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1925 murder in Vinton was an unsolved mystery until now

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River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

One hundred years ago, a murder in Vinton shocked the country. Today, we hear what that case exposed about a dark chapter in Iowa's history.

Veteran journalist Tom Chorneau joins this episode to discuss his new book Mrs. Cook & The Klan. This book examines an unsolved Iowa murder case from 1925. Chorneau’s true crime investigation also explains the complex social, political and cultural forces at work in 1920s America, where prohibition, the KKK's resurgence and the temperance movement created a volatile mix.

Guests:

  • Tom Chorneau, author, Mrs. Cook & The Klan
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's <i>River to River</i>.
Dani Gehr is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University. Since 2022, Gehr has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Neve Kelley is a 2025 summer intern with IPR's talk show team and a senior at Oberlin College studying English, environmental studies and education. She is originally from Peoria, Illinois. Some of her favorite things to do in Iowa include going to shows at Codfish Hollow and the Englert, visiting different coffee shops and taking yoga classes.