Imagining if the Gardner heist had happened in the 40s

I lived in Charlesgate in the early 90's as an Emerson freshman. It was full of all kinds of oddities. From the old women who lived in the same building, presumably holdovers from when it was a residential hotel? To the ghost stories and rumors about why a certain elevator was inactive. There was even a story about prohibition era tunnels linking other buildings on the block that were used for smuggling. None of the stories were likely true. But it made for an entertaining place to live. We also had the distinction of being a college dorm that had an adjacent college dorm call multiple noise complaints in to the police. People would have fully amplified band practice, smuggle kegs in, etc.

I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much had it been my usual genre of reading - or if I had not lived two blocks away during the mid-80s and the '86 world series - but it was a fun read and long enough for two cross country flights. Definitely worth $6 and change on the kindle.