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Dare I Call It Murder?: A Memoir of Violent Loss
Winner: San Diego Book Awards, 2012 (unpublished memoir)
Judge's comment: Dare I Call It Murder? is written especially well. I found myself thinking about your story -- wanting to read more. Your writing is so revealing and beneficial to others. The impact of your last few lines -- perfect.
Kirkus Review:
"A chilling memoir of a family tragedy and its painful aftermath. . . . This book is an act of witness, and the author’s motivation is palpable throughout: 'I have a right to know. Our family has a right to know. Society has a right to know.” . . . A powerful testament to a son’s unyielding determination to tell his parents’ story.'
In his book, Larry Edwards unmasks the emotional trauma of violent loss as he ferrets out new facts to get at the truth of how and why his parents were killed.
In 1977, Loren and Joanne Edwards left Puget Sound aboard their 53-foot sailboat Spellbound, destined for French Polynesia. Six months later they lay dead aboard their boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Larry's younger brother became the prime suspect in the FBI's murder investigation. But federal prosecutors never indicted him, leaving the case unresolved and splitting the Edwards family into feuding factions.
Three decades later, a dispute over how to respond to a true-crime book by Ann Rule--which contained an inaccurate account of the case -- ripped the tattered family even farther apart. In Dare I Call It Murder?, Larry Edwards sets the record straight, revealing previously undisclosed facts from the FBI investigation as he lays out the case never presented in court.
Larry's memoir, however, goes beyond simply telling the untold story of his parents' deaths and refuting the errors in previously published material. His broader goal is to see the book generate greater awareness of and conversations about violent loss, its impact on the survivors and their families, and the troubling effects of post-traumatic stress (PTSD).
Website: DareICallItMurder.com
Judge's comment: Dare I Call It Murder? is written especially well. I found myself thinking about your story -- wanting to read more. Your writing is so revealing and beneficial to others. The impact of your last few lines -- perfect.
Kirkus Review:
"A chilling memoir of a family tragedy and its painful aftermath. . . . This book is an act of witness, and the author’s motivation is palpable throughout: 'I have a right to know. Our family has a right to know. Society has a right to know.” . . . A powerful testament to a son’s unyielding determination to tell his parents’ story.'
In his book, Larry Edwards unmasks the emotional trauma of violent loss as he ferrets out new facts to get at the truth of how and why his parents were killed.
In 1977, Loren and Joanne Edwards left Puget Sound aboard their 53-foot sailboat Spellbound, destined for French Polynesia. Six months later they lay dead aboard their boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Larry's younger brother became the prime suspect in the FBI's murder investigation. But federal prosecutors never indicted him, leaving the case unresolved and splitting the Edwards family into feuding factions.
Three decades later, a dispute over how to respond to a true-crime book by Ann Rule--which contained an inaccurate account of the case -- ripped the tattered family even farther apart. In Dare I Call It Murder?, Larry Edwards sets the record straight, revealing previously undisclosed facts from the FBI investigation as he lays out the case never presented in court.
Larry's memoir, however, goes beyond simply telling the untold story of his parents' deaths and refuting the errors in previously published material. His broader goal is to see the book generate greater awareness of and conversations about violent loss, its impact on the survivors and their families, and the troubling effects of post-traumatic stress (PTSD).
Website: DareICallItMurder.com
314 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2013
16 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Larry M. Edwards
8 books11 followersLarry M. Edwards is an award-winning author, editor and investigative journalist; he has written five books, and edited many others, including
Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources
(Wigeon Publishing, 2014), winner of the Benjamin Franklin Gold Award (2015).
His most recent book is Chariton Canyon: A Rent Beacham Novel (Wigeon Publishing, 2024)
His most recent book, as editor, is What the Private Saw: The Civil War Letters & Diaries of Oney Foster Sweet (Wigeon Publishing, 2015). The book features the previously unpublished letters, diaries and retrospective writings of a Civil War veteran who fought in all but one of the major engagements of the Army of the Potomac, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, and Appomattox. Edwards annotated the book with sidebars and footnotes to give greater context to Sweet's often terse yet revealing words.
He also edited Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources (Wigeon Publishing, 2014) by Connie Saindon, MA, MFT. The book received the prestigous gold award in the 2015 IBPA Benjamin Frankin Awards, Self-Help category. Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources provides information, resources, and strategies for learning to live with the aftermath of a homicide, including safety issues, dealing with the criminal justice system, addressing the news media, and coping with traumatic grief, while preserving the memory of a loved one.
In 2014, Edwards won first place in the San Diego Book Awards, Best Published Memoir, for Dare I Call It Murder?: A Memoir of Violent Loss (Wigeon Publishing, 2013). In the book, he unmasks the emotional trauma of violent loss as he ferrets out new facts to get at the truth of how and why his parents were killed.
Previously, he won Best of Show honors from the San Diego Press Club in 1994, 1997, 2004, and 2005, in addition to numerous other awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club.
Edwards served as business editor, investigative reporter, and feature writer for San Diego Magazine. He also served as editor of The T Sector magazine, Maritime Quarterly, and San Diego Log, as well as a staff writer for the San Diego Business Journal and San Diego Log; he worked as a stringer for the Associated Press.
His articles have appeared in dozens of publications worldwide, including 48° North, Alaska Airlines, Grand Prix Sailor Weekly, Los Angeles Times, New Zealand Herald, Puget Sound Business Journal, Sailing, Sailing World, San Diego Metropolitan, San Diego Reader, San Diego Union, The Yacht (Germany), Yachting, and Yachting World (UK).
Other books by Larry M. Edwards:
• Official Netscape Internet Business Starter Kit — The Eight Essential Steps for Launching Your Business on the Net
• Food & Provisions of the Mountain Man — the diet of 19th century fur trappers, journal excerpts and recipes for fry bread, pemmican, sausage and other tasty treats.
He currently works as a book editor and publishing consultant, and has served as a judge for the San Diego Book Awards. Outside of writing and editing, Edwards plays the fiddle in several old-time music and bluegrass bands. He lives in San Diego, California, with his wife, Janis Cadwallader.
His most recent book is Chariton Canyon: A Rent Beacham Novel (Wigeon Publishing, 2024)
His most recent book, as editor, is What the Private Saw: The Civil War Letters & Diaries of Oney Foster Sweet (Wigeon Publishing, 2015). The book features the previously unpublished letters, diaries and retrospective writings of a Civil War veteran who fought in all but one of the major engagements of the Army of the Potomac, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, and Appomattox. Edwards annotated the book with sidebars and footnotes to give greater context to Sweet's often terse yet revealing words.
He also edited Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources (Wigeon Publishing, 2014) by Connie Saindon, MA, MFT. The book received the prestigous gold award in the 2015 IBPA Benjamin Frankin Awards, Self-Help category. Murder Survivor's Handbook: Real-Life Stories, Tips & Resources provides information, resources, and strategies for learning to live with the aftermath of a homicide, including safety issues, dealing with the criminal justice system, addressing the news media, and coping with traumatic grief, while preserving the memory of a loved one.
In 2014, Edwards won first place in the San Diego Book Awards, Best Published Memoir, for Dare I Call It Murder?: A Memoir of Violent Loss (Wigeon Publishing, 2013). In the book, he unmasks the emotional trauma of violent loss as he ferrets out new facts to get at the truth of how and why his parents were killed.
Previously, he won Best of Show honors from the San Diego Press Club in 1994, 1997, 2004, and 2005, in addition to numerous other awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and San Diego Press Club.
Edwards served as business editor, investigative reporter, and feature writer for San Diego Magazine. He also served as editor of The T Sector magazine, Maritime Quarterly, and San Diego Log, as well as a staff writer for the San Diego Business Journal and San Diego Log; he worked as a stringer for the Associated Press.
His articles have appeared in dozens of publications worldwide, including 48° North, Alaska Airlines, Grand Prix Sailor Weekly, Los Angeles Times, New Zealand Herald, Puget Sound Business Journal, Sailing, Sailing World, San Diego Metropolitan, San Diego Reader, San Diego Union, The Yacht (Germany), Yachting, and Yachting World (UK).
Other books by Larry M. Edwards:
• Official Netscape Internet Business Starter Kit — The Eight Essential Steps for Launching Your Business on the Net
• Food & Provisions of the Mountain Man — the diet of 19th century fur trappers, journal excerpts and recipes for fry bread, pemmican, sausage and other tasty treats.
He currently works as a book editor and publishing consultant, and has served as a judge for the San Diego Book Awards. Outside of writing and editing, Edwards plays the fiddle in several old-time music and bluegrass bands. He lives in San Diego, California, with his wife, Janis Cadwallader.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 18, 2013
I thought this memoir of a family member of two murdered parents back in 1978 was excellent. He presented all of the facts (many of which were not correct in Ann Rule's telling of the story in her book, "But I Trusted You"). He also shared his extreme experiences with PTSD over a 30 year period with the reader. This was a combined family, and there were many disagreements, especially among the children, which led to tragedy. The author is no newcomer to writing or journalism; after he taught school for a few years, he worked in the field of journalism and related pursuits for many years, and I believe he still does. His father had built a sailing craft called the "Spellbound" in the 70s, hoping to sail with his entire family around the globe. Unfortunately, because of some bad feelings, the author disembarked in San Diego (they had started from Kirkland, WA) and the author's father, stepmother, brother, stepsister and her friend were the only ones to take the trip which ended tragically near Tahiti. The local authorities, as well as the FBI, investigated the tragedy, since the two parents were buried at sea, which in itself was not really necessary. Because of this, no one was ever prosecuted for murder in the case, although there were many inconsistencies in the survivors' stories. So many, that to this day, no one really knows what happened to set off the parents being killed. I found this book a very interesting and educating read, especially about the fact that PTSD can last decades. My heart goes out to all those who have loved ones who have dies violently, and especially to those who have never received any clear answers to their questions regarding what happened.
August 1, 2013
"Dare I Call It Murder?" begins with a punch and climbs steadily to a climax, then climbs again and again until the reader is as involved in the maze of conjectures, possibilities, and accounts as the author.
When Larry Edwards receives notice of his dad's and stepmom's deaths at sea in Polynesia, he starts on a long journey into the darkest areas of his family's and his own mind. We share his frustration and outrage as his efforts to get to the truth are thwarted, blocked, or dismissed. He gleans information pointing to killer and motive, but witnesses refuse to testify. Along the way, collateral damage mounts as family bonds are shredded, brothers and sisters turn against each other, and family members take sides or give Edwards the cold shoulder. The FBI relegates their murder investigation to cold case status, and family moves on. Not so Edwards, who is determined not to let the prime suspect get away with murder.
Three decades later, when an erroneous account of the murder is published by a well-known true crime writer, Edwards discovers he can't count on familial support, thus shattering another close family bond. This gives him the motivation to set the record straight as to who killed Loren and Joanne Edwards, and why.
Most true crime books merely skim the surface of the true impact of violent loss, but this book unearths the guts - both emotional and consequential - of dealing with a 35-year quest for justice.
When Larry Edwards receives notice of his dad's and stepmom's deaths at sea in Polynesia, he starts on a long journey into the darkest areas of his family's and his own mind. We share his frustration and outrage as his efforts to get to the truth are thwarted, blocked, or dismissed. He gleans information pointing to killer and motive, but witnesses refuse to testify. Along the way, collateral damage mounts as family bonds are shredded, brothers and sisters turn against each other, and family members take sides or give Edwards the cold shoulder. The FBI relegates their murder investigation to cold case status, and family moves on. Not so Edwards, who is determined not to let the prime suspect get away with murder.
Three decades later, when an erroneous account of the murder is published by a well-known true crime writer, Edwards discovers he can't count on familial support, thus shattering another close family bond. This gives him the motivation to set the record straight as to who killed Loren and Joanne Edwards, and why.
Most true crime books merely skim the surface of the true impact of violent loss, but this book unearths the guts - both emotional and consequential - of dealing with a 35-year quest for justice.
August 14, 2013
Being very interested in the anatomy of loss,I found the author's story very revealing. It reads more like a novel than a history of events - a gripping read.
August 7, 2013
I am the author, and I believe readers will not only enjoy the book but gain something from reading it.
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
Amazon best-seller:
= Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Authors: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/...
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= Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs > True Accounts > Murder & Mayhem: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/...
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
Amazon best-seller:
= Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Authors: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/...
= Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Authors: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/...
= Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs > True Accounts > Murder & Mayhem: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/...
July 30, 2013
I am the author, and I believe readers will not only enjoy the book but gain something from reading it.
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
January 5, 2020
Very compelling true crime story. What's unique about Larry Edwards' recounting of his parents' deaths (almost certainly they were murdered) was the history of the aftermath of these tragedies, and his perspective as a surviving family member.
Larry was one of those unfortunate souls who's stuck with a narcissistic, domineering, bullying brother. That would be Gary, the likely perpetrator of these crimes. With a plot that's only possible in reality, we see how the family yacht became a grisly setting for incest, assault, and murder--on the way to Tahiti, no less.
Gary had no decent explanation for what happened; rape and assault victim Kerry (half-sister of the brothers) has a fragmented, shifting account of how she was hurt (a ugly blow from a winching tool), and how their parents died. Nonetheless, she does know what happened; just not at the time and in the way that matters. The end result is that there's no justice--Gary gets away with murder, it seems. This could've only happened under the extremely isolated conditions of the open sea.
The crimes themselves were bad enough; but with no bodies (tossed at sea), and no convincing or damning testimony, after forty-plus years, the crimes remain unresolved. The author, then, was left with a vicious cyclone of grief, disbelief, and betrayal from Gary, other family members, and writers (some of whom were also family).
I admit, I haven't read Ann Rule's version of the story, Death In Paradise, which the author takes to task, not only for inaccuracies, but also for diverting attention from Gary's culpability, and not consulting with Larry at all.
The subject matter covers decades: the initial trauma, and its impact on Edwards' extended family. Transitions are seamless, as the author follows a logical chronological narrative, in a sort of diary format. Although Edwards focuses on the events, and the array of explanations, reasons, motives, and theories, I would've liked more background on Gary's and (especially) Kerry's personal histories. Their relationship was the fuse that set off this awful South Seas voyage of violence and death.
A fascinating book, well-written, and well-told.
Larry was one of those unfortunate souls who's stuck with a narcissistic, domineering, bullying brother. That would be Gary, the likely perpetrator of these crimes. With a plot that's only possible in reality, we see how the family yacht became a grisly setting for incest, assault, and murder--on the way to Tahiti, no less.
Gary had no decent explanation for what happened; rape and assault victim Kerry (half-sister of the brothers) has a fragmented, shifting account of how she was hurt (a ugly blow from a winching tool), and how their parents died. Nonetheless, she does know what happened; just not at the time and in the way that matters. The end result is that there's no justice--Gary gets away with murder, it seems. This could've only happened under the extremely isolated conditions of the open sea.
The crimes themselves were bad enough; but with no bodies (tossed at sea), and no convincing or damning testimony, after forty-plus years, the crimes remain unresolved. The author, then, was left with a vicious cyclone of grief, disbelief, and betrayal from Gary, other family members, and writers (some of whom were also family).
I admit, I haven't read Ann Rule's version of the story, Death In Paradise, which the author takes to task, not only for inaccuracies, but also for diverting attention from Gary's culpability, and not consulting with Larry at all.
The subject matter covers decades: the initial trauma, and its impact on Edwards' extended family. Transitions are seamless, as the author follows a logical chronological narrative, in a sort of diary format. Although Edwards focuses on the events, and the array of explanations, reasons, motives, and theories, I would've liked more background on Gary's and (especially) Kerry's personal histories. Their relationship was the fuse that set off this awful South Seas voyage of violence and death.
A fascinating book, well-written, and well-told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2018
Very well done
The time spent in Mr, Edwards' research and his excellent writing skill make this a very worthy read. I have read several Ann Rule books over the years. I read her account of this tragedy first and felt compelled to do more research about the Edwards. Her story fell very short of her earlier writings. Thankful I found this book. My condolences to Larry Edwards, his wife and sister Bobbi.
The time spent in Mr, Edwards' research and his excellent writing skill make this a very worthy read. I have read several Ann Rule books over the years. I read her account of this tragedy first and felt compelled to do more research about the Edwards. Her story fell very short of her earlier writings. Thankful I found this book. My condolences to Larry Edwards, his wife and sister Bobbi.
September 20, 2021
Dare I Call It Murder?
Heart-breaking non-fiction account of betrayal from family members and coping with violent death as told by a member of the family who is a professional writer.
Heart-breaking non-fiction account of betrayal from family members and coping with violent death as told by a member of the family who is a professional writer.
June 28, 2020
A memoir about the writer's parents' murder and the unusual suspect is the author's brother. A compelling read.
March 8, 2016
This is a bitter, angry book. It needs a trigger warning sticker: “Incest and Rape Survivors Will Be Blamed and Shamed.”
I should note that I found this book because I read Ann Rule’s book. Her account left a lot of questions (because I'm smart enough to read and comprehend) and I Googled the Spellbound to see if there was anything more to know. This story of the inconsistencies and the search for the truth was intriguing. That part of it was the only reason I kept reading and I still almost didn't finish the book. What really drew me in was my fascinated horror at the treatment of the third victim on that boat.
Seriously. I was gobsmacked by the attitude toward Kerry. What is it about this that the author doesn't get? She ended that voyage with a life-threatening head injury. Two other people were apparently murdered. Is it that much of a stretch to surmise someone tried to kill her, too? She had obviously been through something horrific. She was obviously frightened to talk about it. Yet, all I read was constant browbeating about “justice for Mom and Dad” and the author's incessant, "I deserve to know." What about what happened to her? Does justice for the dead trump compassion and justice for the living? Did anyone remember that she lost her parents, too? Did it ever occur to the author that Kerry suffered nightmares and PTSD worse than he did? Did it occur to anyone that she needed to be cared for and reassured instead of berated? No wonder she refused to talk about it. No wonder she let contact with her family be lost. My God, that poor girl.
I’m trying to cut some slack here, I really am. I’d be angry too, if my parents died violently under suspicious circumstances and I could never be sure what happened. I’d be frustrated too, with a broken criminal justice system. I’d be grieving too, with my parents gone and my family dissolved into ugly infighting.
But.
Factoid 1: It doesn't matter if a woman voluntarily slept with 100 different guys last week. If guy #101 rapes her, it's rape.
Factoid 2: It doesn't matter if a woman voluntarily slept with the same guy 100 times, whether anyone else approves or not. If she says "no" for the 101st time and he forces her, that's rape.
Like I said, I was trying to feel compassion for the author, but it's really difficult when I see how he takes all his negativity out on everyone around him - including me, via what's in these pages. He chose to shame and blame a woman, an apparent rape victim, by flinging her alleged sexual history around, which has nothing to do with being raped, and wanting to "slap the little bitch" because she was terrified of what would happen if she testified, and blaming her for the lack of criminal proceedings against the prime suspect, in print. Reprehensible.
This book should have been written by someone with the ability to be objective, with a lot less purple prose and a lot more compassion for the third victim of that deadly voyage. I'm so sorry I read it. Pages and pages of oh-poor-me whining about his biological mother and who owed him money but didn't pay it back and who else decided to write a book about this whole mess (which I found online, don't bother, it's pap), the condescending and contemptuous attitude toward virtually everyone involved, the drinking, the temper tantrums, the family feuds. Add in the ugly way Kerry was treated by those who should have cared for her, and I'm left utterly disgusted and feeling like I need a bath with Brillo pads.
I do hope everyone involved finds peace. Including the author. Especially Kerry. But I do not recommend this book.
I should note that I found this book because I read Ann Rule’s book. Her account left a lot of questions (because I'm smart enough to read and comprehend) and I Googled the Spellbound to see if there was anything more to know. This story of the inconsistencies and the search for the truth was intriguing. That part of it was the only reason I kept reading and I still almost didn't finish the book. What really drew me in was my fascinated horror at the treatment of the third victim on that boat.
Seriously. I was gobsmacked by the attitude toward Kerry. What is it about this that the author doesn't get? She ended that voyage with a life-threatening head injury. Two other people were apparently murdered. Is it that much of a stretch to surmise someone tried to kill her, too? She had obviously been through something horrific. She was obviously frightened to talk about it. Yet, all I read was constant browbeating about “justice for Mom and Dad” and the author's incessant, "I deserve to know." What about what happened to her? Does justice for the dead trump compassion and justice for the living? Did anyone remember that she lost her parents, too? Did it ever occur to the author that Kerry suffered nightmares and PTSD worse than he did? Did it occur to anyone that she needed to be cared for and reassured instead of berated? No wonder she refused to talk about it. No wonder she let contact with her family be lost. My God, that poor girl.
I’m trying to cut some slack here, I really am. I’d be angry too, if my parents died violently under suspicious circumstances and I could never be sure what happened. I’d be frustrated too, with a broken criminal justice system. I’d be grieving too, with my parents gone and my family dissolved into ugly infighting.
But.
Factoid 1: It doesn't matter if a woman voluntarily slept with 100 different guys last week. If guy #101 rapes her, it's rape.
Factoid 2: It doesn't matter if a woman voluntarily slept with the same guy 100 times, whether anyone else approves or not. If she says "no" for the 101st time and he forces her, that's rape.
Like I said, I was trying to feel compassion for the author, but it's really difficult when I see how he takes all his negativity out on everyone around him - including me, via what's in these pages. He chose to shame and blame a woman, an apparent rape victim, by flinging her alleged sexual history around, which has nothing to do with being raped, and wanting to "slap the little bitch" because she was terrified of what would happen if she testified, and blaming her for the lack of criminal proceedings against the prime suspect, in print. Reprehensible.
This book should have been written by someone with the ability to be objective, with a lot less purple prose and a lot more compassion for the third victim of that deadly voyage. I'm so sorry I read it. Pages and pages of oh-poor-me whining about his biological mother and who owed him money but didn't pay it back and who else decided to write a book about this whole mess (which I found online, don't bother, it's pap), the condescending and contemptuous attitude toward virtually everyone involved, the drinking, the temper tantrums, the family feuds. Add in the ugly way Kerry was treated by those who should have cared for her, and I'm left utterly disgusted and feeling like I need a bath with Brillo pads.
I do hope everyone involved finds peace. Including the author. Especially Kerry. But I do not recommend this book.
July 16, 2016
Losing a loved one to violence is a gut wrenching experience. Author Larry Edwards' loss of his parents sent his life careening out of control, all the more so because the prime suspect in their apparent murders was Larry's own brother, Gary.
In Dare I Call it Murder? A Memoir of Violent Lost, Larry describes not only how the violent deaths of his father, Loren, and his mother, Jody, affected his own life but also how the allegations against his brother tore apart his extended family.
Loren and Jody died while cruising through French Polynesia in their homebuilt ketch, the Spellbound. The surviving crewmembers—brother Gary, sister Kerry, and their friend Lori—explained Loren died when struck by a shifting boom and Jody, distraught over the loss of her husband, committed suicide by shooting herself in the head.
Almost immediately, French and American law enforcement officials considered the deaths suspicious. There were too many discrepancies in how Gary—the only person on deck with Loren and Jody when they died—described their deaths. Adding to their suspicions was Gary's hasty decision to bury his parents at sea despite the Spellbound being only hours from the nearest port.
After a prolonged investigation, the FBI concluded Gary killed his parents, probably after they caught him molesting his sister, Kerry. However, the U.S. Attorney felt the case wasn't strong enough to take to court. No charges were ever filed.
Larry describes in gripping detail his ordeal of flying to Tahiti to recover the Spellbound and its crew, only to find Kerry in a hospital with a skull fracture and his brother unwilling to explain what really happened aboard the ketch.
Back in the U.S., the deaths of his parents set off a series of cascading events that tore apart the author's extended family. One side of the family refused to believe Gary capable of murder; the other side whispered about Gary's trouble history. Larry also describes in heart-wrenching honesty how the anguish over his parents' deaths caused his own life to crumble until he found help from a support group for survivors of violent loss.
I've known Larry off and on for some 20 years. We worked together as journalists in the 1990s, then reconnected after becoming published authors. I put off reading Dare I Call It Murder? for fear it would be too personal, like peeking into a neighbor's bedroom window. I've always known Larry as a tough, hard-nosed journalist. Reading this book showed me a side of him I'd never known before.
As a mystery author, I could not come up with a more compelling crime story than this. As a writer, I could not write as compelling a book as this.
In Dare I Call it Murder? A Memoir of Violent Lost, Larry describes not only how the violent deaths of his father, Loren, and his mother, Jody, affected his own life but also how the allegations against his brother tore apart his extended family.
Loren and Jody died while cruising through French Polynesia in their homebuilt ketch, the Spellbound. The surviving crewmembers—brother Gary, sister Kerry, and their friend Lori—explained Loren died when struck by a shifting boom and Jody, distraught over the loss of her husband, committed suicide by shooting herself in the head.
Almost immediately, French and American law enforcement officials considered the deaths suspicious. There were too many discrepancies in how Gary—the only person on deck with Loren and Jody when they died—described their deaths. Adding to their suspicions was Gary's hasty decision to bury his parents at sea despite the Spellbound being only hours from the nearest port.
After a prolonged investigation, the FBI concluded Gary killed his parents, probably after they caught him molesting his sister, Kerry. However, the U.S. Attorney felt the case wasn't strong enough to take to court. No charges were ever filed.
Larry describes in gripping detail his ordeal of flying to Tahiti to recover the Spellbound and its crew, only to find Kerry in a hospital with a skull fracture and his brother unwilling to explain what really happened aboard the ketch.
Back in the U.S., the deaths of his parents set off a series of cascading events that tore apart the author's extended family. One side of the family refused to believe Gary capable of murder; the other side whispered about Gary's trouble history. Larry also describes in heart-wrenching honesty how the anguish over his parents' deaths caused his own life to crumble until he found help from a support group for survivors of violent loss.
I've known Larry off and on for some 20 years. We worked together as journalists in the 1990s, then reconnected after becoming published authors. I put off reading Dare I Call It Murder? for fear it would be too personal, like peeking into a neighbor's bedroom window. I've always known Larry as a tough, hard-nosed journalist. Reading this book showed me a side of him I'd never known before.
As a mystery author, I could not come up with a more compelling crime story than this. As a writer, I could not write as compelling a book as this.
September 29, 2013
Well, this book did some serious damage to my sleep patterns last week; it IS just that riveting. I’m still thinking about it, and I’m reminded of the old saying, “You sit down to dinner, the phone rings and, like that, the world as you know it changes forever.” And that’s pretty much what happened to Larry Edwards. He got the call that both his parents had been murdered on their ship, on the high seas —and of course that call became his life’s seminal moment, when everything he’d ever known about himself shifted, leaving him standing in a maelstrom of grief, anger, and understandable frustration. This well-written book has many elements to it. It’s a story about family, and of intrigue, and the quest for an elusive justice. What really struck me, though—and there is much here that is moving and eye-opening—is Edwards’ personal journey through the harrowing stages of a horrific grief, a journey that stands on its own, remarkably open and honest, and the way Edwards presents it, completely relatable.
September 2, 2013
It feels wrong to call this memoir of senseless murder an "enjoyable" read, so "gripping" will have to do. Larry Edwards' writing skill is evident in the ways you would expect, and also in the sheer discipline of will it must have taken to recount this unimaginable personal tragedy. Even as he describes the horrific events and his anguished attempts to uncover the truth, he lightens the emotional load with humor, sarcasm, and a say-it-outright style that urges the reader on. This book teaches important lessons, offering hope and help to those who have suffered a violent loss, and reminds the rest of us to stop sniveling about petty problems. I sincerely hope the author finds peace.
June 15, 2014
This book provides true insight into the lives of those who have suffered traumatic loss. Also it shows how different the grieving process is for everyone. The writer described his feelings so well that I felt engaged in his plight from the first chapter.
I just don't understand how the case never went to trial. It seems so clear that a murder took place. Also, because of the murder venue, the list of suspects was narrowed down to one! What an injustice! I had hoped for a different ending. The author, I'm sure, will always hope for a different ending. But I hope he has peace in knowing he has given his parents a loving tribute.
I just don't understand how the case never went to trial. It seems so clear that a murder took place. Also, because of the murder venue, the list of suspects was narrowed down to one! What an injustice! I had hoped for a different ending. The author, I'm sure, will always hope for a different ending. But I hope he has peace in knowing he has given his parents a loving tribute.
January 30, 2016
Heartbreaking...but couldn't stop reading!
I think that I've probably ready at least 2000 books about true crime. But this is one of the finest I've read! Back in the early 80's I read a lot of Ann Rules books, I'd found them very interesting because I live in the Puget Sound area also. She was my favorite author. Then as years went on I started seeing her writings as a quick way to make a buck. I would like to say Larry, there are many others who see her the same way I do. After reading your memoir, I knew I was right with my thoughts about her. Your memoir is powerful Larry.
I think that I've probably ready at least 2000 books about true crime. But this is one of the finest I've read! Back in the early 80's I read a lot of Ann Rules books, I'd found them very interesting because I live in the Puget Sound area also. She was my favorite author. Then as years went on I started seeing her writings as a quick way to make a buck. I would like to say Larry, there are many others who see her the same way I do. After reading your memoir, I knew I was right with my thoughts about her. Your memoir is powerful Larry.
July 29, 2013
I am the author, and I believe readers will not only enjoy the book but gain something from reading it.
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
July 30, 2013
I am the author, and I believe readers will not only enjoy the book but gain something from reading it.
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
I am a survivor of violent loss, and in this book, I unmask the emotional trauma of violent loss as I ferret out new facts to get at the truth of how and why my parents were killed.
Book website: http://www.dareicallitmurder.com/
Amazon.com reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Call-It-Mu...
November 30, 2014
Moving read
I will never feel the same way about Anne Rule! What this author endured is beyond belief. I hope this book is a success. He does good by showing the benefit of therapy and support for violent loss and pass. And he is of course a good writer. The death of parents was only the first round of pain. It is however inspiring.
I will never feel the same way about Anne Rule! What this author endured is beyond belief. I hope this book is a success. He does good by showing the benefit of therapy and support for violent loss and pass. And he is of course a good writer. The death of parents was only the first round of pain. It is however inspiring.
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February 3, 2014A true, from the heart, account of a disturbing and heartbreaking murder of a family.
From the time I started reading I found this book hard to put down. The ending still leaves you looking for justice for mom and dad!
From the time I started reading I found this book hard to put down. The ending still leaves you looking for justice for mom and dad!
May 22, 2014
Dare I Call It Murder is much more than I had expected. It is the story of violent death and the mystery around what exactly happened and why. But it is also the story of a family, the survivors, and the impact of the violence on generations. A thoughtful memoir that I couldn't put down.
October 10, 2013
An amazing look into a mans journey for justice for his family and the struggles he endures in the Process.... Hooked me in the first few pages...
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