Because You Loved Me (Pinnacle True Crime)

I wasn't aware of this case at all before I picked up this book. Even with my not being familiar with any aspect of the case, I still felt this book was too long. Had the author not repeated over and over how obsessed Nicole was with Billy and how in love they thought they were, the book could've easily been a 100 pages shorter. It also threw me off having to see the author overuse quotation marks. Seems like every other word, he felt the need to put quotes around, even if it wasn't dialogue.

I really enjoy the writing of M. Phelps. Especially I enjoyed the beginning of the story. After a while though I was getting a bit bored. although that is not the right word. I felt very emphatic towards the friends of Jeanne. I even visited her memorial site so Mister Phelps managed to make her a real person to me. I think what the problem was is that this book is really about 4 people only. Chris, Jeanne Nicole and Billy so even though it is an incredible sad story and as a single mom myself of a teenager (18 now) and I can very much relate, I think more than 400 pages was a bit too much.

I still do not understand how Nicole turned out to be like this and looking at the memorial page there are no pictures of her. There are pictures of show more Jeanne and her son. I also would have liked to learn a bit more about him. Guess he did not want to cooperate?. show less

Jeanne Dominico was brutally beaten and stabbed to death, her injuries showed she fought with her murderer. She was a single mother of two trying to make a life for her children and protect them the best she could. Billy Sullivan was a troubled young man that Jeanne’s daughter met over the internet, she was head-over-heels in love. Billy was obsessive and controlling, Jeanne worried about Nicole’s sliding schoolwork, she thought that Billy would hurt Nicole, but that is not what happened. The murder shocked the community, first in its brutality and second in who committed it, and who conspired to commit it.

Another top-notch true crime account from Phelps. With interviews and summary of the police interviews and court transcripts, show more you get a complete picture of what happened, he takes you step by step through the crime, the after effects, how each person came to be where they were and how it all ended. show less

Fascinating story. I believe these kids could have been saved, if only the right loving adult(s) in their life could have taken the reigns. So sad.