Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Don't Look Behind You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #15 (Crime Files #15)
by
Ann Rule
I’LL BE WATCHING YOU Walking home on a dark night, you hear footsteps coming up behind you. As they get closer, your heart pounds harder. Who is closing in with dangerous intent—a total stranger? Or someone you know and trust? The answer is as simple as turning around, but don’t look behind you . . . run. Ann Rule, who shared her own nerve-jangling account of unknowingly b...more
ebook, 480 pages
Published
November 29th 2011
by Pocket Books
(first published January 1st 2011)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,033)
The book title sends a strong message. Don't look behind you, look to your side and be aware of what you are doing. Sadly, that is the world we live in. Ann Rule writes about in four account in this book. The first stuck with me because I am familiar with the Tacoma, Washington area. Actually in the area at the time that I read her book. The Case of the Deadly Giant, which is one of the shorter stories was more interesting to me. It was very unusual and I think the murderer's height had a lot to...more
Pretty typical Anne Rule. Engaging, tragic. Makes you wonder how some people can be so dumb/unaware of others' craziness and motives and the risks they are taking in relationships with them.
Story one: Stand-up Brooklyn guy marries his sweetheart and has seven children, while he drags her and the fam back and forth across the country in pursuit of various jobs, all of which get stale after a year or two. Finally he leaves (apparently with her blessing) as she refuses to move the tribe one more t...more
Story one: Stand-up Brooklyn guy marries his sweetheart and has seven children, while he drags her and the fam back and forth across the country in pursuit of various jobs, all of which get stale after a year or two. Finally he leaves (apparently with her blessing) as she refuses to move the tribe one more t...more
I've read Ann Rule for decades. She has a great way of making even complicated true crime cases sound captivating. She connects with the victims and makes them very likeable.
For the past few true crime files, her passion for true crime seems to have diminished. It's almost like the author is going through the motions to fulfill a contract. She doesn't connect with the victims as well. There's not much background. The cases seem stale. Perhaps it's not Ms. Rule. Perhaps my reading interests have...more
For the past few true crime files, her passion for true crime seems to have diminished. It's almost like the author is going through the motions to fulfill a contract. She doesn't connect with the victims as well. There's not much background. The cases seem stale. Perhaps it's not Ms. Rule. Perhaps my reading interests have...more
Ehh, you know. Just alright. Just alright.
I've read all Ann Rule's books, every one of them. Every Christmas a new one comes out and it's either in my stocking or I buy it at the airport for some fairly easy (although often disturbing) plane reading. The last few I've read just haven't held my interest - I'm not sure if the stories are less interesting, if her writing has changed (I don't think that's it), or if I'm just not that interested anymore, but, yeah. Just ok.
Now that I've finished it a...more
I've read all Ann Rule's books, every one of them. Every Christmas a new one comes out and it's either in my stocking or I buy it at the airport for some fairly easy (although often disturbing) plane reading. The last few I've read just haven't held my interest - I'm not sure if the stories are less interesting, if her writing has changed (I don't think that's it), or if I'm just not that interested anymore, but, yeah. Just ok.
Now that I've finished it a...more
Aug 14, 2012
Penny
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
true-crime,
3-star-books
I've read many books by Ann Rule, and I can't keep them straight. But this was her newest (15th) in the series, so I was fairly sure when I checked it out from the library that I had not read it yet.
The usual assortment of horrors. I don't read much true crime these days. Had my fill.
The worst story in the book was the murder of JoAnn Hansen in the early 1960's. JoAnn was married to a very violent man, with whom she had three children. Gathering her courage, she filed for divorce, and soon becam...more
The usual assortment of horrors. I don't read much true crime these days. Had my fill.
The worst story in the book was the murder of JoAnn Hansen in the early 1960's. JoAnn was married to a very violent man, with whom she had three children. Gathering her courage, she filed for divorce, and soon becam...more
Don't Look Behind You is the 15th in Ann Rule's "Crime Files" series, most of which deal with several crimes from years past. In general, these stories sometimes lack the immediacy of her one-story books about current cases, which often bring victims back to life, in a sense, and restore them to the complex web of relationships they left behind in the world. It's understandably harder to create a complete, well-rounded picture of people and events from decades past.
In this case, I did not find m...more
In this case, I did not find m...more
Ann Rule's true crime books were first recommended to me by a friend who was serving as an assistant warden at Folsom State Prison in California. Tom told me that he felt Rule's books did an excellent job of portraying the criminal mindset. I came to like them because of the compassion she shows toward the victims of crimes--both those who are killed, and those who must find a way to survive their loss.
That being said, I struggled with this, the fifteenth volume of her Crime Files series. In lar...more
That being said, I struggled with this, the fifteenth volume of her Crime Files series. In lar...more
Jan 20, 2012
saintsfan33
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ann Rule/true crime fans
I remember a time when I would tear through an Ann Rule like nobody's business. I don't know what has happened to her writing. This book felt like a chore to me and I was glad to see it end. Also, I don't care for her needlessly inserting herself into a story. In one of the stories, she mentions REPEATEDLY that her children attended school with the missing woman's children. This is NOT relevant, IMO, especially since she didn't know the missing woman, the children weren't friends, and she didn't...more
I first learned about Ann Rule when she wrote "Small Sacrifices" about Diane Downs who shot her own children in my home state. I had seen Downs on a local show talking about the case and the hair on the back of my neck stood up when I sensed her guilt. The same thing happened to me when I saw Susan Smith on a news show talking about her two sons' death. I knew she was guilty and she eventually was convicted.
After "Small Sacrifices", I began to read more of Ann Rule's books. I particularly enjoy...more
After "Small Sacrifices", I began to read more of Ann Rule's books. I particularly enjoy...more
This book was okay, but I have found that I usually enjoy Ann's one case books more than her crime files.
The first case in this book is about Joseph Anthony Tarricone by his girlfriend Renee Curtis and her half brother Nick Nataro in 1978.
TOO LATE FOR THE FAIR, case number 2, is the story of Joann Hansen believed murdered by her husband Bob when she tried to divorce him in 1962.
Also included in this book is THE CASE OF THE DEADLY GIANT about a pick up date in a bar that ended in the woman being...more
The first case in this book is about Joseph Anthony Tarricone by his girlfriend Renee Curtis and her half brother Nick Nataro in 1978.
TOO LATE FOR THE FAIR, case number 2, is the story of Joann Hansen believed murdered by her husband Bob when she tried to divorce him in 1962.
Also included in this book is THE CASE OF THE DEADLY GIANT about a pick up date in a bar that ended in the woman being...more
This book helped me remember why I am not a fan of her True crime cases.
The problem is that she writes these books a lot and that her stand alone books come out once every 4 years! or so. I prefer the latter.
Sorry to Ann Rule fans but I feel she is writing more to earn money now than that her heart is in it.
Even her first couple of true crime cases books, were so much better.
The last book she wrote and I loved was Too Late to Say Goodbye. A great read, but then I am talking about a book that was...more
The problem is that she writes these books a lot and that her stand alone books come out once every 4 years! or so. I prefer the latter.
Sorry to Ann Rule fans but I feel she is writing more to earn money now than that her heart is in it.
Even her first couple of true crime cases books, were so much better.
The last book she wrote and I loved was Too Late to Say Goodbye. A great read, but then I am talking about a book that was...more
This was...okay, I guess. It had fewer cases profiled than some of her other "Crime Files" books and I didn't find any of them to be terribly exciting. Mainly I read it because it had a chapter on the Joan/Joann Hansen case, with plenty of new information which I used for my website. I read that chapter before the others and after that it was kind of a struggle to finish the book. I don't know why but for some reason Ann Rule's older books are SO much better than her more recent ones. I'll give...more
A part of me wishes that serial killers were more frequent than within-the-family homicides, because Ann Rule's novels on Gary Ridgway and Ted Bundy are her two best.
However, this is the dilemma in reading true crime. Is it really ever okay to ENJOY what you are reading? I gave the Bundy book 5 stars, but I'm sure that many might disagree.
I've read several of Ann's Crime Files books, and as soon as I read them I generally forget pretty quickly what the stories were even about. I think that happ...more
However, this is the dilemma in reading true crime. Is it really ever okay to ENJOY what you are reading? I gave the Bundy book 5 stars, but I'm sure that many might disagree.
I've read several of Ann's Crime Files books, and as soon as I read them I generally forget pretty quickly what the stories were even about. I think that happ...more
I read this about a month ago and it was my first Ann Rule in quite some time. It did make me remember why she's always been my favorite t.c. author. I have a few on my shelves that I've missed and I need to get those finished this year hopefully.
I should have reviewed this right away when I finished but that just wasn't possible this time and now I forget what exactly I wanted to say. I know I wanted to mention a few things because I checked a few of the pages. I'll have to let it go\ though.
I...more
I should have reviewed this right away when I finished but that just wasn't possible this time and now I forget what exactly I wanted to say. I know I wanted to mention a few things because I checked a few of the pages. I'll have to let it go\ though.
I...more
1 like · like · see review
I like true crime books. This one was okay. I would have rated it better but the last two selections were on rape. My own personal history makes reading those selections very difficult. I do like when they get caught though. I especially appreciate good police work.
One of the selections was on spousal abuse. Also hard to read. I tend to like my true crime a little more police procedural and a little less focusing on the horrific worlds people are forced to live through.
One of the selections was on spousal abuse. Also hard to read. I tend to like my true crime a little more police procedural and a little less focusing on the horrific worlds people are forced to live through.
I love Ann Rule's books and have read all of them. She is an engaging true crime writer. My daughter thinks I have a dark side because true crime is my guilty pleasure! I haven't added all the true crime books I've read because there are simply too many and I've resold most of them over the years. Ann Rule is the best writer of all of them. She delves deep into the background of both the victims and perpetrators. This is what I find particularly interesting.
As someone who read most of Ann Rule's early books, I'm just not as impressed with her new offerings. These books that contain multiple stories about cold cases from long ago just don't seem as exciting as her full-length exposes on more topical murders. This book did hold my interest and kept me from getting bored during a recent plane flight, but it's nothing I'll go back and re-read, as I did with Rule's other books. Just so-so.
I always enjoy Ann Rule stories. They are so frightening, more because they are true. I typically get angry with the women who allow themselves to be beaten, but I have never walked in their shoes. I enjoy the books with several stories. the last story about the rapes was very creepy. Makes me pay attention during the day. I lock doors. My friends make fun of me. Because I read Ann Rule's stories, I know what can happen!! Keep writing Ann. !!
Ann Rule is back with another collection of shorter length stories of murder and mayhem. In this outing, she details the murder of a father, which in turn uncovers another murder when the investigators take up the cause. There is also the sad story of an unresolved murder of a young mother that is detailed herein. Enjoyable as always for true crime or Ann Rule fans, or both.
The True Crime Files are like fast-food reading at times...they are always interesting and disturbing, but I don't know if this one will endure as much as some of the other volumes have in my mind. I couldn't say why exactly. It is difficult to read about rape cases, but it does teach readers to be alert and lock their doors!
I believe that Ann Rule's book should be required reading for any young woman. Many of the women in Ann's book are young, inexperienced, and naive especially about men. If just one person is helped by reading these books it would be worth it because a person cannot be too careful about who they start a relationship with.
Ann Rule has to be one of my favorite factial mystery writers, she goes way back, in fact she worked with Bundy on the West Coast, when the manned the phones in the emergency callers office,
Ann writes from a solid bacground of being in the Police force, being totally aware of the behind the scenes scenario in those places, has a respect for most detectives who are hard working persons, determined to find killers of innocent victims, Ann is determined to get rid of all those persons, and mostly g...more
Ann writes from a solid bacground of being in the Police force, being totally aware of the behind the scenes scenario in those places, has a respect for most detectives who are hard working persons, determined to find killers of innocent victims, Ann is determined to get rid of all those persons, and mostly g...more
First, a little about my 'love affair' with Ann Rule. The first Ann Rule book that catapulted me into the whole genre of 'true crime' was "Stranger Beside Me"; her fascinating depiction of Ted Bundy and her own ironic interaction with him as fellow volunteers at a suicide hotline. Her other earlier books that focus on one case were all mesmerizing to me. I was told some years ago that I'm too trusting of people so I thought I'd try out some true crime to see if this was an accurate observation....more
I am not sure what is going on with Ann Rule lately. I have the found the last couple of books really lacking on something...perhaps she is losing her passion for the genre?? Or maybe when you write about demons for so long it becomes difficult to continue to write about them well. I will continue to stay a loyal fan, as I believe Ann Rule to be one of the best True Crime writers around...but I hope she comes out of the slump soon!
Just an OK true crime from Ann Rule. This is one of her crime file books which contains one major story and a lot of smaller stories. The problem with these books are they are not as good as her one story books. The main story is usually OK, but you always feel like you want to more on the shorter stories. Still Ann Rule is a great writer and my favorite true crimer!
I must agree with some of the reviews I read on here regarding this particular volume of Rule's crime files series. The first story was boring me practically to sleep and that has never happened to me with ANY of her previous titles. The second tale (Too Late For The Fair) was much better and the final 30-pages-or-less offerings were also page turners. I also found myself smirking when I read the acknowledgments and Rule's advice to women not to listen to the title of the book and to always look...more
Too Late For the Fair was by far the most disturbing story. I cant believe that Joe Hansen blantantly killed his wife, everyone knew it, and no one did anything. That poor woman.
I've read all of Ann Rule's books and appreciate her insight into criminal acts, but I think she needs to reach beyond the Seattle area and find more interesting cases ... I just wasn't drawn into these.
You can never go wrong with Ann Rule. I like how she not only writes about crime but she always goes into what makes people the way they are, what drives them to do what they do.
Not my favorite. Interesting enough stories, but not the kind that make you stay up at night to finish, or feel the need to go re-check all the door locks. It's like she has a contract for X more books and she is just grinding them out.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ann Rule is a popular American true crime writer. She came to prominence with her first book, The Stranger Beside Me, about the Ted Bundy murders.
At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis...more
More about Ann Rule...
At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Apr 18, 2012 10:40pm