to Kensington and Net Galley for the advanced reading copy.