Final Harvest : An American Tragedy

by Andrew H. Malcolm

Capturing the anachronistic life and struggle of the Midwestern farmer, this true drama recounts the 1983 murder of a Minnesota banker by a farmer and his son who had been evicted from their land

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 1986

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
1. my parents were weeding out their personal library a few years ago, so I snapped up this hardcopy; and,
2. I've dedicated April 2023 to be "True Crime" Month.

Praises:
1. author Andrew H. Malcolm's writing style is easy to follow yet somewhat poetic;
2. the inclusion of a map featuring "The Heartland" with a focus on SW Minnesota was very helpful;
3. Malcolm clearly details how the economic hardships during the early 1980s' Recession greatly affected farming operations, leading many farmers to declare bankruptcy and even to develop various mental health issues. This story shows how one farmer went over the edge a little too far; and,
4. Malcolm also sets the stage by writing thorough backgrounds of all the key players as well as a timeline of how events unfolded, from an ambush to murder, a trial, and an eventual conviction.

Niggle:
Most true crime novels include photos. This one doesn't.

Overall Thoughts:
Published in 1986, this story contains some dated terminology.
As someone who has lived on a farm pretty well all my life, I thought Malcolm successfully outlined how various people and events, globally and locally, led to this "American tragedy". Just when I thought I knew what was going down, a twist came along. Also a particular first sergeant really bothered me regarding his role in this crime, so I was pleased that the trial judge criticized him "for teaching yet another teen-ager some of the mechanics of firing a deadly weapon accurately."

Recommended for fans of true crime.

[Susan Oleksiw · Rating 5 out of 5]

In September 1983 a farmer in small-town Ruthton, MN, and his son take revenge against a banker whom he blames for the loss of his farm and his inability to start over. The story isn't about the murder so much as how these very different men came to this farm on this day from unlikely beginnings. Rudy Blythe was born and raised on the Philadelphia Main Line, as was his wife. His dream of living a larger life brought him to purchase of a bank in rural Minnesota, where he struggled to improve life for those around him at a time when farming and banking were imploding. Caught in the tentacles of forces they could neither see nor understand, Rudy and his wife, Susan, struggled and failed to make the bank a force for good. Withdrawing, they were pulled back in to an end that seemed inevitable, a clash of personalities at a time of unseen destructive forces.

The author explores in detail the individuals involved in the bank and farming community, the economic forces at play, and each step that led to the death of three men and the conviction of one on murder charges. The author is even handed as he explores the world of Jim Jenkins and his son, Steve, the small community in Minnesota and another in Texas where fates were sealed, and the problems Rudy and Susan were unable to overcome.

This book was published in 1986, and not much has changed as far as farming is concerned. Well written and timely over the decades since, this book delivers a solid story as well as keen understanding of how fate plays out.

[David Christianson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a very well written account of murders that were committed 30 years ago in the little town of Ruthton, Minnesota. What brought this unlikely cast of characters involved in the tragedy together was a story in itself. The author did a nice job of describing the main characters and was unbiased in his account of the whole thing. It was also interesting to discover, after reading the book, that the jury's difficult verdict has proven to be correct, with a confession coming out years later. Also, the prosecutor in the case is now trying to help to get the man convicted of the murders on parole, after serving time for the last 30 years. The story of this tragedy still goes on...

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was a real page turner for me…might have been because the murders took place 30 miles away when I was about 10 years old. I remember the brief manhunt on the news. Also my best friend’s mom was a “character” in the story, (she was the best friend of a victim’s wife). I think he did a good job of describing the declining, desolate farm country that I live in. The book made me think about the casualties of the decline of the family farm economy - not just Rudy and Toby, who were murdered by a mentally ill duo, but all of us in an area that was built up in an economy that once thrived and is slowly deteriorating.

[Donni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The true story of a banker and his assistant murdered in Minnesota during the 1980s. The economy was crapping out for farmers, and many were losing their farms. The book chronicles the rise and fall of all 4 men involved. Tragedy clearly befell all four, with three ending up dead and one on trial.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. I could relate to the story, growing up in a small Midwest farming town. I witnessed the impact of the changes in small town America in the 1980's. I recommend the book if you want to understand how change impacts an entire generation.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remembering when this event took place, living through the manhunt and attending the trial as a young high school student made me want to read the book. It makes it more interesting when you know the town, restaurants, court house and even many of the characters in the book.

[Donna Humble · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book although it was a but long winded in places.

[Todd McQueen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting true crime story set in a small town in Minnesota. B-

[Paul Brenzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bleak true crime tale of the 1980s farm crisis. On September 29, 1983, in rural Minnesota, a struggling farmer and his son murdered two local bank officials who they blamed for their financial woes.

Author Andrew Malcolm analyzes the crime and places it in context of the rural Midwest and what was happening to the farming occupation at that time. There are a lot of losers in this story and no real bad guys.

Malcolm spends a little too much time on the biographies of all the players involved and the resulting court trial, but other than that Final Harvest makes for a riveting, albeit depressing, read.

[Johan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why use only five words to describe something when you could use 500? Why not focus on the key players when you could write extensive life stories for almost every single person that is mentioned throughout the book? Why try to write in a non-embarassing way when you could intersperse almost any text with sudden inner monologues? This is a strange book. And not a very good one.