The Savage City

“T.J. English has the mastered the hybrid narrative art form of social history and underworld thriller. The Savage City is a truly gripping read filled with unexpected twists and turns.”

—Douglas Brinkley, author of The Great Deluge

In The Savage City, T.J. English, author of the New York Times bestselling blockbuster Havana Nocturne, takes readers back to a frightening place in a dark time of violence and urban chaos: New York City in the 1960s and early ’70s. As he did in his acclaimed true crime masterwork, The Westies, English focuses on the rot on the Big Apple in this stunning tale of race, murder, and a generation on the edge—as he interweaves the real-life sagas of a corrupt cop, a militant Black Panther, and an innocent young African American man framed by the NYPD for a series of crimes, including a brutal and sensational double murder.

Based on deep archival research, this powerful work of narrative nonfiction reveals:
Police Corruption: The shocking true story of Bill Phillips, a decorated NYPD detective who ran a citywide web of extortion and graft.The Black Panther Party: The rise of the Black Panther Party in New York, told through the eyes of Dhoruba Bin Wahad, a young militant targeted by law enforcement.The Career Girls Murders: A deep dive into the sensational double homicide that panicked the city and led to the framing of George Whitmore, an innocent young man.A City on the Edge: An immersive portrait of New York City during a time of explosive racial tension, urban decay, and a generation-defining struggle for justice.