If you think you’ve heard every great true crime story…
Think again.
In the sultry summer of 1949, a sleepy Florida beach town was rocked to its core. A brutal home invasion, a shocking murder, and a desperate, month-long manhunt captivated—and terrified—an entire region.
At the center of the storm was John Calvin “Rastus” Russell, a cunning ex-con and former asylum patient who unleashed a wave of fear unlike anything the Gulf Coast had ever seen.
MADMAN plunges readers into the heart of this forgotten true crime saga—resurrecting the characters, the terror, and the relentless pursuit of justice in vivid, cinematic detail.
From rustling palmettos hiding a killer to heroic lawmen vowing to stop him, from dusty citrus groves to shadowy bayous, this is a story of survival, grit, and a town’s battle against pure evil.
Painstakingly researched and chillingly told, MADMAN reminds us that truth is often stranger—and more haunting—than fiction.
“MADMAN is more than a true crime book—it’s a deep, unflinching dive into the psychology of fear, justice, and survival in postwar America. Gross has resurrected a nearly forgotten story with passion and precision. It’s rare to find a book this historically rich and emotionally gripping. I couldn’t recommend it more.”
“Come on.” Carey growls in his cool Southern drawl, “Let’s go get him.” ~ Walter Carey (at Dunedin Flats):
