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Summary: Hated to be enthralled by an evil-doer, but couldn't help it
Review: It must have been therapeutic for Kent Walker to write this book. Most people in his position would not have been as strong as he.
The thing I found the craziest in the book was the comparison of the photos of Sante in everyday life to her mug shots. I thought the picture on the cover of the book was Kenny and some other guy until the end.
Very entertaining book that shows the value of family, and helps people see what factors lead to wrongdoing.
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Summary: A grippingly frank memoir about love, loss, and survival.
Review: In a time where the human psyche is incessantly bombarded with graphic tales of rape, robbery, grafting and murder, a person would be led to believe that the age of violence and vicious people has climaxed to such an extreme degree that nothing would be shocking anymore. One would think. But then Sante and Kenny Kimes-a cunning, sadistic, peacockish, manipulative, cold-blooded, greedy, murderous mother-son duo-enter the maelstrom of the media blitzkrieg, and the person rolls his or her eyes with the firm affirmation that there are still people out there in the world who can truly make you sick to your stomach. As a buxom beauty who often passed herself off as Elizabeth Taylor, Sante Kimes nee Chambers possessed charisma, an unremitting drive for wealth and the finer things in life, an acerbic wit and an intense overflowing cauldron of love for her two kids. But all of these qualities meshed into one was simply a weak veneer that covered the dominating, homicidal sociopath that she, in reality, was. For all her enveloping love, loyalty and excitement that she gave, Sante Kimes did not extend it out of the kindness of her heart, for, like a cult leader, she demanded complete allegiance, absolute devotion. Her philosophy (though radically off kilter) of how to live life might have been: What you do for me, I'll do for you. What you do to me, I'll do to you. You scratch my back, I'll scratch your back. More often than not, the people who 'scratched' Sante or Kenny's backs became more embroiled with law enforcement then the actual criminals themselves. Almost every deed that Sante and Kenny Kimes pulled had a psychotic tinge to it. Every emotion that they could turn on-like a light switch-was a combustible one. A halo of violence widended around them and those unfortunately catapulted into their inner sanctum (Ken Kimes, Sr. and Kent Walker are cases-in-point): arson, slavery, verbal and physical abuse, larceny, fraud, forgery, attempted murder, quadruple murder...Son of a Grifter, written by the elder more emotionally balanced son, is an intensely disturbing read, because it will take the reader to the intimate core and private life of a genuinely dysfunctional, warped and soulless pair. Kent Walker doesn't simply give an analysis of his mother's utter rancorous and loathsome behavior. He talks about how her instability altered the personality of his half-brother, Kenny, once a loving child who was capable of showing empathy. In her emotionally volatile clutches, he became emasculated and lost his own identity; like his mother, he evolved into a psychopathic killer with predatory lusts, ready to act out at his mother's bidding. Arm in arm, mother and son walked down a bloody warpath, and those who obstructed them, conscientiously or not, were down away with: David Kazdin, Irene Silverman, Syed Bilal Ahmed...Sante Kimes wanted for her kids what all parents want for their children: a healthy mind, a healthy body and success. As a proprietor of a vacuum cleaning business, Kent Walker did not rise to be the CEO of HP, Xerox or a Fortune 500 company as his mother had envisioned for him. But considering his bizarre and frenetic upbringing, what Kent Walker achieved for himself and for his family goes beyond extraordinary; he in fact deserves his loving family, a cold beer and a damn good life.
Rating: 
Summary: Son of a Grifter
Review: If this were fiction, no one would believe it!! This is a fantastic and unbelievable story of a mother and son team who killed. For most of us who get caught if we run a stop sign, it is incredible that this mother committed so many crimes and remained free and basically unpunished until she crossed the line to murder. This is well written and very interesting. Don't miss this one.
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Summary: couldn't put it down!!
Review: The old adage "Truth is stranger than fiction" certainly applies to this book. No one could have made it up! If "True Crime" stories interest you, read this book! It's amazing how one woman could have so much power over others..if only Sante Kimes used her power towards good, not evil!
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Summary: A Tell-All That Pulls No Punches
Review: I take issue with those who say this book is a little disorganized. It's Kent Walker's life that's chaotic--as well as crazy and compelling. This is one of the most fascinating, detailed true-crime books I've read in years. It's got
the gory details of Sante and her bad son's crime spree, but what's really unique is the insight into what went on in their home and in Sante's head.
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Summary: True Crime Buff
Review: I read true crime with a vengeance, and can usually get through a mass murderer/serial killer/deviant nut book within hours. I can't understand why reviewers are saying they got through this book in 2 days. This book is so jam-packed with information and details that if anyone reads it within 2 days, they are skipping ahead to the murders and not reading all that came before. It took me a week to read this book,and grasp it all, and it was quite good. Mr. Walker makes no bones about the fact that he loves his mother and adored his brother. That's different, and perhaps nuts, but also interesting. And it takes a LOT longer than a day or two to read this book. I know: took me 3 hours to read "A Stranger Beside Me"; took me a total of 6 hours to read the three books out on Darlie Routier; took me a month to slough my way through the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. This is NOT a quick read, but is worth the effort.
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Summary: A MUST READ for all True Crime Buffs
Review: Great book written by Sante Kimes OTHER son. Gives a great background into the family history -- what he was able to surmise -- and what might have lead his younger brother to the life sentence he got with his mother.WELL WORTH READING! I read the 400+ page book in one day, put it down crying for the son that WAS straight. I couldn't help but feel passion and was glad that he'd taken the time to let the world know that life with Sandy/Sandee/Santee/Sante was not all fun and games... I strongly recommend this book for ALL true crime buffs. It's extremely well written. It's such an amazing story that it's almost inconceivable that such a series of events could have happened.
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Summary: Great story, well told.
Review: There's just something about the combination of money, fame, greed, ego and emotional dysfunction that makes for a great story, and 'Son of a Grifter' has it all. It's not your usual true crime book. Told from the first-person point of view of the 'other son,' the story is both compelling and painful, a morality play that reveals all too much about who we are as a people and a culture. Good job by Kent Walker for telling his story. Great job by M. Schone for crafting it into a book.
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Summary: Crime does not pay
Review: The story of Sante and Kenny Kimes is widely known since their murder trial last year. But here we now have all the details under one cover. It is amazing to realize that one single human being can accomplish every crime imaginable, from shoplifting to murder. Sante sure has a focused negative mind, like a black marketeer who cannot envision a legal deal. And, like a gambling addict, she has to feed her habit. Amazing is the fact that she is basically dumb: all her major deals went wrong. Kent, her oldest son who wrote this book, tells us that he has weaned himself from his mother. Yet he still calls her Mom and constantly mentions his love for her. I thought it very telling that in the many pictures he added to the book he constantly shows his mother - but never his father. The book is completely disorganized, jumping around in time, location and subject. Properly edited, it could have been shortened considerably.
Rating: 
Summary: A Book in Need of an Editor
Review: This is an interesting story, but could have been told in a more gripping manner by editing the length by slightly over one hundred pages. There is much repetition throughout. Some portions move linearly in time, but the reader may often be caught short when there are sudden inexplicable leaps backward in time. One gets the impression that Harper-Collins wanted to get the book to press quickly, so did not allow one of their fine editors to spend sufficient time with it. This book is likely to only appeal to those die-hard "True Crime" readers, especially those who enjoy re-reading the same information repeatedly and relish hearing tales of psychopathology from a participant's viewpoint. One does get the feeling that one would not want to be involved with any member of this family.
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