Customer Reviews

Amy: My Search for Her Killer: Secrets & Suspects in the Unsolved Murder of Amy Mihaljevic

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Take a good look at the cover of this book, and you'll see why the name Amy Mihaljevic still resonates in the Cleveland area. For that matter, possibly anyone anywhere in the country will recognize her name and her picture as she smiles at you from the cover of this book.

It's entirely believable that the eleven-year-old James Renner fell in love with that photo when the ten-year-old Amy was abducted from a shopping plaza in Bay Village. The date was October 27, 1989, and for the young James, it was love at first sight when he saw her photo on the nightly news. He may no longer be in love with her, but neither can he get her out of his mind.

In this meticulously-crafted and engaging book--which is both memoir and true-crime--Renner begins with the events of that day and continues until this one. Always in the back of his mind was the idea that someday he would find Amy's abductor and killer, and bring that person to justice.

Coincidence rides along on his shoulders, too, through the years as he peels back layer after layer of rumor, untruths, secrecy from a multitude of law enforcement agencies and people who knew various members of the Mihaljevic family. He travels throughout Ohio, and even to Wisconsin, where Amy's ashes were buried with her mother. Through his own wide-eyed naïveté, he puts himself in precarious situations time and time again, but somehow emerges unscathed--physically.

The writing project began simply enough--as a short feature for a local weekly `alternative' newspaper, but his compulsion to find Amy's killer would not let him stop with such a brief bit of writing. Thankfully, his wife recognized the importance of getting the entire story--or at least as much as he could--although he did change papers and editors in the process.

Renner does not succeed in exposing the killer, although clues to that person's identity--as he unearthed them--are sprinkled through the pages. They're filtered, however, by the various law enforcement agencies, and the inevitable conspiracy theories that still, to this today, abound in this area. The case is still an open file in Bay Village. Someday, maybe . . .

The author begins the story of the abduction and murder of Amy Mihaljevic by telling us that as a child he had hoped to be the one who brought Amy back home to her family. When Amy is found murdered an adult James Renner embarks on what he hopes is the road to finding her killer. The problem is, there are alot of suspects and many twists and turns along the way. There is no easy answer at the end, just the good effort of a man who still hopes he can help Amy. Easy read and if you like true crime, you will enjoy this book.

I knew Amy very well......there wasn't a sweeter girl anywhere. Mr. Renner has done a wonderful job of examining in detail the most important aspects of this case. I pray that some good can finally come out of this tragedy and give some peace to her brother and father. I have read the book three times and keep finding something else of interest in it. .

I recognized James Renner's name when I saw it in the newspaper. I had known him from my college days at Kent State University. Working in the criminal justice system naturally has me interested in "true crime" stories. While I didn't grow up in the Cleveland area, many coworkers had told me how prominent this case was. I bought the book. Two days later, I had passed it on to a coworker who read it in two days, another who read it overnight, and another who took three days. It's THAT good. Even better...the four of us all came up with different conclusions as to which suspects we think did it. James meticulously goes through and discusses each and every individual he interviewed.

More importantly, I'm happy that James' book has stirred up so much publicity and it's quite likely that even more leads will come up because of this book.

Additionally, a portion of the proceeds of this book is being donated to a local organization (which I can't remember off the top of my head).

James has a natural talent for looking into the details, finding stones that were left unturned, and putting the pieces together. He first showed this professionally in his Calvin & Hobbes article in the Cleveland Scene, wherein he entered the alternative writing scene by searching for Bill Watterson and finding whatever he could about the reclusive comic strip author from others in Chagrin Falls, and he showed a lot of the same investigative talent in this book.

Renner's motives and methods have come under fire much more as of late in his blog and alternative paper writings, ever since he came across circumstantial evidence that he felt linked the case to retired Amherst teacher Dean Runkle. However, whether or not those criticisms are deserved, he presents an even-handed look at numerous other known suspects in this book (he was not yet aware of Mr. Runkle at the time of writing.) He moves smoothly from one suspect to the next, describing what he could find of their life stories, and using pseudonyms where appropriate (although, as those who have followed the case recently know, "Brad Harvey"'s true name was revealed recently; it was an open secret among Bay Villagers who had followed the case.) He did an impressive job of using all the limited resources he had as an outsider (I was actually impressed that he had as many as he did.) Additionally, he generally brings out the stories of friends and family respectfully and in detail.

The biggest faults with the book are some of the editing (there were a handful of typographical errors, and it is not State Route 224, but rather U.S. Route 224) and writing. He gave too much weight to some implausible scenarios (his speculation that Amy might in fact be alive is rather unlikely, to the point that I'd say it's more likely that Elvis or Tupac is alive, and yet he even put it as a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter.) I realize this is a criticism of many journalistic works, but he inserts himself and his profession into the book somewhat more than necessary. His journalistic mistakes, while acknowledged in the book, do affect the quality of the story somewhat.

I thought James Renner did a great job getting all the facts of the case out through his writing. I read this book, cover to cover, in less than 48 hours...that's how concise and compelling it was.

Each suspect that is mentioned makes you think, "Aha! He's the one that killed Amy!" Then another suspect appears and makes you think that this person is the one.

I hope and pray that someday the true killer is found. No questions, no doubting. Let this little girl rest in peace.

As someone who works in law enforcement in Northeast Ohio, I had been meaning to read James Renner's book since it came out, but never could find the time. Finally, about three weeks ago I picked it up at my local library. In October 1989, I was 11 years old, so right around James' age and a little older than Amy Mihaljevic. I lived on the east side of Cleveland, rather than the west side where Amy lived in Bay Village. I can't honestly say that I remember her disappearance at that time.

In regards to the book itself, I think James does an excellent job at keeping the reader engaged with his assortment of case facts, hypotheses, local rumors and personal interviews with those involved with the law enforcement investigation. I also appreciated his descriptions of rural Ohio, especially the Ashland County location where Amy's body was eventually located. I give Renner credit for not shying away from personally naming (with detailed info) individuals he believes are the main suspects in the disappearance and murder of Amy. Obviously, Bay Village police and the FBI still do not want to name specific suspects, as it's still considered an open case. The book does well in reminding people that there are evil individuals out there who will not think twice about scheming to abduct and harm kids in this world.

After doing further research into Amy's murder online, I saw Dean Runkle's name being mentioned often as a possible suspect. However, I did not see his name mentioned in the book itself, unless I totally missed it! Maybe the information regarding Runkle surfaced after Renner's book went to the printer.

When reading this book, I couldn't help but think about homicide investigations that I've assisted with in the state of Ohio. I wondered how Amy Mihaljevic's murder might've been investigated had it occurred in 2011, and how much more has been learned in terms of investigative processes, crime scene processing, forensics, etc. We may never know who was responsible for Amy's murder, but just maybe years down the road, someone will come forward with new information that will ultimately solve the case.

I finished this book in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. It supplies peoples names and a lot of specifics. One of the better books I've read in a long time.

I was 21 when Amy disappeared. Like everyone else in northern Ohio, I watched tv to keep track of any new information on her case. Then one day, she was found in a field just a few miles from where I grew up, in my own hometown, an area that I knew like the back of my hand. I remember bawling like a child as I watched the local news. My ex-wife complained that I should be crying about a child I didn't even know--one of the final straws on the way to divorce. I'm very grateful to Mr. Renner for keeping this case alive, and in the first few pages I wanted to like this guy. I have also been to Bangor, Maine, and visited some of the sites from Stephen King's "It." I also admit that I stayed up all night on a Saturday and read this book cover-to-cover. It is a compelling story that draws you in. It's all the more fascinating when you recognize/remember some of the characters in the book. However, the way the book was written and the way information was presented bothered me. I understand that "true crime" is often melodramatic, but Mr. Renner has a tendency to go overboard. For example, he states in the book that he is "from the country" and is familiar with farms/farmland. He is either making this up, or he has a completely different definition of these terms than I. In describing the area where Amy was found, Renner calls it "desolate" and states that it is a "half hour from the highway." WHAT?? US RT 224, an EXTREMELY busy highway, is less than 2 miles south. Apparently the word "highway" is meant to convey only I-71, which is about 1/2 an hour away, a distance that someone who is truly from "the country" doesn't think twice about. "Desolate" is just not the proper description. The area is a field where crops are grown. Drive outside the city, pretty much anywhere in the USA and you'll see alot of them. It becomes apparent that Mr. Renner has a very condescending attitude toward the unwashed masses who have not seen the wisdom of their "progressive" betters in the city, and it truly ruins the story. I also believe it may have slowed his investigation. At one point he is describing a visit to the Ashland County Coroner's office, where he was greeted somewhat less warmly than he expected to be. If he came into my office dripping with officious superiority, I'd have told him to stick it. This is not to say that there aren't self-important bureaucrats in Ashland County--oh, yes, they are there. But throughout the story, so many homes have peeling paint, "rural matrons" have raspy voices, etc., that eventually it seems to be page filler more than information that adds to the story.
There have always been rumors in Ashland County about Amy, and who might have been involved. Renner covers these individuals well, but again does his own investigation a disservice by focusing on the area's supposed remoteness almost as if it were Mars. Anyone with a simple sense of direction (all the roads in the area run parallel and perpendicular) or a rudimentary map could easily end up in that very spot--this is NOT an area that a person would have to know well to get around if they can draw a square. Again, I would commend Mr. Renner for keeping this story in the public eye. Unfortunately, the most telling comments from the book are from a conversation with a co-worker:
"Look at all those people," Kevin said to me. "It's our job to tell them what to care about, you know?"
"I always thought it was our job to protect them."
Kevin sighed. "They don't want us to protect them."
No, guys. Your job is simply to report the truth. We'll figure out what's important and protect ourselves.
Amy, may you rest in peace. God Bless You.

I found this book to be FULL of twisted tales and dead ends that only made you want to read more. The author does a GREAT job at inserting his own thoughts and comments to make the reader FEEL what it is he is experiencing in the search for Amy Mihaljevic. At times you find yourself as frustrated as the author was and in the end you wished it hadn't ended at all, for Amy, for the author and most of all for you the reader. A GREAT book.