"Goat Castle" by Karen L. Cox is a tightly written work of true crime that delves into a bizarre and sensational murder case from the 1930s Deep South. Cox unravels the twisted tale of Jennie Merrill, an eccentric heiress, and the scandalous events that unfolded at her dilapidated Mississippi mansion, known as Goat Castle. In addition to its exploration of the murder case itself, the book also raises important questions about justice, morality, and the nature of truth.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. Fascinating book! Well written true crime. This book checks every box for a True crime. I will be recommending this book. Thanks again for letting have a chance to read it.

I


admit that from the beginning to the end you are captured by Goat Castle A True Story of Murder, Race and Gothic South by Karen L.Cox published by North Carolina University Press.

First of all it has been written with great love, accuracy and passion. It pays a lot.
The author says that it was just for case that she "met" one day this story along her way, but she immediately understood that this one would have been her next book.
Second because the tale is vivid, characters centered very well, and it seems to stay there, it seems that this murder took place just last night and not in 1932, 85 years ago.
Third because of the location: the profound South of the USA, with all its magic, mystery.
Fourth: it's written with great participation.

You must know that Natchez, Mississippi tried to stimulate tourism thanks to big mansions of planters at the beginning of 1900s and tourism intrigued by this spot of the world.
No one would have thought that the criminal case we will treat in a few seconds would have brought extra-publicity thanks also at the people involved in this story.

Protagonists are in fact not common.
They were all very rich people once and introduced in the best local and international society.
In 1932 when the facts took place, not anymore young, they lived weird, eccentric existences and all the glamour, richness, joy, happiness only a distant memory of the past.

Jennie Miller lived at Glenwood at the times of the facts baptized by media and for decades Goat Castle because goats as you will see will play their role in this crime-story.

When young her reputation was beautiful because she was part of that great wealthy society able to make the difference, then with the time and when various facts signed her life everything changed and when she decided of buying this last house where she would have found her end, she became a secluded person.

The story of their friends Octavia and Richard, you will see is fascinating and interesting as well.
After a close friendship when young now they where Jennie's closest neighbors.

It was a night like another one in Natchez. Duncan would have stopped by at the house of Jennie as he did all nights that Aug 4 1932, but when Duncan once arrived at Goat Castle, found the crime-scene and a missing Jennie, later discovered by the police men outside. Killed.

At first Richard and Octavia were the first ones to be suspected and they ended up in jail, but maybe the story will be different and more complicated as you will see.

What I can add is that of course we are in the the profound South of the USA and racism will play a big role as well.

Unbelievable but true, some of these protagonists, because the author will also let us know what happened to them in their life after jail, will take advantage from this crime for a long long time creating a sort of business with this story.

I thank NetGalley and North Carolina University Press for this stunning ebook!

a book that transports you into the true crime story, into the history and gives you all the eery and sometimes scary feelings and a good overview of this horrible crime.
If you want a good true crime story, gives this a read!

I enjoy true crime but not always all the books...this one was an exception in that it was very "readable". The book started a bit slow but then I was captivated and could not put it down. This was an actual murder with real people. If you want a murder mystery in the Deep South with old houses with Gothic overtones and of course goats, then you will enjoy this book.

This was one bizarre story. it's a true crime story and a great example of a miscarriage of justice if there ever was one. True crime fans are going to enjoy this story. It's pretty timely in that somethings just never change- and need to.

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Happy Reading, friends!

GOAT CASTLE: A TRUE STORY OF MURDER, RACE, AND THE GOTHIC SOUTH BY KAREN L. COX BOOK REVIEW
As soon as I read the description for this book, I knew I had to read it. It sounded like Grey Gardens meets Mississippi with a true crime twist & I’m all about it.

MISTRESS OF GOAT CASTLE & THE WILD MAN
Let me tell you, this Octavia Dockery aka “Mistress of Goat Castle” is a piece of work. She moved into this old antebellum house & let goats roam inside & outside the property. Insane, right? Her companion, Dick Dana, inherited the estate. What was once a grand vision of “The Old South” turned to shambles with these two at the helm. See, Dick Dana was declared a lunatic could be found among the goats (or hanging in a tree) wearing only a burlap sack.

MURDER IN NATCHEZ
Octavia’s goats wreaked havoc on her well to do neighbor, Jennie. One night, Octavia, along with Dick & an African American man named George planned to rob Jennie. Things went terribly wrong & Jennie was murdered. From here, things get wild.

Emily Burns, an African American woman was present during the robbery but is innocent. She is ultimately sent to jail while Octavia & Dick profit off the murder. Almost instantly, The Goat Castle becomes a tourist destination. The vile conditions of the home are featured in magazine & newspapers for all to see. Rather than hiding, Octavia relishes in it. For a price, tourists can see Dick Dana play his piano at Goat Castle. That’s insane, brilliant & so disturbing.

RACE, PLANTATIONS & LAW IN THE SOUTH
I wish I could place Goat Castle in today’s society. No doubt, Octavia would have a 5 season run on TLC network & merchandise sales in the millions. While the spectacle of Goat Castle drew me to this story, the root of this tale is injustice & the notion of “good old boys” in the South.

While Octavia & Dick were charged with murder, they did not go to trial. I don’t want to ruin the entire story, but seeing how Octavia plays the legal system is masterful at best. Remeber now, Octavia & Dick are hosting swarms of cars at their crumbling abode while Emily, an innocent woman sits in jail. Natchez has a rich history of settlers, trade & beautiful Antebellum homes. The murder of Jennie Merrill & the mayhem that ensued is now part of Natchez’s history. You’ve got to read it, to believe it.

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book. Goat Castle satisfies my true crime curiosity with loads of wonderful history about Natchez, Mississippi.

If you’re Really Into true crime, check out I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara.

Special thanks to Karen L. Cox , University of North Carolina Press & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

This book is extremely interesting, but a bit different. I really enjoyed it. It is about a murder in the 1930s that I was not aware of. The people involved are not your average citizen. But it was a great example of how society was after the Civil War and during the Jim Crow times. The book was very well written and well researched. The author brought the story to life and gave the complete story. I highly recommend this book.

This is a really interesting case, but the racial aspects of it have previously been overlook; Cox brings these aspects back into the narrative, sensitively discussing the subject. Cox researched the case, using newspapers and the archives of historical associations, and spoke to Natchezeans, some of whom knew Emily Burns for first hand information, including the only known photograph of Emily Burns. The writing is easy to read and flows well as the author switches between each of the principle participants' lives.

The Gothic South, a place of romance and mystery, and Natchez, Mississippi is the epitome of the era. Residents are proud of their heritage and their beautiful houses that draw tourists from all over the country in the 1920’s and 30’s. But in 1932 an act of revenge plunges the town into the scandal of the decade, and leaves two people dead and an innocent black woman in prison, while the real perpetrators are free to profit from their notoriety.

This is a fascinating story and an excellent example of the Jim Crow laws of the era in action. I really appreciated the amount of background that the author gives the reader so that you really get a feel for why circumstances worked out the way they did. The reader gets the history of each of the main characters and a timeline that leads up to the events in 1932. The relationships between those involved are explored in order to understand how the actions of that fateful night came to happen. The Jim Crow era is a period of history that I think most Americans outside of the South know little about and probably because it is so unpleasant. But the author really expanded my knowledge with her descriptions of how the laws impacted both blacks and whites at the time. If you want a glimpse behind the veil of the Gothic South then take a look at this book. Well-written, well-organized and eye-opening.

Thank you to University of North Carolina Press for providing me with an advance copy of Karen L. Cox's book, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Historian and author, Karen L. Cox, explores the sensational true-crime case of Jennie Merrill, who was murdered in Natchez, Mississippi in 1932.

LIKE- Although I had never heard of the Jennie Merrill murder case, this was one of the top news stories during the Great Depression. One of the primary reasons that Merrill's murder captivated America, and one of the big reasons that this book was so fascinating, is the bizarre and colorful characters that were involved.

Merrill was a rich, recluse who lived in a mansion and aside from necessary trips to town and work-staff, she only socialized with her cousin, who was in love with her and lived in a nearby house. They were both older and there was gossip that they may have even secretly wed. Merrill was murdered in a robbery gone wrong and several people were involved.

Two of the suspects were Merrill's next door neighbors, Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery. They were essentially squatting in a crumbing mansion, where animals like goats and chickens freely roamed the rooms. The house should have been condemned, it was filled with vermin, mold and rotting animals. Dana and Dockery were eccentrics and went by the monikers; Mountain Man and Goat Woman. They had previous court dealings with Merrill over their goats destroying her property and there was zero love between neighbors.

Along with Dana and Dockery, George Pearls and Emily Burns were at the scene of the crime. Pearls was an African-American man who had recently returned to his hometown of Natchez, after having trouble finding a job up North. He quickly began a relationship with Burns, a local domestic, who became involved with the robbery/murder, after Pearls picked her up, giving her the impression that he was taking her on a date.

Burns ended up being the only person to serve time for Merrill's murder, even though she was the least involved of the four. Pearls ran away up North and although he was convicted for his involvement, he was presumed dead and didn't serve time. Dana and Dockery were initially jailed as suspects, but were set free, even though the evidence was against them. It's very likely that being white is what allowed them to escape, especially since lawyers were able to pin the crime on Burns. At that time in Natchez, they law held that if you were involved with a murder, whether or not you committed the actual crime, you were equally guilty by association. Burns served eight years of hard labor of a life sentence, a sentence that was overturned by a government official who decided to show her mercy and set her free for time served. It was very clear that Burns did not plan the crime and her guilt was one by association and for standing-by while the crime took place.

The craziest part of the story involved Dana and Dockery. When they were released, they capitalized on the fame of their story and started giving tours of their home. They had zero shame and hammed up their eccentricities, giving the public what they expected. Their living conditions shocked the nation. Although they were still technically squatters, Dana and Dockery did nothing to pay rent or use the money to fix up their home. They also had several different lawsuits for various matters, always trying to squeeze money from somewhere. They both died years after Merrill, still living at Goat Castle. The actual owners of the property were never able to evict them and when they were dead, Goat Castle was demolished.

DISLIKE- The pacing was slow. I found the second half of the story to be more compelling than the first. It took me longer to read Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, than it should have, simply because of the pacing.

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you're a fan of American history or true crime, Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race, and the Gothic South, is a great pick.. The story is outrageous and filled with fascinating characters. Although this happened in the 1930's, it's unfortunate to note that justice/incarceration issues for African-Americans in this country, has not changed much. The Goat Castle case remains relevant with regard to the treatment of race in America.

This was a great book to read this month. It reminded me that no matter how much I push the boundaries of probability with writing, TRUTH IS STILL STRANGER THAN FICTION! Seriously, I could not make this stuff up.

A faded Southern belle murdered during a home invasion, planned by a couple who live in a house full of goat crap?? Who would imagine that? And then to have them get away with the crime, but a random Black woman have it pinned on her? OK, actually, that sounds completely believable. Sad, but true. 

As crazy as the plot is, the writer was constrained by what actually happened. I think where she excels is in building a picture of the characters involved. I felt so angry and sad for Emily Burns, the woman chosen to be the scapegoat for the crime. The sheriff never believed she had done it, but after the local police forced a confession from her, his hands were tied. Even then, she had to go to trial, but of course she couldn't afford a strong defense, so she was found guilty by a local jury. The sheriff figured he was lucky to avoid a lynch mob, but Burns served 8 years for a crime she didn't commit.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and its publisher, The University of North Carolina Press.

The setting was in Natchez, Mississippi after the Civil War. The murder of Jennie Merrill, a descendent of a southern plantation aristocrat, is the center of the story. However, also relevant is the treatment of blacks and an inequitable judicial system. “The only person to actually stand trial for Jennie Merrill’s murder was an African American domestic named Emily Burns.” “Emily was presumed guilty because of her race, whether or not she pulled the trigger on the gun that killed Jennie Merrill.”

“Emily’s family history was woven into the fabric of American slavery on her mother’s side, too.” It shows a “mass exodus of African Americans in the Great Migration, relocating to northern cities in search of jobs and the promise of personal freedom.” Specific to Natchez: “When the civil War ended, the state’s black population stood at 55 percent of the entire whole – in Adams County it was closer to 70 percent – and white Mississippians were hardly willing to accept the idea of former slaves circulating among them freely.”

Jennie’s eccentric neighbors, Dick Dana (Wild Man) and Octavia Dockery (Goat Woman), reside in Glenwood, which is “ankle-deep in filth and overrun with animals … especially goats.” Hence, Glenwood’s nickname was “Goat Castle”. Constant legal action occurred between these two neighbors for animals, including goats, causing damage to Merrill’s property. Although Dick and Octavia were initially arrested for Jennie’s murder, they were released and never tried. The investigation for this crime was not thoroughly conducted at the time.

This book has a tendency to ebb and flow in a captivating story. It is apparent a great deal of research went into this true story. The reader gains a clear understanding of each character and their lives at that time. The book includes “historical lessons on how the South’s culture changed, including the conditions that contributed to Jennie Merrill’s death and led to Emily Burns’s incarceration. At the center of the story is Natchez – a character in its own right.” While I enjoyed the true story, the delivery, at times, became repetitive. If you are a reader who enjoys history and a straight forward delivery, this could be a book for you.

Nonfiction account of a murder in Natchez, Mississippi and how the racism that was rampant at the time affected the outcome of the conviction. It was written in a style much like a newspaper story, but I found it to be quite fascinating. Though the conviction was predictable, the story was not one I was familiar with and the situations surrounding the book motivated me to complete this nonfiction book, which is not a genre I typically enjoy.

An exciting premise which failed to deliver. Interesting exploration of a murder in the old south and how it fitted in to the wider race issues of America. Just not very pacey and a little repetitive

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Griiping,informative,compelling and sisnister

Goat Castle: A True Story of Murder, Race and the Gothic South is everything that the title says it is. I was not familiar with this crime before reading this book. It is obvious that the author did extensive research into the case, the backgrounds of the people involved, and I believe she gives the reader an accurate view of this time period in the American South.

While I give the author all due credit on those points, I feel a bit out of the norm with the other reviews I've read to date. I found the characters to be a bit flat and I never connected with them. The writing style though factual (VERY factual), seemed dry, as if I were reading a newspaper account and not a book. All a style preference, basically, but I can't say this was an enjoyable read for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and University of North Carolina Press for allowing me to read and review an e-copy of this book.

This is a true story. It involves some sticky situations. There is murder, racism, and mental illness as the top subjects of the book.

The story takes place in the deep south in Natchez, Mississippi in 1932. Racism was rampant then and there. The key players are Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery. To me they are a lot crazy, the book calls them eccentric. They convince George Pearls to help them rob a neighbor Jennie Merrill. During the robbery Ms Merrill is killed.

Before the case could come to trial George Pearls is killed by an Arkansas Police officer in an unrelated incident. But the people would not let the case rest. They wanted someone to pay for the crime. Instead of going for Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery they somehow decided to pin it on an innocent black woman Emily Burns. Emily was sent to prison and Richard and Octavia were never charged.

This is a heck of a story. It is very well researched and has plenty of historical background.

This story is about a murder and the people who were accused of committing it. Two of the people were white and two were black. Without reading the book you can probably figure out who was convicted and who wasn't. But the book tried to be more about how blacks didn't get equal treatment in Jim Crow south. It tried to focus on the other two accused, Octavia and Dick, who lived next door to the victim in a falling apart house that animals had free roam of. Apparently this was fascinating to the public and they were frequently touring the home after hearing of it through the crime coverage. I didn't understand that. As far as the book was presented, I felt it was somewhat redundant, including requoting quotes. The part that most fascinated me, after reading this book, was how Octavia and Dick evaded evictions for so long. Sure it is explained and that is what happened, but it just seems unbelievable!

Good read. Very well written. I would recommend this book.