The Ghosts of Hopewell: Setting the Record Straight in the Lindbergh Case

The sad story of Charles Lindbergh's baby, kidnapped and murdered at the height of America's love affair with its aviator hero, is common knowledge, as is the scandal and corruption surrounding the conviction and execution of Bruno Hauptmann for that crime. In The Ghosts of Hopewell, Jim Fisher tells us another story, one more surprising in its lack of conspiracy and intrigue. Fisher writes simply, clearly, and with conviction--firmly convinced that Hauptmann was indeed the killer. As he sorts through the evidence, the testimony, the motives, and the crime itself, it becomes clear to the reader, too, that this was not simply a case of corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials trying to put a controversial murder to rest. It was, as believed originally, a case of an unemployed immigrant who saw an opportunity to make a few quick bucks on the brutal murder of the innocent child of America's celebrity of the day. --Lisa Higgins