Hastened to the Grave: The Gypsy Murder Investigation

Written like a novel, "Hastened To The Grave" is an expose on the "sweetheart" scams and murders of several elderly men by the Tene Bimbo gypsy clan. It is so well written, you really can't put it down as you follow the trail of the heroine detective, Fay Faron, aka "Rat Dog Dick" who investigated allegations that elderly men were being fleeced of their homes and bank accounts. You get mad and frustrated with the San Francisco Police Department for its anemic efforts to bring these crooks to justice, as you rightly should. You cheer Jerry Lama, a brave man, whose brother was a primary actor in the scams, who worked with Faron to stop the criminals. Ultimately, You will learn about the Roma gypsies, their background, their tribes and families, their number in the United States (millions in population), and their nefarious, multi-million dollar scam industry in its many forms, especially about the Tene Bimbo clan. It's time to know the truth, if only to protect yourself.

I can't believe someone had the courage to write this book. I am sad to say that it is more serious than this book could ever expose. It is hard to fathom that people could be so vicious and sick and to do such crimes. My grandmother was a victim of some of these sick, twisted people. I am so glad that Jack Olsen had the guts to write this book. I could not put it down. I wish there were more books on Gypsy scams, crime and murder.

Hastened to the Grave only confirms what thousands and thousands of us have always known about Jack Olsen -- he's the tops! The prose this time is especially vivid, the characters (including a car) all wonderful, and the true-life plot worthy of Dashiell Hammett on his best days. Now that it is available in paper, you have no excuse for not reading this fine book.

A solid book for Olsen, and something of a departure in its tone, which seems influenced by perhaps Carl Hiassen. The idea of a funny true crime book about serial killers sounds a little strange, but Olsen pulls it off.The light it shines into the subculture of American Gypsies is truly disturbing. As is the portrait of authorities unable and unwilling to deal with Gypsy crimes.

Jack Olsen is the grand master of True Crime reporting...be prepared to forget everything else once you open one of his books...you won't be able to put it down! Jack's words caress you with their poetic prose...yet, they have the power to cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand up...tingles run up and down your spine. Jack's mastery of creating suspense is unmatched. His latest effort, Hastened to the Grave, was born out of an article he wrote for Vanity Fair; May 1998, titled "Gone With the Gypsies." His fascination with the PI on the case, Fay Faron, head of the Rat Dog Dick Detective Agency, and the string of Arsenic and Old Lace-style murders, led to the creation of the book. Don't be misled by Jack's literary style of writing that is as fascinating and entertaining as any work of fiction. He is a supreme investigative reporter, and every word is true. Fay Faron is as captivating as the best Mystery novel herione...well, just look at what she named her detective agency-- Rat Dog Dick! When the police won't pay attention to her suspitions that a beautiful Gypsy and her family have broken with tradition and are systematically poisoning elderly victims in order to inherit their wealth, the 'Rat Dog Dick' works pro bono to gather the evidence that forces them to listen.