Worth More Dead: And Other True Cases
Read Worth More Dead: And Other True Cases Online
Authors: Ann Rule
Tags: #General, #Murder, #True Crime, #Social Science, #Health & Fitness, #Criminology, #Programming Languages, #Computers
New York Times
Bestsellers
GREEN RIVER, RUNNING RED
“[Rule] conveys the emotional truth of the Green River case.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Rule infuses her case study with a personally felt sense of urgency…she sketches the uniformly short, sad lives of the victims with poignancy. But her most riveting portrait is of Ridgway [the killer]….”
—People
“Perhaps Rule’s finest work to date…holds the reader in a firm grip.”
—Statesman Journal
“Rule gives full, heartbreaking emotional weight to what America’s most notorious serial killer truly wrought. A must for the author’s legions of fans.”
—Booklist
“A convincing portrait of a meticulous criminal mind.”
—The Washington Post
“Rule knows a good drama when she finds one…. A real-life soap opera…. [It will] keep readers turning pages.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Fascinating and strange…. The sheer weight of [Ann Rule’s] investigative technique places her at the forefront of true-crime writers.”
—Booklist
“Affecting, tense, and smart true-crime…. A case study of the classic American con man crossed with the more exotic strains of the sociopath.”
—Washington Post Book World
“Ann Rule has outdone herself….”
—The Orlando Sentinel
(FL)
“Absolutely riveting…. Rule excels at painting psychologically perceptive portraits.”
—Booklist
“Truly creepy…. This portrait of an evil prince needs no embellishment.”
—People
“[Rule] might have created her masterpiece.”
—The Plain Dealer
(Cleveland)
“Even crime buffs who followed the case closely [will] gain new insights.”
—The Orlando Sentinel
(FL)
“[Rule] tell[s] the sad story with authority, flair, and pace.”
—The Washington Post
“A must-read story of the ’90s American dream turned, tragically, to self-absorbed ashes.”
—People
“Impossible to put down…. A tour de force.”
—Kirkus Reviews
AND OTHER TRUE CASES
ANN RULE’S CRIME FILES: VOL. 9
“A haunting collection…about love and obsession turned deadly…. As compelling as a good novel.”
—Publishers Weekly
AND OTHER TRUE CASES
ANN RULE’S CRIME FILES: VOL. 8
“Spine-tingling…. Rule’s portrait of Dr. Anthony Pignataro, a diabolical cosmetic surgeon, could win a place in any insomniac’s heart.”
—Barnesandnoble.com
AND OTHER TRUE CASES
ANN RULE’S CRIME FILES: VOL. 7
“Fascinating, unsettling tales…. Among the very small group of top-notch true-crime writers, Rule just may be the best of the bunch.”
—Booklist
AND OTHER TRUE CASES
ANN RULE’S CRIME FILES: VOL. 6
“Gripping tales…. Fans of true crime know they can rely on Ann Rule to deliver the dead-level best.”
—The Hartford Courant
(CT)
Green River, Running Red
Heart Full of Lies
Every Breath You Take
…And Never Let Her Go
Bitter Harvest
Dead by Sunset
Everything She Ever Wanted
If You Really Loved Me
The Stranger Beside Me
Possession
Small Sacrifices
Ann Rule’s Crime Files:
Vol.10: Worth More Dead and Other True Cases
Vol. 9: Kiss Me, Kill Me and Other True Cases
Vol. 8: Last Dance, Last Chance and Other True Cases
Vol. 7: Empty Promises and Other True Cases
Vol. 6: A Rage to Kill and Other True Cases
Vol. 5: The End of the Dream and Other True Cases
Vol. 4: In the Name of Love and Other True Cases
Vol. 3: A Fever in the Heart and Other True Cases
Vol. 2: You Belong to Me and Other True Cases
Vol. 1: A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases
Without Pity: Ann Rule’s Most Dangerous Killers
The I-5 Killer
The Want-Ad Killer
Lust Killer
An
Original
Publication of POCKET BOOKS
 | POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 |
Copyright © 2005 by Ann Rule
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.
For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
eISBN-10: 1-4165-1639-5
eISBN-13: 978-1-4165-1639-2
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To my friends in the “Sporadic but Loyal Union Meeting Lunch and Gossip Club”: Gerry Hay, Shirley Jackson, Rosalie Foster, Donna Anders, and the late Ione Kniskern who is truly missed. These great women have survived and triumphed over many vicissitudes of life, all the while doing more manuscript reading and book buying than any friends I have!
There were dozens of people who led me through their personal memories of the circumstances and details involved in the five cases in this book. I was both impressed and grateful for their crystalline recall. There are some individuals who wish to remain anonymous because they are both private and modest people. Many thanks to you all, and thank you to the Internet, a miraculous tool for authors who must follow slender threads back into the past histories of victims, suspects, and investigators. I could never have imagined such a reSource might one day exist.
“Worth More Dead”: Hank Gruber, Joe Sanford, J.K., Ron L. Edwards, Greg Meakin, Doug Hudson, Myrle Carner, P.K., Doug Wright, Jim Harris, Lieutenant Lewis Olan, Chris Casad, Steve Sherman, Ginger Arnold and the Staff of the Kitsap County District Attorney’s Office, Rudy Sutlovich, Sue Paulson, Mike S.
“It’s Really Weird Looking at My Own Grave”: Kathy Casey, Stacy C., Chuck Wright, Bob LaMoria, Frank Chase, and Cheryl.
“Old Man’s Darling”: Captain Joseph Padilla, Detective Betty Smith, Kirk Mitchell, Sean Kelly, Howard Pankratz, George Merritt
(Denver Post)
Lisa Ryckman, Brian Crecente, Sarah Huntley
(Rocky Mountain News).
“All for Nothing”: Cindy Versdahl, Lee Yates, Lucas Fiorante, KOMO-TV’s
Northwest Afternoon,
Robert Shangle, Verne Shangle, David Martin, and Paul R. and Ellen Martin.
“A Desperate Housewife”: Denise and Gary Jannusche, Linda and John Gunderson, Patricia Eakes, John Henry Browne, and Antoinette Olsen.
With special thanks to Patty and Gary Guite of AAA Liquidating, Kevin Wagner, Matt Parker, and Jeremiah Hanna-Cruz.
There is no way I could turn out even one book without the team that stands behind me: Louise Burke, my editor Mitchell Ivers, Josh Martino, Felice Javit, Donna O’Neill, Victor Cataldo, and Steve Llano.
To my agents of so many years now that none of us wants to admit just how many: Joan and Joe Foley of The Foley Agency, and my theatrical agent, Ron Bernstein of International Creative Management.
Preface
Worth More Dead
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“It’s Really Weird Looking at My Own Grave”
Old Man’s Darling
Chatper 1
Chatper 2
All for Nothing
A Desperate Housewife
Photos