Why Did They Kill?

by John Bartlow Martin

A discussion of a series of hammer attacks on women in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the 1950s.

131 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1953

About the author

John Bartlow Martin was an American journalist, diplomat and author. The American Ambassador to the Dominican Republic from 1962 until 1964, he was a speechwriter and confidant to many American Democratic politicians including Adlai Stevenson, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Hubert Humphrey.

Reviews

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, alhough I disagree with the review on the jacket that says it's "superior to IN COLD BLOOD in almost every way." The two books are apples and oranges. The story is especially meaningful to me because I was born and raised in the locales where it all happened, and I recognize every landmark mentioned between the covers of the book. On the other hand, the story does not dig very deeply into the WHY of the crime even though it claims that is the reason the book exists. It does give you enough to get you thinking, hard.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting perspective on youth and society that makes me wonder if anything has changed in nearly a century but why we continue to decline.