
Hell-Bent
One Man's Crusade to Crush the Hawaiian Mob
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Narrated by:
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Keith Sellon-Wright
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By:
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Jason Ryan
About this listen
World-class beaches, fragrant frangipani, swaying palms, and hula girls. Most folks think of Hawaii as a vacation destination. Mob-style executions, drug smuggling, and vicious gang warfare are seldom part of the postcard image. Yet, Hawaii was once home to not only Aloha spirit, but also a ruthless, homegrown mafia underworld. From 1960 to 1980, Hawaiian gangsters grew rich off a robust trade in drugs, gambling, and prostitution that followed in the wake of Hawaii's tourist boom.
Thus, by 1980 - the year Charles Marsland was elected Honolulu's top prosecutor - the honeymoon island paradise was also plagued by violence, corruption, and organized crime. The zeal that Marsland brought to his crusade against the Hawaiian underworld was relentless, self-destructive, and very personal. Five years earlier, Marsland's son had been gunned down. His efforts to bring his son's killers to justice - and indeed, eradicate the entire organized criminal element in Hawaii - make for an extraordinary tale that culminates with intense courtroom drama.
Hawaii Five-O meets Wiseguy in author Jason Ryan's vigorously reported chronicle of brazen gangsters, brutal murders, and a father's quest for vengeance - all set against an unlikely backdrop of seductive tropical beauty.
©2019 Jason Ryan (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about Hell-Bent
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- Enero Maura
- 07-11-23
Unveiling the seedy side.
I was quite surprised to discover such a high level of crime. However as the story is laid out it all makes perfect sense. Great crime/history lesson.
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- Book Diva
- 05-16-19
Very well done.
I lived in Honolulu when this crime occurred, and knew the victim.
I found the book well-organized and well-written - the author manages to convey the flavor of 1970's-1980's Hawaii concisely and accurately. He also manages to convey the ghastliness and horror of the crime, as well as the long-term consequences of the victim's fathers' efforts for reform.
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- Lisa Peterson
- 05-14-23
Amazing
Very well written and if every person in Hawaii read this they would never look at our elections and the island the same again.
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- Brandy Burke
- 02-08-25
Great listen
Loved this! Being from Hawaii it’s a great look into the past. The story is written well and sharing the story well.
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- CRABBER34
- 05-16-19
If you voted for trump this book is for you!
Sucked ... Big time ...the author is obviously blindly totally in love with his subject.
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