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The Castleton Massacre: Survivors’ Stories of the Killins Femicide
A GLOBE AND MAIL TOP 100 BEST BOOKS OF 2022 • BRASS KNUCKLES AWARD FOR BEST NONFICTION CRIME BOOK 2023 FINALIST
A former United Church minister massacres his family. What led to this act of femicide, and why were his victims forgotten?
On May 2, 1963, Robert Killins, a former United Church minister, slaughtered every woman in his family but one. She (and her brother) lived to tell the story of what motivated a talented man who had been widely admired, a scholar and graduate from Queen’s University, to stalk and terrorize the women in his family for almost twenty years and then murder them.
Through extensive oral histories, Cook and Carson painstakingly trace the causes of a femicide in which four women and two unborn babies were murdered over the course of one bloody evening. While they situate this murderous rampage in the literature on domestic abuse and mass murders, they also explore how the two traumatized child survivors found their way back to health and happiness. Told through vivid first-person accounts, this family memoir explores how a murderer was created.
A former United Church minister massacres his family. What led to this act of femicide, and why were his victims forgotten?
On May 2, 1963, Robert Killins, a former United Church minister, slaughtered every woman in his family but one. She (and her brother) lived to tell the story of what motivated a talented man who had been widely admired, a scholar and graduate from Queen’s University, to stalk and terrorize the women in his family for almost twenty years and then murder them.
Through extensive oral histories, Cook and Carson painstakingly trace the causes of a femicide in which four women and two unborn babies were murdered over the course of one bloody evening. While they situate this murderous rampage in the literature on domestic abuse and mass murders, they also explore how the two traumatized child survivors found their way back to health and happiness. Told through vivid first-person accounts, this family memoir explores how a murderer was created.
304 pages, Paperback
Published August 23, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
May 26, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for an advance copy of this shocking true account of a mass murder in Ontario in 1963. This was written after meticulous research by the killer's niece, Sharon, and a survivor, Margaret, who was present during the slaughter, witnessing the murder of her pregnant mother and managed to hide and escape. The two girls were brought up together along with Margaret's traumatized brother, Brian. The two women reconstructed the murders as well as possible after all this time from their own memories and by interviewing living family members and witnesses.
There seemed to be a history of dysfunctional families. There were many names and family relationships to sort out, and a listing of these would have avoided some confusion initially. Still, I managed to sort them out with some concentration and effort. I thought the first part of the book to be somewhat disjointed and repetitious, but it was very concise, well-written, and terrifying when the massacre was recounted. The book also addresses many important issues, such as violence against women, a plea that abuse within families needs to be better managed, and the roots of mass murder and femicide, depression, and gun ownership. Thre is still a lack of help for the victims of violence, especially women and children who have PTSD, and their rehabilitation. These issues are better known than in 1960, but more must be done.
Robert Killin was considered a brilliant, scholarly man but a bit odd. He graduated from Queens University and became a United Church Minister. He had no real religious calling, neglected church duties that didn't interest him, and failed to get along with the parishioners. He married a young girl, Florence, and they had a daughter, Pearl. Robert was authoritarian and was suspected of abusing Florence. She finally left Robert, who refused her a divorce. She moved in with a much older lawyer, A. D. Hall. They had the makings of a happy relationship, but Robert continued to stalk and terrorize the family unmercifully for almost 20 years. The couple with Robert's daughter, Pearl, and now Florence and Hall's three younger children moved often, but Robert consistently tracked them down. Robert built rough shacks that he lived in near the family homes. He insisted on coming into their house to visit Pearl, whom he regarded as a possession. When the teenage Pearl started dating, he would follow them, beating the boy and injuring Pearl.
Over the years, Robert's behaviour and appearance deteriorated to the point that it was apparent to some people in the community that he was abusive, mentally ill and probably dangerous. He became filthy and ragged and was often observed carrying a gun. He would scream at anyone who dared try to argue with him. Robert often used profane language. However, many still regarded him as a righteous man, a former minister, and Florence probably deserved his wrath for her unmarried relationship. Florence and Pearl no longer had Hall to protect them as Hall had died.
The slaughter all occurred in a single night of terror. Robert killed his sister, Gladys, a retired teacher and artist. Then he murdered his estranged wife, Florence, and her youngest child, Patsy, age 6. He proceeded to kill his daughter, Pearl next. Florence and Pearl were both pregnant at the time. Florence's children, Margaret and Brian, managed to escape to neighbours, and the police were called. Florence's new man, Tom Major, Pearl's husband Fred Campbell, and Peter Miller, a 20-year-old teacher, all tried to stop the carnage. All three ended up in hospital with serious injuries. Both Margaret(age 12) and her brother Brian (age 10) were taken to the hospital on the same night. They suffered from shock and had minor wounds. Robert died in the same hospital following his violent rampage.
It was a long process in recovery for Margaret and Brian. They lived with Robert's kindly brother and his wife. The book addresses critical social, health and legal issues that have not been fully understood or solved.
There seemed to be a history of dysfunctional families. There were many names and family relationships to sort out, and a listing of these would have avoided some confusion initially. Still, I managed to sort them out with some concentration and effort. I thought the first part of the book to be somewhat disjointed and repetitious, but it was very concise, well-written, and terrifying when the massacre was recounted. The book also addresses many important issues, such as violence against women, a plea that abuse within families needs to be better managed, and the roots of mass murder and femicide, depression, and gun ownership. Thre is still a lack of help for the victims of violence, especially women and children who have PTSD, and their rehabilitation. These issues are better known than in 1960, but more must be done.
Robert Killin was considered a brilliant, scholarly man but a bit odd. He graduated from Queens University and became a United Church Minister. He had no real religious calling, neglected church duties that didn't interest him, and failed to get along with the parishioners. He married a young girl, Florence, and they had a daughter, Pearl. Robert was authoritarian and was suspected of abusing Florence. She finally left Robert, who refused her a divorce. She moved in with a much older lawyer, A. D. Hall. They had the makings of a happy relationship, but Robert continued to stalk and terrorize the family unmercifully for almost 20 years. The couple with Robert's daughter, Pearl, and now Florence and Hall's three younger children moved often, but Robert consistently tracked them down. Robert built rough shacks that he lived in near the family homes. He insisted on coming into their house to visit Pearl, whom he regarded as a possession. When the teenage Pearl started dating, he would follow them, beating the boy and injuring Pearl.
Over the years, Robert's behaviour and appearance deteriorated to the point that it was apparent to some people in the community that he was abusive, mentally ill and probably dangerous. He became filthy and ragged and was often observed carrying a gun. He would scream at anyone who dared try to argue with him. Robert often used profane language. However, many still regarded him as a righteous man, a former minister, and Florence probably deserved his wrath for her unmarried relationship. Florence and Pearl no longer had Hall to protect them as Hall had died.
The slaughter all occurred in a single night of terror. Robert killed his sister, Gladys, a retired teacher and artist. Then he murdered his estranged wife, Florence, and her youngest child, Patsy, age 6. He proceeded to kill his daughter, Pearl next. Florence and Pearl were both pregnant at the time. Florence's children, Margaret and Brian, managed to escape to neighbours, and the police were called. Florence's new man, Tom Major, Pearl's husband Fred Campbell, and Peter Miller, a 20-year-old teacher, all tried to stop the carnage. All three ended up in hospital with serious injuries. Both Margaret(age 12) and her brother Brian (age 10) were taken to the hospital on the same night. They suffered from shock and had minor wounds. Robert died in the same hospital following his violent rampage.
It was a long process in recovery for Margaret and Brian. They lived with Robert's kindly brother and his wife. The book addresses critical social, health and legal issues that have not been fully understood or solved.
March 12, 2023
2.5 stars
“Families are complex structures: they have an internal history that is understood only by its members, and often understood differently by each individual member.”
This book shares a pieced together timeline leading up to and after the 1963 femicide in Castleton, Ontario by Robert Killins. He murdered four women and two unborn babies in his extended family. This book was written by one of the survivors, Margaret, and her cousin, Sharon Anne, who became like a sister to her after this devastating event.
This horrific time in Canadian history is something I knew nothing about. I found it very interesting to read about local cities and towns nearby — Niagara Falls, Fonthill, Welland. I learned a lot and am thankful to know about this devastating event as it gives a voice to the victims. Not only does this book give voice to the victims in this particular family but it gives a voice to the countless victims of domestic abuse who had no community support at this time in our history. This is one of my greatest takeaways — that women suffering in domestic abuse situations in the 1950’s and 1960’s had no community support options unless they had a supportive extended family to recognize and help.
This book was tedious in detail, especially hypothetical detail which took away from the strength of the story. There was a lot of “it is thought that…”, “it is likely that…”, etc. which wasn’t convincing and made the book less impactful as a whole. I felt the book was bogged down with too much background detail that didn’t flow well into the main story. I found myself lost in this detail several times.
Overall, I am grateful to have learned about this part of Canadian history but I didn’t find myself invested or connected to the book. I feel it could have been edited further to create more flow as it read more like a history textbook rather than true-crime.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
“Families are complex structures: they have an internal history that is understood only by its members, and often understood differently by each individual member.”
This book shares a pieced together timeline leading up to and after the 1963 femicide in Castleton, Ontario by Robert Killins. He murdered four women and two unborn babies in his extended family. This book was written by one of the survivors, Margaret, and her cousin, Sharon Anne, who became like a sister to her after this devastating event.
This horrific time in Canadian history is something I knew nothing about. I found it very interesting to read about local cities and towns nearby — Niagara Falls, Fonthill, Welland. I learned a lot and am thankful to know about this devastating event as it gives a voice to the victims. Not only does this book give voice to the victims in this particular family but it gives a voice to the countless victims of domestic abuse who had no community support at this time in our history. This is one of my greatest takeaways — that women suffering in domestic abuse situations in the 1950’s and 1960’s had no community support options unless they had a supportive extended family to recognize and help.
This book was tedious in detail, especially hypothetical detail which took away from the strength of the story. There was a lot of “it is thought that…”, “it is likely that…”, etc. which wasn’t convincing and made the book less impactful as a whole. I felt the book was bogged down with too much background detail that didn’t flow well into the main story. I found myself lost in this detail several times.
Overall, I am grateful to have learned about this part of Canadian history but I didn’t find myself invested or connected to the book. I feel it could have been edited further to create more flow as it read more like a history textbook rather than true-crime.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
May 17, 2022
In 1963, a former minister, long separated from his wife, went on a rampage and murdered four people, two of whom were pregnant. Now one of the survivors of the massacre and her cousin have put together the story of what happened.
I have never heard of this case before, but picked up this book because of the identities of the authors – one is the niece of the murderer, and one the daughter of one of the victims, but they were raised together and I was curious about how this situation came to be, and how they felt about it. The Castleton Massacre does not disappoint.
The writing is lucid, the case well-researched, and the authors do not fall into the trap of presuming that their readers are familiar with their family lore. The book discusses themes of family, relationships, mental illness, and obsession in interesting ways, and traces back the origins of the families and how their actions were shaped by their backgrounds.
However, I did think the evidence was occasionally thin on the ground – for example, the authors discuss how Robert Killins was abusive toward Florence, his wife, when they were still together, but do not provide any specific instances of this, though I understand this may be because that evidence just isn’t accessible so many years on. Similarly, Killins’s deterioration after Florence and Pearl leave him is mostly off the page.
Overall, a fascinating and personal read about mass murder, told with a nuanced view.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I have never heard of this case before, but picked up this book because of the identities of the authors – one is the niece of the murderer, and one the daughter of one of the victims, but they were raised together and I was curious about how this situation came to be, and how they felt about it. The Castleton Massacre does not disappoint.
The writing is lucid, the case well-researched, and the authors do not fall into the trap of presuming that their readers are familiar with their family lore. The book discusses themes of family, relationships, mental illness, and obsession in interesting ways, and traces back the origins of the families and how their actions were shaped by their backgrounds.
However, I did think the evidence was occasionally thin on the ground – for example, the authors discuss how Robert Killins was abusive toward Florence, his wife, when they were still together, but do not provide any specific instances of this, though I understand this may be because that evidence just isn’t accessible so many years on. Similarly, Killins’s deterioration after Florence and Pearl leave him is mostly off the page.
Overall, a fascinating and personal read about mass murder, told with a nuanced view.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
April 16, 2022
What are the odds of a family murderer being named Killins? This is a well written look at the story of a rural Canadian mass murderer. A chilling true crime read. He tormented and murdered his long-estranged wife Florence and his daughter Pearl, who were both pregnant at the time. Pearl was his only child, now grown and expecting her first baby. Florence had been trying to get a divorce for twenty plus years, but Killins refused to give her one. She went on to have more children with her next life partner, A.D. Hall, they were Brian, 10, Margaret, 12 and Patsy, 6. Killins’ hatred filled rampage included murdering his only sister, Gladys. He also managed to kill his wife’s youngest child by A.D. Hall, Patsy. The other two children by Hall managed to survive.
There were several others who were injured while trying to intervene, among them were Florence’s current beau, Tom Major; and Killins’ son-in-law Fred Campbell. The most badly injured man was Peter Miller, a twenty year old teacher. This happened in the early 1960s when men were not held accountable for many cases of domestic violence. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There were several others who were injured while trying to intervene, among them were Florence’s current beau, Tom Major; and Killins’ son-in-law Fred Campbell. The most badly injured man was Peter Miller, a twenty year old teacher. This happened in the early 1960s when men were not held accountable for many cases of domestic violence. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2022
The Castleton Massacre is a true crime novel, but seems to read more like a family memoir.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Dundurn Press and of course the authors, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis:
On May 2, 1963 Robert Killins, a former United Church minister and graduate from Queen's University, killed his sister Gladys, his estranged wife Florence and her unborn child, his daughter Pearl and her unborn child, and Florence's youngest child Patsy. Others were seriously injured.
Daughter Margaret (Peggy) and son Brian survived.
Robert Killins had stalked and terrorized Florence, Pearl and the entire family for almost 20 years. Then he murdered them.
My Opinions:
First, this is a really sad tale of a woman who could not escape her abusive husband. Florence tried to move on, but Robert had so many rights in this time period, that escape was almost impossible.
Unfortunately, this book didn't do much for me. There was so much information that I felt was unnecessary to the narrative. I often felt like I was reading a history textbook (and there were a lot of statistics quoted). While trying to set the stage for the crime, so much time was spent on the past, that it ended up being quite boring. Topics that seemed extensive, and didn't really relate to the murder included: farm-steading in Alberta, the United Church of Canada, the art scene in Ontario, Passchendaele. There was also a lot of information on Gladys and Harold that was unnecessary. I felt that there was just so much "filler" in the book, that I often wanted to quit reading.
I also felt that although only women were killed, it wasn't really a femicide, because he tried to kill the men as well. I definitely agree with the term massacre. I also agree that Robert was obsessed with Florence and Pearl, and that stalking to the point of building shacks on their property was over-the-top. The authors tried to explain how "stalking" wasn't even in our vocabulary in that era, and the police could do nothing....not that they were ever consulted.
Although in a convoluted way, we did learn a lot about Robert, and it was interesting. Robert had struggled with university, partly due to his inability to exercise self-discipline, lack of social skills, and strong biases. He hated Germans, Roman Catholics, and people of colour (he even joined the Ku Klux Klan). His anger often exploded into screaming and temper tantrums, even as he grew older. He was unwilling and unable to interact with others, intolerant, combative, and his ego knew no bounds. He could, however, be loyal and kind to his family. I'm still not sure if mental illness was the sole reason behind the murders.
I definitely enjoyed reading about Margaret and Brian, and how they survived.
So, overall, I will probably be in the minority on this one, and it was because I was expecting a true crime novel, and ended up reading a family memoir. No doubt, It was a sad tale, but I found it boring. Sorry.
May 31, 2024
Cook's recounting of events is not only important for the process of memories and survivorance but also because it questions how Canadian history and historians are so comfortable leaving out stories of domestic violence and the failure of systems (police, family structures, communities) in that process.
August 23, 2022
When eighteen-year-old Florence married thirty-one-year-old Robert Killins, she could never have dreamed that it would lead to murder. Although Florence gave birth to a daughter, Pearl, five years into the marriage, the relationship was not a happy one. Robert had always been an odd sort of person, once a United Church minister but unable to settle down in a congregation, he began to behave more & more erratically, including domestic abuse. When Florence eventually fled with Pearl, she met someone else, but Robert refused to grant a divorce. Florence went on to have three children with her new partner, but Robert was always in the picture. He became a relentless stalker of both Florence & their daughter, Pearl.
After almost twenty years, on May 2 1963, Robert's behaviour culminated in the deaths of every female in the family but one. Back then, domestic violence wasn't taken seriously & there were few avenues of escape for women trapped in violent marriages. Even following her death, Florence was initially blamed for provoking her estranged husband by leaving him & starting a new relationship. There were several survivors of that night, including two traumatised children from Florence's second relationship, Brian & Margaret. Through their accounts & those of others who knew the family, the events leading up to that night are recreated in this book.
I thought this was a moving account of a tragic story. Starting with the lives of Robert's parents, the authors take the reader through the early history of the family, to the events of that night, & the aftermath. It was sensitively done, keeping the shocking nature of the murders but not sensationalising them. The authors also look at the wider issues of domestic abuse & divorce in 1960s Canada, & how so many women were trapped, & also the rise of the later term 'femicide' for murders due to misogyny. The fact that the first time the issue of domestic violence was raised in Parliament by a female MP, many of the male MPs hooted & jeered is sickening. Things have improved slightly but women & children around the world still die every day at the hands of those who should care for them.
TW: stalking, violence, domestic abuse, death of a child, death of pregnant women, death of a pet.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Dundurn Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
After almost twenty years, on May 2 1963, Robert's behaviour culminated in the deaths of every female in the family but one. Back then, domestic violence wasn't taken seriously & there were few avenues of escape for women trapped in violent marriages. Even following her death, Florence was initially blamed for provoking her estranged husband by leaving him & starting a new relationship. There were several survivors of that night, including two traumatised children from Florence's second relationship, Brian & Margaret. Through their accounts & those of others who knew the family, the events leading up to that night are recreated in this book.
I thought this was a moving account of a tragic story. Starting with the lives of Robert's parents, the authors take the reader through the early history of the family, to the events of that night, & the aftermath. It was sensitively done, keeping the shocking nature of the murders but not sensationalising them. The authors also look at the wider issues of domestic abuse & divorce in 1960s Canada, & how so many women were trapped, & also the rise of the later term 'femicide' for murders due to misogyny. The fact that the first time the issue of domestic violence was raised in Parliament by a female MP, many of the male MPs hooted & jeered is sickening. Things have improved slightly but women & children around the world still die every day at the hands of those who should care for them.
TW: stalking, violence, domestic abuse, death of a child, death of pregnant women, death of a pet.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Dundurn Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
July 12, 2022
A great Canadian true crime case. Told by one of the survivors and extended family this is a depth look a the Castleton Massacre. Well researched and , logically presented I enjoyed this tragic memoir to their family.
Thank you Dundurn Press for this complimentary copy.
Thank you Dundurn Press for this complimentary copy.
August 14, 2022
4.5 stars
In May 1963, Robert Killins, a very intelligent man and a former United Church minister, murdered his (estranged) wife, his daughter, his sister, and his wife’s youngest daughter. He’d been stalking his wife and daughter for years since wife Florence tried to leave and travelled across the country from B.C. to Ontario to get away. His wife and daughter were both pregnant at the time of the murders. Two more of Florence’s children watched in horror as the murders happened, and were able to get away. They were 12- (Margaret) and 10-years (Brian) old at the time.
The book backs up in time to give a biography of both families – beginning with Robert’s and Florence’s parents, then Robert and Florence and their siblings and everything leading to 1963. It also included a section after the murders where Margaret and Brian came to live with their Uncle Harold and his wife and their youngest daughter (a teenager, the only child still living at home), Sharon, and the two tried to come to terms with what had happened and what they’d witnessed. The last bit of the book also talks about domestic abuse in Canada, in general. Margaret and Sharon are the authors of the book. They undertook a lot of research and got oral histories from many of the people still alive who remember it.
Wow! First a bit of advice – don’t read the chapter that describes the murders close to bedtime! It was terrifying and violent. With one of the authors having been there and the oral histories given by her brother who was also there and a couple of other people who tried to help, all put together, you get an awful feeling of being hunted (as I’m sure both Margaret and Brian felt)! That being said, I am a fan of true crime, and I do like biographies, so all put together, a very very good book. And murders I had never heard of before this.
In May 1963, Robert Killins, a very intelligent man and a former United Church minister, murdered his (estranged) wife, his daughter, his sister, and his wife’s youngest daughter. He’d been stalking his wife and daughter for years since wife Florence tried to leave and travelled across the country from B.C. to Ontario to get away. His wife and daughter were both pregnant at the time of the murders. Two more of Florence’s children watched in horror as the murders happened, and were able to get away. They were 12- (Margaret) and 10-years (Brian) old at the time.
The book backs up in time to give a biography of both families – beginning with Robert’s and Florence’s parents, then Robert and Florence and their siblings and everything leading to 1963. It also included a section after the murders where Margaret and Brian came to live with their Uncle Harold and his wife and their youngest daughter (a teenager, the only child still living at home), Sharon, and the two tried to come to terms with what had happened and what they’d witnessed. The last bit of the book also talks about domestic abuse in Canada, in general. Margaret and Sharon are the authors of the book. They undertook a lot of research and got oral histories from many of the people still alive who remember it.
Wow! First a bit of advice – don’t read the chapter that describes the murders close to bedtime! It was terrifying and violent. With one of the authors having been there and the oral histories given by her brother who was also there and a couple of other people who tried to help, all put together, you get an awful feeling of being hunted (as I’m sure both Margaret and Brian felt)! That being said, I am a fan of true crime, and I do like biographies, so all put together, a very very good book. And murders I had never heard of before this.
May 19, 2023
Let me start by saying that this is far from my typical genre and so I feel my rating should be taken with a grain of salt.
I met the author's daughter and became immediately intrigued by her story. I went out and bought the book the next day. My curiosity was mostly sated, though there were certainly some areas where I would have liked a bit more insight or information. I understand that one of the main holders of knowledge on the situation passed before the book was started, so this is unfortunately not possible (the survivors were 12 and 10 at the time, so there were certainly some adult happenings they wouldn't have been privy too).
I found myself horrifyingly intrigued by this story, and can't seem to grasp the strength it must have taken for Margaret and Brian to not only move past the trauma of the event, but how they were raised in general ( a LOT of moving around [mainly to try and escape an unstable man], living in a cramped office building for 3 years, questions surrounding who their father was [to the point where some of the news articles promoting the book didn't seem to know either]), and being 'outsiders' at their own father's funeral because they were illegitimate children. There was so much trauma present in their lives even before the inciting event the book covers.
I will say I found the book bogged down by a lot of details that felt unnecessary, bordering on irrelevant. Farmsteading in Alberta and history of/statistics for the Church of Canada are two examples. The second half of the book is where the story was and I feel like it should have been this part that comprised the entire book. I wasn't a personal fan of the narrative, a lot of redundant questions were posed throughout that I felt really pulled me from the story. Even the bits about Gladys felt misplaced a lot of the time. Now, having read an interview with the authors, I know that they wanted to give back the voices of the victims, and to do so, they needed to include information about Gladys as well. It just all felt a bit discombobulated.
All that being said, I found the story really interesting and as said above, horrifying. I find psychology quite fascinating, and combine that with the laws and societal norms of the time, it made for one mess of a life for these kids, the victims, and the perpetrator.
I saw one reviewer claim this wasn't really a story of Femicide because Robert tried to kill the men that intervened as well, however, I would counter that, by saying his original plan (from what I can gather from the book) was to kill his sister, ex-wife, her daughter and their shared daughter (but presumably not her son or his son-in-law). Thus, all of his targets (and everyone who died) were female. He only began attacking the men when they interfered. So I would still classify this as Femicide. I do recommend it, as it is the only real source of detailed information on the tragedy.
I met the author's daughter and became immediately intrigued by her story. I went out and bought the book the next day. My curiosity was mostly sated, though there were certainly some areas where I would have liked a bit more insight or information. I understand that one of the main holders of knowledge on the situation passed before the book was started, so this is unfortunately not possible (the survivors were 12 and 10 at the time, so there were certainly some adult happenings they wouldn't have been privy too).
I found myself horrifyingly intrigued by this story, and can't seem to grasp the strength it must have taken for Margaret and Brian to not only move past the trauma of the event, but how they were raised in general ( a LOT of moving around [mainly to try and escape an unstable man], living in a cramped office building for 3 years, questions surrounding who their father was [to the point where some of the news articles promoting the book didn't seem to know either]), and being 'outsiders' at their own father's funeral because they were illegitimate children. There was so much trauma present in their lives even before the inciting event the book covers.
I will say I found the book bogged down by a lot of details that felt unnecessary, bordering on irrelevant. Farmsteading in Alberta and history of/statistics for the Church of Canada are two examples. The second half of the book is where the story was and I feel like it should have been this part that comprised the entire book. I wasn't a personal fan of the narrative, a lot of redundant questions were posed throughout that I felt really pulled me from the story. Even the bits about Gladys felt misplaced a lot of the time. Now, having read an interview with the authors, I know that they wanted to give back the voices of the victims, and to do so, they needed to include information about Gladys as well. It just all felt a bit discombobulated.
All that being said, I found the story really interesting and as said above, horrifying. I find psychology quite fascinating, and combine that with the laws and societal norms of the time, it made for one mess of a life for these kids, the victims, and the perpetrator.
I saw one reviewer claim this wasn't really a story of Femicide because Robert tried to kill the men that intervened as well, however, I would counter that, by saying his original plan (from what I can gather from the book) was to kill his sister, ex-wife, her daughter and their shared daughter (but presumably not her son or his son-in-law). Thus, all of his targets (and everyone who died) were female. He only began attacking the men when they interfered. So I would still classify this as Femicide. I do recommend it, as it is the only real source of detailed information on the tragedy.
April 28, 2022
The Castleton Murders is a book for true crime fans who are looking to read outside of the usual stories. It is a heartbreaking account of a femicide at the hands of an abusive stalker.
I am so impressed by the amount of research that went into writing this book. Family histories are often just passed down through bits and bobs of conversation. To research to this level of detail to publish an account is dedication to making sure that stories like these are not lost to time.
It did feel a little long and sometimes like the information was just too dense, losing the story to statistics and dates.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!
I am so impressed by the amount of research that went into writing this book. Family histories are often just passed down through bits and bobs of conversation. To research to this level of detail to publish an account is dedication to making sure that stories like these are not lost to time.
It did feel a little long and sometimes like the information was just too dense, losing the story to statistics and dates.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!
March 15, 2023
This true crime book about a 1960s-era familicide in which a former United Church minister slaughtered his pregnant estranged wife, her youngest child, his pregnant daughter, and his sister, co-written by the murderer's niece and another daughter of his estranged wife (who was one of his intended victims, but escaped) is a chilling and sobering read. Cook is a historian, with some previous published works on Canadian women's history, but here she turns her attention to her own family tragedy, gathering oral histories from her two cousins who survived the murderous rampage of a clearly disturbed man who stalked his ex-wife and daughter for over a decade. It's depressing to think about how little has likely changed for victims in the intervening decades; while a woman today would be able to divorce and obtain a restraining order against an abusive ex, we still see that few practical measures are taken against men who stalk and harass, women are afraid to leave abusive relationships or take action in case it invites retaliation, and men whose abuse is widely known and well documented are not stopped in their tracks before they commit murders that in hindsight were highly predictable. In the rare cases where women take matters into their own hands and kill their abusers first, the full weight of the law comes down on them, as a recent Canadian case illustrates. The book makes it clear that there is considerable social science available to proactively identify men who are likely to commit these crimes; the question for society now is, what are we going to do about it?
June 3, 2022
Eye opening, shocking, engaging!
I think this is a well written accurate account of a disgusting crime that never should have happened. I believe that the victims have been given a voice in the most respectful & loving of ways possible which is so incredibly important. I live in Ontario and hadn't heard of this heinous crime until I read this book.
This book covers a lot of very important topics such as gun ownership, mental health or mental capacity, stocking & terrorizing, physical & verbal abuse, obsession, domestic violence, family violence, hiding behind religion/people assuming a man of God must be a "good" person (wrong so very wrong in many cases) murder, murdering unborn children & men not really being held accountable for what goes on behind closed doors.
The authors of the novel have put so much time & energy into this book and spent hours upon hours researching & speaking to people gathering information & recollecting their own memories I appreciate the work they have done and appalled the outcome.
I rate this book 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime & also any Canadian who wants to know a bit more about the darker side of our history. It's unfortunate that crimes like this ever happen & I wish that they didn't, I send my sincere apologies to the Surviving members of this family & to their families that they had to endure a tragedy like this and lose loved ones due to someone else's jealousy greed and ignorance. (Jealousy, greed & ignorance are my opinion only as to why Killins committed his crime of 6 murders)
I would like to thank NetGalley & Dundurn Press as well as Sharon Anne Cook & Margaret Carson for the ARC of this book I choose to write this review voluntarily & all opinions expressed in it are my own.
I think this is a well written accurate account of a disgusting crime that never should have happened. I believe that the victims have been given a voice in the most respectful & loving of ways possible which is so incredibly important. I live in Ontario and hadn't heard of this heinous crime until I read this book.
This book covers a lot of very important topics such as gun ownership, mental health or mental capacity, stocking & terrorizing, physical & verbal abuse, obsession, domestic violence, family violence, hiding behind religion/people assuming a man of God must be a "good" person (wrong so very wrong in many cases) murder, murdering unborn children & men not really being held accountable for what goes on behind closed doors.
The authors of the novel have put so much time & energy into this book and spent hours upon hours researching & speaking to people gathering information & recollecting their own memories I appreciate the work they have done and appalled the outcome.
I rate this book 5/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime & also any Canadian who wants to know a bit more about the darker side of our history. It's unfortunate that crimes like this ever happen & I wish that they didn't, I send my sincere apologies to the Surviving members of this family & to their families that they had to endure a tragedy like this and lose loved ones due to someone else's jealousy greed and ignorance. (Jealousy, greed & ignorance are my opinion only as to why Killins committed his crime of 6 murders)
I would like to thank NetGalley & Dundurn Press as well as Sharon Anne Cook & Margaret Carson for the ARC of this book I choose to write this review voluntarily & all opinions expressed in it are my own.
June 25, 2022
True crime - Trigger Warnings: femicide, abuse, domestic violence, stalking
The Castleton Massacre tells the story of the massacre committed by Robert Killins in Ontario, Canada. Robert Killins was a well-educated man who worked as a minister who went on to kill every woman in his family but one on a night in 1963. Sharon Anne Cook is a university professor and the author/editor of twelve books on Canadian women’s history. Her father is Robert Killins’ brother. Margaret Carson is a retired college instructor and the only female to survive the massacre.
I have always been drawn to true crime books fascinating. My pull towards these books was the “Why.” Why did this happen, why did they do it - does their brain work differently? The Castleton Massacre caught my attention because – 1. I had never heard of it and live only about 4 hours from where it happened and 2. It is written by family members also trying to make sense of “Why.”
The authors of this book took the time to carefully research and interview those who were touched by this story and compiled the information into a succinct timeline. They began with Robert’s family in the 1900s and moved through the years. They carefully included illustrations which help to clarify the details and create a personal connection to this family.
Reviewing true crime stories can be a challenge, as the details are generally well known. In this story, the authors use this tragedy to shine a light on how women were treated at the time and how they are still treated. Killens was abusive to this family, verbally and physically. His wife, Florence, left him and was unable to divorce him. She moved across the country and Robert followed. When she moved in with her new partner, he would build shacks near where they lived to keep an eye on the family. Florence stated on multiple occasions that she was scared for her life. Reading the progressively erratic behaviour that Robert exhibiting was terrifying. You can see it escalating and it is unfathomable that this behaviour was acceptable. Even after the massacre, he was highly spoken of, and it was suggested that Florence “brought it on” by living with a new partner. It was eye opening, distressing and heartbreaking to read the account of how these women lived and died.
The statistics in this book are horrifying and it is a difficult read. I would set it down only to be drawn back in with the hope that my question of “Why” would be answered. I felt more of a personal connection to this story, as it came from a survivor and family member of Killens. In telling their story, they shed light on domestic violence, stalking and the lack of resources especially in rural communities. This is such an important topic and caused me to pause and reflect. I don’t want to say that I enjoyed this book, as this topic is so challenging, but I am coming out better informed and aware of changes that still need to be made. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading true crime.
One final note, while this story is incredibly shocking, I found hope that the two young survivors were taken in by a stable family and able to be supported in adulthood. While this night will never be forgotten, there is a light in them reflecting and creating this book.
Huge thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy of this book!
The Castleton Massacre tells the story of the massacre committed by Robert Killins in Ontario, Canada. Robert Killins was a well-educated man who worked as a minister who went on to kill every woman in his family but one on a night in 1963. Sharon Anne Cook is a university professor and the author/editor of twelve books on Canadian women’s history. Her father is Robert Killins’ brother. Margaret Carson is a retired college instructor and the only female to survive the massacre.
I have always been drawn to true crime books fascinating. My pull towards these books was the “Why.” Why did this happen, why did they do it - does their brain work differently? The Castleton Massacre caught my attention because – 1. I had never heard of it and live only about 4 hours from where it happened and 2. It is written by family members also trying to make sense of “Why.”
The authors of this book took the time to carefully research and interview those who were touched by this story and compiled the information into a succinct timeline. They began with Robert’s family in the 1900s and moved through the years. They carefully included illustrations which help to clarify the details and create a personal connection to this family.
Reviewing true crime stories can be a challenge, as the details are generally well known. In this story, the authors use this tragedy to shine a light on how women were treated at the time and how they are still treated. Killens was abusive to this family, verbally and physically. His wife, Florence, left him and was unable to divorce him. She moved across the country and Robert followed. When she moved in with her new partner, he would build shacks near where they lived to keep an eye on the family. Florence stated on multiple occasions that she was scared for her life. Reading the progressively erratic behaviour that Robert exhibiting was terrifying. You can see it escalating and it is unfathomable that this behaviour was acceptable. Even after the massacre, he was highly spoken of, and it was suggested that Florence “brought it on” by living with a new partner. It was eye opening, distressing and heartbreaking to read the account of how these women lived and died.
The statistics in this book are horrifying and it is a difficult read. I would set it down only to be drawn back in with the hope that my question of “Why” would be answered. I felt more of a personal connection to this story, as it came from a survivor and family member of Killens. In telling their story, they shed light on domestic violence, stalking and the lack of resources especially in rural communities. This is such an important topic and caused me to pause and reflect. I don’t want to say that I enjoyed this book, as this topic is so challenging, but I am coming out better informed and aware of changes that still need to be made. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading true crime.
One final note, while this story is incredibly shocking, I found hope that the two young survivors were taken in by a stable family and able to be supported in adulthood. While this night will never be forgotten, there is a light in them reflecting and creating this book.
Huge thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy of this book!
April 17, 2022
Thank you to netgalley and the publishing house for providing me with a free copy of this book!
I reeeally did not like the way this book was written. It reads like a textbook. It's dry and bleak. Of course the subject matter at hand doesn't scream fun but I would have appreciated some more colourful descriptions.
The end chapters that touch on sociology were the most interesting to me but some statistics thrown here and there would have been more pleasant to read than pages after pages of numbers which made the reading experience as dull as the genealogy pages from the old testament.
I am not sure that this story deserved 280 pages. It was interesting to give the survivors of this massacre their voice back and important to highlight the sexist aspect of those murders but there was no surprise in this case. Robert Killins was a horrible person and it's easy to understand, seeing from his past actions and beliefs how his behaviour could escalate to such extremes as the murder of his own family.
Despite the poor execution and to end this review on a positive note, it is apparent that extensive research has been made by the writer.s. It is also a beautiful testament of love to all the victims, both those who lived and those who sadly lost their lives to the hand of a hateful and violent relative.
1,5 stars*
I reeeally did not like the way this book was written. It reads like a textbook. It's dry and bleak. Of course the subject matter at hand doesn't scream fun but I would have appreciated some more colourful descriptions.
The end chapters that touch on sociology were the most interesting to me but some statistics thrown here and there would have been more pleasant to read than pages after pages of numbers which made the reading experience as dull as the genealogy pages from the old testament.
I am not sure that this story deserved 280 pages. It was interesting to give the survivors of this massacre their voice back and important to highlight the sexist aspect of those murders but there was no surprise in this case. Robert Killins was a horrible person and it's easy to understand, seeing from his past actions and beliefs how his behaviour could escalate to such extremes as the murder of his own family.
Despite the poor execution and to end this review on a positive note, it is apparent that extensive research has been made by the writer.s. It is also a beautiful testament of love to all the victims, both those who lived and those who sadly lost their lives to the hand of a hateful and violent relative.
1,5 stars*
May 19, 2023
This review discusses a gripping true account of a mass murder that occurred in Ontario in 1963. Written by the killer's niece, Sharon, and survivor Margaret, who witnessed the brutal attack, the book provides a meticulous reconstruction of the events based on their memories and interviews with family members and witnesses.
The narrative delves into the disturbing history of dysfunctional families and tackles significant issues such as violence against women, the urgent need for better management of domestic abuse, and the underlying causes of mass murder, femicide, depression, and gun ownership. The authors shed light on the ongoing lack of support and rehabilitation for victims of violence, particularly women and children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emphasizing the need for further progress in addressing these challenges.
Robert Killin, the murderer, is portrayed as an enigmatic figure—an intelligent and scholarly man with peculiarities. Graduating from Queens University and becoming a United Church Minister, he lacked a genuine religious calling and struggled to connect with his congregation. His marriage to Florence, a young girl, was marred by suspicion of abuse, leading her to leave him and seek refuge with A. D. Hall, an older lawyer. However, Robert's relentless stalking and terrorizing of the family persisted for nearly two decades, despite their efforts to escape his reach. His deteriorating appearance and behavior, including carrying a gun and using profane language, raised concerns within the community about his mental instability and potential danger. Nevertheless, some still regarded him as a righteous man due to his past as a minister, associating Florence's actions with deserving his wrath.
The night of the massacre proved to be a horrifying ordeal, as Robert murdered his sister Gladys, his estranged wife Florence, and her youngest child, Patsy, who was just six years old. He then turned his violence towards his daughter, Pearl, who was also pregnant at the time. Margaret and her brother Brian managed to escape and seek help from neighbors, who promptly alerted the police. Several individuals, including Florence's new partner Tom Major, Pearl's husband Fred Campbell, and a teacher named Peter Miller, attempted to intervene and suffered severe injuries in the process. Margaret and Brian, both traumatized and with minor wounds, were taken to the hospital that same night.
The aftermath of the tragedy was a lengthy and arduous process of recovery for Margaret and Brian, who found support and refuge with Robert's compassionate brother and his wife. Throughout the book, crucial social, health, and legal issues are examined, shedding light on their complexities and the need for greater understanding and resolution.
Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review
The narrative delves into the disturbing history of dysfunctional families and tackles significant issues such as violence against women, the urgent need for better management of domestic abuse, and the underlying causes of mass murder, femicide, depression, and gun ownership. The authors shed light on the ongoing lack of support and rehabilitation for victims of violence, particularly women and children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emphasizing the need for further progress in addressing these challenges.
Robert Killin, the murderer, is portrayed as an enigmatic figure—an intelligent and scholarly man with peculiarities. Graduating from Queens University and becoming a United Church Minister, he lacked a genuine religious calling and struggled to connect with his congregation. His marriage to Florence, a young girl, was marred by suspicion of abuse, leading her to leave him and seek refuge with A. D. Hall, an older lawyer. However, Robert's relentless stalking and terrorizing of the family persisted for nearly two decades, despite their efforts to escape his reach. His deteriorating appearance and behavior, including carrying a gun and using profane language, raised concerns within the community about his mental instability and potential danger. Nevertheless, some still regarded him as a righteous man due to his past as a minister, associating Florence's actions with deserving his wrath.
The night of the massacre proved to be a horrifying ordeal, as Robert murdered his sister Gladys, his estranged wife Florence, and her youngest child, Patsy, who was just six years old. He then turned his violence towards his daughter, Pearl, who was also pregnant at the time. Margaret and her brother Brian managed to escape and seek help from neighbors, who promptly alerted the police. Several individuals, including Florence's new partner Tom Major, Pearl's husband Fred Campbell, and a teacher named Peter Miller, attempted to intervene and suffered severe injuries in the process. Margaret and Brian, both traumatized and with minor wounds, were taken to the hospital that same night.
The aftermath of the tragedy was a lengthy and arduous process of recovery for Margaret and Brian, who found support and refuge with Robert's compassionate brother and his wife. Throughout the book, crucial social, health, and legal issues are examined, shedding light on their complexities and the need for greater understanding and resolution.
Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review
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June 17, 2023Thankfully mass killings in Canada are few and far between compared to what we read and hear about in the United States. Even one is too many, and in Canada over the years, the numbers have been relatively small.
One that definitely is eye-opening, and certainly may have escaped the attention of true crime buffs, became known as THE CASTLETON MASSACRE. It took place in the town of Castleton in 1963, and in the book we find the events leading up to that horrific moment, where a very disturbed individual took a gun and began killing female members of his family in systematic fashion.
What makes the book even more gripping and realistic, is the fact one of the authors, Margaret Carson was the daughter of the shooter, Robert Killins. When the murders began, she hid under the bed, which saved her life. Her brother Brian escaped the carnage heading out of the house, alive to recount the horrifying moments where four women died along with two unborn children.
What we discover in the book, is the tormented life and mind of Robert Killins. At one time he was quite respected in the community, a United Church minister, whom no one could have predicted would have such a dark side emerging. But as the authors tells us, Killins had a most jealous streak to him concerning his wife Florence. He was also abusive to her, basically treating her like his property, having to toe the line according to his twisted whims.
He had diabetes, eventually losing two toes, though it was advised his entire foot be removed. Because of this he wore slippers, and then galoshes over them as regular shoes were not comfortable. The buckles on his shoes made distinctive noises, letting people know when he was coming into a room.
The book paints a darker picture by the page, a man with inner loathing for his wife, family and community. He was a gun collector, a photo in the book of him with a gun, a rather chilling smile on his face. The murders were premeditated without doubt, and when the killing spree started, the targets were his estranged wife Florence who was pregnant, his teenage daughter Pearl Campbell, also pregnant, his older sister Gladys Killins, and Patsy, six years old, Florence’s daughter with another partner. Even a dog was killed as well.
It was quite a bloodied mess, told in detail as Florence’s partner Tom Major got into a life and death struggle with Robert. Another man Peter Miller was shot several times and left for dead. Robert eventually died thanks to the fact Tom grabbed a hammer, and hit Robert several times in the head, the damage done, and Robert dying in hospital the next day.
The story is told in graphic and meticulous detail, taking us right into the killers’ life and heart, which was blackened with hate and mistrust. If you enjoy true crime books, then THE CASTLETON MASSACRE is both riveting and memorable, along with quite disturbing.
June 8, 2026
I really admire Sharon Anne Cook and Margaret Carson for calling this massacre what it was: a femicide. I have seen some reviewers dispute this by pointing out that Robert Killins attacked three men in the course of his rampage, but these were not his targets. He had been abusing, stalking and terrorizing his estranged wife, Florence, and their daughter, Pearl, for decades. And he targeted and murdered his sister, Gladys, and Florence's youngest daughter, Patsy. This is classic gender-based violence, and today we would (hopefully) see something like this coming and be able to help a woman like Florence. But in the 1950s and 60s, she could not escape her former husband's rage and violence.
This was so shocking to read. I am so glad that we are less bound by social norms that harm women the way they harmed Florence and her children. She was never able to divorce Robert, and so when she fell in love with a good man, A.D. Hall, they were forced to "live in sin" and their children were considered to be Robert's by the community at large. Despite having fled across the country, Florence was terrorized by Robert, who would build shacks near whatever property she occupied with her new partner. A.D. Hall was a well-respected lawyer, and even he couldn't protect her or their children from this awful man. They once spent three years living in his law office so that Robert couldn't build a shack nearby from which to stalk and terrify them. Robert was even able to beat his daughter to the point that a doctor said she would likely die if he beat her again, and again, nothing was done to protect her. This was a "family matter" and no one in the community felt it necessary to protect women from harm. Infuriating. I was even more enraged when the authors included notes from the inquest that tried to paint Robert as a hard working man who built homes for his family (he did not) and even tried to blame his homicidal rage on his unmanaged diabetes. Steam was coming out of my ears.
I do agree with other reviewers who point out that there were some unnecessary info dumps in this book. Did I need a history of the United Church of Canada, Queens University, or the City of Winnipeg? I did not. But I skimmed those sections and really focused my attention on the stories of these women who weren't protected by the community around them. I'm glad that the authors were able to give them their voices back, because they deserved so much more than what happened to them. What a tragedy.
This was so shocking to read. I am so glad that we are less bound by social norms that harm women the way they harmed Florence and her children. She was never able to divorce Robert, and so when she fell in love with a good man, A.D. Hall, they were forced to "live in sin" and their children were considered to be Robert's by the community at large. Despite having fled across the country, Florence was terrorized by Robert, who would build shacks near whatever property she occupied with her new partner. A.D. Hall was a well-respected lawyer, and even he couldn't protect her or their children from this awful man. They once spent three years living in his law office so that Robert couldn't build a shack nearby from which to stalk and terrify them. Robert was even able to beat his daughter to the point that a doctor said she would likely die if he beat her again, and again, nothing was done to protect her. This was a "family matter" and no one in the community felt it necessary to protect women from harm. Infuriating. I was even more enraged when the authors included notes from the inquest that tried to paint Robert as a hard working man who built homes for his family (he did not) and even tried to blame his homicidal rage on his unmanaged diabetes. Steam was coming out of my ears.
I do agree with other reviewers who point out that there were some unnecessary info dumps in this book. Did I need a history of the United Church of Canada, Queens University, or the City of Winnipeg? I did not. But I skimmed those sections and really focused my attention on the stories of these women who weren't protected by the community around them. I'm glad that the authors were able to give them their voices back, because they deserved so much more than what happened to them. What a tragedy.
October 20, 2022
Beautifully read by Rachel Perry, this story tracks an unrepentant murderer who, without a shred of love and a ton of controllingness, murdered the family who, very sadly, held the key to their own deaths, namely their decades-long tolerance of a nutcase. Over and over as I listened to the generous kindness of Florence, the estranged wife of her enraged killer, I considered a completely different outcome. If only.
If only Florence's patriarchal society had not groomed her to unlimited kindness and tolerance of a disturbed man who claimed to be all manner of things, such as a United Church minister (which he was by title only, certainly not in service to parishioners) and who stalked Florence and their daughter, Pearl, whose life and the life of her unborn child was also ended by her maniacal father.
If only the patriarchal male-permissive local police force had once investigated the weirdo loner they knew stored all manner of guns and ammunition in one of his run-down shacks. No, like the RCMP and police in Nova Scotia who, in 2020, knew a certain denturologist had a fake police car and stored guns in his home, they failed to investigate. He murdered 21 of his innocent neighbors. What if he'd been Black? Might the police have investigated then?
This book celebrates three brave and kind men, two who fought against the murderer and one who became a surrogate father to the two traumatized children survivors of the preventable familicide.
Repeatedly as I listened, I was reminded to continue unlearning patriarchy's rules, among them silence, minimizing, and trivializing obvious danger signals. Today, if I see a neighbor or anyone misbehaving, I call the authorities. I report. I make noise.
I am so grateful that the authors, College instructor Margaret Carson, one of the very fortunate escapees of the murderer (along with her brother, Brian), and her first cousin, Canadian historian Sharon Anne Cook, offer this chilling testimony to those who would want to unlearn patriarchal permissions.
Eleanor Cowan, Author of A History of a Pedophile's Wife: Memoir of a Canadian Teacher and Writer
If only Florence's patriarchal society had not groomed her to unlimited kindness and tolerance of a disturbed man who claimed to be all manner of things, such as a United Church minister (which he was by title only, certainly not in service to parishioners) and who stalked Florence and their daughter, Pearl, whose life and the life of her unborn child was also ended by her maniacal father.
If only the patriarchal male-permissive local police force had once investigated the weirdo loner they knew stored all manner of guns and ammunition in one of his run-down shacks. No, like the RCMP and police in Nova Scotia who, in 2020, knew a certain denturologist had a fake police car and stored guns in his home, they failed to investigate. He murdered 21 of his innocent neighbors. What if he'd been Black? Might the police have investigated then?
This book celebrates three brave and kind men, two who fought against the murderer and one who became a surrogate father to the two traumatized children survivors of the preventable familicide.
Repeatedly as I listened, I was reminded to continue unlearning patriarchy's rules, among them silence, minimizing, and trivializing obvious danger signals. Today, if I see a neighbor or anyone misbehaving, I call the authorities. I report. I make noise.
I am so grateful that the authors, College instructor Margaret Carson, one of the very fortunate escapees of the murderer (along with her brother, Brian), and her first cousin, Canadian historian Sharon Anne Cook, offer this chilling testimony to those who would want to unlearn patriarchal permissions.
Eleanor Cowan, Author of A History of a Pedophile's Wife: Memoir of a Canadian Teacher and Writer
June 11, 2022
How is this story not a documentary or podcast already?! During the section describing the massacre minuet by minuet it was almost an outright slasher horror movie, Robert Killins evoking monsters like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers while he hunted his family. Not to make light of the situation, the authors did an excellent job at describing the terror. My heart rate picked up and I had to put it down for a minuet after Patsy was attacked, The beginning portions of the book were so thorough that I felt as though I knew that family members, and felt incredibly sad at the senseless loss of life.
You can feel the personal connection throughout, though they authors don’t choose to put a lot of their personal expression until the final act explaining the impact and aftermath. The experiences that Margaret and Brian endured without proper grief and trauma counseling is a tragedy on it’s own. I’m glad they included the trials and successes that both experienced after the murders. Including all of the pictures really brought together that this is a story about a real family, not just faceless names..
The beginning really dragged for me with there being too much time spent in the grandparent generation of the Killins and homesteading lifestyle. There was just a lot of information about the setting that didn’t have anything to do with the family massacre. There were situations like this throughout the entire story, like I didn’t need to know every club and organization that Robert wasn’t involved in in college. Just saying that he was antisocial by his own design, would have been enough. Sometimes the exposition dumps would take me away from any momentum in the narrative.
Still to this day, domestic violence escalating to murder is a huge endemic in our society and it isn’t easy for a victim of domestic abuse to leave their abuser. More people becoming aware of stories like these and the signs leading to them can only help.
Overall I’m glad I got to read this book and that the family but such care into telling their story.
Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Especially thank you to Sharon Anne Cook and Margaret Carson for sharing their story with us.
3.75 stars
You can feel the personal connection throughout, though they authors don’t choose to put a lot of their personal expression until the final act explaining the impact and aftermath. The experiences that Margaret and Brian endured without proper grief and trauma counseling is a tragedy on it’s own. I’m glad they included the trials and successes that both experienced after the murders. Including all of the pictures really brought together that this is a story about a real family, not just faceless names..
The beginning really dragged for me with there being too much time spent in the grandparent generation of the Killins and homesteading lifestyle. There was just a lot of information about the setting that didn’t have anything to do with the family massacre. There were situations like this throughout the entire story, like I didn’t need to know every club and organization that Robert wasn’t involved in in college. Just saying that he was antisocial by his own design, would have been enough. Sometimes the exposition dumps would take me away from any momentum in the narrative.
Still to this day, domestic violence escalating to murder is a huge endemic in our society and it isn’t easy for a victim of domestic abuse to leave their abuser. More people becoming aware of stories like these and the signs leading to them can only help.
Overall I’m glad I got to read this book and that the family but such care into telling their story.
Thank you NetGalley and Dundurn Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Especially thank you to Sharon Anne Cook and Margaret Carson for sharing their story with us.
3.75 stars
May 1, 2022
When I get a new true crime book I cannot wait to read it and that was the case with the Castleton massacre. I started it yesterday and finished it today. Most of my opinions of this book are positive but let me get the negative out-of-the-way first. I love a good book with great research and this book has that, but I found The chapter on the stepdad AD and what he did in World War I and wide the battles he were in were fought was a little unnecessary. Yes he was a big part of the picture prior to The murders but I found that to be pointless and not apropos of the story. Having said that I thought the rest was a great researched story. Robert Killian was the star of his family but all in the bigger world at college he was found not to play nice with others and when he became a minister he had four different post causing problems adage and then at 31 he met Florence. She was 17 and he was a grown man despite all of that she loved him and tried to make it work and then they had little pearlly. When she finally left him for good she met a lawyer named AD. Who she had four more children with. Despite Robert really wanting nothing to do with little pearl he now made her the focal point of his whole life even building a shack in the back of A.D. and Florences home. They even moved to his law offices because that was a one place he couldn’t build a shack to stock them. I heard the greatest title for people like Robert in this book and it was called a grievance collector and after he had collected all he was going to he committed a tragedy that would ring for decades in the mind of Margaret and Brian and the two survivors of that horrible day. There was so much to this book and I wish I had the talent and ability to give a detailed summary but unfortunately I do not so this is what you get. I hope you like it. I was given this book by Medgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammar of punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.
October 9, 2022
I like true crime books, especially those about unusual cases of which I’d not previously heard, so The Castleton Massacre naturally caught my eye. The crime is relatively recent (the 60s) and familicide is indeed unusual. Moreover, the pre-murder living arrangements of the whole family are so weird as to be bookworthy even without the killings they culminated in. Sharon Anne Cook’s and Margaret Carson’s take on this act of family annihilation is, as is made clear in the book’s subtitle, is feminist, and they make a good case by showing how the murderer’s behavior - not just on the night of the massacre, but for decades previous - was facilitated by Canada’s* amazingly sexist laws (and customs). And they certainly provide a compelling answer to the inevitable question of “Why didn’t she just leave?”
The question that Cook and Carson don’t answer - don’t even really address - is the most important one: Why? They show how such killings could occur - Killins was obviously nuts, and the victims were not adequately protected by then-existing laws - but at that time/place there were doubtless thousands of families living with equally crazy men who didn’t resort to mass murder. My amateur explanation is Killin’s pathological relationship with his eldest child led to a psychotic break when her status changed from his child/daughter to someone else’s woman/wife and (imminently) to someone else’s parent.
I recommend The Castleton Massacre to readers interested in deviant psychology as well as to true crime fans, especially Canadian ones.
*I am not implying that things were better in other places. I don’t know enough to judge.
The question that Cook and Carson don’t answer - don’t even really address - is the most important one: Why? They show how such killings could occur - Killins was obviously nuts, and the victims were not adequately protected by then-existing laws - but at that time/place there were doubtless thousands of families living with equally crazy men who didn’t resort to mass murder. My amateur explanation is Killin’s pathological relationship with his eldest child led to a psychotic break when her status changed from his child/daughter to someone else’s woman/wife and (imminently) to someone else’s parent.
I recommend The Castleton Massacre to readers interested in deviant psychology as well as to true crime fans, especially Canadian ones.
*I am not implying that things were better in other places. I don’t know enough to judge.
October 16, 2023
A strong deep dive into the testimonies of the two surviving victims of the Casleton massacre and the psychological theories used to understand what might have lead the killer to commit all of his crimes.
As soon as I opened the book the dedications made me tear up. It’s horrifying that this was not only a case that happened not too long ago in Canada, but one that is never talked about. I’m not much of a true crime reader, I usually find that this type of media tries to capitalize off of making a show out of a real life event. Thankfully, this was from the perspective of someone who grew up understanding the tragedy from it’s living victims. I would have liked to read more about the legal processes from the aftermath of the mass murder, it felt very repetitive near the end, a lot of the statements from Margaret and Brian felt like fillers instead of new insights on the case.
I was left with many question that could have been addressed by the authors such as: how was the evidence collected? What was the legal process in placing Margaret and Brian at the Killins’ house? What did the final inquests look like?
I got whiplash from the changing writing styles, going from a textbook feel to a thriller novel to an interview made me lose interest, it felt as if the story had concluded after the Inquests were complete. I understand that it was in chronological order, but the prose completely changed halfway through the book making it difficult to connect each section smoothly. Considering how short this book is and its authenticity, I would recommend it to someone who has never heard of this massacre, but I would not return to it and seek out more information.
As soon as I opened the book the dedications made me tear up. It’s horrifying that this was not only a case that happened not too long ago in Canada, but one that is never talked about. I’m not much of a true crime reader, I usually find that this type of media tries to capitalize off of making a show out of a real life event. Thankfully, this was from the perspective of someone who grew up understanding the tragedy from it’s living victims. I would have liked to read more about the legal processes from the aftermath of the mass murder, it felt very repetitive near the end, a lot of the statements from Margaret and Brian felt like fillers instead of new insights on the case.
I was left with many question that could have been addressed by the authors such as: how was the evidence collected? What was the legal process in placing Margaret and Brian at the Killins’ house? What did the final inquests look like?
I got whiplash from the changing writing styles, going from a textbook feel to a thriller novel to an interview made me lose interest, it felt as if the story had concluded after the Inquests were complete. I understand that it was in chronological order, but the prose completely changed halfway through the book making it difficult to connect each section smoothly. Considering how short this book is and its authenticity, I would recommend it to someone who has never heard of this massacre, but I would not return to it and seek out more information.
August 1, 2022
I had an advance copy from NetGalley. This book was really interesting. To look at it with modern day eyes, one likes to think we have enough in place and enough helping agencies, but we never really do. You feel for this family, especially the kids back then it must have felt so awful to live with this situation and have people judge you.
This book gives insight into domestic violence, how you can’t just get away. It gives insight into mental illness and firearms. You read as Robert’s illness progresses and it’s scary.
It so shows the mindset at the time with church and divorce and women caught in the midst.
There is talk of trauma and reactions but because we didn’t know then what we know now, the family suffered, the survivors suffered. Those kids were living with trauma their whole lives. People could see it, but there were no resources or if there were it was limited.
I hated how after it happened Robert was portrayed in a different light and made to be pitied. But again we see that now, in various ways thanks to the media.
I feel like there’s parts missing. I kept wondering did Robert ever have a head injury as a child. The fact that his sister behaved as she did, and the mother and her disdain for her youngest. I feel like that family had genetic mental illness and wished there was more to that. The clinician in me, kept waiting for an aha moment, but that was not the focus of this book.
The only thing is it can be confusing, keeping two sides of very large families straight. I did struggle with that and had to go back to correct myself a few times.
This book gives insight into domestic violence, how you can’t just get away. It gives insight into mental illness and firearms. You read as Robert’s illness progresses and it’s scary.
It so shows the mindset at the time with church and divorce and women caught in the midst.
There is talk of trauma and reactions but because we didn’t know then what we know now, the family suffered, the survivors suffered. Those kids were living with trauma their whole lives. People could see it, but there were no resources or if there were it was limited.
I hated how after it happened Robert was portrayed in a different light and made to be pitied. But again we see that now, in various ways thanks to the media.
I feel like there’s parts missing. I kept wondering did Robert ever have a head injury as a child. The fact that his sister behaved as she did, and the mother and her disdain for her youngest. I feel like that family had genetic mental illness and wished there was more to that. The clinician in me, kept waiting for an aha moment, but that was not the focus of this book.
The only thing is it can be confusing, keeping two sides of very large families straight. I did struggle with that and had to go back to correct myself a few times.
October 28, 2023
I read this book because I work in an archive and we had received some correspondence and paintings by Ada Gladys Killins. Gladys’ letters offered glimpses into her life including her relationship with Bob and her own frustrations and observations. I had many questions about her and her family when I finished reading her letters. This book was very thorough and well-written and certainly filled in a lot of gaps for me. The account of the massacre is honest and raw. In Gladys’ letters, a neighbour said that Bob and Gladys visited her on the afternoon of the massacre. She didn’t give details, but I found that chilling considering what went on later that day. This is an important book as it shows the arrogance and prejudices of a man whose health (physical and mental) led him to do something so sad and horrific that it seems to have been hushed up since the 1960s. Margaret’s bravery at the time, and indeed now at reliving this is amazing. This book is so important, especially at this time when we seem to be plagued by mental health issues. This was a fascinating book which covered so many issues, but it is not for the faint of heart. It’s not a book that is easily forgotten, nor should it be. This couldn’t have been an easy book to write, but I think these authors did a brilliant job.
April 26, 2022
This will be a hard review to write. On the one hand, the book is on real experience. However, I felt that the authors did not do a good job of telling that story.
When I had read the description it said FEMICIDE and I was thinking that the killer, Robert only went after the females in the family.
HOWEVER, Robert attacked everyone that night, Brian, Fred, Peter, and the females.
Then the story focused so much on 'the time', at the time Florence could not have gone to the police. Florence could not have moved from Robert.
I felt that this is true, however, it was NEVER shown how Robert found them time after time.
Further, we take the word of the authors that Robert was declining mentally.
The authors provided us ONE example of Robert beating on Pearl.
Everything else was him being intrusive.
I felt like this was NOT a coherent story. I will give benefit of the doubt because of THE TIME, but I was really hoping to find out more about the main people AFTER the murder...like what happened to Peter, to Fred?
That wasnt fully addressed either.
In the end, this was an ok true crime book that was very personal to the authors.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
When I had read the description it said FEMICIDE and I was thinking that the killer, Robert only went after the females in the family.
HOWEVER, Robert attacked everyone that night, Brian, Fred, Peter, and the females.
Then the story focused so much on 'the time', at the time Florence could not have gone to the police. Florence could not have moved from Robert.
I felt that this is true, however, it was NEVER shown how Robert found them time after time.
Further, we take the word of the authors that Robert was declining mentally.
The authors provided us ONE example of Robert beating on Pearl.
Everything else was him being intrusive.
I felt like this was NOT a coherent story. I will give benefit of the doubt because of THE TIME, but I was really hoping to find out more about the main people AFTER the murder...like what happened to Peter, to Fred?
That wasnt fully addressed either.
In the end, this was an ok true crime book that was very personal to the authors.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
June 17, 2022
A true crime analysis that plays out like a family drama, The Castleton Massacre reveals the horrific events surrounding a former minister who went on a rampage killing his female family members. Pieced together by a family member through eye witness accounts, what comes to light is a bevy of dysfunctional family dynamics and the psyche of a man who had always been petted as the favorite child and brilliant, yet who failed to capitalize on his abilities. Robert Killin was a minister who had little interest in religion and proceeded to stalk and harass his estranged wife for twenty years, devolving into an angry wreck of a man suspected as dangerous by neighbors. What it all finally led to was the tragic murder of his estranged wife and his daughter, both of whom were pregnant, and the murder of his wife's daughter by the man she had moved on to.
The book is very readable and well researched. It is worth noting that the authors are family members, not true crime authors which may account for the gaps in some of the research. There is a flavor of family story telling to the book without as many outside sources as one would normally expect from a true crime book. While this could arguably give a biased view of the case, the authors make no pretense that they aren't related to those involved and what is revealed is an indictment of the views on mental health, domestic violence, and the status of marriage at the time. This is a view of true crime from the victims and is a book worth noting because of that.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Press for that ARC copy.
The book is very readable and well researched. It is worth noting that the authors are family members, not true crime authors which may account for the gaps in some of the research. There is a flavor of family story telling to the book without as many outside sources as one would normally expect from a true crime book. While this could arguably give a biased view of the case, the authors make no pretense that they aren't related to those involved and what is revealed is an indictment of the views on mental health, domestic violence, and the status of marriage at the time. This is a view of true crime from the victims and is a book worth noting because of that.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Press for that ARC copy.
June 25, 2022
"The Castleton Massacre" is a fascinating true crime book that is both very personal to the authors (it is their family story) as well very significant in illuminating the shameful deficiencies in our support for domestic violence victims, as well as, in particular, violence against women. The book represents Canadian history as well, documenting both the move westward as well as Canada's history of mass violence.
In this book, written by one of the surviving children and with the cooperation of the other, we see the history of the Killins family--Robert and his future victim, Florence, as well as their child, and Florence's other children. We see how Robert's very obvious and still shocking descent into violence, and we see how little support there was for the victims while he lived.
In addition, the authors also consider life after the murders. One of the greatest moments is the children's increasing awareness of, and appreciation of, their uncle and aunt for taking them in.
With gratitude to the publishers and Edelweiss and Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book.
In this book, written by one of the surviving children and with the cooperation of the other, we see the history of the Killins family--Robert and his future victim, Florence, as well as their child, and Florence's other children. We see how Robert's very obvious and still shocking descent into violence, and we see how little support there was for the victims while he lived.
In addition, the authors also consider life after the murders. One of the greatest moments is the children's increasing awareness of, and appreciation of, their uncle and aunt for taking them in.
With gratitude to the publishers and Edelweiss and Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book.
June 28, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Castleton Massacre by Sharon Anne Cook and Margaret Carson. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for providing an ARC to review.
I always find it interesting to read true crime cases that predate the era of modern crime investigation. The ability to pinpoint the warning signs as well as the cultural differences surrounding the crimes are fascinating. The Castleton Massacre is such a book. Now we understand the psychological trauma surrounding stalking and spousal abuse. This case had so many giant warning signs that were ignored or dismissed. Even after the events, many people blamed the victims for the criminal's actions.
I also appreciated the great detail that went into researching the family life of both victim and perpetrator. I felt like I knew the people by the time the crime occurred in the book. I give this book a solid 4/5 stars.
I always find it interesting to read true crime cases that predate the era of modern crime investigation. The ability to pinpoint the warning signs as well as the cultural differences surrounding the crimes are fascinating. The Castleton Massacre is such a book. Now we understand the psychological trauma surrounding stalking and spousal abuse. This case had so many giant warning signs that were ignored or dismissed. Even after the events, many people blamed the victims for the criminal's actions.
I also appreciated the great detail that went into researching the family life of both victim and perpetrator. I felt like I knew the people by the time the crime occurred in the book. I give this book a solid 4/5 stars.
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December 26, 2022In May 1963 Robert Killins murdered his ex-wife, sister, daughter and step-daughter in Castleton, Ontario. This book is co-written by Killins' niece and his surviving daughter who hid under her bed during the massacre to avoid being killed. The two authors draw out the family history of Killins and his ex-wife Florence who was the recipient of violence from Robert for over twenty years before he killed her. Killins' behaviour long before the night in question speaks of serious mental disorder. However due to his standing as a former United Church minister and the time and place he lived, his violence was never stopped and nothing done to rein him in. The somewhat confusing order of events of the massacre are put together as best they can be and we learn about the lives of survivors Brian and Margaret in years afterward. It's a testament to both they grew up to be normal productive adults.
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