The Girl on the Volkswagen Floor

by William A. Clark

True story of a homicide without a happy ending.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this completely unfamiliar with the case, and what the book was about in general (because there’s definitely a different dynamic to this one than your typical true crime case). Came out happy to finally read / learn about it, and decently satisfied with the wrap-up.

The wildest part about this read for me was that it took place in my home town (in 1968), so reading about all the familiar streets, locations, etc was a bit mind blowing. For example, the victim lived in Woodman Park Apartments and there were quite a few references to NCR.

The case centers around a parking lot. This is the parking lot of a store that the victim was last seen exiting, and where the vehicle with the body inside was ultimately found. This parking lot is a lot of a shopping center that is still there today, and one I’ve frequented countless times in my life. Some of you may also be familiar with it; it’s the lot that’s home to St Francis Thrift Store today.

So many familiar references, and I even got a good bit of Dayton history. A pretty interesting and worthwhile read, especially for any Dayton resident with an interest in True Crime.

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is what got me started reading true crime stories.

[TC · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting snapshot of a different era in police work, journalism, and life in America. This is one reporter's story of a still-unsolved murder of a young woman that occurred in Ohio in the late 1960's, written a few years after the fact. Instead of a straight-forward science-driven crime procedural that you'd today find as a hit TV show, we get a tale of a botched crime-scene, a small-town police force that's not quite sure it's responsible for the investigation, and, most bizarre of all, a genuine interest on the part of that police force to use paranormal psychology to try to find leads in the case. So half-way in this story of what is clearly just inept policing, we suddenly enter the Twilight Zone, and meet a host of strange characters, culminating in a local psychic who "came out of a period of rest" and feels he can provide useful information that will lead to an arrest--and is actually approached by both the police, and the author as a reporter, to see what he can do.

Enmeshed in this is a snapshot of old-fashioned gumshoe reporting, which then wasn't so much old-fashioned; and of the societal norms of that day, including a great deal of emphasis on how the victim wasn't the "bar-going type."

This amazingly bizarre story was made into an excellent movie called Man on a Swing starring Joel Grey as the psychic; it's a very faithful reproduction of the book's main thread, including its somewhat surprising--and not at all paranormal--denouement.

Both the movie (which is hard to find, as it's never been released on home video) and this book are a good reminder that it was not that long ago that pseudo-scientific quackery was taken seriously. Psychics like Uri Geller were on talk shows bending spoons, Jeane Dixon predicted the coming year's events to great fanfare, Sunn Classic Pictures distributed documentaries about how aliens visited ancient earth, and apparently the police thought they could crack a case by hiring someone to channel a victim's last moments.

Meanwhile, had they simply followed proper procedure by securing the crime scene and handled the evidence and leads better, the case would probably not still be unsolved, over 40 years later.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The case that this book describes happened in my hometown, about five years before I was born. It is certainly thorough, and I had to give it five stars just because of how close to home it hits- literally and figuratively. If you're into true crime (which I'm generally not, but I was compelled to read this one), definitely pick it up.

[Susan Liston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Odd little book about an unsolved murder in 1968 (although they think the perpetrator was convicted of another murder). Takes a strange turn when a psychic enters the picture, the lion's share of the story is actually about him. I feel crabby about this book, but that's probably because I didn't realize the case wasn't officially solved and there are no satisfying conclusions about either the crime or the psychic.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Kettering Ohio, this book hit home. I have heard about this case before and can point out all the locations mentioned in the book. The book is definitely a product of its time with some misogynic terms. The murder investigation, had it happened today, would have been handled so much better. I feel like this book is a great example at showing how far we have come in forensics and knowledge involving a crime scene. This was a somber read, but i did enjoy it.

[Debbie]

I read this book many years ago; I had young daughters and felt it was inappropriate for them to read at the time!
To make a long story short my oldest daughter who is now in her 40’s has always wanted to read it now we can’t find it! Any suggestions??

[Debbie Blailock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another true crime book - I love em!