Torture at the Back Forty: The Gang Rape and Slaying of Margaret Anderson

by Mike Dauplaise

The true story of the pool table rape and murder of Margaret Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Left for dead, practically beheaded in a manure pile, Margaret fights for life. But in the end, the single mother leaves behind a son.
  
Author Mike Dauplaise practically makes Margaret blow a breath at readers as he recreates the night she was killed. He then takes readers to the place she was trying to escape back to, her home state of Montana, and finally, on the investigative hunt of a lifetime as this "America's Most Wanted" drama ends with the capture of the last of the suspects five years later.
  
Dauplaise infiltrates the motorcycle club culture of the 1980s to expose what happened to Anderson and why she was just six months away from returning home to Montana. True-crime enthusiasts will revel in the detail and the hunt.
  
Vivid. Enthralling. Horrific.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

167 pages, Paperback

First published August 7, 2009

Reviews

[MadameD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 4/5
Narration 4/5

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is what i wrote on amazon, wonder if they will publish it.


Well I am shocked by all those raving reviews. I am so disappointed with this book just because of them. I expected a great book but it wasn't great at all. The author just touched a little bit on the crime (they did not really know what really happened) People say they got to know the victim Margaret? well not at all. Maybe 1 chapter was about her but then you still do not really get to know her.
Most chapters are (it is a very short book only 165 pages) are that the cops are wondering where they were hiding, and you get to hear many different names which makes it confusing and to be honest not very interesting, plus most people were lying to the cops. Then they find them and you get the trial. Well most boring trial ever. I plead the 5th is all they say.

I was glad I finished it and am a bit pissed of that I spend my money on this based on the amazon reviewers. Are these all reviewers who get the book for free before the book is published? I hardly write reviews because my English is not good enough to really say adequate what I mean but in this case I had to.

[Yolanda Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

TORTURE AT THE BACK FORTY
by
MIKE DAUPLAISE

TORTURE AT THE BACK FORTY, a true crime drama, is one of the most difficult books I have ever read, not because of the writing, but because of the subject – gang rape, torture, and murder. This atrocity took place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1983. Margaret Anderson was on a date, it went bad and her escort left her alone at a biker bar called the Back Forty. Margaret would not survive the night. Even though there were witnesses, few came forward. It was the dedication of the officers who investigated that got Margaret Anderson justice. They doggedly pursued the men responsible.
The most appalling thing about this book is the number of people who knew what happened to her and lied or simply kept quiet. One of them abandoned her to this horror, the man she considered a friend. He was her date that night. Weasel, a name that befits the owner, began a fight with her after they left the bar. Instead of taking a very inebriated woman home, he yanked her from the car by her hair and began kicking her with his steel-toed boots. Then he told the men watching, “she’s yours…” The bartender watched these men continue to kick her senseless, even heard Margaret’s ribs cracking under their brutality. If only one of these people would have intervened, Margaret may have survived the night.
Mike Dauplaise has written about something none of us wants to think about – TORTURE AT THE BACK FORTY describes for us the real life monsters that live among us, and the people who protect their existence through silence, and lies. Reality is often hard to accept, but when it is this meaningless, this unforgivable, and barely punished – it is near impossible.
While I found it difficult to read this true crime story, I also found it impossible to put down. I wanted; no, I needed to know the outcome. I wanted these men caught, I wanted them punished, and I wanted Margaret’s horrific death to mean something. Three of the four men convicted are or soon will be walking the streets, except for one, the man who practically beheaded her. He still claims his innocence.
“Margaret Anderson’s favorite color was yellow”-- so is mine.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting alot more. I'm so disappointed that the author was so dry & uninteresting in telling this story. Very disappointed that there wasn't more background info in regards to Margaret & the assholes that took her life. Alot of confusion with sooo many people mentioned & sooo many lies, very hard to keep track of what was going on & who's who. Most of all i'm pissed off that 2 of those fuckers are already out of prison, 1 is being released next January & the piece of shit that slit her throat is elgible for parole & could get out anytime! That's our wonderful justice system!!!

[Shirley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a bad summary of a complex crime chase, but it was kind of dry since it basically stated facts about the case. I was expecting more of a "story" with background about Margaret Anderson and her involvement with these evil men. It is an accurate summary of police court actions regarding the case and very detailed. Not my kind of book!

[Margi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great true crime story from WI my home town. It covers the crime before and after and fills in some of the missing details from the news reports of the time. Especially intriguing because my dad worked on the case.

[Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really dark tale that illustrates the deep and powerful role misogyny plays in our American culture even as we collectively try to push these attitudes off on other countries and cultures. I feel that this book was eye-opening, but really emotionally challenging to read. The men who beat, raped and murdered Margaret Anderson are all out of prison at this date, and in their early sixties, which is an utter travesty.

[Allison Bednarek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lived in Green Bay when this happened

1 mile away on Heyrman St. we used to ride our bikes up Debra lane to Lime Kiln Rd all the time. When I first heard about this and read news papers I had lots of questions which now have been answered. Thank You Mike

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am from the area. I was very young when this happened but I still remember it. This book portrayed the events very vividly.

[MORTICA B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes you think and be more careful such ashame she had to die like that RIP Margaret

[Melanie R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feel like the book could have focused more on Margaret. The details at times got a bit intense and with so many people slightly confusing . Sad and disturbing story .

[Kayley Goffard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, fast paced and kept my adhd soul wanting more! If you’re from the Green Bay Area and you were around in the 80s or 90s you have heard of this case. A must read!

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting living here and knowing where all the places were. Sounded a lot like information from the news papers and not a ton from people who actually knew her.

[Heather Ackels · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring....

[Erik Butterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

What amazing detail. What an extremely gruesome account.

[Jeff Herman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its hard to believe this gruesome murder took place in Green Bay. It happened in 1983 and I vaguely remember hearing the names on the news. I was only 12 years old at the time but it definately struck a nerve with all of the cities residents and was the major topic of conversation that year. My parent's neighbor is mentioned in the book as he worked for Green Bay's fire and rescue team and remembers driving by the bar the night of murder as seeing a scuffle outside at 1:30 a.m. The names of some of old Green Bay's establishments are often referred to in the book which kept me interested throughout.

[Jodi Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember this like it was yesterday

I was 13 and living just blocks from the victim, Margaret Anderson, and Randy Whiting when this crime occurred. This book brought back memories of a scared family with 2 young girls and wanting justice for the victims family. I knew some of the details described in the book, Green Bay is a small town & people talk but I didn't know all of them. Mike Duplaise put together the timeline of the crime, the police investigation, and the trial in a concise manner. Knowing what happened and the fact that Whiting is set to be released (what lead me to this book) brings the heartache back in vivid detail.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of the gang rape, torture and brutal murder of Margaret Anderson in a biker bar in Green Bay. What happened to her was horrific and by the protection of various friends, family members and motorcycle gang safe houses, some of the men almost got away with it. I am not sure from all the contradictory testimony who actually dealt the final death blow to Margaret, but they all committed a despicable crime and this book conveys that.

[a m a n d a · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My dad told me this story probably at an age I shouldn’t have known 🫣 but oh well!

The book does evolve around the gang culture at the time this crime took place in Green Bay and to me I found that interesting. It was a nice, easy, short read that I really liked.

My dad does not read and he even read this book 😂 he discovered a lot of information he did not know and realized he served them back in the day at the bar he use to bartend at. Funny how it’s a small world!

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought back a lot of memories. I was a little girl at the time this murder occurred, but it was close to my home and at the time I remember a very "ugly" feeling in the community because of the murder. The author did a great job. It makes you think about how things could have ended up differently if just one person acted differently. Sad situation.

[Tom Anstett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever read In Cold Blood (Capote), you will find this book interesting. The author does a fine job researching the crime, examining the background to it, and follows through with a thorough trial scene of the criminals. Worth it! Even if you never read Capote's classic "nonfiction novel," this book will keep you reading about a terrible moment in Green Bay's history.

[Titletownpublishinggmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME READ!

[Heather Tiedtke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that only took me 1 day to read. It's a very disturbing true crime but the book is well written and seemed to stick to the facts.

[Linda Kalies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good accounting of a horrific crime in my hometown.