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Salt of the Earth: A Mother, A Daughter, A Murder
Joe Gere said he died on the afternoon his twelve-year-old daughter Brenda disappeared. It was left to Brenda's mother Elaine to sustain her stricken family, search for her missing child, and pressure the authorities for justice. From the first minutes of the investigation, suspicion fell on Michael Kay Green, a steroid-abusing "Mr. Universe" hopeful, but there was no proof of a crime, leaving police and prosecutors stymied. Tips and sightings poured in as lawmen and volunteers combed the Cascades forest in the biggest search on Northwest history. Years passed with no sight of the blue-eyed girl or the bright clothes she'd worn on the day she disappeared, but Elaine remained undaunted. Salt of the Earth is the true story of how one woman fought and triumphed over life-shattering violence and how she healed her family-and herself.
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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May 26, 2016
4.5 stars
Jack Olsen has always been a favorite of mine. When I was a teenager and I first read Ann Rule's "The Stranger Beside Me" it started me off on a true crime binge that lasted for years. From there, I hit up "Helter Skelter" by Vincent Bugliosi, Blind Faith by Joe McGinnis, and a large number of Jack Olsen books.
Mr. Olsen's books always stood out to me because of their usual focus on the families of the victims instead of the perpetrators and this book is no different. The Salt of the Earth in this case refers to the Elaine Gere, mother of Brenda, a missing 12 year old girl. There was nothing this woman could not do. A mother of 3, wife of an alcoholic, and then mother of a missing girl, later found murdered-she's an amazing person. The effects this abduction had on the Gere family cannot be underestimated, but I won't get into more of that here, as it should be related to you by the author and narrator.
The one issue I had was that I would have liked to have learned a little more about the early life of the suspect/perpetrator. Even to this day, there isn't much information available about the guy on the internet. Maybe it's just something in me that thinks if we knew more about how this guy grew up and went wrong, perhaps we could learn to recognize these signs and prevent such things in the future. I could just be naive about that, I admit the possibility.
I think the narrator, Mr. Pierce, did an excellent job. There were a number of times during this story where my eyes welled up and I felt SO BAD for this family. I often wondered if the narrator ever choked up and had to do a retake.
If you're a fan of sympathetic but honest true crime stories, you could do so much worse than Salt of the Earth. This terrible crime was presented with all its horrific effects on the immediate and extended family, and the entire community. It's an unflinching look at a horrible crime and how it branches out in every direction. But it's also a look at a strong, strong woman and family and how they came through such a tragedy. For that alone, this book is worth a read and/or listen.
Highly recommended for fans of true crime.
*I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
Jack Olsen has always been a favorite of mine. When I was a teenager and I first read Ann Rule's "The Stranger Beside Me" it started me off on a true crime binge that lasted for years. From there, I hit up "Helter Skelter" by Vincent Bugliosi, Blind Faith by Joe McGinnis, and a large number of Jack Olsen books.
Mr. Olsen's books always stood out to me because of their usual focus on the families of the victims instead of the perpetrators and this book is no different. The Salt of the Earth in this case refers to the Elaine Gere, mother of Brenda, a missing 12 year old girl. There was nothing this woman could not do. A mother of 3, wife of an alcoholic, and then mother of a missing girl, later found murdered-she's an amazing person. The effects this abduction had on the Gere family cannot be underestimated, but I won't get into more of that here, as it should be related to you by the author and narrator.
The one issue I had was that I would have liked to have learned a little more about the early life of the suspect/perpetrator. Even to this day, there isn't much information available about the guy on the internet. Maybe it's just something in me that thinks if we knew more about how this guy grew up and went wrong, perhaps we could learn to recognize these signs and prevent such things in the future. I could just be naive about that, I admit the possibility.
I think the narrator, Mr. Pierce, did an excellent job. There were a number of times during this story where my eyes welled up and I felt SO BAD for this family. I often wondered if the narrator ever choked up and had to do a retake.
If you're a fan of sympathetic but honest true crime stories, you could do so much worse than Salt of the Earth. This terrible crime was presented with all its horrific effects on the immediate and extended family, and the entire community. It's an unflinching look at a horrible crime and how it branches out in every direction. But it's also a look at a strong, strong woman and family and how they came through such a tragedy. For that alone, this book is worth a read and/or listen.
Highly recommended for fans of true crime.
*I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
August 22, 2010
The late Jack Olsen had a long career of sustained excellence, but it was not until he was well into his eight and final decade that he emerged with his masterpiece in "Salt Of The Earth" — a rich character study and profound exploration of loss wrapped up seamlessly in a first-rate crime story rendered in exquisite and tender prose.
It is a daring achievement, a deeply personal odyssey, that cuts not just across but over the top of the grain of the true-crime genre. One suspects that Olsen used every ounce of his considerable clout to persuade his publisher to take on a book that in no way fit the genre's format; the murder didn't even take place until some 200 pages in, and everything leading up to that contained no hint of serious crime.
That's because Olsen manages something as amazing as it is rare — he manages to make the perfectly ordinary story of how Elaine and Joe Gere met and formed and raised their family into rich Americana, an engrossing tale of Everyman and Everywoman and Everyfamily and their struggles and their fierce love.
That such love could be destroyed in an instant by a chance encounter is like the rarest coin flip of the American Dream — some win it, some don't, and a very few see the coin land on its edge and wobble there before falling off the table. It doesn't happen, except when once in a rare while it does. And when it does, it is too much to take for all but the most indomitable of spirits. And, as it turns out, one half of the Gere couple is made of the toughest stuff ... and one is not.
Olsen's decision to focus on the survivor as she struggles through months of searching, months of judicial proceedings, a resolution that brings empty closure at best ... and the harbinger of an even worse tragedy to come is a courageous one. And, absolutely the correct one. Because he chose absolutely the right subject, one who absolutely saw the value in sharing her pain — and perseverance — with the world.
"Salt Of The Earth" is not a true-crime book in any way readers have usually been led to expect. There's not a lot of space given to the mechanics of the crime or the character of the criminal, a monochromatic figure whose malignancy and motives to this day remain a bit shadowy. I can well imagine the publisher's frustration in trying to decide how to market it: Literary narrative non-fiction? But it's not a memoir! And, as you might guess, it was not one of Olsen's biggest sellers.
It is, though, Olsen's biggest-hearted book. Despite a gruff exterior and a taste for terse, even tough prose, Olsen spent decades using his natural empathy to draw out the deepest secrets of killers, victims and those caught uncomfortably and emotionally between the two. You can't get that out of people — especially a tough cookie like Elaine Gere — unless you really, really care. And Jack Olsen cared.
It's a quality we don't much see in nonfiction crime writing these days, and the world is poorer for it. But it's also richer for Olsen's prolific backlist, which the world needs to explore. Elaine Gere's story, and Jack Olsen's storytelling, is timeless beyond dispute.
It is a daring achievement, a deeply personal odyssey, that cuts not just across but over the top of the grain of the true-crime genre. One suspects that Olsen used every ounce of his considerable clout to persuade his publisher to take on a book that in no way fit the genre's format; the murder didn't even take place until some 200 pages in, and everything leading up to that contained no hint of serious crime.
That's because Olsen manages something as amazing as it is rare — he manages to make the perfectly ordinary story of how Elaine and Joe Gere met and formed and raised their family into rich Americana, an engrossing tale of Everyman and Everywoman and Everyfamily and their struggles and their fierce love.
That such love could be destroyed in an instant by a chance encounter is like the rarest coin flip of the American Dream — some win it, some don't, and a very few see the coin land on its edge and wobble there before falling off the table. It doesn't happen, except when once in a rare while it does. And when it does, it is too much to take for all but the most indomitable of spirits. And, as it turns out, one half of the Gere couple is made of the toughest stuff ... and one is not.
Olsen's decision to focus on the survivor as she struggles through months of searching, months of judicial proceedings, a resolution that brings empty closure at best ... and the harbinger of an even worse tragedy to come is a courageous one. And, absolutely the correct one. Because he chose absolutely the right subject, one who absolutely saw the value in sharing her pain — and perseverance — with the world.
"Salt Of The Earth" is not a true-crime book in any way readers have usually been led to expect. There's not a lot of space given to the mechanics of the crime or the character of the criminal, a monochromatic figure whose malignancy and motives to this day remain a bit shadowy. I can well imagine the publisher's frustration in trying to decide how to market it: Literary narrative non-fiction? But it's not a memoir! And, as you might guess, it was not one of Olsen's biggest sellers.
It is, though, Olsen's biggest-hearted book. Despite a gruff exterior and a taste for terse, even tough prose, Olsen spent decades using his natural empathy to draw out the deepest secrets of killers, victims and those caught uncomfortably and emotionally between the two. You can't get that out of people — especially a tough cookie like Elaine Gere — unless you really, really care. And Jack Olsen cared.
It's a quality we don't much see in nonfiction crime writing these days, and the world is poorer for it. But it's also richer for Olsen's prolific backlist, which the world needs to explore. Elaine Gere's story, and Jack Olsen's storytelling, is timeless beyond dispute.
November 16, 2023
This is one of the best true crime books I have ever read. It is from the victim's family perspective. It talks about how much it affected them and their community. The fact I didnt know much about the case made it so interesting.
July 31, 2007
My favorite Olsen book. It's almost shameful to call this "true crime," because that genre has been cheapened by too many so-called authors. It's a portrait of the struggles, including a horrific crime, of one famliy in the modern American West.
June 16, 2016
I am terrified after reading this book. I came in knowing absolutely nothing about this case so I was unbiased but man...now I am even more of a helicopter mom to my 10 year old.
I thought this book was great in narrating the story as you would a book of fiction. The shitty part is that a girl was murdered and real lives were destroyed. What I liked the most about this book is that the core was not about the murder, it was about the lives involved, the upbringing, the after math, the psyche.
A quick google search can tell you about the case but this book makes you feel Joe Gere's slow decent to death, you taste the insanity of Michael Kay Green, and you cry the tears that the stoic Elaine Gere held back for so long. You are terrified for the boys and the community left behind, you feel frustrated as the pages go by and you still don't know exactly what happened to Brenda Gere and then are devastated yet relieved when she is found.
Great read if you want to feel a spectrum of emotions in one sitting!
I thought this book was great in narrating the story as you would a book of fiction. The shitty part is that a girl was murdered and real lives were destroyed. What I liked the most about this book is that the core was not about the murder, it was about the lives involved, the upbringing, the after math, the psyche.
A quick google search can tell you about the case but this book makes you feel Joe Gere's slow decent to death, you taste the insanity of Michael Kay Green, and you cry the tears that the stoic Elaine Gere held back for so long. You are terrified for the boys and the community left behind, you feel frustrated as the pages go by and you still don't know exactly what happened to Brenda Gere and then are devastated yet relieved when she is found.
Great read if you want to feel a spectrum of emotions in one sitting!
March 8, 2020
A very well-written true crime, but the story itself just wasn't very compelling. The child and her murder seemed almost secondary. This felt, to me, more the story of weak, manipulative, controlling men and the women who enabled them. The author does a remarkable job of creating a sense of setting and character, though.
Audiobook via Audible. Very good narration by Kevin Pierce.
Audiobook via Audible. Very good narration by Kevin Pierce.
July 20, 2008
A great Olsen book! So, so, so, happy I read this. He never fails to teach me something!
April 6, 2015
Too much detail
It was an interesting story but mired in excessive detail. I was anxious to get to the end. I wouldn't want to read another book by this author.
It was an interesting story but mired in excessive detail. I was anxious to get to the end. I wouldn't want to read another book by this author.
November 9, 2025
My 2nd favorite true crime story. Can't get enough. And OF COURSE it's narrated by my Kevin Pierce. *swoon*
August 18, 2018
True crime books usually start with the grisly discovery of a dead body and then spend a lot of time talking about the killer, his/her relationship with their mother, their failures at life and so on, while the victims hopefully get a page about their hopes and dreams. This book does something differently - this book is about Brenda Gere and the entire history of her family. Way before anything bad happens, we get to meet the grandparents, the parents, we learn their human flaws and their qualities and we want it to work out even though we know this won't end well. Sure, there is a chapter about the one responsible, but this is not a mystery book. We know who did it, but what matters is the victim and the way those around her react and cope with the tragedy.
This is a touching story about pain, grief, despair and the ability to move on, showing the tragedy behind the headlines. One of the best books of its kind, especially as it's also a very respectful tribute to those no longer in this world.
This is a touching story about pain, grief, despair and the ability to move on, showing the tragedy behind the headlines. One of the best books of its kind, especially as it's also a very respectful tribute to those no longer in this world.
July 1, 2021
Terrific story but I dropped a star for constantly mixing up names (Cere instead of Gere, John instead of Joe) and the myriad of typos.
November 21, 2012
I am not sure what I thought this book was when I picked it up, but I didn't realize it was true-crime at first.
I like reading books set in places that I have lived and I spent a lot of my life living in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding desert areas. Although I was never in Fontana that I know of, I was certainly in San Bernandino, Upland and other areas close to Fontana. I remember seeing the Hell's Angels on the freeways and roads in the area when I was a child and I recall the drinking and culture of the area. It all hits very close to home although I didn't know people who worked in steel mills or raised pigs, still that S. CA desert world... so anyway, I was reading along and you can feel tragedy coming.
In some ways that is very like real life, you know your life won't be smooth as no life is without troubles, but where and how hard will you be hit? As an adult you try to make the right decisions to protect your family and do the best by them, but many of us sense the lurking dangers. Then when tragedy hits you can only think, if only and I should have. It is quite quite terrible.
This book is about the Gere and Mayzsak families. Joe Gere and Elaine Mayzsak are both raised in Fontana, they get married, he works as a cop, she works in government. Life is not trouble free, he drinks, she suffers a miscarriage, but things are not too bad until Joe is badly injured on the job. But they have the great joy of a baby girl. Then a boy and another boy. Can you feel the tragedy coming already? I could. Joe is restless after his injury and they move around a lot. He sells cars now. So they move and they move and they move. Elaine and the kids are amazingly OK with this and do well in managing and adjusting. But the circle is closing in around their little girl unbeknownst to them. They spend a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest and in Idaho. When they moved to a neighborhood near Bothell in Snohomish in WA. this is where 12 year old Brenda is killed.
In some ways the book just ends right there. As Joe so aptly states on the day Brenda disappears, "I died today." That is just the way it is, you die when your kid dies. But they suffered the additional terrors of not knowing where she was for the next 7 years. The killer was sussed out almost immediately, he was a very busy rapist in the area, but he had never been convicted of anything and they had no probable cause to go after him for a long time.
I live in the Pacific NW, I know about the Green River Killer and Ted Bundy, but I'd never heard of Michael Kay Green, a guy who had been part of the Huskies football team at UW and was a wanna-be Mr. America. What he was was a rapist and killer. He does eventually get brought to justice and Brenda's body is found but it is a very long road for the family. Joe doesn't make it, Elaine and the boys do. Elaine is amazing, her strength and intelligence in the circumstances are amazing. As someone in this book says somewhere along the line, you have to be careful that when you lose a child you do not lose a family. So in this way the book does not end with Brenda's murder because Elaine does not give up.
I hate true crime though, it gives me the justifiable creeps. I do want to mention that this is a very well-written book and pulled me along pretty much straight through, only pausing for a few hours of sleep.
"Jack Olsen writes so well he makes ordinary people fascinating." ELMORE LEONARD
"A beautiful book...In Salt of the Earth we meet Jack Olsen not only as an extraordinarily fine writer but as an extraordinarily fine human being." DAVID GUTERSON
2 days later - I cannot get this book out of my mind. It is one thing to read fictional crime, but true crime is so horrible! The brutality of the crime against this innocent child, the randomness of it, and the self-absorbtion of the murderer, his total lack of a conscience coupled with his reasonable intelligence...it makes me so sick! I think Joe Gere should have been allowed to kill the murderer instead of sitting with his hands tied (figuratively), unable to avenge his child after being unable to protect her. Instead, this man raised to be a man, was made helpless and killed himself instead. How awful. Even the dog suffered what appeared to be guilt and mind-altering loneliness. If I was allowed to I would shoot this murderer, he is not a true human being, he just masquerades as one.
I like reading books set in places that I have lived and I spent a lot of my life living in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding desert areas. Although I was never in Fontana that I know of, I was certainly in San Bernandino, Upland and other areas close to Fontana. I remember seeing the Hell's Angels on the freeways and roads in the area when I was a child and I recall the drinking and culture of the area. It all hits very close to home although I didn't know people who worked in steel mills or raised pigs, still that S. CA desert world... so anyway, I was reading along and you can feel tragedy coming.
In some ways that is very like real life, you know your life won't be smooth as no life is without troubles, but where and how hard will you be hit? As an adult you try to make the right decisions to protect your family and do the best by them, but many of us sense the lurking dangers. Then when tragedy hits you can only think, if only and I should have. It is quite quite terrible.
This book is about the Gere and Mayzsak families. Joe Gere and Elaine Mayzsak are both raised in Fontana, they get married, he works as a cop, she works in government. Life is not trouble free, he drinks, she suffers a miscarriage, but things are not too bad until Joe is badly injured on the job. But they have the great joy of a baby girl. Then a boy and another boy. Can you feel the tragedy coming already? I could. Joe is restless after his injury and they move around a lot. He sells cars now. So they move and they move and they move. Elaine and the kids are amazingly OK with this and do well in managing and adjusting. But the circle is closing in around their little girl unbeknownst to them. They spend a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest and in Idaho. When they moved to a neighborhood near Bothell in Snohomish in WA. this is where 12 year old Brenda is killed.
In some ways the book just ends right there. As Joe so aptly states on the day Brenda disappears, "I died today." That is just the way it is, you die when your kid dies. But they suffered the additional terrors of not knowing where she was for the next 7 years. The killer was sussed out almost immediately, he was a very busy rapist in the area, but he had never been convicted of anything and they had no probable cause to go after him for a long time.
I live in the Pacific NW, I know about the Green River Killer and Ted Bundy, but I'd never heard of Michael Kay Green, a guy who had been part of the Huskies football team at UW and was a wanna-be Mr. America. What he was was a rapist and killer. He does eventually get brought to justice and Brenda's body is found but it is a very long road for the family. Joe doesn't make it, Elaine and the boys do. Elaine is amazing, her strength and intelligence in the circumstances are amazing. As someone in this book says somewhere along the line, you have to be careful that when you lose a child you do not lose a family. So in this way the book does not end with Brenda's murder because Elaine does not give up.
I hate true crime though, it gives me the justifiable creeps. I do want to mention that this is a very well-written book and pulled me along pretty much straight through, only pausing for a few hours of sleep.
"Jack Olsen writes so well he makes ordinary people fascinating." ELMORE LEONARD
"A beautiful book...In Salt of the Earth we meet Jack Olsen not only as an extraordinarily fine writer but as an extraordinarily fine human being." DAVID GUTERSON
2 days later - I cannot get this book out of my mind. It is one thing to read fictional crime, but true crime is so horrible! The brutality of the crime against this innocent child, the randomness of it, and the self-absorbtion of the murderer, his total lack of a conscience coupled with his reasonable intelligence...it makes me so sick! I think Joe Gere should have been allowed to kill the murderer instead of sitting with his hands tied (figuratively), unable to avenge his child after being unable to protect her. Instead, this man raised to be a man, was made helpless and killed himself instead. How awful. Even the dog suffered what appeared to be guilt and mind-altering loneliness. If I was allowed to I would shoot this murderer, he is not a true human being, he just masquerades as one.
June 18, 2016
This story walks you through a family and community's loss of a little girl. She was abducted from her home and her remains were located 6 years later. The impact to her parents of course was incredible, the fear and loss of her brothers immeasurable, and the lives of her community were never the same.
We area also given a glimpse into the family of her killer. We hear statements from his parents, and his wife. We learn little from the man himself. In addition, the court files are represented as well as testimony given at the trial.
All and all this is a well researched and presented book. The story of course is tragic, but ends on a positive note. Most of the time when reading these books I am looking for information and insight into abnormal psychology. In this particular case I would say there is not much to pick apart in his psychological profile. What I did find fascinating were the character renditions of the family members of Brenda Sue Gere. Every other crime book I have read has delved into a strong person who pressed for justice, or showed family members to be sympathetic characters that really draw at the reader's heart. This one was a little different, of course you hear of their pain and loss, but it is carried through to the point of showing before and after characteristics of the family members.
You learn about the family history. You learn about substance abuse, and personality traits. You learn about the family dynamic and the impact of the loss of Brenda Sue. It is more than that they were bereft by their loss, that would be natural. It is that you watch a father who utterly cannot face the loss and in the end gives up the fight to get his life back. You learn about a mother who strives to find peace and closure for herself and her remaining children.
I would recommend this book to individuals who have enjoyed other Jack Olsen works, but also those who have enjoyed the work of Jerry Bledsoe. This book has a similar rhythm.
We area also given a glimpse into the family of her killer. We hear statements from his parents, and his wife. We learn little from the man himself. In addition, the court files are represented as well as testimony given at the trial.
All and all this is a well researched and presented book. The story of course is tragic, but ends on a positive note. Most of the time when reading these books I am looking for information and insight into abnormal psychology. In this particular case I would say there is not much to pick apart in his psychological profile. What I did find fascinating were the character renditions of the family members of Brenda Sue Gere. Every other crime book I have read has delved into a strong person who pressed for justice, or showed family members to be sympathetic characters that really draw at the reader's heart. This one was a little different, of course you hear of their pain and loss, but it is carried through to the point of showing before and after characteristics of the family members.
You learn about the family history. You learn about substance abuse, and personality traits. You learn about the family dynamic and the impact of the loss of Brenda Sue. It is more than that they were bereft by their loss, that would be natural. It is that you watch a father who utterly cannot face the loss and in the end gives up the fight to get his life back. You learn about a mother who strives to find peace and closure for herself and her remaining children.
I would recommend this book to individuals who have enjoyed other Jack Olsen works, but also those who have enjoyed the work of Jerry Bledsoe. This book has a similar rhythm.
May 22, 2013
One day in September of 1985, 12-year-old Brenda Sue Gere was abducted from her family's home in Clearview, Washington. Her parents, Joe and Elaine Gere, were understandably devastated by the little girl's disappearance, and Joe said he effectively died on the day that Brenda was taken. It was left to Brenda's mother, Elaine to sustain her stricken family, search for her missing child, and pressure the authorities for justice.
From the first minutes of the investigation, suspicion fell on Michael Kay Green - a steroid-abusing "Mr. Universe" hopeful - but there was no proof of a crime, leaving police and prosecutors stymied. Tips and sightings poured in as lawmen and volunteers commenced searching the Cascade forest in a search which would become the largest in Northwest history. Years passed with no sign of blue-eyed Brenda or the bright clothing she had worn on the day she had disappeared. Yet Elaine remained undaunted in her quest.
Salt of the Earth: One Family's Journey Through a Violent American Landscape by Jack Olsen, tells the true story of a simple family thrust into overwhelming grief and the unyielding spotlight by a senseless crime. This story traces the background of the Gere family, the seven-year long crime drama and the effects of tragedy on a family.
I must say that I enjoyed this book very much. It was well-written, easy to follow and the plot had a poignancy about it that I appreciated. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more books by Jack Olsen in the future.
From the first minutes of the investigation, suspicion fell on Michael Kay Green - a steroid-abusing "Mr. Universe" hopeful - but there was no proof of a crime, leaving police and prosecutors stymied. Tips and sightings poured in as lawmen and volunteers commenced searching the Cascade forest in a search which would become the largest in Northwest history. Years passed with no sign of blue-eyed Brenda or the bright clothing she had worn on the day she had disappeared. Yet Elaine remained undaunted in her quest.
Salt of the Earth: One Family's Journey Through a Violent American Landscape by Jack Olsen, tells the true story of a simple family thrust into overwhelming grief and the unyielding spotlight by a senseless crime. This story traces the background of the Gere family, the seven-year long crime drama and the effects of tragedy on a family.
I must say that I enjoyed this book very much. It was well-written, easy to follow and the plot had a poignancy about it that I appreciated. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more books by Jack Olsen in the future.
January 7, 2010
You don't read much about the Hungarians and even less about the Slovenes-but this story captures the hard working spirit of a family that suffers the worst experience: the murder of their child.
Written by Jack Olsen, a journalist. Olsen's exhaustive research, clarity,and quotes make the reader know these people and suffer with them.
Other books by this author are worth a read. Olsen does his own research. He is a masterful writer and storyteller.
Written by Jack Olsen, a journalist. Olsen's exhaustive research, clarity,and quotes make the reader know these people and suffer with them.
Other books by this author are worth a read. Olsen does his own research. He is a masterful writer and storyteller.
March 20, 2011
TOO long! The editor really missed it...there were many details and characters that didn't need to be included and at times it seemed disjointed and repetitive. I was interested in the true crime story aspect though.
September 16, 2014
Story of the short life of Brenda Gere, before she was kidnapped and murdered.
September 7, 2016
This book was slow going. I felt for the family, for sure, but never hit a climax.
December 7, 2016
Another great true crime book by the late, great Jack Olsen. I can't say enough about his storytelling style. Absolutely, heart wrenching and informative.
August 5, 2020
Boring and flat.
January 8, 2025
Held My Attention
It is difficult to say one "enjoyed" a true crime book. After all, in this genre we are seeing humanity in its lowest form and as a result, one or more vulnerable victims suffers anything from assault to murder and everything in between. Dysfunction and depravity, mental illness or downright evil at its worst. That being said, the story did capture my attention -- more so as it moved beyond the initial pages.
Michael Green is NOT a likeable man. With an ego as large as his steroid fueled body and a temper to match, he tries to present himself as intelligent, kind and harmless but is anything but! He is a huge man, with an obsession for bodybuilding and an unrealistic goal (for him) of becoming the next "Mr. America." He doesn't work, lives with his wife and her parents and siblings, is controlling and both emotionally and at times physically abusive to his wife! His wife and in-laws are initially supportive because they fall for the "Mr Nice Guy" routine except his mother in law seems to see early on that Mike is not so innocent after all. Trouble is, it's far too late as he has committed rape and robbery which is bad enough but one day he sets his sight on a young girl, 12 year old little Brenda Sue Gere. No one sees her alive ever again... I couldn't help but feel that if only Mike had been adequately sentenced for a previous crime, or if the family would have reported what they DID know of his behavior and lies, perhaps things would be different but who knows?
The Gere family unfortunately also had more than Brenda's abduction and death to cope with. Joe (the husband) was an active alcoholic as he turned to alcohol in order to cope with the loss of his only daughter. He felt guilty for going to work on his day off which happened to be the day Brenda was taken.
The story was engaging. However the editing was just plain careless! Ridiculous misspelling of words. "Cere" for the family name of Gere -- not just once or twice but multiple times. "pre Judice" for prejudice several times. And multiple other examples! As I've said in other reviews, if you're going to take the time and do the research to write a book, then take the time to have it properly edited. Not everyone writes a book, you might as well make it the best it can be!
Lastly, the language is rough, which is often unfortunately a reality in the world today. I can overlook that to some extent. However I personally ALWAYS deduct at least a star for using the Lord's name in vain. And unfortunately that too happened multiple times in the book. Totally unnecessary in my opinion because if you're any caliber of writer with a decent grasp of vocabulary, you should be able to come up with expressions of anger or dismay without invoking blasphemy!
It is difficult to say one "enjoyed" a true crime book. After all, in this genre we are seeing humanity in its lowest form and as a result, one or more vulnerable victims suffers anything from assault to murder and everything in between. Dysfunction and depravity, mental illness or downright evil at its worst. That being said, the story did capture my attention -- more so as it moved beyond the initial pages.
Michael Green is NOT a likeable man. With an ego as large as his steroid fueled body and a temper to match, he tries to present himself as intelligent, kind and harmless but is anything but! He is a huge man, with an obsession for bodybuilding and an unrealistic goal (for him) of becoming the next "Mr. America." He doesn't work, lives with his wife and her parents and siblings, is controlling and both emotionally and at times physically abusive to his wife! His wife and in-laws are initially supportive because they fall for the "Mr Nice Guy" routine except his mother in law seems to see early on that Mike is not so innocent after all. Trouble is, it's far too late as he has committed rape and robbery which is bad enough but one day he sets his sight on a young girl, 12 year old little Brenda Sue Gere. No one sees her alive ever again... I couldn't help but feel that if only Mike had been adequately sentenced for a previous crime, or if the family would have reported what they DID know of his behavior and lies, perhaps things would be different but who knows?
The Gere family unfortunately also had more than Brenda's abduction and death to cope with. Joe (the husband) was an active alcoholic as he turned to alcohol in order to cope with the loss of his only daughter. He felt guilty for going to work on his day off which happened to be the day Brenda was taken.
The story was engaging. However the editing was just plain careless! Ridiculous misspelling of words. "Cere" for the family name of Gere -- not just once or twice but multiple times. "pre Judice" for prejudice several times. And multiple other examples! As I've said in other reviews, if you're going to take the time and do the research to write a book, then take the time to have it properly edited. Not everyone writes a book, you might as well make it the best it can be!
Lastly, the language is rough, which is often unfortunately a reality in the world today. I can overlook that to some extent. However I personally ALWAYS deduct at least a star for using the Lord's name in vain. And unfortunately that too happened multiple times in the book. Totally unnecessary in my opinion because if you're any caliber of writer with a decent grasp of vocabulary, you should be able to come up with expressions of anger or dismay without invoking blasphemy!
February 8, 2026
I was glad to see this child-killing scum is still incarcerated at Monroe Correctional Complex-WSR at age: 63
* https://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/2...
* https://news.google.com/newspapers?id...
* https://mkg4jc.wordpress.com/2008/01/...
* https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/10/...
* https://archive.seattletimes.com/arch...
https://vinelink.vineapps.com/person-...
Green had confessed to being in the dead girls home the day of her disappearance but said he didn't kill her. In a way, the crime itself is not the center of this story. Rather it is the parallel story of two families disrupted by this killing. The Geres (victim's family) and the Greens. There is a lot of detail on the seekers for truth or, as in the case of boxer Ibar , revenge.
The tragedy of the child's death transforms her family, leading to a father's suicide and, it appears, an energetic, resourceful, and independent mother. "When you lose a child, you have to be careful you don’t lose a whole family.”
While it is only explored here and there, I can't wonder if but for the steroid abuse by the obsessively body-building perpetrator if this crime would not have happened:
* https://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/2...
* https://news.google.com/newspapers?id...
* https://mkg4jc.wordpress.com/2008/01/...
* https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/10/...
* https://archive.seattletimes.com/arch...
https://vinelink.vineapps.com/person-...
Green had confessed to being in the dead girls home the day of her disappearance but said he didn't kill her. In a way, the crime itself is not the center of this story. Rather it is the parallel story of two families disrupted by this killing. The Geres (victim's family) and the Greens. There is a lot of detail on the seekers for truth or, as in the case of boxer Ibar , revenge.
Dennis Mackey promised Elaine that he wouldn’t rest till they caught the steroid freak and found Brenda. “Vietnam was my war,” he told her. “This is yours. We’re foxhole buddies.” His comrade IBar Arrington, the teetotaling former heavyweight boxer, had been suffering from bad dreams. He saw pretty little Brenda being dragged from the house by her hair, flung in the trunk of Green’s car, then chained and gagged in a basement.
...
IBar said, “I promise you, Elaine. When we find Green, I’ll bring you his heart in my hands. Okay?” Elaine said it would be a pleasant sight.
The tragedy of the child's death transforms her family, leading to a father's suicide and, it appears, an energetic, resourceful, and independent mother. "When you lose a child, you have to be careful you don’t lose a whole family.”
While it is only explored here and there, I can't wonder if but for the steroid abuse by the obsessively body-building perpetrator if this crime would not have happened:
In his junior year, Green began to show symptoms of “‘roid rage,” clashing with teammates and coaches. He became known as a difficult player and temporarily quit the team. He told friends that he was no longer welcome at his parents’ home in North Seattle, complaining that his father had kicked him out for good over marijuana.
....
Both prosecution and defense attorneys had presumed from the beginning that Green’s best defense would be temporary insanity due to abusive use of steroids. Such a plea could result in a lesser verdict and shorter sentence, perhaps even a hospital commitment. Savage said, “I’d heard from everyone that he was a nice, nice guy as a young man. What changed him? The steroid defense was obvious.” It was not only obvious; it also represented the facts, to a greater or less degree. Anabolic steroids had long been known to cause aberrant behavior, including murder and mayhem. Dr. Harrison Pope Jr., associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, had examined Green’s records and concluded that his crimes “might well never have occurred if he had not been using steroids at the time.” Pope cited numerous examples of steroid abusers who’d developed “a veritable Jekyll-Hyde personality.”
August 12, 2018
Sand, ash, and dust
The late Jack Olsen is one of the best authors in the true crime genre. Many of his great works are available on Kindle now. This was my second time reading this story and again, I was blown away by the entire story. Elaine, Brenda, Joe, and Michael Kay Green. The victim's mother is a beautiful on the inside and out, a real class act. She displays more courage and integrity than most of us in the human race. This is both a tragedy and a triumph. You will always remember this book. SIDE NOTE: I could not believe the forward to this updated version by author Matt Phelps. He managed to call out and disparage both Truman Capote and Ann Rule in one fell swoop. If his hair or head get any bigger, he won't be able to fit in any doors. I have never read ANY of his books and liked them. I don't even think I bothered reviewing any of them. He kind of belongs in the Dianne Fanning/Aphrodite Jones club. So yeah, great book, self serving foreward.
The late Jack Olsen is one of the best authors in the true crime genre. Many of his great works are available on Kindle now. This was my second time reading this story and again, I was blown away by the entire story. Elaine, Brenda, Joe, and Michael Kay Green. The victim's mother is a beautiful on the inside and out, a real class act. She displays more courage and integrity than most of us in the human race. This is both a tragedy and a triumph. You will always remember this book. SIDE NOTE: I could not believe the forward to this updated version by author Matt Phelps. He managed to call out and disparage both Truman Capote and Ann Rule in one fell swoop. If his hair or head get any bigger, he won't be able to fit in any doors. I have never read ANY of his books and liked them. I don't even think I bothered reviewing any of them. He kind of belongs in the Dianne Fanning/Aphrodite Jones club. So yeah, great book, self serving foreward.
August 24, 2018
I have always had a true crime side to me that I have to feed every once in a while. I don't think I've read Jack Olsen before, although that seems hard to believe. There must be one or two in there somewhere that I just don't remember.
This book didn't absorb me as the genre usually does (I'll never forget my total fascination with Joe McGinniss's Fatal Vision from over 25 years ago). Salt of the Earth had so many pathetic characters. Since they are real people, Olsen certainly couldn't control that. I think what would have helped me care more was if he had made me feel that I really knew Brenda, the young victim. But I don't think he developed that relationship at all. And I got pretty bored with so many details about Michael Kay Green - now there was a really pathetic man! I cared enough to want to see the killer caught - it was just too long in coming.
This book didn't absorb me as the genre usually does (I'll never forget my total fascination with Joe McGinniss's Fatal Vision from over 25 years ago). Salt of the Earth had so many pathetic characters. Since they are real people, Olsen certainly couldn't control that. I think what would have helped me care more was if he had made me feel that I really knew Brenda, the young victim. But I don't think he developed that relationship at all. And I got pretty bored with so many details about Michael Kay Green - now there was a really pathetic man! I cared enough to want to see the killer caught - it was just too long in coming.
September 18, 2018
Moving on
Not a perfect, hold your attention read if you love true crime. The kidnapping of a 12 year old girl, devastated a family and a community. This is the book that can't make you know heartbreak but you learn to understand the aftermath of a nightmare. A kidnapping of a child is a terror all parents may have thought about but will never experience. How does knowing your child will be gone forever feel? I felt the fear. I read about the destruction of families and how they ultimately move on while never fully healing. I felt sad. The epilogue honors the lost child, the father who couldn't deal with living in the nightmare, the brothers who lost their childhood and mother who kept moving forward.
Not a perfect, hold your attention read if you love true crime. The kidnapping of a 12 year old girl, devastated a family and a community. This is the book that can't make you know heartbreak but you learn to understand the aftermath of a nightmare. A kidnapping of a child is a terror all parents may have thought about but will never experience. How does knowing your child will be gone forever feel? I felt the fear. I read about the destruction of families and how they ultimately move on while never fully healing. I felt sad. The epilogue honors the lost child, the father who couldn't deal with living in the nightmare, the brothers who lost their childhood and mother who kept moving forward.
March 16, 2018
Maybe Olsen's best. Different in the way you get to know and care about a particular family and their relatives and learn to like and identify with them and I would think most would admire them. All of this before a tragedy takes place and when that happens it's devastating. It was for me. Olsen then let's us live with the victims and the perp as well as neighbors, police and some fascinating characters. The main focus is a woman who has more courage to push on when the most terrible things happen to her. She was an amazing woman or is an amazing woman. Definitely a cut above most true crime works.
February 7, 2020
More of a true-life drama than a true crime book. The first 1/4 of the book details the lives of the parents and grandparents of the eventual young victim. WAY too much information!
It gets better once it gets into the crime; although it's still mostly about the family of the victim, the young daughter. It focuses mostly on the mother of the victim, who is a very strong woman and won't stop until she see's her daughter gets justice.
I wouln't recommend this book to any true-crime aficionado, but if you're interested in reading about a woman (the mother of the victim) who triumphs over tragedy, you will probably like it
It gets better once it gets into the crime; although it's still mostly about the family of the victim, the young daughter. It focuses mostly on the mother of the victim, who is a very strong woman and won't stop until she see's her daughter gets justice.
I wouln't recommend this book to any true-crime aficionado, but if you're interested in reading about a woman (the mother of the victim) who triumphs over tragedy, you will probably like it
December 28, 2023
The true crime part is interesting, but Olsen spends an awful lot of time on background. He seems determined to put Elaine Gere on a pedestal... as with Hastened to the Grave, I wondered if he was perhaps a bit too fond of his subject. It's also frustrating how he excuses Joe Gere (or allows Elaine to excuse him), who just sounds like a complete asshole to me. An entitled, useless manbaby who refuses to address his problems and constantly sends his family into chaos. The parallels between Joe Gere and the story's villain are striking, yet Olsen doesn't notice... or maybe doesn't call them out for fear of offending the sainted Elaine. 2.5/5
October 11, 2017
I think that few things in life can be as hard and difficult to overcome as losing a child, especially if it is small and had much ahead. Even more so if the loss is for a criminal act and totally unexpected.
That's the strong story of this book.
In this book only one parent survives, the other falls into alcoholism and prefers to be sucidarse before so much pain.
To think that there are people who live with criminals putting their children at risk at all times.
It pays to read the book and study the possible consequences.
That's the strong story of this book.
In this book only one parent survives, the other falls into alcoholism and prefers to be sucidarse before so much pain.
To think that there are people who live with criminals putting their children at risk at all times.
It pays to read the book and study the possible consequences.
August 9, 2018
Very good book and a little disturbing -how a monster kidnapped a young girl and killed her -the police and everybody else know he did it but the police do not want to violate his rights. The story is about the mom , the salt of the earth -that is strong throughout this horrible nightmare and survives.
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