The Bloody Century

True Tales of Murder in 19th Century America

By: Robert Wilhelm

Narrated by: Charles Huddleston

A murderous atmosphere pervaded 19th-century America marked by lurid newspaper accounts and remembered in ballad and verse. The Bloody Century presents 50 of the most intriguing murder cases from the archives of American crime. It is a collection of fascinating stories - some famous, some long-buried - of Americans, driven by desperation, greed, jealousy, or an irrational bloodlust, to take another’s life.

The Bloody Century audiobook augments the true accounts of these murders with musical performances of period ballads and poems. The days of America’s distant past, the time of gaslights and horse-drawn carriages, are often viewed as quaint and sentimental. Yet, a closer look reveals passions, fears, and motives that are timeless and universal, and a population inured to violence, capable of monstrous acts. A visit to The Bloody Century may well give us insight into our own.

©2014 Robert Wilhelm (P)2021 Robert Wilhelm

Not what I expected

I did like the performance of various “murder ballads” but the information on each subject was a bit sparse.

The small chapters make it easier to read and stop and read and Then go again

Music inserted was a nice touch too .
I really enjoyed this book . I recommend it .

And you thought the 21st century was risky!

Not only was I entertained, now I know what to do (and what to avoid) should I ever need to murder someone. It's all there - the motives, the malefactors, their mistakes - or demonstrated talent for the job. Loved it!

The audio version is very very entertaining.

Beautifully organized and wonderfully narrated. If you enjoy true crime, you are probably already familiar with Robert Wilhelm's work, but this audible version is further enriched by the voice of Mr. Huddleston narrating and singing songs inspired by many of the murders. Thoroughly enjoyable!

So Many Murders

I found this treatise of incidents of murder during the 19th century in America fascinating. I was amazed at the amount of research that went into the writing of this book which was made evident by the variety and details presented. Until I had listened to this audiobook, I had no idea how many murders had been memorialized in the forms of poems and/or songs. I liked that the author included some of the songs and poems in this material. I was entertained by Charles Huddleston's narration and his presentation enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.