Inconvenience Gone: The Short Tragic Life Of Brandon Sims

by Diane Marger Moore

Where is Brandon Sims? The four-year-old had not been seen since July 3, 1992, when he attended a birthday party with his twenty-year-old mother, Michelle Jones. Jones was employed, confident, talented, smart, assertive and involved in many community activities in Indianapolis, Indiana. In contrast, when he was last seen, Brandon Sims, an only child, was a serious, quiet, thin boy who rarely maintained eye contact with his mother. After that night, he was never seen again. His body has never been found.

For years Jones lied to her friends about Brandon, telling some that he was living with his father and others that he was staying with his grandmother in another state. When Brandon’s father, who had been in jail, came looking for Brandon, Michelle’s shocked friends confronted her. She confessed that Brandon was dead. She repeated her story of how Brandon died to a detective, after she admitted herself to the local psych unit. Days later she checked out of the unit and refused to reveal where he had hidden Brandon’s body. She was sure she had gotten away with murder.

And she would have except the detective didn’t believe her story. He enlisted the help of a novice prosecutor because no experienced prosecutor would take the case. In Indiana, no one had ever been convicted of murder without a body.

That prosecutor has written a book that reads like a mystery novel instead of the real murder prosecution. Truth is stranger than fiction where Santeria curses, the law and politics are only a few of obstacles to justice.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

269 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2018

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is quite a case about a young single mother, Michelle Engron Jones, 21, who killed her little boy, Brandon Sims, 4 years old. They lived in Indianapolis, Indiana and she had a good job. By the time it was even discovered that Brandon was missing by his father, Kevin Sims, apparently, Brandon had been missing for quite a period of time. Kevin had been in jail for a while and had no way to know this, as he and Michelle were broken up before he went in. Michelle had been telling her friends various stories for some time. Some were told that Brandon was with his father and a new wife. Others were told that Brandon was with his loving grandmother, Arlene Blevins in another state.

Michelle Jones checked herself into Midtown Mental Health, suddenly saying that she was all stressed out (about the time her baby daddy was looking for their son.) That’s when authorities were called to come and interview her at the facility after she’d been given something to calm her down and it was allowed to wear off some. Sgt. Mike Crooke started investigating in January of 1994, and Brandon had been missing for like 3 years, so they were seriously behind in their search. Michelle was interviewed at Midtown, she described having left her 4-year-old son alone in her apartment for several days and coming back to find him dead.

She claimed a ‘mental breakdown’ over having to tell her friends about her son’s death. She spoke about leaving Brandon’s body alongside a road, and Crooke got her to agree to go with him the next morning and show him where. When Sgt. Crooke arrived the next morning, Michelle Jones informed him through the nurse that she’d hired a lawyer and now refused to speak to him further. This was a really sad case with no winners to be found, really heartbreaking. Just a violent true crime case of abuse and murder. It is an interesting story of a fairly new prosecutor going to bat and trying a case without a body for murder and neglect in Indiana. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Diane Marger Moore, and the publisher for my fair review.

WildBlue Press   267pages
Pub: Oct 23rd


The Author -- 
Diane Marger Moore continues to practice law with a national civil trial firm

My BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks go to Diane Marger Moore, Wildblue Press, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Marger Moore was the prosecutor of a twenty-one year old abomination. As I thought about how to write this review I turned to my mother who happened to be visiting me today and explained the story to her. This nightmare of a child's life can only spark rage, fury, sadness, and frustration in the hearts of women who love their children more than themselves or have wanted children for many years and have never been able to reproduce. It's mind boggling. In this instance the system worked!

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as a arc from net galley. It was a interesting book to read. It is a shame that a crime like this happens in so many places around the world. This tragedy affects the community that it happens in for sure.

[Keith Lytton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks you to Netgally and Wildblue Press who allowed me to read the book as a digital copy for an honest review....so here we go..

Plain and simple...I love this book....even though the topic is incredibly hard to read and think about...the book is amazing...

Won't go into huge details of the case...that is written again and again below...but in synopsis ....Michelle Engron Jones had a relationship with Kevin Sims and became pregnant...with a poor situation at home she was moved to a home...Kevin and his mom took the baby and raised him for 3 years...Kevin ends up in jail for burglary...and by the time he gets out...Brandon is returned to his mother and pretty much disappeared...They search and search...occasionally getting in touch...but rejected...there were options...The story continues but is mostly in the court ....the details are extremely specific but in no way boring or tedious ...they were explained if needed in terms that anyone can understand...

It became evident that something had happened to Brandon....Michelle was asked over and over by friends where he was and over and over she lied...he is with the father...he is with the grandmother...he is in texas...he is ...all over...but in reality ...was somewhere never to be found...it took her friends to get her to confess that he was dead...and finally confessed that the hitting had probably went too far...she left him for four days...alone...in an apartment...went to a conference..had a great time...met a new guy...and never appeared to anyone to be nervous or scared...or worried...when she found him dead she stated she took him out on the interstate and left him in a wooded area...but wouldn't admit where ...and still won't...the first case a murder conviction in Indiana with no body...and she received 50 years....and was out in less than 20....how the hell....well she wrote a book...and received an award...so evidently that was enough to give others the idea that she had paid her price....

how horrible...

poor Brandon...he would have been not quite 30...and had a whole life ahead of him...family...children...but no...taken away by the age of five...while his mother is now celebrated...I hope this book becomes one of the biggest successes...

I read a lot of true crime...and I read this pretty much in one weekend...I didn't want to put it down...but occasionally had to ..due to my anger...at the mother...at the attorneys who did their best to belittle the prosecution witnesses...I understand that she is due a good defense...but it still needs to be honest...lying is not a good defense ...it is an unfair defense...

well...need to move on...just not let Brandon be forgotten...not let his father go unremembered ...that fathers care...and many times are just as good if not a better parent..God bless him...God bless the dedicated attorneys and detectives and Michelle...I hope you really have changed...but just like people I know who have done horrible things....you may forgive...but you never leave the stink of what you did behind...

[Laura Hundley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle Moore and her 4yr old son Brandon Sims return from a birthday party and then Brandon vanishes never to be seen again. For a couple of yrs Michelle tells everyone and anyone who asks where Brandon is that he is with her mother or other relatives. However, when Brandon’s father gets out of Prison and starts looking for his son. Michelle finally tells a detective that Brandon is dead and then she checks herself into a psych ward. At this point I was livid. The author does an amazing job at writing the details without giving too much back story and you are able to experience the pain and anger all over again in this book. The detective finds a younger DA that is willing to take the case because at that time in Indiana, if there was no body, thee was no case. The detective did not believe Michelle’s full story and definitely not the part where she says she is insane. I felt that the author does a great job reinvigorating this story that is 20+ years old. It is hard to listen to the details of a child’s murder but thrilling to see the person responsible getting the justice they deserve.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Denise Meister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting and So Sad

The image of a precious 4 year old alone, beaten and dying is so disturbing. I cannot forget Brandon or forgive a mother who did this to a child who deserved to be loved. There were others who loved this boy and would have cared for him.. In her selfish , self centered world this mother deserve.s NO pity or excuses for her actions. She should still be behind bars. She continues her life while she ended his, alone and in pain. She IS evil

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inconvenience Gone
The Short Tragic Life Of Brandon Sims
by Diane Marger Moore
WildBlue Press
Mystery & Thrillers , True Crime
Pub Date 23 Oct 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Inconvience Gone through WildBlue Press and Netgalley:



Four year old Brandon Sims was last seen on July.03.1992 when he attended a birthday party with his 24 year old Mother Michelle Jones. Jones was emplpyed, talented, confident, smart and assertive. Michelle Jones was involved in many community activities. Brandon Sims was an only child, serious and quiet. He was a thin boy who rarely had eye contact with his Mother. After the night of the party, his body was never found.


Jones lied to her friends for years about Brandon, telling some that he was living with his Father while she told others he was with his Grandmother who lived in another state. After Brandon’s Father who had been in jail comes looking for his son, Michelle‘s shocked friends confront her and she tells them that Brandon is dead. She tells a story of how Brandon died to a detective after she admitted herself to a local Psych unit. Days later after she checks out of the unit and refuses to reveal where he hid Brandon‘s body. She was certai that she had gotten away with murdering her son.


She might have gotten away with it too, had the detectIves believed her outlandish story. So the detective enlist the help of a novice prosecutor because no one else would take the case and in Indiana no one had ever been prosecuted for murder without the body.



I give Inconvenience Gone five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Sharon M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, WildBlue Press, and Diane Marger Moore for the opportunity to read this book. 3.5 stars.

This is the true story, written by the prosecutor, of Michelle Jones, a young mother on trial for killing her 4-year-old son. These stories are always horrifying but what was so surprising to me was the differing verdicts between this case and the eerily-similar case of Casey Anthony. While race wasn't presented as an issue in this story, which took place in Indianapolis, with a young, black single mother as opposed to Casey Anthony, a pretty white girl. Meanwhile, both children are dead.

The author did a good job walking you through the entire trial - I learned quite a bit about the judicial system.

[Hannah Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inconvenience Gone is the harrowing story about the murder of Brandon Simms, written by the very woman who prosecuted his own mother for the crime. Michelle was a young mother who made the choice to take the life of her young son. Equally tragic, neither her family nor Brandon's fathers family even realized he was missing.

With unforeseen twists, unreliable witnesses and even some Santaria and Voodoo, Inconvenience Gone hooked me from page one and kept me up long past my bedtime. It's just so sad that it's all true.

Like Ann Rule and Ted Bundy, Diane Marger Moore brought a first -person narrative to this little known story. Marger Moore was a fantastic narrator and I loved her level-headedness, self-deprecating humor, and doggedness to right this monstrous wrong.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I only gave it 3 stars, I do recommend this book. It is a fight for justice for a 4 year old boy. His mother killed him and disposed of his body which has never been found. She almost escaped answering for her deed except for a determined cop and prosecutor. The writer is the prosecutor and there is a little too much “I did . . .” In the story. In some ways it is refreshing and interesting but other times will come across a bit pompous. The Mom never provided any disclosure as to what she did, at least not as recorded in this book, so that is unsatisfying. But, ultimately, I think that at least Brandon’s life was acknowledged as important and that his death was not invisible.

[Lisa]

Sad story

Author went too far in descriptions of towns and scenery at times, and in backgrounds of the characters. I found myself skipping pages when she did that. Also, the repetitiveness of what was included during the investigation then rehashed during the trial was not necessary. Those things should have only been said once. It's what makes people who don't like reading trial testimony, not like to read trial testimony. I, personally, enjoy it - when it's done properly. Here, it's really not.

But, other than that, the book does tell this very sad story well, as well as attempts to compare the Casey Anthony case with it, which is what I was thinking of as I read how this mother was acting as her child was "missing".

[Big Time Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I requested this book from Netgalley I wasn't aware that it was based on a true story. What a sad thing to happen to a child, or anyone for that matter.

The book was well written, kept my attention and had me reading faster to finally find out how things would turn out. The parallels to the Casey Anthony case are probably the first thing many people think of and I did also.

I feel like after reading this I have more insight into cases like this and I was drawn into the story immediately.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing my request for an ARC. My thoughts are my own.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diane Marger Moore takes an incredibly heartbreaking story and gives it the respect it deserves. I was amazed and appreciative of how carefully she approached the life and death of Brandon Sims. Her writing relayed the story clearly, and though it was a difficult read, I am glad I stayed with it. Unfortunately Inconvenience Gone is not a one and done story, it can and does happen still today, and
the author does a credible service to our communities in shedding the light on the topic.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a very sad book. Michelle Jones has been accused of murdering her son and then leaving for a week and then dumping him somewhere off of a highway. The book was pretty well written I thought and it had you wondering what was going to happen next. The only two complaints that I have is that there was really nothing about her not serving her whole sentence which could have expounded on this big time and now graduating from a top college and then comparing her to Casey Anthony. I didn't read the book to read about her.

[Videoclimber(AKA)MTsLilSis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very tragic case of a child who was murdered by his own mother. This story focuses on the case and the trial. This was very well written. It flowed nicely and was easy to follow. I am embarrassed that this woman is back on the streets. I hope she doesn't have any more children.

*Thank you to Diane Marger Moore, Netgalley, and WildBlue Press for allowing me to read an advanced ebook of this title.

[19471953]

This book provides great insight into the workings of the criminal justice system including some of its failures. While the book is focused on one horrible crime it also compares other crimes. It reads more like a legal thriller than a true crime book. If you want guts and gore then this book is not for you. If you want great writing and a fascinating story read Inconvenience Gone.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What kind of monster could beat their four year-old, leave him alone for days, and return to dispose of his dead body? The child's mother, Michelle Jones. This book examines how a prosecutor (the author) and law enforcement doggedly pursue Jones to being justice for the four year-old, Brandon Sims.

[Nan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected

I felt like the title was misleading. It seemed as though this book would be about Brandon Sims and his life and death, but it was really the prosecution and trial of his mother. I skipped a lot of it. Very dry reading. It almost put me to sleep.

[Marjori L Oakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written!

Very well written ! The author did a great job in keeping me interested. I won't say I enjoyed the book (how can one enjoy a story of such heartbreak) . My husband always asks why I read books like this. I tell him the victims deserve for their story to be told.

[Justkeepreading85 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inconvenience Gone Review

I am a huge true crime fan and this one was not well written at all. It is full of all lawyer talk, no background at all. Lots of legal talk and the whole book is the trial. I am so disappointed...

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book absolutely held my attention. I love the way the facts were presented and that we got to see both sides of the story.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where is Brandon Sims he has not been since July 3rd 1992
His mother had to lie to police that his father look after him .
But she got a murder against her
An ARC from WildBlue Press

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is telling this heartbreaking story in an unemotional and undramatic way.although the author is the narrator, she is objective.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young single mother, Michelle Engron Jones, who at Twenty-One years old and who sadly killed her little boy, Brandon Sims who was four years old. The selfishness of Michelle thinking only of herself before and after the murder. Only when Brandon’s father came looking for him after being released from prison and the family and friends started asking questions did the truth come out. The book has plenty of twists and turns through the story with Sanatorium’s, Voodoo, unreliable witnesses and eventually some though provoking memories as the sad thing is that this still happen today to innocent children whose only crime is being born into an unloving or caring family who think physical and mental abuse and murder are ok.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. **

It was an ok book sometimes it went into too much detail on how the court system works. The story is about a mother and her 4 year old son and how she murdered him and got away with it for a couple of years.

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Riveting

I've read many true crime novels but never one from the point of view of the prosecutor including her initiative in the case to the end. Explaining legalities fitting the state, etc. Great read, horrible tragedy, loved the comparison at the end!