Shake the Devil Off: A True Story of the Murder That Rocked New Orleans

After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Zackery Bowen became the face of hope in the local news. A handsome veteran of the Iraq War, Bowen was all smiles and high spirits when he appeared on live television--partying on Bourbon Street, or raising a glass with his beautiful bartender girlfriend, Addie Hall. But Bowen's happy-go-lucky persona in the Big Easy concealed a tortured mind... In October 2006, Bowen leapt from the rooftop bar of a French Quarter hotel--instantly killing himself. Later, it was discovered that he had also killed Addie...and left a note directing police to her dismembered body. Why did Bowen do it? What made him snap? This is the true story of a war-torn veteran driven to commit the most heinous of crimes.

About the Author :
Ethan Brown has written for "New York" magazine, "The New York Observer," "Wired," "Vibe," "The Independent," "GQ," "Rolling Stone," "Details," "The Guardian," and "The Village Voice," among other publications. He is the author of two previous books, "Queens Reigns Supreme" and "Snitch." He lives with his wife in New Orleans.

Review :
"Heartbreaking."--"Publishers Weekly ""Brown creates a riveting portrait of a gruesome crime while detailing the heart of a city in distress. A grim ... story delivered with skill and verve."--"Kirkus Reviews ""A nicely crafted shocker." --"Booklist ""Ethan Brown examines a notorious murder case, rescues it from the talons of tabloid journalists, and comes up with something much more than a true crime book. "Shake the Devil Off" is a gripping suspense story, an indictment of the military's treatment of our soldiers in and out of war, and a celebration of the resilience and worth of a great American city."--George Pelecanos, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Turnaround" and "Hell to ""Pay ""Ethan Brown establishes himself as a prodigious reporter and masterful storyteller in "Shake the Devil Off," a chilling portrait of a broken hero failed by the system."--Evan Wright, author of the "New York Times" bestseller "Generation Kill ""A 'coming home' story that rivals any written about veterans of the war in Iraq, and a true crime account that raises the bar for the genre. Measured, thoroughly reported, and written with true empathy."--Nate Blakeslee, author of "Tulia ""Looking more deeply at that from which the rest of us turned in horror, Ethan Brown has transformed an ugly and disturbing shard of the post-Katrina anguish. In this book, that which was lurid and sensational becomes, chapter by chapter, something genuinely sad and reflective, something that now has true meaning for New Orleans and for all of us."--David Simon, author of "Homicide "and "The Corner" "Heartbreaking."--"Publishers Weekly ""Brown creates a riveting portrait of a gruesome crime while detailing the heart of a city in distress. A grim ... story delivered with skill and verve."--"Kirkus Reviews ""A nicely crafted shocker." --"Booklist ""Ethan Brown examines a notorious murder case, rescues it from the talons of tabloid journalists, and comes up with something much more than a true crime book. "Shake the Devil Off" is a gripping suspense story, an indictment of the military's treatment of our soldiers in and out of war, and a celebration of the resilience and worth of a great American city."--George Pelecanos, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Turnaround" and "Hell to ""Pay ""Ethan Brown establishes himself as a prodigious reporter and masterful storyteller in "Shake the Devil Off", a chilling portrait of a broken hero failed by the system."--Evan Wright, author of the "New York Times" bestseller "Generation Kill ""A 'coming home' story that rivals any written about veterans of the war in Iraq, and a true crime account that raises the bar for the genre. Measured, thoroughly reported, and written with true empathy."--Nate Blakeslee, author of "Tulia ""Looking more deeply at that from which the rest of us turned in horror, Ethan Brown has transformed an ugly and disturbing shard of the post-Katrina anguish. In this book, that which was lurid and sensational becomes, chapter by chapter, something genuinely sad and reflective, something that now has true meaning for New Orleans and for all of us."--David Simon, author of "Homicide "and "The Corner" “Heartbreaking.”—"Publishers Weekly "“Brown creates a riveting portrait of a gruesome crime while detailing the heart of a city in distress. A grim … story delivered with skill and verve.”—"Kirkus Reviews "“A nicely crafted shocker.” —"Booklist "“Ethan Brown examines a notorious murder case, rescues it from the talons of tabloid journalists, and comes up with something much more than a true crime book.  "Shake the Devil Off" is a gripping suspense story, an indictment of the military’s treatment of our soldiers in and out of war, and a celebration of the resilience and worth of a great American city.”—George Pelecanos, "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Turnaround" and "Hell to ""Pay "“Ethan Brown establishes himself as a prodigious reporter and masterful storyteller in "Shake the Devil Off," a chilling portrait of a broken hero failed by the system.”