The true story of a 1984 murder and the lengths one man went to in order to achieve justice for his brother’s killing.
The moment he found out his brother was missing and presumed dead, Ted Kergan launched a relentless effort to bring two suspected killers—a teenage prostitute and her much older grifter boyfriend—to justice and find Gary Kergan’s body. Little did he know his quest would consume a fortune and take thirty years to reach its conclusion. Thwarted at first by the fact that his brother’s body could not be located and a new district attorney was therefore reluctant to prosecute, Kergan had to keep track of the killers from New Orleans’s notorious French Quarter to Las Vegas and points in between, waiting for a break in the case that seemed like it would never come. Then nearly thirty years later, science, detective work, and a brother's love and tenacity would combine for a resolution that would end in a dramatic trial in which a killer’s diary would be a star witness.“A tremendous story of love and murder, faith and tenacity.”—Steve Jackson, New York Times–bestselling author of A Clockwork Murder “A deeply moving story of powerful devotion.”—Anthony Flacco, New York Times–bestselling author of A Checklist for Murder
This was a compelling read about two brothers growing up with a single hardworking mom and were all very close. The brothers learned from an early age to be hard workers and also had a knack for being self-starters. Ted and Gary Kergan always had each other's backs and eventually found their niche as owners of some 14 Sonic Drive-In restaurants. They were 30, and 33 respectively and right on the cusp of signing an enormous deal to expand and build a bunch more Sonic Drive-Ins, along with a substantial new home for Gary and his family, which had them talking several times a day.
But one night when Ted was waiting for Gary to show up at Ted's condo in Crowley, Louisiana from Baton Rouge, he never showed, even though he lived not far from him. After calling Gary's wife the next morning and confirming he'd not gone there instead, Ted got ready and headed to Baton Rouge to the business apartment they had leased there. This was the beginning of his amazing 30 plus year campaign to find out what happened to his beloved brother.
I suppose this book resonates with me because I lost my brother 30 years ago myself. It was in what was purported to be a motor vehicle accident late at night when he was headed home after leaving a lounge too. Many rumors have persisted through the years about it not being an accident. He was 28 and had 3 children.
Ted had the means to doggedly follow the trail and he stayed on it. He followed the leads, hired private detectives, shared information with police. Eventually, he found out where his brother went that night and likely called him from that last time. It's a riveting story, sure to engage any true crime reader. It's quite a testament to his determination and his love for his brother Gary who means so much to him still. Thanks for reading. I received an ARC of this book from WildBlue Press, but it did not affect my review.
The author was nice enough after a mix up, to send me a copy of her book. Very much enjoyed this true crime offering. It tells the story of two brothers who were very close. One of them is presumed murdered and the survivor and others search for truth and justice for the next thirty years. True crime but reads like a piece of fiction. If that's your genre, this is a must read.
The story of Gary Kergan's disappearance and murder holds all sorts of allure for people interested in true crime. We have a wildly successful man, lots of money, and prostitution; we don't have a body. The murder went unsolved for three decades, during which time Gary's brother Ted pursued answers. But, while all the ingredients are there to make this a riveting tale, I was more intrigued by what was left out of the story than all that went into it.
The book is structured well and the writing is okay, though repetitive at times. I wasn't riveted, but it was enough to keep me reading.
The things that bothered me:
First, Ted is portrayed as a larger-than-life hero. Yes, he is to be commended for the time and effort he put in to the investigation. But his wealth gave him immediate access to resources that made his pursuit possible. I don't want to take away from all he did to find his brother's killer, but I think it's important to note that his money was an even more important factor than his persistence. Ted is not all that unique in his drive to find justice for his brother. The unique aspect was his money and connections.
Second, and most problematic for me, the crux of the story is not explored - at all. Gary is portrayed as an upstanding man of principles, married with children. Yet he was spending his time in a low-class strip club. He was leaving that strip club with a prostitute. He was, in fact, last seen leaving that club with the prostitute. This entire aspect of the story is glossed over. We learn about it only because it's necessarily to the story, but the author never goes deeper than the surface facts. By no means am I looking for a 'blame the victim' sort of thing, but, come on, this is the heart of the story and it demanded an honest exploration.
The way this story wrapped up left me figuratively scratching my head. Despite arrests and convictions, we still have many unanswered questions and, for me, doubts. Ted's frenzy toward the end, coupled with the victim impact statement he made at the sentencing, made me feel that his pursuit was about a long-simmering need for vengeance at any cost.
In the end, the intrigue of the story was lost within the grandiosity of Ted and the absence of exploration into the reality of his brother's life.
*Wildblue Press provided me with an ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.*
My Brother’s Keeper Chris Russo Blackwood has launched an excellent book and her story kept me engaged from beginning to end. The book is about Gary Kergan’s murder and his brother Ted Kergan and his drive and determination, and the lengthy journey to bring the killers to justice. It turned out to be a 30-year relentless effort not to give up and eventually the Justice for his brother Killer would eventually get its day In court and bring two suspected killers— to justice. The Twists and turns in the book as the prime suspects turned out to be a young woman called Leila Mulla who was from a privileged background. Leila become a prostitute and a stripper, and her boyfriend and pimp Ron Dunnaganhat was an illiterate drifter who performed as a clown in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The first few pages alone sucked me right into the story and I sat and read the whole book in a day. The book flows lovely and I highly recommend this book. This has turned out to be one of the best books I have read in 2020 (and I have read a lot of True Crime books).! Thanks to Wildblue Press for the book as a reviewer on ARCs list. The comments regarding the book are all my own thoughts and feelings
If You Like Your Crimes Fully Resolved, This Isn't The Story For You; Not Particularly Interesting
The book starts off with an interesting storyline: in the mid-eighties, a well-respected businessman disappears. A stripper prostitute and her boyfriend are identified as persons of interest and evidence suggests, and the stripper affirms, the businessman has been killed. There is no body or DNA testing at the time, and the suspects are let go. 30 years later, when the case surfaces as a "cold case", DNA testing confirms the couples' likely involvement in the disappearance. Still no body, but the stripper cops a plea, blaming the murder on the (then ex) boyfriend, but agreeing to a 30-yr sentence for her participation. Although the details of her account are inconsistent, the ex is tried, without ever making a statement, and found guilty of murder. END OF STORY - with the facts surrounding the murder (who & why) and the disposition of the body just as murky as they were in the mid-80's. As the title implies, the book does spend a lot of narrative recounting the on-going efforts of the businessman's brother to bring closure to the matter during this 30 yr period. And I suppose that it was the author's relationship with the family that prevented him from doing any kind of investigation of his own - at least as far as the circumstances that led the businessman to be in the company of the stripper and her boyfriend. While the reader does learn that the "deceased" apparently had a history both with the stripper, and the strip club she worked at (which ncluded his socializing with the club's owners), if any exploration was made into this aspect of the businessman's lifestyle, it isn't revealed here. I gave the book a 3-star rating in recognition of the author's enthusiasm for wanting to tell this "justice-delayed" story - but too much was missing to make this an engaging read.
I purchased a copy of this book because of the theme. This is not just an off-the-shelf true crime. It has a potent twist. It is a story of the sibling of a victim and his dogged pursuit of his brother’s killers for three decades. That angle is potent and intriguing and makes this book stand out. I won’t ruin the plot much for you in this review. My Brother’s Keeper is a gnarly story of a typical entrepreneur who collides with the wrong people – heinous individuals out to rob and murder him. It is more than that though. The brother of the victim, Ted Kergan, finds himself thrust into the role of private investigator. He doesn’t just accumulate information about his brother’s untimely demise, but takes a hands-on role with the pursuit of the killers. I found myself glued to the text, unable to put the last five or so chapters down. This is not a book where you are wondering who did it – but instead you see the victim through his brother’s memories, intertwined with the gritty detective work that Ted undertook to bring the killers to justice. As a true crime author I interact with family members who carry the mantle of memories of their lost family members. Many cradle a box of reports and newspaper clippings, or printouts of emails from would-be tipsters. Only a rarified few go to the extent that Ted Kergan did bring murderers into the light of justice. In this respect, the book rang true to me as few true crime books do. I found myself angered and frustrated that the killers were not tried decades earlier. The evidence that was in the hands of police was staggering, right down to diary entries and maps. This is a classic example of where justice damn-near failed. I found myself re-reading the chapter where they were let go, just so I was sure I fully understood the reasoning. It was a decision that drove this case into the frigid icebox of cold cases, almost forgotten, except by a handful of people. My Brother’s Keeper is not a remarkable crime, not one that tattoos itself into your memory. The killers were not stunningly cunning in their evasion of law enforcement. What makes this book stand out is the relationship between Ted and Gary Kergan and the extent which Ted rolled up his sleeves and stalked the killers, ensuring they went to prison. While it is not a crime that you will remember, it is a book you cannot ignore or put down – especially near the end. Chris Blackwood is an author to watch.
Amazon.com had this one and I just couldn’t resist it. The story has all sorts of hooks - a 28-year-old cold case that was finally solved. The story concerns a rising businessman named Gary Kergan who was murdered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1984. The prime suspects turned out to be a young woman from a privileged background who’d become a prostitute and a stripper and her pimp - an illiterate drifter who performed as a clown in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
The book was written with the assistance of Grey Kergan’s brother, Ted. After Gary’s murder, Ted became obsessed with bringing the two killers to justice. Arguably, Ted was even a bit unhinged - clandestinely observing the police during their investigation. However, were it not for Ted, the killers likely would have escaped justice.
There are some nice glimpses of the brothers’ early life in Detroit. The reader learns about how the deep bonds formed between the brothers. Author Chris Russo Blackwood tells the reader about the brothers’ early paper route, Ted’s serious childhood injury, and Gary’s attempts to protect Ted from bullying at school. These are great details and bring the Kergans alive for the reader.
Unfortunately, Ted still remains a mystery at book’s end. Some of the pieces of the puzzle simply don’t fit. While successful in business, Ted was also a philanderer who paid to have sex with the woman who conspired to murder him. Also strange is that while Ted lived a somewhat-debauched life, his wife and he were Mormon converts. Author Blackwood never discusses these contradictions.
My Brother’s Keeper also bogs down when it gets to the trial stage. The court proceedings simply aren’t that interesting.
As a final gripe, the reader wants to know more about the killers. Leila Mulla was the daughter of a Syrian-American physician and her siblings were all very successful. Why did she become a killer? Author Blackwood does a better job with the other killer, Ron Dunnagan, but there are gaps in his story as well. Blackwood doesn’t seem to have interviewed either killer or many of the people who knew them.
While My Brother’s Keeper is good, it wasn’t great and I was glad to come to the end of it. Still, it’s worth a look.
This was great testament to the perseverance of Ted and an accurate representation off the fact of that the murder of a loved one is a pain unlike any other. I am happy that Ted had the resources to keep investigating when the case grew cold but I am sad that so few people who have the same level of caring and determination to see justice for their lost ones have this ability to fund the efforts. I would have given more stars if there were more details. I am not speaking of the salacious or voyeuristic details craved by some but rather more detail about the investigations, perhaps a less dry presentation that engaged the reader and evoked a more emotional connection. All in all there is nothing wrong with the book, but i am left feeling that a magazine article could have covered the same information in less time.
This was a heartbreaking story but I absolutely loved this family and how they fought for 3 decades to prosecute. Finally Justice for Gary. I found this book to have an easy flow and no lulls in the story, not one moment was I bored. Ted looked up to his older brother, they knew what it was like to be poor and even got old bikes and made them look brand new, Gary had such wisdom that stayed with his brother Ted even 30 years later. I just can't believe what I was reading of this horrible murder, you just can't be human to do that, heartless. The Author made me feel like I was there in the story rooting for justice. This just proves never give up for we know the saying: Karma Is A B****
Thank you Amanda Luedeke, Wild Blue Press, Good Reads, and the Author Chris Russo Blackwood.
This book is definitely a “Keeper” for True-Crime fans. Strong non-fiction debut from longtime Louisiana journalist and award-winning media expert Chris Russo Blackwood. Methodical research of the disturbing facts and aftermath of this decades-old case from the 1980s coupled with Blackwood’s intimate knowledge of the people and places she covers delivers a compelling narrative. I particularly enjoy non-fiction works like these, where the author not only chronicles an intriguing and complex crime, but provides an insider’s tour peppered with plenty of regional flayor, in this instance the disappearance of Gary Kergan in Southern Louisiana in 1984. Well Done!
I voluntarily read this book as an advance copy! The comments regarding the book are all my own thoughts and feelings.
I found it admirable how a brother's love compelled him to never give up on gaining justice for his older brother Gary. This book was a long read, but it was worth it. It was a long fight to get that justice. Chris Russo Blackwood did an excellent job of keeping the readers interest peaked even when going through years of investigation with little results. Bless Ted for keeping his brother's story alive to get results. Thankfully, he had the resources available to him to do so! Definitely a good read if you enjoy reading Non Fiction True Crime books.
I bought this to read because I had gone to school with Leila Mulla for many years. I wanted to know what had happened to the sweet, smart girl I'd known. I was disappointed - her motivation wasn't really explored well. And like one of the other reviewers said, I was left with more questions than answers - especially about the victim. I remember reading about the murder when it first happened, and he was not (then) portrayed as quite such a hero as this book made him out to be. Really - if he was that great a guy, why was he hanging out at a seedy bar and having sex with prostitutes? The writing also struck me as unpolished and needing a good editing.
I found this book to not be very interesting. Perhaps because it was a thirty year old tale. The trial was not a case of suspense probably due to the story having already been told. Also, I was not impressed with a schizophrenic, disabled man being charged with and convicted of muder
It took nearly 30 years for Ted Kergen to find the killer of his brother Gary. Gary's body couldn't be found and the district attorney didn't want to prosecute. Ted Kergen spent a fortune tracking two suspected killers of his brother. After nearly 30 years of hard work it finally paid off in a trail and justice was done
The story itself is fairly interesting. The book itself was not. The first three-quarters of the book I don’t think there was any dialogue at all. And the last bit was mostly courtroom quotes. It wasn’t very engaging. And the ending left me with just as many questions as the middle of the book.
I won a copy of this book on a goodreads giveaway.
Thirty years to solve a murder is unacceptable,but you've got to hand it to Ted for never giving up. While the story is good the writing of this book is pathetic. Grammar and thought process went entirely out the window.
this was a man's undying love of his bother, who wouldn't give up on the quest to put the ruthless,evil people away for the killing of his brother. May God bless this family. My hope is these killers suffer more so then the victim
A brother's quest to bring the people to justice that killed his brother. What a testament to his brother. This book drags you in and does not let go. Awesome read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.
Not my usual genre but hey, my cousin wrote it so it was a must read for me. Well written and some loose ends to a true story that just couldn't be wrapped up in a neat package. Happily, I had the chance to debate how I felt about what the jury decided with the author!
A brother and business partner disappears one night and sparks a thirty-year search for the truth about what happened. A story of persistence, determination, and deep brotherly love.
This is a compelling true story of a murder that took 30 years to solve. It involves two brothers that were a major part of the Sonic burger chain. I really enjoyed it!