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Boston Tabloid: The Killing of Robin Benedict
"A thoughtful, compelling reexamination of an intriguing story of fatal obsession and its enduring mysteries."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Well-researched and a page turner..."
—Library Journal
"Boston Tabloid answers the call to take true crime to the next level—a true page-turner, it brings the reality of Boston’s underbelly to the forefront for perhaps the first time.”
—M. William Phelps, New York Times bestselling author and host of iHeartMedia’s podcasts Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps and Paper Ghosts.
“Boston Tabloid is everything a top-notch true-crime book should be and more.”
—Linda Rosencrance, author of Murder at Morses Pond and co-author of The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter
The disappearance of a twenty-one-year-old woman from a Massachusetts suburb became one of the most discussed crimes of the twentieth century. The discussion intensified when the public learned that she worked as a prostitute in Boston's notorious red-light district, the “Combat Zone,” and was linked by a trail of blood to a famous professor from Tufts University.
When Robin Benedict vanished the investigation and media circus that gripped the city of Boston hadn't been seen since the days of the Boston Strangler case. On a Sunday morning in March 1983, a small-time pimp walked into a police station and claimed his girlfriend was missing. He said she had been on her way to visit a client named William Douglas. In the year that followed, the case drew in detectives, state troopers, scores of journalists, and even psychics. But Robin was never found.
Boston Tabloid reconstructs a grisly murder, and explores one man's bizarre obsession. In revisiting this legendary crime, Don Stradley consulted journalists involved in the media frenzy, prison authorities, arresting officers, and psychiatrists, all in an effort to unravel a most tangled story. Why was the city, and the nation, swept up in this sordid tale? It remains a grim and fascinating moment in Boston's history.
—Kirkus Reviews
"Well-researched and a page turner..."
—Library Journal
"Boston Tabloid answers the call to take true crime to the next level—a true page-turner, it brings the reality of Boston’s underbelly to the forefront for perhaps the first time.”
—M. William Phelps, New York Times bestselling author and host of iHeartMedia’s podcasts Crossing the Line with M. William Phelps and Paper Ghosts.
“Boston Tabloid is everything a top-notch true-crime book should be and more.”
—Linda Rosencrance, author of Murder at Morses Pond and co-author of The Mafia Hit Man's Daughter
The disappearance of a twenty-one-year-old woman from a Massachusetts suburb became one of the most discussed crimes of the twentieth century. The discussion intensified when the public learned that she worked as a prostitute in Boston's notorious red-light district, the “Combat Zone,” and was linked by a trail of blood to a famous professor from Tufts University.
When Robin Benedict vanished the investigation and media circus that gripped the city of Boston hadn't been seen since the days of the Boston Strangler case. On a Sunday morning in March 1983, a small-time pimp walked into a police station and claimed his girlfriend was missing. He said she had been on her way to visit a client named William Douglas. In the year that followed, the case drew in detectives, state troopers, scores of journalists, and even psychics. But Robin was never found.
Boston Tabloid reconstructs a grisly murder, and explores one man's bizarre obsession. In revisiting this legendary crime, Don Stradley consulted journalists involved in the media frenzy, prison authorities, arresting officers, and psychiatrists, all in an effort to unravel a most tangled story. Why was the city, and the nation, swept up in this sordid tale? It remains a grim and fascinating moment in Boston's history.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2022
197 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 2, 2025
I can't recommend this book in good conscience. I picked it up because I'm always interested in a well-done true crime story, especially one local to me. I learned a lot about Boston history (specifically the Combat Zone), which was interesting, but that was where the good stuff started and ended.
The author repeatedly refers to Robin Benedict as a "prostitute" which is frankly jarring in 2025. This was published in 2022, so the author really should have known better. Moreover, there's implicit judgement on both Robin and the other sex workers mentioned in the story without any real examination of why these women ended up as sex workers.
The narrative is very much centered on Robin's killer rather than Robin herself (there are some parts about her but again, not enough and filled with judgement), and the impact that this crime had on Robin's surviving family. This also rubbed me the wrong way.
Lastly, the narrator sucks. I'm not usually one to criticize, but his voices were hideous, and I really question the judgement of hiring this person to read this specific story (but I guess I shouldn't be surprised based on the other questionable choices made here).
Anyway, I have regrets about finishing this book. I'd try to find a more victim centered perspective and one that's shorter than this one if you're interested in Robin Benedict's death.
The author repeatedly refers to Robin Benedict as a "prostitute" which is frankly jarring in 2025. This was published in 2022, so the author really should have known better. Moreover, there's implicit judgement on both Robin and the other sex workers mentioned in the story without any real examination of why these women ended up as sex workers.
The narrative is very much centered on Robin's killer rather than Robin herself (there are some parts about her but again, not enough and filled with judgement), and the impact that this crime had on Robin's surviving family. This also rubbed me the wrong way.
Lastly, the narrator sucks. I'm not usually one to criticize, but his voices were hideous, and I really question the judgement of hiring this person to read this specific story (but I guess I shouldn't be surprised based on the other questionable choices made here).
Anyway, I have regrets about finishing this book. I'd try to find a more victim centered perspective and one that's shorter than this one if you're interested in Robin Benedict's death.
August 15, 2023
Probably too long but I tore though this. Boston's 20th history is something that oddly get past me if it is not sports or Kennedy related. I learned a lot about the Combat Zone which seems to be a even more closed section than 60's/70's Time Square. Every speck of detail is examined in this weird story and it usually all made since why it was in here because it provides context to understand the city and the main characters.
March 22, 2023
Memories of murder
I lived in the Boston area all my life and I remember driving in Boston on a Saturday night. We locked the doors of our car,kept the windows up and drove like hell when near the "Zone." I remember this case but barely since I was a college kid and didn't really pay much attention to the news. I do now....
I lived in the Boston area all my life and I remember driving in Boston on a Saturday night. We locked the doors of our car,kept the windows up and drove like hell when near the "Zone." I remember this case but barely since I was a college kid and didn't really pay much attention to the news. I do now....
October 19, 2023
This book has its moments of attempting to be feminist and to point out that the media’s treatment of women has improved since the 1980s. But it also still basically blames the victim for the her own homicide, and persists on calling sex workers “prostitutes”, “whores”, and even “sex witch” at one point. Gross.
April 11, 2023
I downloaded a sample from Kindle and was about to purchase the book but unfortunately you can't purchase from Kindle unless you pay for a Kindle subscription. No thanks, I'll stick with Apple Books, at least with Apple you only have to pay for the book!
May 15, 2024
The author repeats himself a number of times. The language, while appropriate for the 80's, is extremely misogynistic for today. I would suggest reading a different book about this murder. I am sure there is one that doesn't automatically dismiss Robin's murder because she was a sex worker.
September 11, 2024
The story is an interesting one. The author occasionally veers into speculation and assumption as if it’s fact (especially towards the end of the book). Word choice leans towards the insensitive, outdated, tabloid terms. Author seems to pass more judgment than is necessary
July 27, 2023
3.5 Stars...
October 30, 2023
A nicely written book that does a good job of proving its premise that this murder was one of the first and set the tone for media saturated stories. It was well written and nicely paced.
May 6, 2025
This book was repetitive and much too long.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews