Murder in St. Augustine

The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley

By: Elizabeth Randall

Narrated by: Charles Huddleston

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

The murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley is notorious more than four decades after it occurred. The only eyewitness said a man attacked Lindsley with a machete in broad daylight on the front steps of her white mansion. Gossip swirled that neighbor Frances Bemis knew who killed Lindsley and would notify authorities. Bemis was later murdered on her nightly walk. Police arrested only one suspect for Lindsley's murder, which remains unsolved to this day. Author Elizabeth Randall puts the rumors to rest through research culled from over one thousand pages of depositions, records, official county documentation, and interviews.

©2016 History Press (P)2019 Elizabeth Randall

Intriguing, shocking reality

Captivating story of small town politics and one woman who tried to make it right.

Interesting True Crime

I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.

This is a true crime story of the murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley in 1974 in St. Augustine, Florida. The author pieces the story together from press clippings, public records and police reports. Athalia Lindsley was portrayed as a very interesting woman who was outspoken, involved in her community and not afraid to be a thorn in someone's side. To understand this crime and the outcome of the prosecution, you have to understand the city, the people who lived there and the mores of that time period. The story of this crime is a not a mystery of whodunnit but an examination of the society who condoned this murder to allow the culprit to go free. From this perspective, the story is interesting. Unfortunately, Athalia Lindsley will not be the first murder victim who did not receive justice.

The narrator, Charles Huddleston, was excellent. He conveyed the perfect respectful tone for this story.

Lots of derision, little mystery

The problem with an author on a mission is that, while they have passion, they often exhibit a credulity to supporting information, while dismissing with a sneer that which disagrees. I don't doubt for a moment the author's conclusions about who is responsible for the murder(s), I was just put off a bit by the derisive tone. The truth is, it didn't require intense investigation. All she's done is recount the story of a murder, and arrest, a trial and an acquittal. Clearly everyone knows who the culprit is, despite the verdict of a jury. Which makes it all the more odd that the author would so churlishly (appropriately expressed by the narrator) dismiss the efforts to exculpate the accused. The evidence ought to stand on its own, if it's so overwhelming.

I believe what we have is an aspiring writer attempting to exorcise her own personal demons (she says as much herself in the foreword), by expanding a story beyond the limits it probably deserves. It is a decent story of a woman bucking the old boy system in the '70s, a southern town without pity, and injustice in the legal system. But if you're looking for suspense, mystery and intrigue, it's woefully short on those.