Jane: Murder

«Jane: Murder» — it is a book of poems, a poetic exploration of the life and tragic death of Jane Mixer, a promising law student, brutally murdered by an unknown assailant in 1969. Maggie Nelson, who did not know her aunt Jane personally, discovers her story through diaries, letters and photographs, newspaper clippings, crime documentaries, accounts from relatives, family legends, and her own dreams. Nelson's poetic intuition instantly recognizes a soulful kinship with this intelligent, passionate, questioning, and self-reflective girl.

The crime is attributed to serial killer John Collins, although it fits the series somewhat tenuously. The family comes to terms with the lack of clarity; they do not yet know that new information will soon emerge in the case, leading them to a painful trial, which Maggie Nelson will describe in her book «The Red Parts». Weaving together diverse materials into a poetic fabric, Nelson tells the stories of several generations of her family: stories of growing up, sisterhood, relationships with parents, violence, loss, and memory. In the dotted, yet concise and vivid narrative, there is air; the white space of the page allows (and even demands) a moment of breath, transforming the account of one crime into a meditative journey.