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Too Late to Say Goodbye
From bestselling author Ann Rule comes the engrossing true story of two beautiful, loving women, and their murder by the man in their life—handsome, charming, rich, a man marked for unlimited success—but one who would never allow any woman to leave him, no matter what the provocation.
Jenn Corbin, a lovely, slim, brown-eyed blonde, appeared to have it all: two dear little boys, a posh home in one of the upscale suburbs of Atlanta, expensive cars, a plush houseboat, and a husband—Dr. Bart Corbin, a successful dentist—who was tall, handsome, and brilliant.
But gradually their seemingly idyllic life together began to crumble. There was talk of seeing a marriage counselor. Bart was distraught; Jenn seemed disenchanted. She needed to reach out to someone she could confide in—beyond her mother and her sisters. Then, just a few weeks before Christmas 2004, Jenn was found dead with a bullet in her head, a revolver beside her. From the position of the body her death appeared to be a suicide. But Gwinnett County detective Marcus Head was not totally convinced, nor was Jenn's family, who could not believe she would take her own life.
And how was this death related to another apparent suicide fourteen years earlier—that of Dorothy "Dolly" Hearn, a spectacularly beautiful dental student? A star athlete and homecoming queen in high school, Dolly later dated Bart Corbin in dental school. Was there a connection, or was the answer to be found in a secret—even dangerous—relationship Jenn Corbin was having outside her marriage? For Too Late to Say Goodbye, Ann Rule has interviewed virtually everyone in any way related to the story—the victims' families, police investigators, prosecutors, and sources from Georgia to Australia—to uncover the truth behind the headlines of these two sensational deaths. What emerges is an incredible tale of jealous rage; of stunning circumstantial and physical evidence that runs from the steamy to the macabre to almost-unheard-of forensic techniques; and of a tragic irony—a fateful discovery that motivated the killing. The definitive unraveling of one of the strangest murder investigations of our time, Too Late to Say Goodbye is perhaps the finest achievement of a truly great writer's career.
Jenn Corbin, a lovely, slim, brown-eyed blonde, appeared to have it all: two dear little boys, a posh home in one of the upscale suburbs of Atlanta, expensive cars, a plush houseboat, and a husband—Dr. Bart Corbin, a successful dentist—who was tall, handsome, and brilliant.
But gradually their seemingly idyllic life together began to crumble. There was talk of seeing a marriage counselor. Bart was distraught; Jenn seemed disenchanted. She needed to reach out to someone she could confide in—beyond her mother and her sisters. Then, just a few weeks before Christmas 2004, Jenn was found dead with a bullet in her head, a revolver beside her. From the position of the body her death appeared to be a suicide. But Gwinnett County detective Marcus Head was not totally convinced, nor was Jenn's family, who could not believe she would take her own life.
And how was this death related to another apparent suicide fourteen years earlier—that of Dorothy "Dolly" Hearn, a spectacularly beautiful dental student? A star athlete and homecoming queen in high school, Dolly later dated Bart Corbin in dental school. Was there a connection, or was the answer to be found in a secret—even dangerous—relationship Jenn Corbin was having outside her marriage? For Too Late to Say Goodbye, Ann Rule has interviewed virtually everyone in any way related to the story—the victims' families, police investigators, prosecutors, and sources from Georgia to Australia—to uncover the truth behind the headlines of these two sensational deaths. What emerges is an incredible tale of jealous rage; of stunning circumstantial and physical evidence that runs from the steamy to the macabre to almost-unheard-of forensic techniques; and of a tragic irony—a fateful discovery that motivated the killing. The definitive unraveling of one of the strangest murder investigations of our time, Too Late to Say Goodbye is perhaps the finest achievement of a truly great writer's career.
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First published June 5, 2007
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About the author
Ann Rule
128 books4,431 followersAnn Rule was a popular American true crime writer. Raised in a law enforcement and criminal justice system environment, she grew up wanting to work in law enforcement herself. She was a former Seattle Policewoman and was well educated in psychology and criminology.
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 Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
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 Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 551 reviews
October 10, 2018
Utterly terrifying that pods like Bart Corbin are among us, the human beings.
September 26, 2020
Now this is the kind of true crime book I love to read! Terrifying and with plenty of details but not so many that it gets boring and bogged down. This one struck just the right balance of terror and details and I absolutely loved it. It feels strange to say that about such terrible crimes because real people suffered through them but Rule has such a way of making even the most despicable crimes fascinating! I blew through this book in a single day, that’s how compulsively I found myself turning the pages. I needed answers and I needed them right away! Such a satisfying ending too, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome and I enjoyed the hell out of this book!
June 23, 2019
Ok, if you're like me- & enjoy (feels like an inappropriate word for it. My heart breaks for the victims,) but if you read true crime, sometimes the way it's told is just boring.. This 1 is not at all like that. I was drawn in & genuinely just couldn't get over the scumbag we learned about. & not to be cliche, but his victims sound like truly special women who did ABSOLUTELY nothing to deserve what they got. Anyway, as far as true crime goes.. This was definitely 1 of the more interesting, easy to follow books.
December 5, 2021
I have no memory of seeing this case in the news, but I did see a movie about it recently. There are so many people involved the author included a cast of characters. That seemed a little daunting at first. Ann Rule had such a meticulous immersion in every aspect. It turned out to be easy to follow and compulsively readable. Bart Corbin went down for two homicides. It's entirely possible he killed more women he knew and couldn't control.
January 12, 2014
on Sunday, July 06, 2008
Really enjoyed this book. I am glad cause some of Ann Rule's books are not my cup of tea but this one was a good read. Very interesting. I did not see it coming.
Took it with me to England on vacation and then lend it to my mother who is reading it now while still in England.
(And because of it she is suddenly also reading true crime now, lol)
Really enjoyed this book. I am glad cause some of Ann Rule's books are not my cup of tea but this one was a good read. Very interesting. I did not see it coming.
Took it with me to England on vacation and then lend it to my mother who is reading it now while still in England.
(And because of it she is suddenly also reading true crime now, lol)
June 22, 2013
Sociopaths—both the kind that kills and the everyday, garden-variety kind that just ruins lives—are amazingly hard to spot. That’s partly because without a conscience, people with sociopathic personalities can be profoundly, exquisitely objective about other people. Without being distracted by feelings, such as guilt or pity, they can study the behavior of others as objectively as a scientist can study a microbe with a microscope. Sociopaths have a luxury of knowing they can make people believe what they want them to believe and hide in plain sight, despite their often brazen, malicious, destructive, and/or illegal behavior.
The other side of the equation, though, is this: the rest of us, who are not sociopaths, are responsible for taking care of ourselves. Just as we are responsible for fastening our seat belts and staying away from crime-ridden neighborhoods where we have no business being at night, we are responsible for setting appropriate social boundaries and for knowing that some people are not to be trusted—not ever.
This is a gift Ann Rule has been giving for decades: stories about people whose lives have tragically become entwined with those of sociopaths—some of the most charming, disarming people in the world. No one will ever know how many of her readers may have been spared years of hardship or worse because reading her books instilled in them an extra measure of caution or the courage to say no, once and for all, before it was too late. Like many of her other books, Too Late to Say Goodbye, in the right hands at the right time, could be a life saver.
The other side of the equation, though, is this: the rest of us, who are not sociopaths, are responsible for taking care of ourselves. Just as we are responsible for fastening our seat belts and staying away from crime-ridden neighborhoods where we have no business being at night, we are responsible for setting appropriate social boundaries and for knowing that some people are not to be trusted—not ever.
This is a gift Ann Rule has been giving for decades: stories about people whose lives have tragically become entwined with those of sociopaths—some of the most charming, disarming people in the world. No one will ever know how many of her readers may have been spared years of hardship or worse because reading her books instilled in them an extra measure of caution or the courage to say no, once and for all, before it was too late. Like many of her other books, Too Late to Say Goodbye, in the right hands at the right time, could be a life saver.
July 31, 2017
Never trust a dentist
January 16, 2018
The cases depicted in this book also showed up on Forensic File and Murderous Affairs. Apparently those shows just look for true crime thrillers to show.
This one didn't quite work for me just because I think that Rule had a huge reach about some things (she claimed one woman had to be brainwashed) and her back and forth to two different time periods didn't work all that well. The ending just kind of happens and I felt like there was more missing.
"Too Late to Say Goodbye" is a true crime book about Jenn Corbin and Dolly Hearn. Jenn Corbin is found dead one morning with a gunshot wound. Initially thought as probable suicide, things about Jenn's marriage come to light which leads to questions about what could her husband, Doctor Bart Corbin (a dentist) have to possibly do with her death. When the manner of Jenn's death is investigated, it comes up that a woman that Bart dated during dentistry school also committed suicide found with a gunshot to her head. When the police start digging, it starts to look like Bart Corbin may have played a role in both women's death.
I thought Rule did a good job showing us Jenn and Dolly in her book. Rule better than anyone I think in true crime books is able to make the person(s) that are lost feel like living/breathing people that you mourn when they are gone.
I just think she missed the mark a bit with Jenn and Dolly. I don't think she meant to, but I thought she pretty much lays things at Dolly's feet with her not being forceful enough to not see Bart anymore after the number of accidents/minor crimes occurred. I just don't get how the police didn't do more when the guy was breaking into her apartment and poured hairspray into her contact lens solution. That right there was assault to me.
Same problem with Jenn who goes looking for some comfort outside of her marriage via an online game. She at times seems to blame Jenn for getting catfished (that's a term now, not anymore) and says she thinks that the person in question brainwashed her. I wish that Rule had stuck with the story in this one and not had tried to psychoanalyze these women.
The writing was okay, but honestly, parts of the book read as filler. I think Rule wanted to stretch it out because the eventual trials end up being non-starters.
The ending didn't work for me either since it felt like a lot of things were left unsaid.
This one didn't quite work for me just because I think that Rule had a huge reach about some things (she claimed one woman had to be brainwashed) and her back and forth to two different time periods didn't work all that well. The ending just kind of happens and I felt like there was more missing.
"Too Late to Say Goodbye" is a true crime book about Jenn Corbin and Dolly Hearn. Jenn Corbin is found dead one morning with a gunshot wound. Initially thought as probable suicide, things about Jenn's marriage come to light which leads to questions about what could her husband, Doctor Bart Corbin (a dentist) have to possibly do with her death. When the manner of Jenn's death is investigated, it comes up that a woman that Bart dated during dentistry school also committed suicide found with a gunshot to her head. When the police start digging, it starts to look like Bart Corbin may have played a role in both women's death.
I thought Rule did a good job showing us Jenn and Dolly in her book. Rule better than anyone I think in true crime books is able to make the person(s) that are lost feel like living/breathing people that you mourn when they are gone.
I just think she missed the mark a bit with Jenn and Dolly. I don't think she meant to, but I thought she pretty much lays things at Dolly's feet with her not being forceful enough to not see Bart anymore after the number of accidents/minor crimes occurred. I just don't get how the police didn't do more when the guy was breaking into her apartment and poured hairspray into her contact lens solution. That right there was assault to me.
Same problem with Jenn who goes looking for some comfort outside of her marriage via an online game. She at times seems to blame Jenn for getting catfished (that's a term now, not anymore) and says she thinks that the person in question brainwashed her. I wish that Rule had stuck with the story in this one and not had tried to psychoanalyze these women.
The writing was okay, but honestly, parts of the book read as filler. I think Rule wanted to stretch it out because the eventual trials end up being non-starters.
The ending didn't work for me either since it felt like a lot of things were left unsaid.
October 14, 2015
Bart Corbin was in my fifth grade class & in my graduating class. He lived in the subdivision behind mine. I never knew and that's a scary thought. Corbin is supposedly a smart guy becoming a dentist. Why was he so stupid? Rule starts from the beginning and details the complete investigation by determined county detectives and tough as nails District Attorney. They were determined not only to solve the murder of Jenn Corbin but of the supposed suicide of beautiful dental student Dolly Hearn years earlier. The victims and families were never forgotten by these amazing investigators. There were so many interesting facts never revealed through the never ending media attention. This was a captivating true crime story. One warning: do not watch the movie starring Rob Lowe. So many of the details are changed.
December 29, 2021
A true story of murder and betrayal, by Ann Rule, focuses on psychopath, Dr. Bart Corbin, a dental student who becomes doctor. At least 2 women suffer at his murderous hands, but one of the victims sister (Heather), will not let her sister’s, case rest when she is found shortly before Christmas 2004, with a bullet in her head and the gun laying by her. The death was passed off as a suicide. Fourteen years prior, another woman closely associated with Corbin, Dolly (also studying to be a Dentist), seemed to have been found under very similar circumstances. Two completely compelling timelines are followed all in the culmination of a satisfying ending.
Not overly weighed down with unnecessary details… the book moves along at a good pace. No gore. No explicit sex. No foul language. Audio narrative was well done. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recommended for #truecrime enthusiasts.
Not overly weighed down with unnecessary details… the book moves along at a good pace. No gore. No explicit sex. No foul language. Audio narrative was well done. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recommended for #truecrime enthusiasts.
December 29, 2007
i'll read anything by ann rule. good true story
March 1, 2013
I just want to start off and say I love true crime shows! For an example, I enjoy 48 Hours, Wicked Attraction, Dateline, Fatal Encounters, and Disappeared. I’m
SO
in love with the Investigation Discovery channel it’s crazy! I just get so into the stories. Maybe because they are true stories that can and do happen. Just like this story
Too Late To Say Goodbye
.
I thought this book to be very tragic, gripping, and heartbreaking. The story just reels you in as you turn each page, the fact it is a true story, and everyday crimes like these happen. My heart yearned for the loss of the two beautiful women Dolly Hearn and Jennifer Corbin and their families. But with my fists pounding, intense anger, and disgust is what I felt for Bart Corbin. He is the true face of an evil monster. He showed early signs of a psychopath. How could anyone be soheartless and cruel to break into someone's home, take their beloved pet, without their knowledge, and just drop it off wherever? To show no emotion when your ex-girlfriend, who you loved dearly, "commits suicide". That's a stone cold monster right there. Just all the terrible things he did to his ex-girlfriend and his wife Jennifer was just evil. Also reading this book makes you think about how much do you really know about someone. Bart never spoke or mentioned to his wife about the death of his ex-girlfriend, actually never even knew of her or his past. Jennifer really never knew her husband and the monster he hid.
Ann Rule writes a great but tragic story and does a fabulous job painting a portrait of the families and describing the characters from when they were younger to who they were at the present time. It makes you feel as if you really know them and can feel their emotions. I loved the photos included in the book. You're able to put real faces to people and just get more of an insight of the story. The book was full of information and interviews. I would say it was just perfect, it wasn't overdone or you didn't feel overwhelmed with a whole bunch of extra and pointless details. Everything fit and came together just like a puzzle that leaves you with a beautiful canvas of a picture .
So in conclusion, I highly recommend this book! You won't be disappointed, because I know I wasn't. Well done Ann Rule!! Happy Reading!!
R.I.P Dolly Hearn & Jennifer Corbin
HOPE YOU BURN Bart Corbin!!!
I thought this book to be very tragic, gripping, and heartbreaking. The story just reels you in as you turn each page, the fact it is a true story, and everyday crimes like these happen. My heart yearned for the loss of the two beautiful women Dolly Hearn and Jennifer Corbin and their families. But with my fists pounding, intense anger, and disgust is what I felt for Bart Corbin. He is the true face of an evil monster. He showed early signs of a psychopath. How could anyone be so
Ann Rule writes a great but tragic story and does a fabulous job painting a portrait of the families and describing the characters from when they were younger to who they were at the present time. It makes you feel as if you really know them and can feel their emotions. I loved the photos included in the book. You're able to put real faces to people and just get more of an insight of the story. The book was full of information and interviews. I would say it was just perfect, it wasn't overdone or you didn't feel overwhelmed with a whole bunch of extra and pointless details. Everything fit and came together just like a puzzle that leaves you with a beautiful canvas of a picture .
So in conclusion, I highly recommend this book! You won't be disappointed, because I know I wasn't. Well done Ann Rule!! Happy Reading!!
R.I.P Dolly Hearn & Jennifer Corbin
HOPE YOU BURN Bart Corbin!!!
September 10, 2022
I went back and forth on how to rate this book because, as usual, Ann Rule paints a distinct picture of this case that is hard to put down.
On the other hand, also as usual, I take issue with how Rule depicts some of the players in this case -- in particular, with her writing of Anita Hearn. Rule doesn't disguise her contempt for Hearn (laced with blatant homophobia) and directly blames her for Jen's murder. This shouldn't have to be stated but Jen's death is no one's fault but the man who committed the deed -- her loathsome husband, Bart.
Other than that, I found this to be a fast, easy read that explored the complexities of domestic violence and how difficult it is for victims to leave their significant others. However, Rule's constant blaming of Hearn's for Jen's death overshadowed my enjoyment of the book, otherwise.
On the other hand, also as usual, I take issue with how Rule depicts some of the players in this case -- in particular, with her writing of Anita Hearn. Rule doesn't disguise her contempt for Hearn (laced with blatant homophobia) and directly blames her for Jen's murder. This shouldn't have to be stated but Jen's death is no one's fault but the man who committed the deed -- her loathsome husband, Bart.
Other than that, I found this to be a fast, easy read that explored the complexities of domestic violence and how difficult it is for victims to leave their significant others. However, Rule's constant blaming of Hearn's for Jen's death overshadowed my enjoyment of the book, otherwise.
May 31, 2025
Can you believe I had to read this to get continuing education credits?? And the sad thing is, I feel like I already read this one. I definitely knew this story. But then again, I am a little obsessed with true crime stories. Ya gotta hand it to her. Ann Rule ruled in the world of true crime writing.
June 12, 2022
Phew! I was a little worried after the last one that maybe the less popular Ann Rule books weren’t as well done. But this one was back to old familiar. I also liked that this one had the same narrator as Green River Running Red, an older woman who sounds like she actually could be Ann Rule.
The case itself was a very creepy example of male entitlement.
The case itself was a very creepy example of male entitlement.
January 29, 2017
I'm drawn to true crime in part because I love puzzles and mysteries--which means I'm especially drawn to cold cases. So the part of this book that dealt with the investigation and re-investigation of Dorothy Carlisle "Dolly" Hearn's death in 1990 was fascinating. The murder of Jennifer Barber Corbin in 2004 was just sad, as the murder of a woman trying to get out of a pitcher-plant marriage is always sad, every goddamn time it happens.
What's worst about both Dolly and Jenn's murders (aside from the simple destruction of good people) is that their murderer, Barton Corbin, is about as empty a shell of a human being as is possible to imagine. There's nothing there. Other obsessive stalker-murderers that Rule has written about--Thomas Capano in And Never Let Her Go: Thomas Capano: The Deadly Seducer or Brad Cunningham in Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?--are monsters, but they're also men with, well, rich inner lives (in Cunningham's case, his inner life and delusions of grandeur were far richer than his outer life). Corbin is just nothing. He became a dentist to make money off his patients. His brothers and his friends--it becomes clear--know him only in the most superficial, stereotypical, guy-on-guy way, where you drink beer and watch sports together and are therefore friends. He spent and over-spent on status symbols. He cheated on his wife (and, of course, as this kind of guy always does, went ballistic at the thought that she might be interested in a man that wasn't him). He was so verbally abusive to his elder son that the child, at the age of six, would beg his mother not to make him go anywhere with his father, and after Jenn's murder, the two little boys never asked for their daddy--which is just as well because he certainly never made the least attempt to see them. The only things that seem to inhabit Barton Corbin are rage and greed. He's one of T.S. Eliot's hollow men and it is simply vile that he murdered two women for simple dog-in-the-manger jealousy. He couldn't stand the fact that they might have lives--that they might even go on living--after they left him. And if he hadn't murdered Jenn, he would almost certainly have gotten away with murdering Dolly.
Corbin most recently lost an appeal in 2014.
What's worst about both Dolly and Jenn's murders (aside from the simple destruction of good people) is that their murderer, Barton Corbin, is about as empty a shell of a human being as is possible to imagine. There's nothing there. Other obsessive stalker-murderers that Rule has written about--Thomas Capano in And Never Let Her Go: Thomas Capano: The Deadly Seducer or Brad Cunningham in Dead By Sunset: Perfect Husband, Perfect Killer?--are monsters, but they're also men with, well, rich inner lives (in Cunningham's case, his inner life and delusions of grandeur were far richer than his outer life). Corbin is just nothing. He became a dentist to make money off his patients. His brothers and his friends--it becomes clear--know him only in the most superficial, stereotypical, guy-on-guy way, where you drink beer and watch sports together and are therefore friends. He spent and over-spent on status symbols. He cheated on his wife (and, of course, as this kind of guy always does, went ballistic at the thought that she might be interested in a man that wasn't him). He was so verbally abusive to his elder son that the child, at the age of six, would beg his mother not to make him go anywhere with his father, and after Jenn's murder, the two little boys never asked for their daddy--which is just as well because he certainly never made the least attempt to see them. The only things that seem to inhabit Barton Corbin are rage and greed. He's one of T.S. Eliot's hollow men and it is simply vile that he murdered two women for simple dog-in-the-manger jealousy. He couldn't stand the fact that they might have lives--that they might even go on living--after they left him. And if he hadn't murdered Jenn, he would almost certainly have gotten away with murdering Dolly.
Corbin most recently lost an appeal in 2014.
July 7, 2018
Engrossing and a relatively quick read. This is the first book I've read by Rule, and her style reminded me of watching old episodes Unsolved Mysteries.
July 13, 2018
It wasn't a bad book. The story was good and I kept listening to it until it was done. It was short and sweet, but there wasn't much mystery to it. Something felt like it was missing.
August 4, 2019
What an intense story and crazy that someone can get away with something like that for that long. I haven't read many true crime written like this but I must say I really actually enjoy it and want to look for more like it.
Good Read!
Good Read!
January 22, 2021
As it is with a lot of true crime, this is a heart wrenching story because of the people who are left to wonder “why?”.
Ann Rule was a master story teller, digging out all the important detail: but in this instance, adding a LOT of unimportant detail. This would be a 5 rather than 4 star if it weren’t for the unnecessary information that I had to read through to get to the important stuff.
If you like to read true crime, this is a good one.
Ann Rule was a master story teller, digging out all the important detail: but in this instance, adding a LOT of unimportant detail. This would be a 5 rather than 4 star if it weren’t for the unnecessary information that I had to read through to get to the important stuff.
If you like to read true crime, this is a good one.
December 7, 2024
It was ok.
Listened to on audio.
I don’t understand the title, btw.
Listened to on audio.
I don’t understand the title, btw.
October 6, 2021
Such a tragic and senseless loss of lives. Ann Rule does her research and thankful to all involved for never giving up and finding truth.
November 8, 2013
I really like Ann Rule's style of telling a true crime story. This one had me on the edge of my seat at the end, because there weren't many pages left and I had to find out what happened to the dentist who killed at least two women. I don't know why the first woman, Dolly, didn't tear him a new one when he stole her cat. OMG that's a hanging offense, in my book. He wouldn't have been around after that to do anything to anyone else because you take my cat, you die.
Anyway, a good read. Interesting. The back and forth trying to get enough evidence to go to trial was nerve-wracking, but justice prevailed in the end.
Anyway, a good read. Interesting. The back and forth trying to get enough evidence to go to trial was nerve-wracking, but justice prevailed in the end.
November 20, 2008
True crime of a man who stages two suicides of women who try to leave him. It was like reading CourtTV or watching Nancy Grace--not nearly as well written as Dominick Dunne's books.
March 9, 2013
I love these books keep them coming Ann....
November 5, 2023
Salacious and excessive. This is my second Ann Rule book. Maybe it's the case that I found more intriguing. I think Jenn's family contributed to her demise.
April 17, 2021
Murder Most Mayhem
First, kudos to Ann Rule's considerate and sensitive treatment of the subjects of her book, Too Late to Say Goodbye. She deftly fleshed out all her characters so that the portrayals of each was not 2-dimensional, black and white, good versus evil. One could even empathize with Bart Corbin (to an extent). However, if one were to look for the signs, it was obvious Bart Corbin had some psychopathic tendencies early on: He was easy-going, likeable but had a temper to go along with a huge appetite for status and acceptance; accumulation of money as a status symbol; fixation on physical attributes; and, manipulation, (a form of myopic justification as a means to fulfill his bottomless needs to go along with the melodramatic displays - crying jags, manic phases), that did not appear to take root until he was rejected by his first girlfriend, Shelly Mansfield. Note: The timeline of Corbin's psychopathic, obsessive/possessive development here is taken at face value; that is, upon the author's word.
It's tempting to assign blame for the way Bart turned out to Shelly's rejection of him as the trigger that put him on the path to becoming the monster he became at the end. However, it'd be too easy to come to that conclusion as it does not do justice to the exegesis of the human psyche. Like cancer, Bart's psychoses (insecurity, controlling personality, which is a byproduct of his insecurity; his bottomless ego to compensate for his insecurities) were set in place, and all it would take was some kind of trigger for the cancer to metastasize into an unrecognizable form of sickness. Bart Corbin had a sickness. Whether Shelly Mansfield, or Dolly Hearn, or Jennifer Barbin... none of these women, any more than his son, Dalton, is to be blamed for how Bart Corbin turned out; they were merely the intersecting points on an X-Y axis who, by chance, crossed his path and became unwitting victims.
I was disconsolate for a full day after reading this book. I think studying the sordid lives of very real and the very fragile, tenuous human bonds that connect us all to each other will bring us down if we allow ourselves to absorb the true consequences of what death/destruction can do to entire network of families. Rule's introduction encapsulates this perfectly:
Rule, with her extensive research into the human interest/biographies of victims and perpetrators alike, along with their families, friends, acquaintances, each victim is part of a multitude of lives destroyed. Forgo the sensationalism, the fascination with the seedy crime scenes, the mind of the serial, mass killer and the hyper-focus on the dysfunctional elements of any family. The point is, that each face is a life with a set of dreams, failures, joys, shared love, secrets, disappointments, deceptions that gets lost in all the prurient curiosity of gruesome details. That loss is huge, a hole that can never be filled in the universe-soul.
I have, like so many others in the audience, been drawn to serial killers and have watched, as well as, read true crime series for much of my adult life. I was curious as to why I was drawn to the serial killer's mind; aside from the scientific, forensic elements - which I find fascinating - there was a part of me that wanted to see justice for the victims; it was satisfying to see the antagonists, the "monsters" caught and put "away." As much as I want to understand the mind of a killer, I have no compunction whatsoever to put a killer to death - think of the likes of Mengle - and in that sense, I wonder how different I am from the killer, who also wants to destroy his perceived "enemies." I don't think it matters; I just happen to be on this side of the law. The monster has to be destroyed whether through the justice system, social ostracization, or some force beyond our boundaries; i.e., fate. Let fate have its day.
First, kudos to Ann Rule's considerate and sensitive treatment of the subjects of her book, Too Late to Say Goodbye. She deftly fleshed out all her characters so that the portrayals of each was not 2-dimensional, black and white, good versus evil. One could even empathize with Bart Corbin (to an extent). However, if one were to look for the signs, it was obvious Bart Corbin had some psychopathic tendencies early on: He was easy-going, likeable but had a temper to go along with a huge appetite for status and acceptance; accumulation of money as a status symbol; fixation on physical attributes; and, manipulation, (a form of myopic justification as a means to fulfill his bottomless needs to go along with the melodramatic displays - crying jags, manic phases), that did not appear to take root until he was rejected by his first girlfriend, Shelly Mansfield. Note: The timeline of Corbin's psychopathic, obsessive/possessive development here is taken at face value; that is, upon the author's word.
It's tempting to assign blame for the way Bart turned out to Shelly's rejection of him as the trigger that put him on the path to becoming the monster he became at the end. However, it'd be too easy to come to that conclusion as it does not do justice to the exegesis of the human psyche. Like cancer, Bart's psychoses (insecurity, controlling personality, which is a byproduct of his insecurity; his bottomless ego to compensate for his insecurities) were set in place, and all it would take was some kind of trigger for the cancer to metastasize into an unrecognizable form of sickness. Bart Corbin had a sickness. Whether Shelly Mansfield, or Dolly Hearn, or Jennifer Barbin... none of these women, any more than his son, Dalton, is to be blamed for how Bart Corbin turned out; they were merely the intersecting points on an X-Y axis who, by chance, crossed his path and became unwitting victims.
I was disconsolate for a full day after reading this book. I think studying the sordid lives of very real and the very fragile, tenuous human bonds that connect us all to each other will bring us down if we allow ourselves to absorb the true consequences of what death/destruction can do to entire network of families. Rule's introduction encapsulates this perfectly:
WITH EVERY BOOK I WRITE—and this is number 27—I realize more just how many lives are affected when one cruel and conscienceless person decides to take another human being’s life. Murder is not only a matter of a single death; there are many “little deaths” as homicide replicates its evil in countless lives left behind, changing them forever. Even if there are no more homicides committed by a particular killer, I know now that violent death never stops reverberating among those who suffer such terrible loss. The pain resonates like an echo in a series of tunnels—parents lose beloved children, spouses are torn from one another, and children too young to fully grasp the finality of death are destined to mature to a bleak point where they will have to understand what forever means. Families will never again have a complete Christmas or Thanksgiving or reunion; there will always be empty chairs. Friends will grow older and no longer resemble their yearbook pictures—but certain youthful images of lost loved ones will remain engraved on their memories. And even police officers, detectives, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges will do what has to be done before moving on to future murders, but all with their lives subtly altered.
Rule, with her extensive research into the human interest/biographies of victims and perpetrators alike, along with their families, friends, acquaintances, each victim is part of a multitude of lives destroyed. Forgo the sensationalism, the fascination with the seedy crime scenes, the mind of the serial, mass killer and the hyper-focus on the dysfunctional elements of any family. The point is, that each face is a life with a set of dreams, failures, joys, shared love, secrets, disappointments, deceptions that gets lost in all the prurient curiosity of gruesome details. That loss is huge, a hole that can never be filled in the universe-soul.
I have, like so many others in the audience, been drawn to serial killers and have watched, as well as, read true crime series for much of my adult life. I was curious as to why I was drawn to the serial killer's mind; aside from the scientific, forensic elements - which I find fascinating - there was a part of me that wanted to see justice for the victims; it was satisfying to see the antagonists, the "monsters" caught and put "away." As much as I want to understand the mind of a killer, I have no compunction whatsoever to put a killer to death - think of the likes of Mengle - and in that sense, I wonder how different I am from the killer, who also wants to destroy his perceived "enemies." I don't think it matters; I just happen to be on this side of the law. The monster has to be destroyed whether through the justice system, social ostracization, or some force beyond our boundaries; i.e., fate. Let fate have its day.
November 26, 2020
Like all Ann Rule books that I’ve read, I had a hard time putting this one down. This is the story of Dolly Hearn and Jenn Barber Corbin and their unfortunate relationships with Dr. Bart Corbin. Ms. Rule always investigates crimes so thoroughly and writes them up so well, interviewing family members, investigators and law enforcement, that she always gives a complete and thorough understanding to her readers of the crime(s) that have been committed. She says in this book, she does it to warn other women who may be in the same situations as Dolly and Jenn found themselves in. Both Dolly and Jenn wanted to separate themselves from Bart Corbin, but Bart made sure both of them paid with their lives for wanting to leave him. Bart planned each of the murders (committed a dozen years apart) so that he had alibis for each of them and set them up so that people would think each of the women had committee suicide. Their families were adamant that both of these young women had everything to live for. Dolly was planning on being a dentist and Jenn had two young boys to bring up. I love true crime and I think Ann Rule writes it best. I always feel that she writes these books in a way that pays homage to the women whose lives have been ended by selfish and mentally unbalanced men. I was glad she included lots of photographs at the end of the book.
May 2, 2022
This is a very good Ann Rule book about the case of dentist Bart Corbin shooting his (soon to be ex) wife Jenn Corbin. Jen’s death brought attention back to the 1990 murder of his college girlfriend, a murder that he got away with because forensic results were inconclusive despite Bart’s escalating stalking.
This case is infuriating and as sad as murder always is, this guy is especially gross. The cops bungled the first investigation, and I think even without the physical evidence Bart has been stalking his girlfriend relentlessly.
He stole her cat, stole her final dental school project so she’d fail School, broke into her apartment countless times, and put hairspray in her contact lens case.
Bart Corbin should have been prosecuted as he was obviously the murderer, but dna testing wasn’t available yet. I know in 1990 people didn’t take stalking as seriously, and the laws still need to be updated as women (and men) are able to be stalked via computer now.
His wife Jenn never knew her husband had been investigated for the murder of his girlfriend Dolly. I wish the Police Department had taken the time to follow up and warn Jenn.
The only good thing is that Bart Corbin will be in jail until his 70’s if he ever gets out at all. I had never heard of this case and Ann Rule does an excellent job of interviewing everybody involved.
This case is infuriating and as sad as murder always is, this guy is especially gross. The cops bungled the first investigation, and I think even without the physical evidence Bart has been stalking his girlfriend relentlessly.
He stole her cat, stole her final dental school project so she’d fail School, broke into her apartment countless times, and put hairspray in her contact lens case.
Bart Corbin should have been prosecuted as he was obviously the murderer, but dna testing wasn’t available yet. I know in 1990 people didn’t take stalking as seriously, and the laws still need to be updated as women (and men) are able to be stalked via computer now.
His wife Jenn never knew her husband had been investigated for the murder of his girlfriend Dolly. I wish the Police Department had taken the time to follow up and warn Jenn.
The only good thing is that Bart Corbin will be in jail until his 70’s if he ever gets out at all. I had never heard of this case and Ann Rule does an excellent job of interviewing everybody involved.
June 6, 2025
So this book is nonfiction since it is about real events and was chosen by my true crime book club. I have read several other books by this author and even bought this ebook before it got picked since I thought it would be interesting to read knowing the events took place locally, though I didn't live in this area when all of it occurred. Reading about the horrible events that took place in areas I am now familiar with was a lil creepy. I live in the same county and even the same city the couple lived in. I know where the neighborhood they lived in is and where a lot of the places mentioned in this book are. What is horrible is that both murders were thought to be suicides because there wasn't enough evidence to prove otherwise as we have capabilities of determining today. I'm glad that eventually the truth was proven and that the psychopath eventually was punished for his crimes. It’s hard to believe he didn’t think twice about what he would be putting his kids through just because their parents were no longer still happy. Very creepy and sad story but it was told so well it kept me interested the entire time and wanting to see justice, which thankfully eventually prevailed.
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