The true story of James Howard Snook, Theora Hix, and one of the most shocking crimes of the 1920s. In the sweltering summer of 1929, the people of Columbus, Ohio, were enthralled by the story of Dr. James Howard Snook—an Ohio State University veterinary professor and Olympic gold medal-winning pistol shooter who was put on trial for the murder of his twenty-four-year-old lover, a medical student. This riveting account reveals how Snook was captured and interrogated, including his gory confession of Theora Hix’s death. During the trial, the details of the illicit love affair were so salacious that newspapers could only hint about what really led to the coed’s murder and the professor’s ultimate punishment. This is the first full account of this astonishing story, from scandalous beginning to tragic end.

How American campus life shapes students, and how students shape campus lore

Two alternating stories: In 1962, a ragtag group searches for a hidden treasure with a brilliant con man who claims to have broken the Beale cipher. In 1992, a young grad student desperately tries to find the murderer who killed his sister and father. What's the connection?