Judgment Ridge

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A riveting investigation of the brutal murders of two Dartmouth professors –– a book that, like In Cold Blood, reveals the chilling reality behind a murder that captivated the nation.On a cold night in January 2001, the idyllic community of Dartmouth College was shattered by the discovery that two of its most beloved professors had been hacked to death in their own home. Investigators searched helplessly for clues linking the victims, Half and Susanne Zantop, to their murderer or murderers. A few weeks later, across the river, in the town of Chelsea, Vermont, police cars were spotted in front of the house of high school senior Robert Tulloch. The police had come to question Tulloch and his best friend, Jim Parker. Soon, the town discovered the incomprehensible reality that Tulloch and Parker, two of Chelsea’s brightest and most popular sons, were now fugitives, wanted for the murders of Half and Susanne Zantop.

Authors Mitchell Zuckoff and Dick Lehr provide a vivid explication of a murder that captivated the nation, as well as dramatic revelations about the forces that turned two popular teenagers into killers. Judgement Ridge conveys a deep appreciation for the lives (and the devastating loss) of Half and Susanne Zantop, while also providing a clear portrait of the killers, their families, and their community—and, perhaps, a warning to any parent about what evil may lurk in the hearts of boys.

A riveting investigation of the brutal murders of two Dartmouth professors –– a book that, like In Cold Blood, reveals the chilling reality behind a murder that captivated the nation. On a cold night in January 2001, the idyllic community of Dartmouth College was shattered by the discovery that two of its most beloved professors had been hacked to death in their own home. Investigators searched helplessly for clues linking the victims, Half and Susanne Zantop, to their murderer or murderers. A few weeks later, across the river, in the town of Chelsea, Vermont, police cars were spotted in front of the house of high school senior Robert Tulloch. The police had come to question Tulloch and his best friend, Jim Parker. Soon , the town discovered the incomprehensible reality that Tulloch and Parker, two of Chelsea’s brightest and most popular sons, were now fugitives, wanted for the murders of Half and Susanne Zantop.

Authors Mitchell Zuckoff and Dick Lehr provide a vivid explication of a murder that captivated the nation, as well as dramatic revelations about the forces that turned two popular teenagers into killers. Judgement Ridge conveys a deep appreciation for the lives (and the devastating loss) of Half and Susanne Zantop, while also providing a clear portrait of the killers, their families, and their community –and, perhaps, a warning to any parent about what evil may lurk in the hearts of boys.

“One of the best books of the year.” “I was spellbound by this brilliantly reported and intricately plotted account of the Dartmouth murders. The collision of good and evil in a small New England town is scary and heartbreaking.” “Zuckoff and Lehr…examine in fascinating detail the ordinariness of the boys’ grudges—typical high school controversies about the student council and the debate team—and how, in Tulloch’s mind, the idea of random killing became an obsession.” “Join[s] Truman Capote’s classic, In Cold Blood, as one of the standards in crime writing.” “A harrowing account…[that] reveals two of the more chilling characters in recent nonfiction.” “Irresistible…It pulls you in.” “Spellbinding … [reveals] the story behind the headlines….Multifaceted and richly believable.” “A tour de force of reporting…a gripping narrative.” “A suspenseful and chilling story.” “Similar to … In Cold Blood … a nuanced portrait of a serial killer as a young man.” “A sensational news story….irresistably absorbing.” “A sorrowful tale of teenagers drawn to murder, artfully structured….the crime seems at once unspeakable and inescapable.” “A chilling and revealing look at a crime that fueled concerns about adolescents and violence in a post-Columbine environment.” “A chilling story of toxic friendship and psychopathic amorality.” “A masterpiece of investigative reporting that provides sophisticated, bone-chilling insights into the “Dartmouth Murders” and the inner workings of the minds of two seemingly ‘normal’ teenage boys.” “Judgment Ridge is a tragic and fascinating story of two boys and their profoundly disturbing friendship. If you wonder how “bored” boys can become violent boys, if you worry about the vacuum in which American boys are being raised today, you will find this beautifully written book a compelling read.” “In the tradition of Compulsion, In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song, Judgment Ridge has the tragic inevitability of a great novel…I cannot remember when I read a book that was at once so compelling and so harrowing.”

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