Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors: Ann Rule's Crime Files

[K_Z]

Ann Rule's website:

http://authorannrule.com/

All of Ann's books have been New York Times' bestsellers, with Every Breath You Take and Last Dance, Last Chance, and the current Don't Look Behind You and In the Still of the Night all in the top list at the same time.

Eight of Ann's books have been made into TV movies, and five more are in the works. She won the coveted Peabody Award for her miniseries, Small Sacrifices, and has two Anthony Awards from Bouchercon, the mystery fans' organization. She has been nominated three times for Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America. She was also awarded the Washington State Governor's Award. Ann is active in support groups for victims of violent crimes and their families, in programs to help battered and abused women, and support groups for children caught in traumatic living situations.

Well, if history is any predictor, this book may also make the NY Times Bestseller list.

I hope so.

That would bring a lot of attention to both Max and Rebecca's deaths.

Added: I didn't realize Ann Rule was such a celebrated author till I saw this list of her awards and journalistic accomplishments. I'm even more pleased that she chose to write about Max and Rebecca's deaths. It would be easy for someone to dismiss her work because it is "direct to paperback." But I think this is actually marketing genius. She reaches the widest possible audience in the shortest publishing and production time with this approach. And that rapidly furthers the conversation in the public.

Both the Zahau family and Dina Shacknai are probably celebrating that, on behalf of their loved ones.

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

So Max is now 8, fell off a balcony, and Jonah is suddendly a billionaire?

That's doesn't bode well for this book being very factual, does it?

 

[K_Z]

So Max is now 8, fell off a balcony, and Jonah is suddendly a billionaire?

That's doesn't bode well for this book being very factual, does it?

An unfortunate typo as to Max's age-- but not apparently made by Ann Rule, but by a commentator.

And I have no idea what Jonah's current net worth is, so perhaps he is a billionaire. It seems he has an income that renders him fairly comfortable, and relatively financially secure. Some might even say he is very wealthy.

There have been a lot of errors about both of these cases in print, and in commentary, about the facts of the case. Like people who say Dina and/ or Nina "weren't" at the Spreckles Mansion the day of Rebecca's death. Or like a nonprofit being founded on a fabricated premise. Or that "only" Rebecca's DNA and footprints were at the scene of her death.

IMO, that is a comment designed to distract from the central theme of the thread, which is that Ann Rule has a new book coming out on November 27th, that is very likely set to bring renewed attention to Max and Rebecca's case.

But as to $$, well, Jonah probably wouldn't mind being classified as a billionaire, lol! No potential libel suit there! (lol!)

 

[coastal]

http://www.bookdepository.com/Fatal...e/9781451648287?b=-3&t=-20#Fulldescription-20

From your quote:

...there is an ineffective police investigation
Check.
...brother, Adam, a tugboat captain and *advertiser censored* aficionado
Check.
...There are Jonah's two ex-wives

Interesting thought!
Hmmmmm...

I'll read this book for sure! Here's hoping Anne can make some sense of some things that still don't make any sense to me!

 

[K_Z]

Ann Rule was successful in defending a defamation lawsuit regarding the Liysa Northon case on her book Heart Full of Lies. Writing about JS in particular may require that sort of expertise in how she crafts the new book. I'm sure she will be expert in telling the story appropriate to the facts to cover herself. Truth telling is easily defensible.

I'm glad you posted this, justice be served. And what an interesting civil case.

Convicted husband-killer Liysa Northon cannot sue true-crime author Ann Rule for defamation over the best-selling author's 2003 book "Heart Full of Lies," the 9th Circuit reaffirmed on Tuesday. Rule will also recoup $21,000 in attorney's fees.
The federal appeals court in Portland, Ore., said an earlier panel from the 9th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Northon's claims for defamation and false light invasion of privacy against Rule, whose book chronicles Northon's manslaughter conviction in the 2000 shooting death of her husband.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/01/18/33405.htm

 

[K_Z]

I think this is actually very interesting, too. Kind of supports my comments that any attention or publicity to these cases is good and positive. This demonstrates that Ann Rule is not just writing for "infotainment". Her work makes a difference.

That's why I think Dina and the Zahau family should embrace any opportunities to work with Ann Rule, or to make appearances with her.

In April 2012, "48 Hours Mystery" covered Rule's successful effort to help a mother prove her daughter's 1998 death was murder. The resulting book was In the Still of the Night.[6]

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Rule"]Ann Rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

An unfortunate typo as to Max's age-- but not apparently made by Ann Rule, but by a commentator.

And I have no idea what Jonah's current net worth is, so perhaps he is a billionaire. It seems he has an income that renders him fairly comfortable, and relatively financially secure. Some might even say he is very wealthy.

There have been a lot of errors about both of these cases in print, and in commentary, about the facts of the case. Like people who say Dina and/ or Nina "weren't" at the Spreckles Mansion the day of Rebecca's death. Or like a nonprofit being founded on a fabricated premise. Or that "only" Rebecca's DNA and footprints were at the scene of her death.

IMO, that is a comment designed to distract from the central theme of the thread, which is that Ann Rule has a new book coming out on November 27th, that is very likely set to bring renewed attention to Max and Rebecca's case.

But as to $$, well, Jonah probably wouldn't mind being classified as a billionaire, lol! No potential libel suit there! (lol!)

I find it very interesting that the misinformation put out by Rule is being defended as "a misfortunate type", yet any misinformation in articles about the Shacknais is "scrubbed and put out by PR to change the facts".

And the facts are that Dina was NOT at the mansion on that Tuesday, the ONLY DNA that was of levels high enough to read were Rebeccas and was more than sufficient to prove she killed herself, and Dina's nonprofit is a lovely way to honor Max and has already helped other mothers in blended families.

No matter how many times these lies are told, it doesn't make them true.

 

[Gilgamesh]

Someone is sweating bullets right now.

 

[Inparadise]

Someone is sweating bullets right now.

I would say that more than one person is sweating bullets right now.........and for different reasons.

 

[screecher]

I find it very interesting that the misinformation put out by Rule is being defended as "a misfortunate type", yet any misinformation in articles about the Shacknais is "scrubbed and put out by PR to change the facts".

And the facts are that Dina was NOT at the mansion on that Tuesday, the ONLY DNA that was of levels high enough to read were Rebeccas and was more than sufficient to prove she killed herself, and Dina's nonprofit is a lovely way to honor Max and has already helped other mothers in blended families.

No matter how many times these lies are told, it doesn't make them true.

BBM

I thought the mission of Maxie's house was to HELP the CHILDREN who are in 'blended families'? Not their mothers

 

[Inparadise]

BBM

I thought the mission of Maxie's house was to HELP the CHILDREN who are in 'blended families'? Not their mothers

Well, that is the supposed message, but in reality, that is not at all what it is about..........IMO.

 

[freespeech]

I find it very interesting that the misinformation put out by Rule is being defended as "a misfortunate type", yet any misinformation in articles about the Shacknais is "scrubbed and put out by PR to change the facts".

And the facts are that Dina was NOT at the mansion on that Tuesday, the ONLY DNA that was of levels high enough to read were Rebeccas and was more than sufficient to prove she killed herself, and Dina's nonprofit is a lovely way to honor Max and has already helped other mothers in blended families.

No matter how many times these lies are told, it doesn't make them true.

BBM

I still maintain that if this is the strongest "scientific" argument then sdso's suicide determination is drastically flawed. I believe that Rebecca's killer wore gloves. How did sdso rule out that possibility in this case?

 

[freespeech]

Someone is sweating bullets right now.

You seem to have inside knowledge. Do you? Who's sweating bullets right now? I would guess it would be the killer/s, no?

 

[MyBelle]

How on earth can it be impartial when it says, "She did not travel to Coronado or to Arizona, where Shacknai lives, to conduct her research, Rule said, but talked extensively with Zahau's loved ones, who believe she was killed. She also has a long-time friendship with Seattle attorney Anne Bremner, who is representing the Zahau family in their quest to reopen the investigation."


Ann will give only a one-sided story IMO, and not the truth about either death.

She didn't travel because she knew it would be a waste of her time, imo. Max's parents have not publicly disputed the suicide ruling. Many of the posters here believe it was suicide.

I think the Zahau's will be disappointed. All it sounds like to me is that Rice--as a favor to her pal the celebrity lawyer--is going to present why the Sheriff's dept believes it was suicide and that the Zahau's disagree. To those of us who have followed it, there will be nothing new.

JMO

 

[Betty P]

I do agree, she probably didn't come to Coronado because it would be a waste of her time. SDSO wouldn't have spoken with her or given her any information. They've locked down the case to anyone outside of the Shacknai and Romano families.

Ditto for any contact with the latter two families.

So, it only makes sense for Ann Rule to work with the sources of information and expertise that she has access to. Her approach in talking to other expert detectives and crime experts is a good one.

Taking the information she does have to them allows her to get a fresh, objective, third party perspective on the handling of the two cases. Her experts don't have an axe to grind, nor do they fear any negative repercussions from those parties connected to the cases. Based on experts she's consulted on previous cases, they're likely to be highly skilled in murder investigations, perhaps even moreso than anyone she could have spoken with in Coronado.

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

She didn't travel because she knew it would be a waste of her time, imo. Max's parents have not publicly disputed the suicide ruling. Many of the posters here believe it was suicide.

I think the Zahau's will be disappointed. All it sounds like to me is that Rice--as a favor to her pal the celebrity lawyer--is going to present why the Sheriff's dept believes it was suicide and that the Zahau's disagree. To those of us who have followed it, there will be nothing new.

JMO

I totally agree with you there. Sounds like all she has is the Zahaus and two "former" SDSO officers. Again, no one that actually knows the Shacknais, or no one that actually worked on the case. Just more rumor and innuendo in my opinion.

What do you want to bet that Anne Bremner will choose week the book comes out to announce the AG had turned the case down...for the 2nd time. Anne is very gifted at manipulating the media and will use it to get more publiciity for herself, IMO.

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

BBM

I thought the mission of Maxie's house was to HELP the CHILDREN who are in 'blended families'? Not their mothers

And just WHO do you think is going to use the service to help protect their children...MOMS. DADS. PARENTS.

Are you really suggesting that a 5 year old use Maxie's House web site to help them when they are in trouble with one of Daddy or Mommy's new partners?

And from the look of Maxie's House FB page, many people are already using the web site. So no matter how much some of you want to smear Dina Shacknai and Maxie's House, many, many people know how wrong you are about her purposes and Maxie's House's usefulness. IMO

 

[time]

I find it very interesting that the misinformation put out by Rule is being defended as "a misfortunate type", yet any misinformation in articles about the Shacknais is "scrubbed and put out by PR to change the facts".

And the facts are that Dina was NOT at the mansion on that Tuesday, the ONLY DNA that was of levels high enough to read were Rebeccas and was more than sufficient to prove she killed herself, and Dina's nonprofit is a lovely way to honor Max and has already helped other mothers in blended families.

No matter how many times these lies are told, it doesn't make them true.

It is NOT a fact that Dina was not at the mansion. She has no alibi, only her phone does. It IS a fact that a witness claims they saw her. Whether it was her or not, it's interesting given the description and Nina's description who confessed she was at the mansion late at night. Not only there, but turning the door knob, looking in windows, and going around back.

Also, I don't think we know if there is actually enough DNA to type via new methods do we?

Lack of enough DNA to type under Rebecca's fingernails or anywhere else does NOT prove she committed suicide. Oy Vey! :waitasec:

 

[Betty P]

What do you want to bet that Anne Bremner will choose week the book comes out to announce the AG had turned the case down...for the 2nd time. Anne is very gifted at manipulating the media and will use it to get more publiciity for herself, IMO.

Do you have some advance knowledge about the AG's decision?

 

[time]

And just WHO do you think is going to use the service to help protect their children...MOMS. DADS. PARENTS.

Are you really suggesting that a 5 year old use Maxie's House web site to help them when they are in trouble with one of Daddy or Mommy's new partners?

And from the look of Maxie's House FB page, many people are already using the web site. So no matter how much some of you want to smear Dina Shacknai and Maxie's House, many, many people know how wrong you are about her purposes and Maxie's House's usefulness. IMO

This was all discussed in another thread (maybe it is gone now), but the stated goals included a lot of intervention from third parties and more legal mess for blended families - that is not the way to go.