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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
An interesting book with a lot of details. It did seem a bit repetitive but, overall I liked it.
true crime books are the potato chips of my reading life. this one was okay. I picked it up because one of the murder victims was a librarian. the killer frequented her library and they eventually started a relationship. besides the librarian angle, one of the details I'll remember most about this book was the mention of Stanko's business card, which read: "Stephen Stanko: Paralegal and Exotic Dancer." I can't believe the author didn't make a bigger deal about that. I mean, that is clearly the best paring of careers ever. and to have it printed on a business card!
There was also a very brief mention of true crime author William Dale Hudson, who had been working on a book about the Stanko murders but was found dead under suspicious circumstances. This was completely inconsequential to the story at hand, so I don't know why Benson included it. but it did pique my interest in Dale Hudson - a true crime writer who was the victim of a true crime! actually, i couldn't readily find any info about how/why he died, but the scant info that's available seems to indicate he didn't die of natural causes. someone needs to write a book about his story - it would be so meta!!
There was also a very brief mention of true crime author William Dale Hudson, who had been working on a book about the Stanko murders but was found dead under suspicious circumstances. This was completely inconsequential to the story at hand, so I don't know why Benson included it. but it did pique my interest in Dale Hudson - a true crime writer who was the victim of a true crime! actually, i couldn't readily find any info about how/why he died, but the scant info that's available seems to indicate he didn't die of natural causes. someone needs to write a book about his story - it would be so meta!!
Case of Stephen Stanko, Myrtle Beach area. Note: this true crime book is much more engrossing and intelligent and less sensational than its title would allow.
Not sure how I feel about this book. There were some really weird things going on.
Page 45 states that Penny watched Stephen choke her mom to death yet the back of the book states that Stephen slashed Penny's mom's throat.
Page 175 states that he bound her but really only talks about her hands and wrists but then all of a sudden her feet are bound together now too.
Page 190 "were his next-door neighbors. That was no exaggeration, either. Crenshaw and his wife shared a fence with him...." isn't that what a next-door neighbor is?
Page 198 "Bystandards - the audience - were allowed to suggest what parts should be examined next." WHAT? in jail they had an audience vying for watching him get examined?
Page 204 "And Braswell knew what he was talking about." Duh, he should if he is a psychologist.
Page 301 "The last prisoner to go out crackling and smoking..."
I am sure there are more weird things but this is what I remember and kept track of. The book itself was very informative but these weird things really made the author lack credibility on what he was writing. Sometimes it read like someone else was writing or he was trying to inject humor at very inappropriate times. Hard to keep in the moment when some of these things popped in.
I would read another book by this author to see if this is his style or not and if it is, I probably wouldn't read more.
Page 45 states that Penny watched Stephen choke her mom to death yet the back of the book states that Stephen slashed Penny's mom's throat.
Page 175 states that he bound her but really only talks about her hands and wrists but then all of a sudden her feet are bound together now too.
Page 190 "were his next-door neighbors. That was no exaggeration, either. Crenshaw and his wife shared a fence with him...." isn't that what a next-door neighbor is?
Page 198 "Bystandards - the audience - were allowed to suggest what parts should be examined next." WHAT? in jail they had an audience vying for watching him get examined?
Page 204 "And Braswell knew what he was talking about." Duh, he should if he is a psychologist.
Page 301 "The last prisoner to go out crackling and smoking..."
I am sure there are more weird things but this is what I remember and kept track of. The book itself was very informative but these weird things really made the author lack credibility on what he was writing. Sometimes it read like someone else was writing or he was trying to inject humor at very inappropriate times. Hard to keep in the moment when some of these things popped in.
I would read another book by this author to see if this is his style or not and if it is, I probably wouldn't read more.
Suggested by a friend. The writing style was okay. This is a true crime novel, which I didn't know when I began reading. Very tragic story.