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Timothy Egan
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Breaking Blue Kindle Edition

by Timothy Egan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 716 ratings
“No one who enjoys mystery can fail to savor this study of a classic case of detection.” 
—TONY HILLERMAN
 
On the night of September 14, 1935, George Conniff, a town marshal in Pend Oreille County in the state of Washington, was shot to death.  A lawman had been killed, yet there seemed to be no uproar, no major investigation.  No suspect was brought to trial.  More than fifty years later, the sheriff of Pend Oreille County, Tony Bamonte, in pursuit of both justice and a master’s degree in history, dug into the files of the Conniff case—by then the oldest open murder case in the United States.  Gradually, what started out as an intellectual exercise became an obsession, as Bamonte asked questions that unfolded layer upon layer of unsavory detail.
                In Timothy Egan’s vivid account, which reads like a thriller, we follow Bamonte as his investigation plunges him back in time to the Depression era of rampant black-market crime and police corruption.  We see how the suppressed reports he uncovers and the ambiguous answers his questions evoke lead him to the murder weapon—missing for half a century—and then to the man, an ex-cop, he is convinced was the murderer.
                Bamonte himself—a logger’s son and a Vietnam veteran—had joined the Spokane police force in the late 1960s, a time when increasingly enlightened and educated police departments across the country were shaking off the “dirty cop” stigma.  But as he got closer to actually solving the crime, questioning elderly retired members of the force, he found himself more and more isolated, shut out by tight-lipped hostility, and made dramatically aware of the fraternal sin he had committed—breaking the blue code.
                Breaking Blue is a gripping story of cop against cop.  But it also describes a collision between two generations of lawmen and two very different moments in our nation’s history.
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  1. Print length
    299 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Knopf
  4. Publication date
    November 16, 2011
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1935, Spokane, Wash., was in the sixth year of the Great Depression. Unemployment was high. Civilian Conservation Corps workers were arriving in droves from the East for the Grand Coulee Dam project. Crime was rampant, and a series of creamery robberies had the town on edge. Then, on Sept. 4, the Pend Oreille County town marshal investigating these crimes was murdered. The mystery of George Conniff's death went unsolved until 1989, when Tony Bamonte, sheriff of Pend Oreille County and a graduate student, inadvertently uncovered information that generations of police had conspired to keep hidden. Egan ( The Good Rain ), Seattle bureau chief for the New York Times, lumbers occasionally, but his account of the reopened investigation generally resonates with regional color. Bamonte's investigation of the killing started as scholarly research, but stepped up when "a convergence of conscience and coincidence" suggested that the marshal had been shot by a cop protecting colleagues associated with the robberies. In a deathbed confession, a cop revealed that the Spokane police were involved in more than "a conspiracy of small corruptions." Egan evocatively resurrects the scenes and raw insensitivities of '30s police life in the region, from Mother's Place, the diner where cops plotted their heists, to the Hotel de Gink, where transients stayed.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In the course of preparing a master's thesis on law enforcement in Pend Oreille County, Washington, Sheriff Tony Bamonte discovered new evidence relating to the 1935 murder of Town Marshal George Conniff. Bamonte uncovered documents that implicated another police officer in the murder and also revealed a widespread cover-up by the Spokane Police Department. Already unpopular because of his confrontations with the lumber industry and his criticism of other law-enforcement agencies, Bamonte further angered the police community by disregarding the code that forbids going after a fellow police officer--"breaking blue." Tracking down witnesses who verified his suspicions, Bamonte turned his efforts to a search for the murder weapon, a gun thrown into a river more than 50 years earlier. The trail eventually led him to a final surprising discovery, which in turn was capped by an even greater irony. Egan, Seattle bureau chief of the New York Times , tells this remarkable story with a journalist's thoroughness and a novelist's ability to evoke place and character. The tale is rich in history and suspense and is recommended for all crime collections.
-Ben Harrison, East Orange P.L., N.J.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0060AY7US
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf; 1st edition (November 16, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 16, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 299 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 716 ratings

About the author

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Timothy Egan

Timothy Egan

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TIMOTHY EGAN is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of ten books, including the forthcoming, A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND, which will be released on April 4. His book on the Dust Bowl, THE WORST HARD TIME, won a National Book Award for nonfiction. His book on photographer Edward Curtis, SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER, was awarded the Carnegie Medal for nonfiction. He's also written several New York Times' bestsellers, including THE IMMORTAL IRISHMAN and THE BIG BURN. He's a third-generation Westerner.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
716 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fascinating true crime story that flows well and keeps readers engaged until the end. The writing is well-crafted, with one customer noting how the author provides deep descriptions of the people involved, and customers appreciate the word pictures painted of old Spokane. Customers praise the excellent research and character development, with one review mentioning how the characters become important to readers. The pacing receives mixed reactions, with several customers noting it's slow to start.

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81 customers mention "Story quality"77 positive4 negative

Customers find the book's story engaging, describing it as a fascinating true crime narrative that flows well and keeps readers interested until the end.

"This a great story of life in Spokane Washington in the 1930's, an unsolved murder and a sheriff's quest to find the truth...." Read more

"...At times it seems like too much information. But it also sucks you in and I felt a sense of elation as key information emerged and a sense of..." Read more

"...All worthwhile reads; but none as good as "Breaking Blue." I think I will read it again or maybe listen to the audible." Read more

"...'s direction became clear to me, I found Breaking Blue to be a riveting story...." Read more

42 customers mention "Writing quality"36 positive6 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it well written and easy to read, with deep descriptions of the people involved.

"...This book is very well written, and I really could not put it down because I wanted very much to find how it ends...." Read more

"...the word pictures painted of old Spokane and the deep descriptions of the people involved...." Read more

"...Timothy Egan is a wonderful writer, and I've read several of his other books and enjoyed them more than this one." Read more

"...I enjoyed the book and it was very well written, know about so many of the places that were talked about. It may have been a few pages shorter...." Read more

33 customers mention "Readability"33 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and brilliant.

"...It's an over all good read. You can find clips on YouTube that KREM TV did on the investigation." Read more

"...Written with suspense and mystery this good read remains one of my favorite book ever read...." Read more

"Author Timothy Egan's BREAKING BLUE is an excellent exposition on law enforcement in the early days of the Spokane area--challenges, stumbles, and..." Read more

"...The author does a fine job of describing the Pacific Northwest area...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one review noting how the characters become important to readers, while another mentions how every person in the story feels very real.

"...The characters become important to you and you find yourself cheering for Bamonte and feel bad for him because of his marital situation...." Read more

"...He makes the researcher a particularly interesting character,by discussing the effect of the case on his personal and professional life." Read more

"...Every person is very real and most human in Egan's tale and the human condition speaks load and clear to the reader in Egan's narrative...." Read more

"Egan creates a strong, compelling sense of place and matches that with complex characters - the good bad guy, th bad good guy...." Read more

5 customers mention "Research quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the research in the book, with one mentioning it contains lots of interesting facts.

"An excellent story about a murder, police cover-up, and investigation...." Read more

"...book was interesting enough (somewhat repetitive) and reflected a great deal of research, but it was by no means as outstanding as "The Worst..." Read more

"He writes great books about our northwest. True stories and lots of interesting facts...." Read more

"Egan is one of my favorite writers. Plenty of details about the "good old days." Not much has really changed." Read more

5 customers mention "Visual style"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual style of the book, with word pictures painted of old Spokane, and one customer noting its very American style.

"...I loved the word pictures painted of old Spokane and the deep descriptions of the people involved...." Read more

"...It is hard to believe that it is non-fiction. The author paints a good picture of the various characters that came forward and those that held..." Read more

"...are easy to read, much like the books of John Steinberg.......a very American style...." Read more

"...A fascinating story that provides an intriguing look at some contemporary history of AMERICA's northwest." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with several finding it slow to start.

"The book got off to a somewhat slow and somewhat confusing start for me...." Read more

"Breaking Blue was especially interesting to me, probably mainly because I am from the Inland Empire and because I'm now 87 and lived in the era in..." Read more

"The book dragged a bit. A lot, actually. A whole bunch of speculation about what people might have said or might have been thinking...." Read more

"Slow to start. Long in places. Overall, interesting and sad story of a lawman' s quest to see that justice is served." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • sunnyv
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great historical read.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This a great story of life in Spokane Washington in the 1930's, an unsolved murder and a sheriff's quest to find the truth. A little long winded in parts, and the author took a bit to much liberty in writing what the characters were feeling and thinking. Something that can be done in a work of fiction, but not with real characters in my opinion.
    It's an over all good read. You can find clips on YouTube that KREM TV did on the investigation.
    One person found this helpful
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  • OLD1mIKE
    4.0 out of 5 stars Starts Slow but Sucks You In.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book may not be for everyone. The hook is the unsolved murder of Marshall George Conniff in 1935. If you’re an unsolved crime nut, Eagon completely covers the entire crime, including who the murderer was by page 78. This is more a story of one mans relentless quest for the truth. The story merges a lot of local history, geography and personal information about Tony Bamonte’s life as background. At times it seems like too much information. But it also sucks you in and I felt a sense of elation as key information emerged and a sense of saddness for the price he paid.

    The alleged murderer was a Spokane police officer. Part of the problem of not catching the murderer was the poor investigation and possible coverup by the Spokane Police Department. There was a sense that the current police department felt embarrassed about it and did little to help. Bamonte was criticized for breaking the Blue Code. The most bothersome part of the story comes from both the epilogue and a Newspaper article written after Bamonte’s death. Bamonte served as Sheriff of Pend Oreille County. He lost the sheriff election in 1990. The winner suggested that the loss was at least in part the fault of the Spokane Police Department. The then-Chief Terry Mangan and the state Attorney Generals office had publicly criticized Bamonte for questioning the department. Managan had actually called 3 press conferences to critizie Bamonte.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Victoria H
    5.0 out of 5 stars Making Justice
    Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Fifty-four years after the murder of a police officer -- the Night Marshall of a small Washington town, the sheriff of the county began his master's thesis. He was writing about all the sheriffs of his county and the crimes they had to face in their time as sheriffs. And Sheriff Bamonte found this unsolved murder of a fellow police officer who walked up on the burglary of the local creamery. What was stolen? Butter. Just butter and a life.

    The case had been unsolved, even after a 1955 deathbed statement from a Spokane detective that the murder had been committed by a fellow police officer, and had been covered up by police protecting their fellow officer.

    Bamonte found this unacceptable, and with his power as sheriff was in a position to investigate it. It is hard to investigate a crime where most of the eyewitnesses have died, and where the other police agency involved didn't want to help, because it would not break the Blue Code even after 54 years. But investigate he did, and Bamonte found the few living witnesses, plus other evidence that all but nailed to responsible party.

    I can't tell you how the book ends, but Timothy Egan is a gifted reporter who conducted a major piece of research into this crime and Bamonte's role in uncovering it. This book is very well written, and I really could not put it down because I wanted very much to find how it ends. This is the third book of Egan's that I have read, and I surely will be finding the other two. A highly recommended read!
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Willowwind
    5.0 out of 5 stars Breaking Blue revisited..
    Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    It's been close to twenty years since I read this book the first time. It is one of the most fascinating true crime stories I have ever read. Yet, it is much more than that. Set in the Spokane and Newport area in the 1930's it deals with the unsolved crime of the murder of a local sheriff in a creamery back during the depression era when butter was considered extremely valuable and its resale very profitable. So, butter theft was sometimes a way to get extra cash until one night....
    I went to college in Spokane in the late 1950's and am much acquainted with the scenes which remained much the same then as when the crime was committed. Still the discovery years later of the gun in the Spokane River I found fascinating. Written with suspense and mystery this good read remains one of my favorite book ever read. I followed by reading most of Timothy Egan's accounts of the stories/history of the Pacific NW. All worthwhile reads; but none as good as "Breaking Blue." I think I will read it again or maybe listen to the audible.
    19 people found this helpful
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  • BrianC
    3.0 out of 5 stars Moderately Entertaining
    Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I liked the book when I was done, but all along the way I found myself looking at how far I had read to see when I'd be finished. The story tried to develop a sence of history that would lead the reader to feel some level of attachment to the conditions the characters lived their lives, but most were summarily developed and I felt no attachment to anyone - even the victim's family. During the last one-third of the book the Sheriff was under attack for digging up an unsolved murder and never does the victim's family weigh in to justify his effort. The disollution of the Sheriff's marriage was a distraction to the story and the way Egan tried to develop his personal life left me wondering why the investigation was allowed to consume his life. Oh yea, he had an affair by the way. So what. I guess he solved the case, but not really. My last point is more bothering than the thin story line: someone should really have proofread the text. Spelling mistakes and words that were obviously corrected by the word-processor left me wondering if Egan didn't really care too much about the final product.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Louis Lavietes
    4.0 out of 5 stars I loved the word pictures painted of old Spokane and the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The book got off to a somewhat slow and somewhat confusing start for me. Once the author's direction became clear to me, I found Breaking Blue to be a riveting story. I loved the word pictures painted of old Spokane and the deep descriptions of the people involved. Breaking Blue was strong in describing the "thin blue line" of police and the veil of secrecy in which many police forces operate. Timothy Egan successfully took me back 80 years to a different time but he also reminded me that many things don't change.
    One person found this helpful
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