• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home Page
  • About this website and the writer
  • Testimonials
  • Archives
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Page

Defrosting Cold Cases

Unsolved cases that need your attention

  • Cold Case Database
    • Index
      • Cases Index A-G
      • Cases Index H-N
      • Cases Index O-Z
    • Summaries
      • Case Summaries A-G
      • Case Summaries H-N
      • Case Summaries O-Z
  • Two Research Methods
  • Search Tips
  • Case of the Month
  • Guest Writers
  • Book Reviews
You are here: Home / Book Reviews / Down The Hill by Susan Hendricks

Down The Hill by Susan Hendricks

July 30, 2023 By Alice

Writing and reporting about true crime are two different things. Susan Hendricks describes in her book ‘Down The Hill’ the chilling story she covers: the Delphi Murders.

On February 13, 2017 Abigail “Abby” Williams (13) and Liberty “Libby” German (14) vanish from a hiking trail near the Monon High Bridge, Delphi, Indiana. Their bodies are found in less than a day.

Until the time of writing, the exact cause of death for either victim has not been revealed. The only fact we know from Hendricks is that “at their funerals, both girls’ necks had been wrapped in scarves.”

An unspent bullet was found at the crime scene but a gun need not have been the murder weapon. It could have been used to get the girls under control and to a secluded area. From what Hendricks wrote, I suspect a knife or a ligature was involved.

In this book, Hendricks describes her journey living this case from the moment she was made aware of it. We get the behind the scenes story, how these cases are presented in the news, how much preparation time there is for on air interviews, and how strict the rules are for the allotted time. We follow Hendricks from hotel to hotel while she visits Libby’s family, tries to attend every press conference, and talks to experts to get the information that the authorities are not willing yet to make public.

This book is less focused on the investigation from the point of view of law enforcement or from a forensic angle (with the exception of the chapters where Hendricks talks to Paul Holes and Dr. Ann Burgess) but details a reporter’s personal journey. What does it take to report about a double murder of two teens for a journalist who is also a mother and has experienced violent death in her own family? What does it mean to be on the scene and at what times? What does her reporting career do to her family life?

We meet Libby’s family. As is their wish and respectfully handled in this book by Hendricks, Abby’s family prefers not to discuss the case in public. However, we do get to know Abby, her life, hobbies, ambitions, and more. We meet Libby through the eyes of her sister, her father, and grandparents.

In this book we learn what exactly Libby recorded. There is more but that is withheld by the authorities. In this book you will also read, no, you will feel the frustration of the investigators as they inch forward. And then suddenly, the arrest.

On October 28, 2022 authorities announce the arrest of Richard Allen, a local husband and father, who worked at CVS. Hendricks gives us more details and discusses with Paul Holes and Dr. Ann Burgess what to expect, what they think about the suspect, how he fits the crime scene, what his signatures might be, what kind of evidence has not been revealed yet, and more.

This book is a fast read, fast-paced, and very well written. Hendricks takes you behind the scenes of reporting on camera, in her car as she races to the next location, and in her heart where her doubts and fears live. Because, true crime reporting feeds off your soul. Each case takes a bit away and we see how Hendricks struggles to recover before the next deadline.

Highly recommended reading for all interested in reporting, journalism, and of course, the Delphi Murders.

Note 1: Richard Allen is held without bond at Westville Correctional Facility, Indiana. Trial is set for Jan 8-26, 2024.

Note 2: I received an advanced reading copy from publicist Kindall Gant in exchange for an honest review. I have not seen the final version of this book. My other book reviews are here.

Rest in peace, Abby and Libby.

Thank you for sharing!

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor

Related

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Book Reviews, Susan Hendricks

Primary Sidebar

Dina Fort

Top Posts & Pages

  • Cold Case Database
  • Who killed Alexander Harris?
  • The 1975 murder of Sharron Prior
  • Anita Mae Carter Lukander (Oct 21, 1965 - March 18, 1988)
  • Missing: Wendy Eaton 

Categories

  • Book Reviews (182)
  • Case of the Month (130)
  • Cold Case News (226)
  • Forensics (287)
  • Guest Bloggers (57)
  • Miscarriages of Justice (131)
  • Missing Persons (127)
  • Unidentified (32)
  • Unsolved (524)
  • Zeigler (65)

Author Notes

Since 2009, I write about unsolved cases that need renewed media attention. I only do research and leave active investigations to the authorities.

My posts cover homicides, missing and unidentified people, wrongful convictions, and forensics as related to unsolved cases.

On book reviews: I only review select works of true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction/mysteries. The stories have to fit my website's theme, tone, and research. It is my prerogative to not review a book. Please check the FAQ page for more.

My databases are free to the public. Cases are sorted by the victim’s last name.

If you have any questions about my website please check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page, the About page, and the tabs in both menu bars. If you cannot find the answers there, please contact me.

Thank you,

Alice de Sturler
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Subscribe to DCC by email

Enter your email address to get new posts notifications in your inbox

Copyright

If you use my work, please add a link back. Let your readers know where you found your information. I do the same for you. Thank you!

Protected by Copyscape

Copyright © 2025 ·News Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress