Tainted Legacy: The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford

by S. Kay Murphy

In recent years, interest has been rekindled in the 1928 trial of Bertha Gifford, accused in the arsenic poisoning of several people in the small town of Catawissa, Missouri.  Gifford was tried for the murder of one man, but many individuals came forward in the course of her grand jury indictment to claim that she had intentionally poisoned others.  Now the subject of a controversial documentary, Gifford's life remains an enigma.  While some view her as a kind hearted woman who provided succor to the ill and dying, others insist that she was a psychopathic serial killer.  Tainted   The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford is a memoir written by Gifford's great-granddaughter, S. Kay Murphy.  Through interviews and archival research, Murphy explores the life and alleged crimes of Bertha Gifford, taking readers along on her quest to find the truth about her mother's beloved grandmother.

Genres: True Crime, Memoir

164 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[Chris Wallbruch]

This book was a quick and easy read. Like the author, I too am related to someone infamous (WWII war criminal) and I know well that uneasy mix of familiarity and horror when discussing such relatives. The author’s conclusion was that Bertha never attempted to kill most of her victims but instead poisoned them so she could then nurse them back to health and be seen as a hero. I don’t agree with her conclusions but definitely understand the desire to mitigate a relative’s crimes. Good read!

[Lucy]

The title Tainted Legacy: The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford might lead the unwary reader (me, for instance) to believe that this is a rare book on the subject of the woman who is supposed to be America's first female serial killer, Bertha Gifford. It is not. It is about Bertha Gifford's great-granddaughter's halting attempts to get to know more about her infamous relation, her own mother's irritability regarding these efforts, and her curious worry that the desire to commit serial murders might have been imprinted on her DNA.

At one point in the book Murphy half-playfully scolds the reader who might have picked up the book to get more information on Gifford. This seems a bit unfair given that the title pretty clearly states that Gifford is the subject of the damned book. A more helpful title might have been How I spent years doing desultory research on my great-grandmother, had several acrimonious exchanges with my mother in the car, and worried that my DNA might carry the trait for killing people.

[Martin]

In 2009, S. Kay Murphy published her memoir Tainted Legacy: The Story of Alleged Serial Killer Bertha Gifford . Like Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, Murphy's memoir explores the chilling effect of murder in a small, rural town.  Unlike Capote, Murphy is not simply a city-slicker fascinated by a brutal crime, she is...read more

[Laura Hoopes]

Murphy goes on a perilous quest in this book, a quest to find out more about a dangerous woman who she knew was her great grandmother. Was she the first female serial killer? If she was, did it arise from mercy towards those suffering with diseases or self-interest? Murphy takes the readers along for a risky ride through frustrations and evidence bonanzas, followed by the suspense of assimilating each new trove of evidence and trying repeatedly to get to the heart of Bertha Gifford. It's a memoir, but an unusually stimulating and fascinating one! Highly recommended.

[Diane]

Don't wait to read this book. Insightful and sensitive treatment of a genealogical mystery. Bravo to the author on all counts, including her personal journey.

[Zach Askins]

Very accurate and well-researched! I live ten minutes from Bertha's house and was enthralled by the author's knowledge of the area. Her careful unraveling of my hometown's remote past brought the region just south of Pacific to life in a new and fascinating way—restoring truths to a story now little-known (and shrouded in myth).

Honestly, without this book, important details about the life of Bertha Gifford might have been lost forever. A solid 5 stars to the author!

[A.J. Richard]

As much as she tries to be objective, the great granddaughter of the woman at the center of this story cannot be objective. I was left with many unanswered questions. Was there evidence of insurance policies on any of the victims?

[J.K.]

All families have stories, and sometimes secret stories that are unmentionable. What would it be like to learn that someone in your family was known as a serial killer? In this memoir we follow the emotions of someone who uncovers a gruesome family story and sets out to research the truth of it. Memoirs are not my favorite read, but this one stands as a testimonial to the adage that life really can be stranger than fiction. I recommend it as a well paced, interesting read.

[Sandra]

The author does genealogy research on her family's shameful secret, finding documentation about her great=grandmother, an alleged serial killer. Interesting, but I felt the book was drawn out too long.

[Tim Chizmar]

I LOVE THIS BOOK. It should be a movie!