Murder in the Neighborhood

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book initially, but it went far beyond what I thought I might get out of it.

The story of Howard Unruh was one of a person haunted by the war he had fought in, and the treatment that he received from his neighbors. As he tried to do something for his mother (a simple gate), it was torn off and removed. I believe that was the final straw that forced Howard to snap. His short rampage was one that filled an entire neighborhood with horror, as people were gunned down, children included, in just a few minutes. Innocent bystanders never stood a chance.

Howard was never convicted, instead he was sent to the New Jersey Insane Hospital, where he would stay until his death, but the devastation of his crimes lived on. The eyewitness, a young boy who had spent time with Howard, was someone who could not understand why Howard would do what he did, and the haunting way the book unfolds shows the healing and eventual forgiveness of young Raymond.

I enjoyed reading through this book.

Green Finds The Eggs, Butter, and Sugar. Yes, the title here references one particularly poignant line deep in the text - just 7% or so from the final words. Through this point and after, Green has managed to tell the story of what happened on River Road in Camden, New Jersey on September 6, 1949 through the eyes of nearly all of the people who survived the events there that day. A bit later, she's even going to connect it to a more recent event that was in the news - and that the granddaughter of one of the survivors happened to be at. This is narrative nonfiction, and it has next to no documentation (and hence the star deduction), but it is structured and told much in the manner of a novel - which makes it infinitely more readable. But the most remarkable thing about this book is just how truly balanced it is. A horrible tragedy occurred that day, but rather than painting the perpetrator as some otherworldly monster as so much coverage of and conversation around more recent similar people does, Green builds the case that this man is just as human as the rest of us. There is no “other” here, simply a man - a man who had faults, but also a community that had faults too (and also had amazing things as well). Indeed, the entire reason I picked up this book was because I saw a Yankee author and British publisher working on a book about “the first” (not really) mass shooting in the US... and this defender of the US Constitution's 2nd Amendment worried that it would be just ever more anti-gun drivel. For those who may be looking at this book with similar thoughts, know that there is little of that here. Yes, Green calls a “magazine” a “clip” repeatedly, particularly when discussing the actual actions that day. But even when she brings in Stoneman Douglas (Parkland), she never actually goes those directions at all really. (At least one person she chronicles does, but it is clear that this is that person's position only and not an “official recommendation” from the book.) But even that speaks to just how well balanced the book overall is. Truly an excellent and admittedly unexpected work, and very much recommended.

A very well written narrative about what many people consider to be the first recorded mass shooting in America.

Considering everything that's been happening recently, the release of this book is very timely.
It's a well researched book, with many perspectives and opinions that will paint a very detailed picture of all sides.

The discourse around events like this hasn't changed much since 1949 and very little has been done to stop these acts of violence from continuing.

John Chancer's narration is compelling and drew me into the story.

***Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with the Audiobook for free via NetGalley for an unbiased review.