Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South

by Karen L. Cox

In 1932, the city of Natchez, Mississippi, reckoned with an unexpected influx of journalists and tourists as the lurid story of a local murder was splashed across headlines nationwide. Two eccentrics, Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery--known in the press as the "Wild Man" and the "Goat Woman"--enlisted an African American man named George Pearls to rob their reclusive neighbor, Jennie Merrill, at her estate. During the attempted robbery, Merrill was shot and killed. The crime drew national coverage when it came to light that Dana and Dockery, the alleged murderers, shared their huge, decaying antebellum mansion with their goats and other livestock, which prompted journalists to call the estate "Goat Castle." Pearls was killed by an Arkansas policeman in an unrelated incident before he could face trial.

However, as was all too typical in the Jim Crow South, the white community demanded "justice," and an innocent black woman named Emily Burns was ultimately sent to prison for the murder of Merrill. Dana and Dockery not only avoided punishment but also lived to profit from the notoriety of the murder.

In telling this strange, fascinating story, Karen Cox highlights the larger ideas that made the tale so irresistible to the popular press and provides a unique lens through which to view the transformation of the plantation South into the fallen, Gothic South.

Genres: True Crime, History, Nonfiction, Crime, American History, Southern, Southern Gothic

227 pages, Hardcover

Published October 9, 2017

About the author

Karen L. Cox is professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Cox received her BA and MA in history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1997.

Reviews

[Dem · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime reading is not really my thing and yet this book premise and cover caught my attention as it was set in 1932 Natchez, Mississippi and told the true story of Jennie Surget Merrill, a women who once belonged to a society where While Mansions, wealth, Souther aristocracy and plantations were all part of her life. Now a recluse, a brutal shooting rocks Natchez and the case become known as the Goat Castle Murder.

Extremely well researched and so much history about the South and the South Cotton culture and and characters involved in this case. I got a little bogged down with all the background information on all the characters and second half of the book did drag but overall an interesting and informative read and I really enjoyed reading about the Souther culture and the architecture of the South.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This book took me a bit of time to read. Not that it wasn't a good book, because it was. But it is a book that you really need to start and just continue reading to the end. It has a lot of facts in it, but it is presented in story form - comparative to a newspaper article.

In 1932 an eccentric woman is murdered in her home. A number of local people tried to murder her for the fortune she had - not knowing she never kept it at home. The finger was first pointed at two people living right down the road - "Wild Man" and "Goat Woman" - as they were known, due to the years of disharmony between the neighbors. However the only person who spent time in prison was a black lady, Emily Burns, thanks to the Jim Crow south. Someone must pay the price and a black woman, sans any rights and objectified by racial injustice was taken to trial and convicted. This murder, trial and injustice went nation wide.

This is a story that unless you lived in Natchez Mississippi or had some type of connection there, today you would probably never have heard about it. But it is foundational to that area in the early 1900's and was known nationwide.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Karen Cox, the University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A cast of characters that could easily turn this into a fantasy novel set the stage for this crime. These is a derelict antebellum mansion inhabited by goats, a man with no teeth and greasy hair who can play the piano, and his caretaker/paramour who wears the same overalls day after day. They say they own this "goat castle" but they have never paid property taxes. There is also a charming Victorian housing a grande dame of the South rumored to hide money in her walls but who actually has dollars to her name. One of these is killed. One is arrested along with an African American servant and her visiting man friend. Now just take a guess who gets prosecuted? Wild guess anyone?
I found this sorry excuse of justice a typical example of Southern courts of this time period. I also found the people involved quite eccentric. This would be a great book to throw out there in a discriminatory debate - a little known case but prime example.

True Crime Commemoration # 5
Setting: 1930s Natchez Mississippi

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Goat Castle" by Karen L Cox is not only an investigation of a murder that happened during the Great Depression in the Old South but also a fascinating and thought provoking examination of race relations during the decades after the end of the Civil War.
There are a few books about the Goat Castle Murder but they are incomplete and do not know the whole story. They usually center on Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery who were the residents of Goat Castle and fallen "white" gentry, and to a lesser degree on Jennie Merrill who was the murder victim and the daughter of a former plantation owner. They also stress the guilt of African- American George Pearls as the perpetrator of the crime. Much is said of the fact that the Goat Castle residents were unfairly accused of this crime but Karen L Cox did much research going through court records and other research to bring forth other people involved in this ultimately very sad story and evidence that was overlooked.
One who seems to have been lost to history is Emily Burns who was an "acquaintance" of George Pearls and the daughter of a former slave. Both Emily and her mother spent months in jail while Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery were able to avoid it. What has been lost to history is the fact that Dana and Dockery's fingerprints were found inside of the house where the crime was committed. Dockery/Dana and Merrill absolutely detested each other to the point where police were called and there were numerous legal issues on both sides for years which makes fingerprints very suspicious. Jennie Merrill definitely would not have invited either one for "tea". The fingerprint specialist was not able to be "found" which was very convenient for Dockery and Dana's case during the trial which resulted in their getting away with the crime scot-free. Pearls was shot and killed and convicted posthumously for the crime. Someone still needed to be punished for the crime and it seems that Emily Burns was a convenient scape-goat. That isn't to say she was innocent. She got involved with the wrong people and was the lookout while the crime was committed but she was not the one who pulled the trigger or planned the crime. Emily ended up spending eight hard years in prison before being released. Dana and Dockery not only got away with the crime but also made money from their notoriety. All in all, this wonderful book shows the decline of the Old South after the Civil War and how African-Americans still had a very long way to go for their freedom.
I can't stress enough how wonderful this book was to read. I stayed up late to read and was reluctant to put it down. What strikes me the most is that justice was not truly done for the murder of Jennie Merrill and the descendants of former slaves really did not have their freedom or equal rights. My heart aches for Emily Burns for taking the full brunt for Dana and Dockery's crime which they planned and also I admire her grace after she was released and the life she led. I am so glad that Ms. Cox uncovered Emily's story and has set the record straight. She has also brought to light the prejudice and injustice that still prevails in the South to this day but this book is a fascinating account of a very interesting and important time in the history of the Old South.
Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers (thank you!) via Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To super simplify, this is basically a story of a "Have" living next to a "Have not" and tensions boiling over after a years-long neighbors feud. Jennie (Joan) Merril is the "Have" with her inherited money from family plantations, etc. Next door you have kooky Dick (Richard) Dana and Octavia Dockery, otherwise known as Wild Man and Goat Woman, the "Have nots". They live in what was formerly known as Glenwood but mostly called "Goat Castle" now because the main house is filled with goats and chickens and vermin as it's falling down around them. There has been a years-long feud between them since Dick and Octavia moved back into Dick's former home because of the animals wandering over onto Jennie's property and causing damage. The Sheriff has been called repeatedly, the lawyers have been dragged into it and lawsuits filed. So when Jennie Merril turned up murdered one night after a botched robbery attempt, and evidence pointing towards those in Goat Castle was found, questions need to be answered. The authorities go off on another tangent, however. A sad and provocative story. True crime and history fans should enjoy this one, I sure did, a wonderful story with lots of background and history. I was given an ARC by Netgalley and the publisher, for my review.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has a fascination with the history of the deep South, Jim Crow South, and class relations will certainly welcome the well-researched Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South. The historical detail surrounding the families of influence, the city of Natchez and the Civil War era sets the stage dramatically for this true crime story. Immediately, the reader is immersed in a time where they can “feel” the tension between the central figures and the pains of the vile ways POC were treated.

Karen L.Cox does spend a lot of time providing in-depth backgrounds of our main figures and their families, which can feel a bit drawn at times, out but I can appreciate how this may be necessary in order to capture the essence and attitude of how class (and race) plays a significant part in the actions, response and those unanswered concerns in this story. For instance, Jennie Merrill was a woman with a very affluent background and saw herself as such. A woman like Octavia Dockery was below her in class and Jennie Merrill had no use in speaking with her, thus having servants or the sheriff to deal with her disputes – and disputes she had! In her Merrill’s own words, “I have never spoken to Miss Dockery in my life,” probing the question – Why were the fingerprints of the strange couple Octavia Dockery and Dick Dana’s in the Merrill home at the time of her death when she loathed them so much? If Jennie Merrill had no use in speaking with Octavia Dockery, she certainly would not invite the couple into her home for tea. So, why were they there?

When Jennie Merrill ends up murdered, someone must be held accountable. This being the Jim Crow South and Jennie Merrill being a white woman, it’s no surprise that the crime and punishment is handed to a black person(s). George Pearls had no chance to defend himself or share his whole truth, being shot and killed by a police officer before he could ever go to trial for the Merrill murder. Emily Burns, however, did live with 8 years in jail for a murder that she did not commit – once again, showcasing the injustices of the South towards black women and men. It wouldn’t have gone any other way.

This fascinating book is necessary and fair – giving a voice to the truth. The historical detail, along with the many photographs throughout, went a long way for this reader!

Thank you to NetGalley and University of North Carolina Press for providing me with a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again I find that the real world is much stranger than fiction. The book started a bit slow but then I was riveted and could not put it down. Could have been a story by Faulkner but this was an actual murder with real people. If you want a murder mystery in the Deep South with old houses with Gothic overtones and of course goats, then you will enjoy this book.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The case that this book covers is one that took place in 1932 in Natchez, Mississippi. The author of this book started out researching some of the Antebellum homes that were offered for tours. The Natchez Pilgrimage was celebrating it's 80th anniversary of tours at the time the author began researching, and this is how she discovered Goat Castle. Goat Castle was the home of Richard Dana, which he shared with Octavia Dockery. The house was so named because the duo had several pet goats that just did as they pleased. Dana and Dockery enlisted the services of George Pearls, who happened to be an African American man. They wanted him to rob their neighbor, and longtime nemesis, Jennie Merrill. Mr. Pearls was unable to face trial, so somehow an innocent woman, Emily Burns, was put on trial for this crime instead. This whole story was wild.

I really enjoyed learning about the Antebellum homes. Southern culture is something else entirely, and I say that as a born and raised Southern person. People are of two mindsets here- you must love and celebrate everything SOUTHERN, or you must denounce it. It really isn't that simple. There is a medium area. You must look at the whole. The actions of the south created and caused a lot of things, lasting things, and not all of them are good. You can enjoy the architecture of a place, while also learning about the things that happened on the property. You cannot erase the things that happened, because that serves no historical purpose, and also really does a disservice to the memories of those who endured who knows what on the properties. Anyway, that is a digression from the purpose of this review, but I encourage any readers of this review, those who are interested in Civil War history, to really look at the establishment of properties and homes like this. Not all Antebellum homes were Plantation Homes, but looking into the family wealth and where it came from is something that should be considered when touring or learning about these homes. Just because the façade is beautiful, what is behind closed doors may not be.

This book is currently available on the Audible Plus catalogue. The author really did a great deal of research on this book. The case was not one that I was familiar with prior to reading this book. People have heard about the Jim Crow laws and all of the other racist nonsense that goes on down here. (Certainly, if it wasn't believable to people before, it should be now, in light of many recent events.) This case is a prime example of society in the south. It doesn't matter WHO did the crime, as long as SOMEONE pays for it, especially if that SOMEONE can be African American. It furthers the belief that all African Americans are miscreants and untrustworthy in some way. This case and this book is a reminder that racial injustice was absolutely taking place- not only taking place, it was COMMON PLACE. I think this book was interesting for several different reasons. My history major heart was pleased to learn about the social aspects of this time period, the homes, etc. My true crime loving heart was very interested in the case, the outcome, and the injustice. This was a spur of the moment download for me, and I am very pleased with this selection.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.
This book is about a Murder in Natchez, Mississippi in the 1930's of a wealthy elite by a group the unfortunate.

The author comes right out in the beginning of the book to explain that she is going to do something that has really not been done before. She plans on telling the story of the Murder of Jennie Merrill to include information on the woman that was convicted of her murder, Emily Burns. Cox feels because Emily Burns was a black woman that she never faced fair treatment, in the court room and even in the accounts of the murder. Cox does give us a fair share of Emily Burns, however I still found the book to be more about Octavia Dockery and Richard Dana. Dockery and Dana were the owners of "Goat Castle," the neighbors of Jennie Merrill, and also implicated in her murder. Dockery and Dana become quite famous out of the ordeal and their unusual lifestyle becomes the lure. This book is no different.

Cox starts the book off well enough, giving detailed backgrounds and family accounts of each of the people involved and the murder victim herself. She then switches to the investigations of Dockery and Dana, then Burns. The real problem I had with this book was at about Chapter 8, the book starts to repeat itself. Cox repeats the story of Dockery and Dana but then adds newspaper bits and details to things she's already mentioned. Why it wasn't just incorporated into the regular text, I don't know. This came about the time I was making the realization that Cox did not depend on random filler material to make her book longer. She expertly puts just enough background information to feed the reader what they need. She continues to repeat herself for the remainder of the book, even while adding new information. For example, she tells us of Dockery's lawsuit against the Sheriff, and then starts the next section with a quote from the Sheriff mentioning that Dockery had filed a lawsuit. It's a shame, I really thought this book was going well until that point.

[Bill reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Octavia Dockery and Dick Dana were the inhabitants of the house which was given its' name due to the fact that, in addition to goats roaming throughout, the "castle" was also the home of pigs, chickens and various other farm animals. A photograph proved the "Wild Man" and" Goat Woman" labels to be the correct description of the pair. Dana had an uncanny resemblance to the serial killer, Otis Toole.
The pair of misfits lived next door to Jennie Merrill, a wealthy recluse who lived alone in splendor. Their menagerie of pets had the habit of wandering onto Ms. Merrill's property and causing damage to her land. The Hatfield and McCoy atmosphere led to a sudden death by gunshot for the unfortunate spinster.
Emily Burns was a Black woman who lived nearby and her married boyfriend, George Pearls, was a poor choice by the young woman. His wife lived in Chicago and lover boy made his way to Natchez, Mississippi during the Jim Crow South days of 1932. Shortly after the death of Jennie Merrill, Burns was questioned over the course of several days and when she was threatened with bullwhip, confessed to being present at the crime scene.
Burns was convicted by the jury in under thirty minutes and although fingerprints were matched to Dockery and Dana, they never faced justice. Emily Burns was sentenced to life in prison and picked cotton for a time and later worked at as a seamstress in sweatshop conditions. The Goat Castle became a tourist attraction and the book captures the post Civil War South with a keen eye for detail.

[Mariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting true crime since it was as much about a murder as it was about the Jim Crow south and the unjust way blacks were treated in the southern court system.

The cast of characters in this story include a reclusive southern socialite living in a antebellum home, her crazy and eccentric neighbors that live next door in a crumbling mansion with no plumbing or electricity and it is teeming with goats and other livestock. Conflict ensues when the livestock are constantly tearing up the neighbor’s property. Police are called to mediate dozens of times.

Then there is the black woman, who along with her boyfriend, get charged with the murder. Who was really responsible? Was it a robbery gone bad or revenge by the crazy neighbors? The southern courts at that time looked for black perpetrators rather than charge white people with crimes.

The crazy ones ended up being nationally famous and their falling down mansion full of goats became a tourist destination. Truth is stranger than fiction.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly written by a historian, but the story itself is fascinating enough to pull the reader along. Basically, it's the story of how two "odd" people squatting, with goats and other animals, in a filthy, run-down antebellum mansion in Natchez, Mississippi, got away with the murder of their neighbor. And about the unfortunate young black woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, because of a man, and ended up paying the price for that same murder.

Interesting looks at the mores and social structure of the South in the lean years of the Depression. Bottom line: No matter what the national economy, rich people are gonna be rich and poor people are gonna be poor. And justice is always a moving target.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I really enjoyed this book. Not only was it a wonderful telling of a true crime, but it was also a wonderful social history of the decline of the old south and how despite being freedmen, negro's still found themselves no better off than before the civil war. In august 1932 Jeannie Merrill was shot and killed during a robbery. 3 people were charged with her murder, but 2 whites walked free while the third, a black woman, was sentenced to life in prison. Cox skillfully shows how even so many years after the civil war one law still existed for the privilege whites while there was no law and no rights for blacks. This was an absolutely fascinating read.

[Erika Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the epilogue, "And yet Goat Castle is worth remembering for what it tells us about America in the 1930s. It reveals the public’s fascination with the gothic South alongside the romance of the Old South. It provides a window onto crime stories of the decade, as well as onto southern race relations, Jim Crow, and the narrative of southern civilization in decline. Finally, it reminds us of the importance of Natchez, a town older than the nation itself and a place whose history runs as deep as the Mississippi River along which it sits" (p.175).

[KayG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this on my to read list since hearing the author speak at the Mississippi Book Festival a few years ago. I’m glad my Mississippi Book club chose it so that I finally got around to it. And as my friend, Virginia, pointed out during our Zoom, truth is often stranger than fiction.

In 1932, a wealthy recluse, the daughter of a former Belgian ambassador, was murdered in Natchez. Evidence pointed to two eccentric neighbors who squatted in the nearby Goat House, named because goats were allowed to occupy the mansion, which as you might expect, was in a deplorable rundown condition.

The case became a news sensation, and despite substantial evidence, the eccentrics got off. Instead a young black woman who was at the scene of the crime but not a participant, went to Parchman Penitentiary for life.

The book was thoroughly researched with the history of the families, many details of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and a personal look at the treatment of Blacks during the Jim Crow era. This is a wonderful book for those of you interested in the history of the South.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird enough to be worthwhile.

[D. Wickles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting and entertaining.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this murder in Natchez in 1932 captured America's attention, with slightly bizarre and reclusive characters at the center. The story featured the decline of past Southern aristocracy, with crumbling mansions, one of which was open to the local goat population, and an aging Southern belle who is murdered Rascist prejudices permeate the story, with probable white perpetrators going scot free, while a hapless Black accomplice does hard time. Unfortunately, the story does not have the same cachet today and is merely a curiosity, unfortunately, without revealing much that adds to an understanding of today's sad issues.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, with solid reporting and commentary, but not great.

[Jeff Jellets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, failing southern aristocracy, crumbling mansions, eccentric recluses, bigotry and goats.

When I first moved to south Georgia, a buddy of mine took me on a winding backroad. You gotta see this, he told me and, as we twisted around a turn, we saw a large southern mansion … crumbling. One of the pillars of the ornate front portico had fallen and lay on its side, rusting junk and other debris cluttered a small yard, windows were broken, the paint had peeled into flakes showing grey wood underneath, an old man burnt trash in barrel. It was a surreal sight, a macabre mansion gone to seedy decay, and while you couldn’t be completely sympathetic – the house was after all built on the suffering of slaves – there was an eerie tragedy to it. World abandoned.

In Goat Castle, historian Karen L. Cox plucks a similar mansion out of obscurity – a wealthy plantation home so fallen into ruin that goats and other livestock roamed its grand parlors, bedrooms and suites. Living alongside the animals, an odd couple -- the strange final fruit of a formerly genteel southern line -- who help plot the robbery and murder of their next-door neighbor. It’s a true crime southern gothic, excellently told by Cox, who does an amazing job of capturing the crime and the garish sideshow of ‘Goat Castle’ that follows. And while – as then, it is now – you come to the book for the odd spectacle of the goats in a king’s castle, Cox captures with just as much detail the fate of the poor Emily Burns and other African-Americans implicated in the crime. Charged and punished for the murder (while the master and mistress of Goat Castle enriched themselves on the notoriety of the dark deed), Cox peels away the double-standard of justice in Jim Crow South.

Verdict: I love good local history and Cox’s true tale of the murder ‘next-door’ to Goat Castle is compelling reading. While capturing all the details of the dirty deed, it’s Cox’s ability to dissect the post-Civil War psychology of the South and the continued struggles of African-Americans there that makes this book much more than just a lurid tale of ‘true crime.’ This is history in a bottle that richly captures the essence of the age between its pages. I loved it (and the reading experience is only made all the better by a great gallery of photos).

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book at the behest of my mentor, a historian. He recommended the text knowing my love of all things Southern Gothic. I perused the teaser and was immediately hooked. As a former student of history, I know how devastatingly dry historical texts can be. Slogging through pages of primary and secondary sources is grueling. However, I did not find myself plodding through Karen L. Cox’s book. In fact, I was engaged the whole time I read it. I find this to be true because this is not a standard nor typical history book. ,Goat Castle is history sensationalized. The book is daring and captivating where often secondary sources fail to achieve that feat. There is also a glaring problem with Cox’s choice to present her research this way.

The author makes clear from the starting point of her book that intrigue and shock are the main themes. Sure, there are subthemes such as race, class divide, and the gothic; but her overarching message is reminiscent of penny dreadful headlines. Cox liberally inserts assumptive language for the cast of historical figures. For example, as Octavia, Pink, Sister, and Dick are carrying out their sordid plan (really, the plan being Octavia’s), Cox asserts that, “They wanted the old biddy’s money” (Cox 63). This language smacks of zhuzhing up a historical recount to grasp the reader’s attention. I certainly do not blame Cox for taking these liberties. Interesting and exciting verbiage sells. But I question the validity of her research when she does this. That is a glaring complaint I have with Goat Castle. The facts are interesting enough presented as they are. There is no need to glamourize. As well, Cox loves the word “voyeur” and all its iterations. No seriously. She uses that word every chance she gets.

I also have a problem with the way she presented Emily Burns as the “strong black woman” trope narrative. She creates a trope out of Burns’ unfair persecution resulting in a two-dimensional presentation of the woman. Obviously, Burns’ endured more than any of us could imagine. She was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned losing eight years and some change of her life. But Burns’ was more than her conviction and response to it. She was a human with a range of emotions and thoughts beyond the confused and enduring that Cox insists upon painting her as. We received a multifaceted presentation of the white “characters” while not being given the same treatment for the black ones. I recognize there could be a lack of sources that caused this phenomenon, but Cox takes liberties with her research every chance she gets so there’s little excuse. I think that overall, Cox should have focused more on the race aspects of her book than she did. She has race as a main theme in her title but doesn’t prove successful in her analysis of this theme.

The book is fine. It is not necessarily the best historical work that I have ever read nor is it the worst. There was serious repetition in information given making me think there was a lack of overall source material for a full book. This happens sometimes in historical studies. I commend her for taking on this topic. My wish is that she would have pursued a different angle. 3.5 stars is what I give the work.

[ivelived1000lives · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, let me say that it feels like this book was written for me. Southern setting, check. True crime, check. Crazy true story, check.
And after the first few chapters, I was pretty sure I would rate it 5 stars. Indeed, this book deserves a lot of praise for its ability to use a little known (at least to me) true crime story to shed light on a variety of deeper subjects, most notably the crumbling of the Southern romantic aura and race relations in the Jim Crow South. The author performs an important service by telling the story of the black characters embroiled in the case, most notably Emily Burns, who paid the price for having the wrong skin color in the wrong place at the wrong time, while obviously guilty white people got away with pretty much anything. The injustice of the proceedings and the revolting difference of treatment between the white and black defendants is disgusting and elicits gut-wrenching reactions.
It is, like I said, an eye-opening and necessary narrative, but unfortunately I found this part of the book (about the investigation and the trials) dry-written and slightly boring. It felt repetitive and confusing with so many names to remember. I will give credit where credit is due and recognize the stellar research work that was conducted.
The author makes a point of not focusing her story on the freak show atmosphere of Goat Castle and the, shall we say, eccentric characters inhabiting it, as all other authors writing about it before her did. I understand her process and it's laudable. Nonetheless, the parts that really interested me were precisely those parts, which brought Grey Gardens to mind frequently (and I do love my Grey Gardens). I have no doubt that I would have been one of those people who made the trip just to see the place for themselves. As a fan of unusual/creepy/abandoned places, I loved the descriptions and pictures of the place, and the way they read like a metaphor of Southern decay.
I am really glad I read this book, but at 175 pages it felt like reading twice as much. It loses two stars not to the content, but the form.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great book to read this month. It reminded me that no matter how much I push the boundaries of probability with writing, TRUTH IS STILL STRANGER THAN FICTION! Seriously, I could not make this stuff up.

A faded Southern belle murdered during a home invasion, planned by a couple who live in a house full of goat crap?? Who would imagine that? And then to have them get away with the crime, but a random Black woman have it pinned on her? OK, actually, that sounds completely believable. Sad, but true. 

As crazy as the plot is, the writer was constrained by what actually happened. I think where she excels is in building a picture of the characters involved. I felt so angry and sad for Emily Burns, the woman chosen to be the scapegoat for the crime. The sheriff never believed she had done it, but after the local police forced a confession from her, his hands were tied. Even then, she had to go to trial, but of course she couldn't afford a strong defense, so she was found guilty by a local jury. The sheriff figured he was lucky to avoid a lynch mob, but Burns served 8 years for a crime she didn't commit.

[Marissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The subject really is interesting, but I'm not sure it ended up warranting a whole book, even a short one.

I felt like there was a lot of detail about peripheral characters just to add pages and not really enough about main characters. The author repeats facts and herself often, and I found some of her timeline to be confusing.

A decent read, but not great.

[Tracy Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This would have made a good magazine article. There really wasn't enough there for a whole book.

[Karen Germain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to University of North Carolina Press for providing me with an advance copy of Karen L. Cox's book, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Historian and author, Karen L. Cox, explores the sensational true-crime case of Jennie Merrill, who was murdered in Natchez, Mississippi in 1932.

LIKE- Although I had never heard of the Jennie Merrill murder case, this was one of the top news stories during the Great Depression. One of the primary reasons that Merrill's murder captivated America, and one of the big reasons that this book was so fascinating, is the bizarre and colorful characters that were involved.

Merrill was a rich, recluse who lived in a mansion and aside from necessary trips to town and work-staff, she only socialized with her cousin, who was in love with her and lived in a nearby house. They were both older and there was gossip that they may have even secretly wed. Merrill was murdered in a robbery gone wrong and several people were involved.

Two of the suspects were Merrill's next door neighbors, Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery. They were essentially squatting in a crumbing mansion, where animals like goats and chickens freely roamed the rooms. The house should have been condemned, it was filled with vermin, mold and rotting animals. Dana and Dockery were eccentrics and went by the monikers; Mountain Man and Goat Woman. They had previous court dealings with Merrill over their goats destroying her property and there was zero love between neighbors.

Along with Dana and Dockery, George Pearls and Emily Burns were at the scene of the crime. Pearls was an African-American man who had recently returned to his hometown of Natchez, after having trouble finding a job up North. He quickly began a relationship with Burns, a local domestic, who became involved with the robbery/murder, after Pearls picked her up, giving her the impression that he was taking her on a date.

Burns ended up being the only person to serve time for Merrill's murder, even though she was the least involved of the four. Pearls ran away up North and although he was convicted for his involvement, he was presumed dead and didn't serve time. Dana and Dockery were initially jailed as suspects, but were set free, even though the evidence was against them. It's very likely that being white is what allowed them to escape, especially since lawyers were able to pin the crime on Burns. At that time in Natchez, they law held that if you were involved with a murder, whether or not you committed the actual crime, you were equally guilty by association. Burns served eight years of hard labor of a life sentence, a sentence that was overturned by a government official who decided to show her mercy and set her free for time served. It was very clear that Burns did not plan the crime and her guilt was one by association and for standing-by while the crime took place.

The craziest part of the story involved Dana and Dockery. When they were released, they capitalized on the fame of their story and started giving tours of their home. They had zero shame and hammed up their eccentricities, giving the public what they expected. Their living conditions shocked the nation. Although they were still technically squatters, Dana and Dockery did nothing to pay rent or use the money to fix up their home. They also had several different lawsuits for various matters, always trying to squeeze money from somewhere. They both died years after Merrill, still living at Goat Castle. The actual owners of the property were never able to evict them and when they were dead, Goat Castle was demolished.

DISLIKE- The pacing was slow. I found the second half of the story to be more compelling than the first. It took me longer to read Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, than it should have, simply because of the pacing.

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you're a fan of American history or true crime, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, is a great pick.. The story is outrageous and filled with fascinating characters. Although this happened in the 1930's, it's unfortunate to note that justice/incarceration issues for African-Americans in this country, has not changed much. The Goat Castle case remains relevant with regard to the treatment of race in America. 

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[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and its publisher, The University of North Carolina Press.

The setting was in Natchez, Mississippi after the Civil War. The murder of Jennie Merrill, a descendent of a southern plantation aristocrat, is the center of the story. However, also relevant is the treatment of blacks and an inequitable judicial system. “The only person to actually stand trial for Jennie Merrill’s murder was an African American domestic named Emily Burns.” “Emily was presumed guilty because of her race, whether or not she pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Jennie Merrill.”

“Emily’s family history was woven into the fabric of American slavery on her mother’s side, too.” It shows a “mass exodus of African Americans in the Great Migration, relocating to northern cities in search of jobs and the promise of personal freedom.” Specific to Natchez: “When the civil War ended, the state’s black population stood at 55 percent of the entire whole – in Adams County it was closer to 70 percent – and white Mississippians were hardly willing to accept the idea of former slaves circulating among them freely.”

Jennie’s eccentric neighbors, Dick Dana (Wild Man) and Octavia Dockery (Goat Woman), reside in Glenwood, which is “ankle-deep in filth and overrun with animals … especially goats.” Hence, Glenwood’s nickname was “Goat Castle”. Constant legal action occurred between these two neighbors for animals, including goats, causing damage to Merrill’s property. Although Dick and Octavia were initially arrested for Jennie’s murder, they were released and never tried. The investigation for this crime was not thoroughly conducted at the time.

This book has a tendency to ebb and flow in a captivating story. It is apparent a great deal of research went into this true story. The reader gains a clear understanding of each character and their lives at that time. The book includes “historical lessons on how the South’s culture changed, including the conditions that contributed to Jennie Merrill’s death and led to Emily Burns’s incarceration. At the center of the story is Natchez – a character in its own right.” While I enjoyed the true story, the delivery, at times, became repetitive. If you are a reader who enjoys history and a straight forward delivery, this could be a book for you.

[Dave Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth really is stranger than fiction, not sure this would be believable as a novel but it's a true story that hooks you early on. The event being looked into is the the murder of a daughter to one of the richest men in America back in the early 1930s in the deep south when slavery had been abolished but not attitudes. The Goat Castle case as it got named was national news for a long time partly because of the victim and partly due to the characters that would be considered to far fetch to believe even in a Charlie Chaplin film or Laurel and Hardy at times, only this is definitely not a comedy but a true event. Karen Cox has dug deep done her research and some more to bring us this book a true story where she introduces the people then the facts of the case. Your innocence was more defined by skin than fact, a lady or the Goat Lady as she becomes known is born well before her time she would probably be a PR or Jounalist of incredible renown today, but definitely not a hotel owner or house keeper. This book did take a little getting into but you do need the start to what becomes a incredible book that is almost impossible to put down, I guess innocence even today is viewed by what you see and what you believe but this goes deep into attitudes of the time where the guilty are treated differently because of skin rather than fact, At the time the facts would be that a prisoner could be set free because the public out cry generated by press as opposed to now where Social Media tends to direct people, how ever now a smart attorney can sometimes get a guilty person freedom, and you will see this isn't a new phenomenon. This is a book I highly recommend one of which you will not find else where another that is truly alike in my opinion.
I received a free copy of this from NetGalley for a honest review.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prior to reading Goat Castle , I had never heard of the "Goat Caste" or the murder of Jennie Merrill which was said to be the Crime of the Century. I love stories about history and this one was a great read.

Reading this without knowing anything about it made it very interesting. We learn about the murder of Jennie Merrill. She was shot, killed and her home was ransacked. Her body was found on the grounds outside her house where the murderer(s) pulled and left her body. One's race became an issue when it came to determining the "who done it" of a crime. If you were a person of color you were presumed guilty whether or not you were involved in the crime but you simply were around or knew something about the crime.

One of the suspects, Emily Burns, was placed on trial and her defense knowing about the crime was she said she received information from reading newspapers and that she did not participate in the crime. Race also impacted the jurors verdict, they were "persuaded to find guilty even if the evidence point to not guilty."

There were pictures throughout the book that made it interesting to read. Seeing pictures of the people involved was nice to have a face to the name. Also, I was surprised of some of the living conditions during this time.

The book ,at first, was a little slow paced for me, but as I was reading I was able to stick with it and enjoyed it. I am happy that I was given the opportunity to read Goat Castle , I learned about a part of history that I had not known about before.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, a professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, delved back into a crime committed in 1932. She found it a specifically interesting topic because the case offers a historical lesson on how the South's culture has changed since that time. It also involves a derelict antebellum mansion so fallen into disrepair, it is hard to believe two people actually lived in the filth accumulated in the home from the goats and other livestock living in the home alongside the human residents. The people living in this squalor were Octavia Dockery and Dick Dana.They constantly feuded with their neighbor Jennie Merrill. Jennie would become incensed at her neighbors for the damage their goats did to her property. One night, Jennie was murdered. The city of Natchez, Mississippi was suddenly on high alert. The townspeople wanted justice quickly. In the Jim Crow South, justice for murder of white woman usually meant the conviction of a black person. Even though many signs pointed to their guilt. In fact, the twosome profited from their notoriety by charging a fee for people to tour "goat castle." A young black woman named Emily Burns, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Eight years after her sentencing, the governor of Mississippi released her.
This book was quite interesting and enlightening. It was sad how are black brothers and sisters were not accorded to same rights and privileges as white citizens.