Notorious: Maine Crime in the Public Eye, 1690–1940

Notorious features fourteen case studies over two and half centuries of Maine history. The case studies are divided into four sections:

• Late seventeenth and eighteenth century (circa 1690 to 1800), also referred to as the colonial era or the early American Republic.
• Early nineteenth century (circa 1800 to 1850), early Maine statehood.
• Late nineteenth century (circa 1850 to 1900), the Victorian era.
• Early twentieth century (circa 1900 to 1940), the dawn of photojournalism.

Anchored by media outlets and how they changed over time, each section includes literary genre vignettes, and the ways in which people followed the news—from early American printing to the dawn of photojournalism. Other components include crime fiction, memorabilia, and a reflection on true crime today.

For a variety of reasons, it is impossible and insensitive to outline each crime in detail. Whenever possible, additional information may be found on Maine Memory Network.