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The 'Peyton Place' Murder: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation
This true crime history examines the surprising connection between an infamous small-town murder and the bestselling novel it inspired.
Born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, Grace Metalious shocked the nation in 1956 with Peyton Place, her sexually charged debut novel about murder in a small town. It spawned a series of novels, two Hollywood movies, and a long-running television series on ABC. It also made Metalious a pariah in her hometown, where she became tabloid fodder until her untimely death at the age of thirty-nine.
Unknown to most readers, the fictional story was inspired by a real crime known as "The Sheep Pen Murder," which took place in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, in the late 1940s. Now historian Renee Mallett skillfully weaves together the lives of Metalious and Barbara Roberts, the confessed killer behind The Sheep Pen Murder. In The "Peyton Place" Murder, Mallett explores what happens when true crime and literature meet.
Born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, Grace Metalious shocked the nation in 1956 with Peyton Place, her sexually charged debut novel about murder in a small town. It spawned a series of novels, two Hollywood movies, and a long-running television series on ABC. It also made Metalious a pariah in her hometown, where she became tabloid fodder until her untimely death at the age of thirty-nine.
Unknown to most readers, the fictional story was inspired by a real crime known as "The Sheep Pen Murder," which took place in Gilmanton, New Hampshire, in the late 1940s. Now historian Renee Mallett skillfully weaves together the lives of Metalious and Barbara Roberts, the confessed killer behind The Sheep Pen Murder. In The "Peyton Place" Murder, Mallett explores what happens when true crime and literature meet.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 15, 2021
thanks to WildBlue Press for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Happy publication day!
Renee Mallett has many nonfiction books under her belt, most of them featuring New Hampshire, and nearly all of them are related to the paranormal, the creepy and the downright spooky. Her newest novel, “The Peyton Place Murder: The True Story of the Crime that Shocked the Nation”, highlights the truth behind the fictional “Peyton Place” novels, movies and television series, by author Grace Metalious.
Grace Metalious published “Peyton Place” in the 1950s in America, and, although it became a huge smash, sourcing television shows and movies, it made Grace a societal pariah, turning her small town and all of its citizens against her. Firstly, Grace did not meet the expectations of what a “lady” was supposed to be, especially in a small New Hampshire town, and “Peyton Place” itself was full of sexual deviancy, murder and incest, which tarnished Grace’s reputation further. Although Grace insisted the story was fictional, many of the characters were too similar to her small town neighbours to ignore. The murder in “Peyton Place” was also very similar to a real-life murder in her town, dubbed “The Sheep Pen Murder”, where a young woman supposedly killed her father and buried him on his property’s abandoned sheep pen, where he lay undiscovered for months.
Mallet discusses in detail the author, Grace, herself, and her challenging upbringing. A passionate woman who wanted nothing more than to fulfill her dream of writing, when everyone around her was forcing her to be a society wife and mother, Mallet compares Grace to writers Sylvia Plath and Shirley Jackson, two female writers of the same time who faced similar judgment.
“Peyton Place” came before my time, so I was almost completely unfamiliar with it (the novel, the tv series, the movie) before reading this book. I enjoyed how Mallet covered the actual “Sheep Pen Murder”, and provided enough detail that I was able to keep up without doing any further research. The chapters are short, and they are told in the third person, and Mallet manages to cover the story of Barbara Roberts (the suspect in the Sheep Pen murders) and the backstory of the author quite well. She complements the story with pictures of various settings from the novel and the book, and manages to do it all in under two hundred pages.
Mallett’s novel is definitely a must-read for fans of crime fiction, and those specifically who are fans of “Peyton Place” and Grace Metalious. Grace is an inspiring character, and I loved her chutzpah and her bravery. Having never heard of “Peyton Place” or Metalious before, I have now found a new “true” crime series to catch up on!
Happy publication day!
Renee Mallett has many nonfiction books under her belt, most of them featuring New Hampshire, and nearly all of them are related to the paranormal, the creepy and the downright spooky. Her newest novel, “The Peyton Place Murder: The True Story of the Crime that Shocked the Nation”, highlights the truth behind the fictional “Peyton Place” novels, movies and television series, by author Grace Metalious.
Grace Metalious published “Peyton Place” in the 1950s in America, and, although it became a huge smash, sourcing television shows and movies, it made Grace a societal pariah, turning her small town and all of its citizens against her. Firstly, Grace did not meet the expectations of what a “lady” was supposed to be, especially in a small New Hampshire town, and “Peyton Place” itself was full of sexual deviancy, murder and incest, which tarnished Grace’s reputation further. Although Grace insisted the story was fictional, many of the characters were too similar to her small town neighbours to ignore. The murder in “Peyton Place” was also very similar to a real-life murder in her town, dubbed “The Sheep Pen Murder”, where a young woman supposedly killed her father and buried him on his property’s abandoned sheep pen, where he lay undiscovered for months.
Mallet discusses in detail the author, Grace, herself, and her challenging upbringing. A passionate woman who wanted nothing more than to fulfill her dream of writing, when everyone around her was forcing her to be a society wife and mother, Mallet compares Grace to writers Sylvia Plath and Shirley Jackson, two female writers of the same time who faced similar judgment.
“Peyton Place” came before my time, so I was almost completely unfamiliar with it (the novel, the tv series, the movie) before reading this book. I enjoyed how Mallet covered the actual “Sheep Pen Murder”, and provided enough detail that I was able to keep up without doing any further research. The chapters are short, and they are told in the third person, and Mallet manages to cover the story of Barbara Roberts (the suspect in the Sheep Pen murders) and the backstory of the author quite well. She complements the story with pictures of various settings from the novel and the book, and manages to do it all in under two hundred pages.
Mallett’s novel is definitely a must-read for fans of crime fiction, and those specifically who are fans of “Peyton Place” and Grace Metalious. Grace is an inspiring character, and I loved her chutzpah and her bravery. Having never heard of “Peyton Place” or Metalious before, I have now found a new “true” crime series to catch up on!
June 15, 2021
The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Natio
For those of us of a certain age, we remember when Peyton Place was a TV series beginning in 1964. Before that was a book written by Grace Metalious written in 1956.
At the time the book came out it created al sorts of havoc. Grace was the wife of a school principal, a former mill worker, with no advanced education .. and the mother of three. Peyton Place was her debut novel ... about a murder in a small town.
BOOK BLURB: In THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation historian Renee Mallett skillfully weaves together the lives of Grace Metalious and Barbara Roberts, the confessed killer behind The Sheep Pen Murder. In her book, Mallett shines a new light on the inspiration behind the shocking best-selling novel and explores what happens when true crime and literature meet.
The Peyton Place Murder takes the reader from Grace's first days of her writing to her death at age 39. Her life, even when earning large amounts of money for her book, was not a happy one. She was not well-liked in the small town where she lived because everyone was scandalized by her book ... all swearing that she was using them as characters in her book. That never changed in her lifetime.
This is a most interesting book. I remember seeing Peyton Place on TV as a child .. I think, perhaps, my mother was addicted to the series. When I received this book, I thought it was going to be something wholly different. As such, I am not disappointed at all.
It's well-written with numerous facts I had never heard. How different people were in those days compared with today. I couldn't help but wonder how the small-town people would have reacted to something like ... 50 Shades. This is a great book for any true crime aficionado. It's a short read .. I was so engrossed I read it in one sitting.
Many thanks to the author / Wild Blue Press for the digital copy of this biographical novel. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 30, 2021
It’s weird to say that I like true-crime books, but I do. Capote’s In True Blood is, after all, one of my all-time favorite reads. The Peyton Place Murder is somewhat similar but also wildly different. Now, I had no clue about the original book or its author before I picked this particular book up. As a result, the first few chapters were a little confusing because The Peyton Place Murder somewhat assumes that you must be aware of the classic that is Peyton Place.
Nevertheless, the more I read and found out about the popularity of Peyton Place, the more fascinated I was with it. The murder proceedings that possibly inspired the book were equally riveting.
Where Renee Mallett truly succeeds is in presenting the complete picture. Her book isn’t just a retelling of the murder but a more detailed look into everything around it, including the book it inspired. I love how she shares historical facts about the main characters as well as other people and buildings associated with the murder. There’s also plenty about Peyton Place’s author Grace Metalicious, her life, and untimely death. In the end, I’m intrigued enough to try and find a copy of Peyton Place and read this classic for myself.
Note: I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Nevertheless, the more I read and found out about the popularity of Peyton Place, the more fascinated I was with it. The murder proceedings that possibly inspired the book were equally riveting.
Where Renee Mallett truly succeeds is in presenting the complete picture. Her book isn’t just a retelling of the murder but a more detailed look into everything around it, including the book it inspired. I love how she shares historical facts about the main characters as well as other people and buildings associated with the murder. There’s also plenty about Peyton Place’s author Grace Metalicious, her life, and untimely death. In the end, I’m intrigued enough to try and find a copy of Peyton Place and read this classic for myself.
Note: I received an advance review copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 16, 2022
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
Narration 5/5
August 23, 2021
Having never read Peyton Place and barely remembering the movie, I thought this was going to be dull. It was anything but. Great ties with the actual murder the story was loosely based on, and lots of facts about the author of Peyton Place, I couldn't put this down. Loved it.
July 18, 2021
This book is a story within another story. The first story is about author Grace Metalious, her life, and her novel "Peyton Place". The second story is about Barbara Roberts and the sheep pen murder which was, at least to some degree, the inspiration for the murder in Metalious' novel.
Renee Mallett does her research and fills both true stories with interesting facts. However, this short book cuts both stories off rather abruptly with huge parts of Grace's and Barbara's lives summarized and wrapped up very quickly.
Both Grace and Barbara had tragic events in their lives. It was fascinating that 1940s and 1950s small town residents could forgive and embrace a young woman for murder more easily than a rebellious writer who would not conform to small town standards.
Both women were compelling and I would have given this book 5 stars if it had been longer and gone into more depth about Grace and Barbara instead of the rushed endings.
Thanks to BookSirens and Renee Mallett, I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Renee Mallett does her research and fills both true stories with interesting facts. However, this short book cuts both stories off rather abruptly with huge parts of Grace's and Barbara's lives summarized and wrapped up very quickly.
Both Grace and Barbara had tragic events in their lives. It was fascinating that 1940s and 1950s small town residents could forgive and embrace a young woman for murder more easily than a rebellious writer who would not conform to small town standards.
Both women were compelling and I would have given this book 5 stars if it had been longer and gone into more depth about Grace and Barbara instead of the rushed endings.
Thanks to BookSirens and Renee Mallett, I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 24, 2021
This book is a great read! Grace Metalious, the author begins the book with an intimate telling of the life of the Peyton Place book. Even Grace's mother makes a statement that authors are famous for one book, look at Harper Lee. The small New England town was very descriptive. Being that I did many many vacations in the White Mountains, I found this to be very accurate. The winters are a skiing paradise and the summers are for the many lakes and the fall is all about apples and foliage.
Renne Mallett's complete writing was detailed and loaded with facts. It has family secrets, bad dealings and drama. Overall a solid depiction of the story behind Peyton Place. I received an advance review copy for free from Wildblue Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I did purchase a few other books by this author.
Renne Mallett's complete writing was detailed and loaded with facts. It has family secrets, bad dealings and drama. Overall a solid depiction of the story behind Peyton Place. I received an advance review copy for free from Wildblue Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I did purchase a few other books by this author.
July 14, 2021
Interesting but ....
I knew generally that Peyton Place was based on Gilmanton and that it was scandalous but nothing more. This was great for explaining then back story for the book. It did need an editor and proofreader though to catch the frequent spelling and grammatical errors, which were distracting.
I knew generally that Peyton Place was based on Gilmanton and that it was scandalous but nothing more. This was great for explaining then back story for the book. It did need an editor and proofreader though to catch the frequent spelling and grammatical errors, which were distracting.
July 6, 2021
The novel “Peyton Place” rocked the United States when it was published in 1956. A cultural bomb-shell, it peeled back the smiling veneer of small-town life. The author, Grace Metalious, was a woman who didn’t fit into the mold of ’50’s housewife as much as fight to get out of it. She lived in a small town and she didn’t fit in. She didn’t want to.
Grace started writing long before “Peyton Place” was conceived. She had a drive to write; we don’t know quite what propelled her, possibly it was boredom with life. She had grown up loving the theater and even wrote for it. However, as a teacher/principal’s wife, she was only included in the literary fold as a wife. She keenly felt the lack of a proper college degree that would give her the legitimacy to be taken seriously at all, but particularly as a writer.
The author narrates first Grace’s mother’s life to show the influence she had on Grace. Then Grace’s life is examined in earnest; I do wish there were more details about it. It seems that a few sources were consulted, possibly since there weren’t abundant sources available. People that influenced Grace are examined, including her stalwart friend Laurose Wilkins, who from time to time has been credited as the real author of “Peyton Place.”
The story of the murder underlying the plotline in the novel is examined in the middle of the text. It takes us back mainly to events in 1947, long before Grace lived in the Gilmanton, New Hampshire area. Here again more and varied detail would’ve been welcome but I understand that the murder and subsequent trial were probably covered by mostly local newspapers. It was likely all the author Renee Mallett could do to find these sources as it all seemed to be very localized in coverage. I felt quite a lot of sympathy for the sexually and physically abused young woman who finally kills her father. This was the shocking storyline for the novel as written BUT even the progressive original publisher made Grace change the abuser to her step-father. Apparently 50’s America wasn’t ready for that gritty of a story intruding in on their white-washed, green-lawned suburban lives of perfection. Even if it had actually happened.
I found the author’s voice to be very friendly and inviting. The story was well-told and the narrative was conversational. You felt like a friend had pulled up a chair and proceeded to tell you about the coolest thing that they had recently found about. I found this to be an easy read but not simplistic in any way. The only thing that bugged me in this galley was that women were referred to as “widowers” (men are widowers), and the word “tangently” being used instead of “tangentially.” I assume the editorial staff has corrected these issues. Still, after having just finished a different book in which pages upon pages were devoted to quoting transcripts of F. Lee Bailey’s cross-examinations in another murder case, this was a breath of fresh air!
Thanks to author Renee Mallett, WildBlue Press, and BookSirens for allowing me to read an e-Galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Grace started writing long before “Peyton Place” was conceived. She had a drive to write; we don’t know quite what propelled her, possibly it was boredom with life. She had grown up loving the theater and even wrote for it. However, as a teacher/principal’s wife, she was only included in the literary fold as a wife. She keenly felt the lack of a proper college degree that would give her the legitimacy to be taken seriously at all, but particularly as a writer.
The author narrates first Grace’s mother’s life to show the influence she had on Grace. Then Grace’s life is examined in earnest; I do wish there were more details about it. It seems that a few sources were consulted, possibly since there weren’t abundant sources available. People that influenced Grace are examined, including her stalwart friend Laurose Wilkins, who from time to time has been credited as the real author of “Peyton Place.”
The story of the murder underlying the plotline in the novel is examined in the middle of the text. It takes us back mainly to events in 1947, long before Grace lived in the Gilmanton, New Hampshire area. Here again more and varied detail would’ve been welcome but I understand that the murder and subsequent trial were probably covered by mostly local newspapers. It was likely all the author Renee Mallett could do to find these sources as it all seemed to be very localized in coverage. I felt quite a lot of sympathy for the sexually and physically abused young woman who finally kills her father. This was the shocking storyline for the novel as written BUT even the progressive original publisher made Grace change the abuser to her step-father. Apparently 50’s America wasn’t ready for that gritty of a story intruding in on their white-washed, green-lawned suburban lives of perfection. Even if it had actually happened.
I found the author’s voice to be very friendly and inviting. The story was well-told and the narrative was conversational. You felt like a friend had pulled up a chair and proceeded to tell you about the coolest thing that they had recently found about. I found this to be an easy read but not simplistic in any way. The only thing that bugged me in this galley was that women were referred to as “widowers” (men are widowers), and the word “tangently” being used instead of “tangentially.” I assume the editorial staff has corrected these issues. Still, after having just finished a different book in which pages upon pages were devoted to quoting transcripts of F. Lee Bailey’s cross-examinations in another murder case, this was a breath of fresh air!
Thanks to author Renee Mallett, WildBlue Press, and BookSirens for allowing me to read an e-Galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!
April 22, 2024
This was a good read, right up my alley. I can see why Peyton Place was quite the sensation when it was published. Imagine the horror of seeing your darkest secrets (and those of your neighbors) revealed in a book, the coincidences can't be ignored. So juicy!
Only 4 stars because I thought the narrative strayed to true life events that inspired novels. I get the relevance the author was trying to show, but it didn't add to the book.
Only 4 stars because I thought the narrative strayed to true life events that inspired novels. I get the relevance the author was trying to show, but it didn't add to the book.
June 15, 2021
Unimaginable true story!
Mallett pens a true crime story in THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation. I haven't read work from this author before, and this book really intrigued me. It's a unique true crime novel, and is very compelling. This book gives a lot of information about what they call "THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER," and the lives behind the crimes, the life of author Grace Metalious (who wrote the 1956 novel Peyton Place), and the life of Barbara Roberts, who killed her father in 1946. This case rocked the small New England town, because her father wasn't just murdered, he was buried in their pig pen. This book is an interesting take on how the story and history of the crime, combined, as Mallet brings the story to the surface. THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
Mallett pens a true crime story in THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation. I haven't read work from this author before, and this book really intrigued me. It's a unique true crime novel, and is very compelling. This book gives a lot of information about what they call "THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER," and the lives behind the crimes, the life of author Grace Metalious (who wrote the 1956 novel Peyton Place), and the life of Barbara Roberts, who killed her father in 1946. This case rocked the small New England town, because her father wasn't just murdered, he was buried in their pig pen. This book is an interesting take on how the story and history of the crime, combined, as Mallet brings the story to the surface. THE 'PEYTON PLACE' MURDER: The True Crime Story Behind The Novel That Shocked The Nation is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
August 28, 2021
The Peyton Place Murders
The Murders in Peyton Place that time forgot.
I thought this book was an excellent read. Grace Metalious paints a vivid picture of a small New England town and the people who live love and die there.
Renne Mallett has written an exceptional account of Grace’s book and Peyton Place seems like a nice, quiet little town, until you peer behind the curtains, and nothing is as it appears with affairs, unhappy marriages, abuse, drunken benders, swearing, abortions, religious crises, legal and political machinations. it is all there. I felt the book to fizzle out bit at the end but all in all an extremely memorable book.
I received an advance review copy for free from Wildblue Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Murders in Peyton Place that time forgot.
I thought this book was an excellent read. Grace Metalious paints a vivid picture of a small New England town and the people who live love and die there.
Renne Mallett has written an exceptional account of Grace’s book and Peyton Place seems like a nice, quiet little town, until you peer behind the curtains, and nothing is as it appears with affairs, unhappy marriages, abuse, drunken benders, swearing, abortions, religious crises, legal and political machinations. it is all there. I felt the book to fizzle out bit at the end but all in all an extremely memorable book.
I received an advance review copy for free from Wildblue Press, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2021
I was given this book by Wild Blue Press in exchange for an honest review.
It’s not only the story of the true crime that inspired the novel Peyton Place, but also the story of the peculiar and eccentric author herself. The two stories are hopelessly intertwined; Grace was a strange woman, who exaggerated and fibbed about everything except her fiction. She was desperate to write, abandoning her housework…and her family, emotionally. And she continued to stubbornly live amongst the community that resented her telling their stories out of turn for the rest of her life.
The crime itself is unclear. The motive is clear. But how it happened is not at all, was never worked out forensically by the court. That part doesn’t make sense. See what you think.
It’s not only the story of the true crime that inspired the novel Peyton Place, but also the story of the peculiar and eccentric author herself. The two stories are hopelessly intertwined; Grace was a strange woman, who exaggerated and fibbed about everything except her fiction. She was desperate to write, abandoning her housework…and her family, emotionally. And she continued to stubbornly live amongst the community that resented her telling their stories out of turn for the rest of her life.
The crime itself is unclear. The motive is clear. But how it happened is not at all, was never worked out forensically by the court. That part doesn’t make sense. See what you think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2021
Peyton Place was a well-known movie and TV series that was based on a novel that broke selling records like crazy when it was released. Renee Mallett describes in this book how author Grace Metalious used a shocking crime in the 1940s to help create her "scandalous" story. The crime was a sad one where a sister and brother were charged with murdering their abusive Merchant Marine father, and hiding his body in a sheep pen. Ms Mallett does a fair job telling the story of that crime, and how two nonviolent individuals ended up killing out of fear.
Grace Metalious' life wasn't that happy, either. She died from drinking too much, and was accused by some of not writing her famous book, due to their belief she wasn't educated enough to do so. Ms. Mallett attempts to compare her to Shirley Jackson and Sylvia Plath, but that is a bit of a stretch in both cases. Or maybe she just didn't provide enough evidence for those comparisons. This book is not written in the most organized way, at least not where Grace Metalious is concerned, and a reader probably would be better off finding information on her elsewhere.
Grace Metalious' life wasn't that happy, either. She died from drinking too much, and was accused by some of not writing her famous book, due to their belief she wasn't educated enough to do so. Ms. Mallett attempts to compare her to Shirley Jackson and Sylvia Plath, but that is a bit of a stretch in both cases. Or maybe she just didn't provide enough evidence for those comparisons. This book is not written in the most organized way, at least not where Grace Metalious is concerned, and a reader probably would be better off finding information on her elsewhere.
August 5, 2021
Interesting
The book is really about Grace Metalious, the author of Peyton Place, a debut novel that sold 12 million copies worldwide and stayed on the Best Seller list for 59 weeks. Included in the story is the true crime nicknamed The Sheep Pen Murder.
The Sheep Pen Murder became The 'Peyton Place' Murder because it inspired -- or closely resembled -- the murder in the book. The book was highly controversial not only for the many taboo subjects it raised but also because people did not believe Grace Metalious wrote it (because she didn't have a college degree) and/or so many people in small towns thought she had written it about them!
The book is interesting but not well-written. There are many errors as well as much misuse of punctuation.
94
The book is really about Grace Metalious, the author of Peyton Place, a debut novel that sold 12 million copies worldwide and stayed on the Best Seller list for 59 weeks. Included in the story is the true crime nicknamed The Sheep Pen Murder.
The Sheep Pen Murder became The 'Peyton Place' Murder because it inspired -- or closely resembled -- the murder in the book. The book was highly controversial not only for the many taboo subjects it raised but also because people did not believe Grace Metalious wrote it (because she didn't have a college degree) and/or so many people in small towns thought she had written it about them!
The book is interesting but not well-written. There are many errors as well as much misuse of punctuation.
94
October 14, 2022
Seemed like the true crime was a footnote to this book. I learned more about the author and the writing of the book Peyton Place. It is a good read if that is what you are interested in, but I wanted more information of the real participants and the crime.
December 29, 2025
I came across this listen by accident scrolling for something short and available on Libby. I heard of Peyton Place but had no idea of the background and all the controversy it created as well as the short tragic life of the author. Well of course Peyton Place must be added to my TBR.
August 27, 2021
A very in depth look at the behind the scenes of the Peyton Place book, I felt like it covered all the angles and gave a good easy to follow timeline of events. Great for fans of the story who want to know more about the inspirations for the book.
I think where the author shines the most though is in the beginning and end where we get to go along with her as she's discovering the history for herself. I wanted to know more about her process and how the various interviews and fact finding missions played out.
I received my copy as a Goodreads giveaway win.
I think where the author shines the most though is in the beginning and end where we get to go along with her as she's discovering the history for herself. I wanted to know more about her process and how the various interviews and fact finding missions played out.
I received my copy as a Goodreads giveaway win.
September 18, 2025
I'm from NH and I love hearing the history behind this book. I really enjoy know the locations mentioned
July 26, 2021
Peyton Place took the world by storm. It was a movie and a television show - but first, it was a book. Renee Mallet takes us back to the original book, the story that started it all. When we talk about juicy stories, this one has all the makings of a crime that makes your skin crawl, and actually root for the person who committed the murder! Shocking I know, but its the truth.
Background on the Peyton Place Murder:
Grace Metalious was no ordinary housewife. She was a terrible housekeeper, and often lost track of her children, as she was buried in writing, and cheated on her husband more than once. Her mother raised her to expect better than the station she was born into, and so many things were "above her," so to speak. She loved to write, but would come under fire for her "Peyton Place" book due to the names of some people that she knew in real life making an appearance, even though she insisted that all of the characters were made up.
Through the friendship with a journalist, Grace became familiar with the murder that would spark the book that made her famous, but it also made her an outcast in her community. It was one of those taboo subjects that people were happier to let lie, and not bring up. It was not conversation for polite company. Grace never cared what anyone thought, and plowed ahead.
Review of The Peyton Place Murder:
I knew that the Peyton Place book was based on a true story. However, I could never have guessed at just how incredible the story of the murder of Sylvester Roberts would be. His daughter eventually confessed to the crime. She was sentenced to a prison term, although after a length of time, she changed her plea from Not Guilty to Guilty. This plea was changed to protect her younger brother. Many felt that her brother had a hand in the murder, but from reading through the story, and drawing some conclusions on Barbara herself, I have no doubt that she was capable of the killing, and of course, of moving and hiding the body, without the aid of her brother. They lived on a farm, and from a young age, she was used to the hard manual labor. Her father and older brothers were often away from home as they were Merchant Marines.
In the Peyton Place Murders, we not only get a glimpse of Grace herself. I will candidly admit to not caring for her in the slightest, but the people and the crime that she based her best selling novel off of. As I stated above, you will empathize with this killer, after learning the horrid secrets that she had been keeping, not telling anyone of the horrific abuses of her father. It was a time when these things were not discussed, and any hint of scandal was quickly and quietly done away with.
I really did enjoy this book, and it was one of those that sucks you in. The story of Barbara and the events that led to the death and cover up of her father was interesting, and you find yourself really hoping that she will get off the murder charge.
This book is perfect for a summer afternoon on the couch, or taking to the beach for a good read! For true crime lovers, this is one story that you are not going to want to miss - even if you discover that you can't stand Grace Metalious, you will be drawn into the story of a young girl who would do anything to protect herself and her younger brother at any cost.
This book is available now from WildBlue Press!
Background on the Peyton Place Murder:
Grace Metalious was no ordinary housewife. She was a terrible housekeeper, and often lost track of her children, as she was buried in writing, and cheated on her husband more than once. Her mother raised her to expect better than the station she was born into, and so many things were "above her," so to speak. She loved to write, but would come under fire for her "Peyton Place" book due to the names of some people that she knew in real life making an appearance, even though she insisted that all of the characters were made up.
Through the friendship with a journalist, Grace became familiar with the murder that would spark the book that made her famous, but it also made her an outcast in her community. It was one of those taboo subjects that people were happier to let lie, and not bring up. It was not conversation for polite company. Grace never cared what anyone thought, and plowed ahead.
Review of The Peyton Place Murder:
I knew that the Peyton Place book was based on a true story. However, I could never have guessed at just how incredible the story of the murder of Sylvester Roberts would be. His daughter eventually confessed to the crime. She was sentenced to a prison term, although after a length of time, she changed her plea from Not Guilty to Guilty. This plea was changed to protect her younger brother. Many felt that her brother had a hand in the murder, but from reading through the story, and drawing some conclusions on Barbara herself, I have no doubt that she was capable of the killing, and of course, of moving and hiding the body, without the aid of her brother. They lived on a farm, and from a young age, she was used to the hard manual labor. Her father and older brothers were often away from home as they were Merchant Marines.
In the Peyton Place Murders, we not only get a glimpse of Grace herself. I will candidly admit to not caring for her in the slightest, but the people and the crime that she based her best selling novel off of. As I stated above, you will empathize with this killer, after learning the horrid secrets that she had been keeping, not telling anyone of the horrific abuses of her father. It was a time when these things were not discussed, and any hint of scandal was quickly and quietly done away with.
I really did enjoy this book, and it was one of those that sucks you in. The story of Barbara and the events that led to the death and cover up of her father was interesting, and you find yourself really hoping that she will get off the murder charge.
This book is perfect for a summer afternoon on the couch, or taking to the beach for a good read! For true crime lovers, this is one story that you are not going to want to miss - even if you discover that you can't stand Grace Metalious, you will be drawn into the story of a young girl who would do anything to protect herself and her younger brother at any cost.
This book is available now from WildBlue Press!
August 25, 2021
Grace Metalious would love it!
This book made me want to read Peyton Place. It’s a great tribute to Grace Metalious and I think she would have loved it.
This book made me want to read Peyton Place. It’s a great tribute to Grace Metalious and I think she would have loved it.
July 4, 2021
This was such a fascinating read for me. I have never heard of the book Peyton Place which was published in 1956 or how scandalous it was thought to be. So naturally I kind of want to read it now. The author did a great job taking us through the life of Grace Metalious and the success of her book, which later became a show, and the backlash she received. I found Grace fascinating and so unconventional and way ahead of her time.
This isn’t a very long book but the author did a great job of giving us enough information and facts on both Grace as well as Barbara, the inspiration behind the novel and the name behind the Sheep Pen Murder. Loved the insight into small towns and gender roles in the 1950’s as well as what was considered “acceptable”.
This isn’t a very long book but the author did a great job of giving us enough information and facts on both Grace as well as Barbara, the inspiration behind the novel and the name behind the Sheep Pen Murder. Loved the insight into small towns and gender roles in the 1950’s as well as what was considered “acceptable”.
August 15, 2021
A fascinating account of a true crime that was the basis of the book Peyton Place. Several errors in the writing (grammatical, structural, common sense) mar it to an extent, but it's a great story, and it inspired me to go on and start reading Peyton Place. I'd never heard of this incident before, or the horrible sexual brutality of the father, a merchant seaman, when he'd return home to New Hampshire from a voyage. To me, it certainly was a case of justifiable homicide by the young daughter, who had borne the brunt of her father's periodic torture until she shot him when he returned from one voyage and her car was in the shop. He had promised to kill her if she wasn't there to pick him up when the ship docked.
August 18, 2021
Loved this book the story behind the famous Peyton Place book, I’ve gotten the original book to read next. Mallet takes you along her journey into the author’s life and the writing of the famous book so intriguing!!
August 19, 2021
2 Stories Told
Interesting combo stories about the notorious author and the tragedy that inspired the book. Short and to the point. Enjoyable.
Interesting combo stories about the notorious author and the tragedy that inspired the book. Short and to the point. Enjoyable.
July 1, 2021
IF YOU LIKED PAYTON PLACE YOU'D LOVE THIS BOOK
160 pgs WELL WRITTEN ABOUT MURDER BUT MAINLY THE DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HER LIFE IN MORE SIMPLE TIME!?!IN MY OPINION IT WAS BORING WITH ALOT INFORMATION AND DEFINED ND DEFINITION!?; ITS WELL WRITTEN IM MORE SIMILAR READER BUT FOR THE ACADEMIC AND DEFINE READER YOU LOVE IT HAVE AT IT!?;?;
160 pgs WELL WRITTEN ABOUT MURDER BUT MAINLY THE DESCRIPTION ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HER LIFE IN MORE SIMPLE TIME!?!IN MY OPINION IT WAS BORING WITH ALOT INFORMATION AND DEFINED ND DEFINITION!?; ITS WELL WRITTEN IM MORE SIMILAR READER BUT FOR THE ACADEMIC AND DEFINE READER YOU LOVE IT HAVE AT IT!?;?;
August 7, 2021
This was a very interesting story about the inspiration for Peyton’s Place. I personally have never seen the show or read the book before reading this. However, if you enjoy learning about true crime, this is a good book to read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 26, 2021
The Payton Place Murder is a book about a woman who wrote a book. Her name was Grace Metalious. It was a about a murder committed by 18 year old Brenda Robinson and ironically Brenda was eventually paroled for the murder And lived a very private and honorable life, whereas Grace lived a very tumultuous Life. Always in and out of relationships and never reaching the success of a first true crime book the Peyton Place murder. I found this book to be very interesting and found myself not wanting to put the book down. There’s somethings so interesting about being a fly on the wall and that’s exactly what you are when you read this book. Both women had sad beginnings, but both did not have sad endings. I received this book from book sirens and I am leaving this review totally voluntarily. If you like true crime stories and being a fly on the wall you’re going to love this book I totally did!
July 19, 2021
Interesting but Lacking in Color
This New Hampshire native feels the seasonal color as well as the flavor of the "Live Free or Die" state has been omitted from this short histoire. Also, the opening credits of the movie showed my hometown through the trees, Peterborough, which stirred up plenty of controversy, but gave us - as teenagers - a sense of not living in obscurity after all.
I never knew about the connection of the earlier murder to the book, but I missed getting a more vibrant picture of the scantily clad characters of that sad era. Still it was worth reading and i' m grateful to the author for her work.
This New Hampshire native feels the seasonal color as well as the flavor of the "Live Free or Die" state has been omitted from this short histoire. Also, the opening credits of the movie showed my hometown through the trees, Peterborough, which stirred up plenty of controversy, but gave us - as teenagers - a sense of not living in obscurity after all.
I never knew about the connection of the earlier murder to the book, but I missed getting a more vibrant picture of the scantily clad characters of that sad era. Still it was worth reading and i' m grateful to the author for her work.
January 5, 2023
This story is actually about two things. 1) Grace Metalious, author of the racy 1956 book titled Peyton Place and 2) the true-life crime dubbed "The Sheep Pen Murder" from which Metalious took inspiration for her book.
Honestly I didn't really enjoy reading of Grace Metalious' life except the parts that fell during her writing career and on. The author went back too far, in my opinion, and included details about her grandmother, mother, and other people in her early life. Frankly, I felt the book started turtle-style-slow, and I almost put it down. Let's say I was nonplussed.
It became more interesting to me when Mallett told the story about "The Sheep Pen Murder" which happened in Gilmanton, New Hampshire in 1947, 9 years prior to the publication of Peyton Place. A young woman was accused of murdering her father and concealing his body under the floorboards of their sheep pen. The author set the scene for the time period, the family dynamics, and did an excellent job characterizing the players in this tragedy. However, toward the end, it was slightly repetitive.
The author did a fair amount of research for both parts of the book, and I admire that. Overall, though, I would classify this book as "okay."
Honestly I didn't really enjoy reading of Grace Metalious' life except the parts that fell during her writing career and on. The author went back too far, in my opinion, and included details about her grandmother, mother, and other people in her early life. Frankly, I felt the book started turtle-style-slow, and I almost put it down. Let's say I was nonplussed.
It became more interesting to me when Mallett told the story about "The Sheep Pen Murder" which happened in Gilmanton, New Hampshire in 1947, 9 years prior to the publication of Peyton Place. A young woman was accused of murdering her father and concealing his body under the floorboards of their sheep pen. The author set the scene for the time period, the family dynamics, and did an excellent job characterizing the players in this tragedy. However, toward the end, it was slightly repetitive.
The author did a fair amount of research for both parts of the book, and I admire that. Overall, though, I would classify this book as "okay."
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