Villisca Axe Murders Revisited - Stephen Bowman
February 2, 2018
Centennial Edition of ‘Morning Ran Red'
On June 10, 1912, the village of Villisca, Iowa awoke to discover
that a mass murder had occurred while the town slept.
An entire household of eight people had been axed to death in their beds. The ensuing investigation tore the town apart as the surviving members of the family accused one of the most prominent families in the state of ordering the killings. The investigation lasted three years, but the wounds lasted for decades.
Within 24 hours of the discovery, in spite of limited mass communications, the story was national and international news, knocking the White Star Titanic off the front page and captivating the general public. The mass murder became a catalyst to a growing nation starting to realize the 20th century, with all of its advancements, held new forms of terror and insecurity. If the mass murder could happen in this idyllic little village, it could happen anywhere.
Stephen Bowman's version of the story recreates the gruesome murder and the aftermath in an exposé of rural family strife and local mores toward bigotry, superstition and a caste system which still exists in rural America today. The suspenseful mystery brings to life a vivid cast of characters. Through the main characters, the themes of rural life and prejudice are revealed as they each struggle with conflicts between self-respect, family honour and justice.
The crime remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the 20th century
About The Author
Stephen Bowman is a native of Red Oak, Iowa although he now lives and writes in Omaha, Nebraska. In addition to Morning Ran Red, Stephen is also the author of Operation Monarch and When the Eagle Screams: America’s Vulnerability to Terrorism.
Operation Monarch is a fictionalized account of a true crime, this time a global conspiracy involving child abuse and political espionage.
When the Eagle Screams is Bowman’s only non-fiction book. It is recognized as the first book by an American author to predict the arrival of terrorism on US soil.
Praise for Morning Ran Red
“Very entertaining fictionalization of the Villisca axe murders” – J.Nield
“As someone who has done a lot of reading about the Villisca Axe Murders, as well as visiting the site, this book holds true to many of the actual details. Just enough literary license is used for a dramatic effect. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes intrigue and mystery, but especially to people who are familiar with the actual story.” – A.Customer
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