Death of a Little Princess: The Tragic Story of the Murder of JonBenét Ramsey

by Carlton Smith

A Fairy Tale Beginning
Six-year-old beauty JonBenet Ramsey was a dream child--smart, talented and blessed. Her mother, a former Miss America contestant, had entered her in every child beauty pageant possible. Wearing lipstick, heavy makeup, and provocative costumes that cost thousands of dollars, with her hair bleached and teased, JonBenét flirtatiously paraded down runways, exuding a sophistication beyond her years.

A Nightmare Ending
But that dazzling future of crowns and titles was brutally cut short the day after Christmas when her mother discovered a random note on the stairs of their luxurious Boulder, Colorado home. Hours later JonBenét's distraught father, millionaire businessman, John Ramsey, found his beloved daughter's lifeless body, gagged and strangled in a windowless room in the basement of their million-dollar mansion.

An Unspeakable Crime
As detectives worked to uncover what happened Christmas night in the darkened mansion, the nation grieved for the innocent little girl whose life was cruelly snuffed out.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

291 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 15, 1997

Reviews

[Chris Steeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book at the time of publication in 1997 when I was out working in the US. It has been sitting on the shelf for a while. 20 odd years. The irony is that this book appears to have been rushed out at that time. Just recently (Jan-2019) a jailed paedophile, Gary Oliva, told an old friend that he killed her. I thought it was time for me to dust down the little paperback and have a read.

When six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered during Christmas 1996 everyone was a detective. Why was this case so fascinating? It was just awful. The author Carlton Smith says there were many elements ‘…a precocious and beautiful young beauty queen, a mysterious murder in a lavish home on the night of the biggest holiday of the year, a wealthy family and most of all, the flood of photographs and amateur videotapes of JonBenet posing and performing, which soon flooded the visual media and magazines as those with images rushed forward to cash in.’

There are other elements as well like how her father, John Bennett Ramsey, would hire all manner of people to look and help with the case including a public relations firm in Washington DC. John was a ‘wealthy man and a powerful employer in the community’ in Boulder where they lived. The Boulder city officials felt that the ‘murder was no random, stranger-to-stranger killing’. Who did it? It was a terrible, terrible murder but intriguing. It certainly brought back a lot of memories for me. The family were almost being blamed for bringing it on themselves with JonBenet at those beauty pageants. That poor little girl. Heart-breaking.

This book is not about investigative journalism but more about providing facts and soundbites as they happened. It is told in a very dry way and I found it very difficult to engage. I drifted off while reading and went a few pages and had to go back and re-read. Certainly, the book highlights the deficiencies of the Boulder Police Department in handling this case properly and questions are raised.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dont get people who harm children. What kind of person does it? This is another haunting story abt violence against a child. Like little Caylee Anthony, and so many others, I wonder when and/or if this little girl will get the justice she deserves. So sad.

[Nanci McClellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sparked my continued interest in true crime. It was well written and, in my opinion, painter a fair picture of the facts as they were known at the time.

[Taylor]

I can't wait to read this biography on JonBenet Ramsey. I watched the video on Youtube about what happened to her and I cried. She was such a cute little girl

[Haley Ramirez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my sweet baby Jesus, I finally finished this boring repetitive book. I mean I knew it wouldn’t give me the final resolve... but it gives you nothing. It’s like reading half of the back of a book. I mean maybe it’s because this was written so long ago, and it was too soon after her death. I don’t know, I just want justice for that sweet baby, and I knew this wouldn’t do that. However, snooze fest.

[Mollee Lemons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me mixed emotions. I honestly feel like her parents had something to do with this whole situation. I feel like possibly the brother was jealous because JonBenet got all of the attention because of all of the pageants that she was in.