When Bitty Martin was 13, her friend Cathie Ward died a suspicious death that was ruled an accidental death, even though most residents of Hot Springs, Arkansas were sure Frank Davis was responsible for her death. In 1966, a white male with money and connections was not going to be charged without eye witness testimony. Too bad Frank Davis decided to push his luck.

At 42 years old, Frank was married to 22 year old Sharron, his fourth wife. Alcoholic and abusive, it was only a matter of time before Frank was single again. Frank would shoot his wife and her mother in front of many witnesses, then claim insanity. Sharron had feared for her life, but would insure Frank didn't get away with anything. She left a letter detailing Frank's murder of Cathie Ward and another young boy whose body was in the pond on Frank's ranch. Conviction followed with a death penalty verdict.

While that piece of the story makes a compelling read, the life and times of Frank Davis after conviction will leave readers speechless. Not only was his penalty commuted to life in prison, Frank would eventually play the games to be released and marry again. But even luck will eventually run out. Frank died a free man, alcoholism taking his life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
-----
I really enjoyed this story and the case, but I found the writing hard to follow. The book was interesting, but overall, just a middle of the road true crime novel.

While I liked Snake Eyes and thought the case was very interesting, the book felt a little disjoined. It wasn't extremely off putting, but it could have used more editing, polish, something to make some of the transitions smoother.

Snake Eyes: Murder in a Southern Town by Bitty Martin (Rowan & Littlefield 2022) is a straightforward and classic example of true crime that focuses on a little-known case, beginning in 1960s Arkansas, and the complex people and events that led to its resolution years later.
Martin’s book begins with the sudden and shocking death of a 13-year-old girl. Cathie Ward was found dead at Blacksnake Ranch in 1966 after travelling there to horseback ride. Frank Davis, who owned the ranch at the time and was one of the first to encounter Cathie’s body, assured authorities that her tragic death was an accident. She was dragged to death by a horse after her foot got caught in the stirrups, he claimed. He said he wasn’t able to stop the horse in time. Tragic, but not criminal, and the case dies down to rumours and speculation, despite the fact that others in the community who knew Davis to be a skilled horseman with over four decades of experience still had questions. However, the plot of the story begins to take a turn when Frank Davis, the one witness to Cathie’s death, is later found to be the murderer of his fourth wife. In a fit of rage, Davis shoots his ex-wife, Sharron, and her mother in broad daylight outside of a local laundromat, killing Sharron, only twenty-two at the time, and injuring her mother. With these violent crimes, other elements of Frank Davis’s life begin to unravel and Snake Eyes recounts this trajectory.
This book paints a picture of a unique American town that sets up the backdrop for all of the events of this case. The author’s personal connection to Hot Springs and Arkansas makes for a compelling in-road to some of the key locations and characters in this story and added an extra element of interest for me. Like any good true crime novel, this book frames the case around a history of Hot Springs and its many famous visitors/residents and explores where this case fits in reference to the local culture. What I liked about this book was the detailed portraits of the people involved, from Cathie’s family to those who knew Frank Davis and Sharron. Martin clearly spent a great deal of time constructing these portraits from extensive historical and archival evidence, interviews, media reports, and other materials. The details included in this book were well arranged and Martin does an excellent job of allowing all these documents (and the people behind them) to talk to each other to craft her narrative of this case.
There were a few things that did not work for me in this book. Firstly, the episodic structure of the chapters somehow felt both meandering and choppy, which made it difficult to focus on the central narrative thread. This might have been due to the necessary difficulty of juggling multiple and disparate cases/perspectives over a significant timeline, but the structure did not help to smooth out the narrative. Furthermore, true crime books that feature photographs of crime scenes and bodies always give me pause. The ethics of such an endeavour are questionable, and, given the changing focus of true crime, photos like this are in poor taste, to say the least. I felt there was no need for me to see photos of Sharron’s body; the photos did not add to the narrative or to my understanding of the case, which, in my opinion, is what makes including them especially questionable.
Nevertheless, Snake Eyes is a book of straightforward true crime, which, depending on the reader, might alternately appeal or dissuade true crime readers from picking up this book. The case is a strange one, to be sure, and Davis an obscure offender, but the crime itself didn’t strike me as anything more than a tragedy that began with the wholly unnecessary killing of a little girl. I’m not sure how this case elaborates on or adds to true crime as a genre. And then again, perhaps that isn’t the job of a book like this.

Please add Snake Eyes to your Goodreads shelf.
Don’t forget to follow True Crime Index on Twitter and please visit our Goodreads for updates on what we’re reading! You can find Rachel on her personal @RachelMFriars or on Goodreads @Rachel Friars.
About the Writer:
Rachel M. Friars (she/her) is a PhD student in the Department of English Language and Literature at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. She holds a BA and an MA in English Literature with a focus on neo-Victorianism and adaptations of Jane Eyre. Her current work centers on neo-Victorianism and nineteenth-century lesbian literature and history, with secondary research interests in life writing, historical fiction, true crime, popular culture, and the Gothic. Her academic writing has been published with Palgrave Macmillan and in The Journal of Neo-Victorian Studies. She is a reviewer for The Lesbrary, the co-creator of True Crime Index, and an Associate Editor and Social Media Coordinator for PopMeC Research Collective. Rachel is co-editor-in-chief of the international literary journal, The Lamp, and regularly publishes her own short fiction and poetry. Find her on Twitter and Goodreads.

I am a huge true crime fan but I couldn't get past the horrible writing to enjoy the story. Save your money.

Although I read much more fiction than nonfiction, on occasion a good piece of true crime writing is just what the doctor ordered. Such is the case with Bitty Martin’s new entry in the field, #SnakeEyes, subtitled Murder In A Southern Town. It is the story of two killings that take place in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 1966 & 1967 by a very bad and mentally disturbed man, Frank Davis. In 1966 a seventh grade girl , Cathie Ward dies in an”accident” while horseback riding on Mr. Davis’ ranch. In 1967 Sharron Knight Davis, Frank’s fourth wife, is shot and killed by her estranged husband when she leaves him. Throughout, the research on both events is meticulous and the narrative moves at a rapid clip, keeping you turning the pages. The resulting book is riveting as we are reminded time and again that murder is an ugly business and, of course, that crime doesn’t pay. Four stars.

Right away we are swept up in the murder of a 13-year-old girl and from there you are taken away through the findings and investigation of a rancher who has killed his fourth wife! This book is fast pace and keeps your interest!

3,5 stars. An old case about the murder of a young girl. I think it was a tragic case and a worthy story to tell and it definitely served to create the setting and bring the story to life. However, I did find it a bit disjointed and meandering at times. It didn’t fully have me hooked.

Thank you NetGalley, Bitty Martin and Rowman & Littlefield for the ARC of Snake Eyes. This is my personal review.
WOW! Let me start off by saying this book is going to stay in my mind for a long time. The name Frank Davis will always send a chill down my back when I hear it.
The author was able to bring the story out for the readers to be able to follow what was happening.

A truly scary novel about a brutal murder in a small town. The story is gripping and will keep your attention. A great true crime novel.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a fascinating and detailed account of the murders of a teenage girl and a woman as well as the wounding of another woman. The perpetrator, the husband of one of the women, was also thought to be the killer of a young black boy. The author, knew the teenager who was killed and can therefore offer the reader insight into that victim's character and personality. The book also discusses what happened to the murderer as well as other players in the story. The crimes occurred in the 1960s in and around Hot Springs, Arkansas. I did find one spelling error, however. Big Spring, Texas is listed as Big Springs. Being a native Texan, I know this. I highly recommend this book to other true crime readers.

I received an ARC of, Snake Eyes, by Bitty Martin. I really liked this book. It was not an easy read, murder of a child is a hard subject, but an enjoyable read.

I am sorry to say that I am left with more questions than answers after reading this book. Perhaps the most interesting things couldn't be obtained and instead the author included rather bland courtroom transcripts and letters to and from the murderer. The most surprising piece for me was the connection to Bill Clinton. Overall I would rate this a 3,

Wow! This book was absolutely fantastic. I was drawn in from the start and didn’t stop until I was done. Can not wait for more by author.

Bizarrely written book. I have never read a true crime book that was so choppy. Very difficult to follow. I do not recommend.

Fairly interesting, but not compelling case. I found the writing style amateurish.. That can be disconcerting. Thje reader wants to feel deeply involved with the story but the moments that are less than engrossing really break the spll. Too many quotes that aren't moving the story forward. Too many scenes that aren't moving the story forward. A dramatic layout that doesn't hint at the outccome and doesn't supply needed developmental information.
This book will be interesting to those who are alredy familiar with the cas or who have taken part in it.

This was a compelling book about a killer in Hot Springs, Arkansas back in the mid 1960s named Frank Davis. He was an abusive man to women and animals alike, and was married four times because of it. When his fourth wife Sharron left him and took the 2 children, Davis became incensed that he couldn’t talk her into returning to him. He stalked and threatened her, and finally found his chance to attack her when he shot her and her mother behind the Redbird gas station and laundry mat. Sharron was only 22 when he killed her. Davis was also strongly suspected of having killed a 13 year old girl at his ranch prior to killing his wife. Her name was Cathie Ward, and he blamed it on a riding accident. Fascinating true crime written by an author who knew those involved. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Bitty Martin, and the publisher.