Three books that will help you get your local history fix (and they make great gifts!)

"God Is Merciful, The Colorful Career of John E. Egan" tells the story of a Dayton attorney who represented a "who's who of American's most wanted."

The book, written by local attorney David C. Greer, follows Egan’s life from boyhood in Middletown through his flashy trials in Dayton’s courtrooms.

Egan, who was courted by Clarence Darrow to join his Chicago law practice, turned him down to remain in the Gem City. Here he went on to represent colorful characters including gangster John Dillinger, known as “public enemy number one,” when he was arrested in Dayton in the 1930s.

"Polonium in the Playhouse: The Manhattan Project's Secret Chemistry Work in Dayton," by Linda Carrick Thomas, takes a deep dive into a secret polonium project that took place in Dayton in the 1940s.

The book chronicles the life and work of Charles Allen Thomas, an industrial chemist who was a Manhattan Project scientist.

Much of the research took place in Oakwood’s Runnymede Playhouse, which was transformed into a facility for polonium processing, an ingredient used as an initiator for the atomic bomb.

The plot also thickens when a health safety officer at the site turns out to be a Russian spy.

Dayton historian Curt Dalton has added another book to his collection of local lore.

"On This Date in Dayton's History: Remembering the Gem City One Day at a Time" contains a years' worth of local stories.

Dalton has organized the book by date from January 1 to Dec. 31. Each day of the year he tells a fascinating stories from the city’s history, including:

“God Is Merciful: The Colorful Career of John E. Egan” and “On This Day in Dayton’s History: Remembering the Gem City One Day at a Time” are available in the museum store at Carillon Historical Park and on Amazon. “Polonium In The Playhouse: The Manhattan Project’s Secret Chemistry Work In Dayton, Ohio” can be ordered at Books & Co. and Amazon.