Ignoffo Mary Jo. Captive of the Labyrinth: Sarah L. Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune

Columbia, University of Missouri Press, 2010. — 278 p. — ISBN 978-0-8262-1905-3.In the first full-length biography of Sarah Winchester, author and historian Mary Jo Ignoffo unearths the truth about this notorious eccentric, revealing that she was not a maddened spiritualist driven by remorse but an intelligent, articulate woman who sought to protect her private life amidst the chaos of her public existence. The author takes readers through Winchester’s several homes, explores her private life, and, by excerpting from personal correspondence, gives the heiress a voice for the first time since her death. Ignoffo’s research reveals that Winchester’s true financial priority was not dissipating her fortune on the mansion in San José but investing it for a philanthropic legacy.
For too long Sarah Winchester has existed as a ghost herself — a woman whose existence lies somewhere between the facts of her life and a set of sensationalized recollections of who she may have been. Captive of the Labyrinth finally puts to rest the myths about this remarkable woman, and, in the process, uncovers the legacy she intended to leave behind.Author's NoteNew Haven's Daughter
Marrying into the Winchester Family
"The Gun That Won the West"
The Winchester Fortune
A California Dream
Labyrinth
Daydream or Nightmare
Guns, Guilt, and Ghosts: The First Commentaries on Sarah Winchester’s Odd House
Health and Welfare
Changing Fortunes
Trapped in a Mistaken Legacy
Capitalizing on Spirits: The Mystery House
Notes