A Talent to Deceive: The Search for the Real Killer of the Lindbergh Baby. William Norris. 2020. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy]
First sentence: On the night of March 1, 1932, a small child was taken from his bedroom in a lonely house near Hopewell, New Jersey. A ransom note was discovered, and a demand of $50,000 paid by the distraught parents. But the little boy never came home. His body was later found some two miles away, decomposed almost beyond recognition.
A Talent To Deceive is true crime nonfiction. It highlights the injustice and absolute absurdity of the investigation, trial, and appeal process. The crime being that of the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. From day one it was a total disaster--if the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is what guides you.
The presentation itself was a bit messy here and there. It perhaps could have been better organized. But even with its tiny 'flaws' it remains fascinating. (At least to me). So, in no particular order, the book is about: a) how the author became interested in the case b) the bare basic essentials of the crime c) background information on the Morrow and Lindbergh families d) the million mistakes made in every stage of this case e) potential suspects f) red herring suspects g) the trial itself h) the appeal process.
The book essentially argues that the man arrested, charged, convicted, and sentenced to die--Bruno Richard Hauptmann--was innocent. At the very, very least innocent of kidnapping the Lindbergh baby, and innocent of murdering the toddler. Perhaps, he was guilty of coming into possession of *some* of the $50,000 ransom. In other words, he was found to have some of the ransom in his home. And he did spend some of it. (That's how they knew to search his home.)
The book makes a case for his innocence. And it's a convincing argument, in my opinion. But Norris doesn't just make a case for Hauptmann's innocence, he argues that at the very, very, very least Charles and Anne Lindbergh KNEW the identity of the kidnapper and covered it up. Perhaps their suspicions were later confirmed, but from day one there are strong reasons to believe that they were covering up, interfering, mangling the investigation. The author does not argue that Lindbergh is guilty of the crime himself. (Though he does mention that some do.) He makes a case for a member of the Morrow family to be the kidnapper. Was his argument 100% convincing???? I'm not sure I'd go that far. While Norris convinced me that Hauptmann was innocent...and that EVERYONE involved in the case was a liar-liar-liar-liar pants. Or completely incompetent. Or completely immoral and unethical. OR easily bribed. I'm not as equally convinced that Dwight Morrow Jr. was the kidnapper/murderer. I definitely think that he should have been on the list of suspects, perhaps, but I'm not convinced he's the one and only most likely candidate.
The book was fascinating. But it was also intense in that it made me ANGRY. This trial was just appalling and absurd. There were a million reasons why the case was handled WRONG. And it cost this man his life.
© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment