Surviving Murder: A True-Crime Memoir

Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Look at Murder from the Inside
Review: About half-way through this riveting read, Linda Principe says that "Murder makes you extraordinary in the most unexpected ways." This author's efforts to document the horrific tragedy experienced by her family proves this observation.

Principe's experience as both a published poet and professor of English is apparent through the sensitivity to details with which she documents how her warm and close extended Italian American family went from the everyday normality of family dinners, home improvements and banal chores that comprise daily living to the horrendous and turbulent storm of terror, anguish and self-preservation when a cousin murders and beheads his parents. She effectively captures the confusion, anger, fear and exhaustion as family members not only have to deal with a very public invasion of the innermost family structure, but the feelings of isolation when they have to deal with an agressively imperfect judicial system on top of their own continuing grief.

As the author of eight non-fiction books, including "The Dark Son" and "A Call For Justice" -- both about young killers -- I have witnessed the roller coaster of emotions these "insider" crimes inspire. I can only marvel at the author's strength as she delicately balances softer memories with harsh and hurtful realities. An act of murder forever divides a family's history into "Before" and "After" and Principe's stunning account will forever change your perception of what's really happening when you see another "media circus" surrounding a tragedy. An excellent read!

Rating:
Summary: An Extraordinary Look at Murder from the Inside
Review: About half-way through this riveting read, Linda Principe says that "Murder makes you extraordinary in the most unexpected ways." This author's efforts to document the horrific tragedy experienced by her family proves this observation.

Principe's experience as both a published poet and professor of English is apparent through the sensitivity to details with which she documents how her warm and close extended Italian American family went from the everyday normality of family dinners, home improvements and banal chores that comprise daily living to the horrendous and turbulent storm of terror, anguish and self-preservation when a cousin murders and beheads his parents. She effectively captures the confusion, anger, fear and exhaustion as family members not only have to deal with a very public invasion of the innermost family structure, but the feelings of isolation when they have to deal with an agressively imperfect judicial system on top of their own continuing grief.

As the author of eight non-fiction books, including "The Dark Son" and "A Call For Justice" -- both about young killers -- I have witnessed the roller coaster of emotions these "insider" crimes inspire. I can only marvel at the author's strength as she delicately balances softer memories with harsh and hurtful realities. An act of murder forever divides a family's history into "Before" and "After" and Principe's stunning account will forever change your perception of what's really happening when you see another "media circus" surrounding a tragedy. An excellent read!

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I've read alot of true crime books, but this is by far the most amazing one. The way it is written, the story itself is breathtaking. The minute you pick up this book, I promise you will not be alble to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: Linda Principe's Surviving Murder is a must read. The author's account and descriptions of her Italian American New York family instantly connected me to the family, and allows the reader to feel a genuine sense of shock as Linda describes the day her family received the grim news about Anthony and Ann Camerlengo. The author did her job well; her descriptions put the reader inside the courtroom, and inside the hearts of those closest to the case.

Rating:
Summary: Chilling
Review: Linda Principe's Surviving Murder is a must read. The author's account and descriptions of her Italian American New York family instantly connected me to the family, and allows the reader to feel a genuine sense of shock as Linda describes the day her family received the grim news about Anthony and Ann Camerlengo. The author did her job well; her descriptions put the reader inside the courtroom, and inside the hearts of those closest to the case.

Rating:
Summary: A Family Horrified
Review: Surviving Murder is a chilling tale about a family who is profoundly changed in the aftermath of a double homicide. Principe's skillful writing style captures each detail describing the gruesome scene of the crime to the grueling trial years later. Emotional and intense, the memoir pays tribute to family loyalty and survival.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: This is a beautifully written account of a family's quest for survival and justice. It is a book that needed to be written because it opens the readers' eyes to the injustice of our criminal "justice" system. I was appalled by the indignities this family suffered at the hands of the SYSTEM. Not only did they suffer the horrific loss of their family but were also forced to relive their tragedy year after year as the court system dragged its feet.