When I was at Barnes and Noble last Halloween I saw a collection of all three in one book on the $10 table and promptly bought it. Those things used to scare the crap out of me; I was impressed the elementary school library kept them.
I’ve read Kenneth Gross’s “The Alice Crimmons Case” and George Carpozi’s “Ordeal by Trial: The Alice Crimmons Case.” Alice Crimmons was a mother whose two children were murdered, and the police and judical system figured she did it because she was a no-good-slut who was separated from her husband and had open affairs with other men. There was no evidence against her, yet the prosecution provided “witnesses” who were willing to testify against her.
Ann Rule’s “Small Sacrifices” was a similar tale: Diane was a slut so she must have attempted to kill her children. It seems any mother who is sexually active is seen as being able to commit infanticide.
And Rule’s “The Stranger Beside Me,” which proved that the people you know are not the people you know. She actually got the contract to write the book before Ted Bundy was a suspect and arrested for his serial killings.
This true crime was the basis for Mary Higgins Clark’s “Where Are the Children?,” the book that launched her success as a author.
Hahahahahaha. I’m calling it that from now on.
In the same novel, though, it wasn’t the UBJI that got me but
the oldest son’s eye getting gouged out by the broken gearshift.
I was also thinking Fowles, but not this particular book (which I have not read). Instead, the book that made me want to throw it across the room was The Magus. Evidentally I am not the only one as I see it was nominated earlier in this thread.
Anyway, that was only my *first * reaction. I was coming off a really nerve-wracking relationship and breakup that was really bad for me emotionally. Someone with knowlege of many details of my relationship suggested I read The Magus. In the story, a guy is constantly manipulated. Without going into too much detail, a woman was part of the manipulation. This poor chump was like a puppet on a string and he was too stupid to wise up.
I hated what was happening to him. Hated the fact that he was being manipulated so mercilessly. This book made me angry.
But then I started to see why the book was recommended to me. I was that guy! It’s painful when a fool finally wakes up. But wake up I did and I came out much the better for it.
I’ve been reading this thread (good thread btw) and just wanted to say ever since a a couple people discussed Bradbury’s Mars story about a travelling family and the boy’s disembodied mind I keep thinking back to it. It still scares the hell out of me, and I didn’t even read the story. shiver
“It’s longer than you think, Dad! It’s longer than you think!”
Thanks! This is my longest thread ever. I think it’s been pretty interesting too.
The story about the boy with the disembodied mind is actually by Stephen King. It’s called “The Jaunt” and I believe it’s found in his collection Skeleton Crew. There’s a lot of other good stuff in that one too; I highly recommend it.
Oh, you’re right. The October one was Bradbury. I’ve read Martian Chronicles so I must have mixed them up that way.
IIRC, it’s, “It’s eternity in there!”