Deadly Innocence [Mass Market Paperback]

Scott Burnside (Author), Alan Cairns (Author)

Book Description

Series: New Comprehensive Biochemistry | Publication Date: November 1, 1995

Karla and Paul seemed like the picture-perfect newlyweds, but were really a pair of vicious killers who abducted, sexually tortured and murdered innocent schoolgirls, videotaping their evil acts in suburban Niagara Falls. Billed as the crime of the century in Canada, this case has received a great deal of media coverage on both sides of the border. Includes eight pages of photos.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 584 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Warner Books ed edition (November 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446601543
• ISBN-13: 978-0446601542
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #425,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent in Many Respects, November 29, 1999

By 

Gregg Hillier (Portland, Ore USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Deadly Innocence (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all three books on the Bernardo/Homolka case and by far "Deadly Innocence" is the best. Scott Cairns and Alan Burnside have presented the facts of this bizarre case with little of the psychological speculation of "why they did it" that tarnishes Nick Pron's "Lethal Marraige." And they have written this account in less of a tabloid sensaltionistic manner than Stephen William's "Invisible Darkness." Paul and Karla emerge here as twisted, self-absorbed losers whose miserable existence revolves around sex. Even after Karla left Paul, she could'nt wait to have more sex. Paul was naive enough to believe he would never get caught - a classic schizophrenic. And the Niagara and Toronto police emerge as even detached from reality as Paul. It is amazing that they caught him !

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, March 9, 2003

By 

"kat84848" (Boardman, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Innocence (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a good read for true crime lovers. The book flows especially well and in chronological order making it easy to follow. Some of the details are especially graphic. The details given in the rape of some of the girls seems a tad bit over-the-top and I was left questioning whether it was necessary for the reader to be privy to such information... especially since young girls, children really, were the victims. I felt for the parents that lost these young girls. This being said, the book is well-written and you will be easily lost and amazed that two people could be so evil.

My only real criticism of the book is that this author really lets Karla off the hook for her part in these horrific crimes. The author seems to subscibe to the notion that Karla was a victim. He describes the abusive relationship in great detail and the path that brought Karla into Paul's twisted life of rape, torture and eventually murder. The author obviously denotes Karla's involvment as a result of "battered woman" syndrome ... which was cinched when she participated in the rape of her teenage sister which ended in her death.

I, however, was not convinced. Reading this book left me feeling angry that Karla was not treated as the murder and rapist that she truly is. I felt that she used her good looks, coy attitude and sob story to evade the justice that she duly warranted. As a woman I was offended that she could violate her sister and other young girls... she had plenty of opportunity to stop this demon of a man.

Ironically, all of my girlfriends who read this book felt the same way. All of my male friends felt that she was a victim. I guess you will have to read the book to see what you think.

This book is recommended.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Bunch, April 16, 2001

By 

Arthur Scott (Smithtown, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Deadly Innocence (Mass Market Paperback)

Absolutely the best of the bunch with regards to the Schoolgirl murders. Alan Cairns and Scott Burnside cooperate to publish a fact filled, no holds barred, yet objective account of the murders and trial which held the Canadian nation in suspense much the way the OJ trial fascinated the crime reading public in the United States.

It does get quite intense and you will certainly find yourself cringing as you read accounts of the many ways Paul Bernardo abused and controlled Karla Homolka. Kudos also go out to the authors for getting input from many of the friends of the main players, getting actual verbatim accounts the way neither Lethal Marriage or Invisible Darkness manage to do.

For fans of True Crime, this book will keep you enthralled from page one to the finish. An absolute must read.