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Dark Ambition: The Twisted Pact of Serial Killers Dellen Millard & Mark Smich
The gripping true-crime account of a young Canadian aviation heir charged with three murders--Tim Bosma, ex-girlfriend Laura Babcock, and his own father, Wayne Millard--in what appears to be thrill-seeking serial kills.
In 2013, Tim Bosma of Hamilton, Ontario, put his truck up for sale online, and then disappeared during a test drive with two strangers. In the disappeareance and the murder investigation that followed, he made headlines on over several weeks that spring. Weeks later, two men were arrested for Bosma's a petty criminal with the Dickensian name of Mark Smich, and Dellen Millard, the good-looking heir of an aviation millionaire.
Disturbingly, there appeared to be no motive for the gruesome killing of Bosma, whose charred remains were found on Millard's farm. It seemed to be a cold-blooded "thrill kill" carried out by what some would deem a psychopath and his sidekick. Furthermore, the investigation of Bosma's death would eventually lead to the discovery of two other the pair would be charged with the murder of Laura Babcock, Millard's former girlfriend, who disappeared in 2012, and Millard alone would be charged with the murder of his own father, Wayne Millard, whose death was previously ruled a suicide.
Ann Brocklehurst, a Toronto journalist and private investigator, has been fascinated by the Millard case and had a front row seat at the Hamilton murder trial. She provides a compelling look at how detectives, lawyers, and journalists work, as well as the contributions made by the newest participants in the world of crime--online sleuths. Her book asks the What makes someone who seemingly has everything--money, a supportive family, mobility, social position--turn to evil deeds? And why do some murders fascinate millions while others go unnoticed?
In 2013, Tim Bosma of Hamilton, Ontario, put his truck up for sale online, and then disappeared during a test drive with two strangers. In the disappeareance and the murder investigation that followed, he made headlines on over several weeks that spring. Weeks later, two men were arrested for Bosma's a petty criminal with the Dickensian name of Mark Smich, and Dellen Millard, the good-looking heir of an aviation millionaire.
Disturbingly, there appeared to be no motive for the gruesome killing of Bosma, whose charred remains were found on Millard's farm. It seemed to be a cold-blooded "thrill kill" carried out by what some would deem a psychopath and his sidekick. Furthermore, the investigation of Bosma's death would eventually lead to the discovery of two other the pair would be charged with the murder of Laura Babcock, Millard's former girlfriend, who disappeared in 2012, and Millard alone would be charged with the murder of his own father, Wayne Millard, whose death was previously ruled a suicide.
Ann Brocklehurst, a Toronto journalist and private investigator, has been fascinated by the Millard case and had a front row seat at the Hamilton murder trial. She provides a compelling look at how detectives, lawyers, and journalists work, as well as the contributions made by the newest participants in the world of crime--online sleuths. Her book asks the What makes someone who seemingly has everything--money, a supportive family, mobility, social position--turn to evil deeds? And why do some murders fascinate millions while others go unnoticed?
464 pages, Paperback
First published November 8, 2016
28 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
Ann Brocklehurst
4 books14 followersAnn Brocklehurst is a veteran journalist and licensed private investigator who writes about crime, courts and business. Before working on the crime beat, she reported for the International Herald Tribune from Berlin and worked for Reuters in Hong Kong and Toronto, covering banking and finance.
Ann's PI work does not involve stake-outs or guns. She investigates for law firms, private clients, and some of the word's largest security companies.
She lives in Toronto.
Ann's PI work does not involve stake-outs or guns. She investigates for law firms, private clients, and some of the word's largest security companies.
She lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 23, 2017
Senseless crime
Killing a man , a husband, a father, a son
For a truck
Twisted minds behind this murder and other murders.
This modern Canadian crime that just ended few years ago still shook the community that it took place at.
A riveting read. Takes you into the psyche of the killers, their help, and the whole nine yards
Killing a man , a husband, a father, a son
For a truck
Twisted minds behind this murder and other murders.
This modern Canadian crime that just ended few years ago still shook the community that it took place at.
A riveting read. Takes you into the psyche of the killers, their help, and the whole nine yards
February 7, 2017
I feel odd rating this book and so my number of stars is correlated to the subject matter and purpose of reading. I didn't read it for entertainment, so "liking it" seems the wrong measure. Reading it was about learning more about a case that struck close to my community. As a book, it was well written and kept me focused to see it through to the end. It's a tragic story, and I am thankful that justice was served, though an unsatisfying element lingers about the final picture of what actually happened. I suppose it ultimately doesn't matter.
On a side note about our justice system: I was most irritated and perplexed that people can sit on the stand and say "I don't recall" when it's plainly obvious that they do and just don't want to answer. I could much more accept "I plead the 5th" (American system) or "I reserve the right not to incriminate myself" rather than be allowed to tell lies that everyone knows are lies... I suppose we can't force people to tell the truth. But I digress...
On a side note about our justice system: I was most irritated and perplexed that people can sit on the stand and say "I don't recall" when it's plainly obvious that they do and just don't want to answer. I could much more accept "I plead the 5th" (American system) or "I reserve the right not to incriminate myself" rather than be allowed to tell lies that everyone knows are lies... I suppose we can't force people to tell the truth. But I digress...
February 9, 2017
An exhaustive and exhausting account of the Bosma murder. This heartbreaking crime of a young, decent family man who advertised his truck for sale online. His disappearance with two prospective buyers when he went off in the truck with them resulted in his murder and incineration of the body. Two young men were charged with the crime and subsequently found guilty of murder. The book details the police investigation and the trial. The leader of the two, Millard was the wealthy heir to an aviation business, the owner of several luxury homes, condos, vehicles and a helicopter. The other man sentenced, Smich, was a drug seller, who followed Millard in committing a series of robberies and other crimes. . Although I have rated some true crime books highly, I found that so much detail tedious, of more interest to those involved in the search and trial, and to the many who followed the case closely on Twitter.
The two men have yet to go on trial for the murder of Lucy Babcock who vanished about the time the incinerator was purchased, and Millard has been charged with the murder of his father which was believed at the time of his death to be suicide. Also, Millard's girlfriend at the time of the Bosma killing is accused of being accessory to that murder.
The only explanation to the Bosma murder is that was a thrill killing, as Millard probably could have bought any number of trucks. 2.5 stars
The two men have yet to go on trial for the murder of Lucy Babcock who vanished about the time the incinerator was purchased, and Millard has been charged with the murder of his father which was believed at the time of his death to be suicide. Also, Millard's girlfriend at the time of the Bosma killing is accused of being accessory to that murder.
The only explanation to the Bosma murder is that was a thrill killing, as Millard probably could have bought any number of trucks. 2.5 stars
November 6, 2019
Being from Hamilton, and still living here today, I was one of the many that followed this horrific story as it happened. When my co-worker offered to let me read her copy, I jumped at the chance.
I'm so glad I did too.
You think you know a story, especially when it plays out in your hometown and local news. Then you read a thrilling journalistic approach to what happened and you realize how little you actually knew.
Man, these two are sick. Smitch probably more so than Millard. Still, they got life and they deserved it.
While reading the book I had a few creepy moments. I can't tell you how many times I may have crossed paths with these guys. From the restaurant that they met at, a favorite of mine in Toronto, to where they lived, also among my stomping grounds. It got a little spooky, not gonna lie. Even the victim, lives near my in-laws. Going past certain places, like Trinity Church Rd, it gets to me every time.... Will I ever forget someone was murdered near there? Probably not.
If you know nothing about this story, and like true crime, read it. It's a good one. It just hits so close to home for me.
I'm so glad I did too.
You think you know a story, especially when it plays out in your hometown and local news. Then you read a thrilling journalistic approach to what happened and you realize how little you actually knew.
Man, these two are sick. Smitch probably more so than Millard. Still, they got life and they deserved it.
While reading the book I had a few creepy moments. I can't tell you how many times I may have crossed paths with these guys. From the restaurant that they met at, a favorite of mine in Toronto, to where they lived, also among my stomping grounds. It got a little spooky, not gonna lie. Even the victim, lives near my in-laws. Going past certain places, like Trinity Church Rd, it gets to me every time.... Will I ever forget someone was murdered near there? Probably not.
If you know nothing about this story, and like true crime, read it. It's a good one. It just hits so close to home for me.
May 28, 2024
Probably the dullest book I’ve ever read. I would have DNFd it if I didn’t have to read it for the book club I’m in. What could have been a juicy retelling of a tragic murder was turned boring and dry by the writing.
December 8, 2016
I remember watching the news and hearing about Tim Bosma's disappearance. He had taken two strangers on a test drive of his truck that he was selling online. From that first moment, the case grabbed me and I followed the developments and the trial. Just this past June, those two strangers were both sentenced to the first degree murder of Mr. Bosma.
Dark Ambition: The Shocking Crime of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich was the book I had been waiting for. It filled in a lot of inside information about the case, and the killers.
I liked how Ann Brocklehurst referenced the Websleuths online true crime community, because I believe it played a big role in digging up early clues about Millard and Smich. She even quoted some of the user messages on the forums which was a nice touch.
The book didn't answer everything I wanted to know, but it was a fascinating read. At times, I could not put the book down.
Dark Ambition: The Shocking Crime of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich was the book I had been waiting for. It filled in a lot of inside information about the case, and the killers.
I liked how Ann Brocklehurst referenced the Websleuths online true crime community, because I believe it played a big role in digging up early clues about Millard and Smich. She even quoted some of the user messages on the forums which was a nice touch.
The book didn't answer everything I wanted to know, but it was a fascinating read. At times, I could not put the book down.
February 7, 2017
It was well researched and very well written. My only complaint is that having followed this trial fairly closely I was already quite familiar with bulk of these facts and didn't really uncover anything new, this was no doubt due to the publication ban imposed by the courts due to the pending murder trials of both Wayne Millard and Laura Babcock.
I would have preferred waiting until these trials are over and the publication ban is lifted. I believe there's a lot of details still to be uncovered.
The fascination of this case for me is that the Bosma family seem like people you would know and to be murdered over a used truck just seems baffling. The mystery is why? It's beyond comprehension.
I would have preferred waiting until these trials are over and the publication ban is lifted. I believe there's a lot of details still to be uncovered.
The fascination of this case for me is that the Bosma family seem like people you would know and to be murdered over a used truck just seems baffling. The mystery is why? It's beyond comprehension.
February 18, 2017
I had so many emotions reading this book. The subject matter is so surreal. This could happen to anyone. My heart goes out to Tim Bosma's loved ones.
I remember when this happened and I knew roughly what happened to Mr Bosma, but never had any details. This book was very in-depth and made me have a very clear picture of the people involved, especially Dellen Millard and Mark Smich. The author, Ann Brocklehurst, put together a book that was easy to read and understand. I would really enjoy reading more from this author. The question that I wanted answered so badly and never got the answer to was…why…? Maybe there is no answer.
I remember when this happened and I knew roughly what happened to Mr Bosma, but never had any details. This book was very in-depth and made me have a very clear picture of the people involved, especially Dellen Millard and Mark Smich. The author, Ann Brocklehurst, put together a book that was easy to read and understand. I would really enjoy reading more from this author. The question that I wanted answered so badly and never got the answer to was…why…? Maybe there is no answer.
October 3, 2017
A Trial chronicle that reads like a Thriller
What a page turner! A compelling crime story that made for sensational headlines. Ms. Brocklehurst has taken these characters and carefully documented events and skillfully weaved them together to produce a story rich with detail and color. A trial chronicle that takes you on a most engaging journey, flagging all the nooks and crannies for thoughtful revelations, offering insight and creating suspense in the place of what surely was a long tedious process. It's a fascinating read that reaches a satisfying conclusion. Loved it!
What a page turner! A compelling crime story that made for sensational headlines. Ms. Brocklehurst has taken these characters and carefully documented events and skillfully weaved them together to produce a story rich with detail and color. A trial chronicle that takes you on a most engaging journey, flagging all the nooks and crannies for thoughtful revelations, offering insight and creating suspense in the place of what surely was a long tedious process. It's a fascinating read that reaches a satisfying conclusion. Loved it!
January 12, 2017
A good, thorough look at the Bosma murder trial. Hopefully the author will consider a rewrite or another book when the Babcock and Millard murder trials are done and more evidence can be released. American readers will possibly be frustrated at the lack of specific detail, I found this a specifically Canadian style of crime reporting. Having a timeline included would benefit the book.
April 25, 2018
Fantastic story telling with amazing detail and in depth descriptions. I was intrigued throughout the entire book.
February 27, 2020
I lived in the Waterloo area for a number of years, so this murder really hit home for me and I followed it in the news very closely. When I read that Ann Brocklehurst was writing a book on the subject, I made sure to pre-order it right away.
Not a lot of people may know who Ann is, but I regularly read her blog before these murders took place and I have a lot of respect for Ann. She's a freelance investigative reporter and she has a knack for sniffing out seemingly mundane stories before they become mainstream news stories. She clearly has good sources for her investigations and you're always going to get a little more information from her than you would elsewhere.
With that being said, this book paints an accurate picture of Dellen Millard, Mark Smich and Christina Noudga and their involvement in the bizarre murder of Tim Bosma who was an unfortunate victim of a Kijiji robbery gone bad. What makes this story truly bizarre is that Dellen Millard was a wealthy heir to a family fortune who had no need to commit murder or robbery. Many say this murder was a "thrill kill" and Ann's background into the personas of those involved really paints a lucid picture. There were two previous murders which Dellen and Mark were also involved in prior to the Bosma murder and Ann provides compelling details on these as well.
Even if you followed all of the news coverage, I still highly recommend this book, as it provides new details that weren't heavily reported on, especially with regards to the trial where Ann was regularly present. Even knowing the back-story, the writing was engaging enough for me to finish this book in a week.
I would rate this a 5-star book, except for the fact that much of this information was available in newspapersl however, Ann has done a great job at compiling everything into one compelling narrative as well as providing enough new information to justify a read.
Not a lot of people may know who Ann is, but I regularly read her blog before these murders took place and I have a lot of respect for Ann. She's a freelance investigative reporter and she has a knack for sniffing out seemingly mundane stories before they become mainstream news stories. She clearly has good sources for her investigations and you're always going to get a little more information from her than you would elsewhere.
With that being said, this book paints an accurate picture of Dellen Millard, Mark Smich and Christina Noudga and their involvement in the bizarre murder of Tim Bosma who was an unfortunate victim of a Kijiji robbery gone bad. What makes this story truly bizarre is that Dellen Millard was a wealthy heir to a family fortune who had no need to commit murder or robbery. Many say this murder was a "thrill kill" and Ann's background into the personas of those involved really paints a lucid picture. There were two previous murders which Dellen and Mark were also involved in prior to the Bosma murder and Ann provides compelling details on these as well.
Even if you followed all of the news coverage, I still highly recommend this book, as it provides new details that weren't heavily reported on, especially with regards to the trial where Ann was regularly present. Even knowing the back-story, the writing was engaging enough for me to finish this book in a week.
I would rate this a 5-star book, except for the fact that much of this information was available in newspapersl however, Ann has done a great job at compiling everything into one compelling narrative as well as providing enough new information to justify a read.
July 19, 2025
Dark Ambition tells the true story of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich, two men from Ontario who were eventually convicted of multiple murders. The book focuses on how a guy from a prominent aviation family (Millard) and his sketchy drug dealing friend (Smich) ended up being cold-blooded killers.
The story starts in 2013 when Tim Bosma, a regular guy and father from Hamilton, vanishes after taking two strangers on a test drive in his truck one evening. The truck and Tim are never seen again ... not until police uncover a horrifying trail that leads to Millard’s farm, where Tim’s remains were found incinerated in a piece of farm equipment called “The Eliminator.” As investigators dig deeper, they connect Millard and Smich to two other suspicious deaths ... Laura Babcock, Millard’s ex-girlfriend, who vanished in 2012, and Wayne Millard, Dellen’s father, whose death had originally been ruled a suicide in November 2012.
It was a shocking story when Tim Bosma disappeared. His family didn't give up hope that he would come home but alas, he never did. The sad part is that it wasn't just about the plan to steal his truck ... it was also about the thrill of a kill. Millard could afford to buy anything he wanted but he and Smich went on "missions" to steal things like Bobcats, trailers, etc. Millard and Smich ended up getting consecutive life sentences for Bosma and Babcock's murders (so not eligible for parole for 50 years) plus Millard got a consecutive life sentence for the murder of his father so isn't eligible for parole until he's 103!
It was a hard book to read but interesting to learn more about what happened. I found it to be an interesting read, though confusing at times as the timelines bounced around a bit and it got a bit technical and detailed. It's obvious the author did a lot of research. There are some photographs at the end.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2025/07...
The story starts in 2013 when Tim Bosma, a regular guy and father from Hamilton, vanishes after taking two strangers on a test drive in his truck one evening. The truck and Tim are never seen again ... not until police uncover a horrifying trail that leads to Millard’s farm, where Tim’s remains were found incinerated in a piece of farm equipment called “The Eliminator.” As investigators dig deeper, they connect Millard and Smich to two other suspicious deaths ... Laura Babcock, Millard’s ex-girlfriend, who vanished in 2012, and Wayne Millard, Dellen’s father, whose death had originally been ruled a suicide in November 2012.
It was a shocking story when Tim Bosma disappeared. His family didn't give up hope that he would come home but alas, he never did. The sad part is that it wasn't just about the plan to steal his truck ... it was also about the thrill of a kill. Millard could afford to buy anything he wanted but he and Smich went on "missions" to steal things like Bobcats, trailers, etc. Millard and Smich ended up getting consecutive life sentences for Bosma and Babcock's murders (so not eligible for parole for 50 years) plus Millard got a consecutive life sentence for the murder of his father so isn't eligible for parole until he's 103!
It was a hard book to read but interesting to learn more about what happened. I found it to be an interesting read, though confusing at times as the timelines bounced around a bit and it got a bit technical and detailed. It's obvious the author did a lot of research. There are some photographs at the end.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2025/07...
December 27, 2023
After reading this one, I think I may need a light and funny book to "cleanse my palette."
This is a true crime account of a bizarre murder that took place in Hamilton, Ontario in 2013 and captured the headlines across Canada.
From the outset, it made no sense. A regular guy, trying to sell his truck because it is becoming a financial strain on him and his young family, is contacted by another guy who wants to come look at it and take it for a test drive. It turns out that the prospective buyer arrives two hours later than he said he would, along with a sketchy looking friend. Even though the seller, Tim Bosma, has misgivings, he agrees to go with them to test drive his truck. That is the last time anyone sees him alive.
The author of this book is a veteran journalist and private investigator who was able to cover this case as it progressed. She has a lot of knowledge about how the court system operates and is able to provide detailed accounts of how each day and each lawyer's interrogation went, as well as background information about the two suspects.
We learn that the probable instigator, Dellen Millard, comes from a well-off family and he is set to inherit their aviation business. We learn that his friend, Mark Smich, is a lowly drug dealer who is willing to do anything that Millard asks of him. We get the timeline of the events and a picture of the grisly killing and attempted cover-up. What we don't learn is the answer to the biggest question surrounding this case: WHY?
This is a true crime account of a bizarre murder that took place in Hamilton, Ontario in 2013 and captured the headlines across Canada.
From the outset, it made no sense. A regular guy, trying to sell his truck because it is becoming a financial strain on him and his young family, is contacted by another guy who wants to come look at it and take it for a test drive. It turns out that the prospective buyer arrives two hours later than he said he would, along with a sketchy looking friend. Even though the seller, Tim Bosma, has misgivings, he agrees to go with them to test drive his truck. That is the last time anyone sees him alive.
The author of this book is a veteran journalist and private investigator who was able to cover this case as it progressed. She has a lot of knowledge about how the court system operates and is able to provide detailed accounts of how each day and each lawyer's interrogation went, as well as background information about the two suspects.
We learn that the probable instigator, Dellen Millard, comes from a well-off family and he is set to inherit their aviation business. We learn that his friend, Mark Smich, is a lowly drug dealer who is willing to do anything that Millard asks of him. We get the timeline of the events and a picture of the grisly killing and attempted cover-up. What we don't learn is the answer to the biggest question surrounding this case: WHY?
February 5, 2019
This was an interim book because my wishlist was on hold at the library.
I thought this would be an analysis of the motivation of a wealthy guy who kills to steal a truck he could certainly afford, but it wasn't. In general, it was a police and courtroom procedural. This was apparently a huge crime in Canada, though I hadn't heard of it here. It's a fairly solid book that doesn't really dig much into the psyche of the criminals.
The most interesting part, to me, was the involvement of the online "sleuthing" community, which I hadn't known about. The idea that thousands of people sit on the internet all day, watching livestreams of police press conferences and court proceedings, digging through social media for pictures of criminals and victims, and tossing out ill-founded and illogical speculation that helps nobody and smears victims is pretty disturbing. It's an even darker facet of social media than I'd seen before. I cannot comprehend how people posting on the Internet think they are actually participating in an event or doing something useful to solve a crime. But again, the author mostly quotes some of the more interesting posts without delving into these people's lives or motivations.
Just weird.
I thought this would be an analysis of the motivation of a wealthy guy who kills to steal a truck he could certainly afford, but it wasn't. In general, it was a police and courtroom procedural. This was apparently a huge crime in Canada, though I hadn't heard of it here. It's a fairly solid book that doesn't really dig much into the psyche of the criminals.
The most interesting part, to me, was the involvement of the online "sleuthing" community, which I hadn't known about. The idea that thousands of people sit on the internet all day, watching livestreams of police press conferences and court proceedings, digging through social media for pictures of criminals and victims, and tossing out ill-founded and illogical speculation that helps nobody and smears victims is pretty disturbing. It's an even darker facet of social media than I'd seen before. I cannot comprehend how people posting on the Internet think they are actually participating in an event or doing something useful to solve a crime. But again, the author mostly quotes some of the more interesting posts without delving into these people's lives or motivations.
Just weird.
January 13, 2019
dellen millard had it all only child but it was not enough he buys an incinerater and shorty after his girl friend laura babcock comes up missing than his dad wayne commits suicide so they said leaving dellen more money and control but that still wasn't enough than the case that brought him down dellen and his buddy mark smich decide to steal a truck and kill the owner the first guy was to big the next never got back to him which saved his life the other tim bosma from ancaster Ontario wasn't so lucky they looked for him and the truck the only real lead they got was from the first guy who seen an ambition tattoo that lead to dellen millard than it became I didn't do it the other did...why would someone who could buy anything he wanted steal a truck and kill the owner they called it a thrill kill. read and find out for yourself what you thing im just glad they got caught.
August 4, 2024
I followed this story when it first broke, since I was working in Etobicoke at this time where many of the 'cast of characters' were living. Dark Ambition is a very thorough and detailed account of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich's murder of Tim Bosma. It is very disturbing, to say the least, and almost a cautionary tale of what could happen when you sell an expensive item on Kijiji...anyhoo...
The book itself was OK. I did find the second half of the book when we are in the trial portion a little too detailed, which got a bit dull for me. Also, I know I'm an outlier here, but who cares what anyone on Websleuths thinks?? The author took comments from that website as if their opinion mattered or as if it were gospel.
The book itself was OK. I did find the second half of the book when we are in the trial portion a little too detailed, which got a bit dull for me. Also, I know I'm an outlier here, but who cares what anyone on Websleuths thinks?? The author took comments from that website as if their opinion mattered or as if it were gospel.
August 30, 2019
I am still not sure who allowed this book to be published since there clearly was no editor available but for the author to be provided an opportunity to then add an update seems almost criminal. There is nothing new in the book that I didn't know before...no insight provided or even an opinion. Perhaps most galling is how the books jumps around in the beginning from crime to arrest to all points in between for no discernible reason. There are terrific true crime novels out there - this is not one of them.
October 20, 2021
Another sad, sad story to read about. This case always baffles me because of how unnecessary it was.
However, it’s told extremely well in this book and I really like position taken by the author. These two individuals were found guilty, so why not act (or write like it). Many true crime books/podcasts come across unbiased and they try to stay in the middle, but I loved reading from this writer’s perspective and getting her thoughts on the case as it progressed.
A very sad case that happened here in Canada, but this book is a must-read for any Canadian true crime fan.
However, it’s told extremely well in this book and I really like position taken by the author. These two individuals were found guilty, so why not act (or write like it). Many true crime books/podcasts come across unbiased and they try to stay in the middle, but I loved reading from this writer’s perspective and getting her thoughts on the case as it progressed.
A very sad case that happened here in Canada, but this book is a must-read for any Canadian true crime fan.
December 31, 2021
although I found it well written, given the numerous well detailed descriptions of every single thing that happened, and overall interesting, some small parts were a little bit too long and the slow narration difficult to overcome. would I read it again? yes, maybe in the future, not right now, because this book gave me a precious insight into a real investigation and trial, much different from the ones you could find on a TV show.
February 28, 2017
This book is an excellent compilation of the facts of this trial; however, it doesn't offer much in the way of new, unreleased information. If you followed the trial closely, don't expect and grand revelations; however, if you are unfamiliar with the trial and are looking for a really well laid out True Crime to read, this is definitely the book for you.
3/5
3/5
September 27, 2020
An excellent read. I enjoyed this book immensely. A tragic amount of events. The accused are completely whacked.
I live in Toronto so I remember when these crimes occurred. The book is well written and full of details and well worth reading.
I have been a true crime fanatic for 35 years and this author is thorugh.
My condolences to all families affected.
I live in Toronto so I remember when these crimes occurred. The book is well written and full of details and well worth reading.
I have been a true crime fanatic for 35 years and this author is thorugh.
My condolences to all families affected.
July 26, 2021
A creepy in-depth look at the crimes of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich. Brocklehurst examines and outlines how Millard, a rich party boy and ringleader, worked with Smich to murder and dispose of the body of Tim Bosma. She describes how Millard and Smich met the young father and husband at his home in order to look at a pickup truck he was selling on Craiglist. Bosma accompanied Millard and Smich on a test drive of the vehicle and was never seen again. His remains were found in an agricultural incinerator designed for livestock and his truck was found in Millard's family airplane hangar. Millard has since been convicted of the murder of his former girlfriend and of his father and is spending life in prison in Canada. Brocklehurst details the crime including some of its more graphic elements but its a pretty standard treatment for a true crime story.
February 7, 2017
This felt like an odd choice to read, but I have really struggled to understand the motivation of these individuals.
The failures of our justice system were glaring, such as the disregard for a woman who went missing because she was homeless and pleas given to individuals involved in this case.
The failures of our justice system were glaring, such as the disregard for a woman who went missing because she was homeless and pleas given to individuals involved in this case.
November 21, 2016
Detailed and riveting account of a cutthroat defense offered in a grisly murder case.
Why did they do it?
Why did they do it?
July 25, 2019
Another example of how monied people think they can do anything. Sad story.
September 22, 2019
My usual genre of thriller and mystery have nothing on true crime. This is scary stuff - and so very hard to believe - they walk amongst us.
April 4, 2020
Extremely well written and well researched!
October 30, 2020
Great true crime read. Lots of excellent details on a very unfortunate case that was highly publicized in Ontario, Canada.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews