December 8, 1980: The Day John Lennon Died »

Keith Elliot Greenberg covered the Cynthia George case for Geraldo At Large. He is a writer whose works include true crime and wrestler Ric Flair’s #5 New York Times bestselling autobiography, To Be the Man, for which Greenberg was the co-author.

Detective Vince Felber’s work on the Jeffrey Zack case helped secure murder convictions at trial.

In a breathtaking, minute-by-minute format, December 8, 1980: The Day John Lennon Died follows the events leading to the horrible moment when Mark David Chapman calmly fired his Charter Arms .38 Special into the rock icon, realizing his perverse fantasy of attaining perennial notoriety. New York Times bestselling author Keith Elliot Greenberg takes us back to New York City and the world John Lennon woke up to. The day begins with a Rolling Stone photo session that takes on an uncomfortable tone when photographer Annie Leibowitz tries to maneuver Yoko Ono out of the shot. Later Lennon gives the last interview of his life, declaring, "I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried and I hope that's a long, long time." We follow the other Beatles, Lennon's family, the shooter, fans, and New York City officials through the day, and as the hours progress, the pace becomes more breathless. Once the fatal shots are fired, the clock continues to tick as Dr. Stephan Lynn walks from the emergency room after declaring the former Beatle dead, Howard Cosell announces the singer's passing on Monday Night Football, and Paul McCartney is lambasted for muttering "Drag, isn't it?" - his bereavement confused with indifference. The epilogue examines the aftermath of the killing: the considerable moment when 100,000 New Yorkers stood in silence in Central Park, the posthumous reunion of the Beatles in the studio - with George, Paul, and Ringo accompanying the recordings of their old friend - the unveiling of a bronze John Lennon statue in Fidel Castro's Cuba, and the durable legacy that persists today.

Library Journal

True crime author Greenberg (coauthor, Perfect Beauty: A Glamorous Socialite, Her Handsome Lover, and Brutal Murder) chronicles the final hours of former Beatle John Lennon's life on the day of his murder in New York City. Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, were busy recording, doing a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz, and giving interviews for their just-released comeback album, Double Fantasy. Greenberg frames the day's events by intercutting details of Lennon's biography as well as histories of the other Beatles, Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, and even the police officers who were first on the scene that night. VERDICT The book does not cover much new ground, and Beatles and Lennon fans will be aware of most of the facts presented here, but this is an interesting examination of one of rock's darkest days and a poignant reminder of what was lost when Lennon died. Philip Norman's recent John Lennon: The Life is more suitable for readers seeking an in-depth look at Lennon's life.—Jim Collins, Morristown-Morris Twp. Lib., NJ