How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It: Money and Mayhem in the Gilded Age

This gossipy true crime account paints a comprehensive portrait of a woman shrouded in mystery, Minnie Wallace Walkup Ketcham, who was born in 1869 and widowed for the first time by the tender age of 16. In a glib, conversational tone, Ammeson (A Jazz Age Murder in Northwest Indiana) relays the story of a teenage girl who walked into the lives of wealthy older men and walked out with generous inheritances—after their suspicious deaths. The author incorporates newspaper clippings and letters that detail the events surrounding Ketcham’s crimes to gain insight on just how the young girl finessed worldly suitors, judges, and juries, engaging readers with playful tongue-in-cheek commentary aplenty. Ammeson relies heavily on unadulterated research material, specifically long passages sampled from the work of journalists past. Few insights are gleaned beyond the obviously sensationalized facts of the case, and the author’s commentary tends to offer little more than mischievous quips. The book is informative and thoroughly researched, but its entertainment value lies mainly in the scandalous nature of Ketcham’s career. [em](Sept.) [/em]