[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Red Dress" by G. L. Taylor.]
4 out of 4 stars
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by G. L. Taylor is a historical fiction based on a true crime story. On May 15, 1981, in the quiet, peaceful town of Waterford, Vermont, a horrendous crime was committed by unknown individuals. Two 12-year-old girls, Stacie and Wendy, are severely beaten, stabbed, shot, sexually assaulted, and left to die under old mattresses in Johnson Street Park. Officer Ben Fields is one of the first officers at the scene. He sees Wendy in what appears to be a red dress with an older man. After he gets closer to them, he realizes Wendy is naked and covered in blood. Wendy tells him where Stacie is. Stacie dies at the scene and emergency personnel transport Wendy to the hospital ICU unit in critical condition. Multiple law enforcement agencies work together to find the monster or monsters who committed these horrendous crimes. Will these monsters be caught and convicted of their crimes? Does Wendy survive her injuries? What makes someone this harmful to others?
There are multiple things I like about this book. Firstly, I like the author explaining the investigative process of solving a crime. With me not having a law enforcement background, this information helped me understand what and why the officers did what they did during the investigation. Secondly, I like and understand the Rule of Three that police officers heed. I have always held some superstition about full moons, waves of three, and talking about a slow workday in my own life. Thirdly, I like the author’s descriptions of the characters in the book. I could sense the officers’ anger, determination, and empathy towards the victims and their families. Fourthly, the author provides information on what factors contribute to someone becoming a killer. I will never understand why families can not tell a family member is a psychopath because some of these factors were out in the open. Finally, I like the summaries about John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and Jack the Ripper, who are well-known sociopaths and serial killers.
The only thing I disliked about this book was that I became very emotional while reading it. I felt anger, disgust, sadness, and grief. I made the mistake of starting the book before going to bed and found myself getting up in the middle of the night to continue reading. Those monsters had to be found and punished.
I believe the book has been edited by a professional editor because there were only four errors in the entire book. These minor errors did not distract from my reading. Overall, the author did a good job writing this book, and I gladly give the book
4 out of 4 stars.
I recommend this book to readers over 18 years of age who like crime stories or who know about this crime and are interested in learning more about it. I do not recommend this book to younger readers because there are some borderline profanity and exotic sexual content. Sensitive readers need to be aware that assault, rape, and murder are graphically described and may be offensive.