A Friend of the Family: The True Story of David Snow

I am neither connected to the case nor related to the author and the first two reviewers are. I saw the movie and was captivated. Then I read the book. It's good. While the author's inexperience as a writer shows through, it's a phenomenally good first effort. Moreover, the emotional intensity of the relationship -- rather, the NON-relationship between the author and her stalker is as gripping as the lack of trust and emotional betrayal by her husband is off-putting. It's sad that their marriage failed; but it is little wonder. A serious page-turner and well worth reading.

As one of the FBI trained profilers who worked on this case and a student of human behaviour for over 35 years I found this book a great read. Psychopaths are known to manipulate those around them and those with violent sexual fantasies do so with a sexual objective in mind. Did David Snow have fantasies about the author and her child - yes I think so. Did he act out on them - furtunately for the author & her family - no. What we see in this book is the behaviour of David Snow that serves both his psychopathic ends and fantasies. This is not a clinical study or a professional analysis and therein lays its value. Profilers try to describe the unknown offender as his friends and aquaintences would view him - and here we have an aquaintence of a serial killer telling the story of her relationship with Snow, however disfunctional it may have been. What an opportunity for any profiler or "wish I was - profiler". It is not a classroom, it is not scientific,but it is educational if you pay attention and have some grounding in the topic. It is one person's story of her experience dealing with the personality of a fantasy motivated serial offender and it can be educational - if you read it like a text book.

As Alison is my sister, I suppose I'm being biased by giving this book a rave review. However, being an avid reader I was impressed with how she handles the subject matter, giving the reader an insight into not only the character, but her own suspicions about a man who played a prominent role in her life for several years. The book gives us a good sense of time, starting in the present and going backwards to all the events which eventually led to David Snow's arrest. I read the book in one sitting. This is a good sign of a well written book that keeps the reader glued. The descriptions and historical events also keep the reader in, despite it's local setting (Ontario/B.C.Canada). For readers interested in crime genre and serial killer psychology this book is a great read on both counts. It also delves into the psychology of why and how we let people into our lives. Although a personal journey of the authour it is a universal platform.