A review by wulfwyn
Murder in the Family by Burl Barer
5.0
I hate that I’m giving this 5 stars but I do think it is what the book deserves. I read true crime, listen to podcasts and watch some YouTube videos about it. I want to understand the why because if we know why maybe we can find how to change it. Unfortunately, I never really get that. This book comes close. There is a lot of good information towards the end of the book that goes a bit into understanding. First though, you go through a horrific crime. I was crying my way through it. It is graphic and difficult to read. It is one book I’m happy I read as opposed to listening to the audiobook. I don’t think I would have made it through listening. The author did a good job with it. He reports the facts. He tells us of the investigation and trial. He gives a little update on some of the family members. He doesn’t really go into the victims and who they were. In a lot of true crime books, I like when they tell me about the victims. I feel like remembering who they were is a way to honor them. However in this book, I preferred it as written. I will not forget Nancy, Melissa, 8 years old and Angie Newman, 2 years old. Reading about who they were, though, would have ripped me to shreds. My heart broke for them and all those who knew and loved them. They died horribly at the hands of a family member they tried to help. Prison is too good for their killer but so is death. I want him to suffer, (I usually am not so rabid but I’m beyond angry and sad.). I am purposely not mentioning his name. I want his name forgotten while Nancy, Melissa and Angie’s names are remembered.
This is a book I would recommend to those who read true crime, to those who hope to go into law enforcement, criminal law and those with an interest in psychology. There is a lot of information on things like dna in its early days. I thought that was interesting. At the end, the author includes information on psychopaths. This helped me form a clearer picture of why, though really I just can’t even imagine the why. There are several pages of photos included in the Kindle version.
This is a book I would recommend to those who read true crime, to those who hope to go into law enforcement, criminal law and those with an interest in psychology. There is a lot of information on things like dna in its early days. I thought that was interesting. At the end, the author includes information on psychopaths. This helped me form a clearer picture of why, though really I just can’t even imagine the why. There are several pages of photos included in the Kindle version.