Tuesday, January 29, 2008 6:14 PM CST
BOOK REVIEW: 'Too Late to Say Goodbye' 'Smoke, Mirrors and Murder', By Ann Rule
By Juanita Sherwood
Children grow up and their parents send them out into the world, expecting that their “newly hatched” adults will make a good life for themselves. Ofttimes, parents can be proud of their younger counterparts as they begin jobs, fall in love and marry, and produce offspring. This is the norm that is expected.
However, there can be a down side to this scenario that no one wants to have to participate in as a parent: a marriage of one’s offspring that goes badly awry, a decision by one’s progeny that steers a life in the wrong direction, or a family member who turns to a life of crime. Ann Rule’s books delve into such situations.
Rule has worked as a policewoman, police reporter, and lecturer to law enforcement authorities, as well as serving as an author of multiple true crime books. Some of her books cover several crimes as multiple entries in one book; others rely on the entire book to relate the story.
The crimes covered generally delve into the background of those involved, often beginning with the childhoods of the participants. The crime is then related, explanations of how authorities solved the case are given, and steps taken to bring justice are shown.
The books are especially good about bringing to the forefront personality traits, and psychological, social and environmental influences that shaped those involved. Crimes showcased cover all levels of society, many kinds of situations and locations, and most involve violence, often including murder. She does not sensationalize nor does she take sides, but remains true to the facts of the case, and police procedures and legal processes involved.
Her two most recent books are “Too Late To Say Goodbye,” a book covering one crime, and “Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder,” a collection of seven stories featuring crimes involving women as victims in one way or another.
“Too Late To Say Goodbye” is about a case in Atlanta, where a dentist, Bart Corbin, is eventually determined to have killed his wife, Jennifer. Background on each, their relationship, and motivations for their actions are explored.
To outside observers, they seemed to have an ideal life until one of their young sons alerted neighbors that his mother was dead and that his father was responsible. The child reporting such did not see this happen, but the “whys” behind his statement make for an interesting investigation and outcome.
Her other recently released book, “Smoke, Mirrors and Murder,” covers cases that have recently appeared in the news to some a few decades old. Even the case that occurred as long ago as 1960 in Seattle, called “The Antiques Dealer’s Wife,” could have happened just yesterday.
Another that she has included in this volume might interest residents of Illinois. It involves the Light brothers, George and Larry, who grew up in and were allegedly well known to law-enforcement officials in our state for a variety of crimes that occurred 50 years or so ago.
One brother saved himself from prison by “ratting out” the other, who served time at Joliet. This story moves from Illinois to Ann Rule’s home area — the Pacific Northwest — then back to Illinois with a startling revelation at the end of “The Convict’s Wife.”
Ann Rule’s skill at presenting the facts in all aspects of a case makes for fascinating reading. The goodness of some versus the darker side of mankind, and the tenacity of those who seek to find truth and justice for those who deserve it are features of these true stories.
Sherwood of Charleston is a retired reading teacher.
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