Before there was O.J. Simpson and countless other “crimes of the century,” Chicago, the United States and the world were rocked by a killing that even as it nears its 100th anniversary remains both familiar and mysterious. In 1924, the abduction and brutal murder of 14-year-old Bobby Franks became front-page news in the social media of the era --- the newspaper. There was no formal trial as teenage friends Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb confessed to the crime. But even 100 years later, what continues to make the case fascinating is not the who but the why.

"NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT takes a fresh look at this shocking crime through a 21st-century investigative lens, using modern forensics and a contemporary psychological evaluation of these infamous killers."

NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT takes a fresh look at this shocking crime through a 21st-century investigative lens, using modern forensics and a contemporary psychological evaluation of these infamous killers. Greg King and Penny Wilson have indeed introduced some new facts and theories to the case. Their examination is thorough, and their account is well-researched. But theories remain theories, and there are few earth-shattering revelations here.

Debate still rages as to which of the pair was the ringleader of their criminal activity. There is even the suggestion that Leopold may have been implicated somehow in Loeb’s murder in prison, but King and Wilson offer no facts to support this allegation. They are also critical of Clarence Darrow, who represented Leopold and Loeb. Yet they seem to forget that Darrow’s strategy turned almost certain executions into life sentences, so he actually achieved a substantial victory here.

NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT begins with an account of the gruesome crime, the planning, the execution, and an introduction to Leopold and Loeb, both of whom were brilliant and sociopathic. They might have gotten away with the perfect crime but for a pair of eyeglasses that were inadvertently left near the victim’s body.

The final portions of the book detail the fates of the convicted murderers. Loeb was stabbed to death while imprisoned, and Leopold eventually would be paroled. In these chapters, King and Wilson produce new theories based in part on the modern psychiatric information available that was not part of the science in the 1920s. While interesting, they suffer from the inability to conduct any meaningful medical examinations of Leopold and Loeb.

Still, NOTHING BUT THE NIGHT has its fair share of memorable moments. The continued fascination with the Leopold and Loeb case may mean that there will be additional studies on the subject. After all, books are still being written about Lizzie Borden, and we are just now starting to learn about H. H. Holmes and his string of murders in Chicago in the 1890s.