The title and blub of "Mrs. Cook and the Klan" will undoubtedly appeal to History and true crime lovers. The book takes a dive into the temperance movement in the Midwest and the Klan's power there. Were the text fails is in threading the Iowa cold case effectively throughout the book, which results in an unbalanced narrative that lacks enough devotion to Mrs. Cook and contains many details that only distract the reader.

The book attempts to unravel the dark, complicated history of the Ku Klux Klan's resurgence in the early 20th century, particularly in the American Midwest. While it promises to uncover fascinating details about a woman’s role in the Klan’s rise, it ultimately struggles to provide a balanced or nuanced exploration of the subject.

The focus on Mrs. Cook, a seemingly ordinary woman with ties to the Klan’s activities, is intriguing. The author aims to highlight her involvement as both a reflection of the larger social context and a way to humanize the dark, violent world of the Klan. However, despite the promising premise, Mrs. Cook’s character often feels underdeveloped, and her personal motivations remain somewhat unclear. She’s framed as a somewhat passive figure, and the book doesn’t dive deeply enough into her psychology or the societal pressures that may have influenced her actions.

The historical background of the Klan’s influence in the Midwest is where Chorneau offers solid insight. He does well to contextualize the broader political climate of the time, explaining the conditions that allowed the Klan to gain a foothold in areas far from its traditional Southern base. The book shines in outlining the Klan’s rise, from its ties to the temperance movement to its violent enforcement of racial and moral purity, but this historical material is often buried under lengthy, sometimes tedious, accounts of smaller events and personalities that don’t contribute much to the central narrative.

However, Chorneau often lingers on details that don’t add much to the central story, and at times, the narrative feels disjointed. The early chapters, which deal with the Klan’s political strategies and the social atmosphere of the time, are, in my opinion, more engaging than some of the later sections. This uneven pacing detracts from the book's impact, making the story feel both sprawling and disconnected.

Overall, the book offers valuable historical insights into the rise of the Klan in America's Heartland, but it falls short of being a deeply engaging narrative. Chroneau's attempt to focus on a central figure like Mrs. Cook has promise but ultimately doesn’t pay off in a way that is satisfying.

Mrs. Cook and the Klan is a really well-researched and thoroughly captivating real life story of Myrtle Cook, a temperance activist and elderly woman who was murdered in cold blood as a storm of events were occurring around her. The infamous attendants of her services became big news, and the reasons why are a supremely interesting aspect of the story. The small town in Iowa reflects larger trends at work in American society and culture, as Chorneau shows, where racism, drunkenness, illegality and local politics created pressures that ignited into a larger flame, showing how prevalent and raw all of the emotions attached to the larger institutions are. Political instability seems to be a way of American life, and Ms. Cook and her story serve as a snapshot of the larger forces at play.

A big thank you to Tom Chorneau, the publisher, University of Nebraska Press - Bison Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to be able to read Mrs. Cook and the Klan. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble as well. Best regards!

This is a great summary based on a true story. Very informative, hit the points appropriately, and kept the reader engaged.