Cavalier: The Story of An Unsolved Murder in a Small Town

Cavalier: The Story of An Unsolved Murder in a Small Town by Connie L. Nelson

253 Pages

Publisher: July 9, 2022

Release Date: George Gregory Nelson Publishing, LLC

Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime, Murder, Unsolved, Criminal Law, Forensic Science, Procedural Law

Cavalier is a small town in North Dakota. The first third of the book is about the author’s life before the murder. She details her courtship with her husband and living under his family’s rule. They were a prominent family so whatever her father-in-law said was law. She wanted to regain her teacher license but was forced to work in accounting for the family car dealership. After years of living this way, she decided to take her children and move away.

The rest of the book surrounds the life and murder of Dr. Jack Wahl. The police believe the case closed when a close friend, John, commits suicide. He was one of the last people to see Jack alive. The police wrote the murder off as act of passion after a gay affair. No one was ever sought for the murder and evidence at the scene was compromised. The author agonizes over the fact that as she was only a friend and not family, the police did not question her or inform her of their progress or lack of.

The book was well written in the first-person point of view. It was well-researched, and information presented in an easy-to-read format. Also included are photos and newspaper articles and clippings regarding the murder investigation. It is obvious to readers that Jack was a very special person and someone the author has missed over the years. If you enjoy true crime, you will like this book.