83 Hours Till Dawn

by Gene Miller, Barbara Jane Mackle

In 1968, Emory University student Barbara Jane Mackle was kidnapped for ransom, held underground in a coffin-like box for 83 hours as more than 100 FBI agents searched for her. This is her authorized story. By Miami Herald reporter Gene Miller.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Memoir, Crime, Biography

397 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Fishface · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really pulse-pounding read. At this late date we all know before we open the book how the story came out; but the minute-by-minute suspense is nearly unbearable all the same.

[Alicia Krage]

This was an impulsive read for me after hearing this story on a podcast. Honestly, this started out really interesting, but as we got into chapter after chapter about the search for Barbra, this became increasingly difficult to follow. There's so much detail that it kinda just lost me and I wasn't following anymore. Maybe I'll come back to this sometime if I can find the audiobook.

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! How this young woman endured this is WAY beyond my comprehension. This entire story will keep you absolutely spellbound. I can't say enough about this writer. If you like true stories, you will want to read this book!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad. Worth reading if you have it or can borrow it.

[Caroline Grayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book back in 19xx (mumble, mumble), when I was 12 or 13 years old. It was one of the first "true crime" stories I read, and it was both disturbing and fascinating.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely crazy story. The writing in this book is split between Barbara Mackle, who was kidnapped and buried alive for 83 hours, and journalist Gene Miller. Mackle writes about her experience while Miller handles everything else that was going on--the FBI investigation, the attempts at ransom, what was happening with the Mackle family, background on the kidnappers, etc. Mackle doesn't appear to be a natural writer, though the reserve and distance in her chapters could certainly be a coping strategy. She repeatedly insists that she's fine following the kidnapping, but certainly there's some trauma lingering there.

That said, this book is definitely a product of its time. The casual racism and sexism sometimes had me blinking; for example, how the Mackle's black maid and gardener are written as having phonetically-depicted accents when not a single white person in the book does (despite this taking place in the South) or how, when the bank handling the ransom money called in all its officers to do the count, they pulled a female officer off the line to make sandwiches for all the men.

Still, despite knowing how this ends up--obviously Barbara lives, since she helped write the book--it was thrilling read.

[Catherine M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would highly recommend this book to others, even if they don't enjoy nonfiction. It's written in a narrative format with a linear 'storyline' that makes it read not unlike a crime novel. A biography/autobiography, it's based on the kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle that details both what she experienced and what her family experienced.
Even if you are already familiar with the case and know how the case unfolds, there are countless twists and turns not in any Wikipedia article you can find online.

[Rowena Shuma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it has a small connection to my current city. Even though this happened before my birth and I knew that she survived; she is one of the authors, it was still riveting! The crime really is unbelievable- truth is stranger than fiction. I liked how some chapters were from her perspective.
On a side note, how on earth could the perpetrator become a practicing doctor after his release??? That is infuriating.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading this incredible story as a teenager and borrowed this exact paperback edition from the library. I remember liking it, but as a youngster, I'm not sure if the prose was any good. I just remember being intrigued by the story itself. I wonder if it would hold up to my critical scrutiny today? Unless, that is, that I happen upon the book today and reread it. I'll never know. This is why I've only given it 3 stars. It may have deserved better. Lol.

[Catmom 4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

While a good book from the Victim and Families perspective, I feel Barbara writes and seems a bit immature for her age. Plus, there was not enough on the trial of the kidnappers accomplice. Actually, I don't think she even had one. Also, I feel it a bit contradictory on things originally remembered by the Victim and the conclusion. Example:. The accomplice did say she would stay with and not leave, yet at the end, the Victim said that promise was never made.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I worked for the Mackles back in the 80's and they gave me this book to read. Very bone chilling account of the event. Barbara was very, very lucky to have survived. Fortunately for her, the kidnapper left a trail of bread crumbs for the police to follow. Had he not been so stupid/arrogant, in an era long before the internet, she would never have been found alive, if at all.

[Julie Carroll]

I was talking about this book to my library director and it made me go look for it. I remember vividly reading this book in high school. It petrified me and at the same time began my fascination with being buried alive. In Victorian times, that happened quite often :(

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story full of suspense and worth reading.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book struck terror to my heart. One of my biggest fears is the topic and if I start, there will be way too many spoilers. Just read the book!

[Marie Patlan]

DNF - very dry.

[Antonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Selkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about what is now a little known kidnapping case (despite the fact that two movies were made dealing with the circumstances) of Barbara Jane Mackle in December of 1968. Due to a serious case of the flu, she had opted to leave her dorm room to check into a hotel where her mother met her to care for her during her illness. In the early hours of the morning her mother opened the door to a man claiming to be a police officer, and with the help of an accomplice, Mrs. Mackle was chloroform edition, tied up, and her daughter taken away and buried alive in a box measuring eight feet long and two feet square until ransom would be made. Her ordeal was to last over eighty-three hours.

The book is meticulously written. It describes all details of the crime and insights into all characters involved, especially Barbara's bravery and her ability to control her emotions in able to survive such a harrowing experience. Her fortitude was amazing; upon her return examination by her family physician, he exclaimed she was "one hell of a woman!" for having survived it with so little emotional trauma.
Nor did she express any animosity toward the perpetrators.
Few of us could say we would have done the same.

I was disappointed (and surprised) that there was not more information available on the internet as to her later life, but as related in the last chapter, in helping to write the book it was the only time she got truly upset about the kidnapping and that when she was done with the book she wanted to put the incident behind her " once and for all, I want it to be over. For ever and ever".
It seems she got her wish, and there could not have been a more deserving person to have their wish granted, especially after all she had gone through.

[Michael Stafford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting story. Seems like the crime and book have faded into obscurity.