The Story Behind "In Broad Daylight" Free online reading

Standing a few feet from where the killers opened fire on Ken Rex McElroy more than three decades ago, Harry N. MacLean tells the story of how he came to write his Edgar Award-winning book in his new true crime short, The Story Behind "In Broad Daylight".

MacLean had doors slammed in his face, guns pulled on him, and was bitten by a dog. Eventually, he won over the closed community of Skidmore, Missouri. The inhabitants shared with him the reign of terror Ken Rex McElroy inflicted for 20 years in Northwest Missouri and information about his murder on the main street of Skidmore in 1981. Despite 45 witnesses, the case remains unsolved. MacLean tells the story in his book In Broad Daylight, first published in 1988. The Story Behind '"In Broad Daylight" brings the book up to date.

It also answers many questions about the killing itself, such as who was involved, and what has become of them. The author discusses the nature of the moral consequences of the killing for the town and those involved in the killing. MacLean describes the breakthrough events when key characters agreed to speak with him and he realized he would finally get the story.

In Broad Daylight was a New York Times best seller for 12 weeks and was made into a movie starring Brian Denehey, Cloris Leachman, and Chris Cooper. It was rereleased as an e-book on July 10, the 31st anniversary of the killing.