Nightmare in Napa: The Wine Country Murders

This book immediately drew me in with its gripping and sad storyline. LaRosa makes you feel like you know these characters personally by the end of the story. Adriana and Leslie were so much more than the media made them out to be. Many crime books tend to tell one side of the story, where as LaRosa presents all sides of the story. Lessons can be learned from this book to leave no angle unturned. This was a story that needed to be told. It leaves us with the question, How well do we really know our friends? My heart goes out to the families of the victims.

I thought the book was an informative, insightful read. Mr. LaRosa reported on many details that the mainstreeam media just doesn't touch, and which make it difficult to follow a story from beginning to sad conclusion. The family interviews were very interesting, though I would have liked more information from Mr. Copple. However, the author can't be faulted for this as the murderer just isn't talking and can't or he faces death penalty prosecution. As so much information re: motive and intent is just unobtainable, Mr. LaRosa did a fantastic job putting the pieces together as masterfully as any successful author could have. Highly recommend.

Paul La Rosa wrote this book about two horrifying Halloween murders of lovely young women who shared a house in Napa, California. One of the victims was employed at Francis Ford Coppola's Vineyard also in Napa. Napa is one of the most desirable locations to live in California. The nightmare in Napa begins when one of the other roommates who ironically survives because the murderer didn't go to her bedroom. I cannot imagine the pain, agony, and suspicion that fell upon her during those first few hours. When the police determined it was a man, she was left out but she barely survived because she was just lucky. She tried to get help for her friends and housemates. Until then, they were happily living together like sorority sisters without parties. They all worked and lived in lovely Napa. Suddenly on Halloween night which sounds like a tagline for a horror film but it was tragic nightmare involving three young women with promise, hopes, dreams, and life. Two were gone and one would never be the same. Unfortunately, it wasn't a stranger who killed them. It was somebody that one of them knew very well. The shocking news would grip the survivor and the families. Maybe they could accept a complete stranger than somebody they knew quite well. His wife was devastated by the news. I saw the 48 Hours special entitled Nightmare in Napa. The book provides further details and information about what happened.

If you are a 48 HOURS MYSTERY viewer, don't miss this book. Paul LaRosa has written another impossible to put down true crime story. Just as he did in "TACOMA CONFIDENTIAL", Paul draws in the reader from the first page. His interviews with friends and family members of the victims gives the reader a complete and balanced understanding of their lives. Just watching 48 HOURS MYSTERY doesn't begin to tell the entire story of this tragedy. It's wonderful to have this new series of expanded stories from the TV show.

Being a True Crime fan, I read a number of them. This one kept me on the edge trying to solve the crime as I read. It flows so easily and so much detail is given that one get's caught up in the effort to solve the crime so the families can at least have some level of understanding. These victims were so like many young women making their way in the world and having their lives end in such a violent and pointless way adds so much to the sadness of the situation. Keep their families in your thoughts because while time lessens some hurts, it does not fill the void of the loss or end the pain completely. LaRosa does a terrific job of presenting this story and builds it to level of tension that makes the crime solution all the more of a surprise.