Customer Reviews

Erased: Missing Women, Murdered Wives

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Erased combines the scholarly wisdom of The Mask of Sanity and the true-life horror of In Cold Blood. Marilee Strong has discovered--and understands--the most insidious and perhaps most evil form of spousal killing" is the judgment of the high profile forensic psychologist J. Reid Meloy from UC San Diego. That's part of what gives this book its power--combining both powerful case stories worthy of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, with insights and observations that put the vivid stories of homicide and deviousness in perspective. (The Mask of Sanity is a classic in the field, but out of print. The modern version is Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us.

Instead of just news stories which never seem to stop about missing women, murdered women, and the men who are "persons of interest" if not actually charged--Hans Reiser, Drew Peterson, Scott Peterson, Michael White, Rae Carruth, Robert Durst and dozens more--Marilee Strong gives us the hope that something can be known about men who murder their wives and do it with planning and utter coldness. Finally, the crime has been given a name, "eraser killing."

But it is really the author's compassion for the victims of these crimes that makes this book a landmark. Erased is not a book that pretends to be "objective" about the crime of killing women and Strong's passion and concern is what makes it a wonderful read for some (and, sadly, makes it a little uncomfortable for those few who are uneasy about extending compassion.)

There are many, many more victims of these killings than any statistic or long list of dead and missing women might indicate, as bad as that is. What Strong understands is that families, friends, whole communities are frozen and unable to experience grieving as a process because they are blocked from having the simple, terrible facts: Is my daughter/friend/relative/mom dead, or alive? Where is she? What exactly happened to her? Why did you do this?

Grieving and healing cannot happen, cannot begin when so many people are so cruelly tortured by being kept endlessly on edge, endlessly in "search" mode, jumping at every phone call, hoping against hope that the woman who is "missing" will finally move out of that purgatory.

This book itself provides hope, through the author's own compassion and understanding, and through a public statement that, yes, there is a problem, a dilemma that has an impact on us as a community. We have a responsibility especially when there are children involved--whether they are little children to whom the missing woman was a teacher (Laci Peterson), or to whom she was mother (many, many, many).

As someone who once stood in the quiet yard of the Peterson house in Modesto when Laci Rocha Peterson was "only" a missing, pregnant woman, I saw, and shed tears with the hundreds of people who came on their own, quietly, solemnly placing flowers, cards drawn by little children, crosses, candles, and poems. People had driven in old cars and farm trucks and they represented every corner of that diverse farming community. If we do care as a community, then there is hope in confronting a crime so dark that it has escaped being identified.

Marilee Strong has put a name on crime that has caused so many to shed tears, and feel the pain and loss of others. Now we know, at least, that the destructive, self-absorbed personalities who perpetrate these crimes can be understood and so can their astonishingly audacious methods.

If we understand that much, we can not only share compassion as a community, we can begin to figure out how best to counter and block these eraser killers.

This is a fascinating and compulsively readable look into the dark abyss of the psychology of a seemingly new breed of men--like Scott Peterson, Mark Hacking of Salt Lake City, and more than forty others who are not 'household names'--who cleverly and in cold blood plan and carry out a complex killing of their wives/partners in order to "erase" these women from the face of the earth.

Though many of the cases are drawn from the headlines, dozens of others are completely new. All are disturbing. Author Strong--a journalist who has won awards for writing about issues where psychology crosses over with social problems--argues convincingly that the media has fed us with sometimes endless headlines on only a very few of these cases but without digging into the real issue of motive. What makes these apparently normal men do this?

Strong draws on a wealth of research in forensic psychology--especially the study of psychopaths and some of the closely related "cousins" of psychopathy which make up what researchers have called the "dark triad" of negative personality traits--including Machiavellianism and clinical narcissism. While the book is not a textbook, Strong skillfully weaves in just as much psychological background as we need in order to understand this crime.

Many of us who have followed these crimes have had the nagging feeling that "there must be something going on here." Strong is the first person to provide an answer, a new psychological profile, a 'match' with forensic psychology, a consistent motive (hint: it isn't money and it isn't even 'the other woman.') It's the psychologically twisted nature of the crime--what these men are really trying to do--that inspired her to call it "eraser killing."

Strong makes the straightforward argument that since no one has bothered to look at these killings as a group, this insidious crime hasn't even had a name yet, and without a name, no serious discussion would ever happen. (I remember the time when 'identity theft' didn't have a name but it had happened to a friend of mine...it was incredibly frustrating.)

But beyond the name, Strong goes over the stories of famous and never-heard-of cases to "tease out" the creepy set of consistent personality traits these men have (for example, compulsive and 'guilt free' lying, need to control, often living a 'secret life', emotions seem 'flat', seem quite normal on the surface, secretly (or not so secretly) feel very threatened about having children, always more concerned about themselves even though they 'fake' interest in others to serve their own ends.)

Interestingly, Strong traces the crime back a century ago to what was apparently a major headline case in the early 1900's which involved a young man who killed his pregnant girlfriend and then staged a boating accident to cover it up. That case went into history when writer Theodore Dreiser used it as the core story for his American Tragedy novel.

The book is packed with these fascinating insights and cases involving women of every social background, every race, and every part of the country. (Contrary to what the media has sometimes snarkily said, this secretive form of wife killing is not just something that happens to "pretty young white women"--whatever that might mean).

I think that the first step in naming and identifying a crime is very challenging. I know from reading that it took quite a struggle for the people from the FBI Behavioral Science Unit to establish the whole idea of profiling, and to come up with a rough definition of a serial killer. Those killers had been around for centuries but never had a name and were never studied as a group until 30 years ago. (Even today no one knows how many people are killed by serial killers every year. It will be a long time before we know how many are killed by erasers.)

It is interesting, however, that several of the most renowned "graduates" of the FBI "profiler" unit--people who consult on criminal cases for the police across the country--have "discovered" Strong's book and endorsed the findings. These include people like Roy Hazelwood (one of the original 'old guard' at the FBI, and author of The Evil That Men Do), and Clint Van Zandt (crime analyst frequently on TV in these cases, originally an FBI profiler.) Since Ms. Strong does venture boldly into the waters of forensic psychology, I was pleased to see that even some of the "heavy weights" who are not household names are recommending her book--people like psychiatrist Dr. Michael Stone from Columbia, who has been studying criminal psychopaths for decades.

You don't have to have read the many individual case crime books in order to appreciate the magnitude of what Marilee Strong is proposing in this groundbreaking work--she summarizes many of the cases in short form, but uses other cases, especially Scott Peterson, as the ultimate case study to illustrate the "sane on the outside, but completely narcissistic and remorseless on the inside" psychology she argues is at the core of all of these cases. Why do they do it? Are they any warning signs? Why don't they just get a divorce? Can they ever prosecute someone whose committed this kind of crime if they never find the woman's body? If you've been obsessed with these kinds of questions the way I have, you'll absolutely love this book.

This book sizzles! I heard the author interviewed on our local NPR station and got the book. Now, I'm looking at all of these stories in the news differently.

A whole group--scores of wife killers--identified as one unique type. False face to the world, like Scott Peterson. Often living completely separate secret lives completely hidden from the wife, whose life is in danger when she finds out. Or, because she got pregnant by him, or just because she is a "disposable item" in his callous mind. Stunning! Roy Hazelwood, one of the original FBI profilers says "this is a very powerful book and Ms. Strong deserves high praise indeed."

Cliff van Zandt, another FBI profiler, says "Erased asks the eternal question concerning the murder of a loved one: Who could do such a thing and how could they do it. The answers are here and they need to be read and understood by all."

Marc Klaas, the well known victims rights advocate and father of little Polly Klaas believes the book "defines a new kind of crime and a chilling and very dangerous kind of criminal."

J. Reid Melloy, a well known and board certified forensic psychologist who has written seven books related to psychopathic crime, has compared Erased to Truman Capote's classic In Cold Blood. Melloy, who is author of The Psychopathic Mind: Origins, Dynamics, and Treatment believes that "Marilee Strong has discovered--and understands--the most insidious and perhaps most evil form of spousal killing."

In this case, I think the real experts are right!

This amazing book provides the key to half the murders of wives/girlfriends we see on TV. From Stacy P. and Lisa S. now missing in Illinois to other cases involving strange "drowning in bathtub," most of the answers are in this book. Why, why, why do these men do it? When you read Strong's chapter called "the dark triad" you'll get a crash course in forensic psychology...and also think of people you know who give little clues that they are not what they seem to be. I think that's the real point of this book. It's half 'true crime' and half the dark psychology of men who smile and laugh while they lie and coverup...men who stop at every red light and obey thee law, but then smother their wives to death with a pillow at bedtime and drive 30 miles to hide her dead body. They scariest thing? After doing that, they feel satisfied, feel happier, feel good about themselves as they suddenly feel more attractive to other women. Strong makes the case that being a widower, they're going to get more sympathy, and be more attractive to the next woman.

But then, she shows how dozens of these men dont' get caught or even suspected of a crime...until they kill the next wife years later. If you watch some of the cable shows, you'll know the names of a few of these crimes. But this book is like the first time the profilers named and explained "serial murder"...instead of random events. That's what is stunning here. That and the sheer number and variety of cases which have me saying "why have I never heard of this before? I thought the media covers this, but they really don't. Especially the cases that are never 'solved' even though the police know who did it.

I could not put this down. Then, the last chapter explains how old fashioned county coroners and ridiculous use of warrant requirements just to cover up a homicide scene (one clever guy hides his dead girlfriends decaying body in a trunk inside his house, the family is desparate to find her, but the victim's family has to pay private former FBI agents to find evidence and 18 agonizing months later they are able to get a warrant...the dead woman's body has actually mummified in that time.) Strong calls these things "loopholes for murder."

Get this one and read it, it is a total wake-up call!

This book really hit home for me and I stayed awake all night to the point of exhaustion to finish it. I came very close, twice, to being a missing or murdered wife. My ex-husband finally served some jail time after kidnapping and attempting to murder me but when we were married the police acted as though my being beaten by him was a "domestic disturbance" and they refused to file a report.

I finally understand why my ex-husband acted the way he did and how he was able to screw everyone who ever cared for him without remorse.

This book should be required reading for every cop around the world and for every prosecuter who wants a better understanding of the "charming sociopath".

I am really surprised by the review below that criticizes the prose in this book. I thought it of high quality and unobtrusive. Adjectives have not been eliminated from the language, and they were not inappropriately overused in this book. Curious.

Does the true crime genre really need a fifteenth book about the Scott and Laci Peterson case? One could reasonably conclude that the question answers itself. Then I read Erased.

Unlike the fourteen titles that preceded it -- including books by the jurors, the journalists, Laci's mother, Scott's sister and lover -- the latest title to delve into the most widely publicized U.S. case since OJ's acquittal stands alone. Erased: Missing Women, Murdered Wives [Amazon; B&N] by Marilee Strong (with Mark Powelson) is very well informed by history and psychology. The lead author has delved to the nth degree into the criminal history of the United States, and the result is a unique study of a certain type of uxorcide. I couldn't skim or skip a page of this book, which marries, if you will, two of my favorite subgenres: spousal murder stories and criminal psychology.

In developing a profile of what she terms "eraser" killers, the author recounts many cases that have remarkable parallels to the Peterson case, highlighting dozens already familiar to some of us: Chester Gillette, Carlyle Harris, Reverend Richeson, Robert Blake, Mark Hacking, Bartin Corbin, Michael Peterson, Father Hans Schmidt, and numerous other more obscure murders. In developing her profile, she comes to some strong conclusions while offering a depth of research to support them. For example, she points to the fact that Scott Peterson reported his wife missing on Christmas Eve. I had assumed that he was a psychopath who gave himself a Christmas present. Author Strong points out a more mundane possibility: that a disappearance on a holiday would not result in a vigorous investigation by experienced detectives. Just as Theodore Dreiser "profiled" Chester Gillette and his brothers in crime in fictional terms, this author does so in the language of clinical psychology.

I approached this book skeptically, frowning at the flap copy, groaning at the press release ("missing women cases ... have come to dominate the national print and broadcast media since the highly publicized disappearance of Laci Peterson," it says, when it should say such cases have always dominated the media). I've also grown more skeptical of the work of profilers and agree with the general prohibition against admitting their testimony in court, while at the same time I think they are useful to the general public. And crime encyclopedias usually disappoint this reader with numerous errors. Not this time. Erased is cogent and compelling.

Very well written & detailed book, interesting insight on narcissistic & psychopathic personalities & the women they abuse. Gives you key points to look for in that type personality. Very detailed profiles on different individuals, especially Scott Peterson. Will read again.

Don't read it before you try to go to sleep...a horrifying revelation of the truth behind those psychopathic charmers who woo vulnerable women. For anyone who has been caught in a relationship based on lies and manipulation, and for those who see their loved ones going down this path, ERASED is a MUST READ...Relationship therapists...don't miss this book...

Strong has uncovered a significant new profile of sociopathic behavior. Even the old school FBI profilers have verified that this isn't a rehash or spurious, this is a serious piece of investigative work.

The profile described is one that has been often obscured by a cultural and personal part of the human condition, that of trust. We have a deep seated need to trust those we consider family, husbands and wives. But in some cases that trust is unfortunately betrayed, leading to tragedy. The small betrayals that are a precursor signature are often ignored due to an combination of emotional need and disbelief that somebody so close can be so alien. If you're on the fence, check out the NPR interview Strong had recently, I think that'll make it clearer than I can, and was a great show to boot.

Strong believes she has found a new category of killers. That is not to suggest that eraser killers, like serial killers, another category lately described, didn't exist previously. Just that she can now find a pattern and has labeled it.

Eraser killers are men who want women gone from their lives. Erased, vanished, no longer a bother. Frequently, these wives or girlfriends are pregnant. "Recent studies from several states...have found homicide to be the number one cause of death among pregnant women and that women continue to be at increased risk for being murdered for usp to a year after giving birth...A 2005 study...found homicide to be the second leading cause of ...dead...behind in pregnant and postpartum women, being motor vehicle accidents" (p 28).

Essentially, as in the famous case of Scott Peterson, these men created forced abortions.

The cases are fascinating. And certainly the utter callousness of the men astonishes. Edward Kakas was "obsessed over his appearance, waring $1,000 suits" (p 154) and pleased with his pretty wife until she insisted, without his agreement, on getting pregnant and having the baby. He started to refer to her as "'the fat wop'". (p 155). He could have divorced her. But that would have meant money for her and the child. So, instead, he killed her.

Interesting but scary.

What a great book. There is so much hate for women all around the world. Eraser killings, honor killings, dowry killings, female infanticide. But let a woman kill her husband, she ends up on death row. I was very disappointed to learn that many of these men got laughable sentences. 6 years to life. 1 year to life. Second degree murder. The author's analysis of Scott Peterson was enlightening. Other eraser killers could be Randy Roth (written about by Ann Rule) who pushed one of his wives off a cliff, had her cremated, and got away with it at the time. He later drowned another wife and tried to make it look accidental. There was also a case in the Bay Area of Joe Morrow who killed his wife when she wanted to leave him and buried her on some property he owned. He told police that he didn't know where she went. He later fled to another country but was finally extradited and was convicted of Donna's murder (his wife). Ms. Strong's book has really opened up a topic that needs to be addressed by law enforcement. I loved this book.