By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Coral Gables readers will step into Miami’s criminal underworld—one told not through sensationalism but through the steady, investigative eye of a man who has lived it. Books & Books will host Rory McMahon for Fort Apache: Real Story of Ben “Darth Vader” Kramer: International Drug Smuggler, Powerboat Racing Champion, Apache Boat Builder, and Murderer of Don Aronow. The free event begins on Monday, August 25 at 7:00 p.m. at 265 Aragon Avenue, with books available for purchase.

Crime story rooted in South Florida

Miami has always lived with the contradictions of paradise and peril. Sun-drenched marinas and glittering skylines have long existed alongside networks of smuggling, organized crime, and the tragedies that followed. McMahon’s book revisits that history through one of its most notorious figures: Ben Kramer.

Kramer’s résumé defies belief—an international drug smuggler, world champion powerboat racer, and boatbuilder whose empire intersected with Miami’s social and criminal elite. Most infamously, he was convicted for ordering the 1987 murder of Don Aronow, the celebrated designer of high-performance boats who counted U.S. presidents and celebrities among his clients.

For local readers, this story is not distant folklore. The rise and fall of men like Kramer shaped Miami’s reputation at a pivotal moment when the city became shorthand for excess and danger. McMahon uses his decades of investigative experience to give readers a narrative both riveting and grounded in fact.

The investigator as storyteller

McMahon is not an outsider to this world. A former federal probation officer and long-time private investigator, he has spent more than 45 years probing fraud, criminal conspiracies, and high-profile cases across the country. He holds certifications as a Certified Legal Investigator and Certified Fraud Examiner and has run McMahon & Associates Detective Agency in South Florida since 1991.

In Fort Apache, he draws on his casework, blending personal reflection with the procedural details of investigations. This dual perspective—part memoir, part true crime history—offers something rare in the genre: a look at how law enforcement officers navigate the blurry lines between power, corruption, and justice.

McMahon has also authored professional guides such as Fraud Investigation and Guide to Professional Investigation, works that continue to train new generations of investigators. His newest book represents a turn toward narrative storytelling, aimed not just at professionals but at anyone fascinated by Miami’s place in America’s criminal imagination.

Miami’s grit and glamour

The timing of this event is notable. Popular culture has long romanticized Miami’s criminal past, from Miami Vice to Scarface, but it is the first-hand accounts that keep the fascination alive. McMahon’s book recalls an era when the city was awash in cocaine profits, when speedboats doubled as smuggling vessels, and when murders over money and betrayal punctuated the headlines.

Yet what sets Fort Apache apart is its attention to the system itself. McMahon does not merely recount Kramer’s flamboyant life; he situates it within the machinery of the American justice system—probation, prosecution, investigation—and the personal toll on those working within it. That mix of grit and procedure grounds the narrative in ways fiction cannot.

For Coral Gables audiences, the event also underscores the city’s place as a cultural hub. Books & Books, a cornerstone of Miami’s literary life, has consistently brought voices like McMahon’s into conversation with the community. This gathering fits into a larger tradition of Gables residents engaging with the region’s history not only through art and architecture but through literature that wrestles with South Florida’s contradictions.

(More) organized crime in 1980s Miami

True crime has surged in popularity in recent years, with podcasts, documentaries, and books finding wide audiences. Yet the genre often risks exploiting tragedy for entertainment. McMahon’s credentials and his proximity to the events promise a different kind of contribution—one that privileges accuracy and professional insight over spectacle.

The story of Kramer and Aronow remains relevant because it reveals how organized crime embedded itself in Miami’s fabric during the 1980s and how those echoes linger. For today’s readers, it also raises questions about power and accountability in a city where reputations can shift as quickly as tides.

Event details

The Books & Books event is free, though RSVPs are required. Attendees are encouraged to secure their spot only if they plan to attend, as seating is limited. Books will be available for purchase at the store, offering readers the chance to have their copies signed and to engage McMahon directly in discussion.

For true crime enthusiasts, history buffs, and anyone curious about Miami’s turbulent past, this evening provides a rare opportunity to hear stories from an investigator who has both observed and shaped the record.

Continuing conversation

As Coral Gables continues to host events that bring national and local voices into dialogue, the McMahon evening stands as a reminder of the city’s intellectual vitality. Just as other recent literary gatherings and cultural previews have highlighted, the community’s appetite for storytelling goes well beyond entertainment. These events serve as windows into who we are, how we got here, and where our shared history might lead next.

When McMahon steps to the podium at Books & Books, it will not only be to tell the story of Ben Kramer or Don Aronow. It will be to illuminate the complicated balance between law and disorder, ambition and consequence—a balance that continues to define Miami.