Murder in the Neighborhood

The True Story of America’s First Recorded Mass Shooting

By: Ellen J. Green

Narrated by: John Chancer

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

On September 6, 1949, 28-year-old Howard Barton Unruh shot 13 people, in less than 12 minutes, on his block in East Camden, New Jersey. The shocking, true story of the first recorded mass-shooting in America has never been told, until now.

The sky was cloudless that morning, when 12-year-old Raymond Havens left his home on River Road. His grandmother had sent him to get a haircut at the barbershop across the street - where he was about to witness his neighbor, and friend, Howard, open fire on the customers inside.

Told through the eyes of the young boy who visited Howard regularly to listen to his war stories, and the mother trying to piece together the disturbing inner-workings of her son’s mind, Ellen Green uncovers the chilling true story of Howard Unruh - the quiet oddball who meticulously plotted his revenge on the neighbors who shunned him, and became one of America’s first mass killers.

With access to Howard’s diaries, newly released police reports, and psychiatric records, alongside interviews with surviving family members, and residents of East Camden, Murder in the Neighborhood will have listeners of In Cold Blood, If You Tell, and American Predator absolutely gripped.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 Ellen J. Green (P)2022 Thread, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

Very interesting story

This was one of those books I got lost in and wish it had lasted longer. The true story was fascinating and it’s incredible how so many of the themes are timeless…the world is still the same today. I had never heard of this shooting until listening to the author on True Crime Garage podcast. I also enjoyed the narration. It was easy to listen to and not distracting at all. I liked the format of the story-broken into chapters being told about different characters. Just all around a great listening experience. Unruh is a fascinating case and I would love to know how he would be diagnosed with today’s advances in the mental health field. I enjoyed this so much that I bought a physical copy to be sent to my mom. I really think she will find this to be as fascinating as I did. Especially since she born in the late 30’s and was alive when this happened. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in true crime but it’s so much more than that even. Definitely worth a credit.

Interesting account of actual events

I found this audio book a very interesting account of the events surrounding the first documented mass shooting. Having been raised in a nearby neighborhood, knowing the area, it was an eerie account of the event.

Excellent

Story 5/5
Narration 5/5

Excellent true crime case told as a story.

The narrator is very good.

Recommended

Wonderful Story

This true story was riveting. I highly recommend it. Finished the book over a weekend.

interesting Story

The narrator did an outstanding job and the story itself was fascinating. However, the the young person telling the story was hard to believe. He was 6 or 7 and recalled the incident in the first person like a middle aged man. "I felt a shared guilt with his mother for not trying to stop the incident". Really ! I have never heard a young grade schooler first or second grade recall an incident using the word guilt. Sometimes the young boy recalls the story years later thinking he actually had the power the power to change history. It was all a little too narcissistic for me. Finally, the contant association of the mass murder being a homosexual as if being gay was the reason for being a spree killer was insulting! They could have made that 9 hour book a 3 hour book quite easily.