The Martyrdom of Thomas Merton: An Investigation

by Hugh Turley, David Martin

Seldom can one predict that a book will have an effect on history, but this is such a work. Merton's many biographers and the American press now say unanimously that he died from accidental electrocution. From a careful examination of the official record, including crime scene photographs that the authors have found that the investigating police in Thailand never saw, and from reading the letters of witnesses, they have discovered that the accidental electrocution conclusion is totally false. The widely repeated story that Merton had taken a shower and was therefore wet when he touched a lethal faulty fan was made up several years after the event and is completely contradicted by the evidence.Hugh Turley and David Martin identify four individuals as the primary promoters of the false accidental electrocution narrative. Another person, they show, should have been treated as a murder suspect. The most likely suspect in plotting Merton's murder, a man who was a much stronger force for peace than most people realize, they identify as the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States government.Thomas Merton was the most important Roman Catholic spiritual and anti-warfare-state writer of the 20th century. To date, he has been the subject of 28 biographies and numerous other books. Remarkably, up to now no one has looked critically at the mysterious circumstances surrounding his sudden death in Thailand. From its publication date in the 50th anniversary of his death, into the foreseeable future, this carefully researched work will be the definitive, authoritative book on how Thomas Merton died.

Genres: Biography

329 pages, Paperback

Published March 7, 2018

Reviews

[Craig Bergland · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is frustrating. If the best one can do is cast doubt on an official story without being able to produce any factual basis for a different story, what you have is a whole lot of nothing. Add to that nothing a significant history as a conspiracy theorist, and in my opinion you have less than nothing.

[Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This broke my mind. Not only was the CIA complicit but as were Thomas Merton's religious order. Multiple people who hear confessions in the front row to this murder. He got a little too loud against the war in Vietnam and it was determined the leading Catholic voice needed to be silenced. Not like they did that before with Kennedy or anything...

The Martydom of Thomas Merton.... Five Stars.

[Linda Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too Much Conjecture

Yes, this death is highly suspicious, but that doesn’t mean we jump on the Big Conspiracy Train. Too much repetition and comparisons to other cases the authors have investigated.

I would love to know what happened to Rev. DeGrunne.

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the authors to be decent enough to want to dig into what truly happened and I believe their information is true. It’s utter nonsense to believe this man died by electrocution from a faulty fan. It’s hogwash. The problem is people don’t want to hear or read the truth- they are happier believing what they heard or have been told over and over ad nauseam. I for one agree with the authors that Thomas Merton was murdered.

[ManGar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started 7/25

[Bill DeYoung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting deep dive into Merton's last days but speculative on conspiracy or accident. Unsatisfactory conclusion for this reader.