No Cause of Death

by James Fontana

In 1976, Marian Ruddick was found dead in the bathtub of her suburban Ottawa home. As police investigated, the "accidental" death began to look more and more like homicide, with the deceased's philandering, pathological liar husband the prime suspect. However, a major stumbling block arose during the investigation and trial no one, expert or otherwise, could say with certainty exactly how the woman died. James Fontana tells the fascinating story of the police and Crown attorneys' evidence-gathering, case preparation, and trial testimony, in a very human and puzzling case. Is the fraud artist/insurance salesman Fred Ruddick actually guilty, or does the mess he's made of his life simply make him appear guilty? At trial, the jury must answer the perplexing question, "Can there be a conviction for murder when there is no known cause of death?"

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliantly researched and masterfully written. It was like reading fiction, with real characters and story to follow. I very much enjoyed this book and am happy I came across it, randomly, in a second hand store. If you like Canadian True Crime, you will very much enjoy this.