Rating: 
Summary: Extremely disturbing...
Review: I have read almost all of Ann Rule's books and I enjoy themvery much. This one was no exception. However, it left me so disturbed to think that this could happen that for days I could not get it out of my mind.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely disturbing...
Review: I have read almost all of Ann Rule's books and I enjoy them very much. This one was no exception. However, it left me so disturbed to think that this could happen that for days I could not get it out of my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely A One Sided Story
Review: Where was Mike Farrar's responsibilty in this??!! He isportrayed as such a victim through the whole story. The only thing I think he was victimized of was the ricin poisoning. He should have been busy getting custody of those kids instead of tending to his sex life. Debora was/is obviously a lunatic.That was clear from the beginning of their marriage. Why they proceeded to have three children in an already bad situation, is typical of Modern American Family Destruction. It seemed as if he married Debora for her prestige and income, not for the "good person she was". Thank God Lissa has survived and a father who is now involved. Although he's ALREADY remarried...what a surprise....hopefully he has made better choices. But they always seem to be self serving.
Rating:
Summary: Definitely A One Sided Story
Review: Where was Mike Farrar's responsibilty in this??!! He is portrayed as such a victim through the whole story. The only thing I think he was victimized of was the ricin poisoning. He should have been busy getting custody of those kids instead of tending to his sex life. Debora was/is obviously a lunatic.That was clear from the beginning of their marriage. Why they proceeded to have three children in an already bad situation, is typical of Modern American Family Destruction. It seemed as if he married Debora for her prestige and income, not for the "good person she was". Thank God Lissa has survived and a father who is now involved. Although he's ALREADY remarried...what a surprise....hopefully he has made better choices. But they always seem to be self serving.
Rating:
Summary: This book was very intense, you could not lay the book down,
Review: This is one of Ann's best book yet. She is a writer with suchdetail. Very intense, very emotional at times. The sacrifice in this book was unbelievable..........It's a MUST READ BOOK
Rating:
Summary: This book was very intense, you could not lay the book down,
Review: This is one of Ann's best book yet. She is a writer with such detail. Very intense, very emtional at times. The sacrifice in this book was unbelievable..........It's a MUST READ BOOK
Rating: 
Summary: Biased and dull
Review: I have read dozens of true crimes, including several of AnnRule's books, and I thought this was one of her worst efforts. Mike and Debora obviously had a troubled marriage and Debora appears to have had some mental difficulties. Yet Rule ends up painting Debora as an evil person in true "movie of the week--mom killing babies" style. Rule has done this in previous books but in those books (which involved cases such as a man who battered a number of wives and killed one of them, and a mother who shot three of her children at point-blank range) the protagonists seemed to deserve the negative portrayal more than Debora does. Rule attempts to tell a balanced story by incorporating interviewee's critical comments about Mike Farrar as well but then, when she writes her own prose, she always justifies Mike's actions and paints Debora as a monster. I felt that Debora simply needed psychiatric attention or that her action may have had its roots in her childhood, which is barely explored. In general, there is insufficient detail given to make a whole book out of this story. It would have worked better as a novelette in one of Rule's collections. it looks as if it were dashed off in a week in hopes of a fast sale to a TV network, "Amy Fisher style". I actually ended up by feeling sorry for Debora rather than thinking she was the evil monster painted by Rule.
Rating:
Summary: Biased and dull
Review: I have read dozens of true crimes, including several of Ann Rule's books, and I thought this was one of her worst efforts. Mike and Debora obviously had a troubled marriage and Debora appears to have had some mental difficulties. Yet Rule ends up painting Debora as an evil person in true "movie of the week--mom killing babies" style. Rule has done this in previous books but in those books (which involved cases such as a man who battered a number of wives and killed one of them, and a mother who shot three of her children at point-blank range) the protagonists seemed to deserve the negative portrayal more than Debora does. Rule attempts to tell a balanced story by incorporating interviewee's critical comments about Mike Farrar as well but then, when she writes her own prose, she always justifies Mike's actions and paints Debora as a monster. I felt that Debora simply needed psychiatric attention or that her action may have had its roots in her childhood, which is barely explored. In general, there is insufficient detail given to make a whole book out of this story. It would have worked better as a novelette in one of Rule's collections. it looks as if it were dashed off in a week in hopes of a fast sale to a TV network, "Amy Fisher style". I actually ended up by feeling sorry for Debora rather than thinking she was the evil monster painted by Rule.
Rating: 
Summary: one flaw in an otherwise fascinating story
Review: If Ann Rule could only mask her bias when she writes I wouldgive her 5 stars. I have read all of her books and I find the same flaw in each one -- from the first chapter, you know where she stands. I would much rather have unbiased facts presented and be permitted to reach my own conclusion. Regardless of this one flaw, her writing style is spellbinding. I can truly say I have never skimmed over a single page of any of Ann Rule's books.
Rating:
Summary: one flaw in an otherwise fascinating story
Review: If Ann Rule could only mask her bias when she writes I would give her 5 stars. I have read all of her books and I find the same flaw in each one -- from the first chapter, you know where she stands. I would much rather have unbiased facts presented and be permitted to reach my own conclusion. Regardless of this one flaw, her writing style is spellbinding. I can truly say I have never skimmed over a single page of any of Ann Rule's books.
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