Helltown: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer on Cape Cod

Tony Costa was a serial killer on Cape Cod in 1969. He was known as Sire and the leader of a counter-culture movement. He was charismatic and gave out hallucinogenic drugs, but beneath his persona lay a twisted and uncontrollable rage. When young women began to disappear, he was initially protected from suspicion, but as the bodies were discovered, the police closed in on him as the key suspect. Kurt Vonnegut and Norman Mailer were both locked in a race to secure their legacies and set their sights on Tony Costa and the drug-soaked hippie culture. Helltown is a landmark true crime narrative that transports us back to the late 1960s and reveals the secrets of a notorious serial killer.

Format: Hardback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 12 August 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc

In the vibrant hippie scene of Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1969, Tony Costa emerged as a central figure. To a group of smitten young women, he was known as Sire, the charismatic leader of their counter-culture movement. With his long hair and eloquent speech, he charmed his way into their hearts, offering hallucinogenic drugs like candy. However, beneath his benign persona lay a twisted and uncontrollable rage that threatened to break loose at any moment. Tony Costa was the most dangerous man on Cape Cod, and anyone who crossed his path was at risk.

Initially, Costa's natural charisma and good looks shielded him from suspicion when young women began to disappear. But as the bodies were discovered, the police honed in on him as the prime suspect. Meanwhile, renowned local writers Kurt Vonnegut and Norman Mailer were in a fierce competition to secure their legacies as great literary icons. They both set their sights on Tony Costa and the drug-soaked hippie culture that he embodied, launching independent investigations that fueled their competitive fires.

Helltown is a groundbreaking true crime narrative that transports us back to the turbulent late 1960s. It delves into the secrets of a notorious serial killer and uncovers the interconnected threads between Tony Costa, Vonnegut, and Mailer in the seaside city that witnessed horrors unlike any before. Through immersive storytelling and unflinching detail, this book offers a unique perspective on a pivotal period in American history.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781728245959