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Blood Justice (St. Martin's True Crime Library) [Mass Market Paperback]

Tom Henderson
3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 26, 2004 St. Martin's True Crime Library
In 1991, flight attendant Nancy Ludwig checked in to an airport hotel near Detroit. The next morning she was found gagged, raped, and tortured-her throat slit with such rage that she was nearly decapitated. Her husband Arthur never gave up hope that the future would bring enough evidence to close the case. But it was the past that held the clue.

In 1985, fifty-five-year old Margarette Eby, a music professor, met the same grisly death at her cottage in Flint, Michigan. The case went cold-until six years later when the victim's son Mark came upon the story of Nancy Ludwig's slaying. With nothing to go on but intuition, he called authorities, certain that the same fiend committed both crimes.

A cunning sting operation yielded irrefutable DNA evidence, and authorities were led to the home of respected navy veteran Jeffrey Gorton living quietly with his wife and two children. But his cold-blooded secrets were only beginning to come to light leaving fears that there were more victims yet to be found in a killing spree that had finally come to an end.

Frequently Bought Together

Blood Justice (St. Martin's True Crime Library) + A Deadly Affair (St. Martin's True Crime Library) + Darker than Night: The True Story of a Brutal Double Homicide and an 18-Year Long Quest for Justice (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Price for all three: $20.67

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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A Husband's Anguish
In 1991, flight attendant Nancy Ludwig checked in to an airport hotel near Detroit. The next morning she was found gagged, raped, and tortured-her throat slit with such rage that she was nearly decapitated. Her husband Arthur never gave up hope that the future would bring enough evidence to close the case. But it was the past that held the clue.

A Son's Suspicion
In 1985, fifty-five-year old Margarette Eby, a music professor, met the same grisly death at her cottage in Flint, Michigan. The case went cold-until six years later when the victim's son Mark came upon the story of Nancy Ludwig's slaying. With nothing to go on but intuition, he called authorities, certain that the same fiend committed both crimes.

A Killer's Secret
A cunning sting operation yielded irrefutable DNA evidence, and authorities were led to the home of respected navy veteran Jeffrey Gorton living quietly with his wife and two children. But his cold-blooded secrets were only beginning to come to light leaving fears that there were more victims yet to be found in a killing spree that had finally come to an end.

About the Author

Tom Henderson, a native of Michigan, has worked as a news reporter for many years.  He has been a sportswriter for Detroit Free Press, a freelance writer for Detroit News, and a senior editor for a monthly business publication called Corporate Detroit. He currently covers finance and technology for a weekly business publication, Crain's Detroit Business. Henderson is the author of A Deadly Affair, Blood Justice, Darker Than Night, and Afraid of the Dark

Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 26, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312990871
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312990879
  • Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #315,854 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

This is one of the best true crime books I've read. Dr. Schnittman  |  7 reviewers made a similar statement
Very well written and great detail. forester  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Murder in Michigan June 28, 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
After dissipating my youth and innocence by reading almost all of the Ann Rule true crime books in print, I was beginning to think most serial killers hung out or originated in the Pacific Northwest. "Blood Justice" by Tom Henderson soon set me straight. Michigan harbors its share of brutal, secretive killers, too.

I had seen an episode on 'Cold Case Files' concerning two 'stranger' rape-killings that occurred many years apart in Flint and Romulus Michigan, and before the glory days of DNA. The killer had also left a bloody partial fingerprint at one of the crime scenes. "Blood Justice" delves much more deeply than the T.V. show into the lives and deaths of the victims: a music professor and an airline stewardess.

Unlike Ann Rule, this author does not automatically make saints out of the victims or heroes out of the law enforcement officials. In fact, a few of the attorneys seem downright incompetent, or more intent on political gain rather than achieving justice. A few Detroit judges take it on the chin, including 'Half-a-Day' Hathaway. I had the honor of serving on one of Judge Hathaway's juries, and yes, he did spend portions of the testimony with his eyes closed, but he was a courteous old gentleman and I always made a point of voting for him until he retired.

I wish I had served on one of Judge Drake's juries. She presided over the Jeffrey Gorton case and the author has nothing but admiration for her. The judge, prosecutor, and most of the jurors were women, which really seemed to freak out the defendant--especially one of the jurors who closely resembled his victims. Coincidentally, one of the prosecuting attorneys was a former flight attendant.
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Creepy... January 12, 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I'm not a huge fan of true crime but I was looking for one that my husband wanted to read and saw this on the shelf, so needing something to read, I bought it. It was a gripping, hard to put down read and absolutely terrifying. Jeff Gorton was apparently, just a normal guy living a normal life, who'd even fooled his wife of several years. A loving father, a good friend, a nice looking guy. But the murders he committed were so awfully gruesome. I can't imagine the terror the victims felt when he descended on them. And I have a hard time understanding how, after doing something so awful, this man was able to carry on with his life as if nothing at all had happened. It was just so strange. I've never in my life read such a disturbing story. My heart goes out to both the Eby family and Arthur Ludwig and for all they have endured as a result of this man. If you like reading true crime, this is definitely a must read. But be prepared, it is terribly graphic and gruesome.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely excellent book February 22, 2006
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love true crime and have never missed a book by Ann Rule (she's #1),but this book comes Veeery close to being one of the best I've ever read. Believe all the other reviews (hard to put down, keeps you reading most of the night, empathy for the families he ruined, etc.). The author has done such a terrific job: clear, precise, and an absorbing story.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended - Very Interesting Crimes April 3, 2007
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I read this book in 2006 and have since seen a Cold Case Files episode detailing these crimes. It is very rare that I continue to think about how scary a murderer is once I have finished reading about the crimes, but I was plagued by fears for months after reading this book. Jeffrey Gorton is truly a very scary man.

Based upon testimony from relatives and other business contacts, Gorton spent an inordinate amount of time "prowling" for women he found attractive, often following them in their cars while driving his business van to and from appointments. In fact, he was often late because he went out of his way to follow women he found attractive. It is also frightening that the nature of Gorton's work gave him access to the inside of every home he serviced. Judging from the astounding number of panties and other undergarments hidden throughout his home - many of them labeled with names and addresses - Gorton used his time inside the homes he was servicing to rifle through panty drawers and steal whatever he found stimulating. He even stole panties from his own niece and other female relatives. It was as if no one was off limits.

During the jury trial, one observer commented that each time an attractive brunette was in the courtroom to testify or simply to watch the proceedings, Gorton's eyes followed her freely and his mouth would begin to curl into a sick smile. His very nature was so PREDATORY that he could not even control his fantasies within the court environment.

The author comments, and I concur, that it is highly unlikely that Jeffrey Gorton only murdered two women... waiting 14 years in between the two crimes. Both murders were well planned and there is evidence Gorton took the time to shower following the butchery.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book April 11, 2005
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Gotta say I really enjoyed this book. I'm a truecrimeaholic, and this one kept me glued to the barcolounger in my living room. I couldn't get up and do anything on my "to do" list because I didn't want to put the book down.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars Strange
The author sent me an e-mail where I could get a free copy and asked for a review. I read about 20 pages and wished I hadn't. Read more
Published 20 days ago by David Ashley
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Saw the tv show regarding this story and was fascinated by the book. Hard to put down. Very well written and great detail.
Published 3 months ago by forester
3.0 out of 5 stars Did not like the authors way of telling this story.
the author was way to detailed onall the police ooficers, attorneys, etc. Would have liked more detail on the victims lives before their trajic end. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Getta
3.0 out of 5 stars Meticulous research on the super homicidal freak next door
This is a lengthy book on the terribly violent murders of two women, targeted by a vicious predator named Jeffrey Gorton. Read more
Published 8 months ago by History Buff
5.0 out of 5 stars Blood Justice
Having lived in Flint, Mi and meeting Margaret Eby, this book proved to be very interesting to me. I knew so many of the places and people.
Published 9 months ago by Shirley A. Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars Henderson's answer to Rule's Stranger Beside Me
In The Stranger Beside Me Ann crime writer Ann Rule told the story of her involvement in a criminal investigation where the main suspect came to be -- oddly enough -- an old friend... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Steve Reina
4.0 out of 5 stars Hometown Murder Brought to Justice
I grew up in Flint, Michigan and have lived thru the ups and downs of the auto industry, the tax cuts , the drug wars, and the constant stream of murders, watching from a suburb to... Read more
Published on February 27, 2011 by Janet L. Scholl
3.0 out of 5 stars DNA Unravels Two "Cold" Cases from Michigan - Solid True Crime
Tom Henderson penned a true-crime book that I really like titled Darker than Night. After reading that book, I decided to seek out some of Henderson's other work and I came across... Read more
Published on February 7, 2011 by stoic
4.0 out of 5 stars Justice inspite of politics.
It is difficult to write about true life because it doesn't happen in a single line of development. The author does a good job of pulling the information together even though it... Read more
Published on September 12, 2010 by Nora G. Fisher
1.0 out of 5 stars No page turner
I found this book very disappointing. Had read rave reviews so was expecting something pretty good. The reader is given all the information about "who dunnit" right at the start... Read more
Published on June 10, 2010 by Kate
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