The Secret Six

Between 1930 and 1933, a group of vigilantes known as the Secret Six rose to prominence amid the turmoil of gang-heavy Chicago. They were instrumental in launching Eliot Ness's Untouchables, solving major cases, and adopting cutting-edge crime-fighting technologies. They lectured around the nation, testified before Congress, and even won praise from Al Capone himself for bringing him down.

Supported by a powerful Chicago business organization and with virtually unlimited funding, the Secret Six gained immense popularity and inspired others to replicate their approach across the nation. However, in The Secret Six, author Kevin E. Meredith explores for the first time the grim undercurrents of this initially heroic-seeming tale. Unfettered by due process, legal boundaries, or basic decency, the Secret Six made grievous mistakes, wrongfully arresting individuals, striking dubious agreements, and making baseless corruption accusations. They even turned against one of their own founders in a frenzy reminiscent of Frankenstein and his monstrous creation. Their record was marred by a pattern of deceit, as they lied about both significant and trivial matters, tortured suspects while boasting about it, and resorted to bombings in vain attempts to nab an extorter--all while facing humiliation from the very rogue detectives they employed.

The Secret Six explores the chaos that can ensue when good men are granted unchecked power and excess resources and so serves as a crucial read not only for fans of the gangster era but also for anyone interested in crime, punishment, and the complexities of human nature.