ECHOES IN THE DARKNESS, 1987

The Main Line, west of Philadelphia, is studded with estates and mansions, along with prep schools, academies, and famous universities. It is also steeped in colonial history with s strong flavor of the Gothic. And nothing could be more Gothic than The Main Line Murder Case, a true story to rival Joseph Wambaugh’s most bizarre fiction.

At the core of the case are bright academics and upright citizens. Bill Bradfield is considered an outstanding teacher, a self-styled expert in Greek and in the poetry and life of his special hero, Ezra Pound. But along with his penchant for poetry is his bent for collecting women. Dr. Jay Smith, the principal of Bradfield’s school, has such strange nocturnal habits and sinister ways that colleagues have dubbed him Prince of Darkness.

What brings both men to public attention is the baffling murder in 1979 of a teaching colleague whose nude body is found in her car. Her two young children have vanished.

Seven years of investigation by the FBI and state police--one of the most massive homicide investigations in American history--result in an unforgettable and unique murder trial. The Gothic quality lingers, thanks to Joseph Wambaugh’s brilliance in making the atmosphere and the people in this fascinating case come alive with haunting clarity.