Customer Reviews

Silent Scream

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I found this book difficult to read, simply because the editing is so bad. There are words added that shouldn't be added, typographical errors, and words that are incorrectly used throughout this book. The punctuation is abominable, which leaves one having to read back over sentences to make sure that one has understood the sentence correctly.

The author makes use of questions to the reader...ad infinitum. There are entire paragraphs that consist of one question after another pertaining to the previous paragraph. They quickly become tiresome, and distracting.

I wasn't impressed with the order in which these cases were presented, either. I'd rather read about the people involved during the course of the book, but this author added the personal details of the people about whom she wrote towards the end of the book, with very little information given about the victims and their lives prior to meeting Schaefer. Considering that this book was supposed to give voice to the 'silent screams' of the victims, I find it odd that the author didn't give them much attention in her work. It was mostly about the murderer, and his twisted thought process.

All in all, I found this book difficult to read, and would not recommend it, especially at the price at which it's now selling. I will not buy this author's work again.

I came upon Silent Scream after reading an excellent book by Roy Hazelwood which mentioned Gerard John Schaefer (along with Ted Bundy) giving "third-person accounts" of their crimes. Regardless of the 1 or 2 reviews mentioning the need for an editor, etc., I'm ashamed to say I paid more than $20 for this garbage. Beginning with Page 1 through Page 426 (Page 427 is blank, followed by 5 blank pages) there are enough typos, grammar and punctuation errors to flunk a third grader. Even the author's own reviews, which probably comprise the majority of the 5-star ratings, are amateurish and speak for themselves: "The Scream are No Longer Silent They Now Have a Voice and with that Voice comes Peach" ...Enough said.

The editing is so bad it makes the book hard to read. Type-os, paragraphs ending before the sentence is finished, using the word psychic instead of psychee, theres easily an error every 2 pages. The publisher shouldn't have even put their name on it and those responsible for this "finished" product should be fired. Also the book is long not because all the info but because the words cover a fraction of each page and theres huge gaps between paragraphs. On first glace when flipping through the book looks strange the way the words are placed. Some info is repetitive and bland.
The good features of the book is its the only book on schaefer and has lots of info about him. Theres pictures included but they're mingled throughout and hard to find. Its great the book was written for the sake of the many lives affected but such a poor presentation almost defeats the purpose! Not worth the money it costs.

As a sidenote, I have never posted a review on Amazon before. But I just couldn't resist this time. This is how terrible this book is.

As an avid reader of true crime and non-fiction, there's nothing worse than finding an interesting story and then discovering that the writing and editing turn what could've been an excellent read, into a bunch of unintelligible gibberish. This book takes the cake.

The author includes both a forward and preface that pretty much say the exact same thing. What's worse is that the author actually makes a point to explain that she "rarely" includes both in one book, but felt compelled to in this one because it was so disturbing or something of that nature. After skimming through this nonsense I finally got to the chapter and sighed with relief.

But the chapters were even worse! Following every factual tid-bit of information are several rhetorical questions posed by the author to the reader. For example: (Serial killer whatever his name is) went through (some type of childhood trauma). Could this have caused the (serial killer) to kill? Could this have warped his mind into the monster that he became? Could this incident...blah blah blah.... On and on and on and on...

And if that wasn't bad enough, in addition to the endless questions that leave you more confused about what's going on or what started her endless stream of consciousness in the first place, are the grammatical errors, typos, etc.

I'll have to take note of the publishing company and use caution before purchasing and reading another one of their books. It's a disgrace. It appears that it was almost published as a first draft.

Not only was this book badly written, but the author has no sense of plot or story telling skill. It reads like a trial transcript: he said..., she then said..., then the judge ordered... There is no overall structure or sense of story. However most annoying was the rhetorical questions asked ad nauseum throughout. Does the author not know any other plot device? This is the first book that I have considered to STOP reading, so that I can find a better book about the killer Shaefer and his horrible yet fascinating life. Don't waste time or money on this book.

Silent Scream by Yvonne Mason is a must read which skillfully chronicles the unmerciful ploys of serial killer Gerald Schaefer. He was deceptive, manipulative, vicious, and inhuman. He preyed on the innocent women who trusted him. These stories are told in their full and heartbreaking detail. Their voices are heard through the voice of Yvonne who used her incredible insight and skill to write this book. Their killer will never terrorize another soul. I believe it took great courage, empathy, and strength to write a book of this magnitude. Yvonne also talks about the people who assisted her in her research and includes their profiles in her book. I deeply respect her for her work and for adding her own personal thoughts at the end. Yvonne's book is a labor of love and of justice for these girls who endured horrific and indescribeable torment. May it help to give them peace.

Silent Scream takes you from the beginning to the end of serial killer Gerard Schaefer's horrendous killing spree and then through the myriad of complexities in the criminal justice system. I was literally glued to this book! This book is disturbing, but I still found that I couldn't put it down. But what's even more disturbing is that the serial killer was a police officer who used his badge and gun to terrorize, torture, and kill young women in Florida between 1966-1972.

Books that involve serial crime, either fiction or nonfiction, fascinate me. Yvonne Mason has expertly crafted this true crime story to unfold with a continued escalating pace. A real page-turner! She has captured the evil soul of Gerard Schaefer and has also given a voice to the many victims. The extensive research conducted for this book is absolutely top notch.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys true crime or crime fiction genres. I'm anxious to read more books by this author in the future.

-Jennifer Chase, author of thriller Compulsion

"I don't normally read True Crime. I like fiction because I know it's unreal. When I decided to read Silent Scream I didn't expect to like it and thought I might read a few pages and lay it down. That didn't happen. I couldn't put it down. As I read I felt as if I was a witness watching this evil man do the things he did to these young women. As I read through the trial I felt like one of those ready to convict him. As I listened to the comments by his wife, I could feel her pain and confusion. And as I finished the book, I wanted to read more. Yvonne Mason wrote this book as if she herself was a part of all of the happenings in this man's life. This is a must read book. It really opens your eyes to the evil that lurks in the real world."

If you'd like to have a grasp of the author's style, read the opening sentence.

Now you know that she lacks brevity and economy in writing.

400 pages later, you will be informed, but wanting an editor.

This is instructive, but not suitable for an educational environment.

It is lengthy, but not worthy of its girth and weight.

I commend the author for her prodigious creation.

May I recommend a bit of Strunk and White? That could easily be combined with a study of Ernie Pyle's writing.

An economy of words can be a blessing.

Silent Scream

Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: Lulu.com (September 28, 2008) Language: English
ISBN-10: 0557013895
ISBN-13: 978-0557013890
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
Paper Back
True Crime Documentary

By: Yvonne Mason

Yvonne Mason brings the evil mind of Gerard Schaefer to your finger tips. He is one of the most evil and cunning serial killers in Florida during the early 1970's. Each page will take you further into his mind. Yvonne Mason also releases the victims screams. Allowing you to hear them.
This is one book worth reading. If you are interested in serial killers or thrillers this is the book for you. Nothing is left unturned. Yvonne Mason has done her research and has done it well.
I find what I liked most was that the author did not lose sight of the victims but allowed them to tell their stories.

I rate this as a 10 star book. An exciting, thrilling and disturbing read. The moment you pick it up you will not want to put it down. After you are done reading it you will have trouble not thinking about it. Each page will turn its-self taking you from the childhood of Gerard Schaefer to his last days on earth.

Kudo's to Yvonne Mason

Lesa Trapp
The Odd Mind Magazine and Radio Show
www.Lesa Trapp.com