A gripping description of a series of crimes, including murders, which swept through towns in Connecticut in 2020. Shockingly, the perpetrator is a gifted college student who attacks people who are trying to help him; or are old friends. His weapon of choice is a samurai sword.
This is Cynthia Herbert-Bruschi Adams, author of the thrilling true-crime tale First He Killed The Minuteman.
We spoke with Cynthia about what drew her to such a gruelling case, how she utilised her previous writing experiences in this retelling and how her career in psychological impacted her way of presenting the crime and the criminal.
After a career in academia, your turn to fiction and non-fiction writing has been hugely successful – with First He Killed the Minuteman being the latest in a series of published titles. Through your previous writing experiences, what was unique about writing this work and how has that impacted your storytelling in the book?
This book required the use of interviewing techniques, but also the ability to tolerate graphic answers. Having written about WWII in The Red Toque Love and Loss in the Time of Tito, I had visualized and described unbearable gore, yet in the context of war, it was somewhat anticipated.
But the violence in bucolic Willington, CT was even more horrifying due to its beauty and peaceful setting. It was better to have written about this following other experiences as preparation. A writer must place herself in the other person in order to provide a realistic description of their situation. I also needed frequent breaks from the work.
This true story is a dark and gruesome tale which, whilst gripping to readers, also showcases the most cruel and twisted aspects of humanity. What about this event drew you to writing a book on it?
I was drawn to this story because it raises such a huge cry of “WHY?” as it is such a senseless act. But on a more personal level, while the first murder was taking place, my husband and I were scoping out a quiet dirt road in Willington so that we could have a safe walk with our dog during the COVID epidemic. Just as we were parking our truck on a nearly deserted road, the radio broadcaster announced that a slashing, perhaps with an axe, had just taken place in Willington, and no one knew why it had happened or where the perpetrator had gone!
Comparisons can be drawn between your book and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, both works that are retellings of gruesome true crimes – however, in the passing time, society’s exposure to horrific events has exponentially increased. How do you think writers can still shock and grip readers in a cultural climate of unrestricted content?
My intent was to explain many factions in this story, not necessarily to shock the reader. Most crimes are motivated by greed, lust or revenge. This crime was caused by an emotional breakdown; someone(s) in “the wrong place at the wrong time” became the target. I wanted to help the reader sort out the various circumstances and to even have a sense of the murderer’s psychological “predicament”.
Unfortunately, with one of the murderer’s instruments of assault being a Samurai sword, there was more than enough catastrophic wounding and blood loss to grip the reader.
Following on from our previous question, as a life-long professional in the field of psychology, it’s evident that the issues in this true crime case surrounding mental health drew you into the story. Is there an aspect of the psychological part of this particular case you wanted to explore and explain to readers?
I felt duty-bound to understand how Peter had gone untreated. There were several factors that are explained in the book: including the university relying on students to return to their homes when COVID shut the institution down; Peter’s desire to stay in place because of a girlfriend who was part of the problem; and disturbing situations for Peter in his family making home less desirable.
Too, as a psychologist, I wanted to know why he didn’t plead “not guilty by reason of insanity.” This led me to discussions with several attorneys and a review of the pleas used from the literature.
Finally, having written books in historical and contemporary settings, as well as non-fiction and fiction titles, where are you headed next? What can we expect from the literary mind of Cynthia Herbert-Bruschi Adams next?
While this is not yet under contract, I appear to have an opportunity to interview a woman who is a force of nature herself, but who is also the widow of a great man. The book would be a biography, but also a love story spanning several decades. We have met several times and I’m hoping that I may soon say more. Stay tuned!
