Early Graves [Hardcover]

Thomas H. Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1990

The story of the life and crimes of the youngest woman on Death Row describes how pregnant, teenaged Judy encouraged her husband, Alvin, to go on a killing spree that left two little girls dead. Reprint.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Novelist Cook ( Night Secrets ) here turns to nonfiction to tell of the murders of two teenage girls in the Alabama-Georgia border area in 1982 by 18-year-old Judith Neelley and her 29-year-old husband, Alvin. Both victims were kidnapped; at least one was tortured. Judith Neelley was reckoned a coldhearted sadist during her trial, though her defense attorney attempted to depict her as a battered child and wife. The strategy failed. The jury found her guilty and recommended a life sentence, overturned by the judge in favor of the death penalty. She is awaiting execution, the youngest woman to be condemned to death in this country; her spouse is serving two life terms. Strong writing, particularly in the portrait of the South's urban Tobacco Roads, enhances the book's grisly appeal. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Novelist Cook ( Streets of Fire , LJ 8/89, Sacrificial Ground, LJ 3/1/88) narrates the true-crime account of convicted killer Judith Neeley's exploits in the Alabama countryside, which included shooting and pushing 13-year-old Lisa Millican over a cliff after injecting her six times with Liquid Drano. Readers expecting both the keen sensitivity and the amazing detail with which Truman Capote imbued his In Cold Blood (to which the publisher compares Cook's account) will find this sadly lacking. However, this popular treatment of a sensational topic will have its own supporters among public library readers. Recommended where interest warrants.
- Christy Zlatos, Northeastern Univ. Libs., Boston
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Adult; 1St Edition edition (December 31, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525249184
• ISBN-13: 978-0525249184
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

THOMAS H. COOK was born in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1947. He has been nominated for the Edgar Award seven times in five different categories. He received the best novel Edgar for The Chatham School Affair, the Martin Beck Award, the Herodotus Prize for best historical short story, and the Barry for best novel for Red Leaves, and has been nominated for numerous other awards.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing Account of Horrific Crimes, August 25, 2004

By 

Sharon A. Hutchinson ""It is the time you... (Toms River, NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Early Graves (Onyx) (Paperback)

I make it a habit to carry a book along with me whenever I go anywhere that may entail a long wait. In this case, I quickly grabbed a copy of this book, which I had purchased from my local library for twenty cents. It came in handy as the brake repair on my car took 4 hours. I started reading this book and time flew by.

In my opinion, it grabs the attention from the first page. I liked the author's quick paragraph by paragraph review of the backgrounds of the killers. Then he launches the reader into the terrifying actions of this "Boney and Claude", as the killers later termed themselves. Some may feel his writing lacks depth, but if you are a true crime fan you will find his descriptive abilities help one to visualize, for instance, the huge canyon where the first victim was discovered. I could almost see the steep sides and enveloping darkness that marked the young victim's disposal site. One indeed sympathizes with the recruit who had to spend a night down in its depths with the body of the murdered teenager.

Since I don't want to give away too much of the story, suffice it to say that if you are in the mood for a chilling and easily readable account of two sociopathic individuals, pick up a copy of this book. It emphasizes the sad truth that there are truly heartless monsters in our midst, and no one is truly "safe" in today's world.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Suspected in 15 murders, August 6, 2004

By 

N. Stepro (new albany, IN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Early Graves (Onyx) (Paperback)

But you'd never know that from this book. Cook focuses is almost entirely on their murder of the 13 y/o with mention of the another as well as attempted abductions and attempted murder. I had no idea there were 15 suspected until I did a web search.

Until I learned of the 15 I really could not understand the death penalty focus, the anger of the prosecuter, the attitude of the Judge to change the jury recommend of life to death. I mean you can serially torture & murder people and eat them and not get death.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Things sure have changed since this book was published, April 2, 2003

By 

Mary Redmond "bloodless movie fan" (East Syracuse, New York United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Early Graves (Onyx) (Paperback)

I read this book because I saw a movie "Evidence of Blood" based on the Thomas H. Cook novel. I liked his writing style, so I read a few more of his books. Since Early Graves was published in 1990, Judith Neelly's death sentence was commuted after she was pardoned by the Alabama governor in the late 90s. I hope that means life in prison and not pardoned and released. These were two heinous crimes. This book is written very well, too bad I didn't read it sooner.