Murder and Mayhem: True Crime in New Hampshire, 1883-1915

SKU: 9781942155744

In Murder and Mayhem, author and genealogist Milli Knudsen looks at true crime in New Hampshire. In the rapidly changing world of 1883-1915, criminals and good citizens learned to cope with new ways to commit crimes and how to protect themselves. Emerging forensic science became a valuable tool. In those pre-internet days, newspapers widely covered the crimes and trials and created an audience of true crime readers, much like what we have today. Murders, robberies, the rise of insurance coverage and therefore arson, the reaction to the 1915 influenza outbreak (including resistance to mask wearing), sex crimes and the advent of financial crimes are all included in case studies averaging 300 to 800 words.

Sometimes the lives of the investigators—the judges, doctors, and journalists who covered crime stories—are every bit as fascinating as the crimes themselves. Murder and Mayhem tells the stories behind the headlines and gives you a glimpse into life in New England in the years leading up to World War I. Illustrated with historical images of victims and criminals alike, and fully indexed, this volume is perfect for true crime buffs, and historians. Murder and Mayhem is based on primary sources, including the second prison registry of the New Hampshire State Prison, at the New Hampshire State Archives, and New Hampshire court records.

Author: Milli Knudsen is a former New Hampshire educator. Knudsen also ran her own genealogical research company and has conducted extensive research into the New Hampshire crimes and criminals. She volunteered with the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit, which led to her becoming the unit's paralegal/data analyst in 2022. 
(Softcover; 413 pages)