Really good true crime book that makes you think | Unanswered Cries: A True Story Of Friends, Neighbors,...

Fine True Crime with Extended Suspence! | Unanswered Cries: A True Story Of Friends, Neighbors, And Murder In A Small Town | Thomas French

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	• Unanswered Cries: A True Story Of Friends, Neighbors, And Murder In A Small Town Thomas French St. Martin's Paperbacks, 1992 - 402 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Wow

I read this book because a neighbor recommended it to me and Karen Gregory was murdered two blocks from my house. Although I did not move to Gulfport until 2005, this quaint little town will forever be in my heart.

While reading this book, I was saddened, sickened, surprised, and ultimately relieved in the end. As the title suggests Karen Gregory's cries were unanswered on the horrible night of her murder. Many neighbors heard the scream but no one called for help. Living in this caring little neighborhood, I was shocked.

Thank you Mr. French for your dedication to this book, I hope that it has knocked a little sense into this little community.

I recommend this book to anyone that wants a real, but certainly frightening, account of "A True Story of Friends, Neighbors, and Murder in a Small Town."

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Really good true crime book that makes you think

This is the rare true crime book that actually improves with a second reading; things that seem innocuous or commonplace the first time through will reveal their true nature and secrets on a reread. Thankfully, this book avoids the "victim beatification" too often found in other true crime books; here, the deceased is shown as she was, with both virtues and flaws. My only real complaints are that the end of the book feels a bit rushed, and that the author starts treating the suspect as guilty before the sentence is passed; it's well-established tradition in these books for the author to at least feign neutrality until the jury returns a verdict, at which time he or she is then free to let loose.

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Fine True Crime with Extended Suspence!

"Unanswered Cries" is first rate true crime. It is the story of Karen Gregory, a young Gulfport, FL woman murdered in her home in 1984. UC is most noteworthy because author French maintains suspense well into the text, much further than most murder tales. When the purp is finally collared, many readers will be surprised. Furthermore, the trial portion of UC is definitely more topsy- turvy than is normal. An aggressive, bullying defense team, at least one callow judge, and a seemingly plodding prosecution extend the mystery. Even the initial trial verdict fails to close the case right away. Throw into the mix questions of admissibility, endless trial motions and "jury quirks". We certainly can see the imperfections of the justice system. The OJs of the world can walk away. The result is some very satisfying reading for the true crime aficionado. A complete review must cite the fact that Karen did indeed scream at least once for help that fateful night, but her neighbors failed to respond. What happens? A good review doesn't divulge resolutions. Amazoners will just have to read for themselves but are certain to enjoy themselves doing so. There is also interesting local color provided, not all of it complimentary to the Gulfport/St Petersburg region. As my friend, Tundra has mentioned, UC provides no photo of the victim, a unique omission for the true crime field. The "Ann Rule rule" is waived for AC. Those pesky centerfold pictures don't reveal the ending but the back cover includes a huge clue as to the perp. Forewarned is forearmed. The nicest a reviewer can state about UC is to cite the printing history: 12 paperback printings since 1992. That is silent testimony to a superior true crime novel.

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It's okay- not great

I read this book several years ago. Although it was well written, I would only recommend this book if there aren't any other true crime books to read. By the time I finished the book I knew more about the murderer than I did the victim.

Minding Your Own Business Can Be Bad For Another's Health

Thomas French in his book UNANSWERED CRIES tells the story of Karen Gregory, a young woman who had just moved into her boyfriend's home when she brutually murdered by her neighor George Lewis: an all American boy next door with good looks and a career as a firefighter.

The main viewpoint stressed in UNANSWERED CRIES, and hence the title, is that many of Gregory's neighbors reported hearing a blood-curdling scream but did nothing that may have assisted Gregory. Most of her neighbors would live with the regret of having minded their own business as a young woman lay dying at the hands someone they all knew and trusted.

The one disappointing aspect of this book is that, despite the many references to victims' rights, there was no photograph included of Gregory; leaving readers to have to conjure their own image from the detailed writing.

This is an excellent piece of true crime writing. UNANSWERED CRIES is attention catching and thought provoking. As I finished, I found myself asking: "The next time I hear a scream resound through my neighborhood, what will I do?"

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The fatal night

On a warm Florida evening, Karen Gregory saw a familiar face at her door. What the beautiful young woman could not know was that she was staring into the eyes of her killer--a savage monster who would rape her, stab her to death, and leave her battered body on the floor outside the bedroom.

The desperate search

Detectives frantically sifting through the evidence were tormented by one disturbing question after another: What did the strangely worded note from a friend mean? Why was the house so orderly, when it had been the scene of a frenzied struggle? Why were the bloody footprints on the carpet barefoot? What happened to the white lace teddy missing from Karen's drawer?

The shattering discovery

Police detective Larry Tosi stayed up nights watching the video of the grisly crime scene, looking for the one telltale clue that would lead him to Karen's killer--until slowly, and with growing horror, he realized that the maniac he was hunting was someone he knew...someone he called a friend.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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