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The Midnight Assassin by Skip Hollandsworth

I chose this book because I’ve always been interested in crime, and I thought this book was about Jack The Ripper but apparently there are two different people who were serial killers that did the same type of killings. The story focuses on the unidentified serial killer, who is known as the Midnight Assassin. He committed gruesome murders, and the victims were mostly servant women. This book also focuses on the city Austin, and how the city was growing and the flaws in their justice system.

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1. The First Murder in December 1884

This event marked the beginning of fear in Austin. The first victim was Mollie Smith. It affected the city’s sense of safety and affected the lives of Black servants, who became the main target. Which then stirred racial and class tensions.

2. The Murders of Eula Phillips and Susan Hancock (Christmas Eve 1885)

These two were the final victims, both white women from well families. Their deaths caused a city-wide panic and shifted the perception of this case. Since the other murders were looked-over because of race and class, these murders brought outrage. Curfews were enforced and people were armed.

3. The Arrest and Conviction of Jimmy Phillips

Jimmy was the husband of Eula Phillips. He was wrongfully convicted of his wife’s murder. His case showed how the justice system was willing to place blame where it didn’t belong. His life was ruined by the conviction, even though there was little evidence against him.

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The first known murder happened on December 30, 1884, in the winter. The last two murders happened on Christmas Eve, 1885, exactly one year later, also. in the winter. Women had limited power back then, it also happened in the south which was a rougher location for African Americans. Back then they had limited forensic technology and the justice system was so rigged. Most of the story happens in Austin, Texas. The murders happened in servant houses in the back of their masters place. The places made people think it was racially motivated, which made them not care as much. Once a white woman was killed though, then people were in outrage.

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The author conveys that fear, rumors, and misinformation can distort truth and create panic in society. It also shows the difficulties of achieving justice in a flawed system. This shows that not all mysteries are solvable, and that justice is often complicated because of cloudy judgements. I know from how the author presents themes of fear, unfairness in society, and justice in the book. The struggles with how unfair the justice system was back then points out all the reasons why they didn’t solve it. Skip Hollandsworth is a journalist in Texa, which could be a reason why he chose to write about the Midnight Assassin. His skills in investigative reporting helped him tell the story of the unsolved murders in a detailed way.

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He used ethos by using his journalist skills and he’s from Texas which helps him keep the story authentic. His knowledge of the social issues and Texas history helped him develop themes. He used pathos by showing the fear and emotional pain the community felt during the murders. He really highlights the terror of the victims by adding the ways they thought back then and how they could be safer during that time. He used logos by presenting facts, historical details, and logical reasoning about the murders and the investigation. He used evidence like police records and newspaper reports to show the challenges when they were solving the case.

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“A vigilance committee means blood, and is likely to victimize the innocent. When it rules, reason is dethroned and ceases to act. It would be fruitless of results and bring about calamities you would deplore.” (Hollandsworth, 173).

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”Disturbia” by Rihanna

This song explores feelings of fear, confusion, and paranoia, which is like how the people of Austin felt back then. Lines in this song reflect the terror servants felt then.

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Skip Hollandsworth and Chris Vognar discuss "Midnight Assassin."

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Video Citations:

Cloudy Hits, composer. Rihanna- Disturbia. Performance by Rihanna, 2022.

Skip Hollandsworth and Chris Vognar Discuss "Midnight Assassin." Dallas Morning

News, 2016.

Information Citations:

MacMillan. 11 Apr. 2017, us.macmillan.com/books/9781250118493/

themidnightassassin/. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Williams, John. "Review: 'The Midnight Assassin' Recalls Murderous Mayhem in

Austin." The New York Times, 14 Apr. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/books/

review-the-midnight-assassin-recalls-murderous-mayhem-in-austin.html.

Accessed 23 Apr. 2025

Photo Citations:

Courtesy of Austin Historical Center.

Courtesy of Austin Public Library. June 2000.

The Midnight Assassin.

Palumbo, David. Streets. May 2016.

Skip Hollandsworth.

Book Citation:

Hollandsworth, Skip. The Midnight Assassin. Henry Holt and Company, 2016.