I haven’t read a book in a month or so until this one: Unanswered Cries by Thomas French. Before this, I’d hit a new low when it came to reading. I have been reading—but it’s been mostly scrapbooking magazines with the occasional graphic novel thrown in. Then I saw an episode of American Justice and decided to try a book about the case. Thank you, Paperback Swap.

On a warm Florida evening, Karen Gregory saw a familiar face at her door. What the beautiful young woman could not know was that she was staring into the eyes of her killer—a savage monster who would rape her, stab her to death, and leave her battered body on the floor outside the bedroom.

Detectives frantically sifting through the evidence were tormented by one disturbing question after another: what did the strangely worded note from a friend mean? Why was the house so orderly, when it had been the scene of a frenzied struggle? Why were the bloody footprints on the carpet barefoot? What happened to the white lace teddy missing from Karen’s drawer?

Police detective Larry Tosi stayed up nights watching the video of the grisly crime scene, looking for that one telltale clue that would lead him to Karen’s killer—until slowly, and with growing horror, he realized that the maniac he was hunting was someone he knew . . . someone he called a friend.

This book ended up being the perfect anecdote to my writing ennui. The case itself offers a number of intriguing twists—the initial challenge to pin down a suspect; then the growing suspicion of the primary investigator that the murderer was someone he knew.

But these elements simply add to an already strong read. French delves into the lives of everyone involved in the case: the victim’s family and loved ones, the investigators, the accused, the lawyers, and the jury. It’s rare to find a true-crime book where all of the people are so vividly and movingly portrayed. It is a devastating depiction of the results one act by one man can cause in the lives of so many.

I liked the episode of American Justice about this case. Obviously it was interesting enough to make me seek out the book. Unanswered Cries offers a fuller picture of the case, one well worth reading. I couldn’t put it down.

If there is anything negative to say, it’s this—I can’t find any other true-crime books by this author. Unanswered Cries: 4.5 out of 5.