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Title details for Hell's Half Acre by Susan Jonusas - Available

Hell's Half Acre

The Untold Story of the Benders, a Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier

by Susan Jonusas
Lee Osorio
Audiobook
2 of 2 copies available
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2 of 2 copies available
One of NPR's "Books We Love"
New York Times Book Review's "The Best True Crime of 2022"
"Rich in historical perspective and graced by novelistic touches, grips the reader from first to last.”—Wall Street Journal
A suspense filled tale of murder on the American frontier—shedding new light on a family of serial killers in Kansas, whose horrifying crimes gripped the attention of a nation still reeling from war.
In 1873 the people of Labette County, Kansas made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders.
 
The idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders—one among the thousands relocating farther west in search of land and opportunity after the Civil War—were capable of operating "a human slaughter pen" appalled and fascinated the nation. But who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree and whether justice ever caught up to them is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Set against the backdrop of postbellum America, Hell’s Half-Acre explores the environment capable of allowing such horrors to take place. Drawing on extensive original archival material, Susan Jonusas introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, many of whom have been previously missing from the story. Among them are the families of the victims, the hapless detectives who lost the trail, and the fugitives that helped the murderers escape.
 
Hell’s Half-Acre is a journey into the turbulent heart of nineteenth century America, a place where modernity stalks across the landscape, violently displacing existing populations and building new ones. It is a world where folklore can quickly become fact and an entire family of criminals can slip through a community’s fingers, only to reappear in the most unexpected of places.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 1, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593553169
      • File size: 266948 KB
      • Duration: 09:16:08

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      June 1, 2022

      This captivating historical true crime story from former bookseller and historian Jonusas features the Benders, America's first family of serial killers. Appearing to be simple pioneers trying to work the land, the Benders came under investigation for murder when travelers heading west began mysteriously disappearing in 1870s Kansas. Locals and travelers alike were stunned by how a nice, seemingly normal family could lure victims to their deaths and then bury their bodies on the family homestead. Jonusas weaves together the mundane facts of pioneer life with the gruesome details of the murders, which were so horrific that notorious serial killers H. H. Holmes and Belle Gunness earned comparisons to the Bender family. VERDICT Lee Osorio provides a simple, unbiased narration that contrasts with the horrific nature of the family's crimes.--Elyssa Everling

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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