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Cook, Sharon A., and Carson, Margaret. (2022). *The Castleton Massacre: Survivors' Stories of the Killins Femicide*. Toronto: Dundurn Press.

Reviewed by: Oluwatosin Momoh, MacEwan University

“The Castleton Massacre: Survivors’ Stories of the Killins Femicide” by Sharon Cook and Margaret Carson is a book that examines, in detail, the tragic story of the Killins family and the events that led up to the disaster. It discusses the gruesome killing of six family members, four females and two unborn babies, by Robert Killins, the perpetrator. The book highlights issues like control, neglect, domestic abuse, and power by examining survivors’ stories, legal documents, and eyewitness testimonies. Robert Killins was the second of three children born to his parents, Robert John and Rachel. Rachel valued education and was well educated, unlike Robert John, who did not have sufficient educational background but was very hardworking. Growing up, Robert was the favourite child and was often referred to as the “star sibling” by his family because of his rapid development and intelligence. He shadowed his other siblings, Gladys and Harold, especially Harold. Robert was very outspoken and did not hesitate to voice his opinions; because of this, his family saw him as someone who could do no wrong. Despite his intelligence, Robert had a terrible
personality. He lacked patience and accountability, and thought himself superior to other people.
Robert liked the idea of power and wanted to exert control over people, as he did with his family.
He was very dismissive of other people's ideas and opinions and admitted dislike to people who
were below him. These behaviours prevented him from forming any concrete relationships with
people. Robert continued to display these behaviours even while working as a clergyman. During
this period, he met Florence, and the two planned to get married despite the age difference;
Florence was eighteen while Robert was thirty-one. Florence was the first child of her parents, Ira
and Pearl Fraser, and had two other siblings. Pearl came from a well-to-do family and always
thought she married beneath her class. She constantly nagged Ira about their background
difference, and this caused a problem in their relationship. Ira's work did not earn him enough
money to provide for his family, resulting in the children becoming petty thieves who stole to eat.
Despite the poverty, Florence and her siblings,

William and George, maintained a close bond; they loved and cared for each other, unlike
the Killins. Florence hoped to elevate her status and live comfortably by marrying Robert, but that
was not the case. Florence's mother, Pearl, also urged her to marry Robert as he was a clergyman;
she was obsessed with Florence marrying a higher class, disregarding the age gap between
Florence and Robert, unknown to her that the marriage would lead to her daughter's
death.

One major theme this book presents is control, power, and how it relates to fear. The author
explores this theme through the life of Robert Killins and how his control led to obsession and, eventually, murder. Robert had always loved the idea of power and control, which was first evident in his relationship with Gladys, his sister. They often got into arguments, raising their voices at each other, with no one willing to back down. Gladys was more similar in character to Robert than Harold. Roberts' behaviour extended to the church as well. While he was working as a clergyman, he engaged in multiple arguments with the churches and often disregarded their rules. Cook also affirmed that Robert "would never stick to the rules; he was always a law unto himself. He ran everything his own way" (p. 80). Robert also exhibited this controlling and violent behaviour with Florence to the extent that she left him a couple of times. However, she always came back because she was not financially independent. After the birth of their daughter, Pearl Irene, Florence hoped for a change in their marriage, but that did not happen. Finally, Florence and Pearl left Robert after a fire incident occurred in the home as she feared for her life and that of her child. Florence soon found love with another man, Austin Davies or AD, and together they had three children: Margaret, Brian, and Patsy, of which one became a victim of the femicide.

Throughout the book, we see how Robert's stalking and obsession with the family increased. He often built a shack wherever the family called home, watching their every move. At one point, Florence and her family became so scared that they fled to AD's law office because they knew that Robert could not build a shack outside the property. Robert would often barge into the family's home and make threats while flashing his gun; he successfully instilled fear in the minds
of the family. Robert extended this control to his daughter, Pearl. For instance, when Pearl was
visiting her boyfriend, Robert went searching for her, and upon finding her, he “dragged Pearl by
the hair, dragging her outside … he began bashing her head against the car door” (p. 136), making
her unconscious, all because he felt she was slipping away from him. To gain “control” back, after
Pearl got pregnant, he offered her and her boyfriend a place to live on his property so he could
continue monitoring their activities (p. 137). Cook also describes how Robert isolated the family,
especially Florence, and prevented her from communicating with her family and making friends,
rendering her alone.

Another theme examined in the book is the role of neglect as a cause of the Killins
massacre. Cook portrays how the Killins' were neglected by their community, family, and law
enforcement. She highlights how the neglect of Florence's parents and siblings contributed to her
continuous abuse and death. The Fraser's disregard for Florence's emotional and psychological
well-being is evident in how she was treated whenever she expressed discomfort. Cook explained
that the multiple times Florence left Robert, “she always returned or was brought back by him” (p.
79), and her family never intervened or tried to stop Robert from taking her. Also, the role of being
a submissive wife is overly emphasized in the book. Women are expected to do everything in their
power to “keep” their home regardless of whatever they are going through. As Cook stated, “there
was as yet no language for the abuse that such women typically endured in their homes” (p. 109).
Florence feared for her life; she had nightmares of her murder, but she could not speak to anyone
about it. Also, Florence expressed how she felt abandoned by the neighbourhood community. For instance, during AD's funeral, Florence and the children “were forced to stand at the back of the church, unacknowledged and ignored” (p. 139). This confirms how society stigmatizes women who are remarried or seek re-marriage.

Another example of neglect is Robert Killins' family's disregard and lack of accountability for his behaviour. Aside from his sister, Gladys, who held Robert accountable occasionally, the rest of his family members completely ignored his abusive behaviours. This could be because his family still placed him on a high pedestal, evident in Harold's letter to the "surviving children, urging them to consider their father in a positive light" (p. 4). Regardless, by choosing to ignore Robert's behaviour, his family contributed to the abuse Florence and her children faced.

In conclusion, I think the book is well written as it expresses the struggles faced by the victims and discusses the general topic of discussion in society. However, I cannot help but question the validity of the witness's statements as they are recounting their experiences from memory; they could have missed certain information or exaggerated some events that occurred. I also think this book would be beneficial to individuals with an interest in victim therapy and rehabilitation. It would also benefit the disciplines of History, Sociology, and Criminology.