Indiana Gothic: A Story of Adultery and Murder in an American Family

by Pope Brock

The lines between fiction and nonfiction have become increasingly blurred, but in journalist Pope Brock's first book, about murder and adultery in his family, everything is true. Journalist Pope Brock grew up ignorant of his family's most closely guarded secret. It was only when his great-aunt was dying that he learned the true circumstances surrounding the death of his great-grandfather Ham Dillon. An aspiring young Indiana politician, Dillon was shot to death in 1908 by his own brother-in-law, Link Hale--a man half-crazed with anger and grief over the fact that his wife, Allie, had just borne Ham a child. To add another twist, Allie Hale was more than just Ham Dillon's lover; she was also his wife's only sister. Fascinated by this revelation, Pope Brock began his research. In Indiana A Story of Adultery and Murder in an American Family , he tells the story of Ham Dillon with the sweep and power of a novel, re-creating the era in such vivid detail that we have the sensation of time travel. Readers first meet the young Ham Dillon--handsome, charismatic, ambitious--as he courts Maggie Thompson, the daughter of a well-to-do farmer. But after their marriage in 1898, Ham comes into the orbit of Maggie's sister, Allie, who is locked in a joyless marriage to the depressive Link Hale. Passion soon takes over, and tragedy ensues--culminating in the drama of Link's murder trial, which made headlines for its controversial use of the insanity plea. Atmospheric and gripping, Indiana Gothic is a bold saga of an American past that is both forever lost and strangely, startlingly familiar.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Crime, Mystery

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Pope Brock is the author of the critically acclaimed Indiana Gothic: A Story of Adultery and Murder in an American Family, the story of his great-grandfather’s murder in 1908, and Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam.

Brock has written for numerous publications, including Rolling Stone, Esquire, GQ, and the London Sunday Times Magazine.

He lives in upstate New York with his twin daughters, Molly and Hannah.

Reviews

[Gwen - Chew & Digest Books - · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baseline: My Grandfather was born in a county that neighbors the county in this book, yet moved away well before I knew him.

It's a bit surreal to hear places that I knew that he had mentioned over his lifetime and the Kentucky/Indiana tie is strong. However, while a bit shocking to hear of the love triangle, I wasn't all that shocked. Maybe I'm jaded but the only special part of this was when I pictured my ancestors in these cities, in the jury, in the time period.

[Tamelyn Feinstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handsome, charismatic man marries one sister, then falls in love with the other. Complications ensue.

[Gary Sosniecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Pope Brock’s great-grandfather was murdered in 1908 by his jealous brother-in-law. The murder occurred in Indiana. The details were a dark family secret for decades. Brock’s research included several trips to Indiana where he found a “trove” of newspaper coverage. The trial transcript was missing. His 1999 book, “Indiana Gothic: A Story of Adultery and Murder in an American Family,” is riveting.

My great-grandmother was murdered in 1906 by her jealous second husband. The murder occurred in Indiana. The details were a dark family secret for decades. My research included several trips to Indiana where I also found a trove of newspaper coverage. The trial transcript initially was missing. But my 2020 book, “The Potato Masher Murder: Death at the Hands of a Jealous Husband,” is very different from Brock’s book.

I had the advantage of the missing trial transcript turning up in the Indiana State Archives. I also had the advantage of genealogy and newspaper-archival websites maturing since Brock did his research. Thus, I was able to tell the story of my great-grandmother’s murder as non-fiction with nearly 400 endnotes that identify sources for the events I described.

Brock writes in his preface that his book is “a true story, reconstructed. No plot points have been jiggered to make it a better tale. However, much of the record was fragmentary, of course—including the courtroom testimony—or missing altogether. Ultimately the facts formed a line of buoys in a sea of my own imagination.”

“Indiana Gothic” is a fascinating story by a talented author. Brock is a master of the metaphor. I do not have his skills as a storyteller. But “American Gothic” is as much a novel as it is a true story. Much of the dialogue and what characters were thinking at various times are imagined. A quick check of Newspapers.com reveals that the defendant actually faced two trials because a juror became ill after most of the evidence had been presented in the first trial. “Indiana Gothic” doesn’t mention that.

Still, I loved the book. And I appreciate that the author sent me a nice response after I emailed him about the similar murders in our families’ pasts and our respective efforts to tell the stories.

[Dawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this true-life drama, Pope Brock relates his family’s story, one that resonates today with ominous insight into the heart of American culture. "Indiana Gothic" is set at a time when women were utterly dependent upon men; they had no equality, no vote, and not much choice other than to to marry and raise children. They certainly didn’t serve on a “jury of peers.” Victorian exaltation of love was bolstered by biblical admonitions to conform and prosper. But, alas, Camelot is twisted when the death of compassion and justice, in the name of Ham Dillon, explodes in a widely publicized scandal. Conceptions of justice--neither female, nor, blindfolded-- yield to the egos of ordinary men. Pope Brock lucidly presents a factual case that comes alive through skillful writing. "Indiana Gothic" remains relevant for as long as mankind must balance desire and social needs with individual will.

[Jane Nice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been out for many years. I never would have discovered it had I not gone into a used book store and talked with the staff about my interests. Indiana Gothic is a true crime page turner. The ending and afterword gave me all of the true crime feels and chills.

[Stefan Grieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A made-up true story (meaning the facts are true but there is fiction surrounding it to make it a novel) this book tells of an affair that leads to murder.

I found it slow and plodding, but the best thing I found about it was the engaging and well-written prose. It reminded me of another book in a good way, 'Snow falling on Cedars'. Otherwise, the characters involved are not very likable and in some cases, there is more telling than showing, which is a slight flaw of the prose style, even though it is usually very good. The highlight is the third act that goes into a court case.

It was ok. Case closed.

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling tale of an American Heartland crime — one that occurred nearly 115 years ago. The author, in whose family the crime occurs, both boldly paints his characters and carefully details what led each to do what they did. His saga is readable, occasionally funny, all-too-human and contains numerous wonderful turns of phrases. Even the courtroom drama, evidently taken from transcripts, fails to be dull. Well done.

[Bethany Yardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an odd book... rooted in fact, framed as a memoir, presented as a novel. The characters were unique and curious, and I loved the absurd drama of it all. I am from the area where this book is set, and that made it all the more real to me. I would not recommend this for non-fiction purists, but it was a delightful and captivating read.

[Beth Levitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book quite the turner. I’m not sure if that is due to the story, writing style, that it’s about Indiana in the early part of the 20th century, or that my family history includes a similar story. For whatever reason I recommend the book and look forward to reading Charlatan!

[Kimbercperry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my usual genre but it was a good read.

[Jonathan Gruber · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read this after loving his other book "charlatan". But it was really boring and I just gave up

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to read about an area close to home. Well written, quite the page turner.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for the depiction of the time and the attitudes.

[Patriciagoodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediocre and quite bland. Not terribly well written in my opinion. The author constantly uses brackets which I find unnecessary & annoying.

[Christine Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting family history though a bit long drawn out. Intriguing Afterword.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing. Became quite a pedestrian story and what might have been an interesting story turned into something quite boring. .

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh

[Terri Serviss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting family saga set in the midwest in the late 1800's.

[Gerald Sinstadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pope Brock's Charlatan, which came to me as a gift, encouraged me to seek out the author's previous book. I was not disappointed. Indiana Gothic, a scrupulously honest exploration of an illicit relationship that led to murder three generations back in the author's family, will surely become a classic of modern American writing.

The early years of Ham Dillon's life on a small farm in the mid-west are sketched with perceptive detail and a light touch. Felicitous phrases shine on almost every page; Miss Halsop, the church pianist, "searching for tunes in the cracks of the keys." Ham's hard-eyed exploitation of his superficial charm in pursuit of a political career and his cold-blooded betrayal of his marriage in an affair with his sister-in-law are portrayed with careful dispassion that cannot have been easy for Brock.

The doomed relationship culminates in murder. A true story reads with all the suspense of a novel. The drama of the murder trial leaves the verdict impossible to predict. The opposing lawyers, Padgett and deBekker, are so vividly drawn there must surely be a film in the offing.

Indiana Gothic can be placed beside Lee Harper's To Kill a Mocking Bird or Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and will lose nothing in comparison. The story it tells grips and haunts beyond the final pages; and it is related with masterly style. A winner on every count.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I actually found this book more entrancing than "Charlatan." That is a bit contrary to my expectations. I mean, how do you get more interesting than the idea that there was a doctor sewing goat testicles into people? I think it just goes to show how wonderfully Pope puts the story together in this book. I know he used the facts as he managed to find them out, but he put them together in such a way as to really bring out the story- bring the characters to life and communicate to the reader what it felt to be these people living through this thing. Is it that sensational by today's standards? Not really, though I don't think that we often remember that people of this time were still people. They committed adultery and murder too. I think, though, the real magic of this book is in the way it made me feel about the characters. Marvelously done.

[Jerry Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about books such as these. Although they ostensibly cover "true" stories, they are essentially works of fiction woven around known facts, many of which are scarce on the ground. The book undeniably gets interesting towards the end when it has courtroom drama, and this is probably where the facts are the most thick on the ground.

It is fictionalized because there is much dialogue as well as discussion of feelings and thoughts from the leading characters that cannot, or course, be known, only surmised.

Given that it is a good tale, telling a lot about the time in which it tool place which is perhaps the major interest factor. Not as good a yarn as "Charlatan" but certainly a good read despite the incongruous style.

[Glenys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it hard to 'get into' this book at a time when I only had short reading opportunities, and indeed put it aside once or twice, but once I persevered with a longer read, it began to weave a spell. It's a 'fictionalised' account of a true story from the author's family about the rivalry between two sisters and how one of them, unhappily married herself, enters into a longstanding clandestine affair with her sister's charismatic husband, even bearing his child. I won't spoil the ending, which I felt was by far the best part of the book, rather gripping in fact.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of this book is fantastic: a relative stumbles upon a scandal from several generations back in his family and uses the opportunity to learn some family history and write the tale. It is a cross between fiction and non-fiction because the author has to "fill in the gaps" where no documents were available for certain details. The parts I liked, I really liked, and the parts that were slow or dragged on, well, just that.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was good not great. Liked Charlatan by this author much more. Did not know what was fiction or true in the book which detracted from enjoyment . Author was excellent in unobtrusively dropping historical tidbits about how people lived in the early 20th century.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written story based on a true family event. It would have been nice if Brock had provided more notes because it was hard to know between what he had discovered in his research and what he had to "make up."

[Gabriela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This title created great expectations that weren't met at all. It's good entertainment, nice summer/beach reading but that's it. There isn't a hint of gothic narrative, imaginary or even symbolisms and aesthetics. It's a marketing trap.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this account of an event that happened to the author's ancestors in turn-of-the-century central Indiana. Seems to be a favorite time period for me, and the author did a great job of evoking a specific time and place.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this. I liked that i was a true story, and that some of it had to be fictionalized to fill in gaps didn't bother me. It was a gripping story. I wish we had seen more from Maggie's perspective, but we almost never do, so she remained kind of an enigma. It was a captivating read.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and well written. Thanks Lesley D. for the idea!

[Erika Haws · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is good. My 8th grade history teacher, Mr. Spillman, was a contributor.