Review by aldapitka -- Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangl...

[aldapitka]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders" by Brian E. Forschner.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Brian Forschner’s Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders tells the story of five women who were raped and murdered between 1900 and 1909. The author became interested in these women’s stories when he discovered an unknown great-aunt, Mary Forschner, while researching his family tree. He connects Mary’s untimely death to the murders of Ada Lantz, Dona Gilman, Anna Markowitz, Lizzie Fulhart. He reconstructs their lives and murders through newspaper articles, autopsies, death certificates, and trials of arrested individuals. The author uses facts and reasonable dialogue to weave an intriguing narrative that reads more like a story than a true-crime biography. Each chapter is devoted to one of the women. It begins with their abduction and murder and continues with the police investigation. The chapter concludes when a culprit is either sentenced or the case goes cold.

There are several things that I liked about this story. The author captures the early 20th century attitude towards women and the importance that society placed on virginity during a rape investigation. The full horror of what these women endured is beyond comprehension, but the author respectfully guides you through each victim's last moments and the resulting grief endured by their relatives. The ensuing criminal investigation and the community's reaction to the rape and murder is an integral part of each story.

One of the victims is only 11 years-old yet the church and newspapers placed emphasis on the child’s “chastity” so as to “assure their followers that she had been forced to submit.” Economic and racial bias, as well as greed, were common themes throughout the police investigations. There were doctors, police investigators, and even newspaper reporters that colluded for reward money. Men, and even a few women, were arrested not based on pertinent facts but because of either their race, economic status, or social standing within the community. The author was tactful yet thorough in weaving these sensitive subjects into the story line.

There is nothing that I disliked about this book. Once I began reading, I was unable to put it down. I read the entire book in one sitting. Mr. Forschner dedicates this book to the murdered women, “To Ada, Dona, Anna, Mary, and Lizie, with love.” I find this dedication heartfelt and very touching.

This book does appear to have been professionally edited. There were no grammatical errors or misspelled words that I noticed. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars and highly recommend it to anyone interested in true crime. The story is filled with suspense and comes to a satisfying conclusion. Due to some of the graphic content, I do not recommend this book to children or young adults under the age of 18.

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Cold Serial: The Jack the Strangler Murders
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