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Isadore's Secret: Sin, Murder, and Confession in a Northern Michigan Town
by
Mardi Link (Goodreads Author)
On August 23, 1907, Sister Janina waved good-bye to her priest, who was headed out for an afternoon of fishing, and retired to her convent cell to take a nap. She was never seen again. The young Felician nun lived in Isadore, Michigan, a tiny town in the state's sparsely populated Leelenau Peninsula. But that didn't stop her case from making national waves.
More than 400 pe
...morePaperback, 280 pages
Published
August 28th 2009
by University of Michigan Press/Regional
(first published 2009)
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Monica!
rated it
Sometimes, friends, when I’m reading a murder mystery, I find myself rolling my eyes and sighing in an overly-dramatic manner, and making grand comments to the sky like, “Sure, author, this is totally realistic. Why don’t you learn how to write an actual plot before you start making up all this crazy bullshit?” So I wasn’t surprised that I was having a similar reaction to Isadore’s Secret... until I remembered that this is a real, true story, and all of this insanity actually happened.
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Isadore’s Secret revisits the August 1907 disappearance and murder of Sister Mary Janina, a Felician nun whose remains were found eleven years later under the Holy Rosary church in tiny and remote Isadore, Michigan. The feisty and aggressive parish housekeeper, who nourished a longstanding antipathy toward the slain nun, stood trial for her murder and was convicted. Over a hundred years later, echoes of this sad case can still be felt in Isadore: when referred to at all, it is called ‘the traged...more
I now live about 3 miles from the site of this notorious murder--a beautiful old church on four corners in rural Leelanau County, MI, where the rolling terrain is dotted with orchards, vineyards, white farmhouses--and, evidently, secrets.
Mardi Link does a terrific job of assembling the story from a wide array of original source material. And an amazing story it is, revealing much more about the community of Polish immigrants and their faith than actual details of who did what. Long-tim...more
Mardi Link does a terrific job of assembling the story from a wide array of original source material. And an amazing story it is, revealing much more about the community of Polish immigrants and their faith than actual details of who did what. Long-tim...more
Marti Link created a very intriguing, well researched and written book. An unusual murder mystery, that says much about this Polish immigrant community. While vacationing in Northern Michigan, I attended Mass at Holy Rosary church in Leland, and later found out it was the setting of an actual murder of a nun, the premise of Isadore's Secret. Being from Michigan and personally knowing of the places mentioned in the book, made the book even more engaging. However, even if you are not from Mich...more
This non-fiction book took me by surprise. Aside from the melodramatic sub title, this study of an incident that took place in Michigan in 1907 is done very well. It reads almost like fiction except that the facts that the author took great care in reporting are true. There are several reasons why this story may appeal to me more than it may to others.
Isadore is the name of the 4 corner town in the Leelanau Peninsula of Michign. Holy Rosary is the Catholic Church and school that the im...more
Isadore is the name of the 4 corner town in the Leelanau Peninsula of Michign. Holy Rosary is the Catholic Church and school that the im...more
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Isadore, Mich., has a secret and carries much of it to this day.
Father Edward Podlaszewski is assigned to Holy Rosary Church in the early 1900s. Wanting to improve the build a new church in Isadore, he begins plans to change the frame structure to a brick one and in the process discovers there is more than just bricks and mortar to be considered.
Rumors begin to reach him of a nun having been murdered and buried 10 years before in the church basement. A nun had, indeed, disappeare...more
Father Edward Podlaszewski is assigned to Holy Rosary Church in the early 1900s. Wanting to improve the build a new church in Isadore, he begins plans to change the frame structure to a brick one and in the process discovers there is more than just bricks and mortar to be considered.
Rumors begin to reach him of a nun having been murdered and buried 10 years before in the church basement. A nun had, indeed, disappeare...more
I must say this is a book that has many responses for me. It was interesting, strange (in the way that the towns and names were familiar), sad and haunting! How secrets come back and other people just want to forget. It is amazing how one's pregnany back in those days were so scandalous but yet how the story evolves and continues so many years later! It's sad how things happen and sad that they continue even today.
Sarajane
added it
The story is fairly interesting; sadly, the book is very poorly written. What could have been nicely accomplished in 20 pages was drawn out into a full size novel. In order to get to the end of the actual story, I had to skim through a bunch of irrelevant fluff, and skim I did. Don't bother reading it- just google the history of Cedar, Michigan.
This book is by far one of the best I have ever read. I can't really say much because I don't want to spoil it for further readers. A great non-fiction true story about a nun. Wow what a life the poor girl had. What a way in which it ended. I will say it leaves me wondering who really did it? I will also say it should have been declared a mistrial right from the very beginning. My how times have changed. That sort of thing would not be tolerated today in the judicial system.
Great book, especially for anyone with Polish descent or Catholic upbringing. A true story set in the early 1900`s in a small town in MI. It shows us how our justice system has gotten better in our days. We stopped at this Church on our last trip to Traverse City and took in the sights described in the book.
Beth A
added it
Enjoyed this book very much since I've visited this church and am familiar with the surrounding countryside. Amazing how far forensic science has come...the methods used here were quite primitive in the early 1900's. Great read for those interested in Leelanau County Michigan.
Lisa
rated it
This was my first true crime book. Thankfully, it was not story focused on gore. Instead it was focused on discovering the truth of a missing person and perhaps her infant, in a place and time where appearances superceded the right thing to do.
Very intriguing story. It's interesting (sad?) to note that sensational journalism hasn't changed much in 200 years. I am also surprised at the mercy shown the convicted murderer. Was justice served? Only God knows for sure.
This is a telling of an actual happening in the early 1900's in northern Michigan. A nun is missing and finally found murdered. The bulk of the book relates the trial and attempt to determine the murderer. The story was not written in a way to hold my attention and it seemed to be a bit wordy.
A murdered nun in a northern Michigan town, a young Catholic priest faced with a grisly task, and the trial that followed. A great true crime read by a Michigan author.
Recommended by my aunt. It was an interesting history book about a spot near where we camped in Northern Michigan last year.
I really enjoyed this book. mardi link hit another home run.
I think that the 'story' itself could have been sensational, much as it was the time of the actual murder/discover. Unfortunetly it was written dryly, more like a textbook than a story. I am just dissappointed because I felt that the story itself has so much sensationalism involved that it could have been a very interesting and enjoyable read, but instead I felt more like I was taking a Law course.
A Michigan must read!
The judiciary process was definitely different back in the day. I was touched that none of the men revealed not all of the bones were Janina’s, but couldn’t help contrasting it with today’s standards. With such a juicy scandal, they’d be falling all over themselves to sell their stories to the highest bidder.
Spooky Northern Michigan murder mystery: nun goes missing, is found 10 years later buried in the basement of the church. She had been pregnant. The housekeeper was found guilty of the murder. What bothered me was that the priest wasn't even questioned and her pregnancy wasn't mentioned at the trial.
Hard story line. Good read. Enjoyed insider's view of life as a nun, life in small town northern MI., and catholicism. I bought into the characters.
So many Polish names! Good information and researched about as thoroughly as anyone could.
I will never again think about that part of Michigan in the same way.
I will never again think about that part of Michigan in the same way.
I was in Traverse City and noticed this book. Purchased a signed copy. Very good read
A Traverse City woman wrote this, so I think I will give it a try.
Nicole
marked it as to-read
Susan
marked it as to-read
Martha Northen
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Lesley
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The very first narrative I can recall is a nursery rhyme my mother chanted to me:
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and Downstairs in his nightgown.
Peeking at the window, crying at the lock;
Are babies in their beds?
For now its nine o'clock!
For all its silliness, there's a sinister quality to it somehow, too. Why didn't I remember someth...more
More about Mardi Link...
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and Downstairs in his nightgown.
Peeking at the window, crying at the lock;
Are babies in their beds?
For now its nine o'clock!
For all its silliness, there's a sinister quality to it somehow, too. Why didn't I remember someth...more
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