My main hang ups:

- People said it was riveting, it wasn’t. Was it a good book? Sure.

- I thought that Finch spoke well beyond her years - especially for an 8 year old with zero formal education and only books and with the way Cooper talks, it didn’t make sense to me. Even though she read literature, I would think that with how Cooper talks, she would have copied his speech patterns by example. 

- I kind of expected it to move a little faster since it was a shorter book

- You kind of need to suspend disbelief for this to work - especially with all of the news papers that had photos and information on Cooper. Obviously at least one person recognized Cooper within the 8 years he had been around but you’re telling me that same person didn’t recognize him later on? 

- The ending was just too convenient and I’m not sure I can really buy into it. Make it make sense 

- That epilogue?? How? Especially with what happened at the end, how did Finch go to high school and college? Don’t buy the forgiveness either. Those grandparents give me Emily and Richard Gilmore vibes, but would’ve liked to actually see how that happened. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a galley of this new true crime book from John Glatt. 

Even though I have several John Glatt works on my shelf, this is my first John Glatt work that I've consumed.

This case has had my attention from the moment the news shared that Tylee and JJ were missing. Their story is heartbreaking and while I feel that Dateline has covered this case very well, Glatt has some additional details that Dateline has not shared. Such as familial background and all of the ins and outs of past relationships and jobs. 

As this does cover the murder of two children, readers do need to realize that a lot of information probably can't be shared about the victims as they are minors. Therefore, understand going in that this is not a victim-centered coverage of the case. It is more of a background to leading up to what happened directly around Lori and Chad at the time the children went missing. 

I will say this is one of the best true crime books that I've read in awhile, but I am a bit disappointed that this was released prior to the conclusion of the court proceedings related to the case. While Dateline can update their coverage of the case, a book cannot be easily updated. 

The lack of character and plot development leading into an Insta attraction so early on is just not something I can like. Plus knowing what Kenna has planned to do regarding her daughter instead of going the legal route doesn’t sit well with me.

Also…stealing memorials? Yeah let’s not get into that 

L

The added introduction by Zadie Smith should’ve been added as an afterword instead. With it reading more like a book review than an introduction, it spoiled the plot and premise of the amazing short story from Toni. 

If you’re thinking about reading this one with the rerelease, do yourself a favor and read the introduction after the short story. 

I went into this fully expecting to hate it because why would I want to read someone written by the woman who stood by Ted?

However this is a very unique experience and I’m glad that I read the copy that has the new foreword and afterword additions as they do add even more information as feelings have changed in the years since Ted Bundy’s crimes. 

It’s clear after reading both this and Ann Rule’s Stranger Beside Me that Bundy was 100% emotional manipulative to those close to him and honestly emotionality abusive.

DNF - 

1. It took me 5 days to get to page 37. I tried physical copy and audio - even Julia Whelan couldn’t save this one for me. 

2. if there’s anything I hate in any kind of genre, it’s cluelessness and a surprise you’re expecting!! 

3. Also, I hated Grapes of Wrath in high school so why did I think I’d enjoy 

This is the second Kristin Hannah book I’ve DNFd, but I’ll keep picking up her other books