Baby Be Mine: The Shocking True Story of a Woman Accused of Murdering a Pregnant Woman to Steal Her Child

I enjoy the writing style of Diane Fanning. I feel as though I know the people involved by the time I finish the book. I feel their anguish and pain of losing a loved one in such a horrendous way. The crime is what most true crime readers want to read about. With this case, anyone can probably guess the outcome of the trial. In my opinion there is obviously mental issues as with Andrea Yates in cases like this. I had no idea there were so many caesarian abductions so that information was a plus.

It was obvious the author went to great lengths to conduct interviews and put a great deal of research into this book. I had no idea there were so many c-section abductions which was a plus through the research Ms. Fanning included in the back of the book. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a well researched book.

I've been a fan of true crime books for many years and have several favorites that I read. However, in March of 2006, I met Diane Fanning when I moderated a panel she was on at the Festival of the Book. To prepare for our panel discussion, I read two of her books and I was hooked. She takes the true crime book to a new level that I appreciate. She doesn't just give the well publicized facts of the case, but she digs deeper. In Baby Be Mine, she gave a lot of information which some may consider to be unnecessary and I was a little confused at first. However, as I continued to read, I realized she was giving us information about the collateral damage that was caused by this act of violence. The repercussions were felt by many people in many areas and not just the immediate family of the victim. I found the information she wove into the book about similar crimes to be very enlightening and it gave more depth to the Bobbie Jo Stinnett murder. For this case, murder does not seem like a sufficient description of the crime perpetrated on her. I appreciated the additional information that was included in the book and feel it made the content even more compelling. I have two other books of Diane's in my to be read pile and hope to read them soon.

True-crime writer Diane Fanning still gets letters from a serial killer. And she keeps in touch with murder victims' families. She has talked for days on end to those who work diligently behind desks, computers, on foot and every which way to track down killers. Still, when the author first learned of a Caesarean abduction in 2004, it was the first time she heard of such a crime. Bobbie Jo Stinnett of Skidmore, Mo., was eight months pregnant when Lisa Montgomery allegedly killed Stinnett and stole Stinnett's child from her womb. Fanning's latest book, "Baby Be Mine," gives the chilling account of how the body of Bobbie Joe Stinnett was found by her mother, Becky Harper, and how Harper discovered her grandchild-to-be, Victoria Jo, was missing. Fanning describes how computer forensics specialists were able to pinpoint the location of Lisa Montgomery and bring baby Tori Jo back to safety. She also answers that question so large that it sucks all the air out of the room -- Why? "Caesarean abductions are rare, but they do happen," Fanning said in a recent interview. "I think that these women are driven to commit this act thinking that is what will keep their husbands with them. Complicating that is narcissistic personalities and care for the needs of no one but themselves." Of Lisa Montgomery, Fanning writes: "There were cracks in the foundation of her marriage. She could feel it in the soles of her feet." Fanning felt there were lessons to be learned in the Lisa Montgomery case. "As sad as it is, we really have to be careful about who we share our private information with," Fanning said. "If Bobbie Jo hadn't gone on a chat room and shared information (the two women met in a chat room for dog breeders), maybe things would have turned out differently... There are monsters out there, and they do not have three eyes." This, Fanning said, explains why she chose to include some of Skidmore's darker history. "People look at these small towns as a place of safety," she said. "I also wanted this to be a lesson to the naive among us." Skidmore was down to a population of 340 in 2004. In her book, Fanning includes the story of the demise of the town bully, Ken McElroy, who was shot to death in front of dozens of witnesses more than 20 years ago. No one was ever found guilty of shooting the man who terrorized the town for several years. Fanning also describes how tragedy struck other members of the Stinnett family in the small town -- including the 20-year-old grandson of Jo Ann Stinnett. Branson Perry was allegedly tortured and murdered by Jack Wayne Rogers -- one of the monsters to which Fanning refers. Fanning includes some of Roger's graphic online descriptions of his torture and killing methods and other horrific details. "I wanted to educate everyone on the evilness of the man," she said. "I've seen the court records of Jack Wayne Rogers, and they are the worst things I've ever read. I think he is a serial killer, and I think he is the most e

The incredible depth of research in this book demonstrates why Diane Fanning has received such overwhelming acclaim as a true crime writer. Fanning explains the motivation for this type of crime and makes it more understandable with examples of other crimes of this nature. Fanning also delves into the criminal history of the region revealing the underside of a peaceful part of the country. Fanning should get another Edgar nomination for this book.