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Crime Files #13
Mortal Danger and Other True Cases
FROM TRUST TO TERROR...
FROM SECURITY TO SURVIVAL
The author of The Stranger Beside Me brings her brilliantly informed understanding of the sociopath to this riveting truecrime collection. Only Ann Rule, who unknowingly worked alongside the smart and charming Ted Bundy -- America's most notorious serial killer -- could lend her razor-sharp insight into these cases of the spouse, lover, family member, or helpful stranger who is totally trusted but whose lethally violent nature, though masterfully disguised, can and will kill. Featured here is the case of a Southern California family man who appeared to be the picture of healthy living with his expertise in naturopathic healing. Luring a beautiful flight attendant into a passionate affair, he swept her away to a secluded home on the Oregon coast where his jealous rages escalated, ultimately leading to a brutal sex attack in which she believed she would die. How this brave victim survived, never knowing her tormentor's whereabouts, and how he resurfaced, forcing a tragic end for all involved, makes this one of Ann Rule's most compelling narratives. Other cases include that of the woman who masterminded her husband's murder to gain his inheritance...the monstrous sadist whose prison release damaged a presidential candidate's campaign and ended in a bitter double tragedy in a quiet neighborhood three thousand miles away...the shocking DNA link between a cold-blooded crime and a cold case...and inside the horrific case of the man who crossed an ocean and several countries to stalk the Eurasian beauty who had fled from him in desperation.
Cover Artist: Tom Hallman
FROM SECURITY TO SURVIVAL
The author of The Stranger Beside Me brings her brilliantly informed understanding of the sociopath to this riveting truecrime collection. Only Ann Rule, who unknowingly worked alongside the smart and charming Ted Bundy -- America's most notorious serial killer -- could lend her razor-sharp insight into these cases of the spouse, lover, family member, or helpful stranger who is totally trusted but whose lethally violent nature, though masterfully disguised, can and will kill. Featured here is the case of a Southern California family man who appeared to be the picture of healthy living with his expertise in naturopathic healing. Luring a beautiful flight attendant into a passionate affair, he swept her away to a secluded home on the Oregon coast where his jealous rages escalated, ultimately leading to a brutal sex attack in which she believed she would die. How this brave victim survived, never knowing her tormentor's whereabouts, and how he resurfaced, forcing a tragic end for all involved, makes this one of Ann Rule's most compelling narratives. Other cases include that of the woman who masterminded her husband's murder to gain his inheritance...the monstrous sadist whose prison release damaged a presidential candidate's campaign and ended in a bitter double tragedy in a quiet neighborhood three thousand miles away...the shocking DNA link between a cold-blooded crime and a cold case...and inside the horrific case of the man who crossed an ocean and several countries to stalk the Eurasian beauty who had fled from him in desperation.
Cover Artist: Tom Hallman
465 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
521 people are currently reading
2677 people want to read
About the author
Ann Rule
128 books4,433 followersAnn Rule was a popular American true crime writer. Raised in a law enforcement and criminal justice system environment, she grew up wanting to work in law enforcement herself. She was a former Seattle Policewoman and was well educated in psychology and criminology.
She came to prominence with her first book, The Stranger Beside Me, about the Ted Bundy murders. At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
She came to prominence with her first book, The Stranger Beside Me, about the Ted Bundy murders. At the time she started researching the book, the murders were still unsolved. In the course of time, it became clear that the killer was Bundy, her friend and her colleague as a trained volunteer on the suicide hotline at the Seattle, Washington Crisis Clinic, giving her a unique distinction among true crime writers.
Rule won two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She was nominated three times for the Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She is highly regarded for creating the true crime genre as it exists today.
Ann Rule also wrote under the name Andy Stack . Her daughter is Goodreads author Leslie Rule.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
March 29, 2019
This was a timely read for me as "my" students will soon begin to work on Problem Solution papers and one topic is mental abuse. The cases Ms. Rule chose to include in this collection detail mental abuse in the best way I've ever seen. So, no surprise.
January 16, 2018
I think that Rule should have kept the first story as it's own standalone cause that with the other stories doesn't really work.
Mortal Danger (3 stars)-The first story is about Kathy Ann Jewell and her affair with a man that she really didn't know. I think that Rule dragged things out way too much and there were a lot of holes. I imagine cause she didn't have a chance to talk to the man who was the focus of her story here, John Branden. We do read about how mentally and physically abusive Branden is to Kathy Ann over the years finally culminating in an incident that left Kahty Ann raped, beaten, and fearing for her life. When Rule tries to follow what little Branden leaves behind when he moves onto another woman, named Turi Bentley. When the story shifts to Turi, there's not much there. Ultimately a sad story.
Written in Blood (3 stars)-It took me a while to realize that I had heard of this story before while watching Forensic Files. Rule was really repetitive in this story though she did add on some things I had not heard about before. It appears the man who ultimately was responsible for the murder of his neighbors (Daniel Tavares) and possible serial killer. And then we are told that the man in question was molested by his mother's one boyfriend (that still lived with him) and there could be potentially other things that were done to him as well. BTW this is not to excuse the man, it's just we are flung a lot of information our way as readers and it didn't feel as if Rule had done a lot of research or culling to make the story more coherent. We don't get a sense of the murdered married couple, Bev and Brian Mauck.
If I Can't Have You... (3 stars)-The story of Amelia Jager who ended up marrying the wrong man. After visiting Switzerland she meets a man that she falls head over heels about. Realizing he has a mental disorder, she realizes she needs to move back to America and divorce him when there is nothing more she can do. I felt sad about this story since it appears he never should have been given permission to fly to the U.S. This was a fairly short story in the collection though. I didn't get a sense of Amelia at all.
Thirty Years Later (4 stars)-This was odd. I didn't like the first part of the story at all. But when Rule goes into what at first doesn't seem to be a similar case, things tied up in the end.
Not Safe at Home (3 stars)-Fairly short and just sad. A woman who was attacked, raped, and murdered by someone she thought she knew. Rule ends about women living alone should be doubly cautious and I wanted very badly to add anyone living alone should be cautious. Anyone not living alone should be cautious. Bad things happen in the daylight, night time or even if you have dogs, a burglar alarm, or weapons.
Mortal Danger (3 stars)-The first story is about Kathy Ann Jewell and her affair with a man that she really didn't know. I think that Rule dragged things out way too much and there were a lot of holes. I imagine cause she didn't have a chance to talk to the man who was the focus of her story here, John Branden. We do read about how mentally and physically abusive Branden is to Kathy Ann over the years finally culminating in an incident that left Kahty Ann raped, beaten, and fearing for her life. When Rule tries to follow what little Branden leaves behind when he moves onto another woman, named Turi Bentley. When the story shifts to Turi, there's not much there. Ultimately a sad story.
Written in Blood (3 stars)-It took me a while to realize that I had heard of this story before while watching Forensic Files. Rule was really repetitive in this story though she did add on some things I had not heard about before. It appears the man who ultimately was responsible for the murder of his neighbors (Daniel Tavares) and possible serial killer. And then we are told that the man in question was molested by his mother's one boyfriend (that still lived with him) and there could be potentially other things that were done to him as well. BTW this is not to excuse the man, it's just we are flung a lot of information our way as readers and it didn't feel as if Rule had done a lot of research or culling to make the story more coherent. We don't get a sense of the murdered married couple, Bev and Brian Mauck.
If I Can't Have You... (3 stars)-The story of Amelia Jager who ended up marrying the wrong man. After visiting Switzerland she meets a man that she falls head over heels about. Realizing he has a mental disorder, she realizes she needs to move back to America and divorce him when there is nothing more she can do. I felt sad about this story since it appears he never should have been given permission to fly to the U.S. This was a fairly short story in the collection though. I didn't get a sense of Amelia at all.
Thirty Years Later (4 stars)-This was odd. I didn't like the first part of the story at all. But when Rule goes into what at first doesn't seem to be a similar case, things tied up in the end.
Not Safe at Home (3 stars)-Fairly short and just sad. A woman who was attacked, raped, and murdered by someone she thought she knew. Rule ends about women living alone should be doubly cautious and I wanted very badly to add anyone living alone should be cautious. Anyone not living alone should be cautious. Bad things happen in the daylight, night time or even if you have dogs, a burglar alarm, or weapons.
January 12, 2009
With rare exceptions, Ann Rule is the only true crime I care to read. I like the way she tries to give us a portrait of the victim as they were in life, with hopes and fears and people who loved them, rather than focusing on grisly sensationalism. I also like the way she has made it her mission to encourage women again and again to listen to their intuition when they begin a relationship with a man, no matter how wonderful he seems to be.
Over the years, Rule's books have made me confidently cautious and watchful without being fearful when I am alone in a dark or deserted place, or when I'm approached by a stranger. Just being aware can make all the difference.
I think this book is the best of her three most recent ones. The longest story reads like a mystery novel. Sadly, it's not fiction.
Over the years, Rule's books have made me confidently cautious and watchful without being fearful when I am alone in a dark or deserted place, or when I'm approached by a stranger. Just being aware can make all the difference.
I think this book is the best of her three most recent ones. The longest story reads like a mystery novel. Sadly, it's not fiction.
August 26, 2025
“We all forget to be cautious every now and then. But it’s wise to remember that strangers aren’t the only people who might do us harm.”
Sadly, the crime stories in this book are now cautionary tales. Ones that were lived in real life by the victims.
June 7, 2019
I love mystery-crime-thriller genre novels. But True Crime Non-fiction - not so much. There are very few True Crime books I finish, and when I have, it’s because I skim them. The writing is usually horrible because the author had no talent for stringing sentences coherently or because the author should have outlined the chapters or a lot of excessive and pointlessly manipulative 'facts' are thrown in, similar to
if she had lived, the pretty coed might have married, bought a house with a picket fence, and had three children. Now, she would never have the future we all hope for. Now, her empty eyes stare sightlessly at a plush coffin lid, buried six feet under
and so on. I HATE reading these type of books unless I'm drunk.
However, the funniest and best part are often the included pictures. I am deeply amused at the usual two sections of pictures of ordinary weedy alleyways, or vacant lots or empty rooms or a parked car, along with really old blurry photos of weddings and graduations. If we are REALLY lucky, we will see a black and white photo of a blood smear or a bloody fingerprint or of a bloody car seat. I remember one book I didn't finish that had a caption under a picture of a hiking trail that said something like, the victim might have walked this very trail.
O _o
The genre of True Crime books do add knowledge and insight if written by someone with real writing and investigative skills, which Ann Rule does possess. Ann Rule actually can write because she was a working journalist. She has real detective skills and she actually hung out with police officers. But some of her books also include the ridiculous sentences about lost possibilities so that we get it how the victim's future was trashed by the horrible murder, as if the murder itself doesn't move us enough. Also her books include plenty of pointless photos.
Despite the dreadful writing and construction of the books in this class of non-fiction, I occasionally read them because of curiosity about some well-publicized case, or a friend who loves them wants me to read one, or I pick up a box of free books and some of them are of this nature. In this case, I bought a bunch of used Ann Rule true crime books 10 or so years ago because I heard she wrote better quality books. However, Rule’s books are still put together in the annoying, seriously dumb-downed fashion of True Crime styling, even if her investigative writing is much better.
Anyway. She explains five murders, three fully, while the other two take up only a chapter or so, in ‘Mortal Danger and Other True Cases #13’. She tells of what is known through Interviews and court records, and unlike many of her competitors, she makes logical and educated guesses to fill in blank spots in the narrative. The details are dreadful, and the crimes are much more illogical and senseless than fictional crime stories (which makes them scarier). The solving of these particular murders seem as if the police were terribly lucky and/or only resolved because of a serendipitous turning up of a link. The perpetrators are stupid, angry, crazed or the only possible suspect. Drugs, alcohol, previous police records, stories that are vague and inconsistent about the past, inability to hold down jobs, walking alone at night or opening up the front door to strangers and being female seem to be key factors. The key failure that victims seem to fall prey to is trusting another human being while alone.
The moral is never be in any position where it's only you and him alone. Yikes. O _ O
if she had lived, the pretty coed might have married, bought a house with a picket fence, and had three children. Now, she would never have the future we all hope for. Now, her empty eyes stare sightlessly at a plush coffin lid, buried six feet under
and so on. I HATE reading these type of books unless I'm drunk.
However, the funniest and best part are often the included pictures. I am deeply amused at the usual two sections of pictures of ordinary weedy alleyways, or vacant lots or empty rooms or a parked car, along with really old blurry photos of weddings and graduations. If we are REALLY lucky, we will see a black and white photo of a blood smear or a bloody fingerprint or of a bloody car seat. I remember one book I didn't finish that had a caption under a picture of a hiking trail that said something like, the victim might have walked this very trail.
O _o
The genre of True Crime books do add knowledge and insight if written by someone with real writing and investigative skills, which Ann Rule does possess. Ann Rule actually can write because she was a working journalist. She has real detective skills and she actually hung out with police officers. But some of her books also include the ridiculous sentences about lost possibilities so that we get it how the victim's future was trashed by the horrible murder, as if the murder itself doesn't move us enough. Also her books include plenty of pointless photos.
Despite the dreadful writing and construction of the books in this class of non-fiction, I occasionally read them because of curiosity about some well-publicized case, or a friend who loves them wants me to read one, or I pick up a box of free books and some of them are of this nature. In this case, I bought a bunch of used Ann Rule true crime books 10 or so years ago because I heard she wrote better quality books. However, Rule’s books are still put together in the annoying, seriously dumb-downed fashion of True Crime styling, even if her investigative writing is much better.
Anyway. She explains five murders, three fully, while the other two take up only a chapter or so, in ‘Mortal Danger and Other True Cases #13’. She tells of what is known through Interviews and court records, and unlike many of her competitors, she makes logical and educated guesses to fill in blank spots in the narrative. The details are dreadful, and the crimes are much more illogical and senseless than fictional crime stories (which makes them scarier). The solving of these particular murders seem as if the police were terribly lucky and/or only resolved because of a serendipitous turning up of a link. The perpetrators are stupid, angry, crazed or the only possible suspect. Drugs, alcohol, previous police records, stories that are vague and inconsistent about the past, inability to hold down jobs, walking alone at night or opening up the front door to strangers and being female seem to be key factors. The key failure that victims seem to fall prey to is trusting another human being while alone.
The moral is never be in any position where it's only you and him alone. Yikes. O _ O
July 26, 2022
This is not my first Ann Rule read and it most definitely won’t be my last either! In fact, I think it’s amongst my favourites I’ve read by her. Minus maybe The Stranger Beside Me because that one is just beyond iconic. But this one made me feel almost as excited and horrified while reading it. This collection of stories is really excellent, there’s a variety of cases and something to titillate you no matter your true crime preferences. Of course the events these victims went through were horrifying but seeing many of the cases resolved in this book provided such an immense sense of satisfaction. Knowing the victims got justice makes any true crime read all that much sweeter. And as usual Rule’s sensitivity is on point in her writing, she’s not being sensationalistic or exploiting the victims. That’s one of my favourite parts about her writing, her ability to bring class and sensitivity to a normally quite exploitative genre.
January 25, 2018
So, I'm pretty sure this is the first Ann Rule I have read, unless I read one a while back before I started reviewing. There are five stories in here, the titular one taking about half the book. The main thing in common is that they are all about women who were killed by men, some of them by men they knew and trusted, some by complete strangers.
I think the best thing about Rule's writing in this book is that it is empowering to women. She says, "you are your first line of defense," meaning if something just doesn't feel right or seems weird, don't ignore it but pay attention to those gut feelings. As Karen and Georgia of My Favorite Murder would say, "%^&* politeness." That's not necessarily to say that these women could have prevented these crimes in all cases, just that until society changes, being a woman puts you in a vulnerable position that you have to be aware of.
Sometimes the writing was a little clunky, like all of a sudden something that had been only supposed was presented as factual. But I went through this really quickly and it was an exciting read. I've already checked out another of her books from the library!
I think the best thing about Rule's writing in this book is that it is empowering to women. She says, "you are your first line of defense," meaning if something just doesn't feel right or seems weird, don't ignore it but pay attention to those gut feelings. As Karen and Georgia of My Favorite Murder would say, "%^&* politeness." That's not necessarily to say that these women could have prevented these crimes in all cases, just that until society changes, being a woman puts you in a vulnerable position that you have to be aware of.
Sometimes the writing was a little clunky, like all of a sudden something that had been only supposed was presented as factual. But I went through this really quickly and it was an exciting read. I've already checked out another of her books from the library!
March 6, 2017
Rambling, jumping around, repetitive. Small Sacrifices, the Stranger Beside Me and Green River Killer were all so well written.
January 15, 2017
*"Mortal Danger": Gold Beach OR 1999, Gig Harbor WA, 2007. Every Woman's Nightmare, twice. John Branden, aka John Williams, beat, raped, and very nearly murdered his long-time girlfriend when she had the temerity to try to end their relationship. He eluded police and vanished. Under a new name (one of many), he charmed a divorced lady in Gig Harbor into a common law marriage, then became increasingly controlling, abusive, and paranoid, until in 2007, when she found out something about that previous relationship, he shot her, shot his "best friend," who was trying to mediate between them, then shot himself. The friend survived, blinded. Branden/Williams and his girlfriend (I just can't use the word "partner" in this context) died.
*"Written in Blood": Graham WA 2007: Kill Me Twice: The vicious, pointless murder of Brian and Bev Mauck by Daniel Tavares, a man who'd served 16 years in Massachusetts for murdering his mother with a carving knife; the judge at his bail hearing for two attacks on prison guards believed his attorney that Tavares was rehabilitated and not a flight risk. He kept two appointments with his parole officer, then skipped out, traveling across the country to marry a woman he met online. Not very long thereafter he murdered his neighbors Brian and Bev Mauck for reasons that remain unclear, beyond Tavares' father's assessment that Daniel Tavares was pure evil. Google tells me that he was arraigned in 2015 for another murder, one that Rule actually talks about in "Written in Blood."
*"If I Can't Have You ...": Sea-Tac Airport 1976: Every Woman's Nightmare: Amelia Jager fled from her abusive, controlling husband in Switzerland back to her family in Seattle. He followed her (despite Swiss authorities having assured her he would not be grated a visa). As they were at the airport trying to get him on a plane back to Switzerland, he pulled a knife from where he'd secreted it in his bag, fatally stabbed Amelia and seriously injured her sister, who tried to stop him. The jury at his trial did not buy his insanity defense.
*"Thirty Years Later": Seattle WA 1978: Clarence Williams abducted and murdered Laura Bayliss (aka Julie Costello), the night-shift clerk in a 7-Eleven on Beacon Hill, and was convicted because he was caught on the security cameras. He insisted it was a case of mistaken identity. In 2007, still serving his sentence for Laura Bayliss' murder, Williams was convicted of the 1978 rape and murder of 15-year-old Sara Beth Lundquist based on DNA evidence from samples that detectives at the time had had the wits to take and preserve. Williams entered an Alford plea, refusing to admit guilt just as he had done in the Bayliss case. He was sentenced to an additional 30 years in prison.
*"Not Safe at Home": Marysville WA 1978: 56-year-old Traia Carr was raped and murdered by a 17-year-old neighbor who--as it turned out--was a ticking time bomb of sociopathy and sexual sadism. No one had any reason to suspect he was dangerous before Carr's death. He was tried as an adult on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree theft, and riding in a motor vehicle without the owner's permission (Snohomish County threw the book at him to be sure that something would stick). He was found guilty on all five counts.
(In a creepy coincidence that Rule swears she didn't plan, Sara Beth Lundquist and Traia Carr were murdered the same July 4th weekend of 1978.)
*"Written in Blood": Graham WA 2007: Kill Me Twice: The vicious, pointless murder of Brian and Bev Mauck by Daniel Tavares, a man who'd served 16 years in Massachusetts for murdering his mother with a carving knife; the judge at his bail hearing for two attacks on prison guards believed his attorney that Tavares was rehabilitated and not a flight risk. He kept two appointments with his parole officer, then skipped out, traveling across the country to marry a woman he met online. Not very long thereafter he murdered his neighbors Brian and Bev Mauck for reasons that remain unclear, beyond Tavares' father's assessment that Daniel Tavares was pure evil. Google tells me that he was arraigned in 2015 for another murder, one that Rule actually talks about in "Written in Blood."
*"If I Can't Have You ...": Sea-Tac Airport 1976: Every Woman's Nightmare: Amelia Jager fled from her abusive, controlling husband in Switzerland back to her family in Seattle. He followed her (despite Swiss authorities having assured her he would not be grated a visa). As they were at the airport trying to get him on a plane back to Switzerland, he pulled a knife from where he'd secreted it in his bag, fatally stabbed Amelia and seriously injured her sister, who tried to stop him. The jury at his trial did not buy his insanity defense.
*"Thirty Years Later": Seattle WA 1978: Clarence Williams abducted and murdered Laura Bayliss (aka Julie Costello), the night-shift clerk in a 7-Eleven on Beacon Hill, and was convicted because he was caught on the security cameras. He insisted it was a case of mistaken identity. In 2007, still serving his sentence for Laura Bayliss' murder, Williams was convicted of the 1978 rape and murder of 15-year-old Sara Beth Lundquist based on DNA evidence from samples that detectives at the time had had the wits to take and preserve. Williams entered an Alford plea, refusing to admit guilt just as he had done in the Bayliss case. He was sentenced to an additional 30 years in prison.
*"Not Safe at Home": Marysville WA 1978: 56-year-old Traia Carr was raped and murdered by a 17-year-old neighbor who--as it turned out--was a ticking time bomb of sociopathy and sexual sadism. No one had any reason to suspect he was dangerous before Carr's death. He was tried as an adult on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree theft, and riding in a motor vehicle without the owner's permission (Snohomish County threw the book at him to be sure that something would stick). He was found guilty on all five counts.
(In a creepy coincidence that Rule swears she didn't plan, Sara Beth Lundquist and Traia Carr were murdered the same July 4th weekend of 1978.)
April 10, 2011
This is the best Ann Rule book I've read. I felt that in her other true-crime books, her writing was stilted and dry. It was hard to get involved in the stories and worse yet, hard to care about the people. This one, feels more like she's telling the stories of the victims. I worry about women in the first story - Mortal Danger. This may be because the first victim survived and could tell of the horror she faced. But the storytelling continued throughout the book. This book like most of her previous books is based on true crimes from the Northwest; She has selected several stories all but one are about lone women who are abused and killed. One involves a couple. Like life, sometimes the why of the crime is revealed and sometimes it's not.
The title story - Mortal Danger, seemed to drag in places and is lengthy. I think some of the lesser details could have been omitted in order to keep the story moving. The next story was about a couple who were found murdered in their home. This story was move concise. There are several more, But I think Rule's best is one of the shorter stories - "If I can't have you" - it was particularly chilling. A woman marries a man in the Netherlands, after the wedding his domineering side comes out, she leaves and returns to America but he stalks her to her home. Eventually, he kills her.
I'm so glad that Rule has become a storyteller as well as a reporter. I'm looking forward to reading her next book.
The title story - Mortal Danger, seemed to drag in places and is lengthy. I think some of the lesser details could have been omitted in order to keep the story moving. The next story was about a couple who were found murdered in their home. This story was move concise. There are several more, But I think Rule's best is one of the shorter stories - "If I can't have you" - it was particularly chilling. A woman marries a man in the Netherlands, after the wedding his domineering side comes out, she leaves and returns to America but he stalks her to her home. Eventually, he kills her.
I'm so glad that Rule has become a storyteller as well as a reporter. I'm looking forward to reading her next book.
Read
January 5, 2010Ann Rule is my favorite author of all times. This book is just as good as her others. Everyone should pick up one of her great books.
May 15, 2019
My second Ann Rule book down! Definitely addicted to them now!
May 21, 2017
I like Ann Rule, I have a hard time writing reviews for True Crime, there is not much you can say about the story line, they are reporting what actually happened.
That being said, the author does have to pick a case that will be interesting and then has to write it in a way that holds your attention.
I feel Ann Rule does both of those things and does them well. She writes in such a way you can feel her compassion for the victims. She conveys the feelings the detectives have for cases. The only ones that you end up with no sympathy for are the bad guys!
That being said, the author does have to pick a case that will be interesting and then has to write it in a way that holds your attention.
I feel Ann Rule does both of those things and does them well. She writes in such a way you can feel her compassion for the victims. She conveys the feelings the detectives have for cases. The only ones that you end up with no sympathy for are the bad guys!
February 16, 2011
I seem to always come back to true crime books! I found this one book #13 in Ann Rule's series of true crime books from the author of "Stranger Beside Me" which is pretty much a classic about Ted Bundy-a real psycho serial killer who the author worked side-by-side with befpre he was captured.
December 21, 2008
As usual, Ann Rule does not disappoint. She knows how to hook the reader and keep interest high.
June 9, 2013
The first story was a little slow, but the rest of them were pretty good.
August 30, 2014
I like Ann Rule's true life crime books and this one especially with its Orcas connection.
December 13, 2021
*3.5/5 stars
August 14, 2021
Well, technically I did read more in 2020...but not as much as I'd hoped. Darn it!
Seems wildly appropriate that my last book of the year is one of my most favorite authors EVER. Definitely my favorite #TrueCrime author! (And that she does #LocalTrueCrime is just a bonus!) Ann Rule is also the first true crime author whose books I'd read. I can never remember if I read #StrangerBesideMe or #SmallSacrifices first, but they definitely weren't the last!
This book was actually a FREE book! At the start of the pandemic, #GoldBeachBooks in Gold Beach, Oregon did a kind thing and sent a free book to anyone who emailed them the genre they preferred. (Promotion is over - they got a LOT of replies!) I said true crime - and I received this book - an Ann Rule book I hadn't read before!
AND - the very first story in the book takes place in GOLD BEACH Oregon! 😱 What are the odds?!
This is a great, easy to read, book. Because it's multiple stories, it's easy to put it down and pick up again later to read. A good mix of true crime stories, in only the way Ann Rule can do them!
Anyways - in the spirit of the way I received it, I will be doing a #CatchAndRelease with this book and putting it back out into the wild for the next person to enjoy - with the requirement that they do the same. 💜
(Also, please go check out Gold Beach Books online and on FB! They say they're the largest bookstore on the Oregon coast - and they have over 75,000 books. Not all of them are online - but you can call or email if you're looking for something you can't find. Someday I hope to get there in person. I love a locally owned used bookstore! 💜)
Seems wildly appropriate that my last book of the year is one of my most favorite authors EVER. Definitely my favorite #TrueCrime author! (And that she does #LocalTrueCrime is just a bonus!) Ann Rule is also the first true crime author whose books I'd read. I can never remember if I read #StrangerBesideMe or #SmallSacrifices first, but they definitely weren't the last!
This book was actually a FREE book! At the start of the pandemic, #GoldBeachBooks in Gold Beach, Oregon did a kind thing and sent a free book to anyone who emailed them the genre they preferred. (Promotion is over - they got a LOT of replies!) I said true crime - and I received this book - an Ann Rule book I hadn't read before!
AND - the very first story in the book takes place in GOLD BEACH Oregon! 😱 What are the odds?!
This is a great, easy to read, book. Because it's multiple stories, it's easy to put it down and pick up again later to read. A good mix of true crime stories, in only the way Ann Rule can do them!
Anyways - in the spirit of the way I received it, I will be doing a #CatchAndRelease with this book and putting it back out into the wild for the next person to enjoy - with the requirement that they do the same. 💜
(Also, please go check out Gold Beach Books online and on FB! They say they're the largest bookstore on the Oregon coast - and they have over 75,000 books. Not all of them are online - but you can call or email if you're looking for something you can't find. Someday I hope to get there in person. I love a locally owned used bookstore! 💜)
April 11, 2024
Ann Rule was a better writer than her preferred genre might imply. She wrote very well* about true crime - mainly 20th century murders of women living in the Pacific NW. Although many of the cases were gruesome she did not write for the prurient; she took note of the victims’ suffering but did not make them the focus of the accounts. Mortal Danger is typical - a couple of lengthy accounts and several shorter ones - as are the dangers we (females) are alerted to:
1. Do not trust a man. Especially suspect are those with several ex-wives/girlfriends, children, cellmates, or names. Men who are abnormally loving during courtship are the most dangerous.
2. Probably best not to have a sketchy/risky lifestyle or an isolated cabin.
2. Don’t be beautiful, pretty, or remarkably attractive for your age. All of her victims transgressed this Rule (I have complied with this precaution all my life and it seems to have worked).
This writer’s books can be characterized as low-key true crime, and are well-suited to those who want a respite from the guts & gore style often associated with genre. Recommended.
*an example of what I appreciate about her style/approach: “Every woman in love with a married man believes that her relationship is ‘special,’ that no one else feels as she does, and that her being with him isn’t really illicit because the two of them are in love and there are extenuating circumstances. And, with rare exceptions, they all get hurt when they learn that their romance isn’t special at all. There is a predictable progression, but it doesn’t seem predictable to someone caught up in it.”
1. Do not trust a man. Especially suspect are those with several ex-wives/girlfriends, children, cellmates, or names. Men who are abnormally loving during courtship are the most dangerous.
2. Probably best not to have a sketchy/risky lifestyle or an isolated cabin.
2. Don’t be beautiful, pretty, or remarkably attractive for your age. All of her victims transgressed this Rule (I have complied with this precaution all my life and it seems to have worked).
This writer’s books can be characterized as low-key true crime, and are well-suited to those who want a respite from the guts & gore style often associated with genre. Recommended.
*an example of what I appreciate about her style/approach: “Every woman in love with a married man believes that her relationship is ‘special,’ that no one else feels as she does, and that her being with him isn’t really illicit because the two of them are in love and there are extenuating circumstances. And, with rare exceptions, they all get hurt when they learn that their romance isn’t special at all. There is a predictable progression, but it doesn’t seem predictable to someone caught up in it.”
May 24, 2022
I greatly enjoy Ann Rule's style of narration - in spite of the horrors she tells us about, it is oddly comforting, her docile nature shining through - and I enjoyed (?) reading these accounts. However, they can't hold a candle to the gripping masterpiece that is The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story, which might be due to their nature or the simple fact that Rule chose to tell the stories as short stories. Not every crime lends itself to a novel-length book and I thought, however, that every story was rather well-paced and hopefully also did the victim and their families justice.
June 17, 2022
3.5 Stars
In the main case, a charismatic confident doctor turns out not to be all he seems. John and Kate seem to have the world in the palm of their hands as they travel around making public speaking engagements on the benefits of holistic medicinal products. Yet the stylish couple has secrets behind closed doors. Can one partner always come first, or will the people involved eventually snap?
It is just shocking to me how many of these domestic violence cases exist. As Ann Rule states at the beginning of the book, it is a pattern that repeats itself over and over. This book was a fascinating read, and it’s crazy to see how abusers all over the country and in different time periods all follow the same pattern.
In the main case, a charismatic confident doctor turns out not to be all he seems. John and Kate seem to have the world in the palm of their hands as they travel around making public speaking engagements on the benefits of holistic medicinal products. Yet the stylish couple has secrets behind closed doors. Can one partner always come first, or will the people involved eventually snap?
It is just shocking to me how many of these domestic violence cases exist. As Ann Rule states at the beginning of the book, it is a pattern that repeats itself over and over. This book was a fascinating read, and it’s crazy to see how abusers all over the country and in different time periods all follow the same pattern.
December 12, 2018
The old phrase "till death do us part" should mean separating only when your significant other dies, not "if I can't have you, no one will." In this collection of true crimes, you learn about romancers who turn sour and controlling the minute they say "I do". The first few cautionary tales (majority of the book) focus on women who fell for the wrong man and paid with their lives. The lesser portion centers on young women who had a deadly encounter with pure evil. Being an Ann Rule fan, I enjoyed this book, however, so will ever one else who has a fascination with true crime.
March 10, 2022
I did enjoy this book except the first story was EXTREMELY TOO LONG and in my opinion, way too much unnecessary information. It was almost as if Ann had a page quota she was trying to make and had to put in every single detail she researched regarding this one particular story. But overall, I would recommend this book and I enjoy Ann's writings. The moral of these stories is that evil people are everywhere.
January 9, 2023
While I prefer books that feature only one case, this one was very interesting. All of the cases featured in this book really serve as an eye opening reminder of what can happen. It is sad that people must always be hypervigilant about everyone around them, but that is the world that we live in. It also serves as a reminder that just because a place seems picture perfect, it doesn't mean it is. Creeps are everywhere. This was a decent book, and I am glad that I found it on sale.
February 7, 2018
I’m usually horribly biased because this is my favorite author and always will be, but I feel like I’d have given this a 5 Star even if I hadn’t read anything by her before!
It’s difficult to keep a consistent theme going throughout a book that has multiple short stories but this was soooo consistent, it was a dream to read
It’s difficult to keep a consistent theme going throughout a book that has multiple short stories but this was soooo consistent, it was a dream to read
March 18, 2019
True to itself. Another well written true crime book. This author doesn't make the story all about the crime itself. She goes in depth of the victims,their families and how this could have possibly happened. She writes about the predator and what could have brought this person who was born raised well to turn out to be a vicious killer. If you like Ann Rules books this is another winner.
April 3, 2023
I have been reading Anne Rule books for 30 plus years. Every book is well researched and written with respect for the victims, the professionalism of the investigators, scenes of crime technologists and medical staff.
She chooses interesting crimes which have been brought to her attention.
She leaves a legacy as the ultimate true crime writer.
She chooses interesting crimes which have been brought to her attention.
She leaves a legacy as the ultimate true crime writer.
April 27, 2023
Ann Rule is one of the truly gifted true crime authors. I have always enjoyed her books and this one is no exception. She tells you the story without causing you undue fear but there is always the cautionary warning to trust your gut feelings at the end of the story. The book includes several cases so only the first one has any depth to it, but they are all interesting to read.
July 25, 2023
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I normally enjoy all of Ann Rule's books, but this one had a bit more setup/background than I would have preferred. I wanted to get to the meat of the story far sooner than the book actually did, so I found my interest waning a bit. Hence, the star removed and the extended time it took for me to read.
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