Review by Guda LM -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler...
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Guda Lydia
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Review by Guda LM -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler...
[Following is a volunteer review of "Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders" by Brian E. Forschner.]
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders is a precise account of murder investigation techniques and practices of the early 1900s, long before the coining of the term serial killer. A string of murders plagues Dayton; young women turn up brutally beaten, strangled to death, and raped. The chaotic handling of crime scenes and the sensational reporting from the media further complicate the cases. The account starts with the heart-wrenching murder of eleven-year-old Ada Lantz just near her house during a birthday party. The handling of the investigation is poor right from the onset, and her case grows cold. A few months later, Dona Gilman disappears on her way home from work and is found murdered after frantic search efforts.
Her case becomes even more sensational than that of Ada. The huge reward money offered to the one who solves her murder proves to be detrimental. Greed drives some of the investigative team members to implicate her family and falsely accuse and arrest them for the murder of their daughter and sister. Additionally, there is discrimination and shaming of the victims by the public and press. The legitimacy of a murder/rape case depends on whether the public views the woman as pure/a virgin. A woman deemed otherwise is believed to have brought the misfortune on herself. This fate befell Lizzie Fulhart. All the sideshows merely give the real killer more room and time to kill, and the victim numbers keep rising. By the time sanity prevails and the real killer apprehended, too many families are mourning.
Brian E. Forschner excellently describes the scenes and settings in exquisite details. This includes the crime scenes, the emotional state of affected families, interrogations, and the general 1900s set up and way of life. The detailed character descriptions bring out their various unique attributes and markers. Additionally, there is an in-depth character introduction and build-up, generating more character engagement and easy visualization of scenes. The author has a way of bringing out the emotional state of the victims, enabling the reader to feel their pain and trauma, hence making the book more interactive. An example is the overwhelming narration of twenty-five-year-old Bessie Stickford’s ordeal.
The aspect I find most attractive about the book is the newspaper clippings and pictures of the victims and their families. Each of the victims has a face and presence in the book, making the read compelling. There is nothing to dislike about the read; the fonts are legible, and the language is straightforward and appropriate of the era. Additionally, the lifestyle is accurately outlined, and the writing supported by evidence from newspapers and other articles. The book is a combination of thrilling stories, newspaper headlines, court, and press briefings from the crime investigation team.
The book is professionally edited, and I came across only two grammatical errors. The language is mildly profane and not offensive. The strangulation and state of the deceased victims are in gruesome details, including some of the autopsy details. The book is, therefore, suitable for mature readers. It is a read full of drama, tension, and suspense. Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders gives the story of the murder victims and their unjust treatment. I, therefore, rightfully give it a 4 out of 4 stars rating. I recommend the read to anyone looking for a captivating and intense crime story.
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders is a precise account of murder investigation techniques and practices of the early 1900s, long before the coining of the term serial killer. A string of murders plagues Dayton; young women turn up brutally beaten, strangled to death, and raped. The chaotic handling of crime scenes and the sensational reporting from the media further complicate the cases. The account starts with the heart-wrenching murder of eleven-year-old Ada Lantz just near her house during a birthday party. The handling of the investigation is poor right from the onset, and her case grows cold. A few months later, Dona Gilman disappears on her way home from work and is found murdered after frantic search efforts.
Her case becomes even more sensational than that of Ada. The huge reward money offered to the one who solves her murder proves to be detrimental. Greed drives some of the investigative team members to implicate her family and falsely accuse and arrest them for the murder of their daughter and sister. Additionally, there is discrimination and shaming of the victims by the public and press. The legitimacy of a murder/rape case depends on whether the public views the woman as pure/a virgin. A woman deemed otherwise is believed to have brought the misfortune on herself. This fate befell Lizzie Fulhart. All the sideshows merely give the real killer more room and time to kill, and the victim numbers keep rising. By the time sanity prevails and the real killer apprehended, too many families are mourning.
Brian E. Forschner excellently describes the scenes and settings in exquisite details. This includes the crime scenes, the emotional state of affected families, interrogations, and the general 1900s set up and way of life. The detailed character descriptions bring out their various unique attributes and markers. Additionally, there is an in-depth character introduction and build-up, generating more character engagement and easy visualization of scenes. The author has a way of bringing out the emotional state of the victims, enabling the reader to feel their pain and trauma, hence making the book more interactive. An example is the overwhelming narration of twenty-five-year-old Bessie Stickford’s ordeal.
The aspect I find most attractive about the book is the newspaper clippings and pictures of the victims and their families. Each of the victims has a face and presence in the book, making the read compelling. There is nothing to dislike about the read; the fonts are legible, and the language is straightforward and appropriate of the era. Additionally, the lifestyle is accurately outlined, and the writing supported by evidence from newspapers and other articles. The book is a combination of thrilling stories, newspaper headlines, court, and press briefings from the crime investigation team.
The book is professionally edited, and I came across only two grammatical errors. The language is mildly profane and not offensive. The strangulation and state of the deceased victims are in gruesome details, including some of the autopsy details. The book is, therefore, suitable for mature readers. It is a read full of drama, tension, and suspense. Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders gives the story of the murder victims and their unjust treatment. I, therefore, rightfully give it a 4 out of 4 stars rating. I recommend the read to anyone looking for a captivating and intense crime story.
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Elvis Best
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I do enjoy crime thrillers. Thanks for the detailed review. Good job!
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
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Guda Lydia
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Thank you! It is truly a good read.Elvis Best wrote: ↑03 Aug 2020, 10:41 I do enjoy crime thrillers. Thanks for the detailed review. Good job!
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Lisbeth Neverland
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Oh my goodness! I've always had this weird fascination with police investigations and serial killers, and this book is about all that. I honestly, honestly can't wait to get my hands on this book... Fantastic Review!
