Lying in Wait: Ann Rule's Crime Files: Vol.17 Mass Market Paperback – November 25, 2014

I am a true Ann Rule fan and have read every book Ann has published. I do not enjoy the case file books as well as Ann’s full length books but that is my personal choice. I am always amazed at what some people will do, to get their kicks and this book is no exceptionTHE 1st case the BABYSELLER: Three decades ago, Jackie Schut was considered one of the most prolific “baby sellers” in the country. She traveled all over the US, murdered women who had just had babies, and then stole their babies to sell on the black market with her husband Harold who was also a pedophile.Geneva Clemons thought her newborn son, James, was adorable. What mother doesn’t? It did not seem farfetched when a roving photographer in January 1980 told Geneva that James had been nominated for a national magazine’s Most Beautiful Baby contest. Jackie, shot photos of James, and then returned the next day and asked Clemons and the baby to accompany her to nearby Decatur to receive a savings bond prize.Geneva met Jackie the next day. Jackie responded by drawing a .38. In Geneva front yard She seized her baby and fired two deadly shots at Geneva. The murder was witnessed by Geneva’s daughters, ages 5 and 7, who wailed as the photographer’s car peeled away with their baby brother inside. Two hours later, James was found unharmed — abandoned on a country road.Five weeks later, a sailor’s wife named Cheryl Jones, 23, was approached in the Navy commissary in the Algiers section of New Orleans by a stout woman who said she was scouting babies for a magazine contest. Cheryl got in the car with Jackie and her husband Harold. They checked into a nice hotel in uptown Houston. The next morning, a maid found the young mother’s body. One wrist was slashed, and she had overdosed on barbiturates. She left a suicide note: “My life is ruined. I left my husband for another man and now I have nothing.” Her killers were gone — and so were baby Amanda.Jackie and Harold carried on hurting children until they were caught. Harold molested Jackies own children and they took children to sell them on in the black market for $2000. This was just the first story in Anne Rules case files out of 6The next 5 cases are shorter starting with a Robert Baker who killed his wife Kathie Hill with a hammer while she was sleeping so he could go off and marry another woman. This case is sad as it concerns the horrific murders of the happily married couple Rod Pedersen and his wife DeeDee by Joey Pedersen who was Rod’s son from a previous marriage and his girlfriend Holly Grigsby. DeeDee is the innocent wife who had no idea the husband she would marry had a secret passed life and a son who would destroy her life.The next case concerns the life and times of a serial rapist by the name of Michael Smith. He was eventually caught and given a lengthy prison sentence.The last case concerns the exploits of Arthur St. Peter who had a life history of armed robbery and other felonies and who eventually shot two married people.If you love Ann Rule like I do then you will enjoy reading this book. Just remember there are a lot of sick people out there who without Ann rule investigative journalism we would never know about.

I have read everything Ann Rule wrote up until the time of her passing. She was the best true crime writer I have ever come across. if you are into true crime anything written by Ann Rule will not disappoint.

Ann Rule is a veteran of the genre. I have read many of her books, some have been very good, others not so great, but with her latest offering, Lying in Wait: Ann Rule's Crime Files, Vol 17, I found the stories well written, and for some reason I kind of like Ann Rule more after reading it. In the early pages she says that if anyone that reads her books, learns to be more weary of their human counterparts, and become less of a possible victim, then she feels her job is well worth it. I really liked that she said that, for if there is one thing I have learned from reading True Crime from years and years, kind of a morbid fascination as to how far humans are able to go in their evil pursuits, is that I have become highly cautious in just about any occasion. The stories in the book, specially the first ones, are horrific in nature, and Mrs. Rule writing is clear, and easy to follow. Plenty of photographs add to the overall value of the book, and yes, some of the stories at the end are relatively short, and in no time one starts to read them and they are finished. I am convinced that there always is someone plotting evil acts, and that when it comes to these sort of criminals, the only solution is to be armed and ready to respond to any possible harm they may want to inflict. The time for the innocent victims that stopped to pick up shady characters on the side of the road, or befriended an absolute monster, or the many ways in which evil may cross paths with nice people, the time for the bad people to have the upper hand is hopefully coming to an end. It is better to be distrustful than trustful, specially with people one knows very little about. Ann Rule's latest book was read very fast. That happens when one has been reading books for decades, their speed to tell a good story and devour a book, can be something to consider but thankfully this particular book cost a modest price, so in the end it was a good bargain, and an even better read. 4 Stars.

I was hopeful that the previous reviewers were picky but they were absolutely on the money. What a complete disappointment this book was. Written in a rather childish manner with short sentences as if she had copied the text from other sources. The cases were mainly very old - 1970s cases with pseudonyms for the names. Why not just give us the true name of convicted criminals? Sorry Ann this book is well below what your readers expect.

Waiting for this book for around 2 months and really looking forward to it as I'm an avid Ann Rule reader. Unfortunately very disappointed, not up to her usual standard. Can't put my finger on why but it seemed rushed with very little background on the people featured. One story from 1975 is really out of date-an over 30 year old case, surely plenty of cases more modern.

As always Ann Rule never fails to deliver . She focuses on the human story behind the crime ,and does not in any way try to sensationalise the actual act itself . You will feel as you read , that you actually know the victim and their families ,thoughtfully written , as are all her works .

If you have never read any Ann Rule then you are missing out. Factual, but not gory and written in a story kind of format rather than just hard writing if that makes sense. I have read all of her books and wish she had written more before she passed away

Not my favourite read of Ann Rules but still a good book.