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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
While I'd originally added this to my TBR list because of its Agatha nomination for Best Nonfiction, I used it for the 2018 PopSugar Ultimate Reading Challenge "true crime" prompt and the 2018 BookRiot Read Harder Challenge "a book of true crime" prompt. The book centers around a 5-month arson spree in rural Virginia and the two individuals responsible for the crimes. The book covers the crimes, as well as the trials that followed. It presents multiple angles, including the backgrounds of and relationship between the arsonists (who were engaged at the time that they were caught), the firefighters and law enforcement officers who investigated the fires, the rural backdrop, and the aftermath. This was not a whodunnit story, but rather a why-did-they-do-it story. It was also the story of a rural community that was suffering from economic hardship even before the first of the 67 fires was set. It was a fascinating read worthy of all of the positive press it has received.
This book could've been a slog, and it was not. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down
dark
informative
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
I remember hearing about these fires on the news. I found the book very informative and interesting.
This was a really great book. It was well written and engaging throughout, and I felt drawn to the conclusion. I appreciated the brevity as well. Worth a read for those who like vanishing small towns.
hopeful
informative
reflective
You can find this book review and others at my blog https://montanasmusings.wordpress.com
If you know me, you’ll know I’m really into crime shows. Any type of crime show, whether documentary or scripted, I’ve probably seen it and loved it. Lately, I’ve felt I was watching too much tv, up to 6 hours a day after I got home from work. As you can imagine, I felt super lazy and decided if I was spending this much time watching crime shows, I might as well be a bit more productive and read crime novels. I googled a list of recommended true crime novels, and this one came up.
Initially, I thought it would be a bit boring. I mean, who cares about fires? They all end up the same way: destroying whatever is in its path. But the author created an elaborate story that combined arson with love. I grew up in a small enough town for me to feel isolated, although not as small as Accomack County, so I felt a bit of a connection with the people in the town.
The story is about Charlie Smith and Tonya Bundick, a couple who intentionally set over 80 fires on abandoned buildings around their small town. Hesse dives into the ‘why’ of the confusing story. Why would these two people set fire to their home town? What was going on in their personal lives that destroying buildings by fire was a release for them? Initially hesitant to read a story about fires, I was quickly drawn in and wanting to know more about this dynamic duo.
The author has researched this story well, from various interviews with firefighters, investigators, lawyers, and even Charlie Smith himself. The book did get a little boring near the end. The last 20% of the book was about the court proceedings and anyone who knows anything about the law knows that it is very dry and very boring. So I’ll admit, I kind of just wished the end would come once the author went into detail over the various court appearances and trials.
Overall, I really liked the book. The people in the book sounded like people I know from back home, most just trying to make a living and possibly have that All-American life. It also demonstrated the snowball effect one action can have and how a person can quickly get in over their head. It was honest and a bit heartbreaking to see these two people spiral so quickly.
If you know me, you’ll know I’m really into crime shows. Any type of crime show, whether documentary or scripted, I’ve probably seen it and loved it. Lately, I’ve felt I was watching too much tv, up to 6 hours a day after I got home from work. As you can imagine, I felt super lazy and decided if I was spending this much time watching crime shows, I might as well be a bit more productive and read crime novels. I googled a list of recommended true crime novels, and this one came up.
Initially, I thought it would be a bit boring. I mean, who cares about fires? They all end up the same way: destroying whatever is in its path. But the author created an elaborate story that combined arson with love. I grew up in a small enough town for me to feel isolated, although not as small as Accomack County, so I felt a bit of a connection with the people in the town.
The story is about Charlie Smith and Tonya Bundick, a couple who intentionally set over 80 fires on abandoned buildings around their small town. Hesse dives into the ‘why’ of the confusing story. Why would these two people set fire to their home town? What was going on in their personal lives that destroying buildings by fire was a release for them? Initially hesitant to read a story about fires, I was quickly drawn in and wanting to know more about this dynamic duo.
The author has researched this story well, from various interviews with firefighters, investigators, lawyers, and even Charlie Smith himself. The book did get a little boring near the end. The last 20% of the book was about the court proceedings and anyone who knows anything about the law knows that it is very dry and very boring. So I’ll admit, I kind of just wished the end would come once the author went into detail over the various court appearances and trials.
Overall, I really liked the book. The people in the book sounded like people I know from back home, most just trying to make a living and possibly have that All-American life. It also demonstrated the snowball effect one action can have and how a person can quickly get in over their head. It was honest and a bit heartbreaking to see these two people spiral so quickly.
I literally read this book in one sitting this morning. I woke up, made coffee and did not move from the sofa until it was finished and I only had 20 minutes to get ready for work. This was an entirely engrossing read about arsonists and the county they terrorized. It's about love, hate, economic decline, and the American dream. A string of over 60 fires breaks out in a small county, the volunteer fire departments worked over time, citizens mobilized, and people feared for their property. For five and a half months people lived on the edge of their seats. Remarkably nobody was killed or injured in any of the blazes. Wonderfully told, this nonfiction novel will suck you in.
I like the way the author keeps it interesting even though not much happens most of the time - the details and the backstory, the history of the Eastern Shore, keeps one reading.