My latest PlanetSlade book - number seven in a planned series of ten - opens with my account of 1896's Pearl Bryan murder in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. I've kept this 100-page essay available as a free online article for over ten years, but now I'm asking people to buy the book instead.
As one journalist at the time pointed out, Pearl's case really does have it all: an innocent young country girl tempted to the big city by her ruthless seducer, the scandalous pregnancy which followed, a brutal murder far from home, a hotly-contested murder trial and a missing head. No wonder the case was so eagerly taken up by country and blues musicians like Charlie Poole, Doc Hopkins and the Crooked Jades, whose records continue to spread Pearl’s tale today.
Elsewhere in the book, you'll find the full story behind the classic murder ballad Duncan & Brady, a look at the Indiana family massacre case which inspired horror writer Shirley Jackson, and the extraordinary story of an American honour killing of 1884 and the legal gymnastics which ensured its culprit walked free.
All these delights can be yours in either paperback or e-book form for the price of a couple of drinks. Head over to the book's Amazon page to buy your copy now!
"A wonderful read." – Americana-uk.com.
