True Crime

Definitely did not care for most of the stories in this volume.

The Sea Captain (3 stars)-I really didn't like this one at all. It is one of the longer stories that Rule tends to start off all of her books with. This one didn't have an engaging story at all. Woman murders husband. Rule throws in tidbits about how the local celebrities (John Saul lived nearby) felt about the case as well as the locals. I never got the feeling anyone was lying about what occurred. It just seemed shocking the woman in question (Nettie Ruth Myers) got away with things as long as she did.

It (Ain't) Hard Out There for the Pimps (1 star)-Rule has a bug up her butt because in 2006, the best song went to "It's Hard Out There for the Pimps" she takes a personal affront because pimps are terrible people. I am not arguing with her there. But I think she jumped way too much to the outrage meter over a song. I feel like she's one of those people that would have said that rap music makes black people violent. I hated the two stories she told since she seemed hell bent on proving her point.

The Runaway and the Solider (2 stars)-Sad story though Rule at times seems to be blaming the young woman and even her family for what became of her.

The Tragic Ending of a Bank Robber's Fantasy (3 stars)-once again Rule seems to blame not only the young man who murdered someone, but the victim who she felt should have had enough sense to not struggle to get a gun away from him. This whole story felt confusing, mostly because Rule refers to the murderer (Sam Jesse) by both his first and last name throughout the story.

A Very Bad Christmas (3 stars)-What a terrible story. It's a story about a family annihilator who wanted to move on and be "young again and date."

To Save Their Souls (3 stars)-I felt pity for the woman in this story who definitely needed mental help. Rule gets into the M'Naughton rule and how in cases like this one, it can cause people who really should receive mental help to be sent to jail. A young mother is left alone with her two sons who she can't feed or keep warm living in a trailer all by themselves. She eventually becomes transfixed on the fact that she and her husband have done evil and her sons need to be protected.

...Or We''ll Kill You (3 stars)-A woman is abducted by two men and using the skills she developed as counselor, manages to survive. ( )

It is hard to rate this book. Mostly, I found it strangely attractive, and being somewhat compulsive anyway, I kept on reading even when it wasn't much fun. With one exception, I thought the stories rated 2 stars at the most.

These true crime stories focus on how real-world trials go (not like Perry Mason at all), on the hard work of the police detectives in trying to get the evidence needed, the role of experts in forensic matters, and of course the evil in the hearts of the perpetrators, illustrated mostly through the factual details and sometimes their own words, especially their self-contradictions.
The primary story takes up 215 pages out of 400 and some odd pages excluding the philosophical reflections at the end of the book. Then six other stories follow, from 20 to 40 (or so) pages long.
Interesting, but not very uplifting.

Then the next to last story is haunting. The book was well worth reading for this sad story alone. About a woman who goes off the deep end when her husband leaves her and so does her job. She decides that she is evil, a bad influence on her children, and decides to kill them and herself. She does in fact toss the little boys off the bridge into the Columbia River. Then she goes to the police and confesses, expecting to get the death penalty.
The author talks about the M'Naughton rule. Apparently the jurors were not familiar with the concept of jury nullification, or they apparently would have turned in a not guilty verdict. Instead they found the woman guilty and she was sent to the state mental hospital.

(Wikipedia explains, "in the United States jury nullification occurs when a jury in a criminal case reaches a verdict contrary to the weight of evidence, sometimes because of a disagreement with the relevant law.")

Anyway, I found the book at the Little Free Library, where I try a lot of things I would not otherwise consider reading. I won't search out this author again. I think her books may be very popular at airports, where people are desperate for something to while away the time wasted while waiting for the airplanes.

One minor annoyance - instead of the legally precise phrase "not guilty" the author insists on saying "innocent." Every time I saw this, I had to correct her in my mind.
( )

This is a series of truly sad stories. Rule ends her book with a story that should be inspiring, but it's still just so very sad.

I would recommend this book to individuals who have enjoyed other books by Ann Rule, M. William Phelps, or Aphrodite Jones. ( )

As usual Ann Rule delivers true crime stories that are fascinating to read. The fact that she becomes so close to the victims families, and through them to the victim, just adds to the story.

I love reading the shorter fiction, I actually keep one of these books in my car so if I get stuck somewhere I always have a book to read. ( )