Diane Fanning

(35) Gawd. Embarrassed to have read this really. Blame it on the Netflix documentary 'The Staircase' and the fact that I've lived in Durham, NC for the past 20 years and have watched this all play out on local news. The true crime genre just emphasizes something faintly horrifying and voyeuristic about us as readers. But I can't deny that at times I am strangely fascinated. This is the story of a novelist and mayoral candidate in our city who found his wife at the bottom of the staircase in show more the wee hours of the morning bloodied and ultimately dead. First responders thought the scene suspicious and the blood dried which didn't jive with the husbands story. Unbelievably many years prior he had been the last one to see a close female friend alive before she too was found at the bottom of a staircase bloodied and dead - another accident. Or was it? The body is exhumed and the medical examiner rules this case too as a homicide. So a twisted story with high court theatrics and a slick high-priced defense attorney. A family divided with most standing behind the aggrieved and potentially wronged husband who is arrested.

The writing is decidedly pedestrian and I am not sure I would have been engaged if I hadn't seen the documentary or lived contemporaneously with this case in the news. While 'The Staircase' is quite biased for the defense; Michael Peterson - this book favors the prosecution. This book brings in things that were not emphasized in the documentary that shed a bad light on the defendant. In particular and most damning for me was the fact that there was a fracture of the hyoid bone - a classic finding in strangulation; as well as the fact that autopsy suggested she was alive for hours in shock from blood loss. And really, really - all this time he was out at the pool in shorts and T-shirt in 50 degree weather. That is not what he suggested when asked initially by first responders - he said - 'I just went out to throw out the trash.' And there is something off about his personality - even in the biased defense documentary; his actions/reactions all seem a bit choreographed.

Anyway, hopefully I have gotten this bit of true crime obsession out of my system. It just seems wrong to me to be fascinated by this. just wrong. Yet - here I sit writing my review. And how many hours now have I watched/read about this case. Basta! RIP Kathleen; I am so sorry for you and your daughters/family. show less

Not once, during either of two frantic calls to Durham 9-11 did Michael Peterson mention the blood...and there was a lot of blood. During the early morning hours of December 9th, as Kathleen lay dying on the stairs, police and rescue personnel rush to the home on Cedar Street.

Connecting the complex sequence of dots that convinced a jury of his peers that Michael Peterson was indeed guilty of murder would have been the easy part, because the evidence had been painstakingly detailed during show more the five month trial. But, Diane Fanning takes the reader behind the carefully orchestrated performance in the court room and delivers the journey through the raw, unfiltered eyes of those who lived it. Detailing the crime scene, police procedure, the autopsy and the trial I fully expected, however, this book is chock-full of extras. Intimate conversations between Kathleen and her beloved sister, details concerning the exhumation and autopsy of Elizabeth Ratliff, the suspicious death of George Ratliff and much more. There's also eight pages of photographs that give the reader a glimpse of the Peterson's before, during and the aftermath is punctuated with a single photo of Kathleen's headstone.

During the trial, the defense displayed an air of arrogance both in and outside the courtroom. And much to the chagrin of Peterson's few remaining supporters, the author pulls no punches describing the showboating behavior of David Rudolf and Thomas Maher, the mysterious discovery of the missing blowpoke and the effect these antics had on the grieving families.

Superb, unflinching, emotionally gritty at times, Written in Blood is a stinging, in your face novel that paints a haunting picture of the madness that often lurks behind the gates of the nicest communities or in the home right next door. And reminds us all that the monster hiding in the shadows is easily recognized in hindsight...but, that's too late!

Although the last chapter of this story will be written by the North Carolina Supreme Court, Written In Blood is as complete a history of the Peterson saga as could possibly be written. If you enjoy reading a true crime novel that goes behind the scenes and beyond the glare of the cameras, Written In Blood does not disappoint!

Happy Reading!
-RJ show less

3.5 stars.

After watching The Staircase miniseries 3 times (over time! With different people!), I wanted to do a deeper dive. The Staircase is one sided beyond belief, and there are blatant facts they have zero excuse for leaving out that look very, very bad for Peterson.

It was very fast paced and as enjoyable as a book like this really can be. I’m glad I read it. But, like other reviewers, I think that the author did too much editorializing that only weakened the prosecution’s side of show more the case.

I do appreciate that this author painted a more realistic and compassionate picture of Kathleen’s family members than the show. On the other hand, the book portrayed Margaret and Martha as victims rather than simply insulting them for standing by the man they see as their father.

As for Todd and Clayton, well, I’ll keep my unpleasant opinions about them to myself. show less

I used to read a lot of true crime but quit reading it for some reason. After reading and enjoying this book, I think it's time to start reading more in this genre. I find it interesting to find out the story behind the news story and to try to understand the mind of a person who feels that murdering another person is ok. In this case, she murdered someone that she was engaged to which made the crime even more unimaginable.
The story begins on a perfect day when Angelika and Vincent go on a show more kayaking trip in the Hudson River. They were both experienced kayakers but something went wrong at the end of their day. The water got rough and she called 911 to try to get help after his kayak turned over. The authorities considered it an accidental death until they questioned her. Her story kept changing and she didn't seem too upset over the death. In fact, she seemed almost happy that he was gone. As the police questioned her, they kept getting more and more honesty from her and finally had information to charge her with murder. As more details emerged—including a $250,000 life insurance policy—a killer question remained: Did Angelika remove the plug of her fiancé’s boat…and knock away his paddle as he sank?
I hadn't heard anything about this crime before I read the book and found it all very interesting. Since I finished the book, I have watched several videos about Angelika and her life today.

I thought that this was an well written and deeply researched book and recommend it to readers of true crime.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. show less