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Who Killed My Daughter?
The story of a mother's search for the truth behind her daughter's brutal death shows how one woman uncovered information that an entire police force could not and proved that the death was anything but random. National ad/promo. Tour.
289 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
411 people are currently reading
2474 people want to read
About the author
Lois Duncan
68 books2,003 followersLois Duncan (born Lois Duncan Steinmetz) was an American writer and novelist, known primarily for her books for children and young adults, in particular (and some times controversially considering her young readership) crime thrillers. Duncan's parents were the noted magazine photographers Lois Steinmetz and Joseph Janney Steinmetz. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Duncan started writing and submitting manuscripts to magazines at the age of ten, and when she was thirteen succeeded in selling her first story.
Duncan attended Duke University from 1952 to 1953 but dropped out, married, and started a family. During this time, she continued to write and publish magazine articles; over the course of her career, she has published more than 300 articles, in magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, McCall's, Good Housekeeping, and Reader's Digest. After her first marriage, which produced three children, ended in divorce, Duncan moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, where she also earned a BA in English in 1977. In 1965 she married Don Arquette, and had two more children with him.
Duncan was best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title. Other made-for-TV movies include Stranger with My Face, Killing Mr. Griffin, Don't Look Behind You, Summer of Fear and Gallows Hill.
In 1989 the youngest of Duncan's children, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, under suspicious circumstances. Who Killed My Daughter? relates the facts and conjecture about the still unsolved case.
Duncan's second book about her daughter's murder, ONE TO THE WOLVES: ON THE TRAIL OF A KILLER, picks up where the first book leaves off and contains all the new information Kait's family has uncovered from private investigation.
The 1971 children's book Hotel for Dogs was released as a theatrical movie in 2009, starring Emma Roberts. That book has now been republished by Scholastic along with two sequels, News for Dogs (2009) and Movie for Dogs (2010).
Duncan's Gothic suspense novel, DOWN A DARK HALL, is being filmed for the Big Screen and will probably be released in 2016.
Follow Lois on Twitter: http://twitter.com/duncanauthor
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i...
http://www.kaitarquette.arquettes.com
Duncan attended Duke University from 1952 to 1953 but dropped out, married, and started a family. During this time, she continued to write and publish magazine articles; over the course of her career, she has published more than 300 articles, in magazines such as Ladies' Home Journal, Redbook, McCall's, Good Housekeeping, and Reader's Digest. After her first marriage, which produced three children, ended in divorce, Duncan moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, where she also earned a BA in English in 1977. In 1965 she married Don Arquette, and had two more children with him.
Duncan was best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title. Other made-for-TV movies include Stranger with My Face, Killing Mr. Griffin, Don't Look Behind You, Summer of Fear and Gallows Hill.
In 1989 the youngest of Duncan's children, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, under suspicious circumstances. Who Killed My Daughter? relates the facts and conjecture about the still unsolved case.
Duncan's second book about her daughter's murder, ONE TO THE WOLVES: ON THE TRAIL OF A KILLER, picks up where the first book leaves off and contains all the new information Kait's family has uncovered from private investigation.
The 1971 children's book Hotel for Dogs was released as a theatrical movie in 2009, starring Emma Roberts. That book has now been republished by Scholastic along with two sequels, News for Dogs (2009) and Movie for Dogs (2010).
Duncan's Gothic suspense novel, DOWN A DARK HALL, is being filmed for the Big Screen and will probably be released in 2016.
Follow Lois on Twitter: http://twitter.com/duncanauthor
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?i...
http://www.kaitarquette.arquettes.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 293 reviews
July 27, 2019
This review will be short as this is a harrowing and tragic book but one that will leave you feeling for Lois Duncan so much.
Lois Duncan was one of my favorite authors growing up. I loved many of her books but "Daughters of Eve" made it onto my list of all time favorites by anybody. She could write so well. I still deeply love her books today.
This book was written by MS. Duncan but sadly it is Non Fiction and the true story of her daughter Kaitlyn who was murdered. All this happened quite a long time ago but Duncan never gave up o n her quest to find her daughter's killer, which sadly, at the time of her death, she had not done..at least as far as I know.
I really felt for her, reading this. How could one not? Her love for her daughter is so apparent and the circumstances so tragic. It was a very hard book to read.
I was fascinated by her employment of Psychics to find out more about what happened. These women appeared to be intelligent and good to MS Duncan. I only wish she had received the answers she was yearning for.
I would recommend this book as it is deeply poignant, unsettling, tragic and touching. It is the story really of a mother's love for her daughter. Just be aware of how sad the material is. RIP Lois Duncan. Hopefully you have the answers now.
Lois Duncan was one of my favorite authors growing up. I loved many of her books but "Daughters of Eve" made it onto my list of all time favorites by anybody. She could write so well. I still deeply love her books today.
This book was written by MS. Duncan but sadly it is Non Fiction and the true story of her daughter Kaitlyn who was murdered. All this happened quite a long time ago but Duncan never gave up o n her quest to find her daughter's killer, which sadly, at the time of her death, she had not done..at least as far as I know.
I really felt for her, reading this. How could one not? Her love for her daughter is so apparent and the circumstances so tragic. It was a very hard book to read.
I was fascinated by her employment of Psychics to find out more about what happened. These women appeared to be intelligent and good to MS Duncan. I only wish she had received the answers she was yearning for.
I would recommend this book as it is deeply poignant, unsettling, tragic and touching. It is the story really of a mother's love for her daughter. Just be aware of how sad the material is. RIP Lois Duncan. Hopefully you have the answers now.
September 11, 2010
It was a very sad story. The extended transcripts of reading from psychics was a little much for me. I probably would have enjoyed it more if Duncan paraphrased or summarized what the psychics said instead of having to wade through each reading. Still, it must have been a horrible experience beyond imagination for this family to endure...and the botched police investigation is infuriating.
March 15, 2022
A heart-breaking true story.
August 18, 2013
I was waiting for my daughter in the library one day and this book caught my eye. I started it while waiting for her because I had vaguely remembered hearing something about the case. The book is by Lois Duncan, a very famous author whose daughter was murdered when she was eighteen. How you feel about the book probably depends on how you feel about past lives and psychics. This was kind of a frustrating book to read. The initial pages hook you in and then there is page after page of psychic mumbo jumbo that from an objective point makes no sense. Seriously, you could apply it to anything. Poor Lois spends many more pages hashing it out with her family in an effort to try to make sense of it. The murder happened over twenty years ago when forensics weren't what they are now and the police had no leads that panned out. My not caring for the book has nothing to do with my feelings for Lois herself. She has my utmost empathy. If something like that happened to my daughter I would entertain every crack pot too. However you cannot avoid the fact that if the psychics had something the case would have been solved. The story is a real travel back in time. Lois actually uses a phone book to try to find witnesses. Even with the internet I have not been able to find any progress that has been made in the case which leads to the other reason I felt frustrated. There is no satisfying end to the story. It is beyond awful having your daughter murdered and double that when you can't get justice. I really hope her family gets their answer someday. Very sad indeed.
September 7, 2015
All too familiar, all too sad: the police ignore leads, maybe due to intimidation from the local mafia, and a murder case goes cold. Sounds like Lois Duncan, her husband and family members went out on a limb to investigate leads, doing the work of the police. Why do I believe her version of this scenario? Because it happened to my own family. Julie Benning, Iowa Cold Case # 7600382. Forty years later, citizens and family members are still asking questions and chasing down leads, while the police, the BCI and even the FBI have uncovered nothing.
Lois Duncan captures the vast range of emotions that go with the loss of a child, a parent imagining what might have done to prevent it, the gaping hole of "not knowing." It's one thing to lose a loved one to natural causes or natural disasters, but it's a whole new ballgame when some unidentified person (walking free) has stolen a person's life, for reasons we have to dig, dig, dig to discern or guess at, even knowing there is no good reason, NOBODY deserves to be executed the way so many teenage girls have been, all too often because they "know something" (usually about drug traffickers). The police are either complicit (getting a cut of the profits) are terrified (threats against their own loved ones if they arrest anyone). If I sound like a conspiracy theorist, check out Netflix's addition of the show "Narcos" about a real-life drug trafficker and his tatics.
Some reviewers condemn this book for the interviews with psychics. Interesting, Greta Alexander was asked to work on my sister's case in 1976. Three officials visited her, and one of the police officers was "hostile," which interfered with her ability to work on the case. She also may have been fed misinformation about the case (a certain police officer was known for this, and I'm still trying to learn if he was the one who set Greta on edge). Both Greta and Betty Muensch (the one most quoted in Duncan's book) have since died.
I don't put stock in psychics, mediums, hopes of reincarnation or an afterlife, but I would love, love, love to find out that telepathy, ESP, and survival of the spirit do in fact occur. My sister hasn't given me any signs of being "out there" and aware of us, but I like to think it's because the minute she shook off the ol' mortal coil, she was bounding off to rock in the clouds with Jim Croce, Jimi Hendrix, Freddy Mercury, and a pantheon of rock stars she loved. If this life is a transition to some next life, Julie moved on, and fast, and I don't blame her.
But if she could come back and answer a few questions, the way Duncan's daughter evidently did, that'd be great (hello, Julie?).
I cannot dispute or discredit any of the psychic phenomena Duncan experienced or described here. Some of Betty Muensch's commentaries were long-winded and vague, and I skipped over a lot of those passages. "There will be this" and "there will be a that," and all this odd sounding stuff, went over my head, but I read Duncan's intrerpretations.
One thing I know: authors do indeed seem to have a flair for prophecy. I know a woman who wrote a novel, then met one of her fictional characters in real life, and the similarities were so great, she wrote him right out of the novel rather than risk being sued for libel.
In 1985, I outlined a novel and started writing it in 1990. Five years later, I had a son, daughter, daughter, and their personalities match up with the son, daughter, daughter in my novel. I'm *almost* afraid to write anything dark, for fear that it will come to pass.
In all, this is a heartfelt, honest, gut-wrenching story of a family who have lost a loved one and gotten far too little cooperation or help from the police in getting the killer(s) off the streets. How many others die because some naive young girl's life doesn't matter enough to justify the expense of getting the police to pound the pavement, make arrests and get killers behind bars?
Lois Duncan captures the vast range of emotions that go with the loss of a child, a parent imagining what might have done to prevent it, the gaping hole of "not knowing." It's one thing to lose a loved one to natural causes or natural disasters, but it's a whole new ballgame when some unidentified person (walking free) has stolen a person's life, for reasons we have to dig, dig, dig to discern or guess at, even knowing there is no good reason, NOBODY deserves to be executed the way so many teenage girls have been, all too often because they "know something" (usually about drug traffickers). The police are either complicit (getting a cut of the profits) are terrified (threats against their own loved ones if they arrest anyone). If I sound like a conspiracy theorist, check out Netflix's addition of the show "Narcos" about a real-life drug trafficker and his tatics.
Some reviewers condemn this book for the interviews with psychics. Interesting, Greta Alexander was asked to work on my sister's case in 1976. Three officials visited her, and one of the police officers was "hostile," which interfered with her ability to work on the case. She also may have been fed misinformation about the case (a certain police officer was known for this, and I'm still trying to learn if he was the one who set Greta on edge). Both Greta and Betty Muensch (the one most quoted in Duncan's book) have since died.
I don't put stock in psychics, mediums, hopes of reincarnation or an afterlife, but I would love, love, love to find out that telepathy, ESP, and survival of the spirit do in fact occur. My sister hasn't given me any signs of being "out there" and aware of us, but I like to think it's because the minute she shook off the ol' mortal coil, she was bounding off to rock in the clouds with Jim Croce, Jimi Hendrix, Freddy Mercury, and a pantheon of rock stars she loved. If this life is a transition to some next life, Julie moved on, and fast, and I don't blame her.
But if she could come back and answer a few questions, the way Duncan's daughter evidently did, that'd be great (hello, Julie?).
I cannot dispute or discredit any of the psychic phenomena Duncan experienced or described here. Some of Betty Muensch's commentaries were long-winded and vague, and I skipped over a lot of those passages. "There will be this" and "there will be a that," and all this odd sounding stuff, went over my head, but I read Duncan's intrerpretations.
One thing I know: authors do indeed seem to have a flair for prophecy. I know a woman who wrote a novel, then met one of her fictional characters in real life, and the similarities were so great, she wrote him right out of the novel rather than risk being sued for libel.
In 1985, I outlined a novel and started writing it in 1990. Five years later, I had a son, daughter, daughter, and their personalities match up with the son, daughter, daughter in my novel. I'm *almost* afraid to write anything dark, for fear that it will come to pass.
In all, this is a heartfelt, honest, gut-wrenching story of a family who have lost a loved one and gotten far too little cooperation or help from the police in getting the killer(s) off the streets. How many others die because some naive young girl's life doesn't matter enough to justify the expense of getting the police to pound the pavement, make arrests and get killers behind bars?
March 11, 2011
Who Killed My Daughter? is the true story of Lois Duncan's daughter's murder.
In July of 1989 Eighteen year old Kaitlyn Arquette was chased and shot to death. The police believe it was a random shooting, but the Arquette family believes it was because she knew somethings she shouldn't of. This is book is about her death, the investigation surrounding it, the events following her death and the family searching for the truth of why Kaitlyn was murdered.
This is the first book I've read by Lois Duncan and I became interested in reading it after reading about the author herself. I knew she was the author of Hotel for Dogs, I know What You Did Last Summer and many other books. I do have a few other books by this author, but haven't read them yet. I can tell, though, from reading this book that Lois Duncan is a very good writer. She knows how to write very well, knows exactly what words to chose, how to describe the doings on, her feelings and everything. The book very, very well-written.
Before reading this book I read several reviews and some were saying that it hooked them in the beginning but then grew boring and they didn't like the psychic readings, that's what turned them off.
The book kept my interest from beginning to end and the psychic readings didn't bother me. I know a lot about psychics and the paranormal. I do truly believe that there are people out with good psychic abilities that can help others.
I know this was a hard book to write, probably the hardest of her life, but the fact that Lois Duncan was able to write this book and to share with others the tragedy her whole family experienced shows she is a strong woman and is determined to find the people who murdered her daughter.
While reading this I felt like I knew Kaitlyn, Lois and the whole family. The way Duncan writes makes you feel that way and you feel as if you are there, experiencing this tragedy with them.
Reading the book was sort of a life changing experience for me. I can't find the words to explain how, I can only say that it was a life changing experience.
I pray and truly believe that Kaitlyn's murders will found. And when they are, I know it will probably be in the sequel to this book.
In July of 1989 Eighteen year old Kaitlyn Arquette was chased and shot to death. The police believe it was a random shooting, but the Arquette family believes it was because she knew somethings she shouldn't of. This is book is about her death, the investigation surrounding it, the events following her death and the family searching for the truth of why Kaitlyn was murdered.
This is the first book I've read by Lois Duncan and I became interested in reading it after reading about the author herself. I knew she was the author of Hotel for Dogs, I know What You Did Last Summer and many other books. I do have a few other books by this author, but haven't read them yet. I can tell, though, from reading this book that Lois Duncan is a very good writer. She knows how to write very well, knows exactly what words to chose, how to describe the doings on, her feelings and everything. The book very, very well-written.
Before reading this book I read several reviews and some were saying that it hooked them in the beginning but then grew boring and they didn't like the psychic readings, that's what turned them off.
The book kept my interest from beginning to end and the psychic readings didn't bother me. I know a lot about psychics and the paranormal. I do truly believe that there are people out with good psychic abilities that can help others.
I know this was a hard book to write, probably the hardest of her life, but the fact that Lois Duncan was able to write this book and to share with others the tragedy her whole family experienced shows she is a strong woman and is determined to find the people who murdered her daughter.
While reading this I felt like I knew Kaitlyn, Lois and the whole family. The way Duncan writes makes you feel that way and you feel as if you are there, experiencing this tragedy with them.
Reading the book was sort of a life changing experience for me. I can't find the words to explain how, I can only say that it was a life changing experience.
I pray and truly believe that Kaitlyn's murders will found. And when they are, I know it will probably be in the sequel to this book.
May 30, 2014
I am re reading and because of that discovered I did not review this book. Well not on GR so I've copied my old Boockrossing journal entry..
on Saturday, August 06, 2005 I wrote about this book:
6 out of 10
Finished the book yesterday. I have to say it was a very interesting read although at the end I started to get a little bit bored (blushing)
It has a lot of talk about reincarnation and Lois Duncan s special talks with paranormal people, not that I mind cause its interesting but I can't stand it when a case is not solved. I want the good to win :-)
so it was okay but not as good as I hoped it would be.
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Rereading May 29/30 2014
Well had a sleepless night so finished it this morning. I picked this because there is a second book out. Here I thought the murderer (s) was caught (thans to Lois Duncan) so that is why I wanted to read that sequel.
After re reading this book I knew I really did not want to read another book with all kind of suggestions,suspicions and lots of suspects but no proof and no arrests, so I decided to check the reviews and alas, apparently she has written another book like the first. I do not like that the description of the sequel makes people think the murderer was found.
I am curious if the second book is also filled with paragnosts and many many pages of text where all the paragraphs start with There will be this, there will be then....
I think this book would have been better if she had highlighted all her talks with the physics instead of copying all that text written by them.
To be fair I think I would have given this just 2 stars now but I will leave it as it is.
Of course I really feel for her loss. It is my biggest fear and I assume any mother's.
on Saturday, August 06, 2005 I wrote about this book:
6 out of 10
Finished the book yesterday. I have to say it was a very interesting read although at the end I started to get a little bit bored (blushing)
It has a lot of talk about reincarnation and Lois Duncan s special talks with paranormal people, not that I mind cause its interesting but I can't stand it when a case is not solved. I want the good to win :-)
so it was okay but not as good as I hoped it would be.
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Rereading May 29/30 2014
Well had a sleepless night so finished it this morning. I picked this because there is a second book out. Here I thought the murderer (s) was caught (thans to Lois Duncan) so that is why I wanted to read that sequel.
After re reading this book I knew I really did not want to read another book with all kind of suggestions,suspicions and lots of suspects but no proof and no arrests, so I decided to check the reviews and alas, apparently she has written another book like the first. I do not like that the description of the sequel makes people think the murderer was found.
I am curious if the second book is also filled with paragnosts and many many pages of text where all the paragraphs start with There will be this, there will be then....
I think this book would have been better if she had highlighted all her talks with the physics instead of copying all that text written by them.
To be fair I think I would have given this just 2 stars now but I will leave it as it is.
Of course I really feel for her loss. It is my biggest fear and I assume any mother's.
March 29, 2018
This would be closer to a 2.5.
Rating this book is tough. There are flashes in this book that feel like Duncan's fiction books. The writing in those parts is great. Duncan manages to capture something unimaginable, a mother's grief. Her journey through her personal grief and crusade to find justice for her daughter are the best parts of the book.
But, the long transcripts of psychic readings are nearly unreadable. By the middle of the book, I had zoned out a little, which feels horrible to do when it's the true story of a murder. Coupled with issues of race, it makes for a difficult read. For fans of Lois Duncan, I'd recommend sticking to her fiction work. For fans of true crime, I'd say skim this and maybe check out the sequel which I understand is more about the forensic and police botching of this case.
Rating this book is tough. There are flashes in this book that feel like Duncan's fiction books. The writing in those parts is great. Duncan manages to capture something unimaginable, a mother's grief. Her journey through her personal grief and crusade to find justice for her daughter are the best parts of the book.
But, the long transcripts of psychic readings are nearly unreadable. By the middle of the book, I had zoned out a little, which feels horrible to do when it's the true story of a murder. Coupled with issues of race, it makes for a difficult read. For fans of Lois Duncan, I'd recommend sticking to her fiction work. For fans of true crime, I'd say skim this and maybe check out the sequel which I understand is more about the forensic and police botching of this case.
March 22, 2016
Author Lois Duncan's daughter was murdered over 25 years ago.
The killer or killers have never been found.
This book details the shoddy police-work by investigators who just want to wrap it all up and close the case ASAP ... Lois and her family do more work gathering information than the police do, and, of course, the police pay no attention to anything they are given or told.
This book will not only break your heart, it will make you furious.
Praying that one day this family will find justice and closure ...
and that Kait may Rest in Peace.
The killer or killers have never been found.
This book details the shoddy police-work by investigators who just want to wrap it all up and close the case ASAP ... Lois and her family do more work gathering information than the police do, and, of course, the police pay no attention to anything they are given or told.
This book will not only break your heart, it will make you furious.
Praying that one day this family will find justice and closure ...
and that Kait may Rest in Peace.
to-read-own
March 2, 20183/2/18 $1.99 for Kindle.
July 18, 2015
I was buying some Lois Duncan books for my class library when I came across this non-fiction book about her daughter's murder. That piqued my attention so I bought it and stuck it in my TBR pile where it sat for about a year. Yesterday however, it popped into my mind that I should read it... and it KEPT popping into my mind, so I dug around until I found and started it. The first line snared me:
"Our daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday, July 16, 1989."
I was immediately hooked because I had picked this book up, after almost a year, on July 16. I knew it was in the true crime genre but had no idea about the paranormal/psychic themes, but when I came to them, I was completely open to the idea because I couldn't get over the coincidence of the timing of my reading the book. (I honestly feel that I was somehow led to read this book today.)
As far as a review, I loved this book... as much as you can "love" a book that baffles you and tears at your heart and frustrates you to the point of throwing it on the bed without so much as bookmarking your spot. But I always came right back to it and ended up finishing it within 24 hours. I have ordered the sequel One To The Wolves from Amazon Prime and am anxious to see what has happened in the last 20+ years (although I know that not enough has).
I know it's hard to read a book without a "happy" ending... or without an ending for that matter, but this book was fascinating. I hope even more people read it. (I know I will pass it on to my middle-school students.) My heart goes out to this mother and author and everyday citizen struggling for answers, and I hope Kait's mom eventually finds the truth that she has worked so hard for.
"Our daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday, July 16, 1989."
I was immediately hooked because I had picked this book up, after almost a year, on July 16. I knew it was in the true crime genre but had no idea about the paranormal/psychic themes, but when I came to them, I was completely open to the idea because I couldn't get over the coincidence of the timing of my reading the book. (I honestly feel that I was somehow led to read this book today.)
As far as a review, I loved this book... as much as you can "love" a book that baffles you and tears at your heart and frustrates you to the point of throwing it on the bed without so much as bookmarking your spot. But I always came right back to it and ended up finishing it within 24 hours. I have ordered the sequel One To The Wolves from Amazon Prime and am anxious to see what has happened in the last 20+ years (although I know that not enough has).
I know it's hard to read a book without a "happy" ending... or without an ending for that matter, but this book was fascinating. I hope even more people read it. (I know I will pass it on to my middle-school students.) My heart goes out to this mother and author and everyday citizen struggling for answers, and I hope Kait's mom eventually finds the truth that she has worked so hard for.
April 25, 2015
I feel like a chump giving this book only 2 stars, because I can't imagine what Lois Duncan and her family went through when her daughter was tragically murdered. Generally speaking in my experience when a true crime story is written by the victim or family of the victim, it tends to be underdeveloped and not terribly well written due to them not being professional writers. Because Ms. Duncan is a decorated young adult novelist, I had high hopes for this book to be both well written and heartbreaking, which is what we're all really looking for in the true crime genre.
However, unfortunately for her, Lois Duncan cannot get away from the voice of her juvenile novels. The tone of this book felt childish and almost gimmicky to me all the way through, undoubtedly due to how she is used to developing her stories. But the target audience is all wrong this time.
Additionally, so much of the story around Kaitlyn Arquette's homicide investigation centers on her family's pursuit of psychics and other paranormal phenomena such as reincarnation and past lives, I found myself dreading whole sections at a time that dealt only with her "resident psychic." As someone who does not adhere to the belief in any of the psychical realm, I found those portions of the book were distracting and useless to me personally. Which is not to say it's in any way wrong, and I don't mean to be offensive or hurtful to the Arquette family.
However, unfortunately for her, Lois Duncan cannot get away from the voice of her juvenile novels. The tone of this book felt childish and almost gimmicky to me all the way through, undoubtedly due to how she is used to developing her stories. But the target audience is all wrong this time.
Additionally, so much of the story around Kaitlyn Arquette's homicide investigation centers on her family's pursuit of psychics and other paranormal phenomena such as reincarnation and past lives, I found myself dreading whole sections at a time that dealt only with her "resident psychic." As someone who does not adhere to the belief in any of the psychical realm, I found those portions of the book were distracting and useless to me personally. Which is not to say it's in any way wrong, and I don't mean to be offensive or hurtful to the Arquette family.
February 1, 2019
an amazing book and so hard to put down!
I didn't think I knew any of the story before I started reading the book, but I am (and always have been) an avid watcher of Unsolved mysteries and immediately knew I KNEW THE STORY!
I'm still stunned by the break down of the police and the injustice of the system (how can that many people work AGAINST finding the truth!)
I'm so glad I read this book.
My Mom MUST read this book!
I didn't think I knew any of the story before I started reading the book, but I am (and always have been) an avid watcher of Unsolved mysteries and immediately knew I KNEW THE STORY!
I'm still stunned by the break down of the police and the injustice of the system (how can that many people work AGAINST finding the truth!)
I'm so glad I read this book.
My Mom MUST read this book!
February 11, 2009
I chose this book from a list of nonfiction for my Adult Pop Lit class because I read a lot of nonfiction, but have never read true crime before. I'm sort of surprised I haven't as I tend to really enjoy things like Forensic Files and Unsolved Mysteries.
Anyway, for class, I'm thinking about why readers might like this kind of book...personally, I'm drawn to the process and the puzzle. I think it's so interesting how crimes are solved and the amazing things we can do with technology and scientific analysis. This particular book has psychic consultation, which, for a skeptic like me is challenging to grapple with, but is really fascinating. Duncan makes it difficult not to believe--she provides transcripts and consulted 4 different psychics independently and received similar information.
On a general level, I think we're really fascinated by other people's tragedy (e.g. Caylee, Jon Benet, etc.) and this allows us to experience some of the feelings associated with tragedy in a safe way--and in a different way than fiction I think.
Duncan is already a successful suspense writer and I think this story is the better for it. She knows how to tell it--and knows in an even more intimate way than usual.
The edition of the book that I read was published in 1994 (original date 1991) and there is an accompanying web site with pictures and lots of up-to-date information. I spent an hour there after I read the book. This is a really effective way to update readers about further developments (although I only knew there was a web site after I googled the book).
Anyway, for class, I'm thinking about why readers might like this kind of book...personally, I'm drawn to the process and the puzzle. I think it's so interesting how crimes are solved and the amazing things we can do with technology and scientific analysis. This particular book has psychic consultation, which, for a skeptic like me is challenging to grapple with, but is really fascinating. Duncan makes it difficult not to believe--she provides transcripts and consulted 4 different psychics independently and received similar information.
On a general level, I think we're really fascinated by other people's tragedy (e.g. Caylee, Jon Benet, etc.) and this allows us to experience some of the feelings associated with tragedy in a safe way--and in a different way than fiction I think.
Duncan is already a successful suspense writer and I think this story is the better for it. She knows how to tell it--and knows in an even more intimate way than usual.
The edition of the book that I read was published in 1994 (original date 1991) and there is an accompanying web site with pictures and lots of up-to-date information. I spent an hour there after I read the book. This is a really effective way to update readers about further developments (although I only knew there was a web site after I googled the book).
June 10, 2010
This book is amazing! I absolutely loved it! It was recommended to me by my sisters and mother who have all read it and loved it. The story is so sad and interesting, it captivates the reader the whole 400 pages. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
The book is written in the mother’s point of view and is a non fiction book. Lois Duncan, the author, writes about her eighteen year old daughter, Kaitlyn, being murdered. And her tragic journey to figure out who murdered her daughter. She tries every possible way to find her daughter’s killer. She goes to psychics, the police, investigators, journalists, and investigates herself which at some points leads her into dangerous situations involving the Vietnamese gangs. The family tries to morn their daughter but it is so hard to while the mother is still bringing new information to the surface. The want to let go but the mother is making it near impossible. The mother’s desperate search to bring justice to her daughter touches you in so many ways.
This book has brought me to tears many times. It made me wondered what would I do if some one in my family was murdered or if I was murdered. How would I and my family deal with it, would we try to let go or would we stay looking for years and years?
The book is written in the mother’s point of view and is a non fiction book. Lois Duncan, the author, writes about her eighteen year old daughter, Kaitlyn, being murdered. And her tragic journey to figure out who murdered her daughter. She tries every possible way to find her daughter’s killer. She goes to psychics, the police, investigators, journalists, and investigates herself which at some points leads her into dangerous situations involving the Vietnamese gangs. The family tries to morn their daughter but it is so hard to while the mother is still bringing new information to the surface. The want to let go but the mother is making it near impossible. The mother’s desperate search to bring justice to her daughter touches you in so many ways.
This book has brought me to tears many times. It made me wondered what would I do if some one in my family was murdered or if I was murdered. How would I and my family deal with it, would we try to let go or would we stay looking for years and years?
April 30, 2009
I grew up reading books for young adults by Lois Duncan. So when I saw her name in the true crime section as an adult I had to pick it up. Unfortunately, this is a very personal story for her about the murder of her daughter, and the efforts to find the killer(s).
Usually true crime authors have a peripheral bearing on the story. Here our author was front and center, which made for a very different perspective on the crime. She recounts their attempts at working with the police, detectives, and even psychics as they try to find answers. It was especially interesting to watch as someone who didn't actually believe in psychics comes to wonder how it is that so many details they gave turned out to be true.
The first edition ended with no one charged with the murder and no resolution. I believe subsequent editions have been updated with various details, but according to the website she maintains on the crime, this sadly appears to still be an open, unsolved case. If you like your true crime books wrapped up neatly at the end, skip this one. But if you would like a little something different from the formula, this is the true crime book for you.
Usually true crime authors have a peripheral bearing on the story. Here our author was front and center, which made for a very different perspective on the crime. She recounts their attempts at working with the police, detectives, and even psychics as they try to find answers. It was especially interesting to watch as someone who didn't actually believe in psychics comes to wonder how it is that so many details they gave turned out to be true.
The first edition ended with no one charged with the murder and no resolution. I believe subsequent editions have been updated with various details, but according to the website she maintains on the crime, this sadly appears to still be an open, unsolved case. If you like your true crime books wrapped up neatly at the end, skip this one. But if you would like a little something different from the formula, this is the true crime book for you.
March 30, 2011
I had no idea that Lois Duncan, bestselling young adult author, used to live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I also had no idea that her eighteen year old daughter, Kaitlyn Arquette, was murdered in downtown Albuquerque in 1989, and that the case is still unsolved. This true crime memoir is terrifying and fascinating. Duncan's search for her daughter's killer (killers?) includes the discovery of a possible Vietnamese gang connection, car accident scams, interstate drug trafficking, psychics, shoddy police work, a secret boyfriend, random tipsters, false witnesses, and a possible cover up. The fact that this case is still unsolved is both scary and frustrating. This book was published in 1992, and even more facts and details have been discovered by Lois Duncan and her family in their quest for the truth about what happened to their beautiful daughter. I look forward to the sequel to this book and for this case to get the attention and justice the family deserves.
May 26, 2011
What a great heart wrenching book. As I mother I just can't imagine going through having one of my children murdered, and then to have the law enforcement be so inept and wrong, unbelievable. In searching the internet it seems that as of 2007 they still didn't have the answers and both the local law enforcement and the FBI were involved in cover-ups or just terrible work, I'm not sure which or maybe a bit of both. A good read though.
October 14, 2010
While the genre seems to be true crime, as an author and her family try to learn more about the circumstances surrounding her daughter's murder, a good portion of the book is devoted to the many psychics contacted, with their readings, and psychic phenomena experienced by the family members. A quick, interesting read, though it does not inspire a lot of confidence in the criminal justice system.
Want to read
June 24, 2011 I really want t read this book
December 20, 2019
I see goodreads is back to their old tricks and books are going missing off of shelves. I read this book long before the days of goodreads. I added to my shelf when I joined. Why it was removed I have no clue.
October 19, 2018
Personal Response:
Who Killed My Daughter? was a very good nonfiction book with tons of suspense. I especially liked the way the book started. I am not the biggest fan of this book, but the author put much effort into this novel and it is noticeable. I have now realized that anything nonfiction is not my cup of tea.
Plot Summary:
Kaitlyn Arquette was shot three times in the head and killed, and the police believed it was just an accident. Lois Duncan was the mother of Kaitlyn and the author of the book. She was certain that the Vietnamese gang that was associated with Kaitlyn’s boyfriend, Dung Nguyen, had done the crime. She harassed the police about finding the gang; however, they acquired a lead from a truck driver who claimed to witness the chase that led up to the murder. The police eventually uncover that Dung Nguyen had been smuggling drugs across the border as well as the insurance fraud. In the end, the real killer was never found.
Characterization:
Lois Duncan is the main character and narrator of this book. She is 57 years old and the mother of Kaitlyn Arquette. She loved writing books ever since she was a child, and she was good at it too.
Dung Nguyen was Kaitlyn’s boyfriend at the time of her death. Dung attempted to take his own life shortly after Kaitlyn died. Whether he did it out of grief or guilt was not revealed by him.
Setting:
The book took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico during the late 1980s. The setting was important to the story because modern medicine is more advanced than in the 1980s. Kaitlyn may have survived getting shot in the head if this story took place in 2018.
Thematic Connection:
There are many themes in this book, but the main one was definitely that life is fleeting and should be regarded that way. This was more apparent when Kaitlyn’s life was taken and Lois had to endure life without her.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to people interested in non-fiction books. Adult males and females would share interest in this book; however, children probably would dislike the grim aspects of this book. Despite being boring, the storyline is easy to comprehend with limited vocabulary. Who Killed My Daughter? also had universal subject matter.
Who Killed My Daughter? was a very good nonfiction book with tons of suspense. I especially liked the way the book started. I am not the biggest fan of this book, but the author put much effort into this novel and it is noticeable. I have now realized that anything nonfiction is not my cup of tea.
Plot Summary:
Kaitlyn Arquette was shot three times in the head and killed, and the police believed it was just an accident. Lois Duncan was the mother of Kaitlyn and the author of the book. She was certain that the Vietnamese gang that was associated with Kaitlyn’s boyfriend, Dung Nguyen, had done the crime. She harassed the police about finding the gang; however, they acquired a lead from a truck driver who claimed to witness the chase that led up to the murder. The police eventually uncover that Dung Nguyen had been smuggling drugs across the border as well as the insurance fraud. In the end, the real killer was never found.
Characterization:
Lois Duncan is the main character and narrator of this book. She is 57 years old and the mother of Kaitlyn Arquette. She loved writing books ever since she was a child, and she was good at it too.
Dung Nguyen was Kaitlyn’s boyfriend at the time of her death. Dung attempted to take his own life shortly after Kaitlyn died. Whether he did it out of grief or guilt was not revealed by him.
Setting:
The book took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico during the late 1980s. The setting was important to the story because modern medicine is more advanced than in the 1980s. Kaitlyn may have survived getting shot in the head if this story took place in 2018.
Thematic Connection:
There are many themes in this book, but the main one was definitely that life is fleeting and should be regarded that way. This was more apparent when Kaitlyn’s life was taken and Lois had to endure life without her.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to people interested in non-fiction books. Adult males and females would share interest in this book; however, children probably would dislike the grim aspects of this book. Despite being boring, the storyline is easy to comprehend with limited vocabulary. Who Killed My Daughter? also had universal subject matter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2016
Lois Duncan died last week, and in reading tributes to her writing career, I learned that her youngest daughter, Kait, was murdered at the age of 18. I became intrigued by the fact that a writer of thrillers and mysteries was also involved in a real-life unsolved murder mystery, so I checked out the last remaining copy of this book from one of the local library systems. Much like the Serial podcast, this book does not draw any definitive conclusions. Instead, it lays out the case as Lois Duncan pieced it together and points out the inconsistencies and problems created by the police department as they apparently botched the investigation.
Lois Duncan consulted with several psychics throughout the process of investigating what happened to her daughter, and though she clearly believed that they were legitimate, I was not necessarily convinced. As a Catholic, I am wary of attempts to contact the dead, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that we must reject all forms of divination, and I don't think it's smart to start channeling spirits that could potentially turn out to be demonic. Transcripts of psychic readings take up a good portion of the book, however, so I skimmed through them just took them with a grain of salt. There were some uncanny coincidences that suggest that at least some of the psychics' statements were correct, and even some that indicate that Duncan herself foretold the murder in some of her novels. I do think these things are curious, but I don't think they are for me to speculate about too heavily. Now that Lois Duncan has died, my hope that she has found the answers to her questions, and that she can rest in peace along with her daughter.
All in all, an interesting read. There is a sequel, One to the Wolves: On the Trail of a Killer, which I would like to see at some point, but it doesn't seem to be available from any of my local libraries, or through inter-library loan, so I'm not sure that will come to fruition. In the meantime, though, I'd like to read some of Duncan's thrillers.
Lois Duncan consulted with several psychics throughout the process of investigating what happened to her daughter, and though she clearly believed that they were legitimate, I was not necessarily convinced. As a Catholic, I am wary of attempts to contact the dead, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that we must reject all forms of divination, and I don't think it's smart to start channeling spirits that could potentially turn out to be demonic. Transcripts of psychic readings take up a good portion of the book, however, so I skimmed through them just took them with a grain of salt. There were some uncanny coincidences that suggest that at least some of the psychics' statements were correct, and even some that indicate that Duncan herself foretold the murder in some of her novels. I do think these things are curious, but I don't think they are for me to speculate about too heavily. Now that Lois Duncan has died, my hope that she has found the answers to her questions, and that she can rest in peace along with her daughter.
All in all, an interesting read. There is a sequel, One to the Wolves: On the Trail of a Killer, which I would like to see at some point, but it doesn't seem to be available from any of my local libraries, or through inter-library loan, so I'm not sure that will come to fruition. In the meantime, though, I'd like to read some of Duncan's thrillers.
December 20, 2018
3.5 stars.
This book was different than your average true crime book. It is not the fact that it is written by her mother that makes it unique, it is that her mother wrote the book WHILE it was happening. The events didn't happen and then she later wrote the book, she heard her daughter was shot in the head, and the police had zero interest in admitting that her murder was not anything but a random drive by shooting.
I do think that the book was a bit boring and wordy, but the fact that the mother investigated her own daughter's murder because the police were refusing to do so, makes the fact that it's so wordy okay!! She wanted every single piece of information and followed every single lead she got. She was so smart!
I loved how she used mediums and had psychic readings done. In the book, she puts the whole transcripts for her readings and the communication with her daughter. I never really knew what to believe regarding believing in communicating with the dead, but I've never completely believed nor have I thought it was completely fake. So it was interesting to see a take on it regarding solving a murder. Of course, in court and in an investigation, a psychic reading can't really hold much merit. There is no proof in it, so a lot of psychics don't like to even dabble in it because they get upset the lack of where it goes when they do. But because of how desperate and adament Lois was about finding the reason why her daughter was murdered, and she expressed how the police weren't doing their own investigation, so she was trying to see what the psychics said and if Kait could speak through her to get any hint as to what they should be investigating. They wouldn't even charge her for these readings; they wanted to help out. I love how much they learned from these, and how so many truths came to life because of Kait speaking through these psychics. It was just very interesting, and I want to say the first true crime book that used a psychic in helping with the investigation.
I hate that Lois Duncan had to die before she found out what happened to her daughter. How heartbreaking would that be.
This book was different than your average true crime book. It is not the fact that it is written by her mother that makes it unique, it is that her mother wrote the book WHILE it was happening. The events didn't happen and then she later wrote the book, she heard her daughter was shot in the head, and the police had zero interest in admitting that her murder was not anything but a random drive by shooting.
I do think that the book was a bit boring and wordy, but the fact that the mother investigated her own daughter's murder because the police were refusing to do so, makes the fact that it's so wordy okay!! She wanted every single piece of information and followed every single lead she got. She was so smart!
I loved how she used mediums and had psychic readings done. In the book, she puts the whole transcripts for her readings and the communication with her daughter. I never really knew what to believe regarding believing in communicating with the dead, but I've never completely believed nor have I thought it was completely fake. So it was interesting to see a take on it regarding solving a murder. Of course, in court and in an investigation, a psychic reading can't really hold much merit. There is no proof in it, so a lot of psychics don't like to even dabble in it because they get upset the lack of where it goes when they do. But because of how desperate and adament Lois was about finding the reason why her daughter was murdered, and she expressed how the police weren't doing their own investigation, so she was trying to see what the psychics said and if Kait could speak through her to get any hint as to what they should be investigating. They wouldn't even charge her for these readings; they wanted to help out. I love how much they learned from these, and how so many truths came to life because of Kait speaking through these psychics. It was just very interesting, and I want to say the first true crime book that used a psychic in helping with the investigation.
I hate that Lois Duncan had to die before she found out what happened to her daughter. How heartbreaking would that be.
October 25, 2016
I got pretty far in this book before I had to call it quits. It is by far the strangest book of its kind I've ever read.
Lois Duncan's 19-year-old daughter was suddenly killed on the way home from a friend's house. The police called it a drive-by shooting. Lois is convinced it was a big conspiracy orchestrated by the Vietnamese mob, who hired Hispanic hitman to silence her daughter. Why? Because her daughter's boyfriend had been involved in two faux car accidents for insurance money--a scam so prevalent, apparently, all law enforcement knew about it, but it was still worth killing someone over to "shut her up."
Where does Lois get most of her information? From a psychic, whose long, nonsensical readings are included in the text. They're impossible to decipher and don't make much sense--all about feminine energy and people being used as bombs, etc. So it's easy to see how a grieving parent could read whatever they wanted into them.
I managed to get to page 200 (out of 354) before Lois's continued "research" into psychic, New Age books; her vivid impressions of holding her daughter as an infant again; the entire family getting messages from Kait in their dreams; and Lois's insistence that her YA books foretold the future was a bit too much even for me.
Some of the coincidences were creepy, but I can see why the police stopped talking to them.
Lois Duncan's 19-year-old daughter was suddenly killed on the way home from a friend's house. The police called it a drive-by shooting. Lois is convinced it was a big conspiracy orchestrated by the Vietnamese mob, who hired Hispanic hitman to silence her daughter. Why? Because her daughter's boyfriend had been involved in two faux car accidents for insurance money--a scam so prevalent, apparently, all law enforcement knew about it, but it was still worth killing someone over to "shut her up."
Where does Lois get most of her information? From a psychic, whose long, nonsensical readings are included in the text. They're impossible to decipher and don't make much sense--all about feminine energy and people being used as bombs, etc. So it's easy to see how a grieving parent could read whatever they wanted into them.
I managed to get to page 200 (out of 354) before Lois's continued "research" into psychic, New Age books; her vivid impressions of holding her daughter as an infant again; the entire family getting messages from Kait in their dreams; and Lois's insistence that her YA books foretold the future was a bit too much even for me.
Some of the coincidences were creepy, but I can see why the police stopped talking to them.
February 28, 2018
Giving this book three stars makes me feel like a jerk. I loved Lois Duncan’s books in middle school. She’s in the same pre-censorship-1970s-cool-lady-writing-club that Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume are part of. Her heroines were BAMFs who survived because they were clever and strong and brave. Then, in 1989, Lois Duncan’s daughter Kait is murdered. She’s hunted in a way that’s eerily similar to how her protagonists are hunted in her novels; however, unlike Duncan’s protagonists, Kait was clever and strong and brave, but she died anyway. Lois Duncan, like a lot of grieving mothers, was dismissed by the police, the media, and even some of her family as a nut, a nag, a crazy person; so, she turned to someone who would listen to her: a psychic. Three, actually. This is where the book lost me. I know she was grieving; I know she was desperate for answers; I get it, I get it, I get it. But the amount of time spent analyzing every bit of minutiae the psychics gave her was excruciating. I’m too much of a skeptic. Four stars for the writing and the guts-spilling; two for the pseudoscience.
June 8, 2019
Author Lois Duncan’s daughter Kait Arquette was murdered. There is no question the Albuquerque police botched the investigation. But Who Killed My Daughter? is basically a poorly written concoction of what the family assumes happened, mainly because of multiple psychics they consulted. Most of the psychic transcripts included are so vague that it’s kind of funny that they decided the psychics meant certain things because what was said could have meant virtually anything. I’ve read a lot of true crime and this was the dullest I’ve ever read. While the author stated her purpose was to encourage someone who knew what led to Kait’s murder (which is still unsolved today) to come forward, it felt more like a mother wanting to tell the story that she has decided led to her daughter’s murder and happens to have a platform where she could do so. It’s not worth anyone’s time to read this book.
November 18, 2016
This book illustrates one of the common problems that can arise in complicated police investigations, the tendency of police to focus on low hanging fruit and ignore any evidence that contradicts their version of events.
This issue was particularly pronounced in this case, to the extent that the author decided to rely on psychics for leads. Which leads to the sticking point - if you are completely of the belief that there is no credibility in psychics, you will have serious problems with this book. The author went all in on this angle, mostly out of desperation resulting from an information blackout by police.
This issue was particularly pronounced in this case, to the extent that the author decided to rely on psychics for leads. Which leads to the sticking point - if you are completely of the belief that there is no credibility in psychics, you will have serious problems with this book. The author went all in on this angle, mostly out of desperation resulting from an information blackout by police.
March 8, 2016
I read this book many times as a teen, Lois Duncan was easily one of my top three favorite authors growing up. The rating is more for how I think I remember it and probably doesn't reflect what I'd rate it as today as an adult. I vaguely recall a lot of work with psychics, which isn't my thing. But whatever works for others is not mine to judge.
April 12, 2014
Wow!!! Couldn't put this one down, especially since I pass the exact spot Kait was killed everyday on my way to work in Albuquerque and I remember when this happened. It stayed with me for months!
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