I just finished reading A Descent Into Hell by Kathryn Casey, who Ann Rule deems as one of America's finest true crime writers today. To anyone that knows anything about true crime, Ann Rule is considered the queen of this genre, and is highly respected.
As I had said before, I do enjoy a good true crime book from time to time. As far as true crime books go, this was one was very well written and followed the story the whole way through. Some true crime writers are very over the top and try to dramatize the story to make it sound like a novel... I don't think crimes should be dramatized or glamorized. They need to be told just as they are and how they happened, and this book did a nice job of doing that. It was very realistic and honest. I was also happy to see that justice was, for the most part, served at the end.
This story was about a crime committed in Texas in the summer of 2005. A scholarship student who some viewed as "brilliant" attended UT and while there, turned to drugs and alcohol, becoming a hardcore drug dealer and user. His life did a complete 360, and he took the life of his friend, Jennifer, in a very disturbing way.
This, of course, was a very sad story to read, but it did a nice job of commemorating and remembering the life of Jennifer, who was only 21 at the time of her death. The story also takes us through the entire trial and aftermath. We are able to see the effects Jennifer's death had on her family and friends. Colton showed little to no remorse, and got sentenced to 55 years in prison. I hope he stays there the entire time, if not longer. If you are interested in reading true crime, this is a great one to read and I highly recommend it.
True crime books are certainly fascinating reads, but not for everyone. If you are interested in shows such as "Criminal Minds," "CSI," or the crime documentary shows such as "48 Hours," or if you have an interest in criminal psychology, you may enjoy this genre, but keep in mind they can get very graphic and detailed. This was a very well written book that I would recommend to true crime fans.
Currently Reading: The Girls From Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship, by Jeffrey Zaslow.
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