The Abduction of Mrs. Ruby Lowery Stapleton

by Mike S. Allen, Deana Hamby Nall

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2026

About the author

Mike S. Allen, a native of Searcy, Arkansas, is a graduate of Harding University and Troy State University with degrees in print journalism and international relations. He is the author of Growing Up Church of Christ and the co-author of A Murder in Searcy, both bestsellers (by category) on Amazon. Mike is a husband, father and friend who enjoys working and living in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Reviews

[Ansley Medlicott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I call this book “un-put-downable”. If you are a true crime reader who is picky about good writing, this one is for you.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this book, I felt transported back to 1963. The book lays out the details of the abduction, the search, the years of looking for answers in the case of Mrs. Stapleton, but what stayed with me the most was the emotion I felt when I read it. Through the detailed writing, I “met” mrs. Stapleton, so her disappearance, the search, and the investigation captivated and angered me. The book honors her beautiful life, cut short by senseless violence. I highly recommend.

[Patti F · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with their first book, "A Murder in Searcy," I found this book to be a faithful presentation of the record documenting the shocking disappearance and murder of college professor Ruby Stapleton from a laundromat on Main Street in Searcy, Arkansas, in 1963.

The writing is stylistically unremarkable, and if I'm not mistaken, an early description of the town was essentially lifted verbatim from the first book. What does feel remarkable is the reminder of a time when it was common for transient individuals — many with previous connections to criminal behavior — to successfully hitchhike across country, behavior that recurs in the many interviews with law enforcement attempting to establish a possible connection to the Stapleton murder.

I was left with a stark reminder how the access to mobile devices has transformed both personal safety and the investigation of criminal acts.

If you attended or have been familiar with Harding University and Searcy, there will be many familiar details and you will enjoy the short read, which took about four and a half hours.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I lived in Searcy for 16 years. It was interesting to read about places that were familiar to me. I felt like I got a lot of information that was not helpful in solving the case. That’s probably the whole issue with this case.

[Susan Gooch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sticking with the hometown theme, I read The Abduction of Mrs. Ruby Lowery Stapleton by Mike S. Allen, which tells the story of a woman from my hometown of Searcy. As an alumna of Harding University, I had seen Mrs. Stapleton’s portrait many times, but I never knew her story. This short true-crime read recounts her disappearance and tragic death. One of my book clubs even had the privilege of hosting the author for a discussion, which was absolutely riveting. If you enjoy true crime—and especially if you’re following the Nancy Guthrie case—you’ll want to check this one out. I gave it four stars.