Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer [Hardcover]

George Rekers (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Susan Smith's murder of her two young sons has been swept off the front page by other equally horrific events, but the questions about the crime and the criminal still linger, mostly because it remains so hard to believe that a by-all-accounts loving mother would kill her own sons. Rekers is the clinical psychologist who served as the designated spokesperson for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where Smith had her mental evaluation. Drawing from both medical records that have been made public as well as court transcripts, Rekers attempts to create a psychological portrait of the mother as murderer. His use of a modified question-and-answer format ("What is different between a criminal mind and a mentally disturbed mind?" ) lends a certain clarity of focus, but the advantages are offset by repetitiveness. In addition, Rekers' writing style occasionally borders on the baroque ("The dark hues and complex shading of pure tragedy were cast over their union . . . piling stress upon stress on the tender, delicate bond of their togetherness" ). Despite the desperate need for an editor, the book does succeed in its basic goal of presenting Susan inside out, so to speak. Is the public still interested? A tough call--Smith's brand of grisly fame vanishes quickly--but publicity is still likely to engender a spate of requests. Ilene Cooper

Review

"It's hard to believe she was really thinking of killing herself . . . driving a car into water is 'a very atypical' suicide method." Charlotte [North Carolina] Observer.

"Smith had a 'retaliating-manipulating parent profile' that led her to pretend to be a victim to get attention from a man she wanted as a lover." The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC

". . . the public will be interested in his book because people still ask: 'Why in the world did she do this?' " The State, Columbia, SC. -- Publisher Comments

. . . the public will be interested in his book because people still ask: 'Why in the world did she do this?' -- The State, Columbia, SC

It's hard to believe she was really thinking of killing herself. -- Charlotte [North Carolina] Observer

Smith had a 'retaliating-manipulating parent profile' that led her to pretend to be a victim to get attention from a man she wanted as a lover. -- The Post & Courie, Charleston, SC

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 237 pages
• Publisher: Glenbridge Pub Ltd (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0944435386
• ISBN-13: 978-0944435380
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Preaching Christianity is the bottom line here., July 1, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer (Hardcover)

I became aware of Dr. Reker's conservative outlook by statements such as, sex before marriage is illegal in South Carolina, so Susan Smith was breaking the law. He also describes things subjectively, as in, "tawdry sexual exploits". As the book continues, he brings in religion more and more. The last 1/4 of the book is sheer preaching. It is a sermon. He talks about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins... I felt decieved by the fact that the title and cover of the book did not say that it is written with a Christian perspective. An apt title would be, "The Christian Interpretation of the Susan Smith Case." If that's what you want, buy the book. If not, look elsewhere.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A disgrace to the psychiatric profession AND to Christianity, July 15, 2004

By 

Michael Forrest Jones "midnightstarcafeandbooks" (Bethlehem PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer (Hardcover)

Dr. Rekers' one qualification to write about Susan Smith's mental state? He worked in the state hospital where she was examined, but had never examined her as a patient!

Certainly, this guy knows what he's talking about, right? Can't wait to hear what he has to say! Mmmmmm.... don't count on it. Everything about Susan in this book is either officially sanitized for public release, or scuttlebutt he picked up from another shrink. I'd love to see the look on his face once someone tells him the 'diagnosis' of 'narcissistic personality' was originally not that of a colleague, but that of a SLED agent bouncing theoretical questions off an emergency room nurse . . .

I expected Dr. Rekers as an author to use better sources than 'Sins of the Mother' and deliver factual information. I expected Dr. Rekers as a psychologist to give us information about someone that actually exists, rather than someone he's heard characterized secondhand. I expected Dr. Rekers as a Christian to treat his subject with some compassion and sensitivity as Jesus would no matter what she did, rather than be a judgmental so-and-so.

Three strikes. It's a letdown in every area. But it shouldn't be -- after all, this guy was the same expert who appeared live on a talk show shot in Union, before Susan's trial, to explain -- as prospective jurors listened -- how Susan was guilty and without excuse known to psychiatry, as only he could explain it.

If he'd checked his factual information at the beginning as thoroughly as he checked his scripture references at the end, he might have written something more accurate.

Maybe.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars this is more analysis and not the story, December 28, 2010

By 

pamv - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Susan Smith: Victim or Murderer (Hardcover)

I wanted to know the story of Susan Smith. I wanted to know what she was thinking when she killed her kids...I wanted to know what led up to the point where she pulled the break and let the car go into the lake. This book does not tell the story....It analyzes the questions that everyone has. I was so upset reading the book, but thought it had to get good at some point...nope, no such luck...all the way to the end of the book the author brings a question to the forthought and then explains why that might or might not be the reason....if i wanted analysis, i would be looking at research papers...never expected to see research papers joined together to make a book....