Shallow Grave in Trinity County [Paperback]

Harry Farrell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1999

Greeted with unqualified raves upon its hardcover publication, Shallow Grave in Trinity County is the story of how a suburban dream morphed into a murderous nightmare. The story starts with two characters: Stephanie Bryan, a pretty 14-year-old from Berkeley, and Burton Abbott, a lanky 27-year-old student who lives nearby. One day, Stephanie vanishes. Three months later her purse, and then her glasses and brassiere, are found in Abbott's basement. As California comes alive with phantom witnesses and wild rumors, Farrell's taut narrative hones in on the charismatic egoist Abbott -- executed for killing Stephanie and burying her in a forest, without ever confessing to the crime. Through interviews, research, and close scrutiny of long-buried police files, veteran journalist Farrell finds in this tale a dark parable of evil in suburbia.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Harry Farrell worked as a newspaper journalist for 40 years in San Jose, California. His first book, Swift Justice, about a 1930s kidnap-murder case that ended in a lynching of the perpetrators, won the Edgar Award for best fact crime of 1992. Shallow Grave in Trinity County is equally brilliant. In steady prose that is rich with details, Farrell describes how a weak-minded and repellent UC-Berkeley student was apprehended and convicted of the kidnap-murder of a 14-year-old girl, in the comparatively peaceful times of the 1950s. Shallow Grave is a model of how a true crime book should be written: the text is clear, chronological, compassionate, unembellished, and quietly gripping. Farrell not only gives readers all the facts of the case, both relevant and irrelevant, he also provides three maps of the region on which the exact sequence of the killer's actual movements (vs. those he alleged in his testimony) can be traced. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA?Did Burton Abbott really kidnap and kill 12-year-old Stephanie Bryan in the spring of 1955? Although the truth will never be known, Farrell shows the frustration and lack of clues that the police and FBI encountered after the child disappeared on her way home from school. Three months later, Abbott and his wife found several of the girl's belongings in their cellar. When they called the police, they never imagined that Abbott would become the main suspect in this grizzly crime, but layer by layer, the investigation pointed to him as the guilty party. As the numerous clues and witnesses are presented in the text, the author footnotes names, dates, and events, reminding readers who these people are and how they are interrelated. Photographs from the investigation and trial are included. Much of the evidence would not be admissible in court today. This is also noted and explained in relation to modern laws and technology. Using old police and court files, Farrell re-creates this chilling crime while leaving his readers to judge for themselves whether Abbott was guilty as charged or innocent as he proclaimed right up until his execution. YAs will find picking apart the pieces of evidence a challenge as they try to construct their own theories.?Anita Short, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312206720
• ISBN-13: 978-0312206727
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,359,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and eerie documentary., August 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shallow Grave in Trinity County (Hardcover)

"Shallow Grave" is true-crime reporting at it's best. This is a compelling and emotional story, packed with details. I was particularly impressed with the author's gift for explaining the minute details of the unfolding criminal case in a clear and interesting way. The book neither sensationalizes nor sugar-coats the horrific details of the crime. Highly recommended.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of The Leading San Francisco Bay Area Murder Stories., November 26, 2000

By 

H. M. Barrett "mimereader" (San Francisco, California USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shallow Grave in Trinity County (Hardcover)

Not only did I buy this book by Mr. Farrell, but I also bought another book on this case by Keith Walker, A Trail of Corn (Selling at Bill & Kathy's Restaurant, none the less), because the Burton Abbott case is very much like one I'm writing myself, the Theodore Durrant case of 1895.

I greatly appreciate authors who provide addresses, maps, and photos, and Mr. Farrell was generous on all counts. As I live in the Bay Area, and have written two unrelated self-guided walking tours, I like to visit all the sites associated with any story that touches me emotionally. Mr. Farrell certainly succeeded with his central task.

In fact, his narrative is so riveting that I soon drove over to Berkeley and retraced the route Stephanie Bryan walked before her kidnapping. One of the strengths of this book is that the reader gets a sense of knowing the victim, her parents, the accused kidnapper, and even a comprehension of how most of the people central to this story had their lives ruined.

Those who are familiar with this famous case may also appreciate knowing, even though this murder happened in 1955, that Willard Junior High, the library, Dream Fluff Donut shop, the suspected ambush path, tunnel road, the Bryan's former residence, the Abbott family's former residence in Alameda, the court house in Oakland, and San Quentin Prison are all still there to be seen!

Imagine seeing those sites for a moment. And if you want any help finding them just e-mail me.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid account of murder in 1950's California., January 5, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shallow Grave in Trinity County (Hardcover)

If you like true crime noir, this is one of the best in a long time! Harry Farrell has done a thorough job of researching this case, the result of which is a carefully detailed account of the northern California murder of a young girl, and a killer swiftly brought to justice. I highly recommend this book!