Though I have always been into horror, it has always been in the fictional sense. I have never been into true horror, such as what you see daily on the news, or even true crime. I avoid the news now; if any fictional horror is too realistic, I avoid it like the plague.
Recently, though, I became aware of a book called Family, Friends, and Neighbors: Stories of Murder and Betrayal by Richard Estep and published by Visible Ink Press. What drew me to it was the image of Lizzy Borden on the cover, a story that has always fascinated me. I decided to take a chance on this book and was pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
Richard Estep is the author of more than twenty books, including Visible Ink Press’ Serial Killers: The Minds, Methods, and Mayhem of History’s Most Notorious Murderers; The Serial Killer Next Door: The Double Lives of Notorious Murderers; and Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks: True Stories of American Corruption. Additionally, he’s written numerous paranormal nonfiction titles, including The Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm: Unraveling the History & Hauntings of a Serial Killer’s Home. He is a regular columnist for Haunted Magazine, has also written for the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, and appears regularly on TV shows such as Haunted Hospitals. He has had a lifelong fascination for true crime, the military, and ghosts. British by birth, Richard now makes his home in Colorado a few miles north of Denver, where he serves as a paramedic and lives with his wife and a menagerie of adopted animals.
In all, thirty-five cases are presented here. The book presents each case matter-of-factly, featuring details of the murders and investigation. I am relieved that the murders are not described in stomach-churning details, and I could not put the book down. Each chapter is short, which is something I like in nonfiction books. It makes it easier to read, and if you read it before bed, it is easy to stop.
Richard Estep is an excellent writer, so much so that I will seek out some of his other titles. Though he covers many obscure cases, at least to me, he also includes many well-known cases, such as Ronnie Defeo (The Amityville Horror), the Menendez brothers, and Casey Anthony.
Though it may be tough to relive these stories, it is very comforting to know how the accused killers ended up. No matter what, these crimes are inexcusable. What is fascinating is how the accused try to hide what they did, often blaming it on either other family members or non-existent attackers.
Family, Friends, and Neighbors: Stories of Murder and Betrayal is a great book, whether you have long been interested in true crime or if it is something you are just getting into. If a particular story has you wanting to learn more, there is even information in the back for further research.
~David Albaugh