A Killer Among Us

A Killer Among Us by Charles Bosworth, Jr., of the true-crime genre, was to me a riveting tale, not just because of its intrinsic literary worth, but because it took place in St. Ann, St. Charles, and the general St. Louis area, all of which I'm so familiar with, having lived for many years in St. Ann itself about a mile of the childhood home of the victim. I know this story from having seen it on TV, so it had no surprises; indeed, the book isn't written as a suspense tale which weaves itself to a surprise ending, the denouement being apparent from the start. Only the ultimate fate of the trigger-man was pending at the time of the book's publication. Despite the inclusion of virtual transcripts of three different trials, inclusions which often weary the reader and detract from the spontaneity of the tale, such distraction was not the case here, possibly because the subject was sensitively handled by the perspicacious author. A great read! I highly recommend it for all true-crime afficionados.

I read the other reviews on this book and felt compelled to give my own opinion. First, I believe the book was very well written and despite covering three trials (which many tend to find boring), the book moved along at a good pace and never lost my attention. Second, I think the author did an excellent job of creating emotional attachments for the reader to every character in the story, whether it be one of the seedy characters or one of the sympathetic. Third, I find it amazing that so many people find it hard to believe that a horrible thing can happen to a wonderful family. Although the author does recount over and over how close the victim's family was, there is nothing wrong with a family being that close. It was not perfect -- Elizabeth delivered a child at 16 and never graduated from high school. It was not easy -- Mary raised 7 kids in a 1400 square foot house, forming strong emotional bonds with 4 children she had to continuously fight to keep. The author does not paint this family as perfect, he merely tells the story of a family whose love and support for one another overcome any obstacle, no matter how large. This book made me cry many times, and it was fascinating to read about the investigation and the trial, especially the families' reactions to peculiarities in the legal system that seem so unfair. In all, this is an excellent, well written book. I have read nearly 200 true crime books, and I rate this one in the top 10 percent both for the writer's talent and the emotional strength of the story. I recommend this book to any true crime reader.

Rarely do I find a book that I find hard to put down, but this one had me awake at 4:00 a.m. this morning as I neared the end of the book. I love true crime, but this author really knows how to tell a story - one that involves alot of court scenes - without bogging you down in all the dialogue and small details. He perfectly gives the reader a clear picture of what went on and what it all meant. I usually skim the court proceedings in books because they are generally boring, but this one was not that way. My heart goes out to the Van Iseghems and the DeCaro children. I know firsthand the agony that children go thru when violence occurs in the family, but at least I, unlike Elizabeth DeCaro, am here to pick up the pieces for them. I will read more Bosworth books! Thank you!

It's a heartbreaking true story about my cousin Elizabeth. It's hard to imagine that she went through all this turmoil even to her death. My heart reaches out to my family: My Aunt, my Uncle and all my cousins for their courage and strength to write this book and especially Melanie. Elizabeth is now with our Father where she is at peace. May her love continue to shine in her children, her brothers and her sisters, for she will never be forgotten.

I read this book with an open mind only to find myself becoming part of the Isengham family's supporters. The author takes in the reader with all the descriptions necessary to envelop you in this sad tale of greed, adultery and ultimately murder. Your heartstrings are pulled in the appropriate directions as you become a part of the Isengham family and a witness to their loyalty as well as the loyalty of the DeCaro family in supporting their accused son. I found this book riveting and found it hard to put down. You know a book captures your spirit when you even dream about what you have been reading. The author has captured the turmoil in the two families but more so in the Isengham family as they all lose an irreplaceable piece of their lives. This is excellent reading for a rainy day.