Review by Jmteachmom -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strang...
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Jmteachmom
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Review by Jmteachmom -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strang...
[Following is a volunteer review of "Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders" by Brian E. Forschner.]
4 out of 4 stars
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A novel giving a face to the names of six young ladies who met a tragic end is what Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders is all about. Written by Brian Forschner, this is a literary piece that touches every part of your soul. Anger, sadness, and joy are all wrapped in the pages of this novel. Through the inspiration to find out about a relative he never heard of, Forschner tells the stories of these girls to have them never be forgotten. He states these beautiful words in his acknowledgements. “These girl’s lives have been forgotten, hidden, or never told. No monument exists.” Forschner has succeeded in making a monument for them with this novel.
Six young ladies, Ada Lantz, Dona Gilman, Anna Markowitz, Mary Forschner, Lizzie Fulhart, and Bessie Stickford all have one tragic event in common. They were strangled to death and raped by an assailant nicknamed Jack the Strangler. Dayton, Ohio is the scene of these crimes and becomes a hotbed of issues with the local police.
Beginning in October of 1900 and ending in the year 1910, fear spreads through the town of Dayton. Every young woman is warned to not travel alone after the first murder takes place, ending in the death of Ada Lantz. A town that had not experienced crimes of this nature before are shocked and horrified again and again as the murders continue. After each discovery there is a rising fear that this dangerous person will never be found. To find out if they do, you will have to read this one for yourself.
As a reader and lifelong student in history, I relished this novel. The descriptions of these six ladies, pictures included, were clear. The events and reactions of the families and townspeople are revealed in such a way you can almost imagine you are standing on the porch or street corner listening. Descriptions of the events and information on police investigations of the time are clearly written. Forschner does an excellent job at reflecting the time period.
There were a couple of grammatical errors but nothing that deterred me from continuing in the story. There is not anything I did not like about this novel. Forschner clearly laid out a picture of a time filled with fear and frustration. Families and community members were all effected by these murders and were left hoping they would not be the next victim.
I would give Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders 4 out of 4 stars. This novel has made an impact on me. I feel that no reader can come away from this story and not be changed. Forschner wanted to tell the story of these six young ladies in a way that they will never be forgotten. I strongly feel he succeeded. I know I will never forget them!
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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A novel giving a face to the names of six young ladies who met a tragic end is what Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders is all about. Written by Brian Forschner, this is a literary piece that touches every part of your soul. Anger, sadness, and joy are all wrapped in the pages of this novel. Through the inspiration to find out about a relative he never heard of, Forschner tells the stories of these girls to have them never be forgotten. He states these beautiful words in his acknowledgements. “These girl’s lives have been forgotten, hidden, or never told. No monument exists.” Forschner has succeeded in making a monument for them with this novel.
Six young ladies, Ada Lantz, Dona Gilman, Anna Markowitz, Mary Forschner, Lizzie Fulhart, and Bessie Stickford all have one tragic event in common. They were strangled to death and raped by an assailant nicknamed Jack the Strangler. Dayton, Ohio is the scene of these crimes and becomes a hotbed of issues with the local police.
Beginning in October of 1900 and ending in the year 1910, fear spreads through the town of Dayton. Every young woman is warned to not travel alone after the first murder takes place, ending in the death of Ada Lantz. A town that had not experienced crimes of this nature before are shocked and horrified again and again as the murders continue. After each discovery there is a rising fear that this dangerous person will never be found. To find out if they do, you will have to read this one for yourself.
As a reader and lifelong student in history, I relished this novel. The descriptions of these six ladies, pictures included, were clear. The events and reactions of the families and townspeople are revealed in such a way you can almost imagine you are standing on the porch or street corner listening. Descriptions of the events and information on police investigations of the time are clearly written. Forschner does an excellent job at reflecting the time period.
There were a couple of grammatical errors but nothing that deterred me from continuing in the story. There is not anything I did not like about this novel. Forschner clearly laid out a picture of a time filled with fear and frustration. Families and community members were all effected by these murders and were left hoping they would not be the next victim.
I would give Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders 4 out of 4 stars. This novel has made an impact on me. I feel that no reader can come away from this story and not be changed. Forschner wanted to tell the story of these six young ladies in a way that they will never be forgotten. I strongly feel he succeeded. I know I will never forget them!
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Jmteachmom's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: One Way or Another by Mary J. Williams
