Teach Me to Kill

by Stephen Sawicki

The true story of Pamela Smart, the school teacher who gave lessons in love and murder.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

288 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Bren fall in love with the sea.]

Anyone remember the Pam Smart case? That is what this true crime novel is about.

Pam Smart was the teacher who planned her husband's murder by having an affair with a student and convincing him to kill for her. This was a tough read, in part, because of my repulsion toward Smart. And, as with most of these types of novels, another senseless crime.

In spite of those factors, the writer does a good job and obviously did his research. This book was originally released many years back and I think I first read it then but did a reread. I'd recommend it to true crime buffs but be prepared to be really shocked at some of the stuff that occurs.

[J.H. Moncrieff]

An okay true crime account, this one gets bogged down in the trial portion, with too many details about the defense lawyers, prosecutors and cops. There's even one section on how important it is for prosecutors to point at defendants...that one was particularly riveting.

I've never understood this tendency to wax on about the trial in true crime, since if a book is being written about a murderer, presumably the accused killer was found guilty. That can be assumed. When it comes to trials, tell me the verdict and if anything unusual happened. That's all I want to know. I could care less that the prosecutor's baby was sick and kept him awake all night.

It's also interesting that the author mentions more than once that the protagonist of this true-life drama was NOT a teacher, and then his book is titled "Teach Me To Kill: The Shocking True Story of Pamela Smart--the Teacher Who Gave Lessons in Love and Murder." Didn't his publishers read the book? Smh.

[Ari Damoulakis]

So I had never heard of this crime until another book talked about it. Since we already know who is guilty in this book, what I am writing here, I don’t think of them as spoilers, nor even a review. Maybe some questions I have about the crime that some friends who read this might have answers to.
If you think they could spoil your reading, don’t read further, read the book and come back if you want.
1. People who got interviewed for the book, like neighbours or things, make comments that they thought this or that thing Pam did was odd and they thought things weren’t right.
Arethey just saying and thinking that in hindsight or I really wonder if they would still say such things in an interview if she wasn’t found guilty?
2. I can’t work out if the evidence against her is strong or not? Internet critics say the wire tapes were hardly audible?
The other thing is, the author paints her as incredibly smart.
If you know teenagers, you really have to be stupid to trust them with keeping nearly any secret, never mind a murder?
On the other hand, she was also irrational to have an affair with one. Do you think it was real love or was she such a monster that it was all part of her murder plan?
Her mom has supposedly written a book defending her daughter, blaming the justice system and supposedly explaining why her daughter is innocent.
It supposedly paints her daughter as a nice person.
This book, she really sounds like an absolutely terrible, mostly heartless monster even before murder.
You won’t like her at all from this book.
Don’t know what mom’s book says.
I suppose we people far away will never know much about the personality of the real Pam, but if she did what they say and how she did it, then she is really a manipulative and messed up person.
We are not all totally good or evil and we might do bad things, but for planning and after, this was really bad. Then it is good she’s in prison for life.

[♥ Marlene♥]

Oops forgot to review. I had heard about this case but I thought this was about the school teacher who had a relationship with a young boy and that was that. But there was much more to this case alas.
Spoiler coming!




First of all I am annoyed by the author who wrote a fictional book about the case and thinks she is innocent blablabla. Come one. Read all the evidence. Read how she talked to that teenage friend of hers. She cannot admit anymore she is guilty because look how her mum believes in her and I think this is one woman who after constantly repeating her lies, thinks these are the truth.. Horrible woman that Pam Smart and definitely was never pretty in my eyes. Except she had a nice figure. I give her that






Very well written book. I enjoyed reading this book.

[Mark Palmer]

This is the book that created my interest in true crime books. Stephen Sawicki tells a fascinating story in a riveting manner. He makes you truly interested in the characters. In fact, I found myself almost feeling sorry for the boy who committed the murder because he was manipulated by this psychotic woman, Pamela Smart. An interesting read.

[John Lyman]

Crazy story of a crazy young woman. The book was well written as compared to others of this genre. It's always nice when the punishment fits the crime. She must have been a psychopath to date a 15 year old boy. Life is full of crazy twists and turns, I agree with the author, those boys most likely would never have killed if it weren't for their relationship with this whacky woman.

[Jenny]

This is a book about Pamela Smart. She the teacher that seduced her teenage student and then convinced him to kill her husband, Greg Smart. It's a very good book, and I'd recommend it to anyone that likes true crime books.

[Cindy]

Interesting, but what a depressing story!