Worth More Dead and other true cases by Ann Rule

Worth More Dead is the 10th true crime file by Ann Rule.The crime files usually consist of one longer true crime story,and a few shorter stories which all run in a similar vein.This book as the title suggests are all crimes where the victims were worth more dead than alive.The main story in this case is called:

Worth More Dead
Marie Archer and Roland Pitre had a relationship while they were both still married.When Marie's husband was found shot to death,Roland Pitre confessed to the crime stating that he had paid another man,Steven Guidry, to commit the crime when Marie Archer had asked him to kill her husband.All three appeared in court but only Roland Pitre and Steve Guidry were convicted of murder.Marie Archer had pleaded not guilty,stating that she had happily reconciled with her husband,Dennis, and that Roland Pitre had murdered her husband out of jealousy.Marie Archer went on to live her life.Roland Pitre was sent to jail.Remember the wife that Roland Pitre had left for Marie Archer? Well,her name was Cheryl and Roland convinced her while he was in jail that he was innocent and she took him back.Once he was released,they reconciled and had a second child.Roland Pitre,as was usual,carried on with his extra marital affairs and eventually left Cheryl again.But this time Cheryl Pitre was found dead...(215 pages)

It's Really Weird Looking At My Own Grave
This case highlights how important it is for the victims of rape to try and memorise as many details as possible of their attacker.This rapist-murderer killed one victim,but two young girls managed to outsmart him and once released by him after being raped,their memories of their attacker helped tremendously in catching this killer.(44 pages)

Old Man's Darling
This is the story of Teresa Perez and Justyn Rosen and their love affair.Justyn Rosen was 80 while Teresa was barely 40.Teresa was extremely beautiful and could have any man she wanted but Justyn Rosen was already married.The twist here is that Teresa was dumped by Justyn and SHE plotted to murder him...(42 pages)

All For Nothing
A woman,Cheryl Sweiger,fatally injured by stabbing,was taken to hospital where she later died.The police entered her house to investigate the crime further and found two dead men,one was in the bath.Police enquiring closely,saw the dead man in the bath sit up and surmised that it was the dead body in its final convulsions but this time the dead man was actually alive.He had slit his wrists and taken several sedatives but as the water in the bath cooled down,his body had come out of its self imposed sedation.

Bill Pawlyk,after being rejected by Cheryl Sweiger, had come to her house to murder her and her lover, Larry Sturholm, a semi-celebrity who hosted a series of shows called "Larry At Large".(40 pages)

A Desperate Housewife
This is a story especially for those people who think that verbal abuse is maybe not as serious as physical abuse.Robert and Carolyn Durrall seemed the perfect couple.Underneath this facade was a husband who was a control freak and a wife who submitted to his obsessive demands to keep the peace.Once Carolyn established a career and realised that she was not as useless as Robert had made her out to be for many years,she decided to get a divorce.This was the first and last decision Carolyn had made in many years....(73 pages)

This book is one of the best books in the true crime files series of books.I would recommend reading this book.

If you would like to find out more about this book:
South Africa-Kalahari Books
OR
Worldwide-Amazon

A Rose For Her Grave and other true stories by Ann Rule

This is the first one of the Ann Rule crime files (Volume 1).Ann Rule decided to start doing these crime files when she realised that she would never have the time to write a book on each of the cases she researched and investigated.So in order to try and provide some "air time" to most of her true crime stories she decided to start with these crime files.The last one of these I read was Mortal Danger which is Volume 13,which reminds me that I have to go check out her website for any new books.

In this volume,A Rose For Her Grave,the main story is about Randy Roth,a sociopath whose main victims were women and children,although there were occasions when men suffered his wrath,those occasions did not end with deadly consequences as did his crimes against women and children..He married many times,each time becoming a widower one more time.This man was an absolute health freak,with regular exercise and detested alcohol and smoking.It seems his only major vice was a love for all the good things in life and a need to acquire money in the worse way possible.(341 pages-book length)

Campbell's Revenge
This is a shocking story of a mother who was raped.The rapist/murderer was sent to jail but through some official glitch managed to return to this same home and kill the mother,her 9 year old daughter and a friend.(30 pages)

The Hit Person:Equal Opportunity Murder
The story of a beautiful,intelligent young Polish girl who took up employment as a housekeeper in order to be able to live in the US.After a while her rich employer married her but the marriage was doomed.Wanda wanted to study and establish a career while her husband would have preferred her to carry on with the housekeeping duties that had initally brought her to America.The divorce proceedings were under way when Wanda was found murdered.A hit woman was arrested for her murder.(40 pages)

The Runaway
This is such a tragic story.This family had recently lost the young father at 41 to a heart attack.The mother was now raising her four daughters alone.The youngest daughter,Janna Hanson,at 13, was the youngest child.When Janna disappeared the police originally believed she was a runaway.(25 pages)

The Rehabilitation Of A Monster
The story of Richard Marquette,a sexual predator who mutilated and murdered his victims.Ann Rule gives a brief history of each of the victims and the pitiful life stories are heartbreaking.Before this story,Ann Rule had not believed in the death penalty.Upon researching and investigating these gruesome crimes by Richard Marquette,she changed her mind and is now a supporter of the death penalty.In her opinion,these types of murderers are always on their best behavior once incarcerated,they make model prisoners who ultimately make it out of jail on parole,only to immediately re offend.Their signature traits are first and foremost a complete lack of remorse and no conscience at all.They operate on criminal instinct alone and therefore cannot be rehabilitated.(31 pages)

Molly's Murder
This story is really close to my heart.In 1986,Molly Ann McClure was just starting out in life.She had gotten herself an apartment,had added a few pot plants,started working,and having no car had made sure that the apartment was located close to bus routes.I remember being in this same situation,also starting out around the same time,being so proud of my very small apartment,using what little money I had left over to decorate,sewing my own curtains,working and studying in the evenings.It was wonderful!Molly Ann McClure was murdered in her own bed.It could have easily been me.(38 pages)

If you would like to find out more about this book then South Africans can access via Kalahari Books
or for more reviews from Amazon

Here are some more book details:
A Rose for Her Grave (True Crime Files)
Country: United Kingdom
Format: Softcover
Publisher: SPHERE
ISBN: 9780751510706
Publication date: July 1995
Pages: 528
Illustrations: portraits

A Fever In The Heart and Other True Cases by Ann Rule

A FEVER IN THE HEART dissects an explosive triangle that led to obsession and murder in a small town in the north-west of America. Ann Rule reveals the story of an alluring wife and the two men desperate for her love; a story with a bizarre and deadly twist that no one could have suspected. In this and several other riveting true-crime cases from her personal files, Ann Rule masterfully probes the delusions of the criminal mind, the fateful circumstances and the unrelenting investigative forces at work in the aftermath of murder.

This is one of the books that Ann Rule publishes as crime files which has multiple true crime stories,one longer than the others.The title of the book is usually the title of the main,long story.This one is Volume 3 of Ann Rule's crime files.

This is how the book begins
"The day after a holiday is always something of a letdown-even if the celebrations were successful and families and friends have managed to get together without allowing half-forgotten slights and old wounds to bubble to the surface.In New York City and in Yakima,Washington,and in every city and hamlet in between,families who co exist all year tend to become dysfunctional with the pressure of holiday emotions.Perhaps humans expect more out of life during the festive season.Those over the age of ten are usually disappointed"

Here is a brief breakdown of each story included in this book of crime files Volume 3

A Fever In The Heart
A love triangle where a wife,Jerilee,had left her current husband(Gabby Moore) to return to her ex husband(Morris Blankenbaker),the father of her two children.The two husbands had been best friends.The victim,Morris,had remained good friends with Gabby Moore even after he had stolen his wife,Jerilee,but somehow things didn't work the same way for Moore when this same wife realised he was a manipulator and decided that she truly did love Morris Blankenbaker.There are infinite twists and turns in this story and hardly as simplistic as I have described above.(284 pages)

The Highway Accident
An intricate story conjured up by a husband who had killed his wife.What this story highlights is how alert neighbors who care can help a lot in police investigations combined with the excellent skills of that same police force.This story although short was really an eye opener (20 pages)

Murder Without A Body
The nature of this story is that many murderers get away with murder because so few prosecutors are willing to indict a case with no body.This is more so because of the "Double Jeopardy" rule which states that one person cannot be tried more than once for the same murder.Because of that prosecutors are relucant to take a murder case to court in case the suspect is acquitted from lack of proof and later on,if more valid proof is brought to light,will never be accountable for this murder.This story is about a prosecutor who was brave enough to take his chances on trying a case where the body of the victim was still missing.(25 pages)

I'll Love You Forever
A widowed wife who then goes on to meet the perfect man who turn out to be the perfect psychopath.Ann Rule actually changed her name when she initially wrote about this story for fear that this psycho(Anthony Fernandez) would find her and possibly do her harm.(23 pages)

Black Leather
How one sexual psychopath got caught because of one victim who got away and what unravels as this brave man took the authorities back to the scene of the crime(23 pages)

Mirror Images
This story truly highlights the never ending sage of some states to have a death penalty,then no penalty and then to further down the line re instate that same penalty.What happens is that when a crime is committed,even if the perpetrator is caught in the era which now has a death penalty,the date of the crime is taken into account and this murderer is then not sentenced to death.What happened here is a murderer who had not received the death sentence,who upon being paroled,returned to do harm to witnesses in a prior case against him.This story highlights two such psychopaths hence the title "Mirror Images".Again a simplistic version of a great short story with multiple twists and turns.(25 pages)

I do not have to tell you again how much I love Ann Rule so of course,if you haven't read this book I suggest you do as soon as you can.



Here are some more book details:
A Fever in the Heart (True Crime Files)
Country: United Kingdom
Format: Softcover
Publisher: TIME WARNER PAPERBACKS
ISBN: 9780751515732
Publication date: December 1996
Pages: 444
Illustrations: 16pp b&w photographs

This is a book which was published many years ago but I guarantee that all the scenarios are still bery much applicable today and therefore not dated at all.This is one of my old true crime books which I have now posted my thoughts in a bid to catch up with my old true crime books and have them all featured on this blog one day....finally....

Mortal Danger by Ann Rule

Mortal Danger and Other true crime cases by Ann Rule are short stories with either a spouse, lover, family member or a helpful stranger who is totally trusted,but whose lethally violent nature, though masterfully disguised, can and will kill. Featured is the case of a family man who appeared the picture of healthy living with his expertise in naturopathic healing. Luring a beautiful flight attendant into a passionate affair, he swept her away to a secluded home on the coast where his jealous rages escalated, ultimately leading to a brutal sex attack when she believed she would die. How this brave victim survived, never knowing her tormentor's whereabouts, and how he resurfaced, forcing a tragic end for all involved, makes this one of Ann Rule's most compelling narratives. Other cases include that of the woman who masterminded her husband's murder to gain his inheritance ...The monstrous sadist whose prison release damaged a presidential candidate's campaign and ended in a bitter double tragedy in a quiet neighbourhood 3,000 miles away .

This book was the first book giveaway on this blog.I have wanted to read it for a while now and finally got it via my Kindle.(my 2nd book on Kindle).The main story and longest one is Mortal Danger which is about Kathy Ann Jewell a flight attendant who ends up falling in love with and living with John Brandon.I am not sure by which name to call him as he went under various names in his life and his real name is never confirmed.Ann Rule provides interesting background information on Kate Jewell and is really sucessful in getting the reader to bond with and get to really know her well.With all this information though I was not provided any insight as to how she ended up falling in love and living with a psychopath.He eventually tried to kill her and then disappeared.He re surfaced years later with drastic consequences...

The next stories are all shorter stories.Written In Blood is about a couple,Bev and Brian Mauck who were killed in their home by a neighbour and friend.The story unwinds first with the actual crime scene and discovery thereof,then into the background and lives of the couple then with the investigation,gradually introducing the killer and his background and subsequent incarceration.It really is a warning to women who befriend men in prison,then marrying them and bringing these dangerous men into their lives and the lives of their family and friends.

If I Can't Have You is about Amelia Jager,a 27 year old owman who met and married a Swiss man.She left her home in America and moved to Switzerland only to discover she has married a very dysfunctional man.After a few months of strange behavior she decided to leave him and go back home.He pursued her,and upon realising that she was adamant about wanting to leave him,he decided to take matters into his own hand.I realised when reading this story that while it is okay to believe in love at first sight,if this true love involves getting married quickly and moving far away from friends and family,then maybe this true love should rather move to you,than the other way around.

Thirty years later is the cold case of Sara Beth Lindquist who was abducted and murdered in 1978 and how Clarence Williams was eventually caught and convicted.This story also details the other crimes he committed as well as the murder of Julie Costello.Emphasises and highlights the victories of DNA and the perseverance of law enforcement personnel who most times find themselves absolutely driven to solve cases even when a long time has gone by.

Not Safe At Home is about the murder of Traia Carr who was raped and murdered by a neighbor's son.This story was very well written as it kept me in suspense the entire time.Believe me when I say that the first sentence is not a spoiler at all.I took the following as a warning: it doen't matter how long you have known certain people,if you see signs of dysfunction it is just better to limit the interaction you have with them.

This is the latest of Ann Rule's crime files(Volume 13,I think) and being an Ann Rule book I enjoyed reading it but I would not say it is one of her better books.My best Ann Rule book so far has been Small Sacrifices and the worst was The End Of The Dream.This book lies somewhere in between for me.



If you would like to read more reviews on this book then access via Amazon link below
Mortal Danger (Ann Rule's Crime Files)

otherwise South African readers can find out more via Kalahari Books.

Here is some more information on the book Mortal Danger by Ann Rule

Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN: 9781416542209
Publication date: November 2008
Edition: illustrated edition
Pages: 465

I read this book via my Kindle In May 2009 and I was very impressed with the layout on Kindle which even included photographs which you could go to directly from the contents page.Not all Kindle books are set up so well,I have found out,to my utter dismay!

Smoke,Mirrors And Murder by Ann Rule:Crime Files Vol.12

From the #1 bestselling true-crime writer in America comes a chilling collection of tales about a variety of deceptive killers,young and old, rich and poor,who commit murder by sleight-of-hand. Includes Rules insider commentary of the case of Mary Winkler, the Tennessee woman who killed her minister husband, Matthew, in 2006.

This book is by Ann Rule and you may have read my previous posts where I categorically state that she is my favorite true crime writer ever.She still is but she is now sharing the throne for queen of crime with Kathryn Casey.As you get more involved with true crime books you will realise that true crime writers usually write of true crime in their home states.This is probably due to the fact that they sit in on the court cases of the book that they are writing about,and the court cases would usually be in the state where the crime happened.So to sum up Ann Rule normally writes on crimes from the Seattle area and Kathryn Casey is a Texas based true crime writer.So having two true crime queens is okay as there is plenty of crime to write about for everyone.

Now to talk about Smoke,Mirrors and Murder.This is Volume 12 of Ann Rule's Crime Files where she publishes a book with a few stories all in one book.This specific book has the following stories.
The Deputy's Wife which is 152 pages of the 464 pages so it is the longest story in the book and my favorite of all the stories.This is about Sue Harris Jensen who married a police officer.After many years in a turbulent marriage she asked him for a divorce.Then began the stalking and harassment.This story also highlights how abusive men in law enforcement careers can practically get away with murder.
The Antique Dealer's Wife is as the title states exccept this wife disappeared and this antique dealer was a real con man.He got away with "murder" for many years.This story has 57 pages.
The next story is The Truck Driver's Wife.This wife was found burnt to death but nothing else around her was burnt.The story explores the concept of spontaneous combustion which is when a person just suddenly for no reason spontaneously combusts(sets on fire) and dies.This story has 33 pages.
Another story is The Convict's Wife which tell the story of Doris Mae and her abusive husband.Then one day he was gone...This story has 23 pages.This was also a very good story.
The Chemist's Wife is also an amazing story where you will be amazed at the power that some people have over others.The Painter's Wife is the wife who got abducted by an escaped convict and the ordeal she went through.The bravery of one man saved her...
And finally The Minister's Wife which is 111 pages long and the second longest story.This is about the same story that I did a review on previously but for the book called The Pastor's Wife by Diane Fanning.This story was still very interesting to read as it was told from a totally different perspective as the Diane Fanning book.I must stress they are of exactly the same story.None of the basic information has been changed.They are just written from different perspectives.I enjoyed both.

So another great true crime file by ann Rule.These true crime files are wonderful to read as I find that it is not too emotionally trying.You read a great story and move on.Sometimes I like that...Sometimes I need that...

If you are interested in finding out more...
Smoke Mirrors And Murder Kalahari link for South African readers

or below for the Amazon link
Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder: And Other True Cases (Ann Rule's Crime Files)
I read this book in March 2009.Please note that not all the stories are about spousal murder.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781416541608
Publication date: December 2007
Length: 171mm
Width: 107mm
Thickness: 25mm
Weight: 240g
Pages: 464
Illustrations: Illustrated

Kiss Me,Kill Me by Ann Rule:true crime book review

And while we may like to believe that crimes of the heart only victimize those who aren't careful, this page-turning collection of must-read accounts will convince you otherwise. America's #1 true-crime writer, Ann Rule reveals how lovers become predators, how sex and lust can push ordinary people to desperate acts, and how investigators and forensics experts work to unravel the most entangled crimes of passion. Extracting behind-the-scenes details, Rule makes these volatile relationships utterly real, and masterfully re-creates the ill-fated chains of events in such cases as the ex-Marine and martial arts master who seduced vulnerable women and then destroyed their lives...the killer whose calling card was a single bloodred rose...the faithless wife who manipulated and murdered without conscience...the blind date that set the stage for a killer's brutality...and more. In every case, the victim -- young and innocent or older and experienced -- unknowingly trusted a stranger with the sociopathic skill to hide their dark motives, until it was too late to escape a web of deadly lies, fatal promises, and homicidal possession.

This book has ten true crime stories included.Kiss Me,Kill Me is the longest story with 128 pages and is about a young pregnant mother who gets killed in her home.The other stories "The Postman Only Killed Once",What's Love Got To Do With It?","Old Flames Can Burn",The Lonely Hearts Killer",The Captive Bride","Bad Blind Date",The Highway Accident",You Kill Me...Or I'll Kill You" and "Where Is Julie?" are shorter stories and average about 25 pages each.The common thread in each of these stories and probably why Ann Rule used them all for this crime file is they are all crimes against women and involved a certain element of trust by the victims for the killer.

Again I do not have to tell you my feelings about Ann Rule books.Suffice to say they are all brilliant.Her ability to take you into the lives of the victim before they get murdered evokes an emotional response as you feel you already know these people by the time they get murdered.

I enjoy the true crime files but feel a little let down by the shorter stories as most of them seem to have the potential to be a full book on their own.Ann Rule has made the comment that she gets asked to write so many books about certain people and criminal acts and really does not have the time to write all of them.The true crime files is her way of writing about as many stories as she can.She mostly chooses stories which are close to her heart as in "Kiss Me,Kill Me" she is a personal friend of the victim's uncle.

I think the True Crime Files are perfect for readers who enjoy true crime stories but do not really like reading big books.In that way Ann Rule has made sure that all her types of readers are satisfied.For me any Ann Rule book is wonderful and I just wish she would write more books.I always wonder when I read a true crime story that I do not enjoy,if Ann Rule would have written it differently and made it a good book.I personally think so...

I bought this specific book at my used bookstore which is a tiny little dusty shop with old books everywhere.I like the fact that is it dusty and untidy and that it is stuck in a not very visible location.The first time I found it I felt like I had discovered a treasure chest.And on the right hand side in the back corner was ONE shelf old true crime books.I bought ALL of them because I was sure that someone else would come and buy the books before I got back again.Now I try to go there once every two months and it is the highlight of my life.

To sum up,I prefer full length stories but I still read the crime files as I will read anything from Ann Rule.



I read this book in November 2008.