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shainajean's review
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
libkatem's review
1.0
Phew! The writing is BAD!
Kimball is an expert in the case, but maybe the reporter should have gotten an editor.
Also it's ok that the mansion doesn't talk about the murders, because True Crime Culture can be pretty gross.
Kimball is an expert in the case, but maybe the reporter should have gotten an editor.
Also it's ok that the mansion doesn't talk about the murders, because True Crime Culture can be pretty gross.
kmpkmp13's review
4.0
I didn't know much about the murders, but this book was a fantastic synopsis. Providing background information and thorough summaries, as well as exclusive information, it followed this case all the way from the very beginning until long after the murders occured. Definitely a good read!
elevetha's review
3.0
The Congdon murders were THE murder case in Minnesota for years and years. Everybody knew who was guilty, but evidence was often thrown out, and witness and suspect statements changed at the drop of a hat.
What I found most fascinating, and horrifying, was just HOW much crime followed the families involved in the murders. Let's lay it out, shall we??
Marjorie Congdon LeRoy Caldwell Hagen, the adopted daughter of the "main" victim, Elizabeth Congdon, was declared a sociopath long before her name was in the papers referencing the murder of her mother, occurring in 1977. She was in all kinds of crazy debt, and wanted dear old Mummy to bail her out. Mummy wasn't having it, and neither were the trustees to the estate. Elizabeth was found murdered in her home and everybody, like EVERYBODY, suspected Marjorie and Roger. Her second husband, Roger Caldwell, was arrested for the murders of Elizabeth and her nurse and found guilty after trial in 1978, while Marjorie was merely charged with conspiring with Roger and declared not guilty at her trial.
Everybody in the Congdon family pretty much hated Marjorie and were scared for their life. TEN Congdon family members hired PIs to watch Marjorie.
While Roger's in prison, Marjorie is the last person to visit Helen Hagen before her death at a retirement home, leading many to believe she was to blame for her death, especially since Marjorie(49), still married to Roger, then turned around and married Helen's widower, Wally Hagen(72).
Roger, meanwhile, is up for re-trial due to the new evidence used in Marjorie's trial. He's released, awaiting his re-trial, and in 1983 confesses to the murders in a plea deal, which allows him to go free.
Marjorie is meanwhile committing arson in Arizona, and claiming that Wally is dying of cancer. She finally gets caught and charged with arson, spends a little time in prison, and then is released.
Roger Caldwell commits suicide in 1988, and his note claims that he was innocent of the murders and that he never hurt no-one, despite having beat his girlfriend days before.
Marjorie is again arrested, this time for trying to burn her neighbor's house down, is able to go home to "take care" of Wally for 24 hours before being shunted off to jail, on account of him being so sick and old and needing help. But then Wally is found dead in their home. The kicker being that Marjorie called to inform one of her step-kids of Wally's death BEFORE talking to a police officer and not mentioning that her husband was dead, all of which was hours before Wally's body was found. Initially, Marjorie was arrested for his murder, but the investigation turned out evidence of a suicide from an overdose, complete with TWO suicide notes???? Medical reports also showed that Wally didn't have cancer.
Oh, and Wally was stored in a fricking morgue freezer for 7 months, while the body was "evidence" and Marjorie and Wally's kids fought over burial rights. Wally was eventually cremated and the two parties SPLIT the ashes.
However, all the evidence against Marge just wasn't enough, so she ends up in prison for 15 years due to her penchant for setting things on fire, and as late as 2009 pled guilty in a fraud case, after having cosied up to a man in a retirement home and stolen his money after he died.
In 1999, Roger's first wife Martha was murdered by her /Roger's daughter Chris, preserved in 700 lbs of rock salt in a makeshift coffin in the basement until her body is discovered, after which Chris commits suicide.
Chris's brother, Roger's only son, also committed suicide, but some years earlier.
The husband of the second victim, Elizabeth's nurse, died shortly after suing the Congdon estate for a lack of security.
There was a lot more in the 100 page book, which was occasionally meandering, as most things are gone over twice, in greater detail the second time as more information came to light, but it's just pretty darn crazy. Also, I can find no records of Marjorie having died, which would make her 84 now...and still out there.
What I found most fascinating, and horrifying, was just HOW much crime followed the families involved in the murders. Let's lay it out, shall we??
Marjorie Congdon LeRoy Caldwell Hagen, the adopted daughter of the "main" victim, Elizabeth Congdon, was declared a sociopath long before her name was in the papers referencing the murder of her mother, occurring in 1977. She was in all kinds of crazy debt, and wanted dear old Mummy to bail her out. Mummy wasn't having it, and neither were the trustees to the estate. Elizabeth was found murdered in her home and everybody, like EVERYBODY, suspected Marjorie and Roger. Her second husband, Roger Caldwell, was arrested for the murders of Elizabeth and her nurse and found guilty after trial in 1978, while Marjorie was merely charged with conspiring with Roger and declared not guilty at her trial.
Everybody in the Congdon family pretty much hated Marjorie and were scared for their life. TEN Congdon family members hired PIs to watch Marjorie.
While Roger's in prison, Marjorie is the last person to visit Helen Hagen before her death at a retirement home, leading many to believe she was to blame for her death, especially since Marjorie(49), still married to Roger, then turned around and married Helen's widower, Wally Hagen(72).
Roger, meanwhile, is up for re-trial due to the new evidence used in Marjorie's trial. He's released, awaiting his re-trial, and in 1983 confesses to the murders in a plea deal, which allows him to go free.
Marjorie is meanwhile committing arson in Arizona, and claiming that Wally is dying of cancer. She finally gets caught and charged with arson, spends a little time in prison, and then is released.
Roger Caldwell commits suicide in 1988, and his note claims that he was innocent of the murders and that he never hurt no-one, despite having beat his girlfriend days before.
Marjorie is again arrested, this time for trying to burn her neighbor's house down, is able to go home to "take care" of Wally for 24 hours before being shunted off to jail, on account of him being so sick and old and needing help. But then Wally is found dead in their home. The kicker being that Marjorie called to inform one of her step-kids of Wally's death BEFORE talking to a police officer and not mentioning that her husband was dead, all of which was hours before Wally's body was found. Initially, Marjorie was arrested for his murder, but the investigation turned out evidence of a suicide from an overdose, complete with TWO suicide notes???? Medical reports also showed that Wally didn't have cancer.
Oh, and Wally was stored in a fricking morgue freezer for 7 months, while the body was "evidence" and Marjorie and Wally's kids fought over burial rights. Wally was eventually cremated and the two parties SPLIT the ashes.
However, all the evidence against Marge just wasn't enough, so she ends up in prison for 15 years due to her penchant for setting things on fire, and as late as 2009 pled guilty in a fraud case, after having cosied up to a man in a retirement home and stolen his money after he died.
In 1999, Roger's first wife Martha was murdered by her /Roger's daughter Chris, preserved in 700 lbs of rock salt in a makeshift coffin in the basement until her body is discovered, after which Chris commits suicide.
Chris's brother, Roger's only son, also committed suicide, but some years earlier.
The husband of the second victim, Elizabeth's nurse, died shortly after suing the Congdon estate for a lack of security.
There was a lot more in the 100 page book, which was occasionally meandering, as most things are gone over twice, in greater detail the second time as more information came to light, but it's just pretty darn crazy. Also, I can find no records of Marjorie having died, which would make her 84 now...and still out there.
jonjeffryes's review
3.0
I saw the History Theatre's production of Glensheen and was unfamiliar with the original story, so I looked to this book to provide the historical context. It did that ably, and is clearly and compellingly written. But it's structure is odd. It starts with reportage of the case and aftermath. Then in part two it gives floor plans of the Glensheen house with the details of the crime (which felt a little gruesome) and then ends with another chronological re-telling of all the "Inside Stories". A different structure would have really put the reader in the world and given a sense of what the newspaper reporter experienced as it unfolded. But it's current structure is interesting and a nice companion to the show.
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