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The Snake and the Spider: Abduction and Murder in Daytona Beach
A New York Times-bestselling author and former Los Angeles Times reporter chronicles the murder and abduction of two teens during a dream spring break vacation.
Best friends Daryl Barber and James Boucher were responsible, and their parents trusted them to spend Spring Break at Daytona Beach unchaperoned. When the boys missed their agreed-upon daily check-ins, their parents were disappointed. When they failed to come home on their planned return date, their parents were terrified. They could not have known that their innocent sons would encounter two violent men on the Florida coast. They could not have imagined the torture their children would endure before their bodies turned up four months later in a Florida swamp. What starts as a dream vacation, ended as every parent's worst nightmare . . .
New York Times-bestselling author Karen Kingsbury narrates the tragic tale of a road trip gone horribly wrong in this not-to-be missed true crime novel.
Best friends Daryl Barber and James Boucher were responsible, and their parents trusted them to spend Spring Break at Daytona Beach unchaperoned. When the boys missed their agreed-upon daily check-ins, their parents were disappointed. When they failed to come home on their planned return date, their parents were terrified. They could not have known that their innocent sons would encounter two violent men on the Florida coast. They could not have imagined the torture their children would endure before their bodies turned up four months later in a Florida swamp. What starts as a dream vacation, ended as every parent's worst nightmare . . .
New York Times-bestselling author Karen Kingsbury narrates the tragic tale of a road trip gone horribly wrong in this not-to-be missed true crime novel.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1995
706 people are currently reading
1319 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kingsbury
212 books12.2k followersKaren Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America’s favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development with Hallmark Films and as major motion pictures. Her Baxter Family books are being developed into a TV series slated for major network viewing sometime in the next year. Karen is also an adjunct professor of writing at Liberty University. In 2001 she and her husband, Don, adopted three boys from Haiti, doubling their family in a matter of months. Today the couple has joined the ranks of empty nesters, living in Tennessee near five of their adult children.
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
December 1, 2020
I hesitated a bit before purchasing this e-book through BookBub. But there was something about the title of the Snake and the Spider that’s piqued my curiosity.
I have noticed though, that the quality of books through BookBub is not always so great.
The copyright for this book is 1995. It was re-released in 2014. The story was adapted from Karen Kingsbury’s days as a news reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She says that in most cases the dialogue and events are real. She states that some scenes have been re-created to better tell the story. That the events described in the book are taken directly from court transcripts and other public records and documents as well as numerous interviews with the many people involved.
This is the fourth in a series of true-crime books she wrote at the beginning of her career as an author. She says after writing this book she had explored enough of the dark side. After this book she began writing novels that contain characters with serious trials and troubles but written in the context of faith, light, and hope.
The book begins in August 1978 when two young boys from Metamora, Michigan: Daryl Bruce Barber 19, and James (Jim) Richard Boucher 17 set off for a one-week vacation in Daytona, Florida, driving a red Chevy Nova with a shiny black top.
The book mostly consists of dialogue. I will admit it does hold your interest in that you know the boys died and that you want to find out what actually happened to them.
But I did find that the boys are described innocent and naïve young men, yet they were looking to party, and I found it hard to believe that by the description given of Spider—a stranger who walked up to them on the beach—didn’t set off any kind of warning bells. I don’t mean to victim blame in any way, but much of the book and the people involved are clearly divided between the lines of good and evil.
Spider: Earl Lee Smith, actual name: Ted Bassett is described in the book as a loser, a biker. He had been a child born twenty-two years earlier to a teenage mother who had been violently raped by his unknown father. He grew up with two stepfathers who beat and abused him. When he was six-years-old his mother in anger told him that he was no better than “his father” the man who raped her and that he was a piece of trash. When he was 12 years old, he began breaking the law.
In the book the author writes: In his circle of friend’s marijuana was easily available. So were the mind-altering drugs which everyone knew could burn a person’s brain up after only three or four uses. Really? With such a statement I wanted to know what these “mind-altering, burn your brain out” drugs were. The book never names them and to me it reeks of exaggeration.
It’s these kinds of things that makes the story Karen Kingsbury tells whitewashed. I tried to look up more on the internet about this case, but there is very little about it. Through I did find a report that states: Boucher and Barber, who were vacationing in Daytona Beach, were smoking marijuana on the beach when Bassett (Spider) offered to take them to a party. Bingo! Makes a whole lot more sense than the version she writes in the book, that the boys never smoked marijuana. It just didn’t add up to me. Why would the boys stay around this guy Spider while he supposedly smoked marijuana and then offered to take them to a party? Why would they go along with this?
I guess smoking marijuana at the time was seen as the “gateway drug” and nothing such so called innocent good boys would do.
Spider goes with the young men in their car to meet Snake: John Carter Cox Jr., 36. Described as a thief and drug dealer, and once a Pagan biker leader who would end up giving Daryl’s red Chevy Nova and Travelers checks to his 23-year-old wife for a birthday present.
After the boys didn’t return home—which is unimaginable for any parent—their parents ended up hiring a private investigator when after two months nothing was being done by the police. According to the book in the 1970s Daytona Beach was a transient town and the unofficial headquarters for several biker gangs, such as the Pagans, and where 90% of the country’s runaways ended up. It was a fast and dangerous place where people disappeared daily. Missing person cases were common.
The private investigator that the parents hired subbed the work out to another private investigator, Bob Brown of Orlando Florida. He became instrumental in the solving of this case which probably would have went unsolved without him.
Snake and Spider referred to young naïve men such as Daryl and Jim as pigeons. It meant that they could be easily taken for all they had with very little effort.
At to other overly-dramatic writing in the book, at one point she describes it as being pitch-dark, but then goes on to say the boy’s eyes filled with fear and they looked at each other.
After writing this book the author says that she needed a change and began writing redemptive hope-filled fiction.
She acquired copies of her earlier works that have been out of print for years only remaining available via second-hand retailers and re-released them, removing offensive language.
The book reads more like fiction than a true-crime work, and that may be because of the time period in which it was written.
There are no winners in a story like this. Just many victims and a reminder that how we treat other people is important.
I have noticed though, that the quality of books through BookBub is not always so great.
The copyright for this book is 1995. It was re-released in 2014. The story was adapted from Karen Kingsbury’s days as a news reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She says that in most cases the dialogue and events are real. She states that some scenes have been re-created to better tell the story. That the events described in the book are taken directly from court transcripts and other public records and documents as well as numerous interviews with the many people involved.
This is the fourth in a series of true-crime books she wrote at the beginning of her career as an author. She says after writing this book she had explored enough of the dark side. After this book she began writing novels that contain characters with serious trials and troubles but written in the context of faith, light, and hope.
The book begins in August 1978 when two young boys from Metamora, Michigan: Daryl Bruce Barber 19, and James (Jim) Richard Boucher 17 set off for a one-week vacation in Daytona, Florida, driving a red Chevy Nova with a shiny black top.
The book mostly consists of dialogue. I will admit it does hold your interest in that you know the boys died and that you want to find out what actually happened to them.
But I did find that the boys are described innocent and naïve young men, yet they were looking to party, and I found it hard to believe that by the description given of Spider—a stranger who walked up to them on the beach—didn’t set off any kind of warning bells. I don’t mean to victim blame in any way, but much of the book and the people involved are clearly divided between the lines of good and evil.
Spider: Earl Lee Smith, actual name: Ted Bassett is described in the book as a loser, a biker. He had been a child born twenty-two years earlier to a teenage mother who had been violently raped by his unknown father. He grew up with two stepfathers who beat and abused him. When he was six-years-old his mother in anger told him that he was no better than “his father” the man who raped her and that he was a piece of trash. When he was 12 years old, he began breaking the law.
In the book the author writes: In his circle of friend’s marijuana was easily available. So were the mind-altering drugs which everyone knew could burn a person’s brain up after only three or four uses. Really? With such a statement I wanted to know what these “mind-altering, burn your brain out” drugs were. The book never names them and to me it reeks of exaggeration.
It’s these kinds of things that makes the story Karen Kingsbury tells whitewashed. I tried to look up more on the internet about this case, but there is very little about it. Through I did find a report that states: Boucher and Barber, who were vacationing in Daytona Beach, were smoking marijuana on the beach when Bassett (Spider) offered to take them to a party. Bingo! Makes a whole lot more sense than the version she writes in the book, that the boys never smoked marijuana. It just didn’t add up to me. Why would the boys stay around this guy Spider while he supposedly smoked marijuana and then offered to take them to a party? Why would they go along with this?
I guess smoking marijuana at the time was seen as the “gateway drug” and nothing such so called innocent good boys would do.
Spider goes with the young men in their car to meet Snake: John Carter Cox Jr., 36. Described as a thief and drug dealer, and once a Pagan biker leader who would end up giving Daryl’s red Chevy Nova and Travelers checks to his 23-year-old wife for a birthday present.
After the boys didn’t return home—which is unimaginable for any parent—their parents ended up hiring a private investigator when after two months nothing was being done by the police. According to the book in the 1970s Daytona Beach was a transient town and the unofficial headquarters for several biker gangs, such as the Pagans, and where 90% of the country’s runaways ended up. It was a fast and dangerous place where people disappeared daily. Missing person cases were common.
The private investigator that the parents hired subbed the work out to another private investigator, Bob Brown of Orlando Florida. He became instrumental in the solving of this case which probably would have went unsolved without him.
Snake and Spider referred to young naïve men such as Daryl and Jim as pigeons. It meant that they could be easily taken for all they had with very little effort.
At to other overly-dramatic writing in the book, at one point she describes it as being pitch-dark, but then goes on to say the boy’s eyes filled with fear and they looked at each other.
After writing this book the author says that she needed a change and began writing redemptive hope-filled fiction.
She acquired copies of her earlier works that have been out of print for years only remaining available via second-hand retailers and re-released them, removing offensive language.
The book reads more like fiction than a true-crime work, and that may be because of the time period in which it was written.
There are no winners in a story like this. Just many victims and a reminder that how we treat other people is important.
January 31, 2018
Last book of Karen Kingsbury I read and I am very happy to say it was damn good.
This is how I like my tc. We were taken on the course of a private detective who was hired to find 2 young boys who went for a week on Daytona Beach to never come back.Finished it this morning and have not yet had the time to google what happened next but I will.
This is a very well written true crime book. After reading this book I think it was a loss for us true crime raders when this author decided to stop writing true crime and began writing religious fictional romans.
4.5
This is how I like my tc. We were taken on the course of a private detective who was hired to find 2 young boys who went for a week on Daytona Beach to never come back.Finished it this morning and have not yet had the time to google what happened next but I will.
This is a very well written true crime book. After reading this book I think it was a loss for us true crime raders when this author decided to stop writing true crime and began writing religious fictional romans.
4.5
January 24, 2022
Firstly: This True Crime story is not for sensitive readers.
Second: This is true crime, so no happy ending.
The author did a great job with telling the story of the disappearance of two teenage boys, the affect on their families and the search to find out what happened.
Snake and Spider was one of the worst criminals out there and what they did and thinking it was ‘nothing’ was quite disturbing.
It was sad to see that some people took advance of a family’s desperate need to find their child.
Second: This is true crime, so no happy ending.
The author did a great job with telling the story of the disappearance of two teenage boys, the affect on their families and the search to find out what happened.
Snake and Spider was one of the worst criminals out there and what they did and thinking it was ‘nothing’ was quite disturbing.
It was sad to see that some people took advance of a family’s desperate need to find their child.
November 10, 2024
I bought this book as I found the case interesting however I couldn’t finish this book first of all it’s written in a very dry manner but my breaking point came with all the dramatization and the narrator changing her voice to make it more realistic.
Besides this is once again one of those tc books that places conversations between the involved and I don’t like that writing style as it’s made up.
@booksherlocked
Besides this is once again one of those tc books that places conversations between the involved and I don’t like that writing style as it’s made up.
@booksherlocked
April 18, 2021
Fascinating read, especially if you like true crime. Heartbreaking story though!!
June 30, 2024
This is a different story than most as the cops don’t even solve this case. A really good private detective does. Now this and some stuff in this story would never happen today(much less a PI solving a case).
However it tells me that I should never visit Daytona beach(unless some Floridians can say it has been cleaned up). But you have to feel for the families who spent their savings on finding out what happened.
This is a short book however it is a good one for a plane ride or a day trip. Highly recommend.
However it tells me that I should never visit Daytona beach(unless some Floridians can say it has been cleaned up). But you have to feel for the families who spent their savings on finding out what happened.
This is a short book however it is a good one for a plane ride or a day trip. Highly recommend.
October 21, 2014
Highly fictionalized (sometimes ridiculously so), but sincere and interesting.
January 17, 2017
Great book! Quick Read
December 15, 2024
First thing: this is a NOVEL, it is not non-fiction. It is, however, based on true events.
If you did not know it was a novel, you would realize it when the author (who is a more than a bit of a simpleton) describes events in "a cult". It is so ludicrous in an unrealistic way that you will laugh out loud, I promise you. It's even funnier because the author is herself in a cult, but because her cult is more mainstream in the US, she thinks those foreign religions are "cults". Just terrible education.
The book is for the most part interesting to very interesting to read, so overall Karen's writing skills are far from bad. She is, however, a judgementalist of the very backward kind you regularly come across among religious authors. The bloodthirsty greed for revenge you often notice in these types of authors who claim to be "Christian" is also just plain sad regardless of the heinous nature of the crime. It's also humorous that someone smoking a little weed must be a vile drug addict, lost in the world of narcotics, especially if he is so obscene to also have tattoos. LOL
That said, if you don't mind that the story is fictionalized and don't mind a bit of judgementalism, you will likely enjoy this book. At least, and THANK GOD, it doesn't have a lengthy boring trial towards the end, which is what a typical true-crime author does to fatten the narrative.
If you did not know it was a novel, you would realize it when the author (who is a more than a bit of a simpleton) describes events in "a cult". It is so ludicrous in an unrealistic way that you will laugh out loud, I promise you. It's even funnier because the author is herself in a cult, but because her cult is more mainstream in the US, she thinks those foreign religions are "cults". Just terrible education.
The book is for the most part interesting to very interesting to read, so overall Karen's writing skills are far from bad. She is, however, a judgementalist of the very backward kind you regularly come across among religious authors. The bloodthirsty greed for revenge you often notice in these types of authors who claim to be "Christian" is also just plain sad regardless of the heinous nature of the crime. It's also humorous that someone smoking a little weed must be a vile drug addict, lost in the world of narcotics, especially if he is so obscene to also have tattoos. LOL
That said, if you don't mind that the story is fictionalized and don't mind a bit of judgementalism, you will likely enjoy this book. At least, and THANK GOD, it doesn't have a lengthy boring trial towards the end, which is what a typical true-crime author does to fatten the narrative.
September 22, 2022
A compelling true story detailing the lives of two young friends, Daryl and Jim, whose first vacation away from home ends swiftly and tragically. The author succeeds in gaining our sympathies for the victims and their families and our revulsion for the hardened criminals, street names Snake and Spider, who lay in wait on sunny Daytona Beach, Florida, to prey on naive tourists, or “pigeons” as they called them. As the story unfolds, we learn how Snake and Spider, a part of Daytona Beach’s violent biker gang culture, set up a deadly trap, avoiding capture until a skilled and determined private investigator uncovers the clues to what happened and ultimately solves the case. We also learn how easily trusting young people can be lured into dangerous situations when in unfamiliar surroundings and without enough life experience to protect themselves. The author builds suspense and our interest by switching from the perspectives of victim and perpetrator and themes of good versus evil to the seemingly hopeless quest of the private investigator dedicated to finding the answers and achieving some form of justice. Well written and heart wrenching account of an actual crime and real people.
January 25, 2023
This is not my first book by Karen but it is my first True Crime Novel she has written.
Its interesting to see how she started out with these kind of books and then changed to what she is writing now.
Two Friends, Daryl and Jim, are taking a much needed vacation to Daytona Beach. Things take a turn when they don’t call/return home and the parents have no contact with them. After a few days of waiting, the families of the boys decide to take action.
They call the police departments and hire a private detective to investigate what is going on. We learn about the people that would become well known characters in the story and we follow the investigation from start to finish.
This was an interesting story but also heartbreaking to see what the families went through and although they wanted to see those boys come home, all they wanted were answers.
I’m excited to get into the other three True Crime books that Karen wrote.
4 stars
Its interesting to see how she started out with these kind of books and then changed to what she is writing now.
Two Friends, Daryl and Jim, are taking a much needed vacation to Daytona Beach. Things take a turn when they don’t call/return home and the parents have no contact with them. After a few days of waiting, the families of the boys decide to take action.
They call the police departments and hire a private detective to investigate what is going on. We learn about the people that would become well known characters in the story and we follow the investigation from start to finish.
This was an interesting story but also heartbreaking to see what the families went through and although they wanted to see those boys come home, all they wanted were answers.
I’m excited to get into the other three True Crime books that Karen wrote.
4 stars
December 23, 2022
Could have just been an article
Old case that was interesting, I didn't know about it. But the dialog was cheesy and actually irritating. It seemed amateurish. Eventually I ended up skimming the conversations and got the information. The description sounded far more detailed then the story and it was information one could get from a news article. Very sad story. It's hard to not live in fear of the monsters out there who prey on our children. I can't imagine the grief and pain the parents felt. It seems unspeakable. I do want to see where these two are now, if they're even still alive. Florida man, and Florida judges.... Man. I have a lot to say about both, but it wouldn't be appropriate in this forum.
Old case that was interesting, I didn't know about it. But the dialog was cheesy and actually irritating. It seemed amateurish. Eventually I ended up skimming the conversations and got the information. The description sounded far more detailed then the story and it was information one could get from a news article. Very sad story. It's hard to not live in fear of the monsters out there who prey on our children. I can't imagine the grief and pain the parents felt. It seems unspeakable. I do want to see where these two are now, if they're even still alive. Florida man, and Florida judges.... Man. I have a lot to say about both, but it wouldn't be appropriate in this forum.
July 8, 2024
I do not understand how Karen Kingsbury could have ever been considered a good true crime writer. This book told the incredibly sad story of the senseless deaths of two young men. Much of the book focused on the search for the killers. however, the book was written in 2023 while the murders occurred in 1978. Their murderers were convicted in 1980. I don’t understand why the author could not have shared any more information about the incarceration of the murderers or how the families of the boys were coping with their loss all these years later. Karen Kingsbury has switched to fiction, But I don’t think I have read any of those. At this point, I do not plan to read any more of our books.
March 2, 2025
I enjoy true crime stories mainly because I lover learning how the courtroom arguments turn out. This book was different. Karen Kingsbury is a talented artist and I have enjoyed her books. My 5 rating is due to her talent, not to the story. I will be haunted forever. Learning about the wonderful families who raised such solid young men and the absolutely horrific ways in which they were murdered. I will never forget what those parents went through. I will be forever haunted by the unbelievable torture, terror and agony those young men experienced before dying. I pray that they were received in the arms of Jesus and that what they experienced was wiped away. Finally, I kept hoping the parents would never know the details. I pray they were enveloped in God’s presence. SSG
October 14, 2022
This book is written like one of her uplifting, happy ending books, except, you know, it’s about murder. It’s strange. It does not read like a true crime book. There’s a lot of fluff, and the story could have been told in half the time.
It also has several continuity errors - at one point, it’s been 14 weeks since the boys disappeared, but several pages later, it’s only been six weeks ago. There’s another section where the PI describes what happens to the boys, then the next line is “but he didn’t know that yet”. Two lines later, it’s reading like he does know those details.
It also has several continuity errors - at one point, it’s been 14 weeks since the boys disappeared, but several pages later, it’s only been six weeks ago. There’s another section where the PI describes what happens to the boys, then the next line is “but he didn’t know that yet”. Two lines later, it’s reading like he does know those details.
February 26, 2026
The Snake and the Spider: Abduction and Murder in Daytona Beach by Karen Kingsbury
I really like the style of writing. Doesn't repeat the facts over and over like some true crime books do and we get personal touches about the family. I tend to keep my reviews short. Don't want to give anything away. But the way this one person kept asking for money. Taking advantage of these families. Horrible. And the courts don't always do right by these families. I'm going to read another book by the same author.
I really like the style of writing. Doesn't repeat the facts over and over like some true crime books do and we get personal touches about the family. I tend to keep my reviews short. Don't want to give anything away. But the way this one person kept asking for money. Taking advantage of these families. Horrible. And the courts don't always do right by these families. I'm going to read another book by the same author.
February 14, 2023
While originally buying this book to read for research purposes (I like to read a book written first before reading court records, articles, etc), it was a well written book. It kept me engaged and had me wanting to read it late into the night so I could see what happened next.
Would I read this book again? Highly likely. Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely. It follows the general line really close, but does seem to take some creative liberties.
Would I read this book again? Highly likely. Would I recommend this book to others? Absolutely. It follows the general line really close, but does seem to take some creative liberties.
September 5, 2023
I found a copy of "The Snake and the Spider", an oldie true crime book by Karen Kingsbury at the Carroll County Library at Carrollton, Miss. What a horror story, and a true one at that, the solving of crimes against two teenage men just arrived for a vacation at Daytona Beach, Florida. Hard to read and to suffer along with the families of those two youngsters. What evil lurks in the hearts of some men? Bob Brown knew.
October 29, 2023
Be Aware - This Isn't the Normal Kingsbury You're Used to Reading
This is one of Karen Kingsbury's first books as a writer and is a true story about two young men who set out for a fun trip and never made it home again. The story kept me reading to find out what happened to the boys after they disappeared. It is a true but not very pretty look at our society, which allows drugs and sinister people to prey on our children.
This is one of Karen Kingsbury's first books as a writer and is a true story about two young men who set out for a fun trip and never made it home again. The story kept me reading to find out what happened to the boys after they disappeared. It is a true but not very pretty look at our society, which allows drugs and sinister people to prey on our children.
October 22, 2024
What an intriguing true life experience this author gives in this book. This is the first book by this author I have read. In my opinion, she wrote this book in a loving way, but made clear what life is like out there and how there is good in the world, but evil is always looking around. I could not put this book down once I started and it’s nice to know there are people in this world who want justice for the evil in this world. Nice job Karen.
July 15, 2017
Great book
I lovemere books. These early books, the true crime. are very different. It's easy to see why Karen was intrigued by the stories and why she wanted a change shortly after. I am. So glad she did. I have read all her books except the best one which is waiting for me. Great writer no feel honored everyone's read one of her books. Read. it and enjoy it!!. God Bless.
I lovemere books. These early books, the true crime. are very different. It's easy to see why Karen was intrigued by the stories and why she wanted a change shortly after. I am. So glad she did. I have read all her books except the best one which is waiting for me. Great writer no feel honored everyone's read one of her books. Read. it and enjoy it!!. God Bless.
September 15, 2017
After reading this book I know to hold my son just a little closer. It's almost 40 years ago, and the world seems even more angry and dangerous!
It makes me wonder why we bring children into this world, when there is no chance to protect them. If we even can keep them 'safe' it means we teach them very harsh lessons about their fellow man.
It makes me wonder why we bring children into this world, when there is no chance to protect them. If we even can keep them 'safe' it means we teach them very harsh lessons about their fellow man.
November 27, 2019
Great murder mystery
Funny how we feel environment influences kids, but it all starts at home. Selfishness of oneself, having kids for the money one could use to buy cars and free time for themselves. Leaving their parents to raise them because they don't have time but they don't hold a job. Go figure why there is so much evil.
Funny how we feel environment influences kids, but it all starts at home. Selfishness of oneself, having kids for the money one could use to buy cars and free time for themselves. Leaving their parents to raise them because they don't have time but they don't hold a job. Go figure why there is so much evil.
October 24, 2020
Well Written Account of a Horrific Story
While the story of Snake and Spider was gruesome and difficult, Kingsbury did a great job detailing what it took to solve the crime and bring the guilty parties to “justice.” Unlike other Karen Kingsbury books, this story is not full of hope but brings the harsh realities of a broken world to light.
While the story of Snake and Spider was gruesome and difficult, Kingsbury did a great job detailing what it took to solve the crime and bring the guilty parties to “justice.” Unlike other Karen Kingsbury books, this story is not full of hope but brings the harsh realities of a broken world to light.
March 27, 2022
I think I have read all of this author’s crime books now. This one was a little different than most, and it made me angry that the private investigator that the families hired to find out what happened to their sons didn’t do any of the work, he hired another PI (which was fine) but then he didn’t give the other PI any credit for the work and he was the person who solved the whole case.
February 19, 2024
Two naive young men on a vacation to Daytona Beach are hustled and murdered by a couple of local bad bikers. Their parents are devastated when they don't return home and spend many thousands of dollars on a private investigator, who hires another P.I., who solves the case. Ultimately the bad guys are caught and punished, but reading about their callous crimes is eye-opening.
August 1, 2024
My three-star rating is more about the genre than the story. I've never read true crime before, and the story was heavy. I also expected more of a novel feel than how it was presented. I'm devastated for these families and do not lose sight of the fact that their story should be cherished, even though I don't prefer the writing style used to tell it.
I especially appreciated the author's notes regarding why she wrote books like this and why she changed. I've long loved Karen Kingsbury's redemptive stories and look forward to reading another one soon.
I especially appreciated the author's notes regarding why she wrote books like this and why she changed. I've long loved Karen Kingsbury's redemptive stories and look forward to reading another one soon.
February 24, 2025
wonderful as always
Just like the other Karen Kingsbury books that I have read, and believe me I’ve read many, this book was great. Now don’t get me wrong the story line was horrific, but the book gave us a glimpse into the lives of two beautiful families that lived a life of terror due to their loss!
Just like the other Karen Kingsbury books that I have read, and believe me I’ve read many, this book was great. Now don’t get me wrong the story line was horrific, but the book gave us a glimpse into the lives of two beautiful families that lived a life of terror due to their loss!
March 10, 2025
Come into my web said the Spider to the Snake
Riveting, intense and painful true account of two sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter over greed. The author takes you into a journey that causes you to relive the pain and suffering of two Christian families destroyed by the deaths of their children.
Riveting, intense and painful true account of two sacrificial lambs led to the slaughter over greed. The author takes you into a journey that causes you to relive the pain and suffering of two Christian families destroyed by the deaths of their children.
January 3, 2018
2.5 out of 5 stars. This is a truly disturbing account of the brutal, senseless murders of two Michigan teens who were vacationing in Florida. Being from Michigan, this story held my interest, but it wasn't the best of Kingbury's true crime books.
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