Gripping and Heartbreaking, and sadly a True Story

books:


	• Vanished at Sea: The True Story of a Child TV Actor and Double Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library) Tina Dirmann St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2008 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Un-put-down-able!

I found this book very suspenseful and well written. I liked the way the chapters skipped around in time and in between characters. Others have commented that the book was rushed. I liked the fact that it was written before the trial, which I now look forward to following. I wonder with all the publicity how they could ever find an unbiased jury. But then again, who cares? Skylar should be eliminated as slowly and painfully as possible.

More than I knew.......

I live in southern California where the murders were committed and I followed it in the papers, but this book has more to it than I remember reading about. I won't go into the logistics of the crime since others have covered that very well, but I didn't know about the perpetrators' backgrounds, nor about other crimes, nor about a possible sex-change, etc. This is very well written and held my interest throughout. My only complaint is with the editing: There are several errors in dates..... I had to keep flipping back and forth to figure out the dates..... but that is a minor complaint with a book that was so well-written and fascinating in all it's detail. I read a lot of true crime, and most of the books published in the past few years (including Ann Rule's books, sadly) seem like elongated magazine articles and aren't worth the effort of the reader, let alone the cost of the paperback. This is one of the best of the past few years.

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Gripping and Heartbreaking, and sadly a True Story

This was a thriller and grabbed my attention immediately from page one. Couldn't put the book down. I was touched by the loving people in this book -- the victims and their families -- and was horrified by the actions of the criminals. The author gives some insight into each of the characters, which makes the story all the more tragic. If you are interested in reading true crime stories, this one was well written.

just to show off

why can't people just work hard for a living? Instead of stealing and murdering other people. I have worked hard since I was 14 years old,I may not have much but everything I have I worked for.Just goes to show how screwed up people are.

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The Love of Money is the Root of All Evil!!!

This horrific story about the murders of Tom and Jackie Hawks was truly difficult to comprehend. It is extremely difficult for me to relate to human beings who are too lazy to work but want to steal and kill in order to acquire wealth.

While the novel was well written, I truly wish I had read the reviews by others before I purchased the book and read it. While the wheels of justice seem to move quite slowly in some cases, I am baffled as to why Jennifer Deleon went to trial quickly and it seems as if Skylar Deleon and his partner in crime have yet to have a trial.

I was hugely disappointed when I reached the end of the book only to discover Skylar had not had his trial. Now I will have to keep searching the Internet for information on him in order to learn of his fate :-(

As a long time fan of Ann Rule, I can't help comparing other true crime writers to her. I don't recall Ann Rule ever writing a book until the killer had been to trial. In fact, that is usually a huge part of her novels,as she attends the trials herself. If Ms. Dirmann felt strongly about writing the book before Skylar Deleon went to trial, it would be a service to her readers if she would at least post on her web site what was happening with his trial, as other authors have done.

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reviews: page 1, 2

It was supposed to be blue skies and smooth sailing for Thomas and Jackie Hawks. A retired probation officer and a stay-at-home mom, they were looking forward to entering the next phase of their golden years. Their plan: To sell their home?a 55-foot, $435,000 yacht?and start a new life on land?and spend as much time with their grandchildren as possible. The Hawks were thrilled when a young man named Skylar Deleon wanted to buy the boat for himself, his wife, and their two kids. Little did Thomas and Jackie know that this unemployed, former childhood actor and dishonorably discharged Marine had another devious plan in mind: To lure the couple out to sea, force them to sign away their life savings, throw them overboard, and leave them

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