Kindle
$22.49
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$35.00
Buy new:
$35.00
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$35.00
FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 8 hrs 9 mins
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
$$35.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$35.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$28.13
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Good condition book. Minor cover wear. No writing or marking inside. Good condition book. Minor cover wear. No writing or marking inside. See less
FREE delivery Thursday, May 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 8 hrs 9 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$35.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$35.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Richard T. Cahill Jr.
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Hauptmann's Ladder: A Step-by-Step Analysis of the Lindbergh Kidnapping (True Crime History) Paperback – February 12, 2014

by Richard T. Cahill Jr. (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 93 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$35.00","priceAmount":35.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"35","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Gp%2BPEb%2BuGS%2F8TzUBVcau4qe82VlmdpqN9YE%2Bs19CzSltHzLFDlW7ap0fAuhv5hNIHXrWnH7Q5UGItlpcXBdCXvbBwECCbl56mx7i00%2Fp3Yc%2FlmDrc9%2B974HGjhU3KNh%2Br7%2BPcZRhwXtWn0Cx%2BOnryg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$28.13","priceAmount":28.13,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"28","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"13","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Gp%2BPEb%2BuGS%2F8TzUBVcau4qe82VlmdpqN%2Bc8tnX%2FcMbpXuXdPLdMXdjtYhmyFvvlmbmOFNyrlzVdLDqwaZBaopZ%2Byg2X4TcnEYgGaeGdxcaaBxaFxaRj9%2BkArzjWesdFo%2FHgel%2BT%2Bqgp04kfPK4tS97tGUvdwJ%2FEmzVVAY%2FAmqWJGqKumaQX6WV9FDEU1JEJc","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Winner of Foreword Reviews' Gold INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award, True Crime

In 1936, Bruno Richard Hauptmann was executed for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. Almost all of America believed Hauptmann guilty; only a few magazines and tabloids published articles questioning his conviction. In the ensuing decades, many books about the Lindbergh case have been published.  Some have declared Hauptmann the victim of a police conspiracy and frame-up, and one posited that Lindbergh actually killed his own son and fabricated the entire kidnapping to mask the deed.Because books about the crime have been used as a means to advance personal theories, the truth has often been sacrificed and readers misinformed.

Hauptmann's Ladder is a testament to the truth that counters the revisionist histories all too common in the true crime genre. Author Richard T. Cahill Jr. puts the "true" back in "true crime," providing credible information and undistorted evidence that enables readers to form their own opinions and reach their own conclusions.

Cahill presents conclusions based upon facts and documentary evidence uncovered in his twenty years of research. Using primary sources and painstakingly presenting a chronological reconstruction of the crime and its aftermath, he debunks false claims and explodes outrageous theories, while presenting evidence that has never before been revealed.  Hauptmann's Ladder is a meticulously researched examination of the Lindbergh kidnapping that restores and preserves the truth of the crime of the century.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    The Kent State University Press
  4. Publication date
    February 12, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1606351931
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1606351932
  8. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

Hauptmann's Ladder: A Step-by-Step Analysis of the Lindbergh Kidnapping (True Crime History)
$35.00
Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16
Only 8 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Lindbergh Case: A Story of Two Lives
$21.48
Get it May 20 - 24
Only 10 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by SuperBookDeals-.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard T. Cahill Jr. received a B.A. in history and political science from Mount Saint Mary College and a J.D. from Albany Law School. His professional experience includes clerking for a criminal court judge, serving as both an assistant district attorney and a criminal defense attorney, and practicing civil law.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Kent State University Press (February 12, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1606351931
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1606351932
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.01 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 93 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Richard T. Cahill Jr.

Richard T. Cahill Jr.

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
93 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Blaine Pardoe
5.0 out of 5 stars but in this case the material was easy to process for a review
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2014
Verified Purchase
Richard T. Cahill Jr.’s book on the Lindbergh Kidnapping was a refreshing and welcome entry to the seemingly never-ending library of books on the subject. The phrase “crime of the century” gets tossed around a lot, but few cases ever get close to the impact of the murder and kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s infant son. As a true crime author myself, I tend to be critical of such books, but in this case the material was easy to process for a review.

There have been some very good books on the subject over the years. But like most infamous crimes, authors have frequented new theories over the decades as to the guilt of Bruno Richard Hauptmann – implicating a rogue’s gallery of potential suspects. Some authors have turned to the testimony and evidence and have committed the heinous crime of cherry-picking history…pulling one or two tantalizing comments out of context and fabricating theories around those. Others have tossed some of their now-dead family members under the proverbial bus, accusing them of the crime. We see it all of the time, even with other famous cases like that of the Zodiac.

Cahill does something that is long overdue…he goes back to the source material – the testimonies and actual evidence. There’s no agenda with this book other than to tell as complete a story as possible. He succeeds swimmingly.

Some authors go out of their way to debunk their predecessor’s crackpot theories. I think Vincent Bugliosi’s Reclaiming History is a good example of this. With a lawyer’s skill, he dissects the absurd theories of the Kennedy assassination. Mr. Cahill is far more subtle in his work. He often offers plausible explanations as to why authors came to the conclusions that they did, they artfully explains the errors of their thinking.

I have written for university press’s before and I know they can have a reputation for being dull and boring. This story is not. Even though I had read many books on this subject, I still found myself compelled to continue on. Mr. Cahill’s book is what true crime/history books should do, frame the story in their proper context, and hit the facts.

The only minor nit I have is that the book ended too quickly. It really didn’t explore the debacle of Hauptmann’s appeals and the involvement of the New Jersey governor in the case prior to his execution. This would have been an excellent epilogue for the book, but isn’t there in any real detail.

I highly recommend this book to true crime buffs and aficionados. The writing is solid and it is as much a history book as a true crime story – built on facts and evidence.
18 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kurt Tolksdorf
4.0 out of 5 stars A Well-Written Summary of Lindbergh Case Orthodoxy
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2014
Verified Purchase
Cahill, a lawyer, has written a fine account of the notorious Lindbergh kidnapping case of 1932. His book is a worthy complement to Jim Fisher's 1987 work, THE LINDBERGH CASE, insofar as it strictly follows the established orthodoxy which holds German immigrant Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of the crime. The title of the book refers to the most famous piece of forensic evidence in the case -- the collapsible wooden ladder found at the scene and presumably used by the kidnapper. It was claimed at Hauptmann's trial that one of the longitudinal members of the ladder originated with a plank from his attic -- an assertion that has been established absolutely by other researchers. But Cahill does not consider the possibility that it was not Hauptmann who removed it -- but a person or persons bent on framing him. If Cahill had followed such a line of inquiry, he might have realized that it would not have been difficult for ALL the evidence against Hauptmann to have been framed. This would have made for a far more interesting book than HAUPTMANN'S LADDER, which, despite its detail, careful writing and excellent footnotes, does not really contribute anything new to Lindbergh case scholarship.
10 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Spike Fowler
5.0 out of 5 stars Best treatise on the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2014
Verified Purchase
This book is absolutely a "must read" for all interested in this fascinating story. The story of the kidnapping of Lindbergh's son has been justifiably referred to as the "Crime of the Century" and the case is quite complex from a legal perspective. Author Richard T. Cahill, Jr. has masterfully covered every salient detail. The book is additionally meaningful in that author Cahill could take advantage of every book previously published and there certainly has been quite a collection.

Books and research fall into two distinct camps - those who believe in Hauptmann's guilt and those who propose he was framed and the entire case was contrived and bungled. Many books following the latter premise propose often outlandish and impossible conclusions. Author Cahill, along with other credible authors puts the controversies to rest by concluding conclusively that Hauptmann was guilty with the ladder constructed from a floorboard from his attic as incontrovertible evidence (thus the title).

One of the greatest intellectual assets of the author is his background as an attorney. This enables him to glean and analyze the proceedings of the lengthy trial. He cites what procedures were fair by today's legal standards vs. those of the 1930s and not surprisingly there are quite a few. He also fences with previous authors by citing where they have been led astray by incorrect analysis or misinterpreting the evidence. His "Epilogue" chapter is particularly fascinating and insightful. It covers many of the questions one would naturally want answered such as motives, guilt, fairness of the trial, legal charges, and hoaxes. I would encourage you to read the often ignored "Notes" as they contain an additional wealth of information.

If I HAD to cite shortcomings, and this is a stretch because the book is excellent, I would have liked to have read his thoughts on specifically why Hauptmann maintained his innocence, even moments before his death by execution. I would also suggest to researchers and readers to study earlier publications supporting both sides of the guilty/not guilty controversies. I am glad to see that contemporary releases for the most part support the conclusions reached by Cahill. For a quick overview one may wish to refer to one of Mark W. Falzini's publications. His perspective is as one of the foremost experts on the case and archivist of the New Jersey State Police Museum, housing the Lindbergh kidnapping evidence. Cahill borrows extensively from his expertise.

In conclusion, this is a wonderful book and is highly recommended.
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

kristie
5.0 out of 5 stars It is a well-detailed, well written true story of the Lindberg kidnapping case.
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
I liked everything about the story. I did not dislike anything.
Report
RTough
5.0 out of 5 stars Very well researched
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2014
Verified Purchase
Perhaps the best account of the Lindbergh kidnapping I have come across. The author has clearly done his homework and his research is meticulous.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Barry Ryder
4.0 out of 5 stars Accurate narrative and insightful commentary
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2015
Verified Purchase
As with all of the `great crimes' in history, the kidnap and death of the Lindbergh infant has spawned a huge literary canon. Some of the published writing is very good and some is woefully poor. `Hauptmann's Ladder' glides comfortably into the `very good' category.

Cahill's basic narrative is accurate in detail and free of unnecessary `theorising' and `speculations'. It's very much a case of `just the fact's ma'am'.

Readers will find all of the key information about the abduction, investigation, arrest and trial presented here. The author offers citations and sources throughout and the reader can have great confidence in the veracity of the rendered account.

Cahill deals with the shameless and cruel hoax that was perpetrated by John Hughes Curtis but doesn't mention the equally reprehensible charade of Gaston Means. As the book finishes with Hauptmann's trial and execution, there's only a brief mention of Governor Hoffman and his politically-motivated showboating.

For this reader, the latter chapters of the book - which deal with the trial - show the author at his best. Cahill is well-trained and well versed in the law and his commentary and observations about the proceedings in the Hunterdon County Courthouse are insightful, informative and often shocking.

His analysis of the performances of Wilentz, Reilly, Judge Trenchard and others is excellent. Cahill doesn't merely `nit-pick' at irrelevances here; he seizes upon a whole host of things that were said and done which really might have opened the way for an appeal court to overturn the conviction. It's a sobering thought.

`Hauptmann's Ladder' compares favourably with Jim Fisher's, `The Lindbergh Case'. If readers have already read that earlier book and are wondering if this later one is worth the time and effort, I would say that it is.

Jim Fisher was a former FBI agent. His forte was investigation. His book focussed heavily on clues, evidence, statements and interrogations. His 1987 publication was all-the-better for his experience in the field.
Cahill is at his best in the courtroom. `Hauptmann's Ladder' - especially from the trial onwards - shows the author in his `natural habitat'.

Whether you are looking for your first book on the Lindbergh case or whether you already have a groaning bookshelf on the subject, `Hauptmann's Ladder' is a rewarding purchase and a great read.

Barry Ryder
3 people found this helpful
 Report
Nicholas Bird
2.0 out of 5 stars THOROUGH ANALYSIS, BUT POORLY PRESENTED
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
The author has done a fine job assembling the facts, and is to be commended for his analysis of the evidence. He is not bamboozled by the miasma of red herrings, nor by fanciful conspiracy theories. But he is badly let down by his publisher, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY, hardly the Yale of pulishing. Repetition and cliché abound. A few photographs are illuminating but the book omits key photos of the location of the kidnapping, and photos of some of the dramatis personae. His writing style could have been vastly improved by skilful copyediting, and infelicitous chunks of plodding repetition excised. That criticism aside, one cannot quibble with the author's verdict that Hauptmann, on the evidence, was properly convicted but that there are question marks over the fairness of the trial process, and over the technicalities of the charge; and over the role of Mrs Hauptmann. Another reviewer on this page suggests that the elephant in the room is who tipped Hauptmann off that the baby would be at the Lindbergh home that night. That can be explained on luck - that the kidnapper, like many locals, assumed (wrongly) the Lindberghs were permanently in residence. More pertinent perhaps is what Hauptmann intended to do with the baby once stolen; if the boy was to be cared for until the ransom was delivered then Mrs Hauptmann was perhaps the only logical choice as nanny. It is a great pity that the author omits at the end the machinations of the appeals; and the attempt by the Governor of NJ to extract a confession in return for clemency. Again, a good publisher would not have left the story dangling.
One person found this helpful
 Report
Mrs Fish
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing and plodding
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
I was a bit perplexed that i had got the wrong book as so many rave reviews. The writing style is rather like a poorly written school essay. Utterly tedious, wading through many repetitions of tbe same information. Whilst it does cover comprehensivly, in chronological order, the main facts of tbe case, it does so in a very plodding, repetetive way. The author is very dismissive of other books on the subject, but still leaves unexplored the ' elephant in tbe room' in my mind,(spolier alert) of how, whoever did it, knew about tbe last minute change of where the family were.
One person found this helpful
 Report