Milwaukee has kept its murders and mishaps out of books. Until now. From Vito Guardalabene's arrival from Italy until the days of controlling the Teamsters union and paying off public officials, Milwaukee was a city of Bullets, Blood and Beer. The Milwaukee Mafia relies on previously unseen police reports, FBI investigative notes, coroner's records, newspaper articles, family lore and more to bring to light an era of Milwaukee's history that has been largely undocumented and shrouded in myth. This is not only a story of organized crime. It is also about immigration, the American Dream, urban planning, law enforcement, and politics, and how all these elements come together to form a solid narrative.

Karl Freund is the most important film pioneer you've never heard of. From the silent film era to the rise of the American sitcom, Freund was there at every turn. Countless camera techniques can be traced back to his "unchained camera." His lighting setup for filming I Love Lucy live remains standard to this day. He was the man behind the lens for many influential and award-winning films, from Metropolis to The Good Earth to Key Largo. This biography is the first book-length look at one of the world's greatest cameramen. It details the events of his early life, his entrance into the world of film, his work in both Germany and America, and his legacy, while also putting his life and films into the historical context of the 20th century. The author gives particular attention to Freund's role in the early horror films Der Golem, Dracula, Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mummy, and Mad Love.