The Burn Farm

The Burn Farm is another book regarding the life, arrest and trial of serial killer Sheila LaBarre, who preyed upon mentally underdeveloped men and took them as lovers and workers on her farm only to begin abusing them horribly and eventually murdering them and destroying their remains by incineration on her property. Although The Burn Farm repeats a lot of the same details contained in Wicked Intentions, written by a reporter who covered the case, I think The Burn Arm delves more into the perpetrator's sick mind through its publication of numerous excerpts of recordings made by Ms. LaBarre in connection with the torture of her victims, as well as statements by some of those who managed to escape before it was too late. It will really show more make you wonder about the girl next door! show less

This book was a little hard to read. It was on the boring side of true-crime books in that it didn't really tell the facts in a story manner but instead just plopped the facts down. It also had a haphazard style of writing. Found myself trying to piece things together a lot, which, sometimes works, but not in this book. I was quite often frustrated with the jumping around. Parts of the book were better but sadly too few for me to give it a higher rating.

What kept me going was what the outcome was going to be as far as would the jury find her sane or not. For true crime fans out there, if you can get beyond the slapping facts at you in a 'here's another fact for you' manner, it is an intriguing look into what is insane and what is just show more calculating and manipulative behavior. show less

Crazy story about a crazy woman but not that crazy that she did not know what she was doing? or was she insane?

A lot of trial in this book. Interesting stuff so I did not mind that much. 3.5