Author William Elliott Hazelgrove Releases Book Ahead of Live Reveal on Anniversary
CHICAGO, IL, April 14, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — Book Release Week for Capone’s Vault by William Elliott Hazelgrove is underway, launching a series of media appearances and live events leading up to the 40th anniversary of one of television’s most unforgettable moments. Capones Vault will be released on April 16 by Bloomsbury publishing and is the only book on the infamous event.
Forty years after Geraldo Rivera drew more than 30 million viewers to The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vault, Hazelgrove is bringing the story back to life with a week of interviews, appearances, and a live vault opening in Chicago timed to the original broadcast.
A Week of Media and Events Builds Toward April 21
Book Release Week features a concentrated run of Chicago and national media, underscoring growing attention around the anniversary:
WCPT Chicago — April 13
WGN-TV Chicago — April 16 (release day)
WGN Radio Chicago — April 20
Moody Radio (national broadcast) — April 16
KZIM interview — April 17
LIVE Capone Vault Opening — April 21
Chicago Public Library event — April 22
Chicago Magazine feature
This coordinated media rollout positions Capone’s Vault at the center of renewed interest in the infamous 1986 broadcast and its cultural aftermath.
From Empty Vault to Cultural Turning Point
Though the original vault revealed little of material value, its impact was enormous. The broadcast blurred the line between news and entertainment, helping to usher in the era of reality television.
“The vault was empty—but television was never the same,” Hazelgrove said. “People didn’t tune in for what was inside. They tuned in for the experience. That’s what changed everything.”
A Live Anniversary Event Designed for Media
The centerpiece of Book Release Week will be a live vault opening on April 21, staged on location in Chicago and timed to coincide with the exact moment of the original broadcast.
The event is designed as a visual, one-time media opportunity, featuring a staged reveal that reflects the legacy of the original program and its lasting influence on television.
Media Invitation
Media outlets are invited to cover Book Release Week events and the April 21 live vault opening.
William Hazelgrove is the National Bestselling author of ten novels and fourteen nonfiction titles. His books have received starred reviews in Publisher Weekly Kirkus, Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, ALA Editors Choice Awards Junior Library Guild Selections, Literary Guild Selections, History Book Club Selections, History Book Club Bestsellers, Distinguished Book Award. and optioned for the movies. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for USA Today, The Smithsonian Magazine, Daily Mail and other publications and has been featured on NPR All Things Considered. The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, CSPAN, USA Today, World News Tonight have all covered his books with features. He has two forthcoming books, Capones Vault and Swept Away.
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