Murder in the Family

One of the best true crime books I've ever read. The case is very disturbing, so be prepared. The crime is real sick, and so is the killer. This book is exceptionally well written, and not easy to put down, but you might have to just to keep from having nightmares about Kirby Anthoney, the young man who raped and murdered his own aunt and her little girls. You might have seen this case on The New Detectives. The book is most interesting in that the author gives as much space to the killer's defense as he does to the prosecution. One of the most shocking true crime books, and one of the best.

Having read and reread MURDER IN THE FAMILY several times, the negative review (huh?) from Seattle is obviously about a different book all together. There are no ballistic tests in the book at all -- this is the story of rape and murder -- the killings accomplished by stangulation, stabbing, and beating. No guns. No bullets. None. There are, however, brilliant insights into the rage released by the psychopath, Kirby Anthoney, provided by Dr. Robert Hare and other experts who work with and/or train the FBI. The dedicated detectives of the Anchorage Homicide Response team, and the crime scene investigators come off as real people wrestling with the intense personal emotions stirred by this most horrid crime -- the rape and murder of two little girls, ages 8 and 2, and their mother. I found the book exceptionally well structured, with easy flow from one chapter to the next, which may be due to the professional editing job we have come to expect from Pinnacle's True Crime series. Obviously researched in depth, and written by an Edgar Award winning author, I suggest this book to anyone who reads true crime, especially if they can keep track of them so they don't post the wrong review about the wrong book. Ballistics, indeed!

What a surprise to find this book. On a par with the writings of Ann Rule. A perfect combination of concentration on the crime itself, the investigation, the trial and the tragic victims and their families. I was also impressed with the Police Department that appears to have dotted their I's and crossed their t's in bringing this sociopathic killer to justice. I was impressed how much the detectives wanted this guy but were willing to look elsewhere just in case he didn't do it. I appreciated the afterward, letting the readers know how the families are doing today. Most of all I was impressed with the emphasis on the sociopathic personality; many people simply don't understand the concept of lack of conscience; they prefer to believe that something in the murderer's childhood made he or she do it. I will now look at Mr Baer's other books to see if they are as good as this one. I reccommend this book to anyone who loves the genre of true crime.