The Man Who Shot J. P. Morgan

A Life of Arsenic, Anarchy, and Intrigue

De: Mary Noé

Narrado por: Lauren Pedersen

The thrilling, true story of a prolific criminal’s many identities and exploits.

On the morning of July 3, 1915, John Pierpont Morgan Jr., one of the most famous names in finance, was entertaining guests at his sprawling Long Island estate when the doorbell unexpectedly rang. An armed man forced his way inside. At the same time, authorities in Washington, DC, were investigating a shocking bombing at the US Capitol.

Nine years earlier, in 1906, Leone Krembs Muenter had fallen ill and died shortly after giving birth. Her husband, Harvard professor Erich Muenter, blamed his wife’s Christian Science religious beliefs, which prohibited medical intervention, for the death, but an investigation suggested something more sinister: arsenic poisoning. As suspicions mounted, Muenter vanished.

In Texas, a mysterious man calling himself Frank Holt wooed Leona Sensabaugh, and after their marriage, they moved to Ithaca, New York, as he pursued a career at Cornell. But some of Holt’s colleagues found he reminded them of someone they’d worked with before, a man who had been suspected of murdering his wife. Could Frank Holt and Erich Muenter be the same person? What were they to make of it, later, when they saw a familiar face in the papers following a bizarre attempt on a finance tycoon’s life?

The book is published by The Kent State University Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

©2025 The Kent State University Press (P)2025 Redwood Audiobooks

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A brief, delightful true crime text." (Foreword Reviews)

“A heady combination of a murder case, fraud, the story of the family of a well-known tycoon, and the feelings of both Germans and Americans during World War I.” (Virginia A. McConnell, author of The Belle of Bedford Avenue)

“Compelling story...a stark reminder that those bent on using terror and assassination to protest corporate policies are nothing new.” (Michael Perino, author of The Hellhound of Wall Street)

Excellent & very informative

A well researched and wonderfully written historical novel set before the US entered WWI by Mary Noé. Frank Holt aka Erich Muenter shot financier JP Morgan, but there is so much more involved in the development of this incident. The book is an engaging story of an academic professor accused of poisoning his wife, evades capture and with multiple false identities remarried and is involved in many criminal acts of sabotage. I was unaware of these events, despite having lived in many of the east coast locations in the book. This book has elements that will be enjoyed by readers of many different genres. The narration by Lauren Pedersen was outstanding. It’s actually Ms. Pedersen’s name on the audiobook that caused me to choose this book. Her performances and the books she’s narrated are always spectacular!

Amazing Story!

Historical, educational, and captivating! A true crime thriller that covers poison, national security, and numerous historical names keeps you engaged. The story is written so well, you can’t pause the audio. As a mom of two small kids, finding the time to read in peace is near impossible, but I couldn’t pause the story! Better than listening to current true crime…how they solved everything without technology and the history that you learn throughout! The mystery is amazing and the writing even better. I’m going to be looking for more books by this author!