Review: A Talent To Deceive by William Morris

Synopsis: For almost 90 years, the Lindbergh Kidnapping has been a major topic of controversy and fascination in history. After a six-week trial, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was named the ultimate culprit of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's infant son. Hauptmann pleaded that he was not guilty even as he took his last breath execution day. Since the trial, there have been many theories concluding that Hauptmann was innocent. 

A Talent to Deceive is the book that solves a mystery through investigative journalism. William Norris dives into evidence ignored by previous investigators in search of the truth. Who really committed the crime? What really happened the night of March 1, 1932? What was the motive to kidnap and murder the Lindbergh baby?

The kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh infant was the "case of the century" - it still resonates event today - and resulted in a man being sentenced to death in the electric chair. In short, five years after Charles A. Lindbergh made headlines around the world by becoming the first aviator to make a nonstop flight across the Atlantic, he was the subject of a nightmarish new story: On the evening of March 1st, 1932, his 20-month old son, Charlie, was stolen from his crib. 72 days later, a badly-decomposed body authorities identified as Charlie’s was discovered in the woods less than four miles away. But was Richard Hauptmann guilty of such a heinous crime or was there much more - much that went unsaid for the sake of reputation. In "A Talent To Deceive: The Search For The Real Killer of the Lindbergh Baby" author William Norris - reporter and political correspondent - posits just that.

And Norris is not alone in this. Though not discusses here, Lloyd C. Gardner, professor of history emeritus at Rutgers University, in his book "The Case that Never Dies: The Lindbergh Kidnapping", claims that not only was Lindbergh himself somehow involved with little Charlie’s abduction, but also believes the child’s death could have resulted from an accident during the kidnapping.

Back to Norris' book - we start with a recap of known and "accepted facts" surrounding the case and are introduced to those who will feature in more depth throughout Norris' investigation. And even now at this early juncture, Norris hints at a cover-up by Lindbergh for a member of the Morrow family (his wife Anne's family). We discover that Lindbergh himself - from the very start - is obstructive and deceptive, and intent on controlling or steering the investigation - and as America's golden boy, he is allowed to do so.

Then Norris takes us on the journey of his interest and investigation in the case.  It is not a smooth journey - there are many road blocks with access to still existing documents being refused and witnesses disappearing; the discovery that in the original inquiry leads had not been followed up, forensics were lacking, and pertinent witnesses  were not questioned.

"... I was becoming perhaps a little paranoid in my suspicions of a coverup, but it seemed clear that something odd was going on ..."

Norris follows a number of lines of inquiry either overlooked or purposely ignored - and attention focuses on the Lindbergh and Morrow families as well as the character of Dr John F Condon, who not only insinuated himself into the case but was the sole liaison with the kidnappers and was an intimate of the Morrow family.

Norris discovers an anonymous letter which referred to the kidnapping as " ... one of the greatest hoaxes ever pulled on the American public .." What could this mean - was the family complicit? Norris feels that this was the case, positing that there was the theory of an "unnamed illegitimate son" trying to get even with his father and claim monies owed via inheritance. 

Or was it a harmless (family) prank that went horribly wrong as the author questions that lack of fingerprints at the crime scene, the fake ladder, the state (and behaviour) of the family themselves, the swift identification of the child's corpse and the speed at which the child's remains were cremated. And then there is that almost Sherlockian question of why the dog didn't bark in the night.

Norris' modern-day investigation is interspersed with the historical case as pertinent discoveries are made and examined. Even Lindbergh (his personal life and views) comes in for a good deal of scrutiny - especially his theories on eugenics and Social Darwinism, which provides a potential clue as to why the child may have been kidnapped in the first place - even Lloyd C. Gardner comments on this (see also: The Immortalists: Charles Lindbergh, Dr. Alexis Carrel, and Their Daring Quest to Live Forever by David M. Friedman). 

Norris also pays due diligence to Bruno Hauptmann and provides some background into the man who made for the perfect patsy, and looks a little more closely at the evidence stacked against him - and that which was overlooked which may have called into question the nature of his guilt in the very beginning. 

As I originally mentioned, I never realised just how deceptive and obstructive Lindbergh and his in-laws the Morrows actually were throughout this drama. The whole train of events after the discovery of the missing child (including the investigation and trial) were almost (and horribly) farcical - and for Hauptmann - the alleged kidnapper and murderer - tragically so.

For those wanting to gain a different insight into this "crime of the century" and read about an alternate perpetrator, this is definitely for you. Norris provides enough background information for the reader that prior in-depth knowledge is not essential.

further reading:

FBI website - the Lindbergh Kidnapping

Crime Museum - the Lindbergh Kidnapping

Famous Trials - Hauptmann (Lindbergh Kidnapping)

Minnesota Historical Society - Lindbergh Kidnapping

Website - The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax

To Walk in the Dark by John Ellis

During the bloody years of the First English Civil War, as the battles of Edgehill, Newbury and Naseby raged, another war was being fought. Its combatants fought with cunning and deceit, a hidden conflict that nevertheless would steer the course of history. The story of the spies and intelligence-gatherers of the Roundheads and Royalists is one that sheds new light on the birth of the Commonwealth. 

In 'To Walk in the Dark', intelligence specialist John Ellis presents the first comprehensive analysis of the First English Civil War intelligence services. He details the methods of the Roundhead spies who provided their army commanders with a constant flow of information about the movements of the King's armies, describes the earliest use of code-breaking and mail interception and shows how the Cavalier intelligence forces were overcome. He also reveals the intelligence personnel themselves: the shadowy spymasters, agents and femmes fatales. 

The descriptions of how intelligence information was used in the main Civil War battles are particularly fascinating and show - for the first time - how intelligence information played a decisive role in determining the outcome of the Civil War itself.

The Tudor Occupation of Boulogne by Neil Murphy

In 1544, Henry VIII led the largest army then ever raised by an English monarch to invade France. This book investigates the consequences of this action by examining the devastating impact of warfare on the native population, the methods the English used to impose their rule on the region (from the use of cartography to the construction of fortifications) and the development of English of colonial rule in France. 

As Murphy explores the significance of this major financial and military commitment by the Tudor monarchy, he situates the developments within the wider context of English actions in Ireland and Scotland during the mid-sixteenth century. Rather than consider the plantations established in the mid-sixteenth century Ireland as the 'laboratory' for a new form of empire, this book argues that they should be viewed along with the Boulogne venture as the English crown's final attempt to establish colonies through the use of state resources alone.

Tree of Pearls by D. Fairchild Ruggles

Shajar al-Durr--known as "Tree of Pearls"--began her remarkable career as a child slave, given as property to the Ayyubid Sultan Salih of Egypt. She became his favorite concubine, was manumitted, became the sultan's wife, served as governing regent, and ultimately rose to become the legitimately appointed sultan of Egypt in 1250 after her husband's death. 

Shajar al-Durr used her wealth and power to add a tomb to his urban madrasa; with this innovation, madrasas and many other charitably endowed architectural complexes became commemorative monuments, a practice that remains widespread today. A highly unusual case of a Muslim woman authorized to rule in her own name, her reign ended after only three months when she was forced to share her governance with an army general from the ranks of the Mamluks (elite slave soldiers) and for political expediency to marry him.

Despite the fact that Shajar al-Durr's story ends tragically with her assassination and hasty burial, her deeds in her lifetime offer a stark alternative to the continued belief that women in the medieval period were unseen, anonymous, and inconsequential in a world that belonged to men. 

This biography--the first ever in English--will place the rise and fall of the sultan-queen in the wider context of the cultural and architectural development of Cairo, the city that still holds one of the largest and most important collections of Islamic monuments in the world. 

D. Fairchild Ruggles also situates the queen's extraordinary architectural patronage in relation to other women of her own time, such as Aleppo's Ayyubid regent. Tree of Pearls concludes with a lively discussion of what we can know about the material impact of women of both high and lesser social rank in this period, and why their impact matters in the writing of history.

my review of a fictional account of Tree of Pearls

Selling the Tudor Monarchy by Kevin Sharpe

The management of image in the service of power is a familiar tool of twenty-first- century politics. Yet as long ago as the sixteenth century, British monarchs deployed what we might now describe as “spin.” In this book a leading historian reveals how Tudor kings and queens sought to enhance their authority by presenting themselves to best advantage. Kevin Sharpe offers the first full analysis of the verbal and visual representations of Tudor power, embracing disciplines as diverse as art history, literary studies, and the history of consumption and material culture.

The author finds that those rulers who maintained the delicate balance between mystification and popularization in the art of royal representation—notably Henry VIII and Elizabeth I—enjoyed the longest reigns and often the widest support. But by the end of the sixteenth century, the perception of royalty shifted, becoming less sacred and more familiar and leaving Stuart successors to the crown to deal with a difficult legacy.

Beaufort by Molly McClain

The Duke and Duchess of Beaufort survived the tumultuous and uncertain decades that followed the English civil war by creating a remarkable political partnership. Together, they worked to restore their family’s estates and political power base as well as their home, Badminton House in Gloucestershire. They also sought to tame political and religious passions and to bring order and stability to Restoration society, a goal that was shared by many members of the landed classes. 

This fascinating book uses their story to illuminate the profound cultural changes that took place after 1660. It also brings to life Henry Somerset (1629-1715) and Mary Capel Somerset (1630-1715), two complex and unique individuals.

Henry, third marquis of Worcester and first duke of Beaufort, was a powerful regional magnate and an active member of Charles II’s Privy Council. The book recounts his activities in public life in England and Wales and shows the Duke rebuilding his war-ravaged estates, contesting with his local rivals, and corresponding tirelessly with his wife. Mary, meanwhile, distinguished herself in the newly emerging science of botany, growing and propagating an astonishing variety of exotic plants and finding personal salvation in the natural world. 

Offering both an intimate portrait of a seventeenth-century marriage and an unusual view of the early days of Enlightenment science and rationalism, this book will captivate a wide range of readers.

Mystery Women by Colleen Barnett

Many bibliographers focus on women who write. Lawyer Barnett looks at women who detect, at women as sleuths and at the evolving roles of women in professions and in society. This three volume series is excellent for all women's studies programs as well as for the mystery hound.

An Encyclopedia of Leading Women Characters in Mystery Fiction, Volume 1: 1860-1979. 

An Encyclopedia of Leading Women Characters in Mystery Fiction, Volume 2: 1980-1992

An Encyclopedia of Leading Women Characters in Mystery Fiction, Volume 3: 1990-2002

            

Each volume in the series has an dedicated author / character list as well as a book title / author / character list.

More Wisdom From Dr Seuss

Review: Starving Men by Siobhan Finkielman

Synopsis: Dublin, 2019: Michael Gleeson is a well-respected psychiatrist – a quiet man, a good friend, and a useless cook. He also spends part of his professional life secretly counseling former members of the disbanded IRA. Michael always thought this would be enough to satisfy his Republican heritage, but when the highly skilled yet deeply disturbed Turlough O’Sullivan enters his office, Michael sees an opportunity that he just can't overlook.

Haunted by childhood tales of the gruesome history of the Irish people under British rule, Michael enlists his new patient's help in tracking down and killing the living descendants of the worst men in Ireland's past, figures whose names still send a shiver down the spine.

But Michael's plan for a bloody revenge doesn't run smoothly: Not only must he learn the brutal truth about the role models who formed him as a child, but on his trail is a young Irish detective temporarily assigned to Scotland Yard, an officer who becomes obsessed with stopping the unknown serial killer who is out for an historical revenge that she can't understand.

How many of us have asked ourselves "would that I could right an historical wrong" - and how many of us, had we the opportunity to do so, would?

This is the premise of Finkielman's psychological thriller set in Ireland wherein Michael Gleeson, noted psychiatrist and Irish Republican sympathiser, does just that. From the stories religiously instilled in him as a young and malleable child of The Troubles by his relatives, Michael Gleeson becomes fixated on events dating back to County Mayo during the Irish Famine, but has done nothing to assuage this unrequited need for revenge until the day when the instrument of his vengeance walks through the door.

The Great Famine and its effects have been felt keenly by many down the ages by the Irish diaspora. This was a tragic period of mass starvation and disease from 1845 to 1849, with the most severely affected areas in the west and south of Ireland. In the period between 1841 and 1851, the population of County Mayo declined by 29 per cent from 388,887 to 247,830. Deaths and emigration accounted for the loss of 114,057 of Mayo's population - a stark figure when compared to the county's population of 130,507 (2016 Census).

It is said that " ... the Irish aren't a people for forgetting about the past ... " and it is a cry from the past that ignites Gleeson's obsession with events linked to the Famine and finally propels him to move forward and seek retribution of the victims ... "... let it be some man down the years who will take the sharpest hands ..." .

This is an engrossing tale - and I was drawn to it due to this being a part of my own family history. It did, however, start out a little patchy in places, but I put this down to the storyline - and the characters - finding its feet, so to speak. The story is related through various mediums - we have the first person narrative of Michael Gleeson - who is both likeable and detestable - in the present as well as taking us back to his childhood; we have the historical narrative in the form of letters from Honoria O'Gliasain, reliving her experiences in Mayo at the time of the Famine; we have the narrative of police officer Maggie Foster, seconded to Scotland Yard, who finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together; and we have the instrument of death. There are various smaller contributing narratives, each added another layer and perspective, and linking in the various themes in order to bring the overall narrative together.

The history and politics of Ireland is never clear cut, especially to an outsider. Like the country itself, this tale is a contradiction wherein villains are heroes and heroes are villains, and the truth is shrouded in a fog layered over the ages, obscuring, obfuscating, complex and dense; and where one man is held captive by his own obsessive compulsion to right a historical wrong.

A very suspenseful and engaging first novel.

Useful Links:

The Great Famine in Co. Mayo (1845 - 1849)

The Doolough Tragedy

Good Friday Agreement

The Northern Ireland Conflict 1968-1998 – An Overview

The Magic of Reading Arthur Conan Doyle's Letters

From CrimeReads:

Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, edited by Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower and Charles Foley, is a real treat for Sherlock Holmes fans. The letters were written to Doyle’s family, publishers and others, but most of them are to his ‘Mam’, who he was very close to all his life. He describes her as a wonderful storyteller, and attributes his own gifts to her influence, while his gift for dramatic effect came from his father, an artist whose alcoholism led to lengthy stays in sanitoria and asylums in the latter part of his life.

As well as some fascinating insights into Conan Doyle’s personal life and politics, they also provide some background to the development of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

read more from author Mick Finlay @ CrimeReads

"Silent Angel" A Novella By Antonia Arslan

From Historical Note • MassisPost:

The story of the rescue of the Homilary of Moush, the largest surviving Armenian manuscript, has for many years traveled through Armenian memories and legends. It- like Franz Werfel’s epic of Musa Dagh is one of the few stories that are source of pride and honor for this defeated and humiliated people. Now dispersed in every corner of the world, having been almost completely destroyed by the 1915 genocide, the Armenians have had their ancestral land taken from them forever.

According to the most widely diffused legend, two women found the book in the rubble of the monastery and carried it to safety by dividing it into two. One of the women died, after having buried her half of the book. That half was discovered by a Russian officer and taken to Tbilisi, while the other half was taken to Yerevan and given to the monks of Etchmiadzin.

The book was put back together in the 1920s. A few of its pages, removed in the nineteenth century, are conserved in the collection of Mekhitarist fathers in Venice and Vienna.

read more here @ Historical Note • MassisPost

Paula Guran Reviews The Heart Is a Mirror for Sinners and Other Stories by Angela Slatter

From Locus Online:

British and World Fantasy Award recipient Angela Slatter’s writing is elegant, elo­quent, evocative, and exquisitely disturb­ing; polished to the rich patina found only on the finest quality antique silver, it casts a spell on the reader. Luckily, the Australian author is nearly as prolific as she is talented. The Heart Is a Mir­ror for Sinners and Other Stories is her eighth collection (two of the seven previous ones were co-written with Lisa L. Hannett.)

This latest compilation offers a wide range of stories: mythic/folkloric, gothic, dark humor, Lovecraftian (both serious and not), even forays into science fiction and hard-nosed detective fic­tion. The women in Slatter’s stories tend to be cut from the same fabric: they may make mistakes, but they gain the strength to claim life or gain revenge or do whatever must be done. They are shrewd, brave, and usually triumph – not that they are always on the side of good or light.

read more here @ Locus Online