Trouble in Room 519

More about the book

The narrative centers on Gordon Malherbe Hillman, a once-promising author whose life spiraled into tragedy and violence. On May 7, 1950, he murdered his semi-invalid mother in their Boston hotel room, driven by financial ruin and impending eviction. Thomas Aiello explores Hillman's life, highlighting his brief literary successes and the struggles of many authors during the Great Depression. The book intertwines a true crime story with an examination of the publishing industry's pressures, featuring eight of Hillman's short stories to enrich the context of his decline.