The Lindbergh Child: A Treasury of Xxth Century Murder

Charles Lindbergh Jnr, aged 20 months, was taken from his room during the night of March 1 1932, while his parents Charles Lindbergh - the celebrated aviator who made the first transatlantic crossing in 33 and a half hours - and Anne Morrow Lindbergh were downstairs. Also in the house were two servants and the baby's nurse, Betty Gow, who would be the first to discover the baby was missing. A ransom note was left on the windowsill where the abductor had supposedly entered asking for $50,000 for the baby's safe return. What followed was a feverish search for the baby, the hunt for the abductor, and, following the capture of the abductor, be called the "crime of the century". The details of the case are fascinating. How no fingerprints except the baby's were found in the nursery for example, or the fact that in a full house how nobody saw or heard anything like a home made ladder being set up outside and the abductor entering and taking the baby without a noise being uttered by the infant. The baby's remains were later found a short distance from the house, after the ransom had been paid. An unemployed German immigrant called Bruno Hauptmann would later be charged with the murder and abduction after it was found that he had in his possession over $14,000 of the ransom money, the serial numbers having been recorded before being handed out. Also a plank of wood from his attic was missing which matched a part of the home made ladder found at the scene of the abduction. Though there was a lot of circumstantial evidence and dody witnesses, all recounted here by Geary, Hauptmann was convicted and executed in 1936. Though it seemed likely Hauptmann was the perpetrator, it has never been conclusive and the various theories and inconsistencies are fascinating to read about. Though it was famous at the time and for many years afterward, now in the 21st century the case remains all but forgotten to the mass of people and to myself. It was a thorough and interesting account of this case and was great to read. As always, Geary brings to light forgotten cases and reveals them in detail, keeping the reader in suspense despite these cases being resolved decades ago. Another great book by Geary, highly recommended.

This book is part of the Treasury of XXth Century Murder series, a series of books in graphic novel form that tell the stories of famous twentieth century murders. This book tells the story of the abduction of Charles August Lindbergh, Jr., the infant son of American hero Charles Lindbergh, the attempt to arrange a ransom payment, the discovery of the body, and the arrest, trial and execution of Bruno Richard Hauptmann. This is a really good book. I was impressed with the way the author used the graphic novel format to bring the story to life, but without being too graphic or gruesome. He successfully walked a fine line, presenting the facts of the murders in an even-handed manner, including facts that seem to implicate Hauptmann and those that seem to exonerate him. Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and highly informative book. So, if you are interested in the Lindbergh Baby case, and want an easy-to-read, and yet balanced and informative read, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Rick Geary is truly a master of the Comic-Book art form, and a terribly underrated one, at that. Be it children's books or his "Murder" graphic novels (The original TREASURY OF VICTORIAN MURDER series and the new TREASURY OF XXth CENTURY MURDER), his work as a Writer/Artist is uniformly excellent. His latest graphic novel is the first book in the TREASURY of XXth CENTURY MURDER series (At least I hope it'll be a series!), in which Geary presents, in a fair, unbiased, straight-forward way, the facts in Lindbergh Baby kidnapping. The art is clean and appealing, and for all it's simplistic appearance, it's actually incredibly detailed and easy to follow. The book is packed with facts, but never feels too dense or hard-to-follow. The hardcover is a beautiful little package, at a terrific price. I really can't recommend this book highly enough.

There can often be a dark side to fame. "The Lindbergh Child: America's Hero and the Crime of the Century" tells of the fateful tragedy of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby. Lindbergh is famous in the annals of aviation history for being the first man to fly across the Atlantic in an airplane. "The Lindbergh Child" tells the entire story from the kidnapping to the following investigation to the tragic conclusion in the form of a highly accessible graphic novel. "The Lindbergh Child" is a uniquely entertaining way to learn history and highly recommended. for personal, school, and community library American History collections.

Geary once again proves himself both a gifted illustration & a capable researcher of true crime. This account of the Lindbergh kidnapping is complete, fair & well-balanced. His clear b & w illustrating style captures both the faces of the people involved, the evidence & the era. One small note that Geary did not include--the State Police Chief involved in the case was the father of Desert Storm General Norman Schwarzkopf.