The Silk Finisher: Bigotry, Murder, and Sacrifice in the Crossroads of America

Melchior (Shared Services) examines the ripple effects of a 1963 murder in his hometown of Evansville, Ind., in this immersive blend of memoir and true crime. He opens with a thorough account of the death of Rudy Ziemer, a gay man who was killed by three paratroopers in a hate crime. A smear campaign against Ziemer resulted in a not guilty verdict, and the fallout divided Evansville, causing Melchior’s mother, Dolores, to lose friends when she denounced the defendants. From there, Melchior chases multiple threads: Ziemer was a client at his grandfather’s dry cleaning business, where Dolores worked as a “silk finisher,” pressing out stubborn wrinkles in clothes. Melchior utilizes his mother’s work as a metaphor for his attempts to untangle his relationship to Evansville and consider the ways his family history sheds light on contemporary political issues. He recounts his uncle’s addiction to opioids, his great-uncle’s closeted homosexuality, and Evansville’s legacy of racism, artfully extrapolating the influences those stories—and Ziemer’s—have had in shaping his life. With thorough research and sturdy prose, Melchior nimbly weaves many narrative strands into a fascinating tapestry. It’s a unique and affecting account. Photos. (Dec.)