{"product_id":"hells-half-acre-the-untold-story-of-the-benders-a-serial-killer-family-on-the-american-frontier-9781984879851","title":"Hell's Half-Acre: The Untold Story of the Benders, a Serial Killer Family on the American Frontier","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of NPR's \"Books We Love\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNew York Times Book Review's \u003c\/i\u003e\"The Best True Crime of 2022\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Rich in historical perspective and graced by novelistic touches, grips the reader from first to last.\"\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e--Wall Street Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA suspense filled tale of murder on the American frontier--shedding new light on a family of serial killers in Kansas, whose horrifying crimes gripped the attention of a nation still reeling from war. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 1873 the people of Labette County, Kansas made a grisly discovery. Buried by a trailside cabin beneath an orchard of young apple trees were the remains of countless bodies. Below the cabin itself was a cellar stained with blood. The Benders, the family of four who once resided on the property were nowhere to be found. The discovery sent the local community and national newspapers into a frenzy that continued for decades, sparking an epic manhunt for the Benders. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe idea that a family of seemingly respectable homesteaders--one among the thousands relocating farther west in search of land and opportunity after the Civil War--were capable of operating \"a human slaughter pen\" appalled and fascinated the nation. But who the Benders really were, why they committed such a vicious killing spree and whether justice ever caught up to them is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Set against the backdrop of postbellum America, \u003ci\u003eHell's Half-Acre\u003c\/i\u003e explores the environment capable of allowing such horrors to take place. Drawing on extensive original archival material, Susan Jonusas introduces us to a fascinating cast of characters, many of whom have been previously missing from the story. Among them are the families of the victims, the hapless detectives who lost the trail, and the fugitives that helped the murderers escape. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eHell's Half-Acre\u003c\/i\u003e is a journey into the turbulent heart of nineteenth century America, a place where modernity stalks across the landscape, violently displacing existing populations and building new ones. It is a world where folklore can quickly become fact and an entire family of criminals can slip through a community's fingers, only to reappear in the most unexpected of places.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=AUTH-14108776\"\u003eSusan Jonusas\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Penguin Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/07\/2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.27h x 5.43w x 0.94d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781984879851\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1984879855\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBISAC Categories:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-TRU\"\u003eTrue Crime\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-TRU002010\"\u003eMurder | Serial Killers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-HIS\"\u003eHistory\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-HIS036050\"\u003eUnited States | Civil War Period (1850-1877)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e- \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=CAT-HIS\"\u003eHistory\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/correctionsbookstore.com\/search?type=product%2Carticle%2Cpage\u0026amp;q=BISAC-HIS037060\"\u003eModern | 19th Century\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSusan Jonusas\u003c\/b\u003e attended the University of St Andrews and holds a master's in science, technology and medicine in history from Kings College London. During her master's she focused on the intersection between crime and technology in the nineteenth century. She was a bookseller, but now spends her free time on the archery range. This is her first book.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45998977974447,"sku":"9781984879851","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0651\/9255\/8767\/files\/img_8f3311e7-d6e1-4ae6-b775-1886d3bee2fb.jpg?v=1761237610","url":"https:\/\/www.correctionsbookstore.com\/products\/hells-half-acre-the-untold-story-of-the-benders-a-serial-killer-family-on-the-american-frontier-9781984879851","provider":"Corrections Bookstore ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}