Customer Reviews

Twisted: The secret desires and bizarre double life of Dr. Richard Sharpe (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

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

 

 

Twisted is without doubt THE best true crime novel I have ever read. John Glatt's masterful telling of this riveting story made it a joy to read and I could not put it down. I would recommend Twisted to anyone who is a true crime devotee and Glatt paints a vivid picture of the cruel transvestite Dr. Richard Sharpe, who gunned down his loyal and devoted wife Karen in front of her family after nearly 30 years of marriage.
This book can hold its own next to anything Ann Rule has ever written.

I bought this book because I attended school with the subjects. Although the story is interesting, I found the author's writing skills sorely lacking.

I enjoy John Glatt's style of writing. He grabs the reader on the first page of his true crime stories and doesn't let go until the last word is read. That's the sign of a great writer.

Twisted is the tale of a millionaire doctor who is controlling, paranoid, abusive, and TWISTED. He is also into crossing dressing, drugs and alcohol, stalking, etc. All these characteristics lead him to murdering his wife after she leaves him and files for divorce.

The book moves at a rapid pace, leaving the reader anxious to find out what is going to happen next in this comlex account of spousal abuse and murder.

B O R I N G. From the beginning of the book, you know all the plot, what there is of one (not much, other than a killing), and the little incidental aspect of the husband's transvestite habits, which has nothing to do with the story, actually.

I am a true crime reader from way back, and feel I know the good ones from the pounded-out ones. This one lacks any spark, any suspense, and I am disappointed in the reviewers on this page who steared me to buy it. It has been damn hard just to finish.

Hi haven't read this book, I admit. In fact, I hadn't even heard of it in this case..it was just today that I read in the news that this doctor had hung himself, and then died, that i even knew about this... so I searched for what I could about the background online.

What this doctor did, regardless of how bad his relationship with his wife may have been, was of course terrible. Nobody has the right to take somebody else's life. What I don't get is why (as I think one other reviewer mentioned on here in passing)it is even mentioned about him being a crossdresser/transgender! Although someone is technically considered "transgender" for being outside of typical gender norms, including of course crossdressing, Dr. Sharpe sounded like he was on the other extreme of the spectrum....that of someone who either is, or at least believes themself to be a transsexual, according to what their brain is telling them. I mean, I freely express both genders and consider myself transgender, being a crossdresser myself, and have been likewise for as long as I can remember...but I sure as heck don't take hormone pills or anything like that! That is even more rare. I am definitely, DEFINITELY not excusing what he did, and I am definitely not a doctor or therapist..but it sounds like he had lived in denial for years about his self-identified gender identity and was maybe even jealous of his daughter and/or wife? Hard to say since I have not read the book, at least yet.

I suppose the point I am getting at is...if the doctor was gay or bisexual, would it be talked about as a major point like being a crossdresser is? Maybe...or maybe not...but in my eyes, I see sensationalism (or trying to be, anyway) at the expense of possible bigotry against people that think the way Dr. Sharpe did to dress like that sometimes and express himself. After all, he was feeling like he had to hide it all, by the sound of things, and likely because of society's ignorance and the risk his own wife might leave him? I of course do not condone him stealing things from his daughter or wife, though, and again, obviously no endorsement of killing anybody, regardless of the background of the person or relationship...and no woman, of course, should be abused!

The author who wrote this book had no idea what they were writing. I never thought I would believe that someone would attempt to change the story to make it better but this is one of them. You should be ashamed writing all these lies just to make it more "fascinating". This is a sad story that had a very bad ending. This should not have been written as a horror story. Get your information correct before writing anymore rubbish.

Of all the crimes that have been in the news lately,the author
chose to write about THIS ONE?? Well,maybe they will choose more wisely next time around.(Memo to reviewers:Please use SpellCheck.)

a great true crime read-- a definate warning to women who are abused

I would actually just like to know how the reviewer below considers this a "warning to women who are abused"?? A very curious comment.