But I Trusted You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #14

As always Anne rules ... I never get tired of her writing style and method. I grew up on Anne Rule after reading the Stranger beside me in the 70s ... I was hooked. A fascination with 'why' when reading true crime, I love the way Anne delves into the history and psychology of not only her killers but their victims. You can never go wrong with one of Ms Rules' page turning reads.

Like many reviewers here, I have been an Ann Rule fan from the beginning. Early books like "Small Sacrifices" were archetypes of the true crime genre. But Rule's last several books--both individual monographs and those in the Crime Files series--show a significant decline in her work. In many of her recent books, the writing is extremely weak: it is hurried, full of non sequiturs and gaps in chronology, riddled with cliched diction, and as at least one customer reviewer notes, overblown and excessively melodramatic. This new Crime Files edition is the worst of the lot. Indeed, the writing is embarrassingly bad. Whatever happened to good old editing? It seems either Ann Rule eschews an editor or the editing has been incompetent--not good for her or for Simon and Schuster. The stories in this collection are tired: the long title story is not very interesting and the poor writing contributes to readers' boredom. At key junctures, important facts are left out, so we jump illogically to events without explanatory preparation for them, leaving us to say "What????" Sentences inside paragraphs jump around and are not cohesive. Narrative logic is missing. Most of the shorter pieces are too brief, provide no new information, leave out key explanations, and are too cold for interest. The most fascinating one, the story of the disappearance of the Cowden family, leaps from describing a suspect to assuming he committed the crime with virtually no connecting data or no explanation of what investigators concluded were the circumstances or the motive of the crime. Ann Rule needs to take time off, write more carefully and diligently, and insist on a good editor. Simon and Schuster needs to step up to support her and its own reputation. Her books sell on her name now, but if this shoddy writing continues, that will no longer happen.

But I Trusted You is the fourteenth volume in author Ann Rule's "Crime Files" series, where she takes a novel length case, makes it the main focus of the book and throws in several "smaller" type cases as well. As much as I have enjoyed Ms. Rule's previous efforts, But I Trusted You left me wanting and a bit disappointed.

Let's start with the feature length case, which concerns the murder of teacher Chuck Leonard by his estranged wife Teresa. I personally did not find anything noteworthy with this case, whether it be that the actual case was a "by the book" spousal homicide or too much was left on the editing room floor. I wish there had been more background on both Chuck and Teresa and would have been happier if this had been one of the "shorter" cases included, allowing room for another true crime case to be included in this volume. I also thought the title did not coordinate with the case, as Chuck and Teresa were already separated and initiating divorce at the time of Chuck's death and neither Chuck nor Teresa trusted the other.

The second case profiled "Death in Paradise" was a very interesting case but without a firm resolution. I felt as though the story was just skimmed on the surface and the ending left me feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps this would have been a better "featured" case, but with more information on all parties concerned. The title of this book, however, did fit the alleged facts of this case.

The title also fits "Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth", the third case profiled. This case was very sad to read as the laws of the 1970s prevented the victim from obtaining the protection she was seeking. Any parent reading this story will have a feeling of dread putting yourself in the victim's shoes.

"Monohan's Last Date" deals with the most vicious and cold blooded killer in the book. I felt this case had more detail than any other highlighted in the book.

"Run as Fast as You Can" seemed out of place in But I Trusted You. The killer and victim had no prior relationship and no trust issues. Perhaps the victim felt safe due to location and time but, again, it seemed an odd choice given the theme of the book.

Both "The Deadly Voyeur" and "Dark Forest: Deep Danger" dealt with individuals who ultimately put their trust in the wrong people, with fatal results. I did not like the somewhat ambiguous ending of "Dark Forest: Deep Danger" though.

Ann Rule's earlier Crime Files were fantastic, well written slices of true crime. Finishing this book, I couldn't help but wonder if she was scraping the bottom of the barrel with these. Don't get me wrong - - Ann Rule has long been my favorite true crime writer and she remains so. Her book on the Diane Downs murder investigation and case, Small Sacrifices, is one of the best written and accounted true crime masterpieces out there, as well as her tale of the Ted Bundy case, The Stranger Beside Me. For that reason, I always have very high standards for her books and this one just didn't quite peak for me.

But I Trusted You is a decent enough book and will certainly do if you are looking for a true crime compellation but I expect more from my Queen of True Crime.

Previous reviewers have stated it: "But I Trusted You" is not among Ann's best. BITY includes 7 episodes of varying lengths, all predictably set in Washington or Oregon. The best offering is "Monahan's Last Date" about a guy looking for a little "action" who is undone (to put it mildly) by a sordid, lethal hustler. This reviewer thought that "Monahan" had the potential to be drawn out to a full length novel. Why didn't AR do just that? "Dark Forest: Deep Danger" concerns a family who simply vanishes (!) on a camping trip. And "Deadly Voyeur" tells the tale of a sick murderer who gets an absurdly lenient sentence for a double murder. The title story is much longer than the rest, yet not close to as interesting. "In the Still of the Night" is a preview of a forthcoming full length AR novel, which frankly did little to whet this reviewer's appetite for the forthcoming tale.

Those ever-present centerfold photos, which often give away stories, are weak here. At least two resolutions are divulged. But they also fail to personalize many of the characters and are of startlingly poor quality. Several are washed out, almost useless. The photo editor must have been on vacation the day BITY went to the printer. On the positive side, the back cover teases but reveals no secrets.

The final call here is 3 stars. Hardcore Ann fans should be happy but BITY is assuredly not for new Ann readers. They may never buy again. The uninitiated should start with the Ann classics-"The I5 Killer", "The Want Ad Killer" and "The Stranger Beside Me".

'But I Trusted You' is yet another example of true crime fodder churned out by Ann Rule in recent years. In it there are several accounts of Pacific Northwest coldblooded murder, some dating back to the 1970s, that fill the pages but really doesn't provide any sort detail on the characters. Suspense? Forget about it, ... none to be found. Yet the author continues to embellish trivial things like the weather, or how pretty a victim was, etc. Sometimes it feels if Ann Rule is merely trying to stuff in words to reach some minimum threshold demanded by the publisher.

In the Foreward of this book Ann Rule complains lightheartedly about her publisher imposing demanding deadlines on her. Obviously her publisher should ease off since 'But I Trusted You..' is amongst the worst written by Ann Rule. She has done much, much better.

Not recommended.

This book is FICTION. Ann Rule wrote the segment on Spellbound tragedy without consulting any of the Edwards family. The Edwards family is from a city near Seattle as is Ann Rule. Her account of what happened is extremely inaccurate. Gary has a brother, Larry who has written a first hand TRUE account of what happened. His writing is magnificent, but more importantly a factual memoir. It has been on the store since July and is already on best seller list. Dare I Call it Murder is a riveting account of the dynamics of the characters, his siblings, and the evolving traumatic fracture of the family. This book, BUT I TRUSTED YOU, caused further anguish and ripped an already tattered family even further apart. When you read Larry's account of what happened, you too will be disgusted with Ann Rule's having published this inaccurate trash and calling it TRUE CRIME. I highly recommend Larry Edward's personal memoir of what happened to his parents aboard the Spellbound.
 Dare I Call It Murder?: A Memoir of Violent Loss

Ann Rule never disappoints me, her cases always horrify and fascinate me. I think the best thing about her cases is they are ones not in the national spotlight, most happened many years ago and without her books we usually wouldn't be aware of them unless we were personally touched in some way by them. A few of the stories near the end were only touched on lightly. The very last one Dark Forest: Deep Danger should of been a whole book unto itself, very frightening and cries out to be explored on how a monster such as Dwain Lee Little could hoodwink the authorities and be allowed out of prison over and over to once again commit horrific crimes. My heart ached so badly after reading the story of what happened to the Cowden family.
This was a fast and easy read, I couldn't put it down. Now I am in "Rule" Withdrawal until she writes another one, which can't be too soon for me!

I enjoyed these series of true crime stories once again by the magnificent legend & queen of true crime - Ann Rule! The only drawback is some of these stories are so truly awful that it gets to you & by the end of reading all these horrific true crime stories that happen to innocent & good people, you have to take a break & move on to some reading material abit more pleasureable. Rule is a master at suspense & quite the page turner. I have read everything she has ever written & have loved them all. But, like I said, I can only read so much true crime at one time. The heartbreak & devastation that these innocent victims must suffer is abominable & downright unbearable at times. I feel for their families & the aftermath of life going on after their loved ones' lives were snuffed out for no reason other than to fulfill the evilness of psychopaths & people bent on revenge or greed.

Another Ann Rule book that leaves me spellbound! I've read a few of her books in the past but not all of them. Now I want to read them all! I left True Crime behind years ago, and now wonder why. It's a fascinating genre. Mostly I was reading celebrity biographies, and through that genre I got to a book titled "Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour" that Ann Rule recommended at her website. It's a book that fits celebrity and the true crime genre together, so I ordered it and Ann Rule's latest book together. I had to wait for "But I Trusted You" to come in. Then the holidays came and I put off reading it. I'm glad I did because this is a story that will linger with you for a long, long time. I'm not sure I will be able to sleep for months after reading these two heartwretching sad books, yet I wouldn't trade having read them for anything becasue it is enlightening to learn what can happen to anybody: famous or not.

In "But I Trusted You" it is the first story presented that keeps me awake at nights. I picture Chuck Leonard chasing Teresa, his ex-wife, out the door into the frigid dark night after she shot him. I picture his hand almost having grasped her ankle as he climbed the stairs behind her...

I am repulsed by Teresa's total arrogance and selfishness. Chuck was left to die in such an awful exposed manner, of which I will not spoil here. Ann, thank you for making me think, as always. Your vivid portrayals and straightforward writing will always rule.

As usual, this is another excellent account of true crime stories from the NorthWest area. I have read all volumnes of Ann Rule's crime stories. This book features the account of the demented wife who murdured her husband as a part of her plan to ditch her husband and travel to Hawaii to marry her other "rich" lover, but it backfired on her. And the most intriging story in the book is of the family who were murdered on Labor Day weekend in 1974 in Oregon. That crime happened on the very day I was born. And the story of the "Swinger" who happened to come in contact with the wrong person, and it cost him his life. I would say Mr. Monohan brought his murder upon himself. This book contains an excerpt from a book to be released in the near future. I look forward to reading it, and I look forward to all of Ms. Rule's future books. Ann Rule is my favorite True Crime author. She has inspired me to major in Criminal Justice in school. Thank you Ms. Rule!

I loved it! ? I love everything Ann Rule writes. She really let's the reader know who the person was that she writes about. They are more than a statistic to her. That's what I love about her writing. Their story needs to be told so we never forget them.

I anxiously awaited her books to come out over the years, each and every one since Small Sacrifices. After the last two books felt as if someone else had written them, I no longer bother. Too bad. She was a family favorite. Whether you're a true crime fan or not, her ability to develop the characters in her books and weave a family web is no longer evident.

The most interesting case in this book, the 14th in Ann Rule's Crime Files series, is the mystery of the Spellbound, but less than 40 pages are devoted to this case. It is, however, skillfully written and the somewhat complex turn of events are compelling.

Unfortunately, the leading case is the book is lacking in drama, and the writing is unusually careless for such a skilled writer. I have read all of the Crime Files, and I have no regret about having read this, but it is not among Ann Rule's best. I cannot rate it higher than 3 stars.

I think Ann Rules books should be required reading. Some critics are complaining .... that "Because I trusted you" are the same old stories .. murders .. rapes .. etc. When will it sink in that the Murderer's and Rapists are among us and we HAVE to pay attention ! I don't understand why some critics want new murders .. new rapes etc. Would that make it less horrifying? Actually that is MORE horrifying. I think every Crime File has a lesson in it for someone somewhere. Why don't the victims listen? Ann Rule does her best to teach and to tell us the whys and wherefores of such crimes. And yet here we are ... still being victimized, because we don't pay attention. Sometimes even when you are careful you can become a victim ... but at the least be on guard. I've read every Ann Rule book I can get my hands on .... none of that is time wasted. Thank you Ann.

I consider Ann Rule a national treasure. I have read her books for over 20 years. I admire the way she makes the victims in her narratives unique, loved, and unforgotten. That said, I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that the past two true crime case files have been rush-throughs. It's not that I don't care about the victims, it is the way the stories are put together.

Perhaps it is just me, but I prefer her stand-alone books, which are far more thoroughly researched and cohesive.

I know from her website that Ms. Rule is not too happy with the reviews here, but every good author must be willing to accept well-intentioned and honest criticism.

Everyone deserves a sabbatical to recharge . We ALL get burned-out from our jobs. Perhaps Ms. Rule should take some well-deserved time off. From everything I know about her, she is an incredibly hard worker.

Anne Rule has single-handedly ruined the whole true crime genre.
She's an author but not a writer. Writers are born not made -- and she isn't one.
Writing isn't something you learn on a writing course -- it comes from within, and it's either there or it isn't. It takes ability to inject drama and make the personalities leap off the page. With Rule this doesn't happen at all.
Years ago, she jumped into the business -- right-place-right-time kind of thing -- and ran with it. So far so good.
The problem is she merely documents and tabulates the events in a reporter's style without any flurry or drama or subjective angles. This might work when recording a traffic accident or bank robbery but her subject matter concerns full-length sagas of tragic and often devious events. Yet Ms. Rule merely moves the players (I can't call them characters) through her stories in a two-dimensional way that is I'm sure factually accurate but for Heaven's sake what she's trying to write about is real-life action that deserves far more artistry than obviously she possesses. Any drama in her books has to come entirely from the events themselves -- that's why they're being written about -- but nothing at all comes from any contribution by the author. Some, who don't understand literature, will say that that is enough, and of course these stories can stand on their own two feet as being worthy of our attention. But no thanks are due to Rule who while being an adequate researcher has no idea how to make these true-life people come to life. It's a shame that she must have dissuaded many more capable writers from creating better more lively accounts of these true-life dramas because of her being first to the publisher.
The number of positive reviews she receives shows that her reviewers just don't know any better. They don't realize that the accounts they seem to enjoy would make so much better reading if their creator knew how to express herself with real style, and get inside the heads of the participants who with her books remain flat and lifeless.
Anne Rule has been a disaster for the genre.

This is another great book from Ann Rule. I love her writing style because she makes you feel as if you really know the people she is writing about. Like the other reviewers, I was also intrigued by the story about the family that was killed in 1974. Glad that their story was told by someone as compassionate as Ann Rule because she really cares about the victims. It was great that she put the excerpt from her next book in the back. I can't wait!!

Ann Rule's latest collection of lurid true crimes, "But I Trusted You", seems to have been generated by an Ann Rule Machine. The title suggests a common theme, but only one or two of the cases even involve betrayal. The rest are her usual tabloid nice-lady-gets-raped-and-murdered, with her signature "Why Did This Happen?" every third paragraph. It's time for Ms. Rule to take a long break, or maybe accept a long-range challenge such as following a current case through to the end, instead of yet another volume of the same old stuff.