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Criminal Decision
Just when she's found the love of her life, divorced mom Gina Seymour faces leaving him behind, giving up her home and risking arrest -- all to save her little girl from sexual abuse.
Suspecting that her 3-year-old is being molested when she spends the night at the home of her wealthy and powerful grandfather, Gina asks the court to change the custody-sharing agreement. But the judge, allied with the influential grandfather, believes she is fabricating the charges. Accusing Gina of "parental alienation," he threatens to place the child in the hands of her alleged molester.
Despite having sworn off men since her disastrous marriage, Gina has fallen in love with Jack, an old schoolmate of her ex. But if the justice system won't ensure her daughter's safety, she must leave Jack, violate the custody order and take her little girl on the run.
CRIMINAL DECISION is a harrowing story based on true cases covered by investigative journalist Jill Kramer.
Suspecting that her 3-year-old is being molested when she spends the night at the home of her wealthy and powerful grandfather, Gina asks the court to change the custody-sharing agreement. But the judge, allied with the influential grandfather, believes she is fabricating the charges. Accusing Gina of "parental alienation," he threatens to place the child in the hands of her alleged molester.
Despite having sworn off men since her disastrous marriage, Gina has fallen in love with Jack, an old schoolmate of her ex. But if the justice system won't ensure her daughter's safety, she must leave Jack, violate the custody order and take her little girl on the run.
CRIMINAL DECISION is a harrowing story based on true cases covered by investigative journalist Jill Kramer.
- GenresLegal Thriller
Unknown Binding
First published November 5, 2012
2 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
About the author
Jill Kramer
2 books22 followersJill Kramer was born in the North Philadelphia neighborhood known as Strawberry Mansion, where no strawberries grow and no mansions can be found. She graduated from New York University, hitchhiked through Europe, then settled in Marin county, California. She waited tables and dispatched police cars before going back to school and getting a master’s degree in psychology at Sonoma State University. She started writing in the ‘80s. She was the staff reporter at the Marin county weekly Pacific Sun for 14 years. Among the stories that she covered was a series on the dysfunctional family court system. She’s won awards from the Peninsula Press Club, the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Lincoln Steffens award for Investigative Journalism. She lives in San Anselmo with her husband and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 24, 2024
It'll break your heart!
That the US family law system is so dysfunctional as to put such a gut-wrenching and heartbreaking novel as CRIMINAL DECISION into the mind of an author is shocking!
There is no whodunit here. The crime and the criminal are known virtually from the opening pages. And the why or any analysis of the crime itself is, obviously, irrelevant to the point of the novel. This story, as mundane as it might sound, is strictly a legal procedural that fictionalizes a no-holds-barred custody battle over a three year old sexually abused child. The point of the novel is to expose the weaknesses inherent in a family law system that is able and, to all appearances, willing to overlook the incidence of sexual abuse in order to maintain the appearance of functionality and to keep a tight grip on its sacred cow assumptions regarding the way broken families and divorced spouses ought to behave with respect to their children.
A novel like this aside from being dry and draggy might have fallen into the trap of sounding like feminist whining or preaching. But it is anything but. In fact, it is compelling, gripping, heart-breaking, exciting and quite moving. One finishes CRIMINAL DECISION with the fond hope that the family law system can find a way to overcome its failings for the sake of abused children, frantic parents and, of course, for the the sake of punishing pedophiles and child abusers.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
That the US family law system is so dysfunctional as to put such a gut-wrenching and heartbreaking novel as CRIMINAL DECISION into the mind of an author is shocking!
There is no whodunit here. The crime and the criminal are known virtually from the opening pages. And the why or any analysis of the crime itself is, obviously, irrelevant to the point of the novel. This story, as mundane as it might sound, is strictly a legal procedural that fictionalizes a no-holds-barred custody battle over a three year old sexually abused child. The point of the novel is to expose the weaknesses inherent in a family law system that is able and, to all appearances, willing to overlook the incidence of sexual abuse in order to maintain the appearance of functionality and to keep a tight grip on its sacred cow assumptions regarding the way broken families and divorced spouses ought to behave with respect to their children.
A novel like this aside from being dry and draggy might have fallen into the trap of sounding like feminist whining or preaching. But it is anything but. In fact, it is compelling, gripping, heart-breaking, exciting and quite moving. One finishes CRIMINAL DECISION with the fond hope that the family law system can find a way to overcome its failings for the sake of abused children, frantic parents and, of course, for the the sake of punishing pedophiles and child abusers.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
August 3, 2013
Before I begin, I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
“There it was. The horror that she’d avoided for so long, suddenly bursting from her daughter’s lips and smacking Gina on the center of her forehead, as palpably as if it had bounded into the room and struck her.”
There is nothing more eye-opening when harsh reality hits you in the face with gritty facts. At the very beginning of the book, you’re plunged right into the darkness with Emily, and feel the raw agony a desperate 3 year old child feels when she is molested by her own kin. One thing I like about Jill’s writing is how she presents the gravity of child molestation.
“The doctor said these things are not unusual in toddlers.
I mean, it’s not as if Emily was being abused, or…or molested.”
Are you sure about that?
That’s a horrible thing to accuse anyone of, it’s, it’s monstrous!”
Sadly, the reality is yes, that is exactly what is happening. You can hear how conflicted Gina is, and though she definitely knows something is wrong, she is hesitant to jump to conclusions. This is incredibly real-life because most child molesters are usually someone close to the family and it is really hard to put the offender title to a name.
As the plot progresses, Gina fights tooth and nail against the court for visitation rights, though it’s hard to do so with so much corruption and bias.
“It was clear that James’s attorney Ryan Cocker had a special relationship with the judge.”
I mean, come on!!!! Just reading about the crackhead judge made my blood boil and I seriously wanted to blow a gasket. Gina, however, doesn’t back down, and even though she represents herself (because no other lawyers wanted to take her case), it is truly disheartening to read about the court hearing and not be thoroughly disgusted of the blatant corruption going on. My heart broke for Gina, and broke for her even more when she had to tell the court about her daughter’s yeast infection (it’s transmitted sexually).
“It was painful to utter the words, like cutting her own heart and dissecting it for a couple of dispassionate clinicians.
It was painful for me to read too, and I can just envision the scene: the devastation on Gina’s face, helpless to do anything after her objections are overruled. The court scenes really did a number on me and my emotions were toiled with at the very beginning. I was disgusted, angry (extremely angry), sad, depressed, annoyed, etc… You get the picture.
Things get a little better with Gina’s new attorney Sondra. Sondra is sympathetic towards Gina’s plight and though she is part of the FLEA group of lawyers, she is one of the few who truly has integrity and works honestly. I love how Jill goes into the details of the case and her mental tally of James’s questionable parental role and the excessive amount of legal paperwork Gina had to go through.
“It seemed to Sondra almost sadistic, designed to pummel her into submission. And Gina had refused to submit. She was like an outmatched boxer, bloodied and beaten, who kept going back into the ring.”
This image is truly heartbreaking, and the fact that Gina would risk it all for Emily makes me admire her even more.
As for the secondary characters, Ron Blinder is the ultimate villain. A sick, disgusting, perverted excuse for a grandfather, he deserves to rot in hell. His son and Gina’s ex-husband James is a retarded simpleton. He is 43 and still lives with his father!!?? It is obvious that he is greatly influenced by Ron and as a result of losing his mother at a young age and finding his sister Doree’s body after she committed suicide, James (to me) seems like he is mentally stunted and must rely on Ron for guidance. Talk about an effing idiot!!!!!
As for the romance part, it wasn’t really developed and that’s ok with me since the court battle for Emily is what drives the story plot. However, I didn’t approve of the hero, Jack Stride, because I don’t think he is good enough for Gina. We do get a backstory about Jack’s previous marriage but his character is weak. For instance, Ok I’m done with the Jack rant.
I also like the title of the book. I know some of the other reviews were criticizing the title because it didn’t describe the book enough, but I think the title encompassed all the issues addressed in the story. Criminal Decision can refer to many things, first and foremost Ron’s criminal decision to molest his daughter and then his granddaughter. It can also refer to Gina’s decision to grab her daughter and hightail out of the country. It can also include the biased judge, the bought-off psychiatrist and doctor, and everyone else under Ron’s influence: it was their criminal decision to help cover up the truth and leave a poor defenseless woman and child on their own. The ending of the story was bittersweet.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It wasn’t just like watching an episode of TV court and law; this story really gripped my heart and exposes the harsh, dirty details of what our reality is like, and how everyone can make a difference. Read this book, and after you do, read the afterword!! It is extremely powerful and moving, and complements the book perfectly.
5 MINDBLOWING STARS!!!!
“There it was. The horror that she’d avoided for so long, suddenly bursting from her daughter’s lips and smacking Gina on the center of her forehead, as palpably as if it had bounded into the room and struck her.”
There is nothing more eye-opening when harsh reality hits you in the face with gritty facts. At the very beginning of the book, you’re plunged right into the darkness with Emily, and feel the raw agony a desperate 3 year old child feels when she is molested by her own kin. One thing I like about Jill’s writing is how she presents the gravity of child molestation.
“The doctor said these things are not unusual in toddlers.
I mean, it’s not as if Emily was being abused, or…or molested.”
Are you sure about that?
That’s a horrible thing to accuse anyone of, it’s, it’s monstrous!”
Sadly, the reality is yes, that is exactly what is happening. You can hear how conflicted Gina is, and though she definitely knows something is wrong, she is hesitant to jump to conclusions. This is incredibly real-life because most child molesters are usually someone close to the family and it is really hard to put the offender title to a name.
As the plot progresses, Gina fights tooth and nail against the court for visitation rights, though it’s hard to do so with so much corruption and bias.
“It was clear that James’s attorney Ryan Cocker had a special relationship with the judge.”
I mean, come on!!!! Just reading about the crackhead judge made my blood boil and I seriously wanted to blow a gasket. Gina, however, doesn’t back down, and even though she represents herself (because no other lawyers wanted to take her case), it is truly disheartening to read about the court hearing and not be thoroughly disgusted of the blatant corruption going on. My heart broke for Gina, and broke for her even more when she had to tell the court about her daughter’s yeast infection (it’s transmitted sexually).
“It was painful to utter the words, like cutting her own heart and dissecting it for a couple of dispassionate clinicians.
It was painful for me to read too, and I can just envision the scene: the devastation on Gina’s face, helpless to do anything after her objections are overruled. The court scenes really did a number on me and my emotions were toiled with at the very beginning. I was disgusted, angry (extremely angry), sad, depressed, annoyed, etc… You get the picture.
Things get a little better with Gina’s new attorney Sondra. Sondra is sympathetic towards Gina’s plight and though she is part of the FLEA group of lawyers, she is one of the few who truly has integrity and works honestly. I love how Jill goes into the details of the case and her mental tally of James’s questionable parental role and the excessive amount of legal paperwork Gina had to go through.
“It seemed to Sondra almost sadistic, designed to pummel her into submission. And Gina had refused to submit. She was like an outmatched boxer, bloodied and beaten, who kept going back into the ring.”
This image is truly heartbreaking, and the fact that Gina would risk it all for Emily makes me admire her even more.
As for the secondary characters, Ron Blinder is the ultimate villain. A sick, disgusting, perverted excuse for a grandfather, he deserves to rot in hell. His son and Gina’s ex-husband James is a retarded simpleton. He is 43 and still lives with his father!!?? It is obvious that he is greatly influenced by Ron and as a result of losing his mother at a young age and finding his sister Doree’s body after she committed suicide, James (to me) seems like he is mentally stunted and must rely on Ron for guidance. Talk about an effing idiot!!!!!
As for the romance part, it wasn’t really developed and that’s ok with me since the court battle for Emily is what drives the story plot. However, I didn’t approve of the hero, Jack Stride, because I don’t think he is good enough for Gina. We do get a backstory about Jack’s previous marriage but his character is weak. For instance, Ok I’m done with the Jack rant.
I also like the title of the book. I know some of the other reviews were criticizing the title because it didn’t describe the book enough, but I think the title encompassed all the issues addressed in the story. Criminal Decision can refer to many things, first and foremost Ron’s criminal decision to molest his daughter and then his granddaughter. It can also refer to Gina’s decision to grab her daughter and hightail out of the country. It can also include the biased judge, the bought-off psychiatrist and doctor, and everyone else under Ron’s influence: it was their criminal decision to help cover up the truth and leave a poor defenseless woman and child on their own. The ending of the story was bittersweet.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. It wasn’t just like watching an episode of TV court and law; this story really gripped my heart and exposes the harsh, dirty details of what our reality is like, and how everyone can make a difference. Read this book, and after you do, read the afterword!! It is extremely powerful and moving, and complements the book perfectly.
5 MINDBLOWING STARS!!!!
March 24, 2013
This is one book that I have very conflicted feelings about and had a difficult time rating. The book was well-written and (unfortunately) very realistic and true to life. The plot is about a little three year old girl named Emily who is being molested by her paternal grandfather, Ron Blinder, when she has overnight visits with her father, James Blinder. Emily's mother, Gina Seymour, has intuition that something is very, very wrong and one day Honestly, I was livid because of how he covered everything up! As I read the book, I was disgusted over and over again by this
As in real life, Ron was an "upstanding man" in his community so people found it incredulous that he would molest his own granddaughter; however, as the story unfolds the reader learns that What an A double S!!! He is unlikable in every sense of the word!
The title of the book is appropriate and has more meaning than the reader would most likely think prior to reading the entirety of the book. At first I thought (literally), "I wonder why she (the author) calls it Criminal Decision rather than Crime Committed or something else such as Deciding to Commit a Crime. I wondered because
There were quite a few characters in the story, but I was not confused by the numbers. Each served a purpose. It seems that I was upset with about 95% of the characters at one point or another. Judge Hannity was extremely I abhor James, too, because he never even looked into
Then there are the characters that I liked overall, such as Jack, the man with whom Gina fell in love with and had sex. I read another review where the woman was upset about their fling, and I do understand her point; however, I also realize that we're all human and Gina simply needed someone she could trust and whose shoulder she could cry on and she found that in Jack. She might have had a weak moment that turned out to be a good thing for her. Jack is a good man, although not perfect. Sondra Davis is Gina's first attorney, and she is a stand up woman who has the "balls" to speak out for her client. Even she
If you have any compassion in you, you will not be able to read this book without having intense emotions. I had anger, disgust, hope, fear, sadness, regret, lack of faith, disappointment. My emotions ran the entire gamut of feelings!
Recommendation: Read the book knowing that it is a very difficult read emotionally; however, it is very true to life and has some good informative material in it as well. If you can't stomach reading this subject matter, at least read the "Afterward" and "A Sampling of U.S. Organizations Fighting to Protect Abused Children in Family Courts."
As in real life, Ron was an "upstanding man" in his community so people found it incredulous that he would molest his own granddaughter; however, as the story unfolds the reader learns that What an A double S!!! He is unlikable in every sense of the word!
The title of the book is appropriate and has more meaning than the reader would most likely think prior to reading the entirety of the book. At first I thought (literally), "I wonder why she (the author) calls it Criminal Decision rather than Crime Committed or something else such as Deciding to Commit a Crime. I wondered because
There were quite a few characters in the story, but I was not confused by the numbers. Each served a purpose. It seems that I was upset with about 95% of the characters at one point or another. Judge Hannity was extremely I abhor James, too, because he never even looked into
Then there are the characters that I liked overall, such as Jack, the man with whom Gina fell in love with and had sex. I read another review where the woman was upset about their fling, and I do understand her point; however, I also realize that we're all human and Gina simply needed someone she could trust and whose shoulder she could cry on and she found that in Jack. She might have had a weak moment that turned out to be a good thing for her. Jack is a good man, although not perfect. Sondra Davis is Gina's first attorney, and she is a stand up woman who has the "balls" to speak out for her client. Even she
If you have any compassion in you, you will not be able to read this book without having intense emotions. I had anger, disgust, hope, fear, sadness, regret, lack of faith, disappointment. My emotions ran the entire gamut of feelings!
Recommendation: Read the book knowing that it is a very difficult read emotionally; however, it is very true to life and has some good informative material in it as well. If you can't stomach reading this subject matter, at least read the "Afterward" and "A Sampling of U.S. Organizations Fighting to Protect Abused Children in Family Courts."
September 13, 2018
Not everyone will enjoy a book that spotlights a disturbing truth about our world, but this is an important work that focuses on how awry a system can go.
This novel takes on sexual abuse of young children and how far a parent may have to go when the systems set up to protect children fail to do so. It captures the elusive nature of "proving" sex abuse in young children, and a judicial system which is often a deck that is stacked against a concerned parent.
It is well written and engaging, drawing the reader into the mother's nightmare as she strives to protect her young daughter while fighting those who don't believe she is truthful. The story kept my interest throughout. The ending was not a particularly happy one, but was realistic and likely reflects the lives of many injured souls.
The way the story was written there was never resolution regarding the mother's suspicions. The reader had only the information the mother had in deciding what might have happened. For those who like stories tied up into a joyful little bow, this novel might leave you with an unsettled taste in your mouth. But it is a realistic portrayal of life events for which there are no clear answers or "truths".
This novel takes on sexual abuse of young children and how far a parent may have to go when the systems set up to protect children fail to do so. It captures the elusive nature of "proving" sex abuse in young children, and a judicial system which is often a deck that is stacked against a concerned parent.
It is well written and engaging, drawing the reader into the mother's nightmare as she strives to protect her young daughter while fighting those who don't believe she is truthful. The story kept my interest throughout. The ending was not a particularly happy one, but was realistic and likely reflects the lives of many injured souls.
The way the story was written there was never resolution regarding the mother's suspicions. The reader had only the information the mother had in deciding what might have happened. For those who like stories tied up into a joyful little bow, this novel might leave you with an unsettled taste in your mouth. But it is a realistic portrayal of life events for which there are no clear answers or "truths".
March 23, 2013
I received this book free with the agreement that I would review it.
This book reads like an episode of Law & Order. At less than 250 pages, the pace is fast, the plot is focused and the story is relatively uncomplicated.
The story hits the ground running. On the first page, we learn that 3 year old Emily is most likely being sexually molested by her paternal grandfather during her over-night visitations with her father. Her mother is already knee deep in the inept family court system trying to minimize these visitations. But everything she tries backfires. The first judge is in the financial back pocket of the father’s wealthy family. The second judge is an incompetent alcoholic who is drinking while presiding over the cases. The court appointed psychologist is bribed to falsify the psychological tests and recommend that the father become sole custodial parent. The social worker and police called in by the reporting pediatrician appear to have no training in investigating child abuse cases and accept the simplest denial of wrong doing by the grandfather. Even the missing child registry works against the mother’s attempts to protect her child from abuse. Most of this novel takes place in the court room as the mother is tried for custodial interference when she takes measures to prevent her former husband from his court ordered visits.
The aim of this novel is to illuminate the severe limitations of the family court system in handling child abuse allegations. Reading this story, I was incredulous that so much incompetence could coalesce around this single case. But, the “Afterword” provided statistics to verify how common this sort of situation is.
In order to keep the reader lazar focused on the legal battle, characters are reduced to simple roles, dialogue is formulaic and the language is uncomplicated. We are told that the grandfather is a charmer, but we only see a bully and have to accept his universal influence on the word of the author. Despite allegations that this man abused his own daughter for many years, ending in her adolescent suicide, the long time housekeeper is never allowed to speak. Fans of the TV serial court drama will be familiar with this popular formula. The reader roots for the mother and child, not because they have come to know and identify with these characters, but because it is instinctual to want to protect children from harm.
I suppose that it is a virtual requisite of the contemporary publishing industry that every paper back must have a Love-at-first-sight romance, but I found it unnecessary and even offensive in this book. “Yummy” Jack (yes, that is how one character describes him) falls in love with our former model heroine when he visits her place of employment. He immediately makes her crisis the center of his life and she returns the passion. It is while little Emily is on a three day visit with her father and grandfather, certainly being molested, that our concerned mother cooks a romantic dinner for the sexy musician with the stated intent of seducing him. If my child was in the unprotected care of an abuser, I would be sick with worry, not able to eat or sleep, sobbing in frustration or punching a wall in fury, not seducing a man. The very thought of sex would repulse me knowing what my child was facing. The contrast was so revolting that I had to fight the urge to be physically nauseous. I think it was at this point that I disengaged from the novel.
It may say more about my taste than about this book, but I would have preferred more character development, more ambivalence forcing me to struggle with tough decisions, less romance and a style of dialogue that gave each character a unique voice. However, as a piece of fiction designed to reach a popular audience with awareness of a flawed court system, this may be the appropriate vehicle.
This book reads like an episode of Law & Order. At less than 250 pages, the pace is fast, the plot is focused and the story is relatively uncomplicated.
The story hits the ground running. On the first page, we learn that 3 year old Emily is most likely being sexually molested by her paternal grandfather during her over-night visitations with her father. Her mother is already knee deep in the inept family court system trying to minimize these visitations. But everything she tries backfires. The first judge is in the financial back pocket of the father’s wealthy family. The second judge is an incompetent alcoholic who is drinking while presiding over the cases. The court appointed psychologist is bribed to falsify the psychological tests and recommend that the father become sole custodial parent. The social worker and police called in by the reporting pediatrician appear to have no training in investigating child abuse cases and accept the simplest denial of wrong doing by the grandfather. Even the missing child registry works against the mother’s attempts to protect her child from abuse. Most of this novel takes place in the court room as the mother is tried for custodial interference when she takes measures to prevent her former husband from his court ordered visits.
The aim of this novel is to illuminate the severe limitations of the family court system in handling child abuse allegations. Reading this story, I was incredulous that so much incompetence could coalesce around this single case. But, the “Afterword” provided statistics to verify how common this sort of situation is.
In order to keep the reader lazar focused on the legal battle, characters are reduced to simple roles, dialogue is formulaic and the language is uncomplicated. We are told that the grandfather is a charmer, but we only see a bully and have to accept his universal influence on the word of the author. Despite allegations that this man abused his own daughter for many years, ending in her adolescent suicide, the long time housekeeper is never allowed to speak. Fans of the TV serial court drama will be familiar with this popular formula. The reader roots for the mother and child, not because they have come to know and identify with these characters, but because it is instinctual to want to protect children from harm.
I suppose that it is a virtual requisite of the contemporary publishing industry that every paper back must have a Love-at-first-sight romance, but I found it unnecessary and even offensive in this book. “Yummy” Jack (yes, that is how one character describes him) falls in love with our former model heroine when he visits her place of employment. He immediately makes her crisis the center of his life and she returns the passion. It is while little Emily is on a three day visit with her father and grandfather, certainly being molested, that our concerned mother cooks a romantic dinner for the sexy musician with the stated intent of seducing him. If my child was in the unprotected care of an abuser, I would be sick with worry, not able to eat or sleep, sobbing in frustration or punching a wall in fury, not seducing a man. The very thought of sex would repulse me knowing what my child was facing. The contrast was so revolting that I had to fight the urge to be physically nauseous. I think it was at this point that I disengaged from the novel.
It may say more about my taste than about this book, but I would have preferred more character development, more ambivalence forcing me to struggle with tough decisions, less romance and a style of dialogue that gave each character a unique voice. However, as a piece of fiction designed to reach a popular audience with awareness of a flawed court system, this may be the appropriate vehicle.
August 19, 2013
***I was given this book for an honest review***
Summary:
What would you do if you thought your child was being sexually abused by one of the people who should be her protector? That is what Criminal Decisions by Jill Kramer is about. Gina is a recently divorced mother who shares custody with her ex-husband. She begins to suspect something is wrong with her 3 year old daughter Emily due to her sexually acting out, anger outburst, and withdrawal from others. She express her concerns during a custody hearing which then set her life into a desperate attempt to save her daughter.
First Impressions:
The book cover displays a woman running away with a child. It gives the reader some insight of what the book is about. The cover designer did an excellent job of conveying the story line. With the title and cover together you know the gist of the book without giving away to much story.
Overview of Characters:
Criminal Decisions had a lot of characters. One of the faults I did see was a lot of head hopping. It was almost as if we could hear the thoughts of everyone that was introduced into the book. I know “head hopping” isn’t acceptable for most books but it didn’t take away from this story. However I could have done without it.
The characters were very realistic and relatable.
Gina the mother is fighting the court system to protect her daughter from the alleged abuser.
Jack is Gina’s new friend/boyfriend who assists her in protecting her daughter.
Emily is Gina’s 3 year old daughter.
James is Gina’s ex-husband and father to Emily. He has a very passive personality and tends to be easily controlled by his father.
Ron is James’ father and Emily’s grandfather. He has a very assertive personality and a lot of influence within the Rancheria community.
Lily is Gina’s mom who is very supportive of Gina as she struggles within the court system to protect her daughter.
There is an assortment of court personnel and law enforcement officers.
Conclusion:
I honestly was expecting a happy ending. I’m an avid reader and I’m used to books like this ending with everything in its place and everyone happy. This book didn’t have that ending. It didn’t take away from the story but it added to it. It demonstrates the realness of how ineffective the court system could be and the depths of what a mother would do to protect her child.
I’m not a mother nor have I ever been married but I could relate to Gina’s frustrations. I felt an array of emotion. I was mad when I felt the court ignored Gina’s concerns about Emily. I was happy when I thought Gina would be able to save her daughter. I was angry when they had to go back to court to prove Gina’s innocence. I was sad when the story didn’t end the way I wanted. I was yelling and screaming throughout the book because I couldn’t believe what was happening.
Ms. Kramer gave the realness of life. She didn’t give you a heart wrenching story then clean it up at the end with a happily ever after and I appreciate that. This story is very real and can happen to any divorce parent.
Ms. Kramer’s writing was excellent throughout this book. I appreciated the fact that she didn’t insult the reader by ending the book with a happily ever after but continued the heart wrenching story. She allowed the readers to see how ineffective the court system can be and how it can affect a family. Even though this is a fictional story, there are real life parents struggling with some of these same problems.
I don’t normally give books 5 stars but this is one of the few books I read that deserve 5 stars. I will definitely recommend this book to others.
Summary:
What would you do if you thought your child was being sexually abused by one of the people who should be her protector? That is what Criminal Decisions by Jill Kramer is about. Gina is a recently divorced mother who shares custody with her ex-husband. She begins to suspect something is wrong with her 3 year old daughter Emily due to her sexually acting out, anger outburst, and withdrawal from others. She express her concerns during a custody hearing which then set her life into a desperate attempt to save her daughter.
First Impressions:
The book cover displays a woman running away with a child. It gives the reader some insight of what the book is about. The cover designer did an excellent job of conveying the story line. With the title and cover together you know the gist of the book without giving away to much story.
Overview of Characters:
Criminal Decisions had a lot of characters. One of the faults I did see was a lot of head hopping. It was almost as if we could hear the thoughts of everyone that was introduced into the book. I know “head hopping” isn’t acceptable for most books but it didn’t take away from this story. However I could have done without it.
The characters were very realistic and relatable.
Gina the mother is fighting the court system to protect her daughter from the alleged abuser.
Jack is Gina’s new friend/boyfriend who assists her in protecting her daughter.
Emily is Gina’s 3 year old daughter.
James is Gina’s ex-husband and father to Emily. He has a very passive personality and tends to be easily controlled by his father.
Ron is James’ father and Emily’s grandfather. He has a very assertive personality and a lot of influence within the Rancheria community.
Lily is Gina’s mom who is very supportive of Gina as she struggles within the court system to protect her daughter.
There is an assortment of court personnel and law enforcement officers.
Conclusion:
I honestly was expecting a happy ending. I’m an avid reader and I’m used to books like this ending with everything in its place and everyone happy. This book didn’t have that ending. It didn’t take away from the story but it added to it. It demonstrates the realness of how ineffective the court system could be and the depths of what a mother would do to protect her child.
I’m not a mother nor have I ever been married but I could relate to Gina’s frustrations. I felt an array of emotion. I was mad when I felt the court ignored Gina’s concerns about Emily. I was happy when I thought Gina would be able to save her daughter. I was angry when they had to go back to court to prove Gina’s innocence. I was sad when the story didn’t end the way I wanted. I was yelling and screaming throughout the book because I couldn’t believe what was happening.
Ms. Kramer gave the realness of life. She didn’t give you a heart wrenching story then clean it up at the end with a happily ever after and I appreciate that. This story is very real and can happen to any divorce parent.
Ms. Kramer’s writing was excellent throughout this book. I appreciated the fact that she didn’t insult the reader by ending the book with a happily ever after but continued the heart wrenching story. She allowed the readers to see how ineffective the court system can be and how it can affect a family. Even though this is a fictional story, there are real life parents struggling with some of these same problems.
I don’t normally give books 5 stars but this is one of the few books I read that deserve 5 stars. I will definitely recommend this book to others.
August 25, 2013
** Triggers **
Emotional and sexual abuse.
Bleak, stark, and disturbing, but an eye opener just the same. This book grabbed me by the guts, gripped tightly and never let go. This is not a book with “happy endings.” It is not a book of Hollywood/Media contrived thoughts and feelings of safety, security and the “good guys always win.” This book is real, raw, and very traumatic. It reads like an episode of Law & Order: SVU, but even in those programs the good guy usually wins.
Gina has a three year old daughter who is being messed with by her wealthy, disgusting, slovenly grandfather. Gina has no money and no attorney to fight the attorney hired by the grandfather. This douche-bag, Ryan Cocker, is apart of the Rancheria County Family Court and apart of the ”FLEAS” (Family Law Elite Attorneys). Gina has no other option. She has never fought the courts for child support, but he does his best to make it seem like it’s a monetary greed on her behalf. He paints her as this horrible, gold-digger, ex-wife. She’s just a woman who’s trying to protect her daughter.
The most gut wrenching moment in the book that made me physically ill:
‘“Wait, Mommy, I’ll take off my pajamas.” Emily lifted her hips and pulled down her pajama bottoms.
“Why are you doing that, honey?”
“So we can play. I don’t like it with Pop-Pop, but I love you, Mommy.”
Struck speechless for a moment, Gina stifled a sob. “No, baby, no. Put your pajamas back on. We don’t play like that.”
She gathered Emily in her arms and held her close, silent tears running down her cheeks. All doubt was replaced by an iron resolve that now settled in the pit of her stomach.”
This sealed the decision to disappear with her daughter. Roller coaster ride of a book with both emotions and truths of our court system. Jill Kramer, the author, does a fine job of adding in actual accounts of statistics surrounding real life court cases with abuse involved. Our Family Courts are corrupt, and have been for years. “Honorable” Judge Hannity is just as dirty as the rest of the “elite” lawyers he hob-nobs with.
The ending of the book is harsh. It hurt to turn the last page. I was plagued with the ideas and thoughts that Emily would get to come home. I was hopeful, just as Gina was every time she stood before the judges, that her little girl would be safe. I was let down, just as Emily was throughout the book. I was left with thoughts of, “Is she going to turn out like Doree?”
Inspired by actual cases covered by award-winning journalist Jill Kramer, CRIMINAL DECISION exposes the tragic failings of family courts throughout the nation which mistakenly place thousands of children in the homes of their abusers.
Negative Aspect:
It’s all fine and good that both Gina and her ex-husband come from money. It is nice that she had the resources to disappear. But what about woman, and men, who are of a lower income fighting these very same battles?
Emotional and sexual abuse.
Bleak, stark, and disturbing, but an eye opener just the same. This book grabbed me by the guts, gripped tightly and never let go. This is not a book with “happy endings.” It is not a book of Hollywood/Media contrived thoughts and feelings of safety, security and the “good guys always win.” This book is real, raw, and very traumatic. It reads like an episode of Law & Order: SVU, but even in those programs the good guy usually wins.
Gina has a three year old daughter who is being messed with by her wealthy, disgusting, slovenly grandfather. Gina has no money and no attorney to fight the attorney hired by the grandfather. This douche-bag, Ryan Cocker, is apart of the Rancheria County Family Court and apart of the ”FLEAS” (Family Law Elite Attorneys). Gina has no other option. She has never fought the courts for child support, but he does his best to make it seem like it’s a monetary greed on her behalf. He paints her as this horrible, gold-digger, ex-wife. She’s just a woman who’s trying to protect her daughter.
The most gut wrenching moment in the book that made me physically ill:
‘“Wait, Mommy, I’ll take off my pajamas.” Emily lifted her hips and pulled down her pajama bottoms.
“Why are you doing that, honey?”
“So we can play. I don’t like it with Pop-Pop, but I love you, Mommy.”
Struck speechless for a moment, Gina stifled a sob. “No, baby, no. Put your pajamas back on. We don’t play like that.”
She gathered Emily in her arms and held her close, silent tears running down her cheeks. All doubt was replaced by an iron resolve that now settled in the pit of her stomach.”
This sealed the decision to disappear with her daughter. Roller coaster ride of a book with both emotions and truths of our court system. Jill Kramer, the author, does a fine job of adding in actual accounts of statistics surrounding real life court cases with abuse involved. Our Family Courts are corrupt, and have been for years. “Honorable” Judge Hannity is just as dirty as the rest of the “elite” lawyers he hob-nobs with.
The ending of the book is harsh. It hurt to turn the last page. I was plagued with the ideas and thoughts that Emily would get to come home. I was hopeful, just as Gina was every time she stood before the judges, that her little girl would be safe. I was let down, just as Emily was throughout the book. I was left with thoughts of, “Is she going to turn out like Doree?”
Inspired by actual cases covered by award-winning journalist Jill Kramer, CRIMINAL DECISION exposes the tragic failings of family courts throughout the nation which mistakenly place thousands of children in the homes of their abusers.
Negative Aspect:
It’s all fine and good that both Gina and her ex-husband come from money. It is nice that she had the resources to disappear. But what about woman, and men, who are of a lower income fighting these very same battles?
March 26, 2013
I read this as part of a book club author sponsored read. It's not a book I normally would pick up to read and to be honest, its subject matter is one that I never really would want to read about. I think we've all had friends who have gone through bad divorces and all they can think of talking about is how awful things are for them and what an asshole their ex is. I really dislike being around these types of women. I know that sounds really uncaring, but it's true. Also, I am an ex legal secretary and I spent a few years working in family law and I didn't like it being involved in it. I really don't want to read about it in my spare time. I don't want to turn to it to be entertained. So having said all that, you would think that I wouldn't have liked this book.
I did like it though. I liked it very much. I got very caught up in the story and I didn't want to put it down. I literally read it in like a day and a half and for me, that's unheard of. The story sadly, rang very true. There were many, many elements of the story that are true to California law. There were some things that weren't believable too (such as some of the Judge's behavior in the book) and in all my years in law, I saw a lot of things going on that was not very ethical but I really never saw attorneys bribing judges in any way, shape or form. But anyway, I digress...the law portions of the story were very real.
I felt for this mother and I even felt for the father. I mean could imagine coming to terms with the fact that your father was molesting your daughter (and other unsavory behavior as he learns)? It would be extremely devastating. This entire story was a devastating one.
I have to give a shout out to the author for many reasons, my favorite being the way in which she told the story, partly through narrative and partly through "in court testimony." I really appreciated that. There was just enough character development to give the reader a sense of who the characters were while not being overly flowery. I really was pleasantly drawn into a story that I wouldn't have been attracted to. The author really wrote an excellent book and told an excellent story.
I don't know who I would really recommend the book to...I mean, it wasn't a feel good story. It wasn't an easy subject. But still, it was suspenseful and worthwhile reading. I always ask myself if I'm a better person for having read the books I've read and I would say yes to this even though it's not something that will ever happen to me (thankfully). I enjoyed the emotions that the story evoked in me and I discovered a new, wonderful author.
I did like it though. I liked it very much. I got very caught up in the story and I didn't want to put it down. I literally read it in like a day and a half and for me, that's unheard of. The story sadly, rang very true. There were many, many elements of the story that are true to California law. There were some things that weren't believable too (such as some of the Judge's behavior in the book) and in all my years in law, I saw a lot of things going on that was not very ethical but I really never saw attorneys bribing judges in any way, shape or form. But anyway, I digress...the law portions of the story were very real.
I felt for this mother and I even felt for the father. I mean could imagine coming to terms with the fact that your father was molesting your daughter (and other unsavory behavior as he learns)? It would be extremely devastating. This entire story was a devastating one.
I have to give a shout out to the author for many reasons, my favorite being the way in which she told the story, partly through narrative and partly through "in court testimony." I really appreciated that. There was just enough character development to give the reader a sense of who the characters were while not being overly flowery. I really was pleasantly drawn into a story that I wouldn't have been attracted to. The author really wrote an excellent book and told an excellent story.
I don't know who I would really recommend the book to...I mean, it wasn't a feel good story. It wasn't an easy subject. But still, it was suspenseful and worthwhile reading. I always ask myself if I'm a better person for having read the books I've read and I would say yes to this even though it's not something that will ever happen to me (thankfully). I enjoyed the emotions that the story evoked in me and I discovered a new, wonderful author.
January 28, 2014
To begin, I received this book from a Goodreads First reads giveaway last year, at the time I had tons of books that I wanted to read and to be honest that to be read list is growing and growing but with the blog, Medicine for a Book Hangover, I feel like I am making a dent in my bookshelf. When I received Criminal Decision, I thought it would be something different for me to read. I usually read the romance, utopian/ dystopian, young adult type novels but this was different. It is a story about a woman's battle to save her little girl from sexual abuse that was going on with the child's grandfather. It is not a true story but it is based on cases that the author Jill Kramer, a investigative journalist, covered. I found it very interesting and very sad. Coming from a divorced home it made me look back on the system event though I was only 5 or 6 at the time and really do not remember much of it, I find that I was pretty lucky compared to some of the children that are going through family court. This book made me have so many emotions, a lot of anger and sadness that this poor mother and little girl had to go through this and no one seemed to believe them. I give this book 5 stars. It was really written very well, kept me interested and made me think, which I absolutely love in a book. It was like one of those 20/20 specials that I used to watch with my mother when I was a teenager. I know if she was alive today she would've loved this book and I will be definitely passing it on to other now that I've read it! Please take the chance to check this book out!
April 24, 2013
I thought this was a wonderful book. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Although, if you don't like "heavy" subject matter, I would suggest you steer clear :-)
All in all, this was a really great, easy, consuming read. It brings up some serious issues that need to be addressed in our society and our justice system. I would highly recommend this book!
:-)
All in all, this was a really great, easy, consuming read. It brings up some serious issues that need to be addressed in our society and our justice system. I would highly recommend this book!
:-)
April 28, 2013
I received this book as part of a sponsored group read. This didn't affect my review. I have to start off by saying this is not the sort of read that I prefer. I'm not interested in court systems and this story plays heavily into that. However, this book did spark several emotions in me. Anger, frustration, and sadness. Gina is fighting for her daughter and is at unfair disadvantage at every turn. No one believes her daughter is being molested and it makes me kind of ill to know this happens in real life.
The story is well paced and the word flow keeps the pages turning. However, I would have liked to see more deeper characterization with some of the other characters, like Ron. We see how much he's snake from Gina's POV, but I think we should have seen his more charismatic side he showed to others. To me, he just gave off the creepy vibe and I was surprised no one else in the story could sense that. I also had no real connection to the romance at all. I don't think it was needed nor really appropriate for the story. This is probably a personal preference of mine.
All in all, this was a good book. I would recommend it to those who like show like Law & Order, or books about the Justice system.
The story is well paced and the word flow keeps the pages turning. However, I would have liked to see more deeper characterization with some of the other characters, like Ron. We see how much he's snake from Gina's POV, but I think we should have seen his more charismatic side he showed to others. To me, he just gave off the creepy vibe and I was surprised no one else in the story could sense that. I also had no real connection to the romance at all. I don't think it was needed nor really appropriate for the story. This is probably a personal preference of mine.
All in all, this was a good book. I would recommend it to those who like show like Law & Order, or books about the Justice system.
April 15, 2013
I read this book as an author sponsored group read.
When I was in college, I interned with a third-party meeting place that provided supervised visitation and a neutral drop-off/pick-up place for parents that could not interact with each other. So, I witnessed first hand the effects of apparently false accusations in a bitter divorce. I also have had my own struggles with family court (no abuse involved, just custody/visitation of my oldest daughter). So, sadly I am all too familiar with the topic. I thought that the book was excellent. I thought that it definitely rang true. The only thing that I would say negative about it is the introduction of Gina running seemed rather abrupt. The first time she expresses any doubts about the ability of the court to protect her daughter Jack starts talking about her going away with her. That was the only part I found a bit unbelievable (the timing, not the contemplation). Overall, I really enjoyed the book and had a hard time putting it down.
Definitely not an easy subject matter, but true to life and well written.
When I was in college, I interned with a third-party meeting place that provided supervised visitation and a neutral drop-off/pick-up place for parents that could not interact with each other. So, I witnessed first hand the effects of apparently false accusations in a bitter divorce. I also have had my own struggles with family court (no abuse involved, just custody/visitation of my oldest daughter). So, sadly I am all too familiar with the topic. I thought that the book was excellent. I thought that it definitely rang true. The only thing that I would say negative about it is the introduction of Gina running seemed rather abrupt. The first time she expresses any doubts about the ability of the court to protect her daughter Jack starts talking about her going away with her. That was the only part I found a bit unbelievable (the timing, not the contemplation). Overall, I really enjoyed the book and had a hard time putting it down.
Definitely not an easy subject matter, but true to life and well written.
April 7, 2013
Wow. What a sad story. It makes me so sad that this kind of this is allowed in real life. The fact that this book was written from experience working with these kinds of situations and is based in reality really made it that much more sad to me. I thought all the characters were believable and the injustice made me want to scream.
The book seems to be written in a crime novel kind of way and I liked how the reader gets an insight into what all the of different legal groups are thinking. It really leads to a better understanding as to how the system breaks down. Likewise the parallel story of Sondra I thought was especially interesting. The big court scene is also a great summary for what the book stands for. As the reader is following Emily and Gina it is clear that Gina is in the right, but you can see how everything and everyone just disregards her. It is so sad. The author does a great job of melding everything together to vividly show how such a series of events causes continuous tragic circumstances.
The book seems to be written in a crime novel kind of way and I liked how the reader gets an insight into what all the of different legal groups are thinking. It really leads to a better understanding as to how the system breaks down. Likewise the parallel story of Sondra I thought was especially interesting. The big court scene is also a great summary for what the book stands for. As the reader is following Emily and Gina it is clear that Gina is in the right, but you can see how everything and everyone just disregards her. It is so sad. The author does a great job of melding everything together to vividly show how such a series of events causes continuous tragic circumstances.
April 2, 2013
This book was written very well and it was so intense, I can honestly say I hated this book...well what it was about.
A little girl molested, mother couldn't protect her, the courts wouldn't side with the mom. A daughter who grows to resent her Mom even though her Mom tried to protect her...daughter refused to see mom later on in life...such a sad story and no happy ending...I couldn't enjoy the book, I was too upset, infuriated, heart broken, disgusted...
I needed to go hug my kids after reading this and just swear on my life to protect them at all costs... Again, well written but it was a true horror that made me sick to my stomach to read and I'd never read another like it....
A little girl molested, mother couldn't protect her, the courts wouldn't side with the mom. A daughter who grows to resent her Mom even though her Mom tried to protect her...daughter refused to see mom later on in life...such a sad story and no happy ending...I couldn't enjoy the book, I was too upset, infuriated, heart broken, disgusted...
I needed to go hug my kids after reading this and just swear on my life to protect them at all costs... Again, well written but it was a true horror that made me sick to my stomach to read and I'd never read another like it....
February 23, 2013
This book was hard to put down. The very nature of the subject matter...child custody struggles after a bitter divorce...pull at your heart strings and make you so very angry at the legal system when it doesn't work in favor of the child. Instead of dozing off after a few chapters while reading in bed, Jill's book got my adrenaline going...forcing me to stay up until 2 am to finish it. Criminal Decision is very informative and makes you realize how difficult it must be to know what the right thing to do is when trying to protect your child.
June 6, 2013
Original - Review to follow
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