The Lindbergh Kidnapping Suspect No. 1

The Man Who Got Away

By: Lise Pearlman

Narrated by: Lise Pearlman

Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's Summary

Astonishingly more key evidence is accessible today than was presented at the death penalty trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann for the kidnap/murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. You get to judge for yourself who committed the "crime of the century". 

This shocking but true story is told in dozens of short, riveting chapters you can't put down. In the depths of the Depression, millions worldwide followed every twist and turn of the Lindbergh baby kidnap/murder. Yet what was reported was largely fake news. Nearly a century after undocumented immigrant Bruno Richard Hauptmann was executed for the dastardly crime, questions still linger. 

If the wrong man was convicted, who did it? When? Why? Where? How? The shocking answers this audiobook suggests have eluded all prior authors. Extensive research into dusty archives yielded crucial forensic evidence never before analyzed. Listeners are invited to reexamine "the crime of the century" with fresh eyes focused on a key suspect - a slim man with a fedora partially obscuring his face, who was spotted with a ladder in his car near the Lindberghs' driveway that fateful night. The police let an insider who fit that description oversee the entire investigation - the boy's father, international hero Charles Lindbergh. 

Abuse of power, amorality, and xenophobia all feature in this saga set in an era dominated by white supremacists and social Darwinists. If Lindbergh was Suspect No. 1, the man who got away, what was his motive? Who else was involved? Who helped cover up the crime? Listen to this audiobook, and judge for yourself.

©2020 Lise Pearlman (P)2021 Lise Pearlman

Critic Reviews

"Myth-smashing, beautifully written, powerfully argued." (Lloyd Gardner)

"Shocking.... Well-documented.... Highly plausible." (Dr. William M. Bass)

"Expertly researched.... Superbly crafted.... Must-read." (Greg Ahlgren & Stephen Monier)

Good, not great, needs to be abridged

I'll give it 4 stars because 3 seems harsh. Perhaps 2/3rds of the book moves along at a good pace, and provides interesting listening. It's that other 1/3rd (a conservative estimate) that creates a problem. There's no risk of spoilers, as the title character is fairly obvious, and even stated in the summary. However, it seems the author went out of her way to provide details on tangential aspects of the man's life. That eugenics plays a part is well known, though the extent of the medical experimentation engaged in by Suspect No. 1 may be a surprise to some. But it's not about the kidnapping, nor the investigation, nor the framing of Hauptmann. It is merely an elongated backstory to provide motive to the author's theory of the crime. And it could have been done in a chapter. As it is, nearly the entire "Act 4" of the book is extraneous.

The author does make a compelling speculation about how and why the crime was committed, and that rates the stars. But cutting several hours from the medical experiments and organ transplants would do wonders for the briskness of the story. Also, not terrible narration, but the author would have been wise to have used a more dynamic speaker.

Good

Should have hired a professional narrator. Seriously. Sounds winded and nervous. Very distracting at first but resigned myself to finishing the book .

audio version is enthralling

I love the paperback too great voice for narration. finished in 3 days. the physical version is cool to have for the reports and endnotes but Lise Pearlman's voice and effort in doing different characters' voices was really fun. such a great story and narrative ride.

Riveting!!

One of the best, if not the best, true crime novel/stories I have ever encountered. Lise Pearlman’s investigation, synopsis and theory of the Lindbergh kidnapping will blow your mind. A MUST READ/HEAR!

Kidnapped

He got away with Murder. Such a horrible and sick person. To think he when on to having 12 more children and shouldn’t have had any.

Compelling

Well researched. Well presented. Provides for a thoughtful review of the case as well as a general look at justice perverted by privilege.

Good story

I've learned over the years that we should idolize concepts, not people. Since the average person doesn't know the celebrities they hold in awe, it can be a serious let down when ominous details emerge about their personal lives. The details about Lindbergh's personality are disturbing at best, and I can't help wonder how his wife felt when she learned what her husband was really like throughout their years together. Given how he was raised and what his views were, I still find it hard to believe any parent could do the things he did or let happen to his son. Yet, the facts as presented make it plausible that the father did have a hand in the disappearance and subsequent death of his son. The author is meticulous but I do wish she had allowed a professional reader to narrate.

Horrifying

I read the book "Clue" about the kidnapping about 50 years ago, when I was in high school and was enthralled by the kidnapping story. At that time, I never thought that Hauptmann was the guilty party. The man who left him with the money, and died in Germany, always seemed to be the likely candidate to me. I went on to read Anna Lindbergh's books and learn more about the Charles Lindbergh, who always seems an odd duck with his involvement in the "America First" movement. However, if the things revealed in this book are true, even the simple things such as playing practical jokes on people while searching for his missing son, let alone being responsible for his actual murder, make him nothing less than a monster.

Solution to all the clues

Loved it! It's the most perfectly crafted explaination of ALL the details. And am so relieved to have made it to the end without having to hear that Alexis Carrell actually ate the baby.