He was a 1930s golf legend and Hollywood trickster who adamantly refused to be photographed. He never played professionally, yet sports-writing legend Grantland Rice still heralded him as “the greatest golfer in the world.” Then, in 1937, the secrets of John Montague’s past were exposed—leading to a sensational trial that captivated the nation. From three-time New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville John Montague was a boisterous enigma. He had a bagful of golf tricks, on and off the course. He could chip a ball across a room into a highball glass, and knock a bird off a wire from 170 yards—and when the big man arrived in Hollywood in the early 1930s, he quickly became a celebrity among celebrities. He lived for a time with Oliver Hardy (whom he could lift, one-handed, onto the country club bar) and played golf with everyone from Howard Hughes and W. C. Fields to Babe Ruth and his close friend Bing Crosby, whom he famously beat while playing only with a rake, a shovel, and a bat. Yet strangely Montague never entered a professional tournament, and in a town that thrived on publicity, he never allowed his image to be captured on film. The reasons became clear when a Time magazine photographer snapped his picture with a telephoto lens … and police in upstate New York quickly recognized Montague as a fugitive wanted for armed robbery. As Montague was indicted in the tiny upstate town of Jay, New York, hordes of national media descended and turned a star-studded legal carnival into the most talked about trial of its day – the trial of “the Mysterious Montague.” From the glamour of 1930s Hollywood, to John Montague’s extraordinary skill and triumphs on the golf course, to the shady world of Adirondack rumrunners and bootleggers, three-time New York Times bestselling author Leigh Montville captures a man and an era with extraordinary color, verve, and energy. The Mysterious Montague is Leigh Montville’s most entertaining achievement to date.
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"An utterly remarkable piece of storytelling about an obscure figure who led an amazing life. It isn't just for sports fans or fans of true crime, but for anyone who appreciates the scope and tragic arc of a failed life." — Ron (5 out of 5 stars)
"An utterly remarkable piece of storytelling about an obscure figure who led an amazing life. It isn't just for sports fans or fans of true crime, but for anyone who appreciates the scope and tragic arc of a failed life."
" An amazing story of an interesting guy of whom I had never heard. It is almost unbelievable. "
" I started out thinking this was a biography of Jackie Gleason . . .but it's just someone who looks like Jackie Gleason. He's a pretty remarkable guy, but once you've heard a few stories the rest of the book is just more of the same. "
" Fantastic biography of a truly great American living a truly great American dream. Well maybe not the end, but close enough. "
" Worth reading about a time in history like no other. The stories of the celebrities were fun to read "
" I read about this book in ESPN magazine and was interested. This is an amazing story of someone trying to change his life. "
" Interesting story of a depression-era robber turned friend to the stars, who was regarded as the best golfer of his day by those who were familiar with him but ended up as a sideshow. "
" Not as good as his books on Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. "
" This book was excellent! Im so glad I could finally read it. It is such a fascinating story, and I do not like sports novels. A good read for all. "
" Fascinating book. Too bad he had a past, he could have been a contender! "
" Nice combination of golf book, Hollywood heyday of the 1930s, and historical true crime a la Erik Larson's Devil in the White City. Interesting coverage of post-prohibition celebrity trial. "
JD Jackson is a theater professor, aspiring stage director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. He is a classically trained actor, and his television and film credits include roles on House, ER, Law & Order, Hack, Sherrybaby, Diary of a City Priest, and Lucky Number Slevin. He is the recipient of more than a dozen Earphones Awards for narration and an Odyssey Honor for G. Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy, and he was also named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year for 2012 and 2013. An adjunct professor at Los Angeles Southwest College, he has an MFA in theater from Temple University.
Stephen Hoye has worked as a professional actor in London and Los Angeles for more than thirty years. Trained at Boston University and the Guildhall in London, he has acted in television series and six feature films and has appeared in London’s West End. His audiobook narration has won him fifteen AudioFile Earphones Awards.
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