Human Harvest: The Sacramento Murder Story

by Daniel J. Blackburn

Written by the reporter who knew the murderer best, and who was the only reporter she talked to after her arrest, Human Harvest provides a rare look inside the dark life of a female serial killer, Dorothea Montalvo Puente. She operated a Sacramento, California, boarding home for Social Security recipients -- eight of whom were eventually unearthed from the small but well-manicured lawn around her Victorian home. Author Daniel Blackburn recounts the shocking story of how Puente, a kindly-looking, grandmotherly woman, freely exploited a loophole in Social Security law to accomplish her macabre deeds. Even more disturbing, perhaps, is how -- even after her arrest, conviction and incarceration -- it took the U.S. Congress more than 13 years to close that loophole.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

229 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent enough chronology of the Dorothea Puente case (the murderous Sacramento boarding house proprietor), though it ends before the trial takes place. After that, there is a transcript of the calls placed by the accused to the author (that imparts no real information) and a finger-pointing epilogue.

[Alberta L. Gallardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old book laying around. Finally read it. Interesting case and the events captured reveal progress and problems involved.

[Gail Hedlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this story being in the news. I thought it was the craziest thing I had ever heard of. But reading the story I truly see just how crazy it really was.