Fatal Vision - Joe McGinniss - 5 Stars

[Olivermagnus]

Early in the morning of February 17, 1970 police were summoned to the Fort Bragg home of Jeffrey MacDonald, a Green Beret captain. Inside they found a horrifying crime scene. MacDonald's pregnant wife, Colette, was stabbed 16 times with a knife and 21 times with an ice pick. His two daughters were also dead. Five year old Kimberly had been bludgeoned and stabbed in the neck and two year old Kristen was stabbed 48 times. MacDonald had a few superficial wounds. The Army investigated first, and MacDonald was cleared at a closed military hearing. Eventually his father-in-law prevailed and local civilian authorities agreed to file charges against MacDonald.

First published in 1983, and coming in at just under a thousand pages, Fatal Vision is an incredibly well written book that reads like a novel much more than a non-fiction book about one of the most famous murder trials held in the United States. It's the story of a tragedy but is still spellbinding to read. MacDonald seemed to “have it all”, a career as a Green Berets doctor, a beautiful wife, two daughters, and a new baby on the way.

McGinniss gives us clues along the way that help explain why he thinks it might have happened but MacDonald has never revealed any information, other than he is not guilty. Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. I became convinced of his guilt based on the evidence that was presented, but other readers may not be convinced. I highly recommend Fatal Vision if you have any interest at all in true crime, or even if you don't.

[LibraryCin]

I owned this for years before finally picking it up sometime in the last couple of years. Going on memory, but I think I gave it 4 stars, so I really liked it, as well.