We Have Your Daughter: The Unsolved Murder of JonBenét Ramsey Twenty Years Later

by Paula Woodward

In We Have Your Daughter: The Unsolved Murder of JonBenét Ramsey Twenty Years Later, Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Paula Woodward offers an unprecedented insider perspective on the twentieth anniversary of one of the most heinous, sensationalized, unsolved crimes in American history.

Here for the first time, Woodward publishes exclusive police reports from the JB Murder Book Index which no other media have obtained. She examines conversations and information from all sides of those involved in the case. She documents media errors that led to many "urban myths". She shares information compiled during the twenty years she reported on the murder, including private conversations with law enforcement individuals directly involved in the case, their thoughts and dissections of what went wrong and right, and who they now believe is the killer.

Woodward has included drawings by JonBenét, letters from her teachers, and photographs that show a normal, happy six-year-old whose life was cut short in such a horrible manner. She shares portions of John Ramsey's private journal,where he wrote of his torment and grief immediately after his daughter's murder. And she recounts personal conversations with JonBenét's mother prior to her death from cancer in 2006. JonBenét's brother Burke talks publicly about his sister's death and how it affected the family and his life.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Unfinished, History

528 pages, Hardcover

Published September 27, 2016

Reviews

[Jill Crosby · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you're looking for an objective look deep into the unsolved murder case of JonBenet Ramsey, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Television news journalist Paula Woodward, who covered this tragedy from its beginning 20 years ago, goes to disingenuous lengths to BLAME THE MEDIA (of which she was a member), the Boulder Police Department, Colorado's governors, the FBI, probably even the Warren Commission and the Spanish Inquisition (I got tired of reading the unending litany of allegations and screw-ups; I skimmed a lot after awhile), as bungling, corrupt entities who couldn't pour pee out of a boot with instructions written on the heel, for the unsolved status of this case.
The unsullied, pure, I-could-never-tell-a-lie-or-misuse-a-fact side of the story, the Ramsey attorneys (aka "Team Ramsey"), come off as paragons of justice's great virtues, a shield protecting an innocent family from the great maw of injustice.
Was an intruder the one who killed the six-year-old? A family member? A sociopathic family acquaintance? A disgruntled employee? This is NOT a book that examines these options, or gives light to any theory.
What this book DOES accomplish is make the reader want to smack his/her head against a wall every time a member of Team Ramsey says, in some form, "My client didn't do this because s/he said s/he didn't. So there." (Spoiler alert: Prepare to have a very bruised forehead.)

I knew this book wasn't going to take an objective tack when the prologue consists of a leisurely interview the author conducts with the victim's father at the vacation home of the victim's family. Yeah. REAL hard-hitting and objective.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is information overload, everything you ever wanted to know about the JonBenet Ramsey case. We Have Your Daughter is an in dept and unbiased look at the case. It doesn't solve the case but you get a better understanding of why it remains unsolved. The Police Botched The Case & continue to botch it by not investigating any suspects who are not the Ramsey's. The cops decided day one the parents did it & didn't look for any other suspects. I don't know who did it & I doubt I ever will. A must read for True Crime addicts & people who are interested in the Ramsey case.

[RhS · Rating 3 out of 5]

The more I look into this case, the more frustrated I become. And yet, like so many others, I can’t stop looking.

Every piece of evidence is so hotly disputed, it seems a miracle any murders are solved at all. Are those stun gun marks? Experts disagree. Which came first - the skull fracture or strangulation? No definitive answer. Slogging through the DNA evidence is an exercise in futility for the average person. Does it eliminate the Ramseys or not? How about Bill McReynolds? Depends on who you ask.

Was there snow on the ground? Not sure. There was snow on the grass, but the sidewalks and driveway were clear. But there should’ve / probably / might’ve been frost everywhere. Do footprints show up on frost? Did anyone check prior to sunrise? Does it even matter since family friends descended on the house in droves?

The pertinent details of that night are lost to a police department in way over their heads. The subsequent circus between the PD, DA, media, and defense attorneys sucked the life from this investigation. Rumor, gossip, hearsay, myth, deflection, spying, and selling out. That’s what this case was made of.

It’s discouraging. Still, this book sprinkles some interesting bits of information throughout the same old story. For example, the Ramsey doorbell was connected to their telephone, a highly unusual set up. If you rang the doorbell when no one was home, the phone would ring, a signal to those in on the system. If you were aware the ringing phone meant an empty house, and you had ill will toward the Ramseys, it also could’ve been an invitation - nobody’s home, come on in.

The book includes a detailed architectural floor plan of all three levels, something I’ve tried and failed to google.

New info (new to me, anyway) - Jonbenet’s stomach also contained grapes and other fruit, not just (possible) pineapple, suggesting she ate fruit cocktail. How long it takes to digest fruit varies wildly from expert to expert, of course.

Don’t expect an unbiased stance from this book. The author believes one hundred percent in the Ramseys’ innocence.

The more carefully I consider it, the more I agree. To believe in the family's guilt is to accept motives and methods utterly out of character and to disregard everyone who observed Jonbenet was well loved and cared for - teachers, family, pediatricians, neighbors, friends, hired help. Something like this would not have occurred out of nowhere.

The terrible truth is we live in a world with no shortage of adults who would harm a child, and this was a sociable family well known in their community. They attracted plenty of attention and even hosted tours of their home.

I'm of the Lou Smit / John Douglas school of thought - someone who resented the Ramsey’s idyllic life snuck into their home on Christmas day while the family was out, wandered through the house for hours, wrote a lengthy ransom note for pure misdirection, fashioned a weapon / sex toy, and then waited for the wee hours of the morning. After the assault, he fled.

In all the theorizing, it’s easy to forget the horror of a six year old snatched from her own bed on Christmas, found on a cold cement floor with her arms frozen above her head in rigor mortis. I hope and pray genealogical DNA will eventually solve this damn thing.

UPDATE: 01/15/22

Two things.

I just read the book by Steve Thomas, and I intend to go back and reread this one eventually to see if Woodward adequately addresses his claims. I don’t think so because much of the facts in Steve’s book were new to me.

Also, I came across Paula’s “Ask Me Almost Anything” on Reddit. Buried in the threads, Paula states: “I talked with everyone I had worked with on the case, all my sources, and others. I gave them a PO Box number … and asked them to mail any credible documents … My one request is that they not reveal who they were in case I ever got into a legal situation on sourcing and was forced to testify, I could honestly say I didn’t know.”

I don’t know if that’s standard journalism practice, but it makes me question the validity of her information. I’m adjusting my rating to three stars for now.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I was so excited to find that my local library had it and I immediately requested it. That excitement quickly turned to disappointment. There are several inconsistencies and contradictions. Some of the information within the book was retracted by the author on her website. Which I found it to be ironic that she dedicated a portion of this book criticizing the media for reporting false information when she was, also, reporting false information within the same book.
The author does provide police reports at the end of the book. However, portions of them were missing. I'm not sure why that is. Did she decide not to publish the whole reports? Was she not allowed to publish them in their entirety? Or was this a mistake from the publisher? Whatever it was, it was another thing that irritated me about the book.
There were a few things I did read that I had never known about before, but nothing that gave me that "Ah ha" moment where I just knew who would've been the killer. Even if it did, I would have to refer back to the inconsistencies, contradictions and false information the author, also, provided.
I would say if a reader does not have to waste their money and buy this book, then give it a read. If a reader is unable to pick it up at their library or borrow it from a friend, then I would recommend to move on to another book on this case.
2 stars

[Helen Carolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to make of this book.Ms Woodward befriended the Ramsey family early on in the investigation and she freely admits that they had many informal interviews and chats. As a result her book is somewhat biased towards them.The media of which she is one and police come in for a great deal of blame. There are no new answers in this book and Ms Woodward's judgement being so close to the family seems to be questionable. A disappointing read.

[Pat Lampe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather tedious book to read, but the author really did a good job of researching the case. I am unable to guess who may have done it, but the evidence seems to indicate an intruder. I was not aware of how brutal the murder was and I cannot imagine her parents doing something like that. Thanks to the Boulder PD and the politics of the day, her parents went through hell. Very very sad.

[Kirk Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhaustively researched on point examination into one of the most publicized and scrutinized murders in modern American history. A riveting read, filled with never before released information and interviews. Woodward leaves the reader with a true understanding of the manipulation, errors, and events that dammed a family in the court of public opinion. While the author has taken some criticism for being “ pro-Ramsey “ she does nothing but present the facts of the case, and leaves it up to the reader to form their own opinion.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a journalist, this book answered some of the questions I've had regarding the sensational-yet-tragic murder of JonBenet Ramsey. The killing occurred when I was in j-school, and we reviewed the media coverage in several of my classes. It has always been a story that interests me, partly as a journalist and partly as simply a human being.

So . . . do I have a strong opinion on who took the life of that darling 6 year old on Christmas night 1996? No, not really . . . but evidence and police records showcased in this book prove no member of the Ramsey family committed the crime.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent (though sometimes very dense) accounting of the JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation by a reporter who was with the story from the beginning. It doesn't purport to "solve" the case, except to emphasize that it was almost certainly NOT the parents. The book is especially excellent at highlighting the plethora of straight up false statements to and by the police department and media. Importantly, it relies on original sources, like actual copies of police reports, and demonstrates absolutely meticulous documentation.

[Karen Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally!

I am grateful that someone has finally given an unbiased view of this event and hope that maybe a citizen of Boulder will read this book and remember something about Christmas in 1996 that they thought was inconsequential at the time that will help solve this murder.

[Shanda Carlsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Paula Woodward did an excellent job writing this book, having given more detail into JonBenet and who she was in her short life, and John and Patsy's real emotional state and reactions to her kidnapping/death instead of the edited stuff the media put out over the years making them appear uncaring so to speak. Paula allows the reader to gain more perspective into the case and into the lives of the Ramsey family with some clear cut information to allow the reader to see the case from a different angle.
That being said, one thing that remains consistent across the board of this investigation is that whomever it is doing their article/book/investigation 'picks and chooses' what they will leave out for the readers, or maintains focus on only the evidence which follows their theory. Although Paula gives much more detail in this book with adding in some of the police reports and other details of the time lines and discoveries there are still things that are left out. For instance, Burke, while he remains 'under the umbrella of suspicion' (especially in regards to the recent docu-series of the re-investigation by a team of forensic pathologists, investigators and scientists), nothing was mentioned of who he really was as a child, or some of the things he's done. Like the fact that he smeared feces in JonBenets bedroom, on a box of chocolates or could possibly have some sort of autism/Aspergers. There was no mention in the autopsy of grapes and cherries in her stomach (which Paula added in this book) only the remnants of pineapple was mentioned in the autopsy. There was no mention of JonBenet's pillow being left in the kitchen which seems like a good indication that she did come downstairs sometime that night.(just a few examples). There's sooooo much that doesn't makes sense in this entire case, too many missing pieces of the puzzle, and way too many theories of what happened. If the theory of Burke being involved is correct, its not so far fetched to believe this is a possibility as we have seen that children can do heinous acts. And if there was an intruder, the ransom note just flat out doesn't make sense. Regardless of what happened, I do believe that Patsy and John were devastated over the loss of their daughter, and it's sad that this case still remains unsolved with only more questions left unanswered.

[Emily Trettel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite laying out if fairly compelling case for the intruder theory, this book sags under the weight of its own pre-judgment. Many of the errors it accuses others of -- principally, drawing absolutist conclusions from ambiguous pieces of evidence-- the author commits in reverse. Much of the flogging of the police department and politicians of Boulder does little to move the ball down the field; it serves only to excoriate the players. While this criticism is well deserved, the police errors in regards to this investigation are well documented and well known and fail to strengthen an alternate theory. The structure of the book itself is very odd with some chapters including abrupt topic pivots. Some of the content just seems oddly out of place, including a transcript of a Reddit AMA, synopses of other child murders, endless timelines, John's self-serving journal and the weird, sycophantic "where is John?" crisis where the author claims the police were convinced John was on the lam out of guilt years after the crime only to do a smug reversal and reveal John was on a missions trip. Okay. Additionally, perhaps the most important chapter in this book is on the advent of touch DNA analysis and how it provided a significant new lead to investigators. This chapter comes very late in the book, it's a bit clunkily written, and reveals the author may have some misunderstandings about the science of DNA analysis.

I also find the decision to purchase a URL as a document dump and create a Facebook page full of lurid posts (JonBenet's unopened Christmas present! Snapshots! Her crayon manger drawings!) a bit tawdry and tacky. The sweet little girl is gone too soon and deserves remembering, but using her sweet little face to sell a "parents are innocent" book seems no better than plastering the pageant photos to advocate for the parents' guilt. Jonbenet is a person, albeit one whose life was cut tragically short. Her rape, torture, and murder are tragic and abhorrent in their own right, not merely as an extension of her parents or because of her physical beauty.

When all is said and done, I would be happy to read an ardent defense of the intruder theory or and objective analysis of all the evidence. Neither are present here. Instead this becomes touchy-feely pseudo-journalism from an author who clearly has gotten too close to her sources.

[Pug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't daunted by a 500-page book, because this unsolved mystery is such a fascinating story/case. I was really looking forward to rehashing the facts and getting all the new information. And boy, did I! About half-way through, I was over it... the author had moved away from the murder and onto the investigation, and I got really bored slogging through all the minutia about ThisDetective and ThatDetective. I did learn a lot, and have a new perspective on this case, but I'm glad to be finished.

[Angela Hedworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well researched. I love how it takes 'common' thoughts and refutes with actual evidence.

[Nicki Roehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have followed this case for years. This book answered many of the questions I have had for years. The book also shows how the Boulder Police Department was not trained to handle a major case. A great book if you want more information on the JonBenet case.

[Sidney]

Zero stars. This is just an all out defense of the Ramseys, even when they have to ignore key facts of the case to do it.

1. No proof of an intruder.
2. The similarities between the handwriting on the ransom note to Patsy's.
3. The ransom note was written on her stationary, with her pen IN THEIR HOUSE.
4. The false claim that they were cooperative with investigators from the beginning.
5. NO MENTION OF THE 911 call, that you can still find today or the few seconds of conversation that took place AFTER Patsy believed she had hung up the phone.

Among many others.

What you'll get here is a story that desperately tries to ignore any and all evidence that points to it being someone inside the house, and a fervent defense of the BPD and DA that handled this case so incompetently, actors who have played cops on TV or movies could have done a better job.

Don't waste your time. There are much better, more objective and balanced books out that consider all possibilities in this case. Pathetic.

[Amy Norenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally

I have followed the Ramsey case with careful, deep interest and much compassion for many years. The inconsistencies from the BPD, and the outrageous leaks to the media were and are infuriating. Finally, in one book, we have the BPD's own reports and following (contradictory) statements. Recorded, provable cooperation from the Ramsey family with authorities is presented in conjunction with BPD declarations to the press of "non-cooperation." Fact after fact, opinion upon opinion -- the author has been close to this case in an official capacity from the beginning, and her meticulous attention to each detail is impressive. I hope this writing goes a long way toward redirecting public opinion away from the absurdities of "Ramsey guilt."

[Christine Whittington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t imagine losing a child. It is even more difficult to imagine the horror of having one’s child murdered at home, then being accused by the authorities and the court of public opinion of having murdered my own child, with the accusations continuing for more than 20 years. Still, there are many questions about the death of JonBenet Ramsey. In “We Have Your Daughter,” respected investigate reporter Paula Woodward attempts to resolve some of the questions through interviews, evidence, and documents that are available for the first time in the book.

Woodward may not be the best author for the book. She wants readers to think that “We Have Your Daughter” is unbiased, allowing the facts to speak for themselves and readers to draw their own conclusions. It is not. Woodward had a close and sympathetic relationship with the Ramseys for years, chatting with Patsy Ramsey off the record and interviewing John Ramsey at his vacation home. Her language when discussing the Ramseys is emotional and protective. Her point of view is clear, beginning with the first paragraph, describing JonBenet Ramsey “struggling helplessly with her tiny fingers” to free herself. In the second paragraph, Woodward writes of the Ramseys being prime suspects “in the midst of their excruciating grief.” It is clear that Woodward considers the Ramsey’s victims of, first, the completely bungled investigation by the Boulder Police Department, and then, detectives and prosecutors (notably detective Steve Thomas, who had no homicide experience) who decided that the Ramseys were the guilty and gathered and interpreted evidence to support their desired conclusions.

Like many people who followed the Ramsey case, my knowledge of the events and evidence was erroneous, consisting of bits and pieces I remembered during the 20-year investigation. Patsy Ramsey, a beauty pageant contestant herself, pushed her daughter to perform in skimpy outfits and makeup beginning at age 4. Much of what the ordinary news viewer remembers of the Ramsey case consists of film footage of JonBenet looking far more seductive than a six-year-old should. Patsy Ramsey may have written the bizarre, rambling three-page ransom note—and it was written on her own notepad. The brother, Burke Ramsey, may have been involved. There may have been a cover-up to preserve the family after a tragic accident. My own very amateur, arm-chair-detective theory was that Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome may have been involved, given JonBenet Ramsey’s 30 physician’s visits over three years.

Woodward succeeds in her goal of presenting the “other side” of the JonBenet Ramsey enigma, despite her cloying descriptions of the angelic child, selfless and traumatized mother, and devastated father. It is not clear why she felt that she needed to devote a chapter to Patsy Ramsey’s hellish cancer treatments. They occurred three years before the murder and had nothing to do with it. The chapter does, however, establish Patsy as a generous, devout, and caring person, always being more concerned about her family and her fellow patients than she was about herself.

Woodward does show that the logistics of any of the Ramseys being responsible for JonBenet’s murder are too ridiculous to be taken seriously. She places a great deal of blame on the Boulder Police Department, which had little experience with homicides. They allowed many of the Ramseys’ friends to come to the house and traipse through it, contaminating the crime scene, and even assigned Mr. Ramsey and a friend to search the basement, where they ultimately found JonBenet’s body. Woodward devotes a chapter to the DNA evidence that finally exonerated the Ramseys (although not in everyone’s mind). She considers various ways that an intruder—possibly even someone known to the Ramseys—could have murdered JonBenet. Most casual followers of the crime don’t know that the Ramseys were doing extensive renovations and had many contractors through the house shortly before the murder. They were lax with security and handed out keys to many friends and workers. They did not lock doors and windows or set their alarms. During the holiday season, 1000 people toured the Ramsey house during a holiday home tour. And, detective Lou Smit was quoted in the book as pointing out that “JonBenet was a pedophile’s dream.” Maybe that pedophile had an opportunity to be in the house before the murder.

The Ramseys are puzzling, and continue to be. Why did they phone so many of their friends to come to their home after the presumed kidnapping, allowing them to contaminate the crime scene? There were some questions about the 911 call and about their behavior during the first day. The most puzzling question I have is why Patsy Ramsey was so intent upon displaying her daughter in public. She certainly did not do anything illegal, but her behavior may have contributed to her daughter’s visibility and vulnerability. However, promoting one’s child as a beauty queen does not mean that one is automatically guilty of her murder. There may be a bit of slut-shaming-by-proxy in that continued accusation.

Paula Woodward includes many photos designed to counter the public image of JonBenet as a beauty queen, doing normal childish things and enjoying time with her family. There are so many of these photos, however, that it seems forced.

Read “We Have Your Daughter” for the evidence and documents it provides and peruse the timelines and individuals mentioned. If you don’t let the sentimentality get in the way, you may revise your thinking about this very sad case.

[Margi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with a lot of information I had never read or seen before. I applaud the diligence of the author's research. Glad I read this with the 20th anniversary coming up. This book definitely swayed my thoughts on the case. It is so sad that 20 years have passed and this case is still cold.

[Gloria Windholz Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was factual. The author did much more than the other books on this subject in that it left you with both sides of the story. I have concluded for myself that the family was treated so badly by the media without a trial.

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a true crime fanatic, I can say that this is one of my favorite true crime books of all time. It's so well researched and written, and it is incredible to me how many half-truths, misunderstandings, and straight up lies I believed about those case before reading it!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I never believed that the family had anything to do with the murder of this little girl. This book gives you a very informed and documented order of the events as they happened.

[Suzin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really learn anything new by reading the book. However with that said it was an intriguing and interesting read.

[Stephen Zerance · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books written on the case

[Micah Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember I was 6 years old the first time I was exposed to this case. Yes, the same age as JonBenét when she tragically lost her life. She was actually one month and seven days older than me to be exact. I would often go with my mom to the store, and I would see the tabloids at the check out with her smiling face. I thought it was cool that her mom let her wear pretty dresses and make-up. I asked my mom about her and she told me that she was in beauty pageants, and that she had been murdered. My first thought was that I wish I could have been her friend, and my second thought was, if something so awful could happen to her, a girl my age, could it also happen to me?
Thus began my strange obsession with true crime. I have watched just about every documentary about this case, and this is the first book I have read about it. Although I don't see this book as particularly bad, I do feel that it was very biased, and a lot of key evidence was either thrown out without being explored, or ignored entirely.
One thing I did like about this book was the insight into JonBenét as a young girl, and not just a murder victim. You get to learn a lot about her personality in this book with interviews from teachers and peers, as well as report cards, art work, and accounts from family members and the people who were closest to her. She becomes more of a person and not just a dolled up Barbie on a magazine.
Over the years I have developed a few theories on what happened that night in 1996. I have gone back and forth on those theories, as more evidence and information comes to light. I plan to read more books about the subject, but I do not by any means consider myself an expert. Something continues to draw me to this case, and it's one of those things that keeps me up at night. I just have to know what happened!
I don't want to believe that the parents and/or the brother were involved. Unfortunately we live in a world where evil things such as this have happened, and will continue to happen. When you look at the evidence, it's very hard to support the intruder theory. It's possible that her death was an accident, and the person or people involved were in the home that night, and attempted to stage a kidnapping.
There are so many different angles to be explored here, and I could do my best to type them all out, but if I did that I would be here all night. All I can say for certain is that what happened to JonBenét was a travesty, and I hope whoever is responsible will find it within themselves to please come forward and confess. Only then can all of the people who have been desperately searching for answers for nearly 30 years finally feel that a sense of justice has been restored. If she were alive today she would be my age, 34. Possibly a wife and a mother. Who knows what she could have become had her life not been taken so early? As a mom myself to a child who will be 6 soon, I cannot imagine and I feel so much sadness for all the cases like these that remain unsolved. May her soul rest in peace.

[Bert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've always wanted to read a book about the JonBenét case, I've seen countless documentary specials and movies on the subject but never read a book. When it comes to a case like this that has 2 very strong sides I've never seen a book that looks as though it's not bias one way or another. Perfect Murder Perfect Town is supposedly non-bias but it's almost 20 years old now so majorly out of date.

A friend of mine who knows a lot about the case informed me that this would be a good book to read as it's not bias, well to him I'd like to ask if we read the same book because this book is extreeeeeeeeeemely bias, very much in favour of the parents being innocent. Now I have to say that I agree with that, I really don't think it was the parents, I do think it was an intruder, but I don't want to only read one side and see evidence from only on side, especially from such a huge case like this one. Paula Woodward has written a big huge book that essentially tells you everything there is to know about the case, but the entire time she's constantly defending Patsy and John Ramsey, literally almost every page has something that's defending them, calm down Paula, we know where you stand you don't need to defend them on every single page. It actually started to bug me how much she kept going on about it, so much so that I almost stopped reading because it seemed as though she was focusing too much on one thing. Almost like she's being paid to defend them, just sayin. What she also spends a lot of the book doing is blaming the Boulder police, there's no doubt that the Boulder police royally f**ked up in the early days of this investigation, we all know that but again Woodward just keeps going on and on about it. Quite annoying to be honest, the way she goes about it is quite catty and immature as well, it cheapened everything she was saying I thought.

One thing that really surprised me was just how little was written about John Mark Karr, yes he was a madman and was cleared completely but he was a big part of this and he's got a mere page and a half, lazy. In fact there are quite a few other suspects, Michael Helgoth is another one, who she just brushes over. Considering she's dead set in the intruder theory she presents very little of who it could be.

It's really well written and painstakingly researched but the extreme bias really stops it from being as great as it could be. If you're pro intruder and don't care about any evidence showing anything but an intruder, read this, if you're after a more objective account of the murder of JonBenét look elsewhere. 1.5 stars.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute MUST READ for anybody who has ever had an opinion on the Ramsey case. Woodward uses no conjecture, no opinions, no speculation, just cold hard irrefutable FACTS. As someone who has been closely involved in the case, it completely baffles my mind that anybody could possibly ever even consider that the parents were responsible for their daughter’s brutal murder.

Woodward breaks down DNA evidence found under Jonbenet’s fingernails, in her underwear, and at the waistband of her panties. It does not match the family’s, but all comes from the same man. What parents could possibly stun gun their own child, shove a paintbrush into her genitals, bash her head in, and strangle her to death? Are you serious??

Woodward, with a completely unbiased approach, uses pure hard physical evidence to prove that an intruder was responsible for Jonbenet’s murder and the BPD took part in an elaborate scheme to cover up their incredibly horrific handling of their first major murder case. As a cop myself, I am usually quick to take their side- but their bungling of the investigation at every single step of the way and constant finger-pointing at an innocent family is unforgivable. Imagine being a parent to a child who is brutally murdered in your own home, then getting blamed for it by the police and the public for the rest of your lives, while you have to live with the fact that the killer will never be caught because the police gave more of a shit about covering their own asses than bringing your daughter justice. Sickening.

PLEASE give this a read. You won’t regret it.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tedious read, made more difficult by the contradictions and inaccuracies littered throughout. Ms. Woodward seems to think she is exempt from the "media acting with an agenda" in her "reporting" of this case.

The biggest thing I take issue with is her citing of police reports. Ms. Woodward decided to attribute any information from any law enforcement report as "Boulder Police Department Reports", whether that report was actually from FBI, Colorado Bureau of Investigation or the DA's office. This is wildly inaccurate and shows her clear bias against the Boulder Police Department, which she disparages throughout the book. Yes, they messed up MASSIVELY in this case - to a degree that is absolutely unacceptable. But attributing any statement, evidence description or interview to the Boulder Police Department is incorrect and irresponsible. She states that decision to incorrectly attribute police reports up front in the beginning of the book.

The book is repetitive, and certainly could have been half the length. Ms. Woodward decides to go over and over the same bits of evidence (or non-evidence, as is most of this case) with a lot of unreasonable conclusions.

For what it's worth, I don't totally believe the Ramseys are guilty but this book does the opposite of convincing anyone who might be on the fence. This book makes them look worse, frankly.

[Aimée Theron · Rating 3 out of 5]

The case of little JonBenet has haunted me for years. As a true crime fan, I have kept tabs on this case for years hoping for a new update. I have had many debates online with people about what we think happened to her. I have never believed that the Ramsey family was responsible for her death.
Someone recommended this book to me saying that, "after you read this book, you will be convinced that Burke accidentally killed her." They were wrong. I am still not convinced.
If anything, this book has highlighted the continuous mistakes of the Boulder Police Department in this case, as well as, the media's obsession with misinformation to create sensationalism.
The BPD has failed this little girl and her family by refusing to focus on other possibilities, and the media's obsession in sensationalizing this case has made me question everything ever reported by American media. The book was well written and I would highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in this case or enjoys true crime.

[Rose the Book Mouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thorough, detailed, organized, and 100% a biased advocacy piece for the sympathy of the Ramsey family. The author is a personal friend of JonBenét's parents, and will, at every possible opportunity, cry their innocence.

Detailed, but often off-track and diverting. There are several pointless chapters about how the Ramseys met and fell in love, seemingly endless blah blah about lawyers, and other (unrelated) child murder cases. About 1/4 of the book could have been trimmed, in my opinion.

Woodward does an excellent job of pointing out the gossip, half-truths, and outright fiction that was perpetuated by the media and also law enforcement, over the years. She does shine the light of clarity about a lot of things relating to this case

Although I raised my eyebrows at a few points, and skimmed through a lot of the derailed tangents, I still recommend this book to those who have a deep interest in this case, no matter what your personal theory is about the perpetrator, because the info within is so comprehensive.