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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
It was an interesting story for sure, but it was very repetitive.
Tragic story all around. A lot of detailed, well researched information, but often times hard to follow.
This was a hard read because of the subject matter, but Standiford did a thorough job of laying out all the facts from multiple angles.
What Toole did to Adam was horrific, but what the original investigators did was also. I found myself baffled and outraged over how many eye-witnesses and even damning evidence was disregarded by Hoffman and the Hollywood PD.
What Toole did to Adam was horrific, but what the original investigators did was also. I found myself baffled and outraged over how many eye-witnesses and even damning evidence was disregarded by Hoffman and the Hollywood PD.
Poor writing
The author does a terrible job of retelling this story. You receive the entire story in the first chapter. I couldnt even get myself to read last page 100. Too repetitive and the sentence structure just annoys me the more I read. Plus the way the detectives seemed to handle this case just annoyed me even more. I didn't even read the last 200 pages and I feel like I know all the facts of this case. Why is it so long?
The author does a terrible job of retelling this story. You receive the entire story in the first chapter. I couldnt even get myself to read last page 100. Too repetitive and the sentence structure just annoys me the more I read. Plus the way the detectives seemed to handle this case just annoyed me even more. I didn't even read the last 200 pages and I feel like I know all the facts of this case. Why is it so long?
Not a bad book but not really my typical read. It was obviously swayed by the co-author (one of the "good guys" in the police force). In the police force there were clearly defined "good guys" and "bad guys" aka investigators who mucked it all up vs investigators who fought the good fight and 'stood by their convictions' and all that. It's hard to believe the killer got away with it as long as he did but I'm sure there must have been other factors involved; such as perhaps he also admitted to killing JFK/couldn't take his confessions seriously, etc. But overall, even with the possible side scenarios it's very hard to believe he wasn't busted earlier.
challenging
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
I wanted to stop reading this book several times, but felt compelled to keep going because I actually did want to find out the resolution. So it gets points for that, I guess.
Clearly there were some major problems with how the Adam Walsh investigation was handled, but it's problematic that the lead detective comes off as more of a villain than the child-murderer himself. Also, there's a very weird interlude where both the author and Joe Matthews, co-author / hero of the story, make it clear that they believe that the sexual harassment of a female officer is laughable and not worth even investigating.
Still, might have given it three stars were it not for the hyperbole about how everything changed forever - the authors would apparently be absolutely dumbfounded to learn that I played outside with other children and only occasional adult supervision well into the 1990s - and the excessive repetition of the most disgusting details of the crime. It began to feel sensational and exploitative.
Clearly there were some major problems with how the Adam Walsh investigation was handled, but it's problematic that the lead detective comes off as more of a villain than the child-murderer himself. Also, there's a very weird interlude where both the author and Joe Matthews, co-author / hero of the story, make it clear that they believe that the sexual harassment of a female officer is laughable and not worth even investigating.
Still, might have given it three stars were it not for the hyperbole about how everything changed forever - the authors would apparently be absolutely dumbfounded to learn that I played outside with other children and only occasional adult supervision well into the 1990s - and the excessive repetition of the most disgusting details of the crime. It began to feel sensational and exploitative.
This book makes me rage for the parents and in shock that the police could do this.
Learned a lot
I had no idea that Adam's killer was known! Such a good book that was very informative. Definitely grateful how the Walshes harnessed their grief to help other families.
I had no idea that Adam's killer was known! Such a good book that was very informative. Definitely grateful how the Walshes harnessed their grief to help other families.