Murder in a Mill Town

This was an interesting historical true crime recounting. It explores the murder of a young female factory worker and the frenzied aftermath that was dubbed the “crime of the century.” From the murder investigation to a church sex scandal to celebrity trial this story gripped the American public's attention in 1833.

What I most enjoyed about this was the author's very balanced storytelling. I have found that many non-fiction writers tend to reveal their bias in the narrative and often fall into the trap of inserting additional commentary that I tend to find off putting.

Bruce Dorsey does a great job of holding up a critical lens to the misogyny that was very prevalent in the media's coverage and the ensuing interviews and testimony. As well as the troubling behavior of the church to protect their leaders over everything else regardless of guilt or innocence.

If you enjoy true crime this was a fascinating snapshot of a part of American life that I didn't know a lot about.

***Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review.