Some reviewers see this book as being Biased. Biased at who? The murderers? The men that planned and partook in the slaughter of three innocent children? All of the men who were present at the time of the murders, as well as in the planning of the murders, have confessed during the years since the murders.
The officer who spent all his waking time tracking down the killers of these kids should be commended. The author should also be commended. The book does what a good true crime book is supposed to do: it points out all the aspects of the crime are, and who the guilty party(ies) are.
This is a must have for any true crime library!
Texas based true crime author Carlton Stowers weaves a sordid tale of mistaken identity, abuse, and sociopathology in this excellent tome about the tragic Lake Waco triple homicide in 1982, its investigation, and the shattered lives of the families of the three slain teenagers. I have read two other books written by Carlton Stowers, and I am amazed at the empathy he feels towards the victims of violent crime and their families; while not outwardly doing so, his stories are a constant reminder that a homicide leaves many victims other than the dead person.
"Careless Whispers" also serves as a reminder that heroes can come in unlikely packages. The hero of this case, if a story as dreadful as this can have a hero, is Waco policeman Truman Simons.
After a mere eight weeks, the investigation into these murders was shelved and effectively deemed unsolveable. But they weren't unsolveable, and if not for the dedication and persistence of Truman Simons, this crime would, in all likelihood, STILL be unavenged. Thankfully however, that is not the case.
A gripping, frightening and suspenseful book, this is a must read, and the pages within literally shriek "The horror! The horror!" And when you finish it, you'll feel like shrieking this phrase too.
However, I prefered his other book, Open Secrets over this one. The one thing that I did not like about Careless Whispers were there were some twists that didn't go anywhere. While that may have been the intent of the author (to show the frustration of the police), it made reading parts of the book dull.
Nonetheless, the detailed description of the crime scene and autopsy are very impressive. Definitely a bit gruesome, but very compelling. The realism of the story is (as usual) enhanced by the pictures of the people affected by this crime.
