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Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a Gold Rush Manhunt, and the Birth of Circumstantial Evidence in America
On a February night in 1897, the general store in Walford, Iowa, burned down. The next morning, townspeople discovered a charred corpse in the ashes. Everyone knew that the store’s owner, Frank Novak, had been sleeping in the store as a safeguard against burglars. Now all that remained were a few of his personal items scattered under the body.
At first, it seemed to be a tragic accident mitigated just a bit by Novak’s foresight in buying generous life insurance policies to provide for his family. But soon an investigation by the ambitious new county attorney, M. J. Tobin, turned up evidence suggesting that the dead man might actually be Edward Murray, a hard-drinking local laborer. Relying upon newly developed forensic techniques, Tobin gradually built a case implicating Novak in Murray’s murder. But all he had was circumstantial evidence, and up to that time few murder convictions had been won on that basis in the United States.
Others besides Tobin were interested in the case, including several companies that had sold Novak life insurance policies. One agency hired detectives to track down every clue regarding the suspect’s whereabouts. Newspapers across the country ran sensational headlines with melodramatic coverage of the manhunt. Veteran detective Red Perrin’s determined trek over icy mountain paths and dangerous river rapids to the raw Yukon Territory town of Dawson City, which was booming with prospectors as the Klondike gold rush began, made for especially good copy.
Skull in the Ashes traces the actions of Novak, Tobin, and Perrin, showing how the Walford fire played a pivotal role in each man’s life. Along the way, author Peter Kaufman gives readers a fascinating glimpse into forensics, detective work, trial strategies, and prison life at the close of the nineteenth century. As much as it is a chilling tale of a cold-blooded murder and its aftermath, this is also the story of three ambitious young men and their struggle to succeed in a rapidly modernizing world.
At first, it seemed to be a tragic accident mitigated just a bit by Novak’s foresight in buying generous life insurance policies to provide for his family. But soon an investigation by the ambitious new county attorney, M. J. Tobin, turned up evidence suggesting that the dead man might actually be Edward Murray, a hard-drinking local laborer. Relying upon newly developed forensic techniques, Tobin gradually built a case implicating Novak in Murray’s murder. But all he had was circumstantial evidence, and up to that time few murder convictions had been won on that basis in the United States.
Others besides Tobin were interested in the case, including several companies that had sold Novak life insurance policies. One agency hired detectives to track down every clue regarding the suspect’s whereabouts. Newspapers across the country ran sensational headlines with melodramatic coverage of the manhunt. Veteran detective Red Perrin’s determined trek over icy mountain paths and dangerous river rapids to the raw Yukon Territory town of Dawson City, which was booming with prospectors as the Klondike gold rush began, made for especially good copy.
Skull in the Ashes traces the actions of Novak, Tobin, and Perrin, showing how the Walford fire played a pivotal role in each man’s life. Along the way, author Peter Kaufman gives readers a fascinating glimpse into forensics, detective work, trial strategies, and prison life at the close of the nineteenth century. As much as it is a chilling tale of a cold-blooded murder and its aftermath, this is also the story of three ambitious young men and their struggle to succeed in a rapidly modernizing world.
298 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
July 25, 2014
An interesting true crime story that is most rewarding for its descriptions of small town criminal justice at the turn of the twentieth century, rather than a mysterious whodunit. The last few chapters covering Novak's experience at Anamosa Penitentiary and his transfer to Iowa State Penitentiary (when the state decided to join the national move towards prison reform, and renamed the institution the Anamosa Reformatory, transferring its lifers to ISP) were the most useful to me, as there is very little in contemporary press about the prison experience in Iowa. Novak made his prison career as a photographer, and happens to be the creator of hundreds of glass plate negatives currently housed in a mobile home on ISP property, awaiting curation by the UI Special Collections. It provides a new perspective on the collection, knowing the full story of the man behind the camera, as well as piecing together the stories of the men in front. Would love to see a collection of these images paired with their narratives, many as compelling as the Novak case.
did-not-finish
May 11, 2014This started off really interesting but got bogged down around 15% in. I struggled on to 20% but there's too much filler to hold my attention. In another frame of mind I may have enjoyed this (I do like non fiction) but at the moment its a no go.
As mysteries go, there's not a whole lot of it. In fact, if you read the first few chapters you know what happened. The rest amounts to meting out justice. And on reading the title again I suppose that makes sense.
Since I didn't finish it I wont give it a star rating. The writing itself is good so don't let me turn you off it; at another time I may give it another try.
*thanks to NetGalley for my free ecopy to read and review
As mysteries go, there's not a whole lot of it. In fact, if you read the first few chapters you know what happened. The rest amounts to meting out justice. And on reading the title again I suppose that makes sense.
Since I didn't finish it I wont give it a star rating. The writing itself is good so don't let me turn you off it; at another time I may give it another try.
*thanks to NetGalley for my free ecopy to read and review
December 13, 2018
Iowan Frank Novak tries the classic fake-your-own-death scam by burning down his general store with somebody else's body prepped to be found in the ashes with Novak's personal belongings. His first crucial mistake was in not getting rid of the CORPSE's personal belongings--the victim's sister identified the shirt he was wearing--and then he was unlucky enough to have a fantastically dogged detective named Cassius Claud "Red" Perrin put on his trail. I became very fond of Red Perrin as he tracked his quarry to gold-rush Alaska and brought him back, and the book was generally fascinating and a good read.
August 15, 2013
Fascinating look into the hunt for and trial of Frank Novak. There were hints throughout the book that we might get to know why Novak murdered Ed Murray, but then never did find out his motive. I couldn't put the book down.
November 11, 2013
http://ensuingchapters.com/2013/11/11...
Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a Gold Rush Manhunt, and the Birth of Circumstantial Evidence in America
by Peter Kaufman
University presses aren’t usually known for producing pot-boiling thrillers, but that’s what the University of Iowa Press has done with Skull in the Ashes. In 1897, the quiet eastern Iowa town of Walford was awoken by a fire at the general store. When the flame had died, they discovered a charred corpse with some belongings of the store’s owner, Frank Novak, who often slept there.
The timing was curious as Novak, heavily in debt, had recently purchased multiple life insurance policies.
Oh yeah, and the skull they found in the ashes had been bashed in, which is atypical behavior for your run-of-the-mill house fire.
Here, the lives of three men intertwine: Novak; M.J. Tobin, the new county attorney; and Red Perrin, a near-superhero whom we’ll discuss later.
There may have been a time when folks wouldn’t have asked too many questions about the fire, odd though it was, but Tobin utilized emerging forensic tools—such as dental records—to identify the corpse as someone other than Novak. Tobin’s quest crossed multiple state lines and even involved the famed Pinkerton National Detective Agency. But the trail went cold in the Pacific Northwest.
Enter Red Perrin.
Perrin was a detective in Arizona who had a reputation for tenacity and toughness. He was the only one trusted to venture into the Yukon and return Novak alive.
The amount of research that went into this book is evident. Kaufman worked his butt off on this book, and he does a good job of balancing information with narrative. Where he is strongest, though, is following Perrin—which, ironically, was probably the toughest to recreate. The trek through the mining territory is difficult. Perrin hires a team, hikes for days through the mountains and brings along with him a boat builder.
That’s right, a boat builder.
On the other side of the mountain pass was a treacherous waterway, which Perrin would need to traverse to get up to the mining camp where he suspected Novak was living under an assumed name. But they couldn’t carry a boat through the mountains, so once completing that leg of the journey, Perrin and his partner chopped down trees and built a craft sturdy enough for the rapids.
That’s pretty bad ass.
Skull in the Ashes is divided into three parts, and this is by far my favorite. Part one is the story of Novak and Tobin; the town of Walford; and the crime and initial investigation. It’s a bit like a murder-mystery, although we already know whodunit. The narrative here is about history and evidence, and I really enjoyed this section.
Part two is an adventure tale. Kaufman creates lavish scenery, strong characters, high tension and the thrill of a pulp wilderness expedition. I think of it as Thoreau’s The Maine Woods meets The Fugitive. The plotting is well-paced, and Kaufman rightly pulls back on the history and lets the action take center stage.
Which brings us to part three: the aftermath. Unfortunately, this is where Kaufman runs out of bullets. It’s not his doing, but simply the climax of the story. The final part covers Novak’s trial and incarceration and ties up the storylines of all involved. As with the other sections, it is well-researched and –written, but we spend too much time on the trial.
I did enjoy the sociological aspects of the book’s conclusion. Kaufman describes prison life at the time and reforms that were making it more humane. There is also the importance of the Novak trial for its use of forensics and circumstantial evidence. Kaufman clearly describes a time of transition in American history: the advance of science, the sophistication of law enforcement, and the expansion and opening of the world, such that a local crime committed in small-town Iowa would involve the federal government, multiple states, two countries and a wilderness chase.
And so Iowa, and America, looked ahead to the 20th century.
To sum up, Skull in the Ashes is a thrill ride for history buffs and fans of narrative nonfiction and an unexpected, and delightful, blend of pulp and scholarship.
Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a Gold Rush Manhunt, and the Birth of Circumstantial Evidence in America
by Peter Kaufman
University presses aren’t usually known for producing pot-boiling thrillers, but that’s what the University of Iowa Press has done with Skull in the Ashes. In 1897, the quiet eastern Iowa town of Walford was awoken by a fire at the general store. When the flame had died, they discovered a charred corpse with some belongings of the store’s owner, Frank Novak, who often slept there.
The timing was curious as Novak, heavily in debt, had recently purchased multiple life insurance policies.
Oh yeah, and the skull they found in the ashes had been bashed in, which is atypical behavior for your run-of-the-mill house fire.
Here, the lives of three men intertwine: Novak; M.J. Tobin, the new county attorney; and Red Perrin, a near-superhero whom we’ll discuss later.
There may have been a time when folks wouldn’t have asked too many questions about the fire, odd though it was, but Tobin utilized emerging forensic tools—such as dental records—to identify the corpse as someone other than Novak. Tobin’s quest crossed multiple state lines and even involved the famed Pinkerton National Detective Agency. But the trail went cold in the Pacific Northwest.
Enter Red Perrin.
Perrin was a detective in Arizona who had a reputation for tenacity and toughness. He was the only one trusted to venture into the Yukon and return Novak alive.
The amount of research that went into this book is evident. Kaufman worked his butt off on this book, and he does a good job of balancing information with narrative. Where he is strongest, though, is following Perrin—which, ironically, was probably the toughest to recreate. The trek through the mining territory is difficult. Perrin hires a team, hikes for days through the mountains and brings along with him a boat builder.
That’s right, a boat builder.
On the other side of the mountain pass was a treacherous waterway, which Perrin would need to traverse to get up to the mining camp where he suspected Novak was living under an assumed name. But they couldn’t carry a boat through the mountains, so once completing that leg of the journey, Perrin and his partner chopped down trees and built a craft sturdy enough for the rapids.
That’s pretty bad ass.
Skull in the Ashes is divided into three parts, and this is by far my favorite. Part one is the story of Novak and Tobin; the town of Walford; and the crime and initial investigation. It’s a bit like a murder-mystery, although we already know whodunit. The narrative here is about history and evidence, and I really enjoyed this section.
Part two is an adventure tale. Kaufman creates lavish scenery, strong characters, high tension and the thrill of a pulp wilderness expedition. I think of it as Thoreau’s The Maine Woods meets The Fugitive. The plotting is well-paced, and Kaufman rightly pulls back on the history and lets the action take center stage.
Which brings us to part three: the aftermath. Unfortunately, this is where Kaufman runs out of bullets. It’s not his doing, but simply the climax of the story. The final part covers Novak’s trial and incarceration and ties up the storylines of all involved. As with the other sections, it is well-researched and –written, but we spend too much time on the trial.
I did enjoy the sociological aspects of the book’s conclusion. Kaufman describes prison life at the time and reforms that were making it more humane. There is also the importance of the Novak trial for its use of forensics and circumstantial evidence. Kaufman clearly describes a time of transition in American history: the advance of science, the sophistication of law enforcement, and the expansion and opening of the world, such that a local crime committed in small-town Iowa would involve the federal government, multiple states, two countries and a wilderness chase.
And so Iowa, and America, looked ahead to the 20th century.
To sum up, Skull in the Ashes is a thrill ride for history buffs and fans of narrative nonfiction and an unexpected, and delightful, blend of pulp and scholarship.
July 6, 2019
I have been through Walford, Iowa many times, sometimes passing through and other times doing construction work and eating in the café. Until I encountered this book, I had no idea that an event that took place in 1897 put that small town into the limelight. When the general store owned by Frank Novak burned down it was of course a major event. It took on even more significance when a badly burned body was found in the ashes.
At first, the belief was that it was the remains of the owner Frank Novak, but after a bit of investigating, the conclusion was that it was Ed Murray, a man known to have been with Novak earlier in the evening. This result was based on dental records as well as scraps of clothing that somehow survived the fire. Once this conclusion was reached and Frank Novak was nowhere around, a nationwide search for him was initiated. Novak was finally tracked down in the booming gold fields of the Yukon by detective Red Perrin, he was captured and brought back to Iowa to stand trial. The only way to get to the Yukon was to go to the west coast of the United States, then up to Alaska by boat and then upriver to their destination.
In an era where people got their news from newspapers and their thrills from dime novels, this was better than the fiction they were reading. The story captured the imagination of the public and led to a legal precedent, where a series of linked events were used to construct a convincing circumstantial case for Novak having murdered Murray.
The story is one where fact is truly more unusual than fiction. For Perrin traveled thousands of miles by boat and rail in order to find Novak, utilizing the slimmest of clues. It is a great tale of persistence, luck and sensational events that would challenge the most talented of fiction writers.
At first, the belief was that it was the remains of the owner Frank Novak, but after a bit of investigating, the conclusion was that it was Ed Murray, a man known to have been with Novak earlier in the evening. This result was based on dental records as well as scraps of clothing that somehow survived the fire. Once this conclusion was reached and Frank Novak was nowhere around, a nationwide search for him was initiated. Novak was finally tracked down in the booming gold fields of the Yukon by detective Red Perrin, he was captured and brought back to Iowa to stand trial. The only way to get to the Yukon was to go to the west coast of the United States, then up to Alaska by boat and then upriver to their destination.
In an era where people got their news from newspapers and their thrills from dime novels, this was better than the fiction they were reading. The story captured the imagination of the public and led to a legal precedent, where a series of linked events were used to construct a convincing circumstantial case for Novak having murdered Murray.
The story is one where fact is truly more unusual than fiction. For Perrin traveled thousands of miles by boat and rail in order to find Novak, utilizing the slimmest of clues. It is a great tale of persistence, luck and sensational events that would challenge the most talented of fiction writers.
November 12, 2013
ARC thanks to NetGalley.
3.5 stars.
This is an interesting study of one of the first cases in American legal history where a jury used circumstantial evidence to convict a murderer, in a case from 1897 Iowa. A general store, and the bank that shared a common wall with it, burned down one night early that February, and a skull was found in the ashes in the morning. Two men were missing. Whose was the skull? Did the man die by accident, or by murder? Was the fire accident, or arson?
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/69... .
3.5 stars.
This is an interesting study of one of the first cases in American legal history where a jury used circumstantial evidence to convict a murderer, in a case from 1897 Iowa. A general store, and the bank that shared a common wall with it, burned down one night early that February, and a skull was found in the ashes in the morning. Two men were missing. Whose was the skull? Did the man die by accident, or by murder? Was the fire accident, or arson?
For a further review: http://susannag.booklikes.com/post/69... .
March 14, 2015
I generally like historical true crime books, and the University of Iowa Press is a publisher I've come to trust over the years to produce good books. This one is no exception. In the vein of Erik Larson's work, this brings in as much of the relevant history of murder cases and prisons as detail specific to this case, plus a dollop of Iowa history.
October 18, 2019
A true crime story, about a fire that burned a man to death (or did he die by blow from blunt instrument?) and then the search for and trial of the man who allegedly murdered him. The evidence against the murderer, Frank Novak, is all circumstantial--it was his store that burned down with the dead man inside, and he immediately left town after the fire. He left Iowa for Alaska and the gold rush. A detective from the Thiel agency (rival to Pinkerton) tracked him all the way to Alaska, surviving harrowing rides over whitewater rapids to get his man. Really interesting book about a 100 year old murder in Walford, Iowa.
December 28, 2020
A well-written historical adventure. This book covers many aspects of late 19th century American life:
+ Small-town Iowa
+ The justice system
+ The beginnings of forensic science
+ Journalism of the time
+ The Klondike gold rush
+ Pinkerton detectives
+ The effect of technologies on American life: rail transport, telephony, photography
+ The penal system
The Red Perrin's hunt for Frank Novak is a real page-turner. The rest of the book is necessarily less exciting, but is informative and generally quite interesting.
+ Small-town Iowa
+ The justice system
+ The beginnings of forensic science
+ Journalism of the time
+ The Klondike gold rush
+ Pinkerton detectives
+ The effect of technologies on American life: rail transport, telephony, photography
+ The penal system
The Red Perrin's hunt for Frank Novak is a real page-turner. The rest of the book is necessarily less exciting, but is informative and generally quite interesting.
August 10, 2024
This is a book about the death of a young man named Edward Murray in the small town of Walford, Iowa . His body was found in a building that was burnt to the ground. They first thought that the body was Frank Novak, the owner of the business. But he disappeared, and the insurance companies where he had policies hired a detective to find Novak. Novak was found after many months in the Klondike, having used a different name and growing a beard. He was brought back for trial. It was an interesting book and showed life in the late 1890's and 1900's .
October 28, 2017
Based on a true story in Iowa, kind of boring in places with too much description of things. Overall an interesting book.
April 12, 2021
It got a but slow in places but as a true crime buff in eastern Iowa it was so much fun to read! I'm very tempted to drive around and find all the places mentioned in this book.
October 9, 2013
(A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.)
True crime stories are among my favorites, and particularly those which have Midwest settings. So when I saw that an Iowa author had written about an infamous case set not too far from my home, I was intrigued. The book is Skull in the Ashes: Murder, a gold rush manhunt, and the birth of circumstantial evidence in America, by Peter Kaufman (University of Iowa Press, 2013).
Kaufman begins with the description of a fire in the small town of Walford, Iowa, on February 3, 1897. After the fire, a body was discovered, which began the mystery, a manhunt, a trial, and a very exciting story. The first question that had to be answered was who had died in the fire; two men were missing, Frank Novak, who owned the dry goods store, and Edward Murray, a local man who had been in the store. Kaufman does an excellent job of explaining the forensics of the day and how forensic evidence was used to identify the body, charred though it was.
Without giving too much away, I can tell you that the body was that of Edward Murray, and a manhunt was conducted to find Frank Novak, who had disappeared that night. A detective agency was hired by the insurance companies to find Novak, and it was quite a chase. Detective C.C. ("Red") Perrin tracked Novak through the western U.S. and Alaska/Canada and the detective's journal was used to describe the story of the manhunt. This section could have been deleted without damage to the story. Kaufman seemed to feel compelled to include every detail of the detective's journey, and while interesting it wasn't central to the story; I rushed through it to get to what I hoped would be the capture of the fugitive.
Kaufman's descriptions of the main figures in the trial (Novak; the newly-elected prosecutor M.J. Tobin, and the lead defense attorney Thomas Hale Milner) made them seem larger than life. I knew the trial itself would be explosive, and Kaufman did a masterful job of leading me through the legal maze of the trial and the result, and further legal battles. Although I knew the story was true, it read like a John Grisham novel.
In between the narrative of events, Kaufman adds historical background to complete the picture. He discusses how the newspapers of the day reported stories in this time of "yellow journalism," led by William Randolph Hearst. The trial was conducted using circumstantial evidence, and Kaufman explains how this procedure worked and the role of the prosecutor and defense attorney in this kind of case. The role of the new invention of photography in the case was also an interesting sidelight.
Kaufman has done his research thoroughly; there are many footnotes and endnotes, but they don't impede the narrative. Every point of fact has been documented; no suppositions here, which I appreciated. His acknowledgments also show the extent of his impressive body of research and the number of experts he consulted in writing the narrative.
My interest in Midwest true crime stories has led me to other such cases, including an account of the Villisca, Iowa, 1912 axe murders case by Roy Marshall (Aventine Press, 2003), and Deaths on Pleasant Street (Truman State University Press, 2009) by Giles Fowler. Fowler's book is a narrative of the murder of several members of the prominent Swope family of Independence, Missouri. Both of these works included information from many sources, but no footnotes. Kaufman's account of the Walford murder case compares favorably to these other books. It was well researched and interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
June 17, 2014
“On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero” Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club
Perhaps a strange quote to use at the beginning of this review, however, it summarises my feelings perfectly at the end of this book. Skull in the Ashes caught my eye because the cover art told me that inside was a world of murder, mystery, intrigue, and a gold rush manhunt but the outcome was weak, bland and problematic. Allow me to explain.
In 1897 the general store in Walford, Iowa, belonging to Frank Novak, burns to the ground. When the ashes are examined the charred remains of a body are found and it is discovered there are two possible victims, Frank Novak or Ed Murray. New forensic procedures and witness testimony determine the victim to be Murray. This discovery, combined with the three separate life insurance policies owned by Novak, ensure that a manhunt ensues to capture and prosecute the suspected murderer. It is at this point where the real problems with the text start to develop.
Kaufman, perhaps from a lack of editorial direction, often includes information which seems irrelevant to the overall progress of the story. Multiple instances of this occur; the first one that truly bothered me was the repetitive references made to mosquitoes. The second occurred shortly after. Kaufman introduces a woman “…with the lilting Irish name of Sadie O’Hara…” (31%) and in the following paragraph writes, “O’Hara was said to have information on Novak and Jack Swift...but when Perrin asked her about these two men, she replied that she had not seen either one in Dawson City.” My interpretation of this statement is that she did not actually know who Novak or Swift were. Compounding my issue with this statement are three things; why the reader needs to be informed of her nationality, why it’s important for her to be included though she has no information and why she is named when the man who confirms Novak’s identity is anonymous and remains so despite the footnote.
There also seemed to be a distinct ethnocentric element to the text. For example, “The Chilkoot were a whipcord-tough group of men and women,” (24%); the generalisation of other First Nations people as “Indians” – correct for the historical context but inappropriate in the 21st century, especially for a University publication. The, already mentioned reference to the Irish Sadie O’Hara and a reference to the German Nels Degn and his “strange sounding” name. It is interesting to note some of the other “strange” names recorded in the text but are not drawn to the reader’s attention because of the assumption they are “American”. Let me be clear – I am not making any accusation of racism, merely reflecting on the inconsistencies.
To be perfectly honest, this book is not “an impressive piece of historical detective work” as Robert Loerzel states nor is it, as Patrick Millikan writes “…a gripping page turner.” For me, it was a dreadful disappointment. Kaufman has taken a fascinating era of history, which could have covered given so much and turned it into a chequered, and rather dull set of notes. It is unfortunate that this reads like an unedited proof. Perhaps this book would have been better if it were a history of the American penitentiary system in Ohio during the late 19th century/early 20th century with the Novak murder as a case study. Skull in the Ashes suffers from what seems to be a lack of editorial direction.
I do dislike writing negative reviews as Kaufman states Skull in the Ashes is the work of six years and I can appreciate the hard work and effort he has put into researching and writing this finished product.
Perhaps a strange quote to use at the beginning of this review, however, it summarises my feelings perfectly at the end of this book. Skull in the Ashes caught my eye because the cover art told me that inside was a world of murder, mystery, intrigue, and a gold rush manhunt but the outcome was weak, bland and problematic. Allow me to explain.
In 1897 the general store in Walford, Iowa, belonging to Frank Novak, burns to the ground. When the ashes are examined the charred remains of a body are found and it is discovered there are two possible victims, Frank Novak or Ed Murray. New forensic procedures and witness testimony determine the victim to be Murray. This discovery, combined with the three separate life insurance policies owned by Novak, ensure that a manhunt ensues to capture and prosecute the suspected murderer. It is at this point where the real problems with the text start to develop.
Kaufman, perhaps from a lack of editorial direction, often includes information which seems irrelevant to the overall progress of the story. Multiple instances of this occur; the first one that truly bothered me was the repetitive references made to mosquitoes. The second occurred shortly after. Kaufman introduces a woman “…with the lilting Irish name of Sadie O’Hara…” (31%) and in the following paragraph writes, “O’Hara was said to have information on Novak and Jack Swift...but when Perrin asked her about these two men, she replied that she had not seen either one in Dawson City.” My interpretation of this statement is that she did not actually know who Novak or Swift were. Compounding my issue with this statement are three things; why the reader needs to be informed of her nationality, why it’s important for her to be included though she has no information and why she is named when the man who confirms Novak’s identity is anonymous and remains so despite the footnote.
There also seemed to be a distinct ethnocentric element to the text. For example, “The Chilkoot were a whipcord-tough group of men and women,” (24%); the generalisation of other First Nations people as “Indians” – correct for the historical context but inappropriate in the 21st century, especially for a University publication. The, already mentioned reference to the Irish Sadie O’Hara and a reference to the German Nels Degn and his “strange sounding” name. It is interesting to note some of the other “strange” names recorded in the text but are not drawn to the reader’s attention because of the assumption they are “American”. Let me be clear – I am not making any accusation of racism, merely reflecting on the inconsistencies.
To be perfectly honest, this book is not “an impressive piece of historical detective work” as Robert Loerzel states nor is it, as Patrick Millikan writes “…a gripping page turner.” For me, it was a dreadful disappointment. Kaufman has taken a fascinating era of history, which could have covered given so much and turned it into a chequered, and rather dull set of notes. It is unfortunate that this reads like an unedited proof. Perhaps this book would have been better if it were a history of the American penitentiary system in Ohio during the late 19th century/early 20th century with the Novak murder as a case study. Skull in the Ashes suffers from what seems to be a lack of editorial direction.
I do dislike writing negative reviews as Kaufman states Skull in the Ashes is the work of six years and I can appreciate the hard work and effort he has put into researching and writing this finished product.
July 19, 2013
ARC provided by NetGalley
On a cold February night in 1897 the general store in the small town of Walford, Iowa burned to the ground. The next morning the townspeople made the shocking discovery of a charred corpse that appeared to be the store's owner, Frank Novak, who had taken to sleeping in the store as a safeguard against burglars. But...doubts soon arose as to whether Frank was really dead and if murder had been committed. Peter Kaufman takes us a wild ride as an ambitious county attorney and private detectives use new forensic techniques to attempt to bring Frank Novak to justice.
Peter Kaufman has clearly done a great deal of research to bring this previously untold story to light and to introduce the modern world, to some of the early forensic techniques and practices of private detectives. He traces each clue, back to its source intricately weaving a tale of how each person in the tale played a part in the story and what their background and future was. More importantly he focuses on three men, Novak, Tobin (the county attorney) and Perrin (one of the detectives in the case) to give us someone to focus on and keep our interest. The one issue that I do have with the book, is that sometimes Kaufman overwhelms us with information and jumps back and forth in time in the same paragraph, such as when he's introducing us to someone new, such as Perrin. Kaufman will tell us about where they presently are in their life, a bit about their background, and then mention something about them in the future, which while interesting throws me for a bit of a loop at times.
All in all though this is a well researched book and a fairly captivating read. I give the book 3 out of 5 stars.
On a cold February night in 1897 the general store in the small town of Walford, Iowa burned to the ground. The next morning the townspeople made the shocking discovery of a charred corpse that appeared to be the store's owner, Frank Novak, who had taken to sleeping in the store as a safeguard against burglars. But...doubts soon arose as to whether Frank was really dead and if murder had been committed. Peter Kaufman takes us a wild ride as an ambitious county attorney and private detectives use new forensic techniques to attempt to bring Frank Novak to justice.
Peter Kaufman has clearly done a great deal of research to bring this previously untold story to light and to introduce the modern world, to some of the early forensic techniques and practices of private detectives. He traces each clue, back to its source intricately weaving a tale of how each person in the tale played a part in the story and what their background and future was. More importantly he focuses on three men, Novak, Tobin (the county attorney) and Perrin (one of the detectives in the case) to give us someone to focus on and keep our interest. The one issue that I do have with the book, is that sometimes Kaufman overwhelms us with information and jumps back and forth in time in the same paragraph, such as when he's introducing us to someone new, such as Perrin. Kaufman will tell us about where they presently are in their life, a bit about their background, and then mention something about them in the future, which while interesting throws me for a bit of a loop at times.
All in all though this is a well researched book and a fairly captivating read. I give the book 3 out of 5 stars.
June 8, 2014
*I did receive a e-copy for review of this novel, but it does not change my outlook on the book.*
First off I do have to say that if you are unfamiliar with the layout and towns of Iowa, this book might be harder for you to understand. As a lot of information pertaining to certain distances between towns and descriptive scenes of life within towns are prevalent throughout this book. There is also a lot of extra history that is shared about places, events, and history of certain people. It reminded me of the way “The Grapes of Wrath” is set up.
Now, because I was born and raised in Iowa I was fully knowledgeable of everything that the author was describing. This is the advantage that I had for this book being read smoothly without any confusion. I really enjoyed reading all the mystery surrounding the events of the night of the fire. I found myself constantly second guessing myself about what “really” happened and whose body was actually found. Even more intriguing was trying to answer “Why”.
The author was able to paint the story in a way that is probably as accurate as you can get, without being there in person. If you are a True-Crime freak {like I am} you are sure to fall in love with the history of this case. Keep in mind though that it could be a difficult read in some instances if you don’t know much about Iowa.
First off I do have to say that if you are unfamiliar with the layout and towns of Iowa, this book might be harder for you to understand. As a lot of information pertaining to certain distances between towns and descriptive scenes of life within towns are prevalent throughout this book. There is also a lot of extra history that is shared about places, events, and history of certain people. It reminded me of the way “The Grapes of Wrath” is set up.
Now, because I was born and raised in Iowa I was fully knowledgeable of everything that the author was describing. This is the advantage that I had for this book being read smoothly without any confusion. I really enjoyed reading all the mystery surrounding the events of the night of the fire. I found myself constantly second guessing myself about what “really” happened and whose body was actually found. Even more intriguing was trying to answer “Why”.
The author was able to paint the story in a way that is probably as accurate as you can get, without being there in person. If you are a True-Crime freak {like I am} you are sure to fall in love with the history of this case. Keep in mind though that it could be a difficult read in some instances if you don’t know much about Iowa.
March 13, 2016
Through the analysis of an old murder the author tells of the introduction of some modern methods of investigation that we take for granted, such as the physical evidence, forensic analysis of the crime scene and the corpse and the examination of witnesses.
He also talks about an epic murder hunt that ends in the middle of the gold rush, and the subsequent process.
Very interesting, but not as exciting as the author would have liked; in some places even becomes repetitive and boring.
I thank the University of Iowa Press and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Attraverso l'analisi di un vecchio delitto l'autore racconta dell'introduzione di alcuni moderni metodi di indagine che noi diamo per scontati, come le prove fisiche, l'analisi forense della scena del delitto e del cadavere e l'escussione dei testimoni.
Parla anche di un'epica caccia all'assassino che si conclude nel bel mezzo della corsa all'oro, e del successivo processo.
Molto interessante, ma non così eccitante come l'autore avrebbe voluto; in alcuni tratti diventa addirittura ripetitivo e noioso.
Ringrazio University of Iowa Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
He also talks about an epic murder hunt that ends in the middle of the gold rush, and the subsequent process.
Very interesting, but not as exciting as the author would have liked; in some places even becomes repetitive and boring.
I thank the University of Iowa Press and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Attraverso l'analisi di un vecchio delitto l'autore racconta dell'introduzione di alcuni moderni metodi di indagine che noi diamo per scontati, come le prove fisiche, l'analisi forense della scena del delitto e del cadavere e l'escussione dei testimoni.
Parla anche di un'epica caccia all'assassino che si conclude nel bel mezzo della corsa all'oro, e del successivo processo.
Molto interessante, ma non così eccitante come l'autore avrebbe voluto; in alcuni tratti diventa addirittura ripetitivo e noioso.
Ringrazio University of Iowa Press e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
September 20, 2014
Once I started reading it, I had trouble putting it down. The author maintained a smooth balance between background on the crime, the investigation, the trial and the aftermath of the various players involved. Often once a true crime story reaches the trial phase I lose interest, but in this case the information was presented without getting bogged down in dry legal jargon. A well balanced look at a case crucial to legal history.
*I was fortunate enough to recieve an eBook ARC of this title from NetGalley.
*I was fortunate enough to recieve an eBook ARC of this title from NetGalley.
December 27, 2015
I received SKULL IN THE ASHES: MURDER, A GOLD RUSH MANHUNT, AND THE BIRTH OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IN AMERICA as an ARC through NetGalley.com.
SKULL IN THE ASHES is an interesting read for anyone interested in the history of the American judicial system, true crime, and mystery stories in general. It seem extremely well-researched, and gives a wide array of background "characters" the recognition that their involvement deserves. The pace lags only very slightly, at parts where the investigation was temporarily stalled, and overall it's a very enjoyable read.
SKULL IN THE ASHES is an interesting read for anyone interested in the history of the American judicial system, true crime, and mystery stories in general. It seem extremely well-researched, and gives a wide array of background "characters" the recognition that their involvement deserves. The pace lags only very slightly, at parts where the investigation was temporarily stalled, and overall it's a very enjoyable read.
March 7, 2014
Even though I found the text to be somewhat dry at times; I still found this to be a fun read. As much fun as reading about real life murder can be. The building of the case against Novak and his manhunt were exciting and I enjoyed learning about the early days of forensic science. If you like true crime, then check it out.
* I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2014
After discovering a burnt corpse in the ashes it was thought it was a tragic accident but new evidence suggests it was something else. This book provides a intriguing insight into forensic detective work, trial strategies and is a chilling tle of cold blooded murder at the hands of a clever adversary./
March 31, 2015
Fascinating piece of non-fiction!! This is for all those True-Crime buff’s out there - you don’t want to miss this one!! It was a great read from the 19th century and it shows how forensics has come a long way from there to here. I would give it 4.5 stars out of 5.
**This was an ARC from Net Gallery for my honest opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt.**
**This was an ARC from Net Gallery for my honest opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt.**
October 10, 2013
This is a very interesting case in Benton County, Iowa that I had not heard about before. It is a manhunt that leads across the country and returns the man back to Iowa for the murder trial that captivates Iowa and the country.
Excellent Read!!
Excellent Read!!
February 17, 2014
Interesting and informative, and seemed to be fairly unbiased. Very complete information, including the crime, chase, trial and prison time.
October 6, 2014
I really tried to get into this book but found too many things in it distracting.
January 15, 2015
Fascinating! Even though you 'get a feeling' of Novak's guilt, it will keep you turning the pages! Wonderful read and loved learning about these amazing men of the late 19th century.
March 8, 2014
Well-documented history reads like a crime novel. Excellent!
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