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Summary: Dead by Sunset
Review: All I can say is this book is absolutely riveting. I found it very hard to put down. This is also the first book that really made me mad. How can women be so stupid. These women should donate their brains to science.
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Summary: ANN RULE AT HER BEST
Review: ANN HAS DONE IT AGAIN...AFTER READING HER BOOKS I FEEL AS IF I KNEW THE PEOPLE INVOLVED...I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM PORTLAND WHERE I VISITED THE HOUSE CHERYL LIVED IN THE NIGHT OF HER MURDER, THE SPOT ON THE ROAD WHERE SHE WAS FOUND AND ON THE WAY BACK HOME I LOOKED UP HER GRAVE AND PUT FLOWERS ON IT...ANN HAS THE ABILITY TO GET INSIDE THE PEOPLE SHE WRITES ABOUT IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU FEEL YOU WERE IN THEIR LIFE TOO....IF YOU START THIS BOOK AND THEN PUT IT DOWN ..GO BACK TO TV...YOU DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY SKILLS FOR READING...ANN PLEASE DON'T EVER RETIRE...JUST REST THEN DO IT AGAIN..
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Summary: I HATE Brad - but I LOVE Ann!
Review: Ann Rule has written over 17 books, and she has this astonishing ability to write every one of them in such a way that the readers, no matter how far away from the locales where the events took place (after all, Australia is QUITE a ways from Portland, Oregon!) will feel that they are actually there, she writes in an understated way that enables the readers to feel compassion for all the principal characters in her books(including the criminals), and most importantly, she writes her stories in a sensitive fashion which is at the non exploitive end of the spectrum. Not all true crime authors write like this, and they should. Here, in describing Bradly Morris Cunningham, a handsome, charming, seemingly rich and sophisticated man who would be a prime catch for any woman, Ann is at her best again. For Brad Cunningham was none of those things except handsome and charming, for these 2 qualities enabled him to lure into his web of deception smart, professional women. Rich? No, he lost millions of dollars in shady business deals. Sophisticated? No, he was a boor. He was also a misogynistic, cruel, self centred sociopath who thought nothing of using and abusing everybody, be they male OR female, who had the supreme misfortune of coming into his orbit. Like a true sociopath, he gave nothing, but took and took and took, and when a sociopath is tired of someone or something, they will discard it, and they don't care if they have to commit murder to accomplish that. And that is exactly what Brad did to Cheryl. She gave him status, money, and 3 lovely sons, but when she could give him no more he murdered her and dumped the vehicle which contained her corpse onto a freeway, hoping that it would cause a major accident that would conceal the homicide. But like most sociopaths, Brad Cunningham screamed, ranted, and raved during his trial in 1994 which also served as his unmasking. And he was finally given the gift that he didn't want, but which Cheryl's survivors did, and that was the gift of justice.
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Summary: This book got my friends hooked on Ann Rule, too!
Review: Ann Rule mentions Truman Capote and Thomas Thompson among authors who have influenced her. She is right up there with those two in DEAD BY SUNSET. I have been encouraging friends and family to read her books and got comments like, "I'm not into detective stories". Those same disbelievers are now as enlightened as I. Ms. Rules" books are studies in human behavior, and Brad Cunningham is on the loose in every town and in every nightmare of a mothers" heart. My copy of DEAD BY SUNSET is being passed around so many times that I had to buy another to re-read it!
Rating: 
Summary: American Dream gone beserk
Review: Ann Rule portrays Bradley Cunningham as a man of humble origins who, in becoming self-made and prosperous, creates a charming persona behind which a criminally irresponsible, mendacious, and violent man resides. As Cunningham lives more and more by the lie of this persona, in his private life, especially with his girlfriends, wives, and children, he becomes incrementally more and more autocratic. Rule diligently chroncicles the descent of Bradley Cunningham into hell, a hell where fair is foul and foul is fair, and chroncles the lives of the women he seduces into his nightmare. The book climaxes when Cunningham is put on trial for murdering Cheryl Keeton, and we see that when as fine a vision as the American Dream goes beserk in the imagination of Bradley Cunningham, he won't be satisfied until he brings down American Justice along with it. It's a compelling and very disturbing true crime story.
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Summary: ANN RULE IS THE BEST!
Review: Ann Rule was WONDERFUL with this book! I could not put it down for one minute. Although, it would be great if we could have an update to the characters in your books, Ann. It is utterly amazing how Ann gets into the mind of these people and identifies with them. I only have one problem - she needs to write more books because I go through them faster than she can write them.
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Summary: The greatest true crime story of the decade!!!
Review: Ann Rule's "Dead by Sunset" is a scorching, larger thanlife true story of a pathalogical con man who destroyseverything in his path--including himself. Good looking, intelligent, charming, Brad Cunningham is a talkative shark who snares the hearts and souls of several future wives and eventually ruins them emotionally and spirturally. Suffering no remorse, Brad hops from wife to wife, bleeding them financially, and finally taking the life of one. This is Raymond Chandler meets the Twilight Zone. Rule's prose is superb. Read this book.
Rating:
Summary: A mind grabbing book that makes you think!
Review: Ann Rule's coverage of this story is out-standing!! My best friend is Cheryl's step sister and she suggested that I read this book. I couldn't believe that this monster grew up and went to school across the street from my grandmothers house. My own father remembers knowing this guy and it's truely shocking when you realize that this is someone who is somehow connected to you in a round about way. The book is so enticing! It makes you sad,angry,curious,terrified and so much more. I appreciate the people who would not let this man get away with what he did. Kudo's to our legal system and the men and women who fought for justice. Ann Rule is a wonderful Author who's books capture the truth and feeling in the stories that she writes about. Any book by her is worth reading over and over and over again.
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Summary: ..and if you think your man is no good, read this!
Review: Ann Rule, the American true crime diva, has published plenty of books over the past 20+ years. Unfortunately the quality of this material has varied, largely depending on the personal (emotional) interest she has on the subject matter. Fortunately in Dead by Sunset, a story about a handsome and charming monster named Brad Cunningham, the author is clearly caught up in all aspects of a horrific crime (a wife/mother/attorney is bashed to a pulp). She in fact dedicates the book to the victim and all abused women. Dead by Sunset's strengths are not in the unravelling of the crime (..we know early on who does it) or in the analysis of the criminal trials (..actually this is the weak part of the book). It is Ann Rule's in-depth analysis of the women who completely fall for an intelligent, sex-on-legs Romeo who really seems to hate women. Brad Cunningham is truly a vile person. But upon reading the book one has to wonder how is that several wives and mistresses could be fooled into loving him? Ann Rule never attempts at answering this question. Yet we certainly see the repurcussions of loving Mr Wrong. Bottom line: while the momentum sputters slightly towards the end, one has to be impressed with Ann Rule's attention to detail and writing talents. Strongly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: ..and if you think your man is no good, read this!
Review: Ann Rule, the American true crime diva, has published plenty of books over the past 20+ years. Unfortunately the quality of this material has varied, largely depending on the personal (emotional) interest she has on the subject matter. Fortunately in Dead by Sunset, a story about a handsome and charming monster named Brad Cunningham, the author is clearly caught up in all aspects of a horrific crime (a wife/mother/attorney is bashed to a pulp). She in fact dedicates the book to the victim and all abused women. Dead by Sunset's strengths are not in the unravelling of the crime (..we know early on who does it) or in the analysis of the criminal trials (..actually this is the weak part of the book). It is Ann Rule's in-depth analysis of the women who completely fall for an intelligent, sex-on-legs Romeo who really seems to hate women. Brad Cunningham is truly a vile person. But upon reading the book one has to wonder how is that several wives and mistresses could be fooled into loving him? Ann Rule never attempts at answering this question. Yet we certainly see the repurcussions of loving Mr Wrong. Bottom line: while the momentum sputters slightly towards the end, one has to be impressed with Ann Rule's attention to detail and writing talents. Strongly recommended.
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