Customer Reviews

The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was completely unfamiliar with this case when I read this book. The first section is quite dry with extraneous detail (a common foible of true crime books, I admit) about Phoenix of the 1930's and I almost decided to put it down. I'm glad I didn't. Although the details of the crime itself were interesting, I found the real enjoyment of this book came from following the bizarre course of Ruth Judd's life. I kept turning pages to find out what would happen to her next. About the time she opened up her own beauty salon in the insane asylum, I was totally hooked. What a fascinating life she led, albeit a sad one.

In telling the complex story of convicted murderer Winnie Ruth Judd, Jana Bommersbach uses her expert investigative reporting skills - combined with compassion - to ask what really happened on that dreadful Friday night of October 16, 1931. Judd, a minister's daughter, was charged with killing her girlfriends, 24-year-old Hedvig Samuelson and 32-year-old Agnes Anne LeRoi.

In her riveting writing style, Bommersbach describes how the very popular and successful businessman, 44-year-old Jack Halloran, was protected by the Old Boy's Club, while most of the community turned their backs on Winnie Ruth Judd. It's a story of fear and betrayal that once again illustrates how the powerful and well connected in society often hide behind an aura of respectability, leaving the little people, like Judd, to pay the price.

I cannot help thinking that if Bommersbach was an investigative reporter in 1931, we might have seen a very different life for Winnie Ruth Judd. (The reviewer is the author of four novels, including Broken Trust - The Murder Of Basketball Star Jack Molinas.)

This book is great! usually books like these get repetitive and a little dull after a few chapters. Not this one! She has had an exciting life from beginning to end. I had one view of the case when I first heard about it but after reading all this, I have definitly chaged my mind!

This is a very well written and researched story. But unlike many true crime books, it has what I consider a sad, unsatisfying ending. That's life. Worth your attention.

edit: A while back, but after I read Winnie Judd's story, I purchased another fascinating book called Death Scenes: A Homicide Detective's Scrapbook by Sean Tejaratchi. It was even more interesting than I expected. Last night I looked it over for the second time, and imagine my surprise at several autopsy photos of "Sammy" Samuelson, the dismembered victim from Winnie Judd's tale! It was very sad. One thing I did miss in Jana's story was that I'd like more photos. Not autopsy shots, but just photos of her friends who died and etc.

I found the story of Winnie Ruth Judd and the history of Phoenix very interesting, but the book left me wanting to know more. Bommersbach mentions doing a lot of background reading for the book, so I looked for her bibilography, but there isn't one. I wanted to double check some facts and turned to the index.. but there isn't one. And I wanted to know more about Jack Halloran and why he had such an influence on Judd.
Bommersbach is so obviously on Judd's side that it spoiled the book somewhat for me.

the book is very interesting. I saw the story on a history channel show and wanted to read about the story more in depth than the information in the show.

Phoenix of the 1930s is brought to life in this detailed account of Winnie Ruth Judd. Kudos to Jana!

I received this book in a timely manner and I was pleased with its condition.