The Coroner’s Team Arrives at the Smuttynose Murder Scene in 1873
Behind the horrific scene on a dark winter night on an empty, isolated island
Blood Science on Trial in 1873
Fish or human corpuscles? The Smuttynose murder was early CSI
The Murder House on Smuttynose Island Is Long Gone
Hope this clears up a longstanding confusion-- but probably not
How Maine Killed the Death Penalty
Wavering at first, Mainers ended capital punishment in 1887
Celia Thaxter’s Poem about a Norwegian Murder Victim
What can we learn from Celia Thaxter’s Norwegian poems?
The Murder Testimony of Maren Hontvet
A transcript of the very words that hanged Louis Wagner
Why Louis Wagner Was Definitely the Smuttynose Slayer
Long before writing the book, I was a missionary for fact over fiction.
“Weight of Water” Film Bombed, But is Still Worth Watching
The 1873 Smuttynose murders were too complex for the novel or film
He Met the Smuttynose Murderer
John Downs claimed Louis Wagner rocked his cradle on Star Island
Rower Retraces Smuttynose Murder Route
Recreating proves Wagner had time to kill in 1873 murders
Coming to Terms with Marshal Entwistle
For his time, he was probablu a good cop
Celia Thaxter’s Shocking Smuttynose Murder Letter
"Poor thing," Celia wrote of Maren Hontvet, "she tried hard to save the others."