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jozi_girl 's review for:
The Stranger Beside Me
by Ann Rule
2.5 stars
The book packs a punch because of its content not its writing.
There are really two stories here:
1) The horrific and fantastical story of Ted Bundy
2) The story of Ann Rule
I loved the one and was disappointed in the other.
This almost feels like fan fiction rather than investigative non-fiction. Some details were included only because the people asked the author to do so rather than these additions adding anything of value to the story.
I found it interesting that the author fell under Bundy’s spell as much as the women that she criticized, who supported him during his incarceration, calling, writing and sending money to him.
And to be honest I still doubt their deep special friendship. As I understand it, they worked together 1 night a week for a few months, attended a few social functions with the bulk of their interaction relying on sporadic calls and letters. I don’t doubt that Ann got to know Bundy in a way that made her viewpoint unique, but it felt as if she wanted to convince readers that their connection was one of a kind snowflake unique.
The story of Bundy himself was what fascinated me and kept me coming back to this book that could have benefited from an editor. His crimes were shocking, the audacity of some of his actions were even more so and the police procedures in the 1970’s were sorely lacking in so many respects.
I don’t know the US legal system but I was completely gobsmacked to learn that Bundy was allowed to represent himself in court as he was a law school dropout not a graduate.
I have no regrets reading it, but I am hesitant to recommend this particular book about Ted Bundy. I would suggest waiting for the movie ” Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile”
The book packs a punch because of its content not its writing.
There are really two stories here:
1) The horrific and fantastical story of Ted Bundy
2) The story of Ann Rule
I loved the one and was disappointed in the other.
This almost feels like fan fiction rather than investigative non-fiction. Some details were included only because the people asked the author to do so rather than these additions adding anything of value to the story.
I found it interesting that the author fell under Bundy’s spell as much as the women that she criticized, who supported him during his incarceration, calling, writing and sending money to him.
And to be honest I still doubt their deep special friendship. As I understand it, they worked together 1 night a week for a few months, attended a few social functions with the bulk of their interaction relying on sporadic calls and letters. I don’t doubt that Ann got to know Bundy in a way that made her viewpoint unique, but it felt as if she wanted to convince readers that their connection was one of a kind snowflake unique.
The story of Bundy himself was what fascinated me and kept me coming back to this book that could have benefited from an editor. His crimes were shocking, the audacity of some of his actions were even more so and the police procedures in the 1970’s were sorely lacking in so many respects.
I don’t know the US legal system but I was completely gobsmacked to learn that Bundy was allowed to represent himself in court as he was a law school dropout not a graduate.
I have no regrets reading it, but I am hesitant to recommend this particular book about Ted Bundy. I would suggest waiting for the movie ” Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile”