Boston Tabloid

Reviews / Votes

"A thoughtful, compelling reexamination of an intriguing story of fatal obsession and its enduring mysteries."

-Kirkus Reviews


"Well-researched and a page-turner..."


-Library Journal


"An exceptionally well written, organized and presented study of a notorious homicide and the mysteries that surrounded it... A riveting read from cover to cover."


-Midwest Book Review

"Boston Tabloid answers the call to take to take true crime to the next level-a true page-turner, it brings the reality of Boston's underbelly to the forefront for perhaps the first time."

-M. William Phelps, New York Times bestselling author and host of iHeartMedia's podcasts Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps and Paper Ghosts

"Boston Tabloid is everything a top-notch true-crime book should be and more."

-Linda Rosencrance, author of Murder at Morses Pond and co-author of The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter

"Don Stradley has captured perfectly the addictive, exhilarating hopelessness and desperation embodied in a sunken part of Boston that no longer exists. Taking no shortcuts and never showing off, Stradley's restraint and interest in getting details right combine to elevate true crime writing to a level that turns it into something brand new. Unsettling and unflinching, Boston Tabloid will stay with you whether or not you want it to."

-Charles Farrell, author of (Low)life: A Memoir of Jazz, Fight-Fixing, and the Mob


"Boston Tabloid is a remarkable book written by a gifted
storyteller. Don Stradley tells the gripping tale of the professor and the
prostitute in captivating prose that may just keep you up at night! Once again,
Stradley exposes Boston's seedy history in a way that reimagines true crime and
contemporary American history."



-Bob Batchelor, author of The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of
George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius

"With the panache of a tabloid newspaper scribe, Don Stradley recounts
the sordid but undeniably fascinating case of the prostitute murdered by a
renowned college professor. With a wealth of detail, Stradley traces the spiral
of obsession and addiction that led to the death of Combat Zone hooker Robin
Benedict at the hands of professor William Douglas. Even more fascinating are Stradley's
descriptions of the investigation and how the shifting tides of public perception
in the 1980s could turn a perpetrator into a victim."

-Stephanie Schorow, author of Inside
the Combat Zone: The Stripped Down Story of Boston's Most Notorious
Neighborhood




"The author takes a deep dive into one of Boston's most notorious murders in the 1980s. He offers compelling theories related to the case's many unanswered questions. The book will reignite interest in a particularly vicious but nearly forgotten homicide, as well as the Combat Zone, a sleazy part of Boston that no longer exists. Excellent reporting in classic noir-like tabloid fashion made this a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience."


-Robert Mladinich, author of Case Files of the NYPD: More than 175 Years of Solved and Unsolved Crimes