Miscarriage of Justice: A Novel

by Kip Gayden

Based on actual events, Anna Dotson is a passionate modern woman of the 1900s who finds herself stifled by the lingering outdated rules of Victorian society. When her every attempt to rekindle romance and affection with her husband -- a prominent local doctor -- fails, she finds herself turning to the friendship of Charlie Cobb, a new man in town. But as their relationship becomes more intimate, small-town tongues start wagging, and their star-crossed affair leads to a shocking public murder.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 12, 2008

Reviews

[RJ McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miscarriage of Justice is based on the actual events surrounding a 1913’s love triangle gone horribly and irrevocably wrong. Kip Gayden has delivered an impressive novel that is as exciting as the crime and verdict were shocking. Anna and Walter Dotson were prominent members of the small Tennessee community of Gallatin. Walter, in addition to being a very successful physician, was active in numerous community activities, Masonic Lodge, church bible study and city orchestra leader, and he also had political aspirations. While Walter was attending various groups and meetings, his wife, Anna, was home with her two children. There’s a pointed change in the marriage after Anna miscarries their third child, all the romance and intimacy the couple had once shared was drained from the relationship. As time and time again Walter rejects his wife’s attempts to rekindle the romantic fires, she is left feeling lonely and unfulfilled.

When Charlie Cobb and his family moved to town, he began working at the local barbershop and quickly became Walter Dotson’s favorite barber. It isn’t long before the flirtations between Charlie and Anna spiral into a full-blown affair. They are both so consumed by the affair and finding ways to be together they fail to recognize the whispers, quiet nods, and gossip, that eventually reach Walter. With her adulterous behavior exposed, Anna confessed her actions to her husband and then at his behest, to her brother. What follows is a crime that rocked the small Tennessee community to its core and a controversial verdict that would ultimately play a roll in the women’s rights movement.

Masterfully weaving fact with fiction, Kip Gayden has crafted a wonderful novel that brings the characters to life and gives the reader a front row seat in the private lives of people that lived almost a hundred years ago. Gayden has the ability to take the reader back in time and present a believable story, that is informative and entertaining. Threading the women’s suffrage movement into the story at the onset puts the reader into the mindset of the era…painting a detailed picture of Anna Dotson’s daily life and the importance of women’s rights.

A tragic, beautifully delivered historical novel that was a real pleasure to read. I look forward to reading Kip Gayden’s next novel. Miscarriage of Justice: A Novel has a wonderful combination of everything, true crime, romance, deceit, adultery, and historical fiction.

Happy Reading!

[Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a semi-fictional account of the murder case of Anna Dotson in TN in the 1900's. Here's my beef with this book:
1. This is Kip Gayden's first novel, and it shows. There were several grammatical errors (aren't publishers supposed to catch that kind of thing?) and towards the end, he relied heavily on (what I assume was) entire newspaper articles, verbatim.
2. It is a rare male author who can successfully write from a woman's perspective. Kip Gayden is not one of those authors. There were times that I found myself laughing out loud at what a woman was supposed to be feeling.
3. The novel is 80% pre-murder events, 20% trial. In my head, I see the author spending all his time and creative efforts in hammering out the background of the story, then being so burnt out he didn't have any juice left for the end. I thought that a more detailed (if not slightly fictionalized) epilogue of what happened after the trial to Anna could have been interesting.

It's not a horrible book (nothing obscene or overtly objectionable in it), but it doesn't sit well with me when our "heroine" justifies adultery and then murder. Come to think of it, there wasn't a single female character in this book that wasn't spineless, obnoxious, annoying or a busy-body. Hmmmm.

[Ginny Thurston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book mainly because of its setting…my sister’s hometown of Gallatin, made it very interesting since I know the town so well. The historical elements of the suffragette movement and the way people lived without plumbing and the introduction of cars made it informational for sure. The characters and plot structure really stressed me out. The changing of narrators and the stream-of-consciousness technique was very confusing and really quite disturbing and unpleasant considering the subject matter. It is based on historical fact and uses actual newspaper articles, but all the thoughts of Charlie, Anna, and even Walter were clearly made up inner dialogue… a little too weak on the characters and the plot really meandered.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended by one of the guides on a haunted tour of Sumner County that we took last week. A local historian was on the tour and he sternly rebuked the person who recommended it for the inaccuracy of the book. Nevertheless, it was a very interesting read. It’s correlation to the suffragette movement was a brilliant plot device and very likely did contribute to the verdict in this case. The story moved along well and offered a colorful glimpse of the era in which the events occurred. I did find myself feeling uncomfortable with how much more sympathy I felt for the perpetrator than the victim. That alone may cause me to read it again later.

[Laraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Wasn't at all like I thought it would be. If you understand southern life you will like it even better. This novel is dated circa suffragettes and depicts how surpressing it was for a woman not only not to vote but in home life as well. There is an affair that comes around this theme as well with an awakening for the master of the home. It's a must read.

[DONNA ENGLAND · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have reservations about 4 shots and 2 bullets spent. What was the Miscarriage?

The ending was not as I had predicted.
It was a good read.
I have unanswered questions regarding the actual crime.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

A riveting story based on a true crime event that happened in 1913.

[Angie Pigue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting was Gallatin TN. Suffragettes were fighting for women’s rights along with the sordid affair of the town doctor’s wife.

[Lucy Organ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compared to some novels about more recent events, this book is written in a more reserved, simple style than most. Certainly, Kip Gayden does not write like Tom Clancy or Ken Follett. The early story of Anna and Walter's courtship in small Tennessee communities in the early 20th century is presented as formally as writing by, perhaps, Louisa May Alcott and the style seems entirely appropriate to me.
I found the story of Anna, Walter and Charlie deeply compelling and the gradual development of Anna and Charlie's relationship and its exposure to be entirely believable, especially to anyone who has lived in a small, isolated community. Mr. Gayden's interweaving of historical newspaper articles, court document information and his fictionalized interpretation of the story is a conscientious effort to flesh out the story both from the perspective of the characters and as a historical event within the context of political and societal influences of the time.
I hope Mr. Gayden writes another!

[Sarah K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting book! I picked it up since it takes place in my city - Nashville, and the nearby suburb Gallatin. I was drawn in to this love triangle and the fascinating true crime story of the murder of Charlie Cobb by his former lover, Anna. The author's argument draws from archival newspaper and court records, as well as other information from the times. His ability to weave the suffrage movement into the trial and events that took place in 1913 is great to consider. Though I'm not at all saying what Anna did was right...the way women were treated does make the outcome make sense. Some on Goodreads have criticized the author's writing/female characterization but all in all I don't think it's that bad. This is definitely a plot driven story, and I would have liked to read more about his theories of her life after the trial instead of a brief conclusion. Worth the read, especially if you're interested in true crime, the suffrage movement, or nashville history!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give it two and a half stars, for "I liked it, BUT..." The book gives us an intimate look at how Anna and her husband meet and fall in love, and then I was suddenly held at arm's length while they have children and a miscarriage, which is why her husband won't have sex with her anymore. It felt weird that I didn't get an idea of how her children's births went, and then suddenly the focus was on her husband not paying enough attention to her. Enter Charlie, the man intent on seducing the good doctor's wife.

The novel felt sort of loose, like the author wanted to make several points and didn't focus on any of them hard enough. It wasn't a bad book, and I'd give the author another try, but it wasn't anything to rave about, either.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is based on a forgotten crime. Anna and Walter Dotson are a reputable couple until the day her affair with Charlie Cobb becomes known.From there the situation esclates until one of the three people involved is shot and killed.You'll need to read the book to find out who and why it happened.
I guess from the title of the book I expected it would deal more with the trial, when in fact much of the book deals with the affair and events leading up this point.For this reason I found it less than gripping. Once the story moved into the trial on page 229 I was right on board and the ending is one that will certainly have you wondering and cause you to think through the implications of many issues and the decision made by the jury.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I didn't think this was a particularly well written book, I enjoyed the story. There were times when the language was not authentic enough, dialog did not feel real.
Based on accounts of a true murder as it was reported in Tennessee newspapers of the time, the story and its historical setting were kind of fascinating.
I didn't know a lot about the Suffragette movement before reading it and still don't after, but it's made me more aware of what life was like for women in those days and the very limited choices they had.
I wish it had been a better piece of writing so I could recommend it, but it was disappointing in that aspect.

[Jennifer S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a used bookstore because the historical event took place in Nashville and Gallatin, which are both cities near to where I lived. It took place during the women's suffrage movement, which I find to be an incredibly interesting historical topic. I almost stopped reading several times during the first 1/3 of the book because the dialogue between te characters was incredibly juvenille. After the first 1/3, the writing improved slightly, and the story became more interesting. I finished the book because I can't not finish a book. I was disappointed in the writing itself, but the historical event and the outcome were both fascinating.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was wish-washing between giving this a 3 or a 4 star rating and ultimately went with the 4 since it did hold my attention and I really wanted to get back to reading it anytime I had put it down. I liked the story and found it especially interesting since it is based on real events that took place right where I live! I am interested to do a little research about the woman, Anna Dotson, that the novel is mainly about. Good story about adultery, murder, and women's rights...all the makings of a great novel! :o)

[Linda Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow to start but quite compelling after a while. I love the use of the newspaper stories of the time were used to illustrate not just the facts but give the opinions authenticity. Wished that the jury deliberations had been more in depth to fully illustrate their views and opinions, but perhaps the author felt this would take away from the "real" jury.

If you like historical fiction, you will like this and plan to spend sometime thinking about the women who worked so hard and tirelessly to wrest women the vote.

Don't wast the priviledge they worked so hard for.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ready to return this book I decided to read the review to see why we bought it! The beginning is poorly written romance but the review promises better in the second half courtroom drama so I may try to finish it. The story is based on a true event from the early 1900's and the beginnings of the suffrage movement. I skimmed to the end, never radically improved if interested flip to the ending and read the newspaper accounts.

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't until I finished and was reading the epilogue that I realized this was based on a true story. It put a different light on the story for me. I initially thought it a bit far-fetched, but then again, real life can be incredibly dramatic all on it's own. I didn't know that Tennessee played such a pivotal role in the women's suffragette movement.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because it was based in Gallatin (close to where I live) and on a true crime. It was an easy read but rather dry. It was very difficult to connect to any of the characters except I thought the author did a good job with Walter. The story was really interesting though and left me with food for thought about justice, how history has changed, and my rights as a woman.

[Maci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for the SBC, topic book that take place in your state or town. This book took place in Gallatin, TN...one town away from where I grew up and where I live. It was so weird to see all the street names and all the cities that I am familiar with.
I really enjoyed this book! It's based on true events from back in the early 1900's. Even if you don't live in TN, still an awesome read.

[Peggy]

Very good book! Most women will relate to this theme, even though written reflecting a crime during the turn-of-the-century, the subject remains fresh today in many aspects. Written by a Judge, it is historically and legally on the mark. Enjoy !

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was frustrating at first to read because the heroine did such stupid stuff - but the ending makes it worth sticking to it because at the end it explains the earlier frustrating behavior. Good ending! Worth reading.

[Fay Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book and I totally enjoyed it. One of the better books that I have read lately. I usually figure out who did it before the book lets you know. This was one that I did not figure out. I think that this is a must read if you enjoy a murder mystry that is based on a true story.

[Joen Wolfrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is based on a true story that makes you realize that life is not just lived in black and white. It's a story of love, marriage, infidelity, the taking of a life, and the surprising miscarriage of justice. It's a story that will make you pause to ponder.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story centered around an actual murder case in Nashville back in 1913...easy read; great story!

[Shannon Rinck · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the worst books I have ever read. It is based upon a true story but only about 20% of the book is based upon fact. Horrible book...don't waste your time.

[Paula Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this was fiction, it was based on a true story in the early 1900's. Very good read!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very impressive , very thought provoking book !

[Chenoa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty bad. But I kept hoping it might surprise me.

[Laura Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turn of the century trial of woman accused of killing her lover. Not too bad.