Murder in Marblehead: Who Killed Beryl Atherton

by Harry Christensen, Richard Santeusanio

For over forty years, on the anniversary of the night of the most brutal unsolved murder in his town’s history, Harry Christensen has returned to the scene of the crime, hoping the psychotic killer might also. He parks across from the small, clapboard house where mild-mannered, unmarried, and well-liked elementary school teacher Beryl Atherton was brutally murdered on a stormy night in 1950, causing the townspeople of Harry’s New England town of Marblehead, Massachusetts to plummet into a state of fear and shock in the days following the murder. Who would be next, everyone asked? Why Beryl? Who would be compelled to violently kill this woman who seemed to have no enemies?
Lifetime resident and local attorney Harry Christensen has never stopped asking that question, and over the past four decades has gone to great lengths to find the identity of the murderer, turning over every stone covering up the killer’s tracks, gathering and studying all the data from town, state and federal criminal investigations, and interviewing numerous townspeople, outsiders, and suspects.
Here, for the first time, is the collection of all the obtainable the autopsy, the detailed murder scene, the background of the victim, the history of the town, relevant photographs, the potentially knowledgeable or involved townspeople, and the countless clues gathered over seventy years.
In conclusion, co-authors Harry Christensen and Richard Santeusanio have submitted three theories of their own, and also invited readers to join the investigation, to go through the research, to ask their own questions, and to submit their theories as to the identity of the killer. Help them solve this!

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 3, 2022

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half is rather gripping. I was intrigued by the case, although frustrated by the state lab and the local police at the time for not going back to interview two suspects and later overlooking evidence. There are some typos and one minor factual goof.

The second half is perplexing. It presents all the evidence, well and good, and then it gives a long historical background for the town and historical setting for the 1950s. Not certain this is necessary.

Still and all, it is a quick read and worthwhile.

[Kathy Maher · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has facts but they needed some help with editing- there were some mistakes with names, dates and it repeated itself a lot. I would not be able to guess who killed Beryl by reading this without taking many liberties - there are just too many questions.

[Jamie Yomtov · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story within the book is interesting, and I liked hearing the various theories. The grammar and how it was written wasn’t great.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of mysteries and live in that area so could not put this down. I have 2 pages of thoughts and notes to discuss on their website now. Very curious to see how everyone else feels about the suspects and which one seems most likely.