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Dark Highway: Love, Murder, and Revenge in 1930's Kentucky
On a cold November night in 1936, the body of beautiful businesswoman Verna Garr Taylor is found in a ditch along a lonely highway in rural Kentucky. Verna has been shot through the heart, and fiancé, former lieutenant governor and brigadier general Henry Denhardt insists she committed suicide.
But the clues left behind point to murder, and General Denhardt quickly becomes the target of investigators. The general's sensational murder trial draws reporters from all over the country to the small Kentucky community. The case is featured in the New York Times, the London Herald, Newsweek, Time, Life, and other national and international publications.
When the trial ends in a hung jury, Kentuckians — including Verna's three angry and grieving brothers — wait in grim anticipation for the general to be tried again.
Author Ann DAngelo is a practicing attorney in Kentucky. She has used trial transcripts, court pleadings, newspaper accounts, attorney correspondence, and interviews with witnesses and family members to compile a riveting account of this very cold case.
But the clues left behind point to murder, and General Denhardt quickly becomes the target of investigators. The general's sensational murder trial draws reporters from all over the country to the small Kentucky community. The case is featured in the New York Times, the London Herald, Newsweek, Time, Life, and other national and international publications.
When the trial ends in a hung jury, Kentuckians — including Verna's three angry and grieving brothers — wait in grim anticipation for the general to be tried again.
Author Ann DAngelo is a practicing attorney in Kentucky. She has used trial transcripts, court pleadings, newspaper accounts, attorney correspondence, and interviews with witnesses and family members to compile a riveting account of this very cold case.
424 pages, Hardcover
Published July 15, 2016
6 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 6, 2018
Amazing events that actually happened in Henry and Shelby counties
March 25, 2018
Very interesting - living in BG and being familiar with the names of several families in this book made it even more intriguing!
September 8, 2024
I live in La Grange and walk down 4th Avenue everyday. And I walk by Verna’s old house. I don’t typically read this genre, but I wanted to know the details of the story. I have heard about it in passing growing up here, but never knew the full extent. Verna Garr Taylor was a beautiful person. Her family endured the unthinkable and this book gave me a true understanding of that.
I am so glad I read this book, from start to finish. The author did a fantastic job describing our town. I can picture every location mentioned. (Pretty neat to read a book where the setting is your own home). I also appreciated the character development. Personalities matter. She shares rich insight while remaining factual.
I personally love that she repeats the various facts of the case throughout the book. She finds new ways to articulate the details that were so very critical. This is exactly how high profile murder trials go. The attorneys and media fixate on certain truths — repeating them until they are blue in the face. If you lived through this time, I imagine you had to hear it constantly, in the news and in conversation.
If this book reads “slow”, then I needed slow. A little bit of rumination helped me think critically about the events that resulted in two major trials. There are two sides to every story, yet there can be only one truth. After careful thought, I believe this book was a step in direction of truth.
I am so glad I read this book, from start to finish. The author did a fantastic job describing our town. I can picture every location mentioned. (Pretty neat to read a book where the setting is your own home). I also appreciated the character development. Personalities matter. She shares rich insight while remaining factual.
I personally love that she repeats the various facts of the case throughout the book. She finds new ways to articulate the details that were so very critical. This is exactly how high profile murder trials go. The attorneys and media fixate on certain truths — repeating them until they are blue in the face. If you lived through this time, I imagine you had to hear it constantly, in the news and in conversation.
If this book reads “slow”, then I needed slow. A little bit of rumination helped me think critically about the events that resulted in two major trials. There are two sides to every story, yet there can be only one truth. After careful thought, I believe this book was a step in direction of truth.
April 23, 2022
Well, I have to say that this was a fascinating read. D’Angelo certainly did her research. And the speculation in the epilogue! Wow!
What made this even cooler for me is that as President of the Henry County Historical Society, I was contacted by the YOLO County Archives in California. They had gotten an anonymous photograph donation of the Henry County Courthouse in 1936. Did we want it? Well sure!
It’s a neat photo, the iron gate fence around the courthouse, the stoplight in the middle of town and a soldier crossing the road. And then I flipped it over. “International News Photo” and a description that it was taken during the Verna Garr Taylor murder trial.
Holding that bit of history in my hand while reading the book was such a cool feeling. It makes me want to go into the Deed Room and see what I can find from that time.
What made this even cooler for me is that as President of the Henry County Historical Society, I was contacted by the YOLO County Archives in California. They had gotten an anonymous photograph donation of the Henry County Courthouse in 1936. Did we want it? Well sure!
It’s a neat photo, the iron gate fence around the courthouse, the stoplight in the middle of town and a soldier crossing the road. And then I flipped it over. “International News Photo” and a description that it was taken during the Verna Garr Taylor murder trial.
Holding that bit of history in my hand while reading the book was such a cool feeling. It makes me want to go into the Deed Room and see what I can find from that time.
June 4, 2019
What a story! I love to read historical fiction to learn how life was lived in the past. But this story is based on fact -not fiction. I loved reading how our court system worked in the 30’s. It takes much longer in today’s world to try a case. Sad story of how quickly things can go wrong. Being familiar with LaGrange, Shelbyville and Bowling Green helped me visualize the events. I had a hard time putting this book down in it finished.
December 17, 2022
This is my favorite book I have read this year. It’s an extremely interesting story as I am from the Bowling Green area and have ties to Kentucky State Government. The book has it all: history, politics, scandal, crime and suspense. There are so many angles of what might have happened. A great read!
April 3, 2020
Just finished reading Dark Highway and I cannot say enough good things about it. The author did a wonderful job in her research of the long ago events and it definitely shows in her writing. If you enjoy reading true crime, I highly recommend this book.
September 2, 2020
Amazing book. Ann D’angelo did some incredible research and kept the story feeling very real while also fantastic. Her speculation and summary in the epilogue make for a bone-chilling ending.
-Verna Garr Taylor’s great great nephew
Rest In Peace
-Verna Garr Taylor’s great great nephew
Rest In Peace
November 4, 2017
I just can't believe this actually happened! It reads like a work of fiction.
April 13, 2019
Well researched true story of two local murders. The story of the photo on the cover is amazing too!
September 19, 2021
This story could have been exciting for the reader, but the author repeated herself so often that it became boring. She could have told it in half the number of pages.
July 26, 2022
Good story, but a few too many details
February 24, 2017
The backstory about how to but got actually written is very interesting. The book is about the 1930s murder in Kentucky. And unfortunately no one was ever convicted of that murder. The author heard about the murder because it involved a famous Kentucky politician and decided eventually to see if she could figure out who did it.
I have a hard time getting into the first part of this book. There were a lot of characters introduced really quickly just didn't capture my attention. So I run a little bit of it and put it down but then I pick it back up again and the part where there's actually a trial I was totally engaged and from then to the end of the book I thoroughly enjoyed it. That's why I gave it three stars.
I think it's worth going through the beginning part to get to the good part. One of the things that I found very interesting was the state of the forensics in the 1930s. It was amazing to me to hear how much storytelling was going on in court.
At the end of the book the author puts down her scenario of how the murder actually happened. It's interesting and plausible. It would've been more interesting if there was other forensic information to help back up her theory. Her theory makes as much makes more sense than either one of the other theories that have been presented.
I have a hard time getting into the first part of this book. There were a lot of characters introduced really quickly just didn't capture my attention. So I run a little bit of it and put it down but then I pick it back up again and the part where there's actually a trial I was totally engaged and from then to the end of the book I thoroughly enjoyed it. That's why I gave it three stars.
I think it's worth going through the beginning part to get to the good part. One of the things that I found very interesting was the state of the forensics in the 1930s. It was amazing to me to hear how much storytelling was going on in court.
At the end of the book the author puts down her scenario of how the murder actually happened. It's interesting and plausible. It would've been more interesting if there was other forensic information to help back up her theory. Her theory makes as much makes more sense than either one of the other theories that have been presented.
February 26, 2017
I enjoyed the authors writing style and the true story is a very interesting "who done it".
July 24, 2020
This book is more than a true crime novel, murder mystery or courtroom drama (thought it is all of those things). It is a time machine. Through some of the most deliciously descriptive writing I have ever encountered, the reader will feel like they are transported to Kentucky in the 1930s. From small Appalachian towns to the city of Louisville, this novel explores the power-politics that still thrive today. It is a fascinating read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews