A Celebration Nearly 100 Years In The Making At Gillette Castle State Park

From the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park

EAST HADDAM, CT — In 1927, William Gillette, renowned stage actor, published his one and only book - “The Astounding Crime on Torrington Road.” Since that time readers have had to rely on rare book sellers and eBay to acquire the tome –only in hard cover and never with its dust jack.

Ninety-seven years later, the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park are changing that situation with a book launch.

On Saturday, June 15, Belanger Books is republishing “The Astounding Crime on Torrington Road,” reintroducing the wit and complexity of Gillette’s writing to an entire new audience.

To mark the occasion and introduce guests to the wit and wisdom of William Gillette, three short talks will be presented in the Visitor Center of the park.

Derrick Belanger, co-publisher of the book, will speak to the experience of returning to Torrington Road, followed by Brian Belanger, his business partner, who will read a few passages from the story. Lastly, former educator at Gillette Castle State Park Paul Schiller will share his wealth of knowledge on William Gillette. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.

Derick Belanger is an award-winning author, publisher, and educator most noted for his books and lectures on Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Derick’s work has been published in The Baker Street Journal, The Sherlock Holmes Journal, and The Strand Magazine.

In 2024, he won the Arthur Conan Doyle Society Doylean award in fiction for his short story, "The Joyce-Armstrong Confession."

He is co-owner of Belanger Books and responsible for the new edition.

Brian Belanger is a publisher, editor, illustrator, and graphic designer. His illustrations have appeared in the popular MacDougall Twins with Sherlock Holmes children's series, as well as Sherlock Holmes: A Three-Pipe Christmas and the novel Scones and Bones on Baker Street.

Paul Schiller, after years of giving tours at Gillette Castle, is a self-described “Gillexpert.” He provided the Introduction to the new edition and was recently part of The Mark Twain House & Museum lecture series The Trouble Begins, where he spoke about all things Gillette and shared many secrets of the castle.

Both hard and soft cover editions of the new publication will be available at Seventh Sister Souvenirs in the Visitor Center following the talks.

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park will also be offering two guided Train Trail walks that day. One at 11:30 a.m. and one at 3:30 p.m., both leaving from Grand Central. The Train Trail hikes are offered free of charge.

The Castle will be open for tours throughout the day, and it is recommended that you purchase your tickets ahead of time here.

Gillette wrote 13 plays, 7 adaptations and some collaborations, encompassing farce, melodrama and novel adaption. His greatest works were 2 Civil War plays, which he also starred in: Held by the Enemy (1886) and Secret Service (1896). When “The Astounding Crime on Torrington Road” was published, William Gillette was in residence at his “Hadlyme stone heap” and had just finished the expansion that saw the addition of two tower rooms and an apartment suite for his late wife’s half-brother.

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park is a nonprofit, all-volunteer group dedicated to promoting and preserving the extraordinary legacy of William Gillette. More information may be found at www.gillettecastlefriends.org.