For me, Ann Rule is still one of my favourite true crime authors. Her research does tend to drag on a bit—it takes a while to lay out the background information on the people involved. But this approach allows the characters to come across on a more personal level, which makes for a more enjoyable read. It’s so well written that you’re happy to overlook the somewhat lengthy narrative. It’s very easy to forget that this is a story that actually happened. On the one hand, I couldn’t help but be outraged by how manipulative people can be, and on the other hand, it was a relief to see justice prevail in the end. Yet another case that made it to court because law enforcement officials weren’t satisfied with the original verdict.
