Author Susan Hendricks does a great job of centering the victims and their families. Which, I'm just going to admit, is not usually something that I love. I am, for better or for worse, more interested in the details of the crime and the investigation than the messy truths of the families involved. And I hear how terrible that sounds. It's not that I don't care, but my honest interest is in how the thing got solved.

Here, we get that, to an extent. There is resolution in the book and, once you're finished, you can Google things and get even more closure. So, for those of us who hate an unresolved true crime case, you will be satisfied here. The author tracked the investigation (which lasted for 5 years!) very closely and had lots of ins with law enforcement along the way. It's a long and winding road, to be sure and we get a full picture of the time and extreme effort and skill was brought to bear on this case.

But the real hat trick that Hendricks pulls off is the way she weaves in other elements. She centers the victims and their families in heart-rending yet truthful ways. They really get to tell their story and the author herself doesn't shy away from how this case affected her personally. We also get segments on how social media and online sleuthing both helped and hindered the investigation and the families' experience of waiting for justice.

One of the most interesting chapters is a long conversation the author had with criminal analyst and retired police officer Paul Holes, who helped solve the GS Killer case. He brought some really interesting insights into the case and I was impressed by how Susan Hendricks weaved this into the narrative to such great affect. He explained in great detail some changes in tech that have vastly changed investigation techniques even in the time from 2017 to 2023.

I first heard this case from the Crime Junkies podcast. The small town of Delphi was rocked when 2 teen girls went missing and were later found murdered. As bits and pieces are shared by police the most haunting piece was a recording from Libby of the bridge guy saying "down the hill". This case rocked the small town and soon the nation. Susan does an amazing job sharing the little bit of details the police shared as well as a growing relationship with the families and town of Delphi. Susan details the raw emotions and feelings of the family as well as the town as they hunt for what had to be one of their own. She also shares the possible suspects and eventually an arrest. This story is far from over but this book gives you a glimpse into the lives of Abby and Libby as well as the small town of Delphi.

In recent years, my fascination with crime fiction has evolved into a deep interest in the realm of true crime. The narratives that unfold within these works often feel like they belong to the world of fiction, yet the knowledge that these events actually happened adds a unique layer of intrigue. Last year, I was captivated by a true-crime memoir and retrospective penned by Paul Holes, an investigator whose involvement in numerous high-profile cases over the decades was truly engrossing. Beyond his captivating insights into high-profile cases, it was his introspective exploration of the toll these investigations took on his personal life that resonated the most. They served as a powerful reminder that every headline-worthy story has a profound impact on the lives of real individuals.

It's this very idea, the resilience of people navigating the aftermath of unthinkable tragedy, that lies at the heart of investigative journalist Susan Hendricks' latest work, Down the Hill. When given the chance to receive a copy of this book from her publisher, I eagerly embraced it. Drawing on her extensive background in broadcast journalism and her personal intrigue with the case, Hendricks delves into the narrative of a tragic double homicide that sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community of Delphi, Indiana.

"Their family always said I love you in place of goodbye. Every single time. Just in case something happened."

Tragedy often strikes unexpectedly. While you witness it on the news daily, you never anticipate it happening to someone like you. Especially not in a safe haven like your own neighborhood. Delphi, Indiana embodied this sense of security, a tight-knit community where everyone knew one another. It was the kind of place where families felt at ease raising their children. When Abby Williams and Libby German planned a day of adventure on their day off from school, exploring the well-trodden hiking trails near Monon High Bridge, it seemed like a simple, harmless decision. The concerns were minimal. Libby's grandmother only reminded her to take a coat for the changing weather. As Libby's sister dropped them off at the trailhead, it was just another ordinary day. Little did they know that it would mark the final time they would ever see Abby and Libby alive.

"There are many dates in a lifetime that you're going to remember: The dates your children are born. The date you're married. The date you buy a first house. The date Abby and Libby went missing."

What began as a missing person case, characterized by concern rather than panic, took a tragic turn as the bodies of Abby and Libby were discovered on the north bank of Deer Creek, approximately a mile from where they were last seen. Susan Hendricks, then a reporter for CNN and HLN, was among the media personnel covering the incident. In the initial stages of reporting, Hendricks was struck by the limited information provided by investigators. The primary piece of evidence revolved around the visual and audio fragments of a disturbing interaction the girls had with an unfamiliar individual shortly before their disappearance—a disconcerting encounter that Libby had captured on her cellphone. This sole lead would become the cornerstone of the case for the years to come. The chilling audio of the man instructing the girls to go "down the hill" reverberated in the thoughts of those dedicated to uncovering the truth behind this devastating event.

Down the Hill sees Susan Hendricks take a detailed look into a crime that captured the nation's attention. The profound tragedy that befell such innocent individuals begs the question of how such horror could occur. Hendricks masterfully portrays the moments leading to the crime and the exhaustive pursuit of justice. The narrative spans from early 2017 to today, with a suspect now arrested and awaiting trial. While the ongoing nature of the case prevents a conclusive ending, Hendricks's storytelling is marked by meticulous care. Her personal connection with the victims' families during her investigation adds a distinct dimension to this true crime account. Their resilience, facing each day with courage while ensuring their loved ones are never forgotten, deeply moved me. Amid their tireless efforts to bring awareness and sustain a years-long investigation, they not only honored their daughters' memory but also offered support to other families grappling with similar tragedies. In the face of an incomprehensibly senseless crime of inhumanity, the families maintained their own humanity, ultimately inspiring the world through their unyielding strength.

My initial questions are why this book and why now? This book is a jack of all trades, a master of none. It is part memoir, part book about the crime, part profiling the accused killer, and it is being published before the trial so there is no closure. I will be doing a Booktube video that will be uploaded closer to the release. Link to come.

I’ve been a follower of the Delphi case since the beginning. My daughter is now the same age/grade as Abby and Libby were. There are so many strange things with this case; from the lack of information provided, to the way LE held their press conferences. This book was so neatly organized that I finally have a good understanding of the timeline and how the multitude of person’s of interest played a part.

This also focused so much more on the victims’s family than most true crime books and for that I was grateful. The author’s close relationship with Becky, the victim’s grandmother, was so inspiring. I liked that perspective so much more than the usual focus on the perpetrator.

Great read! I will definitely recommend!.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about the murders of two young teenage girls, Abby Williams and Liberty German, in Delphi, Indiana, on February 13, 2017. I have thought about these girls over the years but the last update I had was when the audio and video were released. I still remember watching the news and seeing/hearing the man suspected of murdering them and it gave me the chills. This book was well written and rehashed all the press conferences and news broadcasts that the author, who is a CNN journalist, did. This would not be anything new to people who have followed the case closely, but for me I had not heard anything about the case since the video. I did not even know they had arrested anyone. There has been no trial yet so this person is still assumed innocent until proven guilty. We also got behind the scenes conversations with Libby’s family that the author had with them so that was interesting. I think the book should have waited to be written until after the trial. We still do not know the manner of death of these girls. Maybe a future edition will include that. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.

Going into this book I didn't know much about the Delphi murders, and had only vaguely heard of "the Snapchat murders." I thought Hendricks' perspective as a journalist who really seemed to get to KNOW these families was interesting; this story felt much more personal than many true crime books I've read. But this felt unnecessarily long, and started to feel repetitive. Some of that is likely due to the length of time the case dragged on before an arrest, but without being privy to the information that finally led police to the accused, there's a lot of unfortunate gaps. Hendricks tries to fill in those gaps via some lengthy descriptions of interviews with forensic experts, but they also don't know the specifics so there's a lot of speculation and blustering.

I felt especially invested in the discussion of the crime conventions the author attended, and getting a behind the scenes look at those from both the presenter and victim's family side of things. I just think this book would have been better served for publication when we have more detail about what led up to the arrest.

This a very incomplete book of course, since the trial hasn't taken place yet. Susan Hendricks is a decent writer, but this book became extremely repetitive halfway through. She repeats certain facts or theories a lot. I'm glad she has a personal relationship with the families of the victims, but this book added new to the ongoing investigation. Average read. Can't wait for the trial to start. Here's hoping Richard Allen never goes free again, and justice for Abby and Liberty is served.

Hendricks' writing is well done, but this book is overall lacking any real information and quite premature.

1) "Hendricks takes an investigative deep-dive into the still unsolved double homicide..." It was actually quite shallow. We don't learn much of anything here other than about some false leads that were followed early on. We don't even know what happened to these poor girls, which presumably will come out at trial (which feels unique, no?)

2) Because we know so little, much of the story is speculation, and speculation even by experts is still just speculation. It's ultimately not super insightful.

3) This really shouldn't be published until after the trial. As of right now a quick google search about the main suspect told me more about his presumed guilt or innocence (via an alleged call from prison which are all recorded - CNN) than anything in this book. This information could have been a whole chapter if we'd waited longer. Not to mention the chapter on another possible suspect earlier on whose trial date for a separate thing was given (Spring/Summer of this year) and then never followed up on. I had to Google that too. Why dedicate a whole chapter to this guy and then not wait the month to add that last bit?

OK so what did we learn? Hendricks gained an emotional connection to the victims families. The Delphi police were highly dedicated to finding justice for Abby and Libby. Hendricks et al attended CrimeCon to promote awareness for the case. These are all very surface level and lack depth.

Given more time and more actual case information, I think this could have been really great. But as it stands right now, it just felt like it was missing a lot of key components.

This book focuses on the Delphi, Indiana case where two young girls, Libby and Abby were dropped off at a popular hiking trail on a snow day, February 13, 2017 and never returned to the parking lot to meet their ride home. The police were involved that afternoon and their bodies were found less than 24 hours later after a massive search of the area. There were few clues to follow and the police didn’t even know where to start with this investigation. They caught a lucky break when a cell phone belonging to one of the young girls, Libby contained a video with audio of a man approaching them on a bridge. Libby must have felt something was off when this stranger address them and was smart to document the encounter. However, even with the video and audio, it would take the police over 5 years to identify this man and charge him. The mind blowing part is that he was a local (which was always the assumption), and lived among the families of the girls. This book focused on the families and what they’ve been experiencing everyday since they lost their beautiful daughters. I am relieved that the families finally have some answers and the trial will begin in January 2024.

*There is a podcast available and a documentary too.

I rarely read true crime novels, but I found this one very interesting and detailed. Anyone that followed the Delphi murder case probably have heard the usual clips and statements from the news or online, but this book help provide more of a personal look into the case, the family and victims. Its a hard story to cover, but I felt the author did a wonderful job of covering the details and humanizing the story, more than just sensationalism, this was very genuine.

I have been interested in this case since Abby and Libby were first reported as missing. I was hoping this book would reveal a lot of unknown details about the case, along with a behind the scenes development of the investigation. However, this wasn't the case. It was mostly interviews with a few family members and friends. Very dissapointing.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Down the Hill is a true-crime sensation that provides insight on a case that gripped the nation. While a lot of this information was not new to me, I appreciated seeing more of an angle on the family.

The podcast about this case gives us a lot of the same information, but with the book the reader gets a bit more behind-the-scenes looks into the lives of the family as they move forward after the tragedy. It's a decent true-crime book, especially if you haven't already heard about the case via the podcast.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Being from Indiana I’m familiar with the murder of Libby and Abby. This was a horrific crime that shook Indiana. Susan did a good job respecting the family while informing the reader about the case and investigation.

I felt like the real strength of the book was that Hendrick's really made you feel like you were there and part of the community. It wasn't a case I was very familiar with at all so I felt like I learned a lot. I wish there were some more details but it seemed like the police haven't released many.

Down the Hill is the sad heartbreaking true crime story of two young girls Abigail13 and her best friend 14 year old Liberty.they went out to enjoy a day off.They never came home their bodies were fond dece stating ther families the town.Susan Hendricks an investigative reporter sharing what has been going on how the families are doing through the intimate relationship she developed with them A true page turner as you hope for the murderer to be found.#netgalley #hatchettebooks

Down the Hill by Susan Hendricks brings the reader back to the shattered community of Delphi, Indiana who is trying desperately to understand how to young girls could be murdered in cold blood. Hendricks blended her journalism and storytelling with respect and dignity to capture the true essence of the community, Abby and Libby, and the ongoing investigation. Hendricks highlighted the importance of family and understanding the community by centering the story around those left behind to deal with the aftermath of the two girls' deaths, and in this way this book was different from other stories surrounding the Delphi Murders.

My one wish is that the book had delayed publishing so that Hendricks could report on the court case now that a suspect has been detained. The way the book ended left the work feeling incomplete, and I am unsure if that was intentional so that the reader feels much how Abby and Libby's families feel knowing their daughters will never grow up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

A great read even for someone who has followed this case from the beginning. It was a great way to catch up on all the events and details of the case before the trial begins. While the information included in the book isn’t new to me as an avid true crime fan, I appreciate the research and hard work of compiling the YEARS of information for the book!

I am an avid follower of this case since day 1.
I know all of the information that is out there to the general public , and follow regularly on Reddit.
Admittedly, I have never heard of this author or journalist.
I think this is a good summary of all info generally known , reads like a story and easy for people to follow.
Unsure of what the goal or purpose of this book was. I feel that it would be better to have waited and continued on with the trial.
I guess it's good timing for people wanting to get up to speed before the trial.