Review of A Kitchen Painted in Blood
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MTeodorian
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- Latest Review: A Kitchen Painted in Blood by Stephen Ahern
Review of A Kitchen Painted in Blood
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Kitchen Painted in Blood" by Stephen Ahern.]
"A Kitchen Painted in Blood – The Unsolved Disappearance of JOAN RISCH", by Stephen H. Ahern is the detailed account of a true story. Joan Carolyn Risch was only 31 when she disappeared, on 24 October 1961, from her wooded lane home in Lincoln, Massachusetts. She was the intelligent and good looking but unassuming mother of two young children: a daughter of four and a boy of two. Even if some of those who knew her disputed it, she was generally believed to have had the perfect marriage. Holding a degree in English literature from Wilson College, Pennsylvania, she had been working in publishing and loved books, possibly dreaming to become an author one day. When she was only ten, living in New Jersey in 1940, her home burned to the ground one night killing both her parents. She narrowly escaped death by being away to visit a relative that night. Later Joan was adopted and raised by her mother’s extensive family. The mystery of Joan’s disappearance has endured for more than half a century. Following a couple of unexplained sightings, her presence and memory remained in the minds of the villagers for many years to come. Even though she was never seen or heard from again, her family and friends always held a hope that she would one day come back just as unexpectedly as she had vanished.
A comprehensive study of the case, "A Kitchen Painted in Blood" offers a multitude of possible lanes of research that have been investigated by the author and then recounted with details never uncovered before. It makes for a very smooth read, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I found the book an arresting read and particularly well designed, so it has appropriately earned 4 out of 4 stars.
The book is well written, with facts presented in a clear light and clear language, that is easy and pleasant to follow. Thoroughly researched it makes for a striking, memorable read. I particularly enjoyed the way the author recreated the atmosphere of the village and the home on the narrow wooded lane, shrouded in mystery with only glimpses of the house possible from behind the trees and their shadows. The wood is looming at the back of the house, leading into a world unexplored, where anything can hide, and anything can happen.
Among the many books written about this case, "A Kitchen Painted in Blood-The Unsolved Disappearance of JOAN RISCH" is a pertinent account of an impenetrable and labyrinthine story which, six decades later, still baffles. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Ahern has exhaustively investigated the case over the course of many years of assiduous work. As a result, he has unearthed a treasure trove of new information. The case is particularly close to his heart, having lived not far from the place of events: “two towns east of Lincoln”. Mr. Ahern was only 12 years old at the time, and the pervading atmosphere of the incident was forever imprinted in his memory.
I greatly enjoyed reading it and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who delights in a good story recounted brilliantly, whether a lover of history, biography, or true crime and mystery nonfiction books.
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A Kitchen Painted in Blood
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"A Kitchen Painted in Blood – The Unsolved Disappearance of JOAN RISCH", by Stephen H. Ahern is the detailed account of a true story. Joan Carolyn Risch was only 31 when she disappeared, on 24 October 1961, from her wooded lane home in Lincoln, Massachusetts. She was the intelligent and good looking but unassuming mother of two young children: a daughter of four and a boy of two. Even if some of those who knew her disputed it, she was generally believed to have had the perfect marriage. Holding a degree in English literature from Wilson College, Pennsylvania, she had been working in publishing and loved books, possibly dreaming to become an author one day. When she was only ten, living in New Jersey in 1940, her home burned to the ground one night killing both her parents. She narrowly escaped death by being away to visit a relative that night. Later Joan was adopted and raised by her mother’s extensive family. The mystery of Joan’s disappearance has endured for more than half a century. Following a couple of unexplained sightings, her presence and memory remained in the minds of the villagers for many years to come. Even though she was never seen or heard from again, her family and friends always held a hope that she would one day come back just as unexpectedly as she had vanished.
A comprehensive study of the case, "A Kitchen Painted in Blood" offers a multitude of possible lanes of research that have been investigated by the author and then recounted with details never uncovered before. It makes for a very smooth read, so I believe the book was professionally edited. I found the book an arresting read and particularly well designed, so it has appropriately earned 4 out of 4 stars.
The book is well written, with facts presented in a clear light and clear language, that is easy and pleasant to follow. Thoroughly researched it makes for a striking, memorable read. I particularly enjoyed the way the author recreated the atmosphere of the village and the home on the narrow wooded lane, shrouded in mystery with only glimpses of the house possible from behind the trees and their shadows. The wood is looming at the back of the house, leading into a world unexplored, where anything can hide, and anything can happen.
Among the many books written about this case, "A Kitchen Painted in Blood-The Unsolved Disappearance of JOAN RISCH" is a pertinent account of an impenetrable and labyrinthine story which, six decades later, still baffles. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Ahern has exhaustively investigated the case over the course of many years of assiduous work. As a result, he has unearthed a treasure trove of new information. The case is particularly close to his heart, having lived not far from the place of events: “two towns east of Lincoln”. Mr. Ahern was only 12 years old at the time, and the pervading atmosphere of the incident was forever imprinted in his memory.
I greatly enjoyed reading it and I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who delights in a good story recounted brilliantly, whether a lover of history, biography, or true crime and mystery nonfiction books.
----------------------
******
A Kitchen Painted in Blood
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: A Kitchen Painted in Blood by Stephen Ahern
