The Murders of Annie Hearn : The Poisonings that Inspired Agatha Christie

Title: The Murders of Annie Hearn : The Poisonings that Inspired Agatha Christie
Author: Jonathan Oates
Publisher: Pen & Sword True Crime
Release Date: April 30, 2024
Page Count: 304
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

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After a day spent in the coastal town of Bude on the north coast of Cornwall, followed by tea and sandwiches, Mrs. Alice Thomas fell seriously ill and later died on November 4, 1930. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas were accompanied by their neighbor Annie Hearn, who prepared the sandwiches, and after it was determined that Mrs. Thomas had perhaps died of arsenic poisoning, an investigation was begun. 

What followed was an inquest, a disappearance, a trial, and questions still remain over 90 years later. Agatha Christie used the poison sandwiches as a plot device in her 1940 novel Sad Cypress but the case in general has been lightly covered in true crime movies, videos or books. 

In a nutshell, Annie Hearn claimed she was married and quickly widowed, but it appeared none of this was true. Annie was a caregiver for her family, several of whom may have died due to arsenic poisoning. After Mrs. Thomas died, Annie disappeared, leaving the impression that she is going to commit suicide. She was found, was tried for Mrs. Thomas' murder .... and was found not guilty. 

The author has done extensive primary research, uncovering newspaper articles, inquest and trial transcripts in order to piece together the events and the bibliography is very extensive. 

But I sorely missed a cohesive narrative throughout this book. At times, the lawyer's cross examinations of witness are basically reprinted, without any commentary or insight. An in-depth examination of Annie Hearn's personality and psyche is needed, as we get details about what she did and said, but not why . There is a list of arsenic poisoning symptoms, but no discussion of what arsenic does to the human body, how it kills, why some symptoms are not always understood or correctly perceived by doctors, etc. The account of the horrific death of Annie's sister is heartbreaking, especially since the doctor who examined her didn't have a clue about what was causing her symptoms, and didn't suspect poisoning. 

 3.5 stars for The Murders of Annie Hearn. The mere facts of this case are compelling and disturbing, and while the author's research is admirable, a strong narrative would have greatly improved this true crime re-telling. 

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

A Murder on the Hill

Title: A Murder on the Hill: The Secret Life and Mysterious Death of Ruth Munson
Author: Roger Barr
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press
Release Date: April 2, 2024
Page Count: 320
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

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In December of 1937, the body of Ruth Munson was discovered in the derelict Aberdeen Hotel, a once-grand luxury apartment hotel, felled by the stock market crash and the Depression. This was the St. Paul of John Dillinger and Babyface Nelson, where bootlegging and prostitution flourished, and in 1935 the City finally started cracking down on rampant police corruption within the St. Paul Police Department. 

There was every reason to hope that the murderer would be brought to justice, yet the Munson murder remains unsolved. I found the book very frustrating in that the police hopped from one theory of the case to another without uncovering much of anything. It was a boyfriend or former lover, it was someone who left three small metal shear pins at the site, it was the black porter at the Union Depot, it was someone from Munson's "secret life" involved two mysterious women who were often seen at local bars with Ruth, it was a vagrant, maybe Ruth was involved in selling drugs, etc. And once the police determined that Ruth's death may have come "at the hands of someone from the black community," that racism probably prevented the case from being solved. 

The author carefully details countess reports and unfortunately, the sheer abundance of similar reports is overwhelming. I'm not sure that every detail is necessary and perhaps a concise summary would have been more compelling than an exhaustive point-by-point accounting. There is a very brief chapter at about 80% of the book called "Missed Opportunities" which very briefly summarizing possible legitimate suspects, but at this point it is a little bit too later. 

The exhaustive research is impressive but perhaps more interpretation and less listing of details would have resulted in a more cohesive gripping story. 3.5 stars. 

I received an ARC from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Deliberate Cruelty : Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century

Title: Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century
Author: Roseanne Montillo
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: November 1, 2022
Page Count: 320
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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Roseanne Montillo compares and contrasts the lives of Ann Woodward and Truman Capote; each came from broken small-town families and viewed New York City as their salvation, but for each it ultimately brought tragedy, 

The phrase "More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones" is central to both Ann and Truman's lives. Montillo carefully lays out Ann Woodward's dirt-poor life in Kansas and her heroic efforts to move to New York City, improve herself with acting lessons, vocal lessons to strip away her midwestern accent, and to do whatever was needed to land a rich husband. Ann succeeded beyond her dreams, marrying old money Billy Woodward in 1943.  But Ann soon realizes she  is despised by her mother-in-law and ridiculed by the society women she envies - she will never be enough, and no one will let her forget this.

Truman grew up in a small southern town, unwanted by his parents and raised by his maiden aunts and assorted relatives. Truman's mother Lille Mae viewed New York City as her salvation and soon found a new husband, bringing Truman to live with them when he was 10. Small, determined, profoundly cruel (Truman once said about himself, "I am about as tall as a shotgun, and just as nasty")  Truman worked hard for his fame, first known as an exceptional short-story writer, and writing Other Voices, Other Rooms, Breakfast at Tiffanys and the classic In Cold Blood, the first true crime non-fictional novel.

And at the pinnacle of his fame, Capote famously releases one chapter of his long-awaited novel Answered Prayers - a gossipy, nasty chapter entitled La Côte Basque 1965.  Ann Woodward commits suicide rather than be subjected to yet another round of hatred, and Truman Capote commits social suicide, effectively shunned by the whole of  NY society. 

Where the book drags a bit is in the telling of Ann's story.  Much is left to speculation (it is mentioned numerous times that Ann and Billy Woodward's father may have had an affair and that Billy was bisexual but this is left unexplored) and one never really gains any insight into Ann, beyond the superficial and shallow.  Overall, 4 stars for an enjoyable read.  

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

Nothing But the Night : Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder that Rocked 1920s America

Title: Nothing But the Night : Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder that Rocked 1920s America
Author: Greg King and Penny Wilson
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: September 20, 2022
Page Count: 352
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

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My grandfather was fascinated by this case and after reading this new account, I can understand why the murder of Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb on May 21, 1924 has remained in the public mind for almost 100 years. 

These two rich, very intelligent teenagers lived lives beyond most American's wildest dreams. Richard's father had made a fortune as vice president of Sears, Roebuck and the family had a vacation home on the shores of Lake Michigan; Richard was the youngest man ever to graduate from the University of Michigan at age 18. Nathan, the son of a millionaire, had also graduated at age 18, from the University of Chicago, with plans to enter Harvard Law school that fall.

Despite their obvious intelligence, their crime was quickly solved and the two confessed to murder. Their attorney, famed lawyer Clarence Darrow, pled them guilty, but NOT by reason of insanity. Darrow walked a very thin line between claiming that the two "boys" were not insane, but because of a number of factors - bad endocrine glands, too much money (an early version of the "affluenza" defense), bad parenting, Nietzsche, their homosexuality - they were the "real victims" in this horrendous crime. It spared them from hanging, and they were sentenced to life in prison. 

The authors deftly destroy the myth of Darrow's legendary closing argument. It was disjointed, rambling, wildly offensive and lasted three days. After the trial, Darrow borrowed the transcript so he could publish the argument, and streamlined the rambling, edited and revised and polished it into the "masterpiece" some claim it was. 

The authors also present solid information that it was Nathan, and not Richard, who killed Bobby Franks, and Nathan had the upper hand in their relationship. Unfortunately for Richard, who died in prison in 1930, history is written by the victors, and Nathan spent the next 30 years claiming that it was all Richard's fault. Richard was not innocent in the whole matter, but as the authors state: "Richard wanted a crime partner; what he got was a sociopath." 

Where this book really shines is in the details of the crime, the in-depth discussion of Leopold and Loeb's relationship and Darrow's attempt to save his clients from the death penalty. The last phrase of their lives - prison, Richard's death and Nathan's eventual parole - is quickly summarized in the final 10% of the book (the book essential ends at 71% and the rest is the bibliography and notes). Because of the careful and detailed analysis that goes before, this final stage appears rushed and more of a summary and personally I would have willingly read another 100 pages to bring the story to its conclusion! 4.5 stars. 

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

Murder at Minnesota Point

Title: Murder at Minnesota Point
Author: Jeffrey M. Sauve
Publisher: North Star Editions
Release Date: July 12, 2022
Page Count: 182
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

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Jeffrey Sauve, the author of this true crime story about a murder in Duluth before the turn of the century, became captivated by this little-known case and spent years researching and writing Murder at Minnesota Point. 

Throughout the book, the efforts of his research become clear as he gives us a richly detailed story of the murder of Lena Olson and the almost two-year search for her killer. I especially found it amazing that the killer was eventually found, at a time with no forensics or fingerprints, no central repository of information, no photographs. 

Where the book didn't work for me was all the occasional asides and side stories that, while interesting, took focus away from the main story. 3.5 stars. 

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

Cold Heart : The Great Unsolved Murder of Turn of the Century Buffalo

Title: Cold Heart
Author: Kimberly Tilley
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
Release Date: December 3, 2020
Page Count: 219
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

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This book surprised me in the best way possible. It could have a rather dull account of an old unsolved murder in turn-of-the century Buffalo, NY but the author does an exceptional job of using first-hand accounts, detective reports, newspaper accounts, etc. and really breathes life into this tale of an ill-fated affair. 

Ed Burdick dies in his parlor, bludgeoned to death with a heavy stick. His wife Alice is not at home (they are in the midst of a divorce), and his daughters and mother-in-law in the house heard nothing. Alice is having a long-term affair with Arthur Pennell, a member of their social group, referred to as the Elmwood Avenue set. Arthur's wife Carrie is aware of the affair and apparently has no problem with Arthur and Alice's relationship. There is a long series of starts and stops with the divorce as Alice promises to set aside Arthur, but never does.  As Ed's resolve in finalizing the divorce solidifies, he is murdered in his home with a gun nearby and indications that he was frightening of ... someone.  

After finishing this book, it lived in my head for quite some time as I tried to figure out who was the killer. We sometimes forget in our world of 24/7 true crime that detectives didn't always have fingerprints, DNA, CCTV and the like to solve crimes with surgical precision.  There are no answers, just some titillating possibilities.  (Personally I think the mother-in-law had something to do with it, the reaction of the daughters was just plain strange, and the wife was surely a psychopath!) 

4.5 stars.  I really recommend this book (now available on Kindle Unlimited)!

And Every Word is True

Title: And Every Word is True
Author: Gary McAvoy
Publisher: Literati Books
Release Date: March 4, 2019
Page Count: 310
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

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I read Truman Capote's In Cold Blood far too young and am still haunted by Nancy Clutter, helping a friend bake an apple pie her last day of life and writing in her journal nightly, every year in a different ink color.

We all know who killed the Clutter family ... but this book asks WHY were they killed? The book repeats things over and over quite a few times, and the overall organization is somewhat strange, but here is what really struck me: After the news spread about the murder, most of the local law men (including Alvin Dewey who was a friend of Herb Clutter) felt the answer lay close to home.

Herb Clutter was not the provincial wheat farmer Capote portrays - he was the founder of the Kansas Wheat Association, had served on national agricultural boards, even had ties to the White House. And Clutter had made enemies along the way. Richard Hickok wrote of being paid $5,000 to murder Clutter, and that after the murder they only had an hour before having to meet "Roberts." And indeed, an hour after the murders, two men who fit the descriptions of Perry Smith and Hickok were seen meeting an unknown man in a diner 30 miles or so away from Garden City. Supposedly Frank Miles in prison told Hickok about the Clutter home and the safe full of money. Miles drew a map for Hickok detailing where each family member slept .... except the house the Clutters were currently living in wasn't BUILT when Miles worked on the Clutter farm.

Death in a Hansom Cab

Title: Death in a Hansom Cab
Author: Kerry Segrave
Publisher: Historical Press
Release Date: April 22, 2020
Page Count: 150
Rating: 2 stars out of 5

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In 1904, horsing racing entreprenaur Caesar Young was shot during a hansom cab ride. The other only occupant was Nan Patterson, a chorus girl who had been involved with the married Young for a few years. After three trials, no criminal crimes were leveled against Patterson and there was no answer to what happened in that hansom cab.

On the surface, this true crime story captured my interest ..... but I quickly grew frustrated by the author's writing style of presenting newspaper reports without any intrepretation or context. We get the same details over and over again (and are often told the accounts are not accurate) but there is little in the way of background on Young or Patterson, or the nature of their relationship. There are bits of information scattered throughout but nothing developed out of the unclear facts of the case.

If the author's intent is to comment on how journalists portrayed Nan Patterson - as a homewrecker, as a sly seductress, as an unintelligent untalented actress - again, there is no intrepretation of the various accounts and no overlying theory of the crime or of Patterson's character.

This book was very frustrating to me, and I cannot personally recommend it. 2 stars.

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