Whispers of Romance, Threats of Death [Paperback]

Carol Cook (Author), Ted Schwartz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

After Carol Cook was raped in her Dallas home, she had trouble trusting new people. Then she met Gilbert Escobedo, a respected member of the Christian community. He became her trusted business partner, and eventually her lover. But as Carol's feelings for him deepened, so did her suspicions that Gilbert had a secret life-and a dark side. He was not the hero he fashioned himself to be. In fact, he was the Ski Mask Rapist who had once counted Carol among his victims. And he wasn't through with her. Now it was up to Carol to bring to justice one of the most notorious criminals in the annals of Texas crime.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In November 1988, a stranger in a ski mask raped Carol Bryan in her home. New to Dallas and without a social network in place, Bryan turned to a friendly acquaintance, Gilbert Escobedo, for support. On the surface, Escobedo was a successful businessman and outwardly a Christian; what Carol Bryan didn't know was that Escobedo was also the serial rapist who had assaulted her and dozens of other area women. Bryan and Escobedo developed a friendship, a business partnership, even a short romance, despite her growing alarm at Escobedo's odd behavior and violent outbursts. As Bryan worked with Dallas police to unmask the Ski Mask Rapist, more and more clues pointed to Escobedo and finally led to several dramatic confrontations. Although Bryan (now Cook) coauthors her own incredible story here, the writing throughout lacks descriptive detail or strong style. But the book works as a plainspoken testimony of one woman's courageous struggle to overcome a violent assault; it also includes an appendix on resources for crime victims. James Klise
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425189570
• ISBN-13: 978-0425189573
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,905,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mostly concerned with the history of Dallas, November 7, 2004

By 

Linden Rae "Voracious Reader" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whispers of Romance, Threats of Death (Paperback)

While no reader could possibly doubt the strength and courage of Carol Cook, this book seemed to go into more detail about the history of the city of Dallas then about either Cook or the crimes. I was excited to read this because Cook herself had a hand in writing it and I thought it only served to show what an indomitable woman Cook is that she had the strength to write of her ordeal, but there is really very little about it at all in the entire book. My heart goes out to Cook and all of the other victims but this is the book to read if there's anything you ever wanted to know about the city of Dallas. Except of course the crimes and criminal who terrorized it for so long.

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh please, December 24, 2007

By 

Constance Bryceland "CB" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whispers of Romance, Threats of Death (Paperback)

I wanted to read this as I am interested in the way Dallas residents thinks of themselves as somehow special and a bit above others, especially the wealthy...but this book is just terrible. How many times does the author tell the reader how beautiful, blond, intelligent, slim and cultured she is? And could she possible refer to Dallas as the Big D less than a dozen times per page? I am sorry she was attacked, but she is not at all a sympathetic person in this book and her sheer lack of "getting it" when the police were telling her over and over that the rapist was her "dear" friend and sometimes lover was just too much...she insisted she suspected him yet continued to see him, meet with him, forgive him again and again for her suspicions? Come on! I applaud her for trying to help other victims but this book does not help her cause at all. She comes off as no less shallow than the material girls of "Big D" she claims to be so unlike...and when her apartment is later robbed, she mentioned her jewels and furs and her items of exquisite taste were taken...give me a break! Not much to sympathize with here...move on to the next book on the true crime shelf...

1.0 out of 5 stars zero stars, April 8, 2006

By 

Sammy Madison (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whispers of Romance, Threats of Death (Paperback)

The premise of this true-crime book is so interesting, I find it hard to believe what an unreadable book it turned out to be. The writing was very stiff. Carol came across as a vain and unsympathetic character. The reader only needs to be told one time what a successful, beautiful, talented, slender blonde she is. Reading over and over and over about her tasteful and expensive knick-nacks was also extremely tiresome. There was also way too much information on Dallas history. I can't help but compare this book (and its heroine) with the book "Citizen Jane", also about a woman who had to deal with being the victim of a horrible crime. Jane Alexander, the hero of "Citizen Jane" comes across as being a great person, an intelligent woman, and a real hero and fighter. Her book is really well written and engaging. Too bad she didn't help Carol Cook write this book.