Worth More Dead And Other True Cases (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
You know, I feel really guilty about saying this but I don't feel bad for the victim in the first case of this book. Not the man, but the woman. I think I could've possibly tried to understand or relate to the victim if it hadn't involved her eldest daughter in that way.Here you have a man who is not only cheating on his wife, but also kills his lover's husband when she refused to leave him. During this trial, it's found out that he wanted to kill his own child for insurance. He took out a policy and even called out to places like poison control to figure a good way to kill her. If that's not bad enough, his own wife supports him and he gets out earlier than he should've and he comes home to his family (the family that includes that child.)Forward some years and GASP! He's cheating on her again. They break up. This time, however, the wife 'disappears' and is found a while later dead. The police suspect her hubby but there isn't any proof.His next wife (the one he cheated on his first wife with) find outs that he's a cheat (GASP!) and leaves me. Where upon this idiot tries to kidnap her son to hold him for ransom. All of this is terrible and he goes to jail but, you know, at least his second wife didn't knowingly keep him around the children. I can understand love and all that but there's got to be a line. And it'll forever mystify me when someone is caught cheating on a boy/girlfriend after that person had cheated on his or her previous partner with the current one.
There were five cases within this book,in “Worth More Dead” a former selfish Marine manipulated people and the courts with such ease it truly befuddled the mind why it took so long to notice the pattern and circumvent his deceptive plans. The next case,“My Own Grave” involved teenagers, an escape, and the capture of a killer. “Old Man’s Darling” was about an unhappy young woman missing a father figure finding older men attractive until one rejection led to her downfall. “All Four Nothing” brought tragedy to three families by a suspicious ex-boyfriend. One of the couples in “A Desperate Housewife” projected an image of a perfect marriage until that image was shattered ending in a tragedy.The true cases were laid out well with plenty of background information, court proceedings, and concise writing. Straight forward, clear-telling facts enabled the reader to get a clear impression of each case.
What do You think about Worth More Dead And Other True Cases (2005)?
1) This book is almost TOO well-written. I may sleep with a light on tonight.2) If you're looking for my faith in humnanity, I think I left it on page 378.3) The line The body in the tub had just sat up is the most chilling line I've ever read in anything in my life....I may sleep with a light on forever.
—Sheila
