my review from Jan 4, 2013
unless you know anything about the people in the so called Elvis Underground, I am not sure how you’re supposed to figure it out.
there are no pictures in the book – and it’s been run off on a laser printer, cut in half and spiral bound.
Since the seller is now selling another copy, and lives in Australia, I am assuming that they have retained the original and retyped it – and is selling copies without identifying then as such.
the writer does not use names at all, but describes each person so that it is easy to know who is being discussed.
the writing style is a bit on the purple side, and includes people’s dialog and thoughts – which would be unknowable.
the book is a collection of all the rumours about Elvis – it’s supposed to concentrate on his “faked” death
but the book starts with the claim about Col Parker murdering the woman in Holland in 1929 – and goes into some lurid detail that was not in Alanna Nash’s book The Colonel.
the book states: Based on unsubstantiated evidence, hearsay, rumour and conjecture – and boy howdy is it.
it then jumps chronologically:
– that Gladys was abusive and alcoholic, including locking Elvis in a room and sexually molesting him ( that they lived in a two room house with no interior doors is clearly lost on the writer)
– 1946 that the family had to leave Tupelo abruptly because Elvis murdered a neighbour lady while sleepwalking
(rather than Vernon was moonshining, another theory)
– 1953 that during a delivery run, Elvis ran over a drunk and killed him, then left the scene of the accident
– that Elvis and Nick Adams were lovers and were being blackmailed (note: Nick Adams was an actor and close friend of James Dean, he was at the Tupelo homecoming concert, he introduced Elvis and Nathalie Wood, Adams had limited acting success including a TV series The Rebel, his death was deemed suicide in the middle 60s, and that being a conspiracy not touched upon)
the book then jumps to the 70’s. I guess Elvis wasn’t so scandalous in the 60’s.
1971 – Elvis demands a hit on Mike Stone
1975 Elvis wants to play super cop and kill drug dealers – while stoned on pharmadrugs
1976 – women with Elvis death vision fails to contact him
1977 – Elvis target of a Mafia sting involving the purchase of one of his jets, FBI agents travelling as part of his tour crew,
1977 that Elvis was killed by a shot to the head hired by the Mob for retaliation for the jet thing and whisked away by helicopter – the implication that this is the same assassin of RFK
so now the fun begins:
– reproduction of a sinister memo circulating among the the “high ups” in a company World Industries, Pty, Ltd withe the subject line” Extinguishment of Liabilty(ies) around Arrangement with J. Burrows & Co.
– the shooting of Dr. Nick’s friend at the football game hinted that Vernon had hired the shooter
It erroneously puts Vernon as the source of the bone cancer rumour, rather than Dr Nick who made that claim to Vernon to try to cover his ass for the drugs
Do I even have to mention that the book is all rumours and nonsense?
Interestingly, there’s never once mention of illegit children!
Here’s a text sample about Vernon following Elvis’ murder and Vernon allegedly discovering the truth of Elvis’ death
"What did he have left? In his aged, failing mind, nothing. He wanted to tell the world of the horrible injustice done on his son, of the wretched act that had robbed the world of one of its most loved performers. That could be his on, final altruistic act, a form of redemption for the years of what subconsciously he knew had been one personal failure after another. He had abused his first wife, psychologically scarred his now dead son and treated others so poorly at times that he falsely felt he was, in part, a reprehensible person."
It continues with the FBI and Operation Fountain Pen proceeding with their investigation and cover up of events: including the murder of Jimmy Ellis and an Elvis Impersonator and his wife in Vegas in the early 80’s.
Followed by them panicking about Vernon – so they drug him to induce a heart attack and begin Vernon’s spiral to death on the 2nd anniversary of Elvis’ last concert (who knew that the FBI could be poetic?)
Minnie Mae’s death is deemed not at all sinister.
We jump back to the cover up:
“For the privileged but long suffering servitors (Memphis Mafia), there was now a major dilemma. It was politically unacceptable to injure his fans with the unpalatable truth of his assassination. It would be too much for many of them to handle. And, in any case, the authorities were yet to close Operation Fountain Pen and desperately need to keep it secret.
Instead, an incipient conspiracy was hatched. One, which only those in the inner circle at the mansion, and selected members of the Government authorities, would be privy to. Any dissident voices were quickly quelled.”
And yet, with any self awareness or irony, the book also states:
"By the nature of the suspicions, and in the absence of real proof, conspiracy theories would flourish, feeding off each other and in a bid to outdo each other, the tales would become more and more fanciful, more and more difficult to believe."
it then goes into Men in Black visits to members of the Elvis underground – these MIB are hinted at being aliens
it then goes onto suggest that perhaps EPE is behind: the murder of an Elvis impersonator and his wife – as well as the murders of Jimmy Ellis & his girlfriend – in order to destroy unspecified evidence held by both men
anyway, this slim volume is a sill read and doable in about an hour – comedy relief at best
footnote:
that Mary Smilie, Gail Georgio-Brewer and others who went on to be the Presley Commission
self appointed, self important and totally ridiculous people on a windmill mission
see also the EIN review:
https://www.elvisinfonet.com/review_tupelomurders.html