Customer Reviews

Without a Trace (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

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The book started off promising, as it started off right away with a description of the old man's body being found. However, after a few chapters, the book becomes repetitive and is more concerned with the feelings of Susan, and how she dealt with her childhood. Enough already! And not to spoil the ending for anyone, just let me say, it did not end well. The loose ends were not resolved, and in fact because Bobby was not tried yet in the last case, there is nothing to say. Is he guilty or not? I thought so, but by law we know nothing! What was the point of this book? To write a bunch of questions about a possible killer's motives? The book was prematurely written as Bobby is still awaiting trial in Texas. It seems that St. Martins Press merely wants to make money on a book that is not worth your time! Pass on this book. I am glad I only checked it out at the library as it is not worth paying a cent for.

I still can't believe that Robert Durst got away with murder twice on two separate occasions. I don't believe he killed Susan Berman anyway. I do believe he killed Morris Black and his first wife, Kathie McCormack Durst RN, who aspired to become a medical doctor herself. Their relationship was tense and violent at times. Of course, her disappearance occurred in the early 1980s. Nobody has found her remains. Nobody in Kathie's family believes Bobby's story that she took the train to New York City from Westchester. Bobby was quite strict with money and Kathie was growing more confident that she didn't need her husband anymore or his wealth and prominence. She was planning to open a clinic to help serve in the poor communities. Of course, nobody believes Bobby's story of her leaving him. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction. He was too possessive of his wife. Maybe he couldn't admit that the love was not there anymore. The author does explain Bobby's childhood and having to bury his mother who committed suicide at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in White Plains, New York. The Durst Organization is the one of the most powerful organizations in the country with connections and ties to the most powerful people in the country. The Durst family has equally suffered as well. Besides Mrs. Durst's suicide, she left behind four young children. Bobby had trouble in his personal and professional life. He had affairs and never knew what to do with himself. When he was caught up as a split personality in Texas and involved in the Morris Black murder, it came as so surprise that he sunk so low. Still he is free thanks to great attorneys. But the disappearance of his first wife is still going to plague despite his remarriage. His beloved friend, journalist, and author Susan Berman was also murdered on Benedict Canyon home in Los Angeles, CAlifornia. She was buried at Home of Peace alongside her gangster father, David "the Jew" Berman and her mother, Gladys who died either from suicide or forced to swallow barbituates and her Uncle Chickie. Susan's life comes alive in this book. Collins has a written decent account of the crimes which Durst may have been involved in. I doubt the Berman case because she was also involved in investigating the mafia world as well.

Although the trial had not taken place at the time the book was written - I thought the book had some amazing background.

I had read different pieces around but this put them all in one place in a book that was written well.