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ktmp2112's review against another edition
4.0
I am sure this is pretty one sided, but man... I knew about this case, but had no clue how poorly it was handled.
marinaemoore's review against another edition
3.0
Although well-researched, this book is poorly written and very repetitive.
breezyrenee's review against another edition
3.0
Hoffman protected Tool and no one can convince me otherwise. He did absolutely everything in his power to screw up the investigation and to point the finger at everyone BUT the killer. There's no other way someone can railroad a case like this.
Hoffman and Witt should've both gone to prison for their complete lack of care and corruption. Let's not even mention the fact that the evidence disappeared left and right, it was never filed, or was marked wrong. The entire Hollywood PD should've been canned, and shows how much police are all willing to cover up for each other. You would think the killer was a police officer with the way they all acted.
This entire case was a train wreck from start to finish, and Adam deserved better.
Hoffman and Witt should've both gone to prison for their complete lack of care and corruption. Let's not even mention the fact that the evidence disappeared left and right, it was never filed, or was marked wrong. The entire Hollywood PD should've been canned, and shows how much police are all willing to cover up for each other. You would think the killer was a police officer with the way they all acted.
This entire case was a train wreck from start to finish, and Adam deserved better.
cmwilso3's review against another edition
5.0
This book was intriguing. I was shocked at the lack of professionalism that the lead detective on the case had.
justlily's review against another edition
I got through the first half before the constant repetition got to me and I just couldn't make myself pick it back up.
hotmessmamareads's review against another edition
4.0
After reading the account of the famous stranger abduction and murder of 6-year-old Adam Walsh told from his father's perspective in John Walsh's TEARS OF RAGE, I felt compelled to read Les Standiford's BRINGING ADAM HOME which provides a wider-lens POV of the same tragic crime. This book works the same case with a special emphasis and perspective of Joe Matthews, former homicide detective who was both familiar with the case and, later, an indispensable family friend of the Walshes who is asked to review the entire case file and suss out just whodunit once and for all. While both books cover the same ground, there is a greater organization to how the tale is told in Standiford's book. It also benefits from additional time, since this book is published later and provides a greater sense of getting answers that were not yet available to John Walsh at the time of the writing of TEARS OF RAGE.
While the opening chapters were somewhat slow and repetitive to me, I acknowledge that this is probably because I read it immediately after finishing TEARS OF RAGE and was familiar with a lot of what was being covered. However, having the story later reviewed and pored over from the eyes of a detective, an outsider concerned mainly with obtaining justice for the family brought a clearer sense of order to what chaos described in Walsh's book. It also provided a viewpoint from which to understand and digest the criticism of the Hollywood Police Department's handling of the case, which I could give greater credence to because it's coming from another cop and not an civilian.
In any case, this account has a lot of moments I found interesting as it included some excerpts of interviews done with the primary suspect, Ottis Toole, as well as a meticulous account of the errors committed during the investigation. By the book's end, one is impressed with the work of Joe Matthews and dismayed by the fact that this murder could have been solved and put to rest years earlier--but most of all--I close this book with some sense of relief that the Walsh family now has the knowledge and surety that eluded them for so long, and in a way, justice for Adam.
While the opening chapters were somewhat slow and repetitive to me, I acknowledge that this is probably because I read it immediately after finishing TEARS OF RAGE and was familiar with a lot of what was being covered. However, having the story later reviewed and pored over from the eyes of a detective, an outsider concerned mainly with obtaining justice for the family brought a clearer sense of order to what chaos described in Walsh's book. It also provided a viewpoint from which to understand and digest the criticism of the Hollywood Police Department's handling of the case, which I could give greater credence to because it's coming from another cop and not an civilian.
In any case, this account has a lot of moments I found interesting as it included some excerpts of interviews done with the primary suspect, Ottis Toole, as well as a meticulous account of the errors committed during the investigation. By the book's end, one is impressed with the work of Joe Matthews and dismayed by the fact that this murder could have been solved and put to rest years earlier--but most of all--I close this book with some sense of relief that the Walsh family now has the knowledge and surety that eluded them for so long, and in a way, justice for Adam.
jamiedee24's review
5.0
❤ Heartbreaking and Dedicated; a must read
I grew up elbowing the story of Adam Walsh and the importance of staying where my parents could see me. I was appalled at the seemingly impossible apathy of so many law enforcement officers during and after the saga of this case. My heart broke over and over for the Walsh family as I followed their journey to find answers and bring their little boy home.
Adam's life was cut tragically short, but his name and legacy live on. Through the tragic loss of their son, the Walshes were instrumental in creating the national database that has saved so many other children. They were able to take an unimaginable situation and instead of a!!owing grief to swa!low them, made better the lives of so many surrounding them.
I grew up elbowing the story of Adam Walsh and the importance of staying where my parents could see me. I was appalled at the seemingly impossible apathy of so many law enforcement officers during and after the saga of this case. My heart broke over and over for the Walsh family as I followed their journey to find answers and bring their little boy home.
Adam's life was cut tragically short, but his name and legacy live on. Through the tragic loss of their son, the Walshes were instrumental in creating the national database that has saved so many other children. They were able to take an unimaginable situation and instead of a!!owing grief to swa!low them, made better the lives of so many surrounding them.
carolpk's review against another edition
I knew going in that this would be a hard book to read. It seems odd to say I read it for closure. Closure usually is something reserved for family or close friends when someone they love is missing or violently murdered. Though I cannot know how John and Reve’ Walsh felt, I was there right from the beginning on that horrible July day in 1981 when their son, Adam, disappeared from a Sears store in Hollywood, Florida. I was a mother of two girls under ten and I was horrified at what had happened to Adam Walsh. When some of his remains were found I was saddened that the hope for Adam’s coming home was extinguished.
Like many in our country I followed along as details about the case were revealed and the lack of a real suspect became apparent. The thought that the person who committed this crime was still out there haunted me. I also followed Walsh’s attempts to make changes in the system of reporting missing children and moves to keep our young people from being exploited. Of course, I watched America’s Most Wanted and was glad to see that TV and then the website could do some good to catch criminals. I applauded the Walsh’s efforts to make certain that what happened to them did not happen to other families and the help they gave to other families whose children were missing.
As I said in the beginning I read Bringing Adam Home for closure. I cannot say that I enjoyed this book. Given the subject matter that seems wrong. I don’t want to give it any stars…it’s not that sort of book. I did learn a great deal reading this and not all was encouraging. I am always upset by sloppy work, police work or otherwise and this case had its share of this. I was sickened to read about the disregard for life exhibited by so many in this case and others. I am disappointed that the person responsible for Adam’s death was not brought to justice. In the end though, there were some moments to bring me continued hope, that there are good people in our world, that there are dedicated persons who will give their all to their job or a cause. I am glad to know that so many people have not forgotten Adam Walsh, a boy who remains frozen in time, baseball bat, cap and smile, always in my mind. I am glad that the Walsh’s, John and Reve’, feel that Adam has been brought home.
Like many in our country I followed along as details about the case were revealed and the lack of a real suspect became apparent. The thought that the person who committed this crime was still out there haunted me. I also followed Walsh’s attempts to make changes in the system of reporting missing children and moves to keep our young people from being exploited. Of course, I watched America’s Most Wanted and was glad to see that TV and then the website could do some good to catch criminals. I applauded the Walsh’s efforts to make certain that what happened to them did not happen to other families and the help they gave to other families whose children were missing.
As I said in the beginning I read Bringing Adam Home for closure. I cannot say that I enjoyed this book. Given the subject matter that seems wrong. I don’t want to give it any stars…it’s not that sort of book. I did learn a great deal reading this and not all was encouraging. I am always upset by sloppy work, police work or otherwise and this case had its share of this. I was sickened to read about the disregard for life exhibited by so many in this case and others. I am disappointed that the person responsible for Adam’s death was not brought to justice. In the end though, there were some moments to bring me continued hope, that there are good people in our world, that there are dedicated persons who will give their all to their job or a cause. I am glad to know that so many people have not forgotten Adam Walsh, a boy who remains frozen in time, baseball bat, cap and smile, always in my mind. I am glad that the Walsh’s, John and Reve’, feel that Adam has been brought home.
brb_reads's review against another edition
3.0
What a horrifying 25(+) years that this family went through after dealing with cops who were more interested in internal BS than they were with solving this case. After listening to the Accused podcast and then this book, I can't help but be frustrated with how some cases were dealt with during this time. I know that they did not have as much technology or means available so that does account for SOME of it, but not all. The fact that the roll of pictures was never processed alone is enough to make your blood boil. If you like listening to true crime books, the writing was a little all over the place, however, some great things did come from this case that at the time did not exist because the parents never stopped fighting.
bookishblond's review
2.0
Bringing Adam Home is the result of extensive research on the Walsh family, the investigation into six-year-old Adam Walsh's 1981 disappearance, and Ottis Toole, the alleged murderer. This book is written by a writer of popular detective stories and the investigator who finally "closed" the Adam Walsh case, Joe Matthews. It is, as you can imagine, anything but unbiased.
Standiford and Matthews have so much they want to tell you about Ottis Toole. He is a bad, bad, man, who told everyone who would listen that he murdered Adam Walsh, but the Hollywood police department bungled the case because they are incapable, bumbling cops who should never have been on the case in the first place. The best thing that ever happened to the Hollywood police department was Joe Matthews... now that guy is cool. To illustrate just how cool he is, Standiford has included several stories about Matthews, including how he dared to write a parking citation for a fellow police officer. Now that takes daring! It doesn't matter that Matthews had no new evidence when he finally got the case or that Ottis Toole was long dead... he closed it, because he is the best cop ever.
As much as Standiford, Matthews, the Walshes, and Toole himself wanted Ottis Toole to be the villain behind Adam Walsh's disappearance... the truth is that there isn't much evidence at all to support his guilt. This book inspired me to dive head first into a rabbit hole that revealed many interesting tidbits, such as the original transcripts of Toole's confession, released 20 years, where it is very apparent that he had little to no knowledge of the specifics of Adam's kidnapping, the improbability of Toole's confession, and the bizarre theories that the decomposed head found didn't even belong to Adam. I definitely recommend scrolling through Reddit, including this thread and the Bizarrepedia page.
Please don't let this book be your introduction to the Adam Walsh case.
Standiford and Matthews have so much they want to tell you about Ottis Toole. He is a bad, bad, man, who told everyone who would listen that he murdered Adam Walsh, but the Hollywood police department bungled the case because they are incapable, bumbling cops who should never have been on the case in the first place. The best thing that ever happened to the Hollywood police department was Joe Matthews... now that guy is cool. To illustrate just how cool he is, Standiford has included several stories about Matthews, including how he dared to write a parking citation for a fellow police officer. Now that takes daring! It doesn't matter that Matthews had no new evidence when he finally got the case or that Ottis Toole was long dead... he closed it, because he is the best cop ever.
As much as Standiford, Matthews, the Walshes, and Toole himself wanted Ottis Toole to be the villain behind Adam Walsh's disappearance... the truth is that there isn't much evidence at all to support his guilt. This book inspired me to dive head first into a rabbit hole that revealed many interesting tidbits, such as the original transcripts of Toole's confession, released 20 years, where it is very apparent that he had little to no knowledge of the specifics of Adam's kidnapping, the improbability of Toole's confession, and the bizarre theories that the decomposed head found didn't even belong to Adam. I definitely recommend scrolling through Reddit, including this thread and the Bizarrepedia page.
Please don't let this book be your introduction to the Adam Walsh case.