Wild Key West

Popular vacation destination offers more than meets the eye in 'Wild Key West.' Every year, thousands of tourists flock to Key West and the Florida Keys for the pristine beaches and exciting nightlife, but authors Donna Robinson and Ben Roberts know that not everything is perfect in paradise. Their new book, "Wild Key West" (published by Lulu), shares some of Key West's dark past filled with seedy characters, gruesome murders and dirty dealings that will surely entice any crime or history fan. The book includes stories of murder and arson as race tensions rose in the area and the rum running and bootlegging businesses took off. During the 1920's, the city was on the brink of economic collapse. Many unemployed people with boats took to smuggling liquor to feed their families. More than just stories, "Wild Key West" features civil records, archived newspaper articles and interviews with Key West natives who can trace their families back several generations.