Jonathan Goodman (1) (1931–2008)

A short book, only 152 pages, that details the murder of Evelyn Foster in 1931. I found that the author could invoke a vivid sense of the period and place. He put forward a detailed recounting of the events and I don't think I've read a more opinionated book than this, as he doesn't hide his opinions at all. Having said that I do not think that it detracts at all.

This book caught my attention because of the obvious reason that I share a name with the victim. The book was very informative but agonizingly boring. I understand that an author of a true crime story must provide every detail about the case to give the reader all the facts presented at the time it was investigated, but Goodman could have gone about it in a more interesting way. The book would go directly from a brief period of excitement in the case to seemingly endless pages of explanation show more about every dismissed theory and excessive details about the botched investigating work. The story was interesting but the writing made me upset that my name is on the cover. show less

This include a complete transcript of the two-day trial as well as an analysis of events. Relatively straight-forward and objective although one may deduce that the author's sympathies lie more with Ruth Ellis than with the prosecution.