By Erica Wiggins
Content warning: femicide, abuse, domestic violence, stalking
The Castleton Massacre tells the story of the massacre committed by Robert Killins in Ontario, Canada. Robert Killins was a well-educated man working as a minister and went on to kill every woman in his family but one on a night in 1963. Sharon Anne Cook is a university professor and the author/editor of twelve books on Canadian women’s history. Her father is Robert Killins’ brother. Margaret Carson is a retired college instructor and the only female to survive the massacre.
I have always been drawn to true crime books. My pull towards these books was the “why.” Why did this happen, why did they do it—does their brain work differently? The Castleton Massacre caught my attention because I had never heard of it and live only about 4 hours from where it happened and it’s written by family members also trying to make sense of “why.”
“Dad and I are flying to Ontario today to be with your cousins, Peggy and Brian. We anticipate being back in about ten days, but we will call you long-distance when we know more. A terrible thing has happened. Your Uncle Bob has murdered his family, Florence, Gladys, Pearl and little Patsy.”
The authors took the time to carefully research and interview those touched by this story and compiled the information into a succinct timeline. They began with Robert’s family in the 1900s and moved through the years. They carefully included illustrations that help to clarify the details and create a personal connection to this family.
Reviewing true crime stories can be challenging, as the details are generally well known. In this story, the authors use this tragedy to shine a light on how women were treated at the time and how they are still treated. Killens was abusive to this family, verbally, and physically. His wife, Florence, left him and was unable to divorce him. She moved across the country and Robert followed. When she moved in with her new partner, he would build shacks near where they lived to keep an eye on the family. Florence stated on multiple occasions that she was scared for her life. Reading the progressively erratic behaviour that Robert exhibited was terrifying. You can see it escalating, and it is unfathomable that this behaviour was acceptable. Even after the massacre, he was highly spoken of, and it was suggested that Florence “brought it on” by living with a new partner. It was eye-opening, distressing, and heartbreaking to read the account of how these women lived and died.
The statistics in this book are horrifying, and it is a difficult read. I would set it down only to be drawn back in with the hope that my question of “why” would be answered. I felt more of a personal connection to this story, as it came from a survivor and family member of Killens. In telling their story, they shed light on domestic violence, stalking and the lack of resources, especially in rural communities. This is such an important topic and caused me to pause and reflect. I don’t want to say that I enjoyed this book, as this topic is so challenging, but I am coming out better informed and aware of changes that still need to be made. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading true crime.
One final note, while this story is incredibly shocking, I found hope that the two young survivors were taken in by a stable family and able to be supported in adulthood. While this night will never be forgotten, there is a light in them reflecting and creating this book.
Thank you, Dundurn Press, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.