Rating: 
Summary: B O R I N G
Review: Being a fan of true crime, I picked up this book thinking "this should be an interesting read" however, it was the exact opposite. The Author never really gave much depth to the characters.....maybe they just didn't have any depth. We never find out the reason for Kristen Rossum's raging drug abuse (although it was hinted that an injury ending her chances at becoming a ballerina did it). So what she comes off as, is a spoiled child (which is probably the real reason for her drug abuse)who marries a man, who helps her (for awhile), get off drugs -- which she repays by killing him -- so she could be with her married lover. Sounds like a soap opera....a bad one. If you really want to read a good true crime try "Dead and Buried", "Lethal Intent" or "Scream at the Sky"....definately interesting reads.
Rating:
Summary: B O R I N G
Review: Being a fan of true crime, I picked up this book thinking "this should be an interesting read" however, it was the exact opposite. The Author never really gave much depth to the characters.....maybe they just didn't have any depth. We never find out the reason for Kristen Rossum's raging drug abuse (although it was hinted that an injury ending her chances at becoming a ballerina did it). So what she comes off as, is a spoiled child (which is probably the real reason for her drug abuse)who marries a man, who helps her (for awhile), get off drugs -- which she repays by killing him -- so she could be with her married lover. Sounds like a soap opera....a bad one. If you really want to read a good true crime try "Dead and Buried", "Lethal Intent" or "Scream at the Sky"....definately interesting reads.
Rating: 
Summary: A little heavy on the sensationalism
Review: Being someone that is very familiar with the case, I found this book to stretch the truth a little bit and become over dramatic about some of the personality traits of Kristin. It did present quite a bit of the evidence on the prosecutions part, and played down the defenses case. I am not saying that she is innocent, only she knows that, but this book works very hard against her. It reminds me of reading a tabloid, the truthful parts are blended with some sensationalism to keep the readers interest.
Rating:
Summary: Felt Something Was Missing
Review: I don't know if it was the content, the writing, or Kristen Rossum's soul, but this book just didn't come across to me as very memorable. I saw the story on Dateline or some other show, and that's why I bought the book. I wanted to get the rest of the story, but there really wasn't much more there. I found the book overall to be unsatisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Felt Something Was Missing
Review: I don't know if it was the content, the writing, or Kristen Rossum's soul, but this book just didn't come across to me as very memorable. I saw the story on Dateline or some other show, and that's why I bought the book. I wanted to get the rest of the story, but there really wasn't much more there. I found the book overall to be unsatisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat interesting - but not a classic of the genre
Review: I feel a little bad about saying that I was disappointed in this book, in that it's a story of a real murder, in which a real person died under awful circumstances, and in judging the book on its literary merits it's hard to avoid seeming to trivialize Greg Villiers' death and the very real grief and anger of his family and friends.But nonetheless, it's fundamentally a fairly simple story that's padded out to nearly 300 often repetive and overly sensationalistic pages. It's called an "almost perfect crime" - in fact, at least to go by the book's narrative, Kristin Rossum made so many mistakes and lapses in judgement it's hard to believe that she wouldn't have eventually been found out. The police seem mostly competentent, but not engagingly brilliant. The callousness of the crime is indeed shocking, but ultimately it seems that you've just got a woman who was desperate and/or drug-addled enough to want her husband dead, and for whatever reason, cold-blooded enough to go through with it. And so it comes down to standard motive/means police work. Not that there's anything wrong with solving murders, I just hoped for a more psychologically interesting story. Maybe 100 years ago this would have made a good opera - but it's a disappointing book.
Rating: 
Summary: Glatt does it again
Review: I have always enjoyed John Glatt's true crime books. This is one of his best...a real "page-turner" about a gruesome case. Very well researched and written. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: This one's for you, Greg de Villers...may you rest in peace.
Review: If ever a book served as proof that drugs do terrible things to people--and potentially far worse to those innocent victims closest to them--then this is the one. It also serves as a vivid example of why you should "never judge a book by its cover." Physically beautiful though she may be, Kristin Rossum is exactly the opposite inside. Glatt paints a portrait of Kristin as a stunningly lovely, highly intelligent toxicologist, with a dark side that clearly takes over completely once she begins using drugs. We are led to believe that an injury suffered years earlier, which prevented her from pursuing her promising ballet career, was the impetus for her descent into drug abuse. Perhaps... Yet, as I read this book I got the uncomfortable feeling that the only real "excuse" for her actions is the fact that something is missing in her very soul. She reminds me of sociopathic Pam Smart, the murderess from NH who enticed students into doing her bidding by killing her husband (also named Gregg). Both "Gregs" were very good guys, yet both of their pretty wives appeared to have ice cold blood in their veins. In Rossum's case, drugs joined that ice water, setting the stage for a real tragedy. How terribly sad that Ms. Rossum would end up murdering Greg de Villers, the one man who truly cared enough to forgive her for past transgressions (of which there were many) and go above and beyond to save her. Depicted as heartbreakingly kind, extremely handsome, talented, and a rising young star in the business world, this was a young man who most women would have been only too proud to marry. His biggest "flaw" seemed to be giving someone like Kristin endless chances to redeem herself, much as she didn't deserve them. He did everything in his power to bring out her good side and help her leave her drug habit--and the shocking behavior that went along with the substance abuse. He offered her the wonderful gift of unconditional love--if only she had embraced it. Probably fully realizing she couldn't, though, I wish she had refused it and allowed him to move on to someone else--a young lady worthy of him and appreciative of his good character. Instead, Kristin reluctantly goes through with the marriage despite 2nd thoughts, thereby dooming Greg to a short and miserable life with her. As much as it is a mystery why she would even WANT to cheat on Greg, it is also a mystery to me why she picked Michael Robertson to do it with! In every possible way, he seemed far beneath Greg de Villers. Gambling her entire future to murder for THIS CAD defies belief. And sure enough, in the end he was not by her side in any way, but back home in Australia. Yet another mysterious aspect of the entire sequence of events is the behavior of Rossum's parents. I was frankly ashamed of Ralph and Constance Rossum. Understandably, no parent wants to think their own child is a murderer. However, even if they could not accept what I consider a foregone conclusion--that their daughter did commit this horrible deed--the least they could have done is show even a cursory display of sympathy for Greg's suffering family, and not tell outright lies about their dead son, simply to save their daughter's duplicitous neck. Instead, they engage in outrageous pettiness, like quibbling with Marie DeVillers about whether she had the "right" to use wedding photos Constance paid for. It's as if image and money are the "end all and be all" for these people--all they care about is twisting the truth to spare their daughter the prison fate she deserves, looking good to the public, and making money off the story. For such a "respectable" couple, I personally found their integrity sadly lacking. Meanwhile, single Mom Marie de Villers kept her dignity, and sons Bertrand and Jerome loyally defended their brother Greg's memory to the end. It was equally obvious that Greg's colleagues at Orbigen deeply cared for him. Their concern was touching, and a more fitting tribute to him than the insincere displays of grief from the Rossum's. It was nice to know that amidst all of the evil, there were still some heroes here. As painful as it is to read Glatt's well researched book and realize that the story is true, I am glad I read it, if only to be able to join Greg de Viller's family and friends in expressing deep regret for the loss of such an exemplary young man.
Rating:
Summary: This one's for you, Greg de Villers...may you rest in peace.
Review: If ever a book served as proof that drugs do terrible things to people--and potentially far worse to those innocent victims closest to them--then this is the one. It also serves as a vivid example of why you should "never judge a book by its cover." Physically beautiful though she may be, Kristin Rossum is exactly the opposite inside. Glatt paints a portrait of Kristin as a stunningly lovely, highly intelligent toxicologist, with a dark side that clearly takes over completely once she begins using drugs. We are led to believe that an injury suffered years earlier, which prevented her from pursuing her promising ballet career, was the impetus for her descent into drug abuse. Perhaps... Yet, as I read this book I got the uncomfortable feeling that the only real "excuse" for her actions is the fact that something is missing in her very soul. She reminds me of sociopathic Pam Smart, the murderess from NH who enticed students into doing her bidding by killing her husband (also named Gregg). Both "Gregs" were very good guys, yet both of their pretty wives appeared to have ice cold blood in their veins. In Rossum's case, drugs joined that ice water, setting the stage for a real tragedy. How terribly sad that Ms. Rossum would end up murdering Greg de Villers, the one man who truly cared enough to forgive her for past transgressions (of which there were many) and go above and beyond to save her. Depicted as heartbreakingly kind, extremely handsome, talented, and a rising young star in the business world, this was a young man who most women would have been only too proud to marry. His biggest "flaw" seemed to be giving someone like Kristin endless chances to redeem herself, much as she didn't deserve them. He did everything in his power to bring out her good side and help her leave her drug habit--and the shocking behavior that went along with the substance abuse. He offered her the wonderful gift of unconditional love--if only she had embraced it. Probably fully realizing she couldn't, though, I wish she had refused it and allowed him to move on to someone else--a young lady worthy of him and appreciative of his good character. Instead, Kristin reluctantly goes through with the marriage despite 2nd thoughts, thereby dooming Greg to a short and miserable life with her. As much as it is a mystery why she would even WANT to cheat on Greg, it is also a mystery to me why she picked Michael Robertson to do it with! In every possible way, he seemed far beneath Greg de Villers. Gambling her entire future to murder for THIS CAD defies belief. And sure enough, in the end he was not by her side in any way, but back home in Australia. Yet another mysterious aspect of the entire sequence of events is the behavior of Rossum's parents. I was frankly ashamed of Ralph and Constance Rossum. Understandably, no parent wants to think their own child is a murderer. However, even if they could not accept what I consider a foregone conclusion--that their daughter did commit this horrible deed--the least they could have done is show even a cursory display of sympathy for Greg's suffering family, and not tell outright lies about their dead son, simply to save their daughter's duplicitous neck. Instead, they engage in outrageous pettiness, like quibbling with Marie DeVillers about whether she had the "right" to use wedding photos Constance paid for. It's as if image and money are the "end all and be all" for these people--all they care about is twisting the truth to spare their daughter the prison fate she deserves, looking good to the public, and making money off the story. For such a "respectable" couple, I personally found their integrity sadly lacking. Meanwhile, single Mom Marie de Villers kept her dignity, and sons Bertrand and Jerome loyally defended their brother Greg's memory to the end. It was equally obvious that Greg's colleagues at Orbigen deeply cared for him. Their concern was touching, and a more fitting tribute to him than the insincere displays of grief from the Rossum's. It was nice to know that amidst all of the evil, there were still some heroes here. As painful as it is to read Glatt's well researched book and realize that the story is true, I am glad I read it, if only to be able to join Greg de Viller's family and friends in expressing deep regret for the loss of such an exemplary young man.
Rating:
Summary: Page-turner; couldn't put it down
Review: Kristin Rossum is a textbook sociopath and a spoiled brat of the worst kind. She sits there in her parents' multi-million dollar home and speaks badly of the homeless and the poor while she steals money from her boyfriend and later drugs from her job to support her meth habit. Incidentally, her parents had no problems with putting on the poor mouth and having a Public Defender take up the cause of their precious daughter when it came time for her to pay the piper! And Ralph and Constance Rossum - how pathetic - ultra-right wingers for whom everything was about appearances. They would have done Greg deVillers a huge favor by allowing their oh so wonderful daughter to pull out of the wedding when she expressed doubts. But, hey, what would the folks at the country club think? I can't believe that she would cheat on this handsome, caring young man with a serial adulterer who took off for Australia and left her to face the music alone. I didn't think much of Greg's father, Yves, either. Dr. deVillers walked out on his wife and three sons, stopped supporting them and refused to pay for his sons' schooling. Then he thinks he can just show up at his son's wedding as if nothing happened, as if he'd never abandoned his family. After Greg's murder, he acts as though he's Father Of the Decade - oh, so concerned! Where was he when his sons were growing up? I felt so badly for Marie, Greg's mother. The strain of her son's murder eventually helped kill her so Kristin Rossum is responsible for her death as well. I've enjoyed all of John Glatt's books and this was the best so far!
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