As soon as I saw the title, Incest, Murder and a Miracle, I was intrigued. As a true-crime enthusiast I was eager to find out Cheryl’s story. From the title I thought I knew what this book was going to be about – incest and a murder – but what I got from this book was so much more.
This is the shocking but true story about what really happened before, during and after the high-profile murder case of Cheryl Pierson in 1986 and what drove her to arrange a murder of her father. Rather than focusing on the details of the crime itself, this book is more about Cheryl’s childhood, the nightmare she endured and how she overcame it with her help of her soulmate and husband, Rob.
A large part of the book is also spent telling Rob’s story, about an event that happened much later: the ‘miracle’ part of the title. While it is truly a mind-blowing miracle that has to be read to be believed, this part of the book dragged out somewhat due to the amount of detail it goes into. It does however, demonstrate how a family can experience so much heartache but get through it with the strength of their love.
Cheryl and Rob both contributed to the writing of this book, alternating chapters and using vastly different language and writing styles. While this offers readers two different perspectives, essentially they are recounting the same events, becoming a little repetitive.
It is apparent that Cheryl needed to tell her story. A lot has been published about her because of her past and this was her opportunity to set the story straight. I hope it fulfils her wish to help other abuse victims and give them the courage to speak up.
Incest, Murder and a Miracle is a shocking yet compelling true story and one I enjoyed reading. It is a book about finding inner strength, true love and not giving up.
Reviewed by Karlie Ralph
Rating out of 10: 7
Distributed by: Amazon.com.au
Released: December 2016
RRP: $33.89 paperback, $11.99 Kindle
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