Victim: The Other Side of Murder

by Gary Kinder

Now a classic of true crime, Victim is a compelling and tragic look at how lives can be changed forever by a random act of violence. During an armed robbery, several hostages were brutally tortured, shot in the head, and left for dead. Victim focuses on the members of one family -- including a mother who died after the attack and a son who was left barely alive -- as they fought for his survival and struggled to rebuild their lives. Victim was the first book to go beyond the headlines and statistics about violent crime, to tell the victims' dramatic story of love, loss and courage. It remains one of the most influential books in the victims' rights movement and has become required reading in criminology courses across the country. It may be more relevant now than ever. "Victim is Truman Capote's In Cold Blood turned inside out." -- Newsweek; "Just as Capote did, Kinder has somehow created a story that is truer than true." -- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, History, Audiobook, Biography, Horror

320 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1981

Reviews

[Petra X · Rating 5 out of 5]

When people campaign for the release of a particular prisoner, or lifting the death penalty on him, or saying how cruel the injection execution can be, they don't think for one moment of what that person has done to deserve imprisonment and maybe death. They don't think of the extreme cruelty that the murderer might have inflicted with great joy on others. They only think of the offender and not the victim. Once a case goes to court, it is the offender who is the star and no one even cares if the victims or their families even turn up in court. This book seeks to redress that.

This was the story of the Hi-Fi Murders from the victims' side. From the grief of those whose family were tortured by drinking Drano, cut with knives, strangled and shot to death to the survivors who had all those things done to them but did not die. The book is mostly about Cortney Naisbitt who was 16 at the time of the extreme attack. He suffered physical issues, including a throat so damaged he couldn't swallow food, brain damage that changed his personality and intelligence (neither for the better) and an ever-lasting grief for his mother who was one of the murdered,
It was also the story of the killers who were more than just shooting up a music store to rob it, but who wanted to torture and rape and kill in the most drawn-out and painful ways they could think up. When they ran out of bullets, one of them stabbed a man through his ear with a pencil and then kicked the pencil in as far as he could.

This is the story of people who even though they weren't there, had their lives changed forever in terrible ways by two of those evil men (all in the airforce, 5 or 6 of them, it was never established exactly) who "suffered" only the mercy killing of a needle in the arm.

This is not to say I am for or against the death sentence, it is just saying what happened and how quick it was for them when they deserved worse. An eye for an eye may not be a modern concept, not a PC one, not one we can reconcile with our souls, bur hell, sometimes you just want someone to suffer as badly as they inflicted with great joy on their victims.

[Paul Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hi Fi Murder case was written up as an orgy of torture and murder but I think (if the distinction is worth making) that rather it was psychopathic stupidity. Here’s what happened.

On 22 April 1974 five, maybe six US Air Force airmen decided to rob the Hi Fi Store in Ogden, Utah. They waited till the shop was about to close at 6 pm, then two of them went inside and stuck up the two assistants Stanley Walker and Michelle Ansley. They were bundled into the basement and tied up. The gang then started loading up their vans with the hi fi gear. Then a 16 year old guy called Cortney Naisbitt came into the shop. He was short-cutting through the shop to the back, where he’d parked his car. He’d been to pick up some photos in town, and he knew Stanley. So he found a gun in his face and was also tied up in the basement. Hours passed and Stanley’s father got worried about where he was, so he came down to the shop, and he wound up in the basement too. And later still, Cortney’s mother showed up, also worried, and she ended up in the basement. Five people in the basement.

The organizer of the robbery was Dale Pierre and clearly he was a psychopath. He’d decided that if there were any witnesses he’d just kill them but he didn’t want to make a lot of noise and draw attention to the ongoing robbery. Now here comes the psycho part. Dale had recently seen Magnum Force, Clint Eastwood’s inferior follow-up to Dirty Harry, and in one scene, a pimp kills a hooker in the back of a taxi by forcing Drano down her throat. The hooker gurgles a little bit and slumps – dead in 30 seconds flat. What a nasty little scene. Dale Pierre must have thought aha, that’s a good idea, because he made all the five tied-up people drink a cupful of Drano which he'd brought along. But life just isn’t like the movies, and although the effects were horrendous they didn’t die from it. This must have disappointed him. So he had to shoot them in the head anyway. And then it turned out that he wasn’t very good at shooting people in the head – two of them didn’t die.

This book took 7 years to write for a really interesting reason. Gary Kinder was producing the usual true crime account when Cortney’s father Byron convinced him to change focus completely from Dale Pierre, the psycho perpetrator, to Cortney, the living and suffering victim. And that’s what happened. The medical horror story of Cortney’s next couple of years is presented in truly agonizing detail. This kid was nearly dead when they got him to the ICU – Drano and a bullet in the head. For weeks he was not expected to live. More, for weeks some doctors hoped he wouldn’t live. Every internal organ had problems. His lung collapsed. His oesophagus was blocked with scar tissue. His right eye went blind. The list goes on. He had about a thousand operations. This is surely one of the ugliest stories I ever read. You will need a strong stomach. He was disabled for the rest of his life and died in 2002 aged 44.

People say everything happens for a reason. You hear reality tv show participants say that a lot. What do you know, Dale Pierre thought that too. In a letter to the author he wrote

As I look back on everything I believe everything that happened to me was supposed to happen. Maybe there is a lesson in it somewhere I am supposed to learn.

The obvious lesson for Dale was : Dranoing people does not kill them fast enough. But for me, the lesson of this crime is that no, things do not happen to people for any kind of reason.

This was Gary Kinder’s first book and it has no kind of style, and I could complain about a few other things too, but never mind, it’s a true crime classic.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't started this yet. Been really busy at work but if it's about what the synopsis says it is then ANYONE who calls themselves a historian of true crime needs to own a copy of this book.

12/17 started this book this morning FINALLY! I had to keep “rewinding” my audiobook because there are little nuances that if you don’t catch them as they occur you immediately get lost in the shuffle of the crime, the investigation, the medical treatments, and most importantly what it’s like to be a victim of a unbelievably tortuous and senseless murder/ robbery. I also skip back just 60 or seconds because I catch myself saying in my mind-no, no that can’t possibly be what they said. There is no way that is what is happening right now. I had to have misheard that.
This book does present to the reader what it’s like to be a Victim. And I don’t think the author wants you to pity the family, I don’t think he’s marketing for sympathy. I think the author wants the reader to remember what it’s like to empathize, and what it’s like to become a pillar of strength, and what true love and true loss in today’s times. The lessons learned from this book are classic and ageless.

[Maryana · Rating 4 out of 5]

um relato extremamente tocante das vítimas de um massacre, deixando de lado o perpetrador, que honestamente, ainda bem, pois passamos muito tempo lendo sobre eles, vendo o que os levou até ali, tudo que fez antes, durante e depois e esquecemos do principal: as vítimas, as pessoas que tiveram suas vidas arruinadas com as atitudes de um indivíduo, famílias destruídas, sonhos arruinados, toda a jornada de recuperação dos que ficaram, a tristeza de todo o talento e sonhos de quem se foi. uma leitura extremamente tocante e viceral.

[Giovanni Andre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um livro extremamente difícil de ler.
O livro é denso, com descrições com tantos detalhes que as cenas chegam a ser quase táteis.
Alem disso, eu resumiria o livro em “triste, triste e triste”.
Da uma sensação meio gostosinha ao terminar de ler por causa do epílogo de 1990, mas essa sensação acaba ao lembrar dos outros capítulos.
Talvez um ponto interessante que é levantado no livro seja o da pena de morte. Mas também é pouco desenvolvido (talvez porque nem seja a proposta).

[Marisa]

I first heard about the "Hi-Fi murders" that occurred in my home town when William Andrews was executed at the Utah State prison in 1992. I vaguely remember hushed whisperings about it when I was younger, but not enough to pay attention. I remember watching protesters on the news when Andrews was executed and asking my mother about it. That's when she told me about happened at the Hi-Fi shop on April 22, 1974. What she told me gave me nightmares for years to come.

I won't bother going into the gory details of that gruesome night. If you're curious, or have never heard of this case, you can look it up on Wikipedia. What I liked about his book is that it focused on the victims of this crime and not the perpetrators. This book mainly focuses on the Naisbitt family, specifically Cortney and his recovery. Cortney's mother, Carol, was killed in the attack and he miraculously survived. But he was never the same after being forced to drink Drano and shot in the back of the head.

Cortney's survival and recovery was truly a miracle. I had known that Cortney, and Orren Walker, was one of the survivors, I just never knew until I read this book what he had to endure to be able to ever walk out of the hospital again. His story of endurance made me realize we can conquer anything in this life. Cortney went on to graduate high school with his class, get married, and become autonomous from his family. Sadly, he died at the age of 44 in 2002.

It was weird reading about my home town being described in vivid detail. I could pictures all the streets Kinder talked about, the University I attended, the high school my husband graduated from. I had an epiphany while reading the book and it was something that struck me to my core...Cortney's sister is my friend's mother. I've gone to school with her since kindergarten, and she never once spoke about her family being involved in this tragedy. I know they were an intensely private family regarding this issue, but because she had a different last name I never put two and two together. When I figured this out one night while I was reading, I literally could not sleep. How could you know someone for 28 years and not know something like this about their family?

This book was written 8 year after the heinous crimes, so it is an older book. It has now been 37 years since this tragedy happened. With Cortney's death his father Byron wished that it would be the end of the Hi-Fi story. For their family I hope it is. But I can't help but shudder every time I drive past where the Hi-Fi shop used to be on Washington Blvd. because I knew the absolute evil that took place on that ground.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that needs to be told, and read, and heard. This is a book told from the victim's side. How this crime affected Cortney Naisbitt and his family, and several other families. Horrible crimes are committed every day, however, this one is particularly vicious. You hear on the news, and read in the newspapers, all about the criminals. But you never hear any follow-up on the victims. It's as if they're forgotten.
Cortney Naisbitt was only 16 years old in 1974 when he was part of the Hi-Fi Murders in Ogden, Utah, perpetrated by Pierre Dale Selby and William Andrews. He didn't ask to be part. He was forced to be part. He and four other people, including his mother. Three people were killed, including Cortney's mother, while two survived. As Cortney's father says, "At least Pierre and old Whatsie down there have guaranteed hospitalization, food, shelter, clothing-for life. As the perpetrators. But no one guarantees Cortney anything like that. As the victim. Who was perfectly innocent. And didn't ask for this kind of treatment, and certainly didn't want it. No one guarantees him anything.I don't know what the answer is, but I know that the perpetrators get taken care of, and the victims get ignored."
He also says, "They've spent several million dollars on the guys' trials and retrials and all that sort of thing. But nobody cares what the hell happens to the victim. No one has given Cortney a thought. His rights have never been discussed, his problems have never been discussed, from a government standpoint. They're willing to spend millions of dollars on this bullshit, but they're not willing to spend anything to take care of the people that were damaged."
And he this, which about says it all: "I wish they cared as much about him as they do about that guy in prison."
There is something severely flawed in our judicial system. Severely. Those two killers got to live thirteen years on death row. Cortney only got to live another 28 years before passing away due to complications of the injuries he suffered during the crime. He was only 44 when he died on June 4, 2002. And he never had a "normal" life after the crime. How sad is that?
Just one writer, Gary Kinder, took the time to tell Cortney's story. Thank God he did. It's a story that deserves to be told.

[Pooja Peravali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cortney Naisbitt and his mother end up in the middle of a robbery of a technology shop, where they and the other victims were brutally tortured and then shot execution-style. This book details his survival story and the aftermath of the horrific crime.

This is a harrowing, graphic read that showcases the love of a family and the strength of a young boy. Though the writing was merely adequate, the story was gripping and deserved to be told. It is rare that true crime occupies itself with the crime's effects of the lives of the victims as the author does in this book, and I greatly appreciated it.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to take a little time after reading this book to digest it all. This book was heartbreaking, graphic and in some instances a little hard to read, but a book that should be read. What happened on 22 April, 1974 in Ogden, Utah was utterly despicable and so completely pointless. The disregard for human life that night was tragic and the damage done to the victims and their families was life changing. 16 year old Cortney Naisbitt in particular is spotlighted and his fight to survive and LIVE a life after this horrible night.
This book is an important one as it shows the victim(s) of violent crime instead of focusing on the perpetrators. It is a very sad story that will stay with me....

[Robby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read long ago. Not this edition but same story: "Hi-Fi murders of`74". WARNING..."ONCE READ - NEVER FORGOTTEN".

[Cathie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how much this story was written from the victim's perspective. People think if you are interested in true crime you are focused on the criminal. While Gary Kinder had to tell you something about the killer in this case he kept it as minimal as possible. I think this book was written to get us really thinking about how the justice system fails victims in terms of resources to take care of them especially when they have severe disabilities or long-term health impacts, which is something I have always thought about, for me it also made me think about just how far we should go to save someone's life. Courtney's quality of life was always poor after the murders but that isn't to say I have an answer, just something that as medical technology continues to improve we need to think more and more about. Because this book goes so deepy into telling what happened to Courtney from a medical perspective I think this book is great reading for anyone interested in human life, not just true crime.

[Beatriz Lourenço · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75
The book is too long and full of unnecessary details. The author's writing is not very appealing and I even found it tedious. Despite this, it's worth reading in the sense of injustice towards the victims of the crimes. A perspective rarely portrayed.

[Felipe Lucena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gosto desse tipo de leitura, mas esse deixou um sentimento doido no peito. A real é que sempre ouvimos falar dos psicopatas que fazem maldade, mas quase nunca sabemos o que acontece com quem sobrevive.
A história começa com o Cortney, que vira refém de um assalto na loja de eletrônicos. Ele obedece os bandidos, mas acaba no hospital. A mãe tenta ajudar, mas também leva a pior.

O pai, que é ginecologista, fica perdido no hospital porque ser médico atrapalha nessa situação. O livro reconta tudo que rolou naquele dia tenso de 74, desde o assalto até os culpados serem presos. Depois da leitura, minhas emoções ficaram à flor da pele.

Descobrir o que rolou com o Cortney e a mãe dele me fez repensar muita coisa. É o primeiro livro que leio que mostra como ficam as vítimas e o que acontece depois. É engraçado, a gente sempre quer entender a cabeça do assassino, mas quase nunca pensa nas vítimas, né?

Algumas nunca mais são as mesmas e até chegam a se suicidar. O autor narra tudo com cuidado e sensibilidade, mostrando como aquela noite mudou muita gente.

O livro é top, bem escrito e a leitura flui fácil. Não li rápido porque conta de outras atividades externas. Mas da metade pro final foi rápido demais porque não dava pra parar, queria muito saber o desfecho. Recomendo de olhos fechados, foi uma leitura que me surpreendeu e acho que todo mundo devia conferir. Essencial!

[Beaux Hardinger]

The central idea of the text of Victim: The Other Side of Murder is thought to have racially motive, the murder, not the book. It doesn’t really develop over the course of the text as it was a book about murders. This book is really just a recount of the Hi-Fi murders, in a victim’s perspective, so I wouldn’t say it develops over the text. Other than adrenaline running high and things that were happening were getting worse and worse. Overall, this book was from one of the surviving victim’s perspective of the Hi-Fi murders, and I feel like it’s pretty disturbing for me to write about everything that was done in this crime, so I’ll leave it at murders.
There is no phrase and word repeated in the book, what with it being for the victim, or to show how the victim was feeling. However, if there was a word or phrase it would likely be murder. This is because murders took place and therefore makes sense. But, yes, this definition matches exactly what would be in a dictionary. ‘Murder’ would likely be the word because the books were about murders, that’s the main point of this entire book, other than the victim.
I’m not sure I’m entirely allowed to have an opinion on this book? Because, well, I wasn’t one of the victims nor was I there to witness any of what happened to say if it’s accurate or not. It seems accurate, and I hope that the surviving victims feel like it represents them well, and tells the story in all of it’s justice. I feel, from what I’ve read about the murders, that it was pretty accurate writing. But, then again, the story is for or about the youngest surviving victim, Cortney Naisbitt. Yet, he is no longer with us, to my knowledge.

[Jay Ward A.K.A. Chris Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. What an amazing story. The detail Kinder went into on this case is probably the deepest I’ve ever experienced. This book takes you places. It effects you. It’s quite an emotional roller coaster I will say that. He lays things out in perfect order and with so much attention to detail that when reading about the crime I found myself holding my breath! Kinder does such a great job taking you into really deep water. At times I almost wanted to put this book away only for the fact that I became so empathetic with the fight Cortney and his Dad(and extended family)had fought for so long, with so many terrible setbacks, all the feelings you feel right along with the victims and their families. It was just so tragic at times but it was the story, and Kinder told it exactly how it happened. I’ve never before been so “close” with characters in a book as I was here. Just an unbelievable story of tragedy, courage, and resilience. As for the bad guys...wow. Not sure if a bigger piece of shit has ever walked the planet than the man who actually committed the crimes. Excuse my French but after reading this I was left with the opinion that anyone who commits a crime of this magnitude, so carelessly, and callous should be left for the public to deal with. Release them to a group of folks who WANT to put their hands on them. Leave it at that. This book was incredibly moving. Left me shaking my head so many times, made me angry, sad, and I couldn’t believe what the aftermath held. Just unimaginable. What an incredible job Kinder did with this story. Read it. You will not be sorry.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbing True Story

I have read a fair amount of true crime stories and obviously, they are not a genre for those who are easily upset or, those who are prone to weak stomachs or nightmares. This story is one of those where you WISH it were only a horrible nightmare...
The diabolical evil perpetrated among the victims of the Hi-Fi Shop murders and survivors is inexcusable and, for many, unforgivable. These victims suffered before being executed and endured things like being force fed Drano which is obviously a caustic substance, being raped, tied up, forced to endure seeing others torture and death, and having a pen kicked into one's ear multiple times. I again find myself wondering what kind of "human" DOES something like this to another human being? Sometimes it seems evil knows no limits. I look forward to the day the Lord returns and forever eradicates evil, taking believers Home for eternity!
This book is a hard read in that sense if you value human decency, life and are a moral person. You can't help but be impacted on some level. I know it impacted me. The storyline was easy to follow and it held my attention though I had to pause and take a break on occasion. The editing needs some improvement which is why it got just 4 stars rather than 5. There were MULTIPLE errors in spelling. Simple words such as "frequently" were consistently spelled "frequentdy" being one example I easily recall. It should not have taken a lot to spot these types of mistakes!

[Nerfzilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hugely interesting to me, but sadly, what most fascinated me was the horrific story of Courtney’s treatment and recovery after the crime when he was in hospital. As a nurse, I was absolutely riveted by the strength Courtney displayed. I have never heard of anyone living through such a horrendous ordeal and as an oncology nurse I have seen some beyond belief situations. I don’t understand how or why Courtney lived. Some humans and animals fight with everything that they have to live and I just cannot understand it. I think I would have chosen to die at the first opportunity. The crime is beyond imagining, but Courtney’s recovery is a million times more extraordinary. He must be the strongest, bravest, most extraordinary willed human being ever. I found this book quite basic and old fashioned as a true crime story, it would be utterly unremarkable except for the story of Courtney’s fight to survive. I wish Courtney was able to provide an explanation for his survival and for his will to keep fighting but I believe that is asking way too much of him. I imagine it had an enormous amount to do with his Father and the love and care provided by his family, but there is an element of Courtney’s will to survive that simply cannot be explained. The book is absolutely worth reading just to learn about this extraordinary family. I don’t think I would like them at all if I met them, but I do have enormous respect for them, and I hope that life gives them the many many gifts they richly deserve.

[ErikaShmerika Wine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is a brutal crime story. I mean, one of the cruelest and most terrifying crime stories I’ve ever read, when discussing the crime itself. But the real gem of this, and the main reason I highly recommend this book, is the deep dive into the treatment and recovery of the victims. This is a look at what it’s like for the hospital when the victims start showing up, and a very in-depth study of the extremes of recovery. I found myself tearing up many times throughout this book, because it also includes some really honest, hard, emotionally raw accounts by the family of the victims, as well as statements of equal magnitude made by the perpetrator of the crime. There’s no possible way to really understand what these families went through. Most of us have had similar trials, but I can’t imagine what this family went through. Whenever I read a book I like to pinpoint something about it that stands out as unique, outside of the basics, and with Victim, it has to be the way the dad in this case handles his grief and the grief of his children. It’s not perfect, but it’s something I will carry with me. This book was a unique experience for this reader and lover of true crime. My favorites are landmark cases or cases that have a unique aspect to them or the trial, and this is definitely one to remember. Even if you’re not into true crime per se, I still recommend this book as an experience. There’s a lot to take away here.

[Maura · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been over a year since I read this, so I can't comment much on this one. I remember how difficult this was to read...it covers the crime (the HiFi Murders...with the criminal forcing his victims to drink Drano and then shooting them when they weren't dying fast enough from that) and then it focuses entirely one of the survivors, Cortney. His story is truly one of survival and overcoming hardships. It details exactly how difficult it is to come out of the other side of this kind of tragedy. Cortney and his family were irrevocably changed by the actions of two people. And there is not going back to normal after that.

I want to rate this higher for the research that went into this book and the focus on the victim and his life. But to be honest, this didn't hold my attention very well. That's probably just me and my a lot of times struggle with staying engaged in non-fiction. It might also have something to do with my discomfort at Cortney's long-term suffering and me maybe subconsciously trying to distance myself from it. Whatever the reason, I repeatedly put this book down and struggled to pick it back up.

[Phillip Slaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 Thought provoking, thrilling, emotional. This book had everything.

Starts off as a horrific crime thriller and turns into an emotional battle against all odds recovery. Both parts are exceptionally well done. Gary Kinder really knows how to write to keep you turning the page, and it is assisted by the tragic true story he has selected to tell.

It has the pros of a non-fiction without any of the cons. It is unpredictable, detailed and flows well without it being boring by getting bogged down in facts and figures or being detached from the situation. The focus is purely on the people involved and it has a vast range of characters. Reading it felt like being there and knowing these people.

And the best thing is that it says a lot about the time it happened, the justice system and the actual impact on the victims and their families, which is largely ignored by the mainstream media in favour of focusing on the killers, which results in the victims being forgotten and all funding going towards fannying about with applying appropriate justice.

[Sofi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings up a lot of interesting thoughts. Often the victims of a violent crime are forgotten about. This book covers the slow and painful recovery of a gun shot victim after a break in at an audio store where people were bound and attacked and some even killed. The author talks a lot about a ripple effect that crimes like these have, on family members and loved ones. Also a lot of interesting takes on the death penalty. The father says some stuff near the end about how the prison system is willing to pay thousands of dollars to keep prisoners alive, but victims are left with the financial burden for themselves. He words it super well. All in all a well structured book that gives a lot to think about. I think that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it physically, because the audiobook could get confusing. Sometimes I didn't know who was being quoted.

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sinceramente eu não sei nem por onde começar... Esse livro mexeu comigo de uma maneira inexplicável.
Qnd eu comprei o livro ja sabia que seria algo voltado para a história da vitima
Mas nunca nem nos meus profundos pensamentos imaginei algo tão forte e dolorido.
Em muitos momentos eu precisei parar e respirar porque me deu MUITOS gatilhos (vivi alguns momentos parecidos ha alguns anos)
Aqui tem todos os pontos de vista, tem o crime, o assassino e a parte mais importante que quase ninguem fala em conteúdo true crime é o lado e o sofrimento das vitimas.
Esse não é um tipo de livro que eu costumo ler, mas posso dizer com toda certeza que foi um dos favoritos da vida, 5 estrelas e mudou muita coisa na minha forma de ver a vida. Eu acho que é uma leitura muito necessária.
Logico.. se vc tiver +18 anos 😅

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Left me speechless

I read this book years ago, and remembering how emotionally difficult it was to read the first time, I had to think twice about rereading it. Out of the hundreds of true crime books I've read, this story stands out for its in-depth portrayal of not only the suffering of its victims but for the unjust legal system we have. For all its attempts to be fair\just, it overlooks the very reason for its purpose! Stop protecting the criminals, those especially whose crimes are so heinous, and create a side of law that cares for the victim and I don't mean simply monetarily.
Yes, it was just as heart rendering as I remembered it to be, but well worth it, it teaches the reader.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading

I don't normally like true crime books, but this one took place near to me so it peaked my interest. It was heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. Going through the details of what happened the night of the crime and through the following months helped me gain insight and empathy for the victim and his family. More books like this are needed than the numerous books about the perpetrators. We as a society should be concerned more by why we tend to rehash and glorify killers and criminals seemingly more than we worry about the victims. Why are we such a violent people? Why do more and more senseless crimes keep happening? What can we do to change the collective mindset and prevent rather than try to rehabilitate criminals?

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

16 year old cortney naisbitts stopped at his cousins hi fi shop on april 22 1974 his cousin wasnt there but his employees were while there 2 guys enter the shop to rob it.they take everyone into the basement and tyed them up.cortneys mom is worred because he is late coming home and goes to look for him. she sees his car near the hi fi store the robbers take her down stairs and tyes her up also.the robber makes them drink draino than shoots each one in the back of the head.cortneys mom dies but cortney is barly alive the recovery he goes through and trys to deal with everything that has happened to him .this book is written from the familys life while the crime and cortneys recover and the trial goes on a really good book ...

[Danny Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Almost Unbelievable Story

This horrific crime showcases the absolute evil that exists among us. Of course, many of us already know that. Sadly, most don't. The author did an amazing job at telling g this story from many views: the victims, witnesses, and suspects, their families and friends, and most remarkably, the remarkable medical professionals who tirelessly worked to try and save a young man's life. Also it should be noted that the author keeps the reader in the dark throughout most of the book what the final outcome was, and that was no easy matter. The writing was carefully crafted as to not reveal what every reader wants to know throughout the book, and that makes it a real page turner!

[Pegeen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes from victim’s perspective, in their own words, which are not cohesive. Of course they are not cohesive, but a writer is supposed to add that cohesion. To probe more deeply. The murders were graphic and described in detail, but that is not depth or thoughtfulness. Horrid tragedy for the family but a reader of their plight gains little because so much is just their shocked or angry ramblings:
“ I don’t think. But, you just do. Someday maybe I won’t. I mean there’s nothing you can do about it. I don’t think bad things. Like sometimes, it’s so funny....” and so on.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different perspective

What a story about one of the victims and his family! This is the side you don't usually hear about but should. I so agree with Mr Naisbitt instead of wasting so much time and money on the people who commit such heinous crimes spend it on the victims and their extended care! What an incredible and inspiring story about what this family was put through because of this young man being at the wrong place at the wrong time!

[John Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of only 3 books that made me cry. Very powerful true story, and extremely depressing. I'm not sure if there is ANY torture or form of punishment throughout human history, that can match the crime committed at the Ogden City Hi Fi Shop back in the 1970s. They got the death penalty, la de freaking da. This kid's life was forever ruined. Apparently this book is required reading in college criminology courses in usa. I read it just to educate myself, as I never went to college.

[Tricia Charron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was curious about the details of this case after watching a movie regarding the Hi-Fi murders (Aftermath: A Test of Love). The book is shocking in the details and the brutality of the robbers/murders. Mr. Kinder initially wanted to focus the book on the killers but switched to the victims during the writing process, to which, I am grateful. Learning about the three who died and the two who survived was gripping. I can only hope that the survivors were able to find peace.