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Glensheen's Daughter: The Marjorie Congdon Story
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Glensheen's Daughter is the story of Marjorie Congdon, the adopted daughter of heiress Elisabeth Congdon, and the brutal murders at Glensheen, one of America's great mansions.
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Paperback, 332 pages
Published
December 31st 2004
by Cable Publishing
(first published November 23rd 1998)
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For many years, I lived in the Minneapolis and loved visiting Duluth. On one of our visits, when it was one hundred degrees below zero, I am not kidding, we visited Glensheen, the mansion turned museum of the millionaire Congdon family. During the tour, they would not discuss any details of the double murder of the heiress, Elizabeth Congdon or her nurse, Velma Pietela. I am not sure if it was out of courtesy because the manse was donated to the U of MN who ran the tours, or legal implications,
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How on earth did Marjorie Congdon get away with so much? Plotting her mother's murder, arson, lying, coercing men to commit crimes, more arson, feeding drugs to Helen Hagen at her last meal, etc. etc. I did go to see the musical based on this book, and while I was very impressed with the actress who played Marjorie, I was appalled at what a nasty person she is.
I was fascinated with the portrait of Glensheen, and I had to get a few books out of the library so I could see the architecture and the ...more
I was fascinated with the portrait of Glensheen, and I had to get a few books out of the library so I could see the architecture and the ...more
This story never ends. To this day, this woman is still stirring up trouble and doing what she does best...lie, cheat, steal, kill. She had everything a girl could ask for, and it just wasn't enough. Evil. Black hearted. Selfish. Manipulative. If the facts presented in this book are to be believed, this is a woman I'd have no interest in ever meeting, unless it was to tell her "shame on you!" GREAT read.
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Anyone from Minnesota needs to read this one.
Oct 05, 2020
Laura Peña
added it
i just remembered i read this in 2012 when i was in india. (i am reading an article about duluth and then thought of it and saw i never marked it down) i remember liking it but idk what stars to add. in 2015 or so i went to the glensheen mansion with my mom and took a tour where they conspicuously dont mention ANY of the drama but since we knew about it we basically obnoxiously made our own whisper tour being like "this is the staircase she fell down" or whatever. it's a beautiful mansion, would
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1.5 stars. This is an interesting story, and it is very close to home. The nurse that was murdered lived near my grandparents. This made me really want to like this book.
However, the writing is awful. Very cliched, undisciplined, and seemingly unedited. At one point, the author goes off on a tangent to talk about a detectives sparkling eyes. Another time, she takes pains to point out that a daughter/witness was chubby and unmarried. I do not know why this was brought up mid-testimony, but it wa ...more
However, the writing is awful. Very cliched, undisciplined, and seemingly unedited. At one point, the author goes off on a tangent to talk about a detectives sparkling eyes. Another time, she takes pains to point out that a daughter/witness was chubby and unmarried. I do not know why this was brought up mid-testimony, but it wa ...more
Living in Minnesota I was definitely familiar with the murders at Glensheen, but I had no idea that Marjorie was such a sociopath. She's just evil - born that way from what I could tell. I don't know why any man would ever get involved with this crazy. I also had no idea she was such an arsonist - it's amazing how many times she got away with it. A really well written book, I'm looking forward to read other books by this author.
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It was extremely hard to put down, non-stop drama that easily sucked you in to the very end. Story about one of the adopted children of Elisabeth Congdon, who ultimately ended up being murdered, who had a husband that was found guilty of murdering his mother-in-law for money. Was Marjorie Congdon the real culprit of the murder and arson stories throughout her life? The controversy will haunt everyone.
This is a must read for anyone who grew up in Minnesota. I was shocked at the story and was surprised by the legal system. Unbelievable. This would make a great movie because I don’t know how someone gets away with multiple murders and is living out their retirement In Arizona.
Well written recounting of the events and disasters of Marjorie Congdon's life. After reading this book it gives one pause as to whether justice is ever served. It is amazing that this woman got away with killing so many people, 3, and starting over 40 arson fires and passing hundreds of bad checks and scamming so many people for large amounts of cash. I wonder how much her inheritance and wealth had to do with her freedom, obviously hiring the best lawyers is a big help, but there were SO MANY
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This is a true story about an heiress who is an arsonist, and, probably, a murderer. It is interesting to me, what makes someone a serial criminal. And this woman, an heiress, even - what could motivate her? It is also interesting that she was tried for crimes committed while she lived in Duluth, MN, and Ajo, Arizona, both of which I've visited. Not especially well written, though. And the crucial scenes in the book (the murders) are fabricated.
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It's been awhile since I've visited the Glensheen. The story of Marjorie Caldwell is appalling. She was given everything in life including millions of dollars and all she was capable of was lying, cheating, arson, manipulation, and murder. I can't believe that she kept getting by with killing others, insurance fraud and arson. She sounds like an awful person. I'm curious to know where she's at now and what else she has done since this book was written.
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I first got intrigued by the mystery behind the Glensheen's mansion murder by a co-worker so I picked up Will to Murder. I read the book and then that summer we toured the mansion which the gift shop included this book about Marjorie Congedon. So far the first part appears to overlap a lot with the previous book I read. Will see how it continues....... In the end it added more detail to the original book I read.
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I don't even know where to begin on this. I honestly think that Roger Caldwell was framed and Marjorie very much had something to do with her mother's murder.
When the book got to the part of where Wally Hagan got together with Marjorie and how he dismissed his children completely really upset me. ...more
When the book got to the part of where Wally Hagan got together with Marjorie and how he dismissed his children completely really upset me. ...more
W. O.W. What an amazing book! If this book was fiction I would have put it down saying "no way, this is just too crazy to read." I knew of the murder mystery surrounding Glensheen mansion but this book really puts it all together. Had no idea how crazy it really was. Anyone from Minnesota or enjoys Duluth area should read this! Wish I could have given it a TEN!!!!!
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What is so shocking about this book is that it is non-fiction. As the story develops, it is a work that would normally provoke thoughts of "this author is being unrealistic" until you see the photographs, the newsarticles, and the police reports. The author also wrote SoLiAh, the Sara Jane Olson Story, which I've heard is very good as well. Intelligent writer-
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Few topics are as chilling as this one: A privileged sociopathic heiress goes to any means to collect all that she feels entitled to receive. That she did it in the state where I live, in a home I have visited makes it all more real. Extraordinarily, grippingly, suspensefully disturbing
I read this book because this lady now lives in my parent's retirement community in Tucson. Figured I'd better learn about this psycho woman before I meet her at the end of the month.
Scary ...more
Scary ...more
Interesting book. Can't believe how manipulative some people can be.... and how they can get away with murder.
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Great read about the bizarre Glensheen murders. The author does a great job of joining history and literature to create a beautifully and easily read story.
She is still alive...better watch out!! A sociopath for sure, interesting read.
I was at this mansion this summer so the book held some interest for me. I really did enjoy reading the different insights to the people involved.
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