Review by Allisunny -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangl...
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Allisunny
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Review by Allisunny -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangl...
[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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For nearly ten years, the citizens of Dayton, Ohio lived in fear. A serial killer was on the loose. His victims, young women ranging from late teens to mid-twenties, were raped and strangled to death. Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders tells the story of these young women, their families, and the man who stole their lives.
Cold Serial is a dramatic retelling of true events. The author, Brian Forschner, began delving into these long-forgotten cases after finding out that one of his own relatives had been murdered. Mary Forschner was only fifteen years old when her life was cut tragically short. Her story and the stories of the other victims had been lost to time before Brian Forschner rediscovered them. Cold Serial strives to keep the memory of these victims alive.
It is important to note that nothing about Cold Serial feels like a sleazy attempt to capitalize on tragedy. Instead, it feels like these girls have become something more than just names and faces that have been forgotten. Special attention is paid to the victims’ families. Many of them suffered tremendously, not just from losing a loved one, but from the treatment they received from the press and the authorities.
This book is astounding. While it did make me emotional to read about such unfortunate events, I still think that this was a story that needed to be told. People and locations are described in the perfect amount of detail, and the author spends just enough time with every family for the reader to learn to care for them. The only minor fault I’ve found is that every now and then, the dialogues are a little cheesy. It was a rare occurrence, though, and not enough to dampen my enjoyment of the story.
There are some things readers should be aware of before picking up this book. The first may be obvious, but this novel contains some very graphic content. If you are sensitive to themes of violence, murder, and rape, then this won’t be a good book for you. Another thing to keep in mind is the time period these events took place in. Cold Serial begins in the 1900s, so people in the book use words that are inappropriate and offensive. It isn’t in excess, but it happens frequently enough to be notable, and it may be upsetting to some readers.
I would strongly recommend this book. Brian Forschner hasn’t written any other novels, but I sincerely hope that we get to see more of his talent in the future. I rate Cold Serial 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
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4 out of 4 stars
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For nearly ten years, the citizens of Dayton, Ohio lived in fear. A serial killer was on the loose. His victims, young women ranging from late teens to mid-twenties, were raped and strangled to death. Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders tells the story of these young women, their families, and the man who stole their lives.
Cold Serial is a dramatic retelling of true events. The author, Brian Forschner, began delving into these long-forgotten cases after finding out that one of his own relatives had been murdered. Mary Forschner was only fifteen years old when her life was cut tragically short. Her story and the stories of the other victims had been lost to time before Brian Forschner rediscovered them. Cold Serial strives to keep the memory of these victims alive.
It is important to note that nothing about Cold Serial feels like a sleazy attempt to capitalize on tragedy. Instead, it feels like these girls have become something more than just names and faces that have been forgotten. Special attention is paid to the victims’ families. Many of them suffered tremendously, not just from losing a loved one, but from the treatment they received from the press and the authorities.
This book is astounding. While it did make me emotional to read about such unfortunate events, I still think that this was a story that needed to be told. People and locations are described in the perfect amount of detail, and the author spends just enough time with every family for the reader to learn to care for them. The only minor fault I’ve found is that every now and then, the dialogues are a little cheesy. It was a rare occurrence, though, and not enough to dampen my enjoyment of the story.
There are some things readers should be aware of before picking up this book. The first may be obvious, but this novel contains some very graphic content. If you are sensitive to themes of violence, murder, and rape, then this won’t be a good book for you. Another thing to keep in mind is the time period these events took place in. Cold Serial begins in the 1900s, so people in the book use words that are inappropriate and offensive. It isn’t in excess, but it happens frequently enough to be notable, and it may be upsetting to some readers.
I would strongly recommend this book. Brian Forschner hasn’t written any other novels, but I sincerely hope that we get to see more of his talent in the future. I rate Cold Serial 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Allisunny's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: My Author Is Dead by Michel Bruneau
