Prudence's Progress

About the Book

Prudence’s Progress is based on a sensational murder in the 1920s, which for a year dominated the headlines of the DAILY NEWS: “CAN A RICH MAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER?” The answer, not surprisingly, is yes…a yes that turns into a massive horror for this rich man in his moment of triumph. The story evolves into a portrait of an early feminist- Prudence King, born to wealth and madness, a child who was first sent to a hostile boarding school and then an insane asylum so that her parents wouldn’t have to care for her. At thirteen, she goes to live with her catatonic and impoverished mother in New Rochelle. The budding entrepreneur Prudence starts holding séances in this house to raise money. With no support to rely upon except an overage prostitute and two maids, Prudence seizes her opportunities so that she ends up being the first woman president of a major business. Her first step up is through the séances which bring notoriety and musch needed money. And, then, of course, there was the murder and her husband.

About the Author

I no longer remember why I wanted to read the NY Daily News for the 1920s. But, after teaching in the New York City public high schools, I'd high tail it to the New-York Historical Society library where I took notes on everything, from the weather to the latest styles to the most amazing of all: a rich murderer who confesses to the police he'd "done it" and then supplies a "water tight" alibi. Then he needed, for family reasons, to go back to "done it".