Customer Reviews

Careless Whispers

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Kenneth Franks, Jill Montgomery, and Raylene Rice were three ordinary teenagers who had the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and who paid for this mistake with their young lives.

Texas based true crime author Carlton Stowers weaves a sordid tale of mistaken identity, abuse, and sociopathology in this excellent tome about the tragic Lake Waco triple homicide in 1982, its investigation, and the shattered lives of the families of the three slain teenagers. I have read two other books written by Carlton Stowers, and I am amazed at the empathy he feels towards the victims of violent crime and their families; while not outwardly doing so, his stories are a constant reminder that a homicide leaves many victims other than the dead person.

"Careless Whispers" also serves as a reminder that heroes can come in unlikely packages. The hero of this case, if a story as dreadful as this can have a hero, is Waco policeman Truman Simons.

After a mere eight weeks, the investigation into these murders was shelved and effectively deemed unsolveable. But they weren't unsolveable, and if not for the dedication and persistence of Truman Simons, this crime would, in all likelihood, STILL be unavenged. Thankfully however, that is not the case.

A gripping, frightening and suspenseful book, this is a must read, and the pages within literally shriek "The horror! The horror!" And when you finish it, you'll feel like shrieking this phrase too.

I first read this book at least 10 years ago, if not longer. I was so entranced I couldn't put it down. I've read the book at least a 1/2 dozen times since then. Each time I read it I find something new, a twist, or a turn that I missed the time before, which adds new dimension to the story.

Some reviewers see this book as being Biased. Biased at who? The murderers? The men that planned and partook in the slaughter of three innocent children? All of the men who were present at the time of the murders, as well as in the planning of the murders, have confessed during the years since the murders.

The officer who spent all his waking time tracking down the killers of these kids should be commended. The author should also be commended. The book does what a good true crime book is supposed to do: it points out all the aspects of the crime are, and who the guilty party(ies) are.

This is a must have for any true crime library!

First, let me say that I'm not generally a fan of mysteries, nor do I actively search out stories of violence or crime. I don't even like to read the newspaper. But "Careless Whispers" is haunting. It draws you in and doesn't let go, even after you're done with the book. It's a terrifying story of real people with real feelings and motivations. It's a heartbreaking tale of mistaken identity, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It demonstrates just how vulnerable ordinary people really are.

Carlton Stowers has a gift for story-telling. He candidly writes about his subject with an entertaining flair. If you can find this book, read it.

As usual, Stowers writing style makes the pages in this book fly. Stowers, who has written multiple books on this subject, clearly thorougly researched this book. The cast of characterters is quite detailed. In fact, the specific details in this book may be even better than some of his others.

However, I prefered his other book, Open Secrets over this one. The one thing that I did not like about Careless Whispers were there were some twists that didn't go anywhere. While that may have been the intent of the author (to show the frustration of the police), it made reading parts of the book dull.

Nonetheless, the detailed description of the crime scene and autopsy are very impressive. Definitely a bit gruesome, but very compelling. The realism of the story is (as usual) enhanced by the pictures of the people affected by this crime.

Stowers does a great job of researching his books - background of his characters, attitudes and events that lead up to the crime, deep feelings of emotion and committments of the law enforcement personnel. In this one, you can just feel the pain of the Sheriff as he vows to bring the killer (s) to justice. Stowers pulls the reader into the deep, dark world of crime, drugs, alcohol, hatred and abuse = it's hard to put the book down. Perhaps harder is accepting the fact that the Waco murders actually did happen - Stowers makes it all read like a novel.

Kenneth Franks, Jill Montgomery and Raylene Rice had the misfortune of meeting up with David Spence and his his friends, brothers Gilbert and Tony Melendez in Koehne Park in Waco, Texas. In the park, the teenagers met with their brutal, untimely death at the hands of David Spence and his friends.

Truman Simons, a veteran police office, took the case personally and worked dilligently to obtain the proof needed to convict the three men who murdered these innocent teens.

The twists and turns of this book make it hard to put down. From the intial investigation to the prosecution of Jordanian born Muneer Deeb for his role in the deaths of the teens (and, yes, I do believe he was guilty but walked on techinicality), the book is full of details as you walk side by side with investigators as they seek justice.

The only disappointing aspect of this book is that little information was available regarding the third victim Raylene Rice. However, the author makes note that her family essentially decided to deal with the death of Raylene by distancing themselves from the other victims' families, investigators and prosecutors. At one point, Stowers even writes that Raylene, because of her families actions, almost became somewhat of an afterthought to the public.

This is an excellent book. One I'm sure that will keep you reading, with never a dull moment!

I have not read Carlton Stowers before, but I won't let that happen again.
He writes so well that I couldn't put the book down.. Normally, I enjoy a true crime story once in a while but not too often.. Mr Stowers writes so well that I plan to read all of his books.. Truman Capote captured my interest with "In Cold Blood" & now it is Carlton Stowers..I might go back to James Patterson in the future, but I'll read a lot of "Stowers" first.....

Waco, Texas is better known for another crime that would occur in early 1992. But a little over ten years earlier, a brutal triple murder stunned the community. While at times long-winded and repetitive, Carlton Stowers does a commendable job recounting the facts. Better editing would have circumvented these problems. On the other hand, getting the book's title from a song by the group Wham! seems to cheapen the product.

Some reviewers have noted disagreements with the trials/convictions in this case. Stowers only goes through the facts as they occurred. Stowers did not make the courts' decisions. As other reviews have noted, the author engages in hero worship directed toward lead detective Truman Simons. As long as you do not have a reason to diagree with the verdict, you will not find this objectionable. Few objections to the book exist beyond these.

David Spence was a disturbed individual based on the evidence portrayed in the book. Though the conviction was overturned, Muneer Deeb solicited Spence's services in the murder, as Deeb felt himself to be a scorned lover. Stowers follows each of the trials, which slows the pace of the book. While pace is sacrificed, the work is thorough.

Stowers is also humble in his interactions with the families of the victims. One never gets the sense that he is exploiting their tragedy. Even going into graphic details, readers will see him as an objective storyteller.

I checked this book out at the library, and when I learned a friend of mine (and co-worker) was one of the prosecutors in the book, I purchased it online. Also, the story was powerful and "close to home" since I was born in Waco and all my aunts and uncles still live there. I buy every book I can find written by Carlton Stowers. He is a great author and I get into his books. What happened to these three young people was tragic, and Mr. Stowers captured the pain of family members as well as the frustrations that Truman Simons felt by being sabotaged by the Waco Police Department. I came away angry at them for their petty behavior and cruel deception, and total lack of respect for the survivors by not putting forth their best efforts to resolve this crime. Had it not been for Truman Simons, this would have been an unsolved cold case. Kuddos to Truman!Careless Whispers (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

I am in the middle of reading this book, and I am so glad to get the full story. Stowers' account is fascinating and hard to put down. Growing up in Waco, I have heard bits and pieces about this story all of my life, but I never knew the whole story. Stowers' descriptions of the lives of these kids, their friends and families are hard to read sometimes. Stowers has made me really feel for them and what they endured. Particularly difficult is reading about the murder sites, Koehne Park where I used to eat lunch and take pictures of Lake Waco; Speegleville Park, where I used to watch the moon rise over the lake; places I frequented during my own high school years. Stowers is a great writer. This is a great account of a horrifying and very real tragedy. It has had, so far, a very marked effect on me and the memories of my high school years. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a true and truly terrifying crime story and especially to anyone who really wants to identify with the people involved.