Review - Runaway Devil by Robert Remington and Sherri Zickefoose

On April 23, 2006, 12 and a half year old (yes you read that right) and her 23 year old boyfriend (yes, again you read that right) Jeremy Steinke killed JR's mother, father and eight year old brother in cold blood in their home in Medicine Hat, Canada, making JR the youngest person ever accused of familicide. I first learned about JR from listening to the Morbid podcast, which referenced this book and from the second that I heard the case, I was hooked. JR convinces Jeremy that the only way for them to be truly happy was for the family to be killed and so it happened. The couple was very big into the Goth scene, which I think was partially blamed for the death of this family (unfairly so).  

The book itself was very well written - it was very facts laden and not very salacious or gory.   It could have easily been so. The brutality of the crime itself could have been more explicit, but thankfully was not. There is no need to exploit th deaths of a family that, by all accounts, were very happy and caring and hard working. The book itself was informative and attempted to provide as much an explanation as possible for how a twelve year old could deign to commit such horrific acts.  What I particularly found to be fascinating was how Canada treated its juvenile offenders. Because of JR's age, much of her treatment and rehabilitation is sealed - rightfully so. We'll never know what her diagnosis was or how she really faired and perhaps we should never know that.  Additionally, what most people found particularly shocking is that JR served a very short period of time and is out and about in the community now.  Her records have been sealed/expunged so no one will ever see that she was convicted of three counts of homicide if they run a background check on her.

This book was, in addition, to being extremely well researched, was a very quick and accessible read. It's short and sweet and to the point.  A must read for any true crime addict. 

REVIEW: Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

 

What a way to come back - a 500+ masterpiece that is a joyride by an author that continues to really impress me.  This book focuses on the story of three 18 year olds - Emmett, Duchess and Woolly - who met at a juvenile reform school in 1954ish and Emmett's 8 year old brother Billy.  We meet them when Emmett returns to Nebraska, having been released early from the farm (literally) when his and Billy's father has died. The book follows the boys over a vast geographical area - they go from Nebraska to New York City to upstate New York utilizing a variety of different methods of travel (including jumping onto a train) and meeting a variety of different people.  The novel itself spans the time period of only 10 days, but its compulsive readability led me to tear through it in much less time. I think I finished the book in like 3 days.  

What I loved about this book is how it explored various themes related to the human condition. It really looks at themes of kindness and what it means to actually choose kindness and selflessness as opposed to, say, selfishness or self centeredness. It also explicitly looks at writing and coming up with a narrative. Billy is an aspiring writer and really considers how to construct a story - does he start at the middle, the beginning or the end?  There are also questions of justice - what is it?  What does it look like? What does it mean to settle a debt and make things right?  

This book is amazing.  Would recommend and I am so glad that I purchased this novel to add to my bookshelf.