Book 37 of 2023
Summary
In this anthology, Catherine Fogarty, brings to readers the cases of twelve Canadian true crime stories. At the time that each of them occurred Canadians (and others alike) were both disturbed and grasped by fear. They were fearful not just of the horrific nature of these crimes but also of the seemingly average people who committed them. From what I have read Catherine Fogarty uses her signature style, that she also uses on her podcast, Story Hunter Podcast, to convey the facts while also telling a great story.
Each of the victims comes alive with so much more than the media coverage or facts of the crimes could give them. The lives they created and the people they left behind are remembered in a way that is more than just the manner in which they died. Each person could have been a member of your own community. With each case the reader gets to ponder on the startling statistics that we are more likely to meet our end at the hand of someone we know rather than a stranger. But the reader is also gifted with the opportunity to remember that a crime is more than just what occurred. A crime is an act that involves more than the perpetrator and victim; a crime is also defined by all the lives touched and forever altered by them.
Thoughts and Review
I really enjoyed this anthology. I have been fascinated with crime novels since reading my first mystery novel eons ago. Discovering true crime peaked my interest further. If you are a fan of true crime, true crime podcasts, or true crime shows such as Forensic Files you will enjoy this anthology too. Unlike some other anthologies that offer a similar layout for each story, to the point you can just skim to get facts, this one was not written that way. Although they had a similar progression through each case they were not written robotic. Each story told a back story leading up to the crime, who the characters involved are, and the conclusion whether justice was served as well as the aftermath.
With some of the cases the court proceedings and aftermath brought a poignant end to each story. As the victims are brought to life I could really picture them full of life, with hopes, and dreams. They were no longer just the subject mentioned in a title. Each of these stories is not just concluded in the crime itself but also of the development that happened afterwards. Although some of the instances of justice were years in the making they were reached bringing a sense of closure to not only the families but also to the society that had been gripped in fear.
The way Catherine Fogarty wrote was so easy to read with clear flow and heartfelt language. With a concise approach the stories were not full of nonsensical filler but rather each sentence had a purpose to the greater story. She didn’t write too dry so that the humanity was sucked out of any of the stories. But she also didn’t dramatized to the point of sensationalism. To the author each victim mattered.
Recommendation
I would recommend this anthology to any fans of the True Crime genre. Fans of Catherine Fogarty’s podcast would also enjoy this read. Readers could choose to read this in a slew or read chapter by chapter in bite sized bits as if they were episodes of a podcast. This anthology hits every check mark for a true crime fan! Trigger warning however, for the subject matter, and the nature of the crimes. If you are sensitive to such subject matters I would suggest you skip this read. Happy Reading!