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Summary: What an investigation!
Review: The dark allure of this book is to track Ann Rule's portrayal of the narcissitic Diane Downs and to weigh Rule's analysis of her. But, I think there's a better reason to read this book and that is the story of Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi. He quietly, unwaveringly, and meticulously led the investigation of this murder and was finally able to build a most persuasive case against child murderer Diane Downs. Hardly the aggressive, extroverted pit bull that prosecutors are sometimes thought to be, Hugi is portrayed here as a deeply principled public servant who not only is committed to prosecuting the murderer of Diane Downs' child, but who becomes touchingly attached to the surviving children. While the monstrous deeds of Diane Downs could jade a reader, the integrity of Fred Hugi and the detectives who assisted him will inspire your confidence in the kind of dedicated and upright people who often enter into public service.
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Summary: A fantastic read!
Review: I am going through another one of my "true crime" phases; my last phase was in the early to mid-80's, and this one has me buying every true crime book Amazon sells! I say this as context because no matter how many true crime books I read, Ann Rule always comes up on top in terms of authors and in terms of my interest in the book. She's really an artist in this genre. When reading this book, as with all of Ms. Rule's books, I sometimes had to counsel myself to be patient and slow down. Rule has a bit of Stephen King in her, and so her writing can be dense, words and details often packed as tightly as sardines in a tin. Unlike King, however, Rule never wastes a word. I have read so many true crime books with fascinating topics and such poor writing (and editing) that dramatic crime cases become dull. Not in this case! In this book, Rule is at her best. Her eye for detail and her exceptional skill at recreating the drama of the crime and the courtroom are at full tilt in Small Sacrifices. Her background/historical detail here is exquisitely done and incredibly thorough. This is probably my favorite Ann Rule book so far. I simply could not put it down, reading it in all manner of unlikely places! I imagine it's obvious that I highly recommend this book!
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Summary: Truth Is Truely Stranger Than Fiction!
Review: Who needs a long review of an Ann Rule book, with so many to choose from? "Small Sacrifices" represents excellent reading as well as solid writing. I actually thought "someone else" may have "done it". And that "someone else" is the most interesting character of the A.R. books I have read to date.The author maintains the suspence well into the story. It's amazing how such sick people present thnemselves as subjects for crime stories. If a fiction writer presented "Small Sacrifices" to an editor, they would be thrown out of the office on his/her ear!. But this is truth! I'm a lifelong New York City native but Ann Rule makes Oregon sound like a dangerous place. Maybe it really is!
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Summary: A modern day Greek tragedy
Review: If you have ever been in a large cathedral, you may have noticed a stained glass window depicting the Virgin Mary smiling benignly as she gazes with love down at the mortals who behold her serene image. Diane Downs had the same Madonna smile. But unlike the Virgin Mary, who sacrificed her son to save all mankind from sin, Diane sacrificed her children in a desperate attempt to regain the affections of her married lover, who had deserted her. In the first few pages of the bible, the list of the 10 commandments that God gave to Moses are displayed. Diane had her own version of these. "Thou shalt not worship anyone but me" "Thou shalt not covet anyone but me" and so forth. When Lew failed to abide by these tenets, Diane committed the ultimate act of evil - the shooting of her children. For the two most evil deeds in the world are the murder of a child and the destruction of a child's innocence, and Diane committed both of these. In this book, the author does not take an express journey through the mind of a sociopath to whom the needs of others were secondary to her own, but stops at every station and gives an in-depth analysis of the scenery surrounding it. Some sad stories do have a happy ending - Christie and Danny are now thriving. Christie has completely recovered from her wounds, and after graduating from the University of Oregon, now works with children. Danny attends a college outside of Oregon, and is a member of the swimming team - however, he remains paralysed from the chest down. God bless them both.
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Summary: The dark side of Love......
Review: This is a harrowing pathological journey into the darkness of a human being, one Diane Downs, who sacrifices her off-spring in the name of love. A true story of the capacity of the human heart to commit the most henious deed. The author never lets up in the expose of a shocking crime of passion and murder. When it comes to true life investigative reporting in novel form, Ann Rule remains a top contender.
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Summary: The master of true crime
Review: This is positively the best true crime book I have ever read.The chilling contents of this book will stay with you long after you've put it down. If you love true crime you'll love small sacrifices.
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Summary: Easily The Best True Story I've Read
Review: Anne has the way of weaving a story!And what a story this is! Getting inside the head of a mother who "sacrifices" her small children to win back the heart of a lover- she has done the impossible. We hate the mother, we understand the mother, we cry for the mother, we despise the mother... Anne Rule has made this murderess so three dimensional. We can somehow understand things we never thought we could with Anne as the teacher. And we are taught without even knowing it. That's a gift, Anne.
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Summary: Mindblowing!
Review: This book kept me interested all the way through,even through the trial which is sometimes the hardest part to stay interested in. What Diane Downs did to her three children is the most evil thing a mother could ever do.For the sake of 'love' and sex this woman sought to dispose of her children as if they were rubbish being thrown away.To shoot and kill one child and to disable the other two defies belief.Downs has to be the most selfish person you are likely to come across. The story of the 'shaggy haired stranger' was at most,translucent and this dispicable womans' actions after the shootings leaves you shaking your head in wonder as the story unfolds. What really stands out to me were things like this:At the hospital Diane Downs laughs and jokes about having health insurance,moans about having her injury pictures taken as she is wearing no makeup,makes no effort to see the children who are only a few rooms away and in a phone call to her ex lover the day after the shooting she all but chats about the weather before casually mentioning that one of her children is dead and the other two may not live!Come on,who does she think she is fooling! Diane Downs is a very manipulative coldhearted woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.She is not interested in anything or anyone else but herself and getting what she wants.This woman is pure evil,there is no other word for it. This book is excellently written.It tells a tale of greed and horror and that of three little children whose lives were shattered by the actions of the one person who should have done anything to save them.My mother would die for me.Would yours?Diane Downs had no intention of doing that!I find it hard to believe that anyone who reads this book would not be moved by it.You will be fascinated,angered,horrified and saddened by this story which is told in true Ann Rule style.Buy this book!
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Summary: Still haunts me!
Review: This book is the best written book I have ever read. I believe I think about this story every day. I wonder if Diane Downs has ever felt any remorse for what she did to her children? I have so many questions about this book. Do Christie and Danny, now that they are grown, have any contact with their mother? Do they have any memories of the shootings anymore? Ann Rule did an excellent job at writing this book--I must say her best yet. I feel I was right there and watching Diane Downs whole life due to Ann's writing. A couple of things still disturb me though. Both Steve and Diane Downs came from big families, yet neither side of the family came forth to adopt either child after Diane lost custody. Also did Lew and Nora stay together even after Diane went to prison? Did Lew have any contact with Diane after she went to prison? I hope Christie and Danny were able to put the horror behind them and live a normal life. A must read for any true crime reader!
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Summary: Reveals a Portrait of Insanity
Review: This book is utterly creepy. The story will haunt you forever as it reads like an inverted, most horrific fairytale. The book cleanly paints a portrait of the potential for evil that lurks beneath our humanity. Diane's father sexually molested her. Diane's ex-husband beat her after she had affairs. The man who Diane is obssessed with engages in a prolonged sexual affair with Diane without showing a flicker of remorse for the pain he causes his wife. The wife of this man never complains about the affair. Why? It is surreal and disturbing. People are so screwed up. The most heart-wrenching moment comes when Diane's daughter, Christie, tells the court that "my mom shot me." Then she answers the question of whether she still loves her mom with a "yes." The juxtoposition of Christie's innocent, loving nature with that of a crushing environment of child abuse and molestation, spousal abuse, adultery, and sexual greed is gut wrenching. This is a book that changes your life--the story is that compelling.
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