A Far, Far Better Thing: Did a Fatal Attraction Lead to a Wrongful Conviction?

by Jens Soering, Bill Sizemore

In 1985, socialites Derek and Nancy Haysom were found brutally stabbed to death in their home in Boonsboro, Virginia. When suspicion turned to the Haysoms’ beautiful but troubled daughter, Elizabeth, and her German boyfriend, Jens Soering, their case became one of the most notorious in the Commonwealth’s history. After fleeing with Elizabeth to Europe, Jens ultimately confessed to the crime, under the illusion that as the son of a German consular official he’d be granted diplomatic immunity. He believed he was nobly sacrificing his life for love—just as Sydney Carton does for Lucie Manette in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.
Now published for the first time in English, Jens tells his side of the story: of how a naïve and reckless scholar fell into a world of deception, drugs, and ultimately murder. His compelling, revelatory account is accompanied by the painstaking analysis of Bill Sizemore, a journalist who’s followed the Soering case for over a decade. In parallel with the 2016 documentary film about the murders, called The Promise, A Far, Far Better Thing not only points to a miscarriage of justice, but also showcases the tragedy of misplaced love and a catastrophically foolish declaration.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2017

About the author

Prison reform advocated and convicted double murderer.

Soering had been imprisoned for a double murder of ther parents of his girlfriend in Virginia, USA. Söring claims he took the blame for his girlfriend and an other mom, thinking he had diplomaric immunity. Söring denies having committed the crime.

In jail Soering has written books about prison reform and his case.

Reviews

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1984 Jens Soering was a brilliant, eighteen year old first year student at the University of Virginia. Elizabeth Haysom was twenty years old, also a student. Both had been awarded prestigious scholarships. Both had enjoyed privileged childhoods. Barely a year later, Haysom's parents were brutally murdered in their home and Liz and Jens were suspected of the crime. They took off on a jaunt across Europe, trying to escape justice. My first reaction was anger and disgust that these young people were so casually disdainful of human life. They seemed to exist on a higher plane, considering themselves exempt from ordinary ethical behavior. By the end of the book, I had begun to sympathize with Jens Soering and to believe that he has been unjustly convicted of murder and imprisoned for over thirty years with little hope of release. I was left wondering why there hasn't been a politician in Virginia courageous enough to correct the injustice.

[Michael Belcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. 3.5 -word review: Pretentious, pompous, self-serving. The moral of the story: If you think a woman is outside your league, she is, and trouble will soon follow. While Jens Soering attempts to provide evidence of his innocence, he only proves himself to be the patsy; an unethical, and emotionally and sexually addicted foil (or as his psychiatrists claim a "folie a duex") to a truly twisted femme fatale. His admitted immaturity and idiocy do not exonerate him of his crimes.

[Gonzaga Escauriaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vi en el canal de Crimen e investigación la historia de esta pareja de adolescentes que acaban matando a los padres de ella.
En el informe del canal, no se explica muy bien lo que pasa después de las muertes, solamente a lo que fueron condenados. Pero en este libro se explica lo que pasó después en los tribunales y es increíble que el chico esté condenado a cadena perpetua cuando no hay ninguna prueba ni de que estuviese estado en el lugar del crimen.
La historia es curiosa y el convicto la cuenta muy bien.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I could not put this down. I HIGHLY reccomend checking this out. This case caught my eye from a 2016 documentary: "Killing For Love". It was so intriguing that I had to look more into it. Finding out that Jens himself has been writing books during his wrongful incarceration was just what I was looking for.