Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Bluegrass conspiracy tale never gets old lexington herald leader. Key members of bluegrass conspiracy died within days of each other. Police taking a closer look at famous missing person case. The bluegrass conspiracy by sally denton, 1990, doubleday edition, in english 1st ed. The discovery of andrew thorntons body in knoxville, tennessee really shed light on the corruption that was present in the lexington police department. Nobody could make up a story like this one with a straight face, but this is apparently all true. His wife of 35 years died on the comair plane crash at the bluegrass airport in 2006 where 49 south bound people perished. The son of carter and peggy thornton of threave main stud farm in southern bourbon county, kentucky, thornton grew up living a privileged life in the lexington, kentucky, area and attended the prestigious.
The city of lexington, kentucky, has made major changes since the 1970s and 1980s. The bluegrass conspiracy by sally denton avon 1990 363. Her brother doug played for the cincinnati reds and new york mets at the time. Have you read the book or know anyone that was involved with this. Imagine an eclectic mix of people coming together for good food and stimulating conversation about a recently published book. The mystery of kentucky state senator, bobby flynns daughter, melanie flynn, remains unsolved. I found it so interesting that such things happened in and around lexington in the 80s. Wrd 110 final project the bluegrass conspiracy yourmochila. These are books with dirty fingernails, gravel roads, injury, illness. Melanie was working as an informant when she mysteriously disappeared. There are no mint juleps or pampered folks wilting on their porches.
Rosss pursuit of the three men, particularly vance, cost him his career with the kentucky state police in 1982. Each month, well announce the next book club selection. Martha layne collins 198387 one of the nations first six female governors, ms. When kentucky blueblood drew thornton parachuted to his death in september 1985carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocainethe gruesome end of his startling life blew open a scandal that reached to the most secret circles of the u. The tale is widely known and told around the country and it never gets old.
An inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder by sally denton 1990 stated first edition hardcover in dust jacket 334 pages including index. The inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder by sally denton should be a prerequisite read. Andrew carter thornton ii october 30, 1944september 11, 1985 was a former narcotics. Kentucky, also known as the bluegrass state, is known for its horses, bourbon, and beautiful scenery. Bluegrass conspiracy supplemental company drug plane. Bluegrass conspiracy tale never gets old lexington. Mindbending shows like lost and westworld bring out the conspiracy theorist in all of us. Lexington, though a diverse and alluring city in many ways, has not always had a sparkling reputation.
Books similar to the bluegrass conspiracy goodreads. Beshears continuing connection with criminal defendants. I should state that the book the blue grass conspiracy. There will be heavy use of quotation marks throughout the rest of this column. Find books like the bluegrass conspiracy from the worlds largest community of readers. An inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder 498. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Of all the people involved in the illegal drug ring also known as the bluegrass conspiracy, very few were ever punished.
Sterling native bill canan, a purported member of the company profiled in the book the bluegrass conspiracy, was released from federal prison sept. The story of thornton was examined in dominick dunnes power, privilege, and justice and in sally dentons the bluegrass conspiracy. It profiles the preppie mafia from the seventies and eighties in lexington. His family was connected through business to leonard lawson who just. Flynn, melanie d, january 25,1977 page 2 porchlight. I left kentucky in 1983 and developed what i had uncovered during my threeyear stint there into the book the bluegrass conspiracy. The bluegrass conspiracy by sally denton and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. There are many biased stories, accounts, and rumors regarding the conspiracy, but personally, i am unsure if anybody knows the truth. An inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder, published in 1990. The bluegrass hills were vibrant under the strong september sun as hundreds made their way past the bourbon county gravesite. Ralph ross got nailed for illegally bugging henry vance. An inside story of power, greed, drugs, and murder by sally denton and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Interest in the flynn mystery surged this spring after one of the books principals, former lexington police officer bill canan, was arrested on federal drug charges.
Hes been quite successful, even though implicated in much of the cover up documented in ms. Curious to know if anyone remembers anything about that time. The mourners, by most accounts, made up a whos who in kentucky. The great appalachian novels on this list are gritty. Goodreads members who liked the bluegrass conspiracy also liked. Im reading it for the 2nd time to pick up on info i missed the first time. Police taking a closer look at famous missing person case that inspired the bluegrass conspiracy book. Bobby and melanies mother, ella ritchey flynn, believe canan was involved in their.
The bluegrass conspiracy 1990 edition open library. The book bluegrass conspiracy reads like a great movie thriller, but this is all true to life and a wellresearched story. While the subjects of her books at first glance seem disparate, they are actually unified by a central theme of the exploration. I reported here during the election about steve beshears connections with various convicted criminals and criminal defendants. Collins chaired the democratic national convention one year and was considered for the vice presidential nomination eventually taken up by geraldine ferraro of new york. A unique variety of people make up the population, from tobacco farmers to entrepreneurs and lawyers. During this time period many corruptions were going on within the major families and the major businesses that shouldnt have been involved with the scandal but more or less have been trying to stop the scandal. Sharp and other unidentified people began planning the conspiracy in july 1985. Buy the bluegrass conspiracy book online at low prices in. Rotten roots of the bluegrass viceandsuicideinthebluegrass. When kentucky blueblood drew thornton parachuted to his death in september 1985carrying thousands in cash and 150 pounds of cocainethe gruesome end of his startling. February 2021 choosing books for 2021 tuesday, march 9, 2021 catch and kill ronan farrow. Pictures drew thornton found dead on mans driveway after jumping from plane left, drew thornton right, melanie flynn who first drew attention to thornton after her disappearance, bottom.
Sally denton came around and gathered a few facts and made up a whole lot of the rest of the stuff in the bluegrass conspiracy. A lot of characters and hard to keep up with who is who. Im from kentucky so it was interesting reading about something that happened in your own backyard. Especially curious about the unsolved disappearance of melanie flynn. Well, hes lost his appeal to get his kentucky insurance license back. Soto was charged with conspiracy and aiding and abetting those attempting to import and distribute cocaine. Summary of plot the bluegrass conspiracy is about what happened with drew thornton, bill. Buy the bluegrass conspiracy book online at best prices in india on.
Uniquely kentucky dives into the bluegrass conspiracy with sally. The case figures prominently in a book, the bluegrass conspiracy. Below are the links to days of research i have done on the topic. When the story of the illfated pursuit was told in the book the bluegrass conspiracy three years ago, ross was catapulted to near hero status. Henry vance appeals his conviction of conspiring to transport a firearm in interstate commerce with knowledge that it was to be used to commit murder. November 28, 2007 henry vance loses appeal remember former state house member and bluegrass conspiracy actor henry vance. The bluegrass conspiracy by sally denton goodreads. An inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder contained a short, obscure statement from an anonymous author referencing a huge london, ky connection in regards to the. Secret scandals in lexington, kentucky mariapienkowski. This scandal has been called by many the bluegrass conspiracy, a term coined from sally dentons book that details the events of the scandal and the lives of those involved. Bluegrass conspiracies pop up again bluegrass today.
The scandal produced a book in 1989, the bluegrass conspiracy, that drew raves and jeers with big sales. But even less cerebral shows have a way of inspiring some absolutely bonkers ideas. Andrew carter thornton ii october 30, 1944september 11, 1985 was a former narcotics officer and lawyer who became the head member of the company, a drug smuggling ring in kentucky. The main director of the bluegrass conspiracy, andrew thornton iii, was the only one who truly suffered any consequences. Read how the rich boys of the lexington elite whos who get away with drug deals and hush up both the press and local police. Its fitting because ours is a kind of music that has been systematically denied massmarket exposure for decades, and i suppose thats just a coincidence. A wildly popular thread on the lexington, kentucky topix forum filled with facts, theories, and inevitably fiction, titled the bluegrass conspiracy a reference to sally dentons book the bluegrass conspiracy.
We have our conspiracy theories in the world of bluegrass music, too, im happy to say. Thornton ii, his associates, and their actions during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, is from this source, unless otherwise indicated. Canan, 63, is a former narcotics detective with the lexington police department, where he. Doubleday publishers i found this book to be quite entertaining and a very interesting read. It would have been impossible to predict that henry vance and bill canan. I thought for sure this would stop once he was elected.
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