Ann Rule
Don't Look Behind You
These are based on true stories. . .
A divorced father disappears after befriending two sharks: a woman and her daughter. They cruise the male world looking for a means to get rich without actually having to work. . . One daughter suspects something is amiss in the tale the two women provide to the police.
A wife of a man who abuses her and threatens the children is gone without a trace. The husband says she left him and the children to run away with another man. . .everyone believes him, almost. He tells the children she didn't care about them. Another cold case is logged. Several decades later, the dirty facts surface.
One section of the book includes several rape crime stories. A common theme flows through them all: be careful who you trust and always be aware of your vulnerability in any given situation. Avoid being distracted or alone in less populated areas after dark. Anyone can be a victim.
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Anne Perry
Silence in Hanover Close
A Victorian Mystery
One man is murdered in his own home and several objects are missing from the room. Did an enemy or a friend commit robbery and murder? The killer came and went in the daylight in an exclusive neighbourhood. . .an inside job?
Pitt, the detective sent to deal with this cold case encounters hostility and distrust when dealing with the family. No one will look him in the eye. . . he must get someone to infiltrate the dinner gatherings and listen for clues. In the Victorian era, the social code was strictly enforced. A person needed connections, as well as poise, and social background to attend a society dinner, someone like his wife, Charlotte. She would be able to get an invite and blend in with the other guests.
Pitt takes care of the footwork and interviews the staff, while his wife tries to get inside knowledge of what occurred before the murder. There is one common thread voiced by the few that were interviewed by Pitts - an elusive lady in red. Who was she?
I preferred the less-journalistic format and the Victorian time period of this second story. I read these two books as part of my research on characters. I would likely read Perry again.
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Do you read mysteries or do you prefer the adrenalin rush of thrillers? What about true crime stories? Do you read to research?
Please leave a comment to let me know you were here, and I'll respond. Thanks for dropping by! I'll be posting a few more book reviews in the coming weeks: Diana Gabaldon, Jack Kerouac, and Christopher Moore. I'm trying to catch up on book reviews, before I let myself start a new book.
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