Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping and the Framing of Richard Hauptmann (HBO movie tie-in)
"At a trial events are often seen in a distorted perspective.  A violent event has taken place, and we work backwards from it,  considering primarily the evidence bearing on that event. If we work  forwards in a natural sequence, from a natural starting point, this  evidence may wear a very different appearance." These words from  mystery writerJulian Symonsare the   inspiration for this evenhanded,  chronological approach to the paired stories of Charles Lindbergh,  whose child was kidnapped and murdered in 1932, and Bruno Richard  Hauptmann, who was tried, convicted, and executed for the crime. In a  quietly affecting style, Ludovic Kennedy acquaints us with the characters of Lindbergh and Hauptmann  in the years before their fates intertwined. Then he outlines the  chain of events that led to this textbook case of how to frame an  innocent person for a crime. Kennedy wisely sidesteps the vexing  question of whodidkill the Lindbergh baby to focus on the  unforgettable story of the kind and hardworking German carpenter who  became a scapegoat for a country's guilt.Note: this book was  first published in 1985 asThe Airman and the Carpenter, and  has a new (1996) introduction by the author.