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Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder: And Other True Cases (Ann Rule's Crime Files)
by
Ann Rule
<big>Includes Ann Rule's insider commentary on the Mary Winkler murder case</big>
<big>REAL-LIFE MURDER. REAL-LIFE MYSTERY.
In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic of crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann Rule, America's #1 bestselling true-crime writer.
...moreMass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Published
December 26th 2007
by Pocket
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As someone who has spent decades working with teenagers, I know how naive they can be. It's long been my opinion that every teen—especially every young woman—should be required to read two or three books by Ann Rule, just so she can begin to understand how perfectly normal, and even attractive, a truly evil person may seem.
Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder, however, illustrates another point altogether regarding the trajectory of human lives: that no matter how well one begins in life, it's...more
Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder, however, illustrates another point altogether regarding the trajectory of human lives: that no matter how well one begins in life, it's...more
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In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic of crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann Rule, America's #1 bestselling true-crime writer. What happens when the case itself becomes an intractable puzzle, when clues are shrouded in smoke and mirrors, and when criminals skillfully evade law enforcement in a maddening cat-and-mouse chase? Even the most devoted true-crime reader won't predict the outcome of these tr...more
Most of the cases in this book were set in WA state. The book started with a domestic violence case that did not end in murder. There were other DV cases in this book because the author wanted to make the public more aware of the different faces of DV.
The most interesting thing I have ever read is the chapter about a woman who seemed to self-combuste. She was all that burned while laying in her bed. The bed didn't burn even though she was laying on it....the police found no foul ...more
The most interesting thing I have ever read is the chapter about a woman who seemed to self-combuste. She was all that burned while laying in her bed. The bed didn't burn even though she was laying on it....the police found no foul ...more
Rhonda Rae Baker
rated it
Only Ann Rule can creap me out and cause me to rethink true-life circumstances. This book took me to places that I didn't want to go but couldn't help myself when I ran into it faster each page. Amazingly real, as real-life can be, this is a book that I will read again and probably again...whew! People are really like this...I know people like this and reading about it brought the reality back to me. Wow. I'm still freaked out about it. So happy that my personal story turned out much bette...more
Number 12 in Ann Rule's Crime Files series.
With those unfamilar with Ann, these are true crime stories. The theme of this book was wives' tales. With the 'book length' feature being 'The Deputy's Wife'. In this book I found several cases where I definately thought that Justice had not been served.
I started with Book #1 of the series A Rose For Her Grave & Other True Cases which was quite chilling, but I don't beleive I've read all tweleve so far, but the first sev...more
With those unfamilar with Ann, these are true crime stories. The theme of this book was wives' tales. With the 'book length' feature being 'The Deputy's Wife'. In this book I found several cases where I definately thought that Justice had not been served.
I started with Book #1 of the series A Rose For Her Grave & Other True Cases which was quite chilling, but I don't beleive I've read all tweleve so far, but the first sev...more
Although Ann Rule is still the goddess of true crime books, this book lacks the luster of her other books. The first story is about the deputy's wife and that's the title of it. It's a story about Bill Jensen who was a policeman in Washington, brilliant, but offbeat character. In the end, he wanted to order the murders of four people including his former wife, their two children, and his sister-in-law. He doesn't get away with it because of another criminal who snitches on him for no other reaso...more
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I have become a big Ann Rule fan. I started listening to her books on Cd, but liked them so much, I'm starting to get them in paperback now.
This particular book was about different wives that were murdered and in the last one, a wife who was the murderer. Rule gave a fascinating, balanced take on the Mary Winkler case. I love everything about how Ann Rule covers these true, crime cases. She advocates for the many women who are victims and wants justice to be done.
This particular book was about different wives that were murdered and in the last one, a wife who was the murderer. Rule gave a fascinating, balanced take on the Mary Winkler case. I love everything about how Ann Rule covers these true, crime cases. She advocates for the many women who are victims and wants justice to be done.
I had trouble putting this one down. Each story was different, and I prefer shorter stories that don't get dragged down by incessant details. The story of the possible spontaneous human combustion felt a little out of place to me in this book. I felt it belonged more in a "Strange but True" book. It is so sad that too many men all over from every culture feel it is alright to dominate and control and belittle and abuse women. Very poignant stories.
A lot of domestic violence short stories in this one. I really liked it. She has a nice writing style. Mostly, though, I just have a morbid fascination with non-fiction crime and what drives people to take such measures. Also, being from the Pacific Northwest, I'm familiar with a lot of the places she writes about. (She's a former Seattle policewoman.)
I like all her books. They have good photos of the people, the tone she uses is factual but sympathetic toward the victim, and intrigue. I have a sociology major and took criminal justice, so these books are right up my alley. I can't read or watch that fake CSI stuff.
This book was really hard for me to get into, I've read a lot of Ann Rule, and usually I can't put it down. But there was just something about this one that I didn't like. I can't put my finger on what it was, but this one I was able to put it down. As a matter of fact I just kinda skimmed it after a while.
a collection of five or so true murder stories, mostly from the Seattle area. Written by a woman detective who is now an author/crime investigator about some of the most baffling cases she has encountered. Quick reading if you don't have alot of time.
This is another collection of Ann Rule's shorter true crime stories. I never like these as much as her full length books and I think with this one I finally figured out why. There seems to be less closure in the shorter cases, she isn't as able to delve into the involved parties' psyches, and Ms. Rule is also more likely to let her personal opinions peek out. All of which doesn't mean that they still aren't worth a read.
I would give it 3.5. I always enjoy Rule's books and the crime files series is good for a quick read when I have a shorter attention span. I do prefer her book-length works as she can delve deeper into the cases, which is what interests me most about her work.
The two longer entries in this series of true-crime story are compelling, fascinating and interesting. The first one of a woman trying to escape her controlling, manipulative husband is chilling and fascinating. It’s also wonderful to watch the arrogance of the man catch up to him and end up undoing him in the end. The last entry has a local (to me) angle, exploring the Mary Winkler case. Winkler was found guilty of killing her preacher husband. Rule delves into the background, offering her own ...more
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This case of Bill Jensen showed that anyone, in the right circumstances, can be truly evil. I did like how she wrote about other cases in condensed form, including the Mary Winkler case.
OK book - like her full length novels better and I think her first books were also better but being an Ann Rule fan, I will always read anything by her.
So far I am disappointed. I am done with the first story in this true crime book but I thought Ann Rule was a writter that wants to share a victim's story that is no longer around to tell it for themselves. I just finished reading about a woman who's husband tried to kill her and was caught, even though this woman is a victim, she is still around to tell the story for herself. This book is more like a biography. I am disappointed :(. This is not one of her best books.
Well I ju...more
Well I ju...more
I finished this up last night and had to say I enjoyed it as I have almost all of Ann Rule's books. Her paperback's are usually short stories of cases she has followed over the years and this one was good as it included quite a few from the Seattle area. They were all focused on abused women with the last one being a man. The last one was the case of the preacher's wife Mary who killed her husband and ran off with their three children before being found in Alabama. She is one odd duck from re...more
It troubles me that Ann Rule so easily finds so many stories to write about--it means there is just that much scariness and evil in this world!
Crime stories are always interesting but the way this book was written was done in a bad way. It lack cohesion and continuity in thought.
Great. The first story examines how far a husband will go to seek revenge on his wife and family. A great twist too. A good true crime novel. Easy read, page turn, quick to finish.
The collections of Rule's short pieces are never as compelling as her full length accounts.
I really like this book and the little stories. It was like watching close case files on TRU T.V.
This book had a few murders some got greedy some lied. Pretty good book about what motivates ppl to murder others.
If you like true crime, you will love Ann Rules books. I have read almost every book she wrote.
True crime. Well written but these true stories have such sad endings.
Well written and researched, but I've about reached my limit reading about people who kill each other.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definitely worth reading! | 2 | 8 | May 06, 2009 10:27pm |
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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 ...more
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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 ...more
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