Down the Hill : My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi

Title: Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi
Author: Susan Hendricks
Publisher: Hachette Books
Release Date: September 18, 2023
Page Count: 288
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Read book blurb here

I was not very familiar with the particulars of this horrendous case involving the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams in tiny Delphi, Indiana - a town so small it doesn't have a motel, and where everyone knows everyone. And that's the real horror of this story - someone in this town murdered these two teenagers. 

If you're looking for the traditional "true crime" book, this is not it. Instead, Susan Hendricks gives us a nuanced story of the effect such a crime has on the community, on the family, on law enforcement and on social media. Delphi's murder rate was virtually nonexistent and as such, Delphi's law enforcement was relatively untried. But they had heart and truly cared about the families and solving this crime. Hendricks spent time with LE over the years she covered the case and knew how deeply they cared about this case and how much it affected them. 

Hendricks very carefully shares how social media in particular can be a two-edged sword. As she notes "But what happens when the ask for a tip from law enforcement and family members turns into or perpetuates the public's desire to solve the crime no matter the cost? Can that desire lead to an online witch hunt? The short answer is yes." And especially in this case, where virtually no information was released from LE and details on possible murderer(s) was vague and inconsistent, social media "influencers" posted speculation about many members of the community and family, not considering how deeply their careless conjectures could wound. As Libby's grandmother said "The best revenge is none. Heal more, move on. Don't become like those who hurt you." 

As the book ends, a suspect has been arrested and a new phase of the case begins. It leaves the families in new territory, not setting their grief aside, but entering into a new and different stage of grief. 4 stars for this very insightful and heart-rendering account.

I received an ARC from the Publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.