MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN: The True Story of Lewis Allyn & Who Wanted Him Dead
a book by Kenneth Magarian
The Whip City still whispers about an unsolved 1940 murder.
The Mystery
The Mystery
The Mystery
Famous chemist Lewis B. Allyn, father of America’s Pure Food movement, was shot dead in his living room one spring evening, leading to an unprecedented manhunt in Westfield, Massachusetts.
The 1940 murder is just a memory today. Yet the Whip City still whispers about this true crime: Who killed the famous "Professor" Allyn?
In this small t
Famous chemist Lewis B. Allyn, father of America’s Pure Food movement, was shot dead in his living room one spring evening, leading to an unprecedented manhunt in Westfield, Massachusetts.
The 1940 murder is just a memory today. Yet the Whip City still whispers about this true crime: Who killed the famous "Professor" Allyn?
In this small town where history coexists with the present—and incriminating gossip still circles the drain—the question remains:
Who wanted “Professor” Allyn dead?
The federal government wanted him to testify... Businesses across America wanted his approval... The Nazis wanted his secret formula... The mob and big business wanted him quiet... And the police chief’s mistress and other local women just wanted him...
Murder in a Small Town is the ultimate whodunit—and it's (almost) entirely true.
The Author
The Mystery
The Mystery
Kenneth Magarian knows small-town Massachusetts.
A born and raised Bay Stater, he has lived most of his life in the footsteps of Lewis B. Allyn.
Professor. Baseball coach. Athletic director. Kiwanis Club president.
A regular on the University of Westfield campus for thirty years, Ken remains active in community outreach and development.
His
Kenneth Magarian knows small-town Massachusetts.
A born and raised Bay Stater, he has lived most of his life in the footsteps of Lewis B. Allyn.
Professor. Baseball coach. Athletic director. Kiwanis Club president.
A regular on the University of Westfield campus for thirty years, Ken remains active in community outreach and development.
His unswerving dedication has landed him leadership roles in the Chamber of Commerce, the mayor’s office, the Parks & Recreation Committee, and various youth leagues.
No wonder Ken is entangled in the unsolved murder of the international “pure food” expert. He knows this puzzling true crime case inside and out.
Giving countless lectures, multimedia presentations, roundtable discussions, and interviews has made him an expert on Allyn’s illustrious life . . . and mysterious death.
The Book
The Mystery
The Book
Drawing on decades of research into the truth and legend of the Allyn story, Murder in a Small Town is a true crime book that features interviews with countless residents, key players, and direct descendants, plus never-before-seen photographs of the crime scene.
This narrative nonfiction work chronicles the twists and turns of the Allyn c
Drawing on decades of research into the truth and legend of the Allyn story, Murder in a Small Town is a true crime book that features interviews with countless residents, key players, and direct descendants, plus never-before-seen photographs of the crime scene.
This narrative nonfiction work chronicles the twists and turns of the Allyn case, all but forgotten in the outside world but still making waves in this New England university town.
History buffs, conspiracy theorists, and fans of pulp fiction, true crime, and film noir will be hooked on this small-town story for the national stage—a dark, puzzling drama brimming with flawed heroes, femmes fatales, and international intrigue.
With the eighty-fifth anniversary of this real-life murder mystery approaching, Murder in a Small Town proves that truth is often more gripping than fiction.