True Crime Books

I read this book in just a few days. It kept me interested from beginning to end. But just a warning, it scared me to death. To think there are maniacs out there like David Ray walking the streets makes me not want to go out alone. Another book that scared me equally was "The Night Stalker" about Richard Ramirez. I never leave my doors unlocked.

Fast to the point, a lot of details about the crimes. Not about history of towns and families like some books go into.

I don't remember what I did with this book. I gave most of my true crime literature to a colleague who would pass it on to her daughter. I remember this case well. Maybe because I just read a book about it. Glatt gives you the basics of the crime as horrendous, terrorizing, and horrible as it was for those women. David Parker Ray was one sick creature who with his partner, Cindy Hendy, committed some of the most unthinkable, unimaginable acts towards women only. He did things that I can't write here. Let's just say that one FBI agent committed suicide while investigating this case. Need I write more, Glatt writes more about the victims and possible murder victims of Ray. He claims to be a sadistic serial killer but there are no bodies that were unearthed. He was one of the most sadistic criminals that I ever read about and a judge who cared more about due process than about putting him behind bars. Ironically, the judge died and he was replaced with a judge who didn't show the same preference to the defense as his predecessor. Ray died in 2002 only in prison for 3 years which I think is a pretty sad testament that he didn't suffer as much as his victims. Ray's tape recordings are chilling but I don't think Glatt included them in the book. They're x-rated and not for the squeamish or underage. my thoughts go the to the victims who are still living who suffered so cruelly and needlessly.

This chronicle of "Sex" Torturer David Ray and the crimes of his daughter, his girlfriend and and another "friend" was a fast, page turning read. The narrative flows easily with many descriptions of how the "gang" of evil nobodies were successfull for years in their twisted fetish and how authorities finally put the criminals in prison. Even with the disturbing content of the crimes described in the book it keeps the readers interest and provides a few surprise elements as well. Highly Recommended. UPDATE: as of the writing of my review the girlfriend and other friend of Ray still sit in the New Mexico prison system. His daughter is on probation. Ray himself died 8 months after sentencing - having served a total of only 3 years of his 238 year sentence at the age of 62.

In looking over many of the other reviews, I can not help but notice that many of the reviewers did not actually read this book. Certain negative reviews have nothing to do with the book at all. For those interested in the book, I would suggest reading the reviews of people that obviously read the book not the star rating of this book.

When the story of David Parker Ray first made news headlines in 1999, there seemed to be a degree of shock in how something so extreme as this could happen. Quite literally, David Parker Ray abducted women and made them sex slaves in the trailer known as his "toy box". He was able to carry this on for so long because his victims walked the fringes of society. John Glatt makes clear that we may never know the extent of David Parker Ray's crimes. He once claimed to have killed as many as 14 people, but he is not serving over 200 years in prison for any time of murder.

One of the portions of this book that I appreciated most was Glatt's history of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. While it is a great source of trivia questions, the history has faded with the passage of time.

The extreme nature of David Parker Ray's crimes may make this book difficult to read for some. The author does not shy away from details. Admittedly, I would have liked to have seen Glatt go into more details in some areas of the book. Still, this is not a deep enough flaw to warrant strong crticism. As a whole, I found the book to be informative and interesting.

Gabriel García Márquez wrote News of a Kidnapping to tell the story of the ordeal of ten Colombian journalists who were abducted and held by Pablo Escobar's drug organization in 1993 and 1994. A native Colombian and Nobel Prize winner for fiction, García Márquez weaves together the story of Maruja Pachón and the other captives, with the story of how Escobar and his Medellin cartel held their country in his power for years while he amassed a fortune, wreaked terror on ordinary people, and bargained for the right to be imprisoned in luxury in the place of his choosing.

Escobar captured prominent journalists Escobar to bring the attention of the country to his demands, and ultimately to have the assistance of the victims' families in making his extradition to the United States illegal. García Márquez tells the stories in a linear fashion - clarifying the political, legislative and legal aspects of the story. At the same time, we see the arbitrary ordeal of the ten captives. Two of the abductees were eventually killed - one outright by the kidnappers and the other in confusion at a critical moment of release and rescue. The others are released over a period of months, after being moved from house to house, with changing groups of guards, and always the uncertainty of the outcome.

While García Márquez clearly has little patience for Escobar and his group, he manages to give the stories a context that makes some sense of them, while acknowledging the inherent insanity of what happens through the long months of captivity, bargaining and exchange. He makes no overt judgments about how the captives, their families, and their guards acted. We are left to understand them through the memories of the months spent together in small spaces, under tension.

Pablo Escobar and his cartel have largely faded from our consciousness of the world today, replaced by other troubles in other places. So much of that drug war took place in a setting difficult to understand, and distressing in the way that far-off troubles can often be - alarming but distant, echoing in someone else's life. In this account, we see what it means to wait month after month without the solace of logic or hope that larger forces can come to our aid, at the mercy of chance, emotion, and the decisions of people we cannot control.

Armchair Interviews says: If you want an intense view of a country at war with itself through the eyes of its victims, pick up News of a Kidnapping. Then try one of Márquez's novels."

"News of a Kidnapping" reveals García Márquez first passion: journalism. Though it's a novel, it's inspired on a series of real events that happened on Colombia several years ago. There's no evident criticism, but it reveals and illustrates the political situation of Colombia at that time (though it is still happening at the present). If you read this book, you're going to suffer both the hostages situations as their families' (as if you were either one).
But besides the dramatical situations, what is extremely interesting is the way the events are narrated. The odd chapters narrate the kidnapped people situations, their suffering. The even chapters narrate their families situations.
Though García Márquez always tend to jump back and forward into time in the same page, here the plot is more lineal and, as i said before, more journalistic.
Evidently, the kidnapping is one of the most awful crimes a human-being and his family can suffer, and by reading this, you will find out why.

When you walk into a bookstore and go to the history section, and look for latinamerican history, you will find this book there. It is absolutely outrageous that this book is sold as if it were titled "A History of Colombia".

Kidnapping is a phenomena that has plagued Colombia for some time now, as it provides the economic means for the civil war in Colombia. However, kidnapping is not the axis our major point of our history.

This very well written book is an account of a kidnapping from the inside. Gabo actually spoke to the people this happened to, and penned it nicely. This book is sad and reflects a reality which should only exist in nightmares.

Worth it.

I bought this (Spanish edition) at a little shop in Montreal, expecting GGM's usual weird fiction. I was surprised to find that it wasn't weird fiction at all, but a true story (if such a thing exists). Actually, I was very disappointed throughout most of the book - it read like sappy "news" reporting in the US, all about what wonderful people the kidnap victims were, along with all their successful children & marvellous friends, etc. I had lived in Colombia for a couple of years just before the events in this book took place & was at least somewhat acquainted with some of the people & situations involved, and I am not that enthusiastic about them. The priveledged, educated, neo-liberal class in Colombia doesn't get an awful lot of sympathy from me - I was mostly surprised that GGM was so supportive of them - but then I realized that that is where he comes from. By the end of the book, I had to admit it was very intriguing & I'm glad I read it, but I think it's spoiled GGM for me, too. This book will probably change the way I see his fiction works.

This is my first attempt at GGM's work. The author's writing style is very different in accounting the events happened during that kidnap saga. As he explains the events unfolding, he carefully adds the background information of the appropriate character(s) involved in the scene and he gets back to the present by providing the correct dose of the past. Though the reader aware of the victims killed, the heart races every time the government forces goof up and we wonder whom going to get killed. That means successful writing. The book details the exhaustive account of how all the sides acted during the period of kidnapping, how professionally and emotionally the victims' families handle the situations. The author explains them in a measured quantity rather than tiring the reader with too many deatils.

The translation is great and I can't help feeling that Edith Grossman got into GGM's mind and translate it exactly what he was trying to put it. Very rare I come across a translator like that.

Worth reading.

This book was absolutely fascinating. The book was a page turner - sex, violence, and the drug world from the inside / out. I couldn't put it down, and I can't wait for part #2.

Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, Wayne "Silk" Perry, Anthony Jones, Aaron Jones, Peter "Pistol Pete" Rollack, and George "Boy George" Rivera all have one thing in common in Seth Ferranti's Street Legends; honor thy code of the streets.

From the hoods of New York to Southeast Asia, and places in between, the six men noted above were gangsters in every sense of the word. Each was able to build an empire that was comprised of racketeering, murder, fear, and love. Yes, these men were loved. Loved by the legions of men that followed them, by drug addicts whom they supplied with their fix, loved by the community they gave back to, revered in rap songs, and in some instances, loved by law enforcement officials. Ironically, it was these same group of individuals who feared them, breathing life into Niccolo Machiavelli's question; is it better to be loved or feared? But the legend's stories exemplified how it was possible to be both, simultaneously. The volume also allowed for the examination of crime life and asked one basic question of all involved; was it worth it? With varying degrees of responses to this question, Street Legends provided an opportunity for readers to determine their own perspective by providing first-hand testimony from all of the crowned legends, friends, acquaintances, snitches, and legal documents. Understand that these legends were not given that title because of the plethora of drugs, murders, and money they obtained. Something much deeper, morally as a matter of fact, was the determining factor.

I applaud Seth Ferranti for his dedication to putting together a well-rounded view of the men he is paying homage to. The depths of the testimonies are what pulled me in and kept me reading. The lack of proper editing made it a slow read though. Street Legends would be a good guide for individuals who want to know the real meaning of `keepin' it gangsta.' Urban fiction fans and people who indulge in crime reads will also enjoy it.

Reviewed by Darnetta Frazier
APOOO BookClub

Even if that dude on the corner won't admit it, he wants to be known. Wants people in the hood to uphold him, feel him and carry his legacy on when his time has come to either serve time, or lay down, `cause the next up and coming hood star has taken his place. But before the baby hoodlums were even conceived, homage has to be paid to those who've not only paved the way, but left their unique marks not only on Queens, Baltimore, D.C. Philly and the Bronx, but the headlines, nightly news and gave voice to many rap artists and pages in books.

I could make it simple and say something like Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti raised the bar, or throw a classic spin and say that `Street Legends' is pure genius. Yet, that still doesn't feel like those words do it justice! `Soul Man' utilizes testimonials, interviews, and court transcripts to lay out precisely how each and every STREET LEGEND, the most feared and ruthless gangsters of our time, came into culmination, their reigns in the streets and subsequently their life sentences. Kenneth `Supreme' McGriff, Wayne `Silk' Perry, Anthony Jones, Aaron Jones, Peter `Pistol Pete' Rollack, and George `Boy George' Rivera understood that in order to be bold enough to play in the game, then they also had to be bold enough to carry the weight that comes with it.

While I've never read a book written by Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti, I've read a few articles published by him at The Urban Book Source and Don Diva, and had no doubt that Seth would provide readers with a perceptive yet discerning voyages into the lives of `Street Legends!'

I definitely recommend `Street Legends' to all, I'm going to also stress nothing in life is guaranteed. Regardless of why they went to the streets, how much money they made, people they bed or love they receive, in this game you'll either succumb to death or prison. So choose wisely!

Reviewed by: Crystal

Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti goes in depth of the rise and fall of six gangsters, Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, Wayne "Silk" Perry, Anthony Jones, Aaron Jones, Peter "Pistol Pete" Rollack, George "Boy George" Rivera. Getting the almighty dollar by any means necessary was there way of life. Nothing is guaranteed in this game but death or prison. Was it worth it? If they could have a chance to do it all over again, would they?

Take a ride with Soul Man as he gathers knowledge from interviews, testimonials of how and why did these young men became the epitome of their city. This book profiles each legend during the crack epidemic and how each one is on one accord with the "no snitching" movement during there reign in the streets.

This is my first novel by Mr. Ferranti, and I commend him for doing such a wonderful job with book. He uses accurate points of view on each street legend. This is a must read, especially for our young generation out there in the streets. Simply thought provoking.

Tangerine
Reader's Paradise Book Club

I read Street Legends and was impressed with the amount of information Ferranti was able to put together about these street legends. I've spent the last 15 years of my life in prison around many of these street legends and I must say that his book comes as close to the real thing as it gets. All those who are interested in urban legend stories will enjoy Street Legends.

This is a riveting and spellbinding book about a woman who let her sick obsessions overrule her heart and her love for her children. It is a story about selfishness and desire. It is about how children become pawns in a world of lust and greed and how they paid the ultimate price. Thankfully, the perpetrator did not evade the justice that will be dealt her here on earth. It made me sad for children who are born into homes where there is no guidance and no love, only madness.

It grabs your attention from the very beginning and steers you through its pages with the sickening realization of where this woman's obsession is leading her. It is frightening that someone can walk around in our society without gathering any attention until it is too late.

This story reminds me a lot of the story of Susan Smith who also killed her children for "love" or her idea of love.

Now if we could just find a way to prevent it from happening again. And of course the sad thing is we can't or won't so someday there will be another story like this, and then another.

I recommend it but it will leave you both sad and angry. Ann Rule, as always, did a very good job getting inside the head of her subject, which makes the story come alive. She won't disappoint her readers with this book. She is right on target.

I bought this book after seeing the movie. I didn't get very far into the book before I lost interest because the movie has been on so much and is pretty much exactly based on this book.

Ann Rule portrays the sociopath like no other author can do.
While the book is deeply disturbing, the writing is excellent.

i thought the first half of the book was good but then it was slow towards the middle and it was getting a little hard to stay focused on reading it. it picked up again towards the end, so i would say it was an okay book overall, but nothing to get too excited about.

This is the book that got me hooked on true crime, and Ann Rule by far is the best true crime author. Diane Downs was a self serving monster who sacrificed her children for her own needs. I have read this book many times over, and am still chilled by the lack of compassion that Diane showed her own children for the sake of a man. I hope she rots in prison.

This book was a dreadful read, confusing, bias and with no cited sources to back up startling allegations. I was disappointed and turned off!

If you are a Anna Nicole Smith fan this is a book for you. I read the book in one sitting. This is a book that you can't put down. You will definitely enjoy it. It's worth the money

Excellent condition, everything you say is true. I will be purchasing more. Prompt and courteous service. Thanks :) Jan

I am a firm believer that Larry Birkhead is a good Dad to this baby.
I somehow have doubts in the "sex act" that supposedly took place with Larry and Howard. The obvious disdain that the two men have/had for one another make this unbelievable.
I believe it to be true that Howard is sneaky, dangerous man who liked to control and manipulate, and not to be trusted. He very well could have been the one to take the lives of Daniel and Ana Nichole. Sad for this baby who now has no Mother to grow up with, nor Brother.
Sad Book, Too bad they could not have had the intervention that they needed to save their lives.
I think Rita did a good job writing this book. It does hold the readers interest, and moves pretty smoothly and quickly.

You know I really don't follow any of the tabloids or the television shows devoted to celebrity culture, but when I saw Rita Crosby interviewed on Fox I thought I'd give Blond Ambition a leafing. Somewhat comically, the anchor said to Crosby during the segment, "I saw the title and thought it was about you." In a way he was right because this is a most subjective account of Anna Nicole Smith and her death. I usually don't mention much about an author's style as I'm no Hemingway myself, but I found the writing here to be quite poor. It was a brief text but I kept putting it down due to how ponderous it was. I don't see Smith as having been a bad person so much as I consider her as an individual who could not control her impulses. Oh, I do think that charade with Mr. Marshall was reprehensible but I would never expect honor from a Hollywood star.

The narrator seems to have a high amount of respect for Smith which amazed me. The corresponding vilification of Howard K. Stern and Larry Birkhead also made no sense. Personally, I would not want to associate with either of those two guys, but they strike me as being no different in their qualities from Smith. They are scammers and societal free-riders who associate who other scammers and societal free-riders. Isn't this to be anticipated? Should this discombobulate us? Further, Crosby's take on her subject's addictions was absurd. She blamed Stern for the drugs Smith did which is fallacious. Smith was an independent, autonomous human being who was responsible for her own actions. Even if Stern obtained them for her (and whether he did or not I have no way of knowing) she still had a choice before taking them. Being addicted to a substance is both debilitating and a challenge, but even low will-power fellows like me managed to quit smoking. It was not easy but preserving your life is worth the suffering it entails. Of course, survival was a priority for me, but, as we see here, it isn't for everyone. The thing that puzzles me most is why anybody admires celebrities in the first place. I'd be no more likely to look up to them than I would a grouper or a mockingbird. I'll never comprehend the allure these rich folks have but this book will not add to anyone else's collective understanding of that phenomenon either.

Informative for everyone. Will help everyone as it helps get into the minds of predators.

I received this item in a timely manner and it's in great condition.

I've read several other John Douglas books, including Mindhunter, Journey into Darkness, and my favorite,The Anatomy of Motive. Obsession just seems weak in telling the stories in a compelling fashion. I'd recommend one of his other books, particularly for first time readers.

Third in a series of criminal profiling by the best in the world. This edition is more how to survive and tips for defending against sexual assault, kidnapping and other violent offenses. Douglas takes one chapter to explain how the Hannibal character from Silence of the Lambs was created. Cases are introduced to illustrate point of safety. Well written and easily to understand, but much different from the previous two Douglas has written. If you are looking for case after case of gruesome crimes, this is not the book for you.

I've been a fan of several of Douglas's books, finding them facinating. But I never thought I would relate to one of the stories directly....until i got to "Katie's Story". Destiny Souza was a classmate of mine, and a neighbor. It was emotional to read what happened to her, and the reactions of members of our community I looked up to as a child, because they were involved in my life also. When it happened, being a child, details were given to me pretty vaguely, but reading the story as an adult was a really good expirience for me. As with all his books, i've learned a great deal about how to observe and interact with people and keep myself safe in the process.

I have always been intrigued with murder and the stories that follow serial killers, however I limited myself only to programs on TV that seemed interesting. I had no idea there were books written so well by an author who really knows her stuff.

This was my first true crime book that I've ever read and I picked this one specifically because it was a collection of Ann's more disturbing murders. I wanted a "quick and dirty" book of really great stories and that is exactly what I got. This book has persuaded me to buy more of her true crime novels and I look forward to reading her novels in the future.

I really, really love Ann Rule. "Without Pity" is a collection of 12 short cases, three new, the rest reruns from her earlier books. I personally like her long books that contain one story, such as "Small Sacrifices", or the True Crime Files volumes which contain one book-length story supplemented by a few shorter stories, such as "Last Dance, Last Chance". But if you have read her longer works, and can't get enough of Ann Rule, the three new stories in this book alone will be worth the price of admission. If you have not read Ann Rule's earlier books, the older stories are all very interesting ones too.

Ann is one of my favorite authors. I am pretty picky in how a book is written and Ann writes them so perfectly as she is there watching the situation Happen. This is of course Another one of Ann's books that you can't put down!

"Without Pity" is a collection of short true crime stories by Ann Rule. Ann Rule is the premier true crime author and treats the stories she writes about with careful sensitivity, not sensationalism. The majority of the cases collected in this volume were older crimes from the late 1960s/early 1970s.

I love Ann Rule. I have read quite a few of her novels and her writing style is very friendly and she treats the subject matter with respect. "Without Pity" was chilling. Quite a few of the cases gave me the chills. If you are a fan of true crime, you will definitely want to read this volume.

Ann Rule chose a dozen cases of this book. In each case she was acquainted with some of the people mentioned: victim, survivors, detectives, or the prosecutors of defense attorneys. Sometimes the killer. The first three cases are all new; the last nine cases were taken from previously published books. This is a good introduction to her writings. Note how often economic factors are in the background. Ann Rule lives and works in the Seattle area.

"The Tumbledown Shack" tells of two girls who went hitchhiking to work in Washington state's apple orchards. Their bodies were found in an old abandoned shed. One suspect was found, knew facts about this 1975 case, but was never prosecuted. He died in jail. The case is still open.
"Dead and on Tape" discusses the case which made the biggest impression (the few where Rule knew the killer or victim before the crime occurred). There was a shooting in an alley. A credit card thief lay dead and a detective was wounded in his left hand and side. The police gathered the evidence and investigated. But complications arose from the hidden tape recorder on the victim. Eyewitnesses were found, and the shooter was convicted. Who killed Branko Ellich?
"Fatal Obsession" is the story closest to a horror tale. What happens when a "perfect citizen" turns into an insane killer? Who would slaughter the parents and a child? A torn-up letter revealed the clues that solved this tragedy.
"Campbell's Revenge" tell how no small town is safe from a psychopathic killer, even when they are smiling, handsome, and sincere. Some do look frightening, and are in trouble since childhood. Nature or nurture? What could be more horrible than finding your neighbors murdered?
"One Trick Pony" tells of an accidental death that was later found to be a murder, and solved. There are few trained forensic pathologists outside of the major metropolitan areas. Would a blanket on a body prevent the normal cooling after death?
"The Last Letter" tells of an obsessive possessive love. Is the love of an older married man for a young girl doomed? Bellevue Washington had some of the more bizarre murders over the years. Would financial disaster trigger a murder? Or steroids and Halcyon?
"I'll Love You Forever" tells about a wealthy middle-aged widow who found love with a confidence man. Her accidental death was found to be murder, and justice was served.
"Murder and the Proper Housewife" is a tale of a hired murderer who failed the proper housewife who hired him! It would be crazy if it wasn't all true.
"The Most Dangerous Game" tells about two teenage girls who fantasized about a better life away from their families. But not all strangers are friendly with good intentions. The scratching against the cabin could have been from a snow-laden low tree branch.
"The Killer Who Never Forgot" tells about a young wife and her baby found strangled. Could a husband kill them just for insurance money? Two juries said "yes" and he got a life term. He was paroled after 14 years and lived a good life afterwards.
"The Lost Lady" is about Marcia Moore; being rich, beautiful, and intelligent does not guarantee happiness. Did a belief in the occult foretell disaster? Does taking a drug lead to happiness? Marcia Moore disappeared suddenly, her skeletal remains were found years later.
"The Stockholm Syndrome" discusses "brainwashing" where a captive defends their captor. What if you met a stranger while alone in a wilderness? When "brainwashing" wore off, Robin recalled the true facts: it was a murder. The testimony about the brainwashing was sort of a precedent - furtive conduct to cover up a crime.

Received in good condition but wasn't impressed with the story itself. No problems with seller.

This will not win any literary prizes. Mostly enjoyable because of it's local connection.

Perfect Beauty is a book that's only interesting to people who live in the Akron, Ohio area, and even then it leaves you wanting more. There are to many unanswered questions, that can only be answered by the George family, and they are not talking.

This is a solid entry into the True Crime genre paperback division. The story of Jeff Zack and Cindy George is a true crime writers dream, full of cheating wives, amateur hitman, hard-drinking-hard-living-halter-wearing police informants, a restaurant that sounds too tacky to believe and police department infighting. This could pretty much tell itself and Keith Greenberg wisely doesn't get in the way. He tells the story from the vantage point of the police who are investigating the murder, not my favorite device, in fact it verges on my least favorite but Greenberg usually avoids overdoing it. (I could have done without the details of the department in fighting but if Greenberg's co-author wants to settle a few scores I guess there's a price to pay for inside info.)

As a guilty pleasure companion on your daily commute you could do much, much worse. For true crime fans and perhaps Akron locals.

Although one of the lead detectives co-wrote this book, it's still very heavy on police details and short on story. I saw the case on TV many times and read about it; the photos in this book are clearly lacking. If you like your crime books to be more about the 'inside' of the case, this is for you. There is a lot of detail on the animosity of the the key players at the police station and I sometimes felt this was the main objective of the book. As someone that reads a lot of True Crime, I didn't find this a very compelling read.

I took a sexual devience course in college and this was required reading. I still own the book and love it! I thought that it was very organized and written in a straight forward style- no holds barred. Not for the weak stomach or anyone who even kinda gets the hebbie-jebbies by, say....child pornography. Holmes WILL describe hideous events involving all sexual deviences. What I liked most about this book was that there wasn't a lot of confusing deep analysis of peoples' psychosis. This is a good learning tool for anyone interested in criminology/psychology or sexual devience.

Being from Mass (where the murders occurred) and being a fan of true crime books, I decided to give this a whirl. Everything that is mentioned in this book can pretty much be Googled. This book was obviously rushed out to the store shelves with all the hype surrounding Entwistle's recent trial and verdict. This book is littered with typos and and veers off course at times. This book wouldve been a lot better if it mentioned anything about the trial and his verdict.

A book you shoud avoid. Boring and badly written. The crime, its motives, and the backgroud of the killer is described at best poorly, not to say it is summarized very shortly, while the rest of the book contains tedious court reports cited verbatim and lenghty descriptions of the lawyers experience... To sum up, the interesting part is left aside, while inaccurate details are overly developped

This was not a sarisfying crime book. The back cover says "...and bring him to trial." but there is no trial in the book. It seems like a book that was rushed out before the story was complete (before the trial)just to exploit the tabloid-like interest in the case. Also, it is not well written. The author constantly veers off course, breaking the momentum, to write about other cases. This feels like padding to me. I did not buy the book to read about myriad other cases, so many I lost count. The focus seems to remain mostly on the emotions of the victim's family.
It is also very repititious, telling the same thing over and over. What is satifying to me about a true crime book is the entire story, including the trial. This was an incomplete story, and could have been told in much fewer that its 245 pages.

do not by this book. how can you publish a true crime story and not include the trial or the final result's? the most gripping testimony came from niel's mother,when after her son was convicted,suggested that Rachel might have commited murder-suicide. may they rest in Peace.

There are no insights in this book on how this horrible crime could have been prevented. The author inserts a lot of speculation on the mental states of both Neil and his wife that must be very painful for both sets of parents to read. From where does she get her information? Did she have a chance to interview these people to really know what was going on inside their relationship and inside the husband's head? McPhee connects dots to weave a sensationalized tale and presents this as fact.

It is outrageous that she dedicates this book to victims of domestic violence within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. There is nothing to learn about domestic violence from what she has written here. She is out to sell books.

Given that this crime is so recent, the publication of McPhee's book has likely created considerable pain for both sets of parents, half of whom live in the Boston area. I wonder if she checked with the famlies before publishing this book. This book is crass, poorly researched, and not worth reading.