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Little, Crazy Children
In this riveting work of investigative journalism, the author of True Crime Addict and host of “True Crime This Week,” James Renner, explores the tragic unsolved 1990 murder of Lisa Pruett in the privileged enclave of Shaker Heights, Ohio, its troubling aftershocks, and the dark secrets teens tell—and keep.
TWIN PEAKS meets THE CRUCIBLE in 1990s Shaker Heights, the setting of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE.
In September of 1990, in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, sixteen-year-old Lisa Pruett, a poetry lover and member of a church youth group, was on her way to a midnight tryst with her boyfriend, when she was viciously stabbed to death only thirty feet from the boy’s home.
The murder cast a palpable gloom over the upscale community and sparked accusations, theories, and rumors among Lisa’s friends and peers. Together they wove a damning narrative that circled back to a likely “weird” high school outcast Kevin Young. Without a shred of evidence the teen was arrested, charged, and tried for the crime. His eventual acquittal didn’t squelch the anger and outrage among those who believed that Kevin got away with murder.
With a fresh perspective and painstaking research culled from police files, court records, transcripts, uncollected evidence, and new interviews, James Renner reconstructs the events leading up to and following that heartbreaking night. What emerges is a portrait of a community seething with dark undercurrents—its single-minded authorities, protective status-conscious parents, and the deeply peer-pressured teens within Lisa’s circle.
Who had the capacity for such unchecked violence? What monsters still lurk in the dark? After more than thirty years, questions like these continue to fester among the community of Shaker Heights, Ohio, still deeply scarred by wounds that remain hidden, unspoken, and unhealed.
TWIN PEAKS meets THE CRUCIBLE in 1990s Shaker Heights, the setting of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE.
In September of 1990, in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, sixteen-year-old Lisa Pruett, a poetry lover and member of a church youth group, was on her way to a midnight tryst with her boyfriend, when she was viciously stabbed to death only thirty feet from the boy’s home.
The murder cast a palpable gloom over the upscale community and sparked accusations, theories, and rumors among Lisa’s friends and peers. Together they wove a damning narrative that circled back to a likely “weird” high school outcast Kevin Young. Without a shred of evidence the teen was arrested, charged, and tried for the crime. His eventual acquittal didn’t squelch the anger and outrage among those who believed that Kevin got away with murder.
With a fresh perspective and painstaking research culled from police files, court records, transcripts, uncollected evidence, and new interviews, James Renner reconstructs the events leading up to and following that heartbreaking night. What emerges is a portrait of a community seething with dark undercurrents—its single-minded authorities, protective status-conscious parents, and the deeply peer-pressured teens within Lisa’s circle.
Who had the capacity for such unchecked violence? What monsters still lurk in the dark? After more than thirty years, questions like these continue to fester among the community of Shaker Heights, Ohio, still deeply scarred by wounds that remain hidden, unspoken, and unhealed.
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First published June 27, 2023
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About the author
James Renner
20 books1,064 followersJames Renner is an award-winning journalist and author of True Crime Addict, the definitive book on the Maura Murray disappearance. Renner is also a novelist, having written The Man from Primrose Lane and other works of scifi and fantasy. He currently hosts the podcast, The Philosophy of Crime.
In 2019, he founded The Porchlight Project a nonprofit that raises money for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for Ohio cold cases. In May, 2020, James Zastawnik was arrested for the murder of Barbara Blatnik, thanks to the work of genealogists funded by the Porchlight Project.
In 2019, he founded The Porchlight Project a nonprofit that raises money for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for Ohio cold cases. In May, 2020, James Zastawnik was arrested for the murder of Barbara Blatnik, thanks to the work of genealogists funded by the Porchlight Project.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 292 reviews
June 7, 2024
This book was a giveaway by the author and publisher. It will be available in bookstores in May 2023.
A new James Renner book is cause for celebration in my world, and, yes, I know my world is very weird. Author of the excellent “True Crime Addict”, a memoir about his fixation on solving (or trying to, anyway) cold cases, and “The Man From Primrose Lane”, a trippy sci-fi horror murder mystery, Renner likes to go places where very few people like to go. You know: like Cleveland.
Okay, sorry about that. Cleveland jokes are old hat, I know, but it’s appropriate here, as Renner’s latest book, “Little, Crazy Children” is set in an east-Cleveland suburb known as Shaker Heights. As a life-long resident of Cleveland (west-side), I can say with confidence that every Clevelander is familiar with Shaker Heights. It’s a beautiful upper-class suburb with phenomenal schools and mansion homes for the wealthy doctors and lawyers that have settled in Cleveland. It also has a “reputation”, one that has been immortalized in Celeste Ng’s novel “Little Fires Everywhere” (and the subsequent Hulu TV show based on it). Not surprisingly, the reputation has a lot to do with race and class. I won’t go into it.
Anyway, on September 13, 1990, the body of a young woman named Lisa Pruett was discovered in the bushes on a busy intersection of Shaker Heights. She had been stabbed repeatedly, her clothes had been pulled half-way off, as if she had been in the middle of undressing.
Not that far away, her boyfriend Dan Dreifort was waiting for her in his driveway. He had just returned home from a stint in a mental institution. He had called the police after he and his father had heard a scream coming from the woods. After some investigating, Dan found Lisa’s bike. The body was found not long after.
The police investigation quickly found a suspect: Kevin Young, a young man known to both Pruett and Dreifort. Inexplicably, the Shaker Heights police decided—-based on absolutely no hard evidence whatsoever—-that Young was definitely the killer. Before the trial was even set, the police were sure that they had their guy.
Defense attorney Mark DeVan felt that Young was being railroaded based on the tunnel vision of local cops who had a strange hard-on about this kid. They hated him for some reason, and the hatred swept the community. Even during the trial, DeVan noticed the highly biased coverage the case was getting in the papers. The city of Cleveland had declared Young guilty long before a jury did.
Renner’s book is, interestingly enough, less about the murder than it is about how easily swayed the general public is in regards to vilifying a young man based on no evidence. Indeed, Renner’s research uncovered a weird phenomenon in which the testimonies of a group of teenagers in the community practically shaped the case to their liking. They would have put an innocent kid in prison had DeVan not been a more astute and intrepid attorney.
Renner goes beyond the case, however, and finds a suspect for the murder that makes you wonder how the hell the cops missed him.
Another superb book from Renner. Highly recommended for fans of true crime, Cleveland history, human drama, and books that transcend their genre.
A new James Renner book is cause for celebration in my world, and, yes, I know my world is very weird. Author of the excellent “True Crime Addict”, a memoir about his fixation on solving (or trying to, anyway) cold cases, and “The Man From Primrose Lane”, a trippy sci-fi horror murder mystery, Renner likes to go places where very few people like to go. You know: like Cleveland.
Okay, sorry about that. Cleveland jokes are old hat, I know, but it’s appropriate here, as Renner’s latest book, “Little, Crazy Children” is set in an east-Cleveland suburb known as Shaker Heights. As a life-long resident of Cleveland (west-side), I can say with confidence that every Clevelander is familiar with Shaker Heights. It’s a beautiful upper-class suburb with phenomenal schools and mansion homes for the wealthy doctors and lawyers that have settled in Cleveland. It also has a “reputation”, one that has been immortalized in Celeste Ng’s novel “Little Fires Everywhere” (and the subsequent Hulu TV show based on it). Not surprisingly, the reputation has a lot to do with race and class. I won’t go into it.
Anyway, on September 13, 1990, the body of a young woman named Lisa Pruett was discovered in the bushes on a busy intersection of Shaker Heights. She had been stabbed repeatedly, her clothes had been pulled half-way off, as if she had been in the middle of undressing.
Not that far away, her boyfriend Dan Dreifort was waiting for her in his driveway. He had just returned home from a stint in a mental institution. He had called the police after he and his father had heard a scream coming from the woods. After some investigating, Dan found Lisa’s bike. The body was found not long after.
The police investigation quickly found a suspect: Kevin Young, a young man known to both Pruett and Dreifort. Inexplicably, the Shaker Heights police decided—-based on absolutely no hard evidence whatsoever—-that Young was definitely the killer. Before the trial was even set, the police were sure that they had their guy.
Defense attorney Mark DeVan felt that Young was being railroaded based on the tunnel vision of local cops who had a strange hard-on about this kid. They hated him for some reason, and the hatred swept the community. Even during the trial, DeVan noticed the highly biased coverage the case was getting in the papers. The city of Cleveland had declared Young guilty long before a jury did.
Renner’s book is, interestingly enough, less about the murder than it is about how easily swayed the general public is in regards to vilifying a young man based on no evidence. Indeed, Renner’s research uncovered a weird phenomenon in which the testimonies of a group of teenagers in the community practically shaped the case to their liking. They would have put an innocent kid in prison had DeVan not been a more astute and intrepid attorney.
Renner goes beyond the case, however, and finds a suspect for the murder that makes you wonder how the hell the cops missed him.
Another superb book from Renner. Highly recommended for fans of true crime, Cleveland history, human drama, and books that transcend their genre.
February 24, 2023
I stayed up all night reading this one. It held my interest to the end, well-written and laid out. The true crime story of the 1990 murder of a sixteen year old girl and too many suspects. An interesting case I hadn't heard of before and lots of drama. A neighborhood that had a lot more going on than people even realized.
April 9, 2024
Hide yo kids and hide yo ‘Tussin!
(And yes I already know I’m going straight to H-E-Double-Hockey Sticks for continually thinking of the old Chris Rock special every time getting “high” on Robitussin was mentioned in this book.)
I am an O.G. James Renner fan. Despite my hatred for most covers not house related, I snatched up a copy of The Man from Primrose Lane (which, ironically features a main character who wrote a true crime novel) after some Goodreads friends dug it and then was lucky enough to get a reader copy of The Great Forgetting which earned all the Stars from my stingy butt too.
Imagine my dismay when Renner started writing true crime novels rather than fiction. You see, I’m a girl who loves to take a deep dive into all things murdery and culty on the boob tube, but aside from the occasional Ann Rule, only dabble in the written version. I made an exception with True Crime Addict because, once again, I was offered an early copy and also at that point I might have been somewhat addicted to Websleuths and the crazed keyboard commandos that could be found there. And it was good, but still the fact remains that I read garbage so this latest release has been sitting gathering dust for an age.
Buuuuuuuut, then I was looking for something to listen to on my “walk ‘n talks” and this was available in audio format from the library so I figured, why not? For audiobook listeners, the author has a great reading voice that should generate zero complaints. And as far as the subject matter? I had zero problems walking five miles while listening and was completely invested in this story of “crazy little children” who spent their free time having “Robitussin parties,” sex and sleepovers all in the suburb of Shaker Heights with apparently none of their parents all the wiser.
Renner’s version of true crime is different than a lot of authors. His stories are not well known and he sticks close to home with those that took place in Ohio. But he’s two-for-two when it comes to me getting totally caught up in the telling.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
(And yes I already know I’m going straight to H-E-Double-Hockey Sticks for continually thinking of the old Chris Rock special every time getting “high” on Robitussin was mentioned in this book.)
I am an O.G. James Renner fan. Despite my hatred for most covers not house related, I snatched up a copy of The Man from Primrose Lane (which, ironically features a main character who wrote a true crime novel) after some Goodreads friends dug it and then was lucky enough to get a reader copy of The Great Forgetting which earned all the Stars from my stingy butt too.
Imagine my dismay when Renner started writing true crime novels rather than fiction. You see, I’m a girl who loves to take a deep dive into all things murdery and culty on the boob tube, but aside from the occasional Ann Rule, only dabble in the written version. I made an exception with True Crime Addict because, once again, I was offered an early copy and also at that point I might have been somewhat addicted to Websleuths and the crazed keyboard commandos that could be found there. And it was good, but still the fact remains that I read garbage so this latest release has been sitting gathering dust for an age.
Buuuuuuuut, then I was looking for something to listen to on my “walk ‘n talks” and this was available in audio format from the library so I figured, why not? For audiobook listeners, the author has a great reading voice that should generate zero complaints. And as far as the subject matter? I had zero problems walking five miles while listening and was completely invested in this story of “crazy little children” who spent their free time having “Robitussin parties,” sex and sleepovers all in the suburb of Shaker Heights with apparently none of their parents all the wiser.
Renner’s version of true crime is different than a lot of authors. His stories are not well known and he sticks close to home with those that took place in Ohio. But he’s two-for-two when it comes to me getting totally caught up in the telling.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2023
When James Renner reached out to me asking if I'd like an advanced copy of his new book, I jumped at the chance as in 2016, I had the pleasure of reading another of James' books TRUE CRIME ADDICT, which I thoroughly enjoyed. In this new book, LITTLE, CRAZY CHILDREN, James looks at the brutal 1990 killing of Shaker Heights teen Lisa Pruett and the trial that followed.
Renner wastes no time getting right into the crime itself by detailing the location, the potential culprits and the circumstances surrounding Lisa's unfortunate demise. The narrative then moves at a breakneck pace from the moment the police arrive and the detective's work begins. Sourcing countless documents along with his dogged determination, Renner exposes the state's belief only one suspect could have possibly commited the crime - Kevin Young.
Renner builds a compelling case for other suspects and blames the prosecution's tunnel vision for ignoring other avenues. As the case moves along and doubt is seeded in the jurors relating to Kevin's potential for such an act, the danger arises that the wrong man may be facing a lifetime in prison.
LITTLE CRAZY CHILDREN had me reading in extended sessions with the book seemingly glued to my hands. As a fan of Raymond Burr's PERRY MASON, the book encompasses the best part of the decades old courtroom drama where arguments get heated and each of the masterful chess players do their best to upset the other.
While I haven't read a lot of true crime, it's safe to say this would be an easy recommendation for those who do.
Renner wastes no time getting right into the crime itself by detailing the location, the potential culprits and the circumstances surrounding Lisa's unfortunate demise. The narrative then moves at a breakneck pace from the moment the police arrive and the detective's work begins. Sourcing countless documents along with his dogged determination, Renner exposes the state's belief only one suspect could have possibly commited the crime - Kevin Young.
Renner builds a compelling case for other suspects and blames the prosecution's tunnel vision for ignoring other avenues. As the case moves along and doubt is seeded in the jurors relating to Kevin's potential for such an act, the danger arises that the wrong man may be facing a lifetime in prison.
LITTLE CRAZY CHILDREN had me reading in extended sessions with the book seemingly glued to my hands. As a fan of Raymond Burr's PERRY MASON, the book encompasses the best part of the decades old courtroom drama where arguments get heated and each of the masterful chess players do their best to upset the other.
While I haven't read a lot of true crime, it's safe to say this would be an easy recommendation for those who do.
September 26, 2023
4 Stars
May 22, 2023
The first half of this book was so well-researched and written. James Renner pulled so much content from case notes, court documents, and personal interviews with those that knew Lisa Pruett in the unsolved 1990 murder case. Her acquaintance and classmate, Kevin Young, was many things, a racist, entitled, troubled, and unpopular, but it remains unclear whether or not he murdered Lisa. However, the community of Shaker Heights seemed to fixate on Kevin as the prime murder suspect. While Renner does not totally exonerate Kevin, he does highlight the complexity of this case and how the evidence seemed to demonstrate that Kevin may not have been the killer.
I was engaged throughout the first half when Renner presented concrete evidence, but he lost me in the last portion. Renner talks about personal anecdotes, his motivations for writing the book, and disjointedly what happened to some of the people involved in this case. Perhaps most strange is that Renner introduces a potential suspect within the book's last three chapters, with very little follow-up. If the book had continued with the same cadence as it had in the beginning this would have been a solid 5-star read, but the end really brought down the book as a whole.
I was engaged throughout the first half when Renner presented concrete evidence, but he lost me in the last portion. Renner talks about personal anecdotes, his motivations for writing the book, and disjointedly what happened to some of the people involved in this case. Perhaps most strange is that Renner introduces a potential suspect within the book's last three chapters, with very little follow-up. If the book had continued with the same cadence as it had in the beginning this would have been a solid 5-star read, but the end really brought down the book as a whole.
July 17, 2023
I thought this book was pretty good in detailing the history of the case up through the trial and not guilty verdict. That’s when it went off the rails as the author talks about his wild speculations, his substance abuse, his radical political beliefs and his personal “feelings.” He’s just another amateur true crime nut muddling an already muddled case for profit. 👎🏻
May 16, 2023
Another fantastic true crime book written by James Renner! Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Kensington Books for an ARC. Pub date: 6/27, the perfect true crime poolside read.
Briefly: During the early 90s in Cleveland, OH, teenager Lisa Pruitt was brutally murdered. Everyone has a different theory, and that becomes dangerous and problematic when “everyone” includes the local police. Bad things happen when police decide their main suspect before the evidence tells its story.
This book was a true page-turner for me. James Renner is one of those true crime authors who makes a story come alive. It was fascinating to read about this case that happened so close to where I live, and I actually recognized the names of the streets where the murder took place. Creepy!
Lots of focus on investigations and court proceedings (which I love). This one is not too heavy on the gory details of a murder scene. Definitely recommended for two audiences: anyone looking to give the true crime genre a try, and those of us who are avid true crime readers already.
Briefly: During the early 90s in Cleveland, OH, teenager Lisa Pruitt was brutally murdered. Everyone has a different theory, and that becomes dangerous and problematic when “everyone” includes the local police. Bad things happen when police decide their main suspect before the evidence tells its story.
This book was a true page-turner for me. James Renner is one of those true crime authors who makes a story come alive. It was fascinating to read about this case that happened so close to where I live, and I actually recognized the names of the streets where the murder took place. Creepy!
Lots of focus on investigations and court proceedings (which I love). This one is not too heavy on the gory details of a murder scene. Definitely recommended for two audiences: anyone looking to give the true crime genre a try, and those of us who are avid true crime readers already.
January 23, 2026
3 stars
This was an odd one. The crime wasn’t especially compelling, the stabbing death of a teenage girl in an affluent section of Cleveland in 1990, and the prose was a bit rushed and dull, but there’s a real mystery here to ponder and that is quite interesting. Justice isn’t easy to be found, even for the wealthy and connected.
This was an odd one. The crime wasn’t especially compelling, the stabbing death of a teenage girl in an affluent section of Cleveland in 1990, and the prose was a bit rushed and dull, but there’s a real mystery here to ponder and that is quite interesting. Justice isn’t easy to be found, even for the wealthy and connected.
February 18, 2023
Who did it? Who killed the popular young girl? Was it the prime suspect, her boyfriend, his father, or any other teen from her large group of small town friends? This is a true crime book filled with some answers and lots of questions and official police and court room records. All the facts are laid out for you, plain as could be, defying you to ferret out who is lying and to solve the case of who killed Lisa. This is a great book for true crime lovers. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.
January 7, 2025
My First Review for 2025
Book Title: Crazy Little Children
Author: James Renner
Genre: True Crime
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Set in the affluent suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1990, this gripping true crime tale delves into the brutal murder of 16-year-old Lisa Pruett. Decades later, the case remains unsolved, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and lingering speculation.
As someone familiar with Cleveland history, I found the local connection fascinating. Renner’s relentless quest to uncover the truth behind Lisa Pruett’s murder is nothing short of captivating. His deep dive into years of evidence and analysis left me questioning everything I thought I knew.
There’s nothing negative to say about this book—it’s well-written and engrossing. My only struggle was processing the heartbreaking reality of what happened to Lisa and the lack of closure for her loved ones.
This was my first read by James Renner, and I was blown away by his ability to blend investigative journalism with compelling storytelling. Crazy Little Children is a must-read for true crime fans, especially those intrigued by cold cases.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, freely expressed.
QOTD:
What’s a true crime case that has stuck with you over the years?
Let’s chat in the comments!
#BookReview #TrueCrime #BookLover #Bibliophile #ReadersOfInstagram #BookCommunity #CrimeReads #BookRec #Bookstagram #BooksOfInstagram #ReadingJourney #HonestReviews
Book Title: Crazy Little Children
Author: James Renner
Genre: True Crime
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Set in the affluent suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1990, this gripping true crime tale delves into the brutal murder of 16-year-old Lisa Pruett. Decades later, the case remains unsolved, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and lingering speculation.
As someone familiar with Cleveland history, I found the local connection fascinating. Renner’s relentless quest to uncover the truth behind Lisa Pruett’s murder is nothing short of captivating. His deep dive into years of evidence and analysis left me questioning everything I thought I knew.
There’s nothing negative to say about this book—it’s well-written and engrossing. My only struggle was processing the heartbreaking reality of what happened to Lisa and the lack of closure for her loved ones.
This was my first read by James Renner, and I was blown away by his ability to blend investigative journalism with compelling storytelling. Crazy Little Children is a must-read for true crime fans, especially those intrigued by cold cases.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, freely expressed.
QOTD:
What’s a true crime case that has stuck with you over the years?
Let’s chat in the comments!
#BookReview #TrueCrime #BookLover #Bibliophile #ReadersOfInstagram #BookCommunity #CrimeReads #BookRec #Bookstagram #BooksOfInstagram #ReadingJourney #HonestReviews
September 28, 2023
The first 3/4 of the book is basically transcripts. The author presents them and does little else. Some readers may enjoy this; others may find it dry and boring. Certainly a better writer could have condensed and paraphrased.
If you’ve followed this case, Renner has presented nothing new here.
Then on to the final quarter or so- this is where it becomes a personalized opinion piece.
It’s disjointed and amateurish. Just as he pretends he has inside knowledge of the Amy Mihaljevic case because he was the same age and lived in the same state as the victim, he seems to act like having a 10 minute scare with his child gives him inside knowledge of having a child murdered. He paints Young as the weird picked-on kid and the others as the popular posse. The truth is that Young was a racist misogynist, and the kids who mentioned his name were the weird kids. Were any of them guilty of murder or a witch-hunt? Probably not. Renner could have “investigated” the police more thoroughly and fleshed out other potential perpetrators better. Instead, he overly personalized and under-investigated, and the only aspects that were well informed were basically copied and pasted.
If you’ve followed this case, Renner has presented nothing new here.
Then on to the final quarter or so- this is where it becomes a personalized opinion piece.
It’s disjointed and amateurish. Just as he pretends he has inside knowledge of the Amy Mihaljevic case because he was the same age and lived in the same state as the victim, he seems to act like having a 10 minute scare with his child gives him inside knowledge of having a child murdered. He paints Young as the weird picked-on kid and the others as the popular posse. The truth is that Young was a racist misogynist, and the kids who mentioned his name were the weird kids. Were any of them guilty of murder or a witch-hunt? Probably not. Renner could have “investigated” the police more thoroughly and fleshed out other potential perpetrators better. Instead, he overly personalized and under-investigated, and the only aspects that were well informed were basically copied and pasted.
February 5, 2024
I said it before and I’ll keep saying it, Renner is a natural teacher. One of his teaching strengths is the way he is so aware of, diligently maps out, critically assesses and questions his own logic and reasoning, therefore providing his “students” with an understanding of how they, themselves, can learn to apply those skills to their own assumptions and whys, as well as the assumptions and whys of others. Teaching critical thinking and self awareness isn’t easy, but if you want to learn how, pick up Little Crazy Children; listen to the Philosophy of Crime and absorb a bonus lesson: the pure quiet joy of the mic drop and knowing you got in the last word.
August 20, 2023
I have to stop reading this guy‘s books. Granted, this is better than True Crime Addict, for one reason: The first three quarters are basically copy & pasted, newly arranged transcripts of witness depositions, court documents etc. It reads well and I give it an A for effort. But for the final, mercifully brief, 80 pages we‘re in for the usual Renner treat of slapdash „investigation“, lazy conjecture and outright character assassination. So yeah, stop reading after the second part and you’ll have read a fairly decent book.
July 11, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you NetGalley.
This was my first book by James Renner, and it was quite interesting. This was a true crime book about 16 year old Lisa Pruett in Ohio. If you have not heard about this story / crime, Lisa was on her way to her boyfriend's house at midnight in 1990 when she was horrendously stabbed to death just a few feet away.
The community teamed up against another young teen - Kevin, certain that he was the murderer. He was arrested withh zero evidence and later acquitted.
30 years later, there are still so many questions left unanswered. James Renner did an amazing job with this book and the facts.
Would definitely read another by him.
This was my first book by James Renner, and it was quite interesting. This was a true crime book about 16 year old Lisa Pruett in Ohio. If you have not heard about this story / crime, Lisa was on her way to her boyfriend's house at midnight in 1990 when she was horrendously stabbed to death just a few feet away.
The community teamed up against another young teen - Kevin, certain that he was the murderer. He was arrested withh zero evidence and later acquitted.
30 years later, there are still so many questions left unanswered. James Renner did an amazing job with this book and the facts.
Would definitely read another by him.
October 14, 2024
Everyone living in Shaker Heights, Ohio in 1990 — and many others residing in the Cleveland area at that time— will never forget the name “Lisa Pruett.” Lisa was a 16 year old student who was brutally murdered en route to a midnight rendezvous with her boyfriend, Dan Dreifort. This still unsolved crime was shocking because murders in Shaker are as rare as solar eclipses and because both the victim and her accused killer, Kevin Young, were children of prominent Shaker families. True crime author, James Renner, became interested in the case when he wrote a look-back article for “Cleveland Scene” in 2007, later became obsessed with the case, and launched a website to capture his findings as he continued to investigate. The book collects and organizes the information he has gathered over the years, reveals newly discovered evidence, and identifies the person Renner believes was the real killer (which I will NOT disclose in this review). While not great literature, the book is meticulously researched and provides a gripping account of this infamous crime and its aftermath.
The book is remarkable not only because of what it discloses about the crime, but also because of what it says about Shaker — where this reviewer has lived for 40 years. Renner pierces the stately veneer of this tony east side suburb to reveal its seamy underside. Virtually all the high achieving families portrayed in this drama seem dysfunctional. Lisa’s classmates — who arrogantly call themselves “the AP [Advanced Placement] Posse” — come across as smug and insensitive, engage in vile discourse with one another and with the adults in their milieu, and have no respect for authority. Without any meaningful supervision, these kids gather at each others’ homes late at night, where they drink and smoke, take drugs, and engage in promiscuous sex. When the police investigate Lisa’s murder, the kids — without prompting — are quick to air their friends’ dirty laundry and pass on wholly unsubstantiated gossip having no relevance to the crime. In a sense, “Little, Crazy Children” does to the suburbs what “Hillbilly Elegy” did to the country — i.e., it dispels the notion that bad stuff does not happen here.
No one comes across worse in Renner’s book than Shaker’s political establishment and police force. Early in the investigation, the police decided that the killer was a recent Shaker graduate named Kevin Young. Why? Because the kids interviewed by the police consistently identified this socially awkward and unpopular young man — who had some mental health issues, reportedly had a crush on Lisa, and was jealous of her boyfriend — as someone they deemed capable of murder. Stated otherwise, the kids were driving the investigation. It was this realization that inspired the book’s title, which Renner borrowed from Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”:
“We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little, crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!”
Without any physical evidence linking Kevin to the murder and despite the fact that his parents claimed that he was with them at the time of the crime, the police became laser-focused on him and made no effort to investigate other suspects — in particular, Lisa’s boyfriend, himself a troubled young man whose account of his conduct on the night of the murder seems wildly implausible.
The lack of evidence against Kevin was not for lack of effort. For months after the murder, it seemed as though the entire Shaker police department had been assigned to the case. Shaker dispatched no fewer than six officers to Columbus, where Kevin had just enrolled at Ohio State, to extract a confession. While this contingent was in Columbus, other officers obtained a search warrant for Kevin’s home in Shaker, which they executed in the middle of the night. The police even enlisted the assistance of the FBI’s Behavioral Assessment Unit and a self-described “psycholinguist” to help them extract a confession from Kevin. But despite several grueling interrogations, Kevin consistently maintained his innocence.
Although the case against Kevin was so thin that the county prosecutor adamantly declined to seek an indictment, a local investigative reporter learned and revealed that Kevin was the prime suspect. In response to the furor that followed, Shaker officials hired a public relations consultant and convened a press conference to announce that they were convinced that they had the right man; while Kevin was not identified by name, everyone knew who they meant. In one of the book’s most chilling passages, Renner reveals that the city dispatched employees to meet with community leaders to assure them that they knew who killed Lisa and that it was only a matter of time before they would bring him to trial. As someone who has been involved in dozens of jury selections himself, I am convinced that this campaign had the purpose and effect of polluting the jury pool. In essence, it was trial by media.
Everything changed about a year and a half after the crime when two people at a psychiatric facility to which Kevin had been committed claimed that Kevin had confessed to them that he murdered Lisa. “Jailhouse” snitches are notoriously unreliable. That is particularly true when one of the snitches is an inmate at a mental health facility. But that didn’t stop the authorities from bringing Kevin to trial in the summer of 1993 — nearly three years after the murder.
Renner’s lengthy and detailed account of the trial consists largely of extensive excerpts from the trial transcript, with a handful of explanatory comments. What I found most remarkable about Renner’s reporting was the shockingly weak prosecution case. Absent forensic evidence linking Kevin to the crime, the prosecution rested heavily on the testimony of the “little, crazy children” from Shaker High School. In essence, they told the jury that Kevin was a weird kid who made disparaging and arguably threatening comments about Lisa and Dan. But under rigorous cross-examination, their stories quickly unraveled. Their testimony was inconsistent with earlier statements they had made, at odds with the testimony of other witnesses, contradicted by known facts, and/or inherently unbelievable. If, however, you had been reading the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s account of the trial, you would have concluded that the case against Kevin was a slam dunk. As I have found in many of my own cases, the media frequently develop their own slant on a high profile trial, and what they report sometimes bears little resemblance to what actually occurs in the courtroom.
The collapse of testimony from Kevin’s classmates left the prosecution’s case in the hands of two witnesses from the psychiatric hospital — another patient and an intern — who testified that Kevin had confessed to the murder. Cross-examination of the patient — who took her claim to a local TV station before contacting the police — showed that she likely fabricated the confession to get attention and later created a phony diary entry to corroborate her story. The intern’s testimony was undermined by her failure to record in Kevin’s chart any mention of his alleged confession.
Particularly noteworthy was the desultory and disorganized closing argument delivered by the lead prosecutor, Carmen Marino. It seemed as though Marino — later driven from office for a host of alleged ethical lapses — was gathering his thoughts for the first time as he addressed the jury and that he did not really believe what he was telling them. In sharp contrast, the defense closing effectively established that the prosecution was based largely on character assassination and that the physical evidence — such as it was — pointed more toward Lisa’s boyfriend, Dan Dreifort, than to Kevin. For example, while nothing indicated that Lisa had been sexually assaulted, there was evidence that she had engaged in or was on the verge of engaging in consensual sex in the yard where her body was found.
When the jury returned a defense verdict after only a few hours of deliberations, the Plain Dealer’s subscribers were stunned and outraged. They had been led to believe that the case against Kevin was open and shut. In fact, the verdict was clear cut, but not in the way the PD’s readers imagined. There was only one holdout for conviction, and he was soon persuaded that there was “reasonably doubt” about Kevin’s guilt. The newspaper’s readers had been misled about how the trial was progressing. The verdict unleashed vehement criticism of the judge, defense counsel, and of course Kevin.
So, if Renner is right and Kevin was not Lisa’s killer, justice was served and all is well. No harm, no foul. Right? Well, not quite. The prevailing view in Shaker was that clever lawyering had allowed Kevin literally to get away with murder. Despite the acquittal, Kevin remained a pariah in the community. He never finished college, working instead as a painter and handyman. Kevin died in 2017 at the age of 44 — apparently as a result of years of substance abuse — garnering one last story in the Plain Dealer. The prosecution had taken its toll.
The book, then, is a cautionary tale of what happens when an insular community looks for a scapegoat after things go badly and when law enforcement rushes to judgment. It also illustrates what happens in a one-newspaper town when a reporter’s biases stand in the way of objective reporting. Most of all, it shows how vicious “little, crazy children” can be — particularly toward someone who is not part of their clique.
While Renner’s account of the crime, investigation, and trial is fast-paced, the last quarter of the book slows to a crawl. Mostly, Renner discusses what he learned from the principal players during interviews conducted long after the trial. Those interviews led Renner to conclude that the leading suspect is someone other than either Kevin or Dan. To be sure, Renner has uncovered evidence linking the new guy to the murder. But as with Kevin and Dan, the evidence is entirely circumstantial. So, you should read the book because the story is fascinating even decades later. But be prepared to leave the book frustrated that we still don’t really know who killed Lisa.
May 31, 2023
I was drawn to Little Crazy Children by the allusion to “The Crucible” in the title and it did not disappoint. As a life-long Cleveland resident, I appreciated all of the references to local names and places, but the book has wide range appeal beyond merely name-dropping the likes of Dick Feagler and the Terminal Tower. Renner critically examines what happens when a small, vocal minority decides one person is guilty to the exclusion of all others because it fits a convenient narrative. The concise chapters move quickly and keep the reader guessing about the jury’s verdict until it is finally given. Even then, the reader can weigh the court of public opinion against their own thoughts about the case. Anyone who is upset that there is not a clear resolution by the end of the book misses the point entirely.
February 21, 2023
One of the very best true crime books I've ever read. The author does a fabulous job of presenting all of the facts, from every angle, and lets you decide who you believe most likely murdered poor Lisa Pruett. Wonderfully researched and never dull or dry. Truly a must read for all true crime fans. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 8, 2023
I received a free copy of, Little, Crazy Chrildren, by James Renner, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sixteen year old Lisa Pruett, is murdered on September 13, 1990, in Ohio. Without evidence Kevin Young, is the main suspect. This is such a senseless murder, in a crazy town. The kids in this upscale community of Cleveland are mean and crazy. Wow, what a read. Not a pleasant story story at all, but well written.
January 20, 2024
Lisa Pruett’s death, like most murders (there are exceptions, like victims turning on their abusers or kidnappers, or whathaveyou), is tragic. We should, therefore, treat it with the gravity and respect that so many deaths deserve. I oscillate between feeling that this story mimics the thousands upon thousands of other murders of young women—many of which were investigated with unrelenting vigor, and more of which have probably been chalked up to the status of unsolvable and unimportant—and that it is unique. One of the hardest truths with which we come to terms as adults with good moral intentions is that sometimes—most times—the bad guys get away with it.
The more books I review, the more I try to comment on style, structure, writing, and all the other puzzle pieces that make a book rather than the author themselves. Though, just as scientific research now suffers under the debate of whether or not to use first person and acknowledge the subjective influence of the researchers, I often have to note that somebody actually produced the work. Renner does a stand up job. For nearly three quarters of the book, it is hard to identify any subjective verbiage or personal mission to pin down Pruett’s murderer. Rather, Renner primarily sticks to his main motive: laying out like a storyboard all of the evidence that shows that the Shaker Heights’s police department, and later the Shaker Heights’s prosecutors’ office, found a suspect based on circumstantial evidence and stopped looking for (or stopped considering) anything else.
When ACAB became a fashionable thing to shout a few years ago, I was resistant to the message. Not because I knew any cops or because I believed that “a few bad apples” was a small problem that couldn’t taint a whole system. Rather, I just didn’t like the idea that so many pieces of our justice system were focused not on justice but on providing quick, though not necessarily accurate, solutions. We have to remember though: policing and detective work are jobs. I presume you can’t get a good performance review if you never close a case, and if you can present enough evidence that points to that solution, does it matter if other evidence points elsewhere?
In the years since ACAB was a very big opinion, I’ve heard more and more stories of police coercion, false imprisonment, and recalled a lot of the research I did in college about how structures such a early parole for petty crimes is not an increased sensitivity to the lives of those convicted but a means by which police systems can infiltrate neighborhoods that are crime-coded. There’s a whole documentary on Netflix (I can’t remember what it’s called now) about false rape reporting. In that documentary, we see footage and hear stories of women who reported being sexually assaulted by friends, acquaintances, strangers, police officers, or the sons of powerful families. And then we see police officers break these women down in interrogation rooms, lie to them about finding video evidence that shows the women are not telling the truth, and then prosecute the women for filing a false police report. None of this is to say that false reports of rape have never happened. It is just to say that as reporting and true crime investigation becomes a larger and more accessible phenomenon, we are becoming more and more exposed to people who are investigating crimes not to make money in one avenue or another but to serve some sort of personal interest. More evidence is suggesting that members of the justice system want to close cases, not solve them, so it makes sense that we eat up the likes of Renner.
Renner’s display of evidence and recounting of the whole sordid story shines light on the targeting of Kevin Young by these Shaker Heights departments, which match the ever more apparent actions of similar departments all over the country. Notably, Renner does not make any genuine declaration of Young’s innocence or guilt; rather, the structure of Little, Crazy Children allows the reader to take in all of the information surrounding Young’s interrogation, the statements of his classmates, and the trial and come to a somewhat singular conclusion: whether or not Young killed Pruett, the detectives seemed to place a bullseye on his back based on the gossip of teenagers and disregard any other leads. If the point of the book is not to solve the case but accuse the prosecution, it works.
I can’t understand my affinity for true crime. Recently, I decided that my interest in empathy is one of the reasons: reading about true crime or listening to podcasts about true crime introduces me to others who have great disdain for the atrocities man can commit. I truly think that’s part of it. But I also have to acknowledge the fascination some—including myself—have for individual crimes, or genres of crimes. I am not fool enough to believe empathy synonymous with intrigue. Renner opens himself to criticism only in the final quarter of the book by taking the reader through part of his experience investigating this, and other, crimes. (Until this point, the book focused entirely on the case and the trial.) He’s not the weirdest or creepiest of true crime fans, and his extensive research on other cases is not something that bothers me, as it did Michelle Dean. However, it is worth noting that he does seem, at minimum, a bit off putting. He recounts accidentally addressing an email to a classmate of Pruett as “Dear Lisa,” and we’ve all made an embarrassing mistake on an email, but it is understandable why this may not have helped his reputation. In a true crime book covering a case that includes drug use, detailing the personal COVID spiraling of drinking and smoking incessantly doesn’t quite seem relevant, and the author’s suggestion that the accidental near death experience of his young daughter is even remotely similar to the actual violent murder and subsequent media circus and trial—in which a suspect was acquitted and the case was then never solved—of a teenage daughter seems…how do I put this…out of touch? No wonder the Pruett’s didn’t want to be interviewed.
If you’re looking for an answer, this book won’t give you one. I have no idea if Young killed Pruett. He sure had a lot of ideologies in his youth that we would now classify as “incel,” “white supremacist,” and even “nazi.” Those certainly seem to fit the bill for a suspect here. There’s no evidence to tie him to the crime at all, though, and there is evidence that the police used some manipulative tactics on an eighteen year old kid with a history of bad mental health. And after all: you can be an absolute shit person and not be a murderer. Maybe it was Dan The Boyfriend, whose story was inconsistent and who wrote hateful and violent responses to Pruett’s seemingly daily Rachel Green length declarations of love. It could be David, the troubled teenage burglar who silently broke into homes, shared information about the crime that was not public at the time of his statement, and reported seeing a black man running from the scene in the same way he had reported seeing a black man run from the scene of a double homicide on the same street just a few years earlier. Coupled with the early deaths of nearly everyone of consequence, if the track record of the investigative teams on this case is any indication, we will likely never know.
The more books I review, the more I try to comment on style, structure, writing, and all the other puzzle pieces that make a book rather than the author themselves. Though, just as scientific research now suffers under the debate of whether or not to use first person and acknowledge the subjective influence of the researchers, I often have to note that somebody actually produced the work. Renner does a stand up job. For nearly three quarters of the book, it is hard to identify any subjective verbiage or personal mission to pin down Pruett’s murderer. Rather, Renner primarily sticks to his main motive: laying out like a storyboard all of the evidence that shows that the Shaker Heights’s police department, and later the Shaker Heights’s prosecutors’ office, found a suspect based on circumstantial evidence and stopped looking for (or stopped considering) anything else.
When ACAB became a fashionable thing to shout a few years ago, I was resistant to the message. Not because I knew any cops or because I believed that “a few bad apples” was a small problem that couldn’t taint a whole system. Rather, I just didn’t like the idea that so many pieces of our justice system were focused not on justice but on providing quick, though not necessarily accurate, solutions. We have to remember though: policing and detective work are jobs. I presume you can’t get a good performance review if you never close a case, and if you can present enough evidence that points to that solution, does it matter if other evidence points elsewhere?
In the years since ACAB was a very big opinion, I’ve heard more and more stories of police coercion, false imprisonment, and recalled a lot of the research I did in college about how structures such a early parole for petty crimes is not an increased sensitivity to the lives of those convicted but a means by which police systems can infiltrate neighborhoods that are crime-coded. There’s a whole documentary on Netflix (I can’t remember what it’s called now) about false rape reporting. In that documentary, we see footage and hear stories of women who reported being sexually assaulted by friends, acquaintances, strangers, police officers, or the sons of powerful families. And then we see police officers break these women down in interrogation rooms, lie to them about finding video evidence that shows the women are not telling the truth, and then prosecute the women for filing a false police report. None of this is to say that false reports of rape have never happened. It is just to say that as reporting and true crime investigation becomes a larger and more accessible phenomenon, we are becoming more and more exposed to people who are investigating crimes not to make money in one avenue or another but to serve some sort of personal interest. More evidence is suggesting that members of the justice system want to close cases, not solve them, so it makes sense that we eat up the likes of Renner.
Renner’s display of evidence and recounting of the whole sordid story shines light on the targeting of Kevin Young by these Shaker Heights departments, which match the ever more apparent actions of similar departments all over the country. Notably, Renner does not make any genuine declaration of Young’s innocence or guilt; rather, the structure of Little, Crazy Children allows the reader to take in all of the information surrounding Young’s interrogation, the statements of his classmates, and the trial and come to a somewhat singular conclusion: whether or not Young killed Pruett, the detectives seemed to place a bullseye on his back based on the gossip of teenagers and disregard any other leads. If the point of the book is not to solve the case but accuse the prosecution, it works.
I can’t understand my affinity for true crime. Recently, I decided that my interest in empathy is one of the reasons: reading about true crime or listening to podcasts about true crime introduces me to others who have great disdain for the atrocities man can commit. I truly think that’s part of it. But I also have to acknowledge the fascination some—including myself—have for individual crimes, or genres of crimes. I am not fool enough to believe empathy synonymous with intrigue. Renner opens himself to criticism only in the final quarter of the book by taking the reader through part of his experience investigating this, and other, crimes. (Until this point, the book focused entirely on the case and the trial.) He’s not the weirdest or creepiest of true crime fans, and his extensive research on other cases is not something that bothers me, as it did Michelle Dean. However, it is worth noting that he does seem, at minimum, a bit off putting. He recounts accidentally addressing an email to a classmate of Pruett as “Dear Lisa,” and we’ve all made an embarrassing mistake on an email, but it is understandable why this may not have helped his reputation. In a true crime book covering a case that includes drug use, detailing the personal COVID spiraling of drinking and smoking incessantly doesn’t quite seem relevant, and the author’s suggestion that the accidental near death experience of his young daughter is even remotely similar to the actual violent murder and subsequent media circus and trial—in which a suspect was acquitted and the case was then never solved—of a teenage daughter seems…how do I put this…out of touch? No wonder the Pruett’s didn’t want to be interviewed.
If you’re looking for an answer, this book won’t give you one. I have no idea if Young killed Pruett. He sure had a lot of ideologies in his youth that we would now classify as “incel,” “white supremacist,” and even “nazi.” Those certainly seem to fit the bill for a suspect here. There’s no evidence to tie him to the crime at all, though, and there is evidence that the police used some manipulative tactics on an eighteen year old kid with a history of bad mental health. And after all: you can be an absolute shit person and not be a murderer. Maybe it was Dan The Boyfriend, whose story was inconsistent and who wrote hateful and violent responses to Pruett’s seemingly daily Rachel Green length declarations of love. It could be David, the troubled teenage burglar who silently broke into homes, shared information about the crime that was not public at the time of his statement, and reported seeing a black man running from the scene in the same way he had reported seeing a black man run from the scene of a double homicide on the same street just a few years earlier. Coupled with the early deaths of nearly everyone of consequence, if the track record of the investigative teams on this case is any indication, we will likely never know.
July 5, 2024
Little, Crazy Children by James Renner is about an unsolved murder of a teenaged girl. About three-fourths of the book is devoted to the the high school clique she belonged to (the little, crazy children of the title) - their romantic entanglements, their spur-of-the-moment mid-night gatherings, and most of all, their gossip. The writer’s contention is that this gossip led to the authorities’ focusing on an individual, arresting him, and bringing him to trial. After his acquittal the authorities quit investigating. The writer then introduces a totally new person - one nowhere referred to earlier in the book - and gives reasons for suspecting him of the murder, but is unable to validate his suspicions because that guy was kind of a drifter when alive and in any case was already dead by the time the book was written.
The final portion of Little, Crazy Children is devoted to a previously peripheral character - someone already imprisoned for a previous murder committed elsewhere - who confessed to committing a different murder in this same town at about the same time as the girl’s and then recanted, also disavowing the previous murder*. Even though few chapters are devoted to him he is in fact the hero of the book, since he seems to have persuaded its writer of his innocence and enlisted his help in his effort to become a free man.
Little, Crazy Children is a book about a true crime, but not a good one.**
*if this sounds totally confused, don’t blame the messenger. If you’re so smart read the thing yourself and then you can discuss its contents coherently.
**the book, not the crime
The final portion of Little, Crazy Children is devoted to a previously peripheral character - someone already imprisoned for a previous murder committed elsewhere - who confessed to committing a different murder in this same town at about the same time as the girl’s and then recanted, also disavowing the previous murder*. Even though few chapters are devoted to him he is in fact the hero of the book, since he seems to have persuaded its writer of his innocence and enlisted his help in his effort to become a free man.
Little, Crazy Children is a book about a true crime, but not a good one.**
*if this sounds totally confused, don’t blame the messenger. If you’re so smart read the thing yourself and then you can discuss its contents coherently.
**the book, not the crime
March 1, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for this true crime advanced reader copy. Mr. Renner offers you various sides of this crime. Lisa Pruett died so young, and yet the clues were difficult to decipher. She snuck out to meet her boyfriend and sadly met her demise. Who did it? Who was blamed? How did the details get mixed up? This is a fresh perspective of the crime. Check it out and see what you believe. The ending will make you wonder what happened that September evening in 1990.
July 2, 2023
When I read the title of this book “little crazy children “I had first thought it must be an anthology of children who kill but no it is about a boy named Kevin Young accused of killing a 16-year-old name Lisa Prude and shaker Heights Ohio they were all high school students and she was dating Dan Dreifort and on his way to his house they found her body on the side of a bush next to his home and during the investigation the main character witnesses and circumstantial evidence came from teenagers. This book is mainly about how they grossly over reached their authority and put Kevin Young through the ringer and upset the rest of his life. James Renner did a great job with the story and when I read the sentence that explained the title I was like OMG I should’ve figured that out but irregardless this is a book about the loss of a bright star not only in her family but in her community wrongfully accused boy in a crazy woman Bing the only witness to his confession. Head Chris been incredible witness it would’ve been a Parry Mason moment but as soon as the defense attorney who in my opinion said correct way too many times got the point across but the story seemed in Denton but you’ll have to read the book to get the ins and outs and it is so worth reading this is a True Crime book that will put you on the edge of your seat and it’s a book I highly recommend it. It has been a long time that I have read a cold case True Crime book it’s been so riveted and turning the pages as fast as I could this was a really good book and I mean really good! I received this book from NetGalley and Kensington books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
August 8, 2023
The best yet from James Renner. Such a compelling, well-written tale of an 80s teen murder, I read it in a single weekend.
May 6, 2024
3.5 Thoroughly enjoyed first 2/3. The last part- not so much.
July 6, 2023
I was all in for the first 2/3 of the book. The last third seemed disconnected and it took awhile for the author to link the pieces. When he finally did, I was underwhelmed by the conclusions.
March 4, 2023
James Renner is a journalist and former reporter for the Cleveland Scene. I had heard of his work on the Maura Murray case (he wrote True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray,). His thorough research and investigation has resulted in a boatload of work on that puzzling mysterious disappearance, which is available at the Special Collections Archive in the Kent State University Library.
I’m a big true crime fan, and while I had heard of the murder of teenager Lisa Pruett in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1995. The community is tight-knit, and Lisa’s many friends take it upon themselves to solve the murder. They all seem to point their collective fingers at Kevin Young, who was widely viewed as being “weird” and was definitely a social outcast at the high school they all attended. Once they tell the police their ideas on what happened, the police fixate on Kevin and never really explore other options.
When Lisa was murdered, she was sneaking out to be with her boyfriend, and her body was found about forty feet from his house. Kevin was arrested, charged, and tried –and eventually acquitted, which really didn’t sit well with those who always thought Kevin did it–and that he got away with it. There were so many ways this reminded me of the murder of Hae Minh Lee and the conviction and incarceration of Adnan Syed for the crime. In both cases, there was absolutely no real evidence, and the police were given a name, then tried to make details fit a theory of the crime. Lazy, irresponsible policing, IMO.
Lisa’s murder remains unsolved, and I wonder whether the advances in DNA might lead to it being solved–but first the police would have to reopen the case. Seems unlikely, but so did Adnan’s case when it first happened. Well written, not great literature, but it is a VERY good example of a well done true crime presentation. Four stars.
I’m a big true crime fan, and while I had heard of the murder of teenager Lisa Pruett in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1995. The community is tight-knit, and Lisa’s many friends take it upon themselves to solve the murder. They all seem to point their collective fingers at Kevin Young, who was widely viewed as being “weird” and was definitely a social outcast at the high school they all attended. Once they tell the police their ideas on what happened, the police fixate on Kevin and never really explore other options.
When Lisa was murdered, she was sneaking out to be with her boyfriend, and her body was found about forty feet from his house. Kevin was arrested, charged, and tried –and eventually acquitted, which really didn’t sit well with those who always thought Kevin did it–and that he got away with it. There were so many ways this reminded me of the murder of Hae Minh Lee and the conviction and incarceration of Adnan Syed for the crime. In both cases, there was absolutely no real evidence, and the police were given a name, then tried to make details fit a theory of the crime. Lazy, irresponsible policing, IMO.
Lisa’s murder remains unsolved, and I wonder whether the advances in DNA might lead to it being solved–but first the police would have to reopen the case. Seems unlikely, but so did Adnan’s case when it first happened. Well written, not great literature, but it is a VERY good example of a well done true crime presentation. Four stars.
August 9, 2023
2.5 stars
At first, I was really interested in this case and the investigation that Renner had done. He did a lot of research and seemed like he really dug deep into the case. So the first section I liked. The second section was pretty much just a reprint/rereading of the court case against Kevin Young. That got pretty boring on audio and there was a lot of interjection from the author that included his bias. I get it, he has an agenda here and is trying to highlight what he feels was a travesty done by the Shaker Heights police department to Kevin Young.
Then, the third part of the book turns to two audio hours of the author's personal anecdotes and accusations of another suspect who is now dead. None of the 'evidence' he presented was any stronger than what was presented against the other two suspects in the beginning. It just really made me feel like he was being exploitative just to get something new for the book. I don't know, I just really felt gross about it. I've never heard of or read Renner before, but this turned me off from looking for anything else to read by him.
Overall, I think this is a very sad case that has never been solved and most likely never will be. A girl murdered in an affluent part of Ohio and someone got away with it and is most likely living their life like nothing ever happened.
At first, I was really interested in this case and the investigation that Renner had done. He did a lot of research and seemed like he really dug deep into the case. So the first section I liked. The second section was pretty much just a reprint/rereading of the court case against Kevin Young. That got pretty boring on audio and there was a lot of interjection from the author that included his bias. I get it, he has an agenda here and is trying to highlight what he feels was a travesty done by the Shaker Heights police department to Kevin Young.
Then, the third part of the book turns to two audio hours of the author's personal anecdotes and accusations of another suspect who is now dead. None of the 'evidence' he presented was any stronger than what was presented against the other two suspects in the beginning. It just really made me feel like he was being exploitative just to get something new for the book. I don't know, I just really felt gross about it. I've never heard of or read Renner before, but this turned me off from looking for anything else to read by him.
Overall, I think this is a very sad case that has never been solved and most likely never will be. A girl murdered in an affluent part of Ohio and someone got away with it and is most likely living their life like nothing ever happened.
August 2, 2023
Robitussin party was a phrase used by one of Lisa Pruett's classmates just after her brutal murder in Shaker Heights. It was 1990 and the boys and girls had some unusual drug habits, including pot and cough syrup. The victim was only sixteen and her boyfriend Dan Dreifort had just been released from a psych ward. Lisa's sister Debbie described the "Robo" as inducing LSD like trips. Deb also mentioned secret hookups with a boyfriend in her bedroom. Somehow, mom and dad were oblivious to the teenager's activities.
Suspect number one was Danny boy but he was quickly replaced with another classmate with time spent at a nut house. The cast of characters is a long one and by the end of the book I was uncertain as to who killed Lisa.
Renner is a writer with good instincts and even in spite of no clear resolution, I highly recommend this book.
Suspect number one was Danny boy but he was quickly replaced with another classmate with time spent at a nut house. The cast of characters is a long one and by the end of the book I was uncertain as to who killed Lisa.
Renner is a writer with good instincts and even in spite of no clear resolution, I highly recommend this book.
July 30, 2023
DNF at 47%. I couldn’t continue with this book, it read more like a fiction book rather than a true crime story. It was exhausting reading all the “well this person did this,” and “they said/did/felt this.” Renner seemed to reliant on quotes and conversations from people involved with little narrative. There was almost no background on Shaker Heights itself—and what we did get seemed to be glossed over. Not for me.
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