In the Still of the Night: The Strange Death of Ronda Reynolds and Her Mother's Unceasing Quest for the Truth

I had a difficult time staying with this book and finishing it, although I'm a big fan of Ann Rule. Perhaps I was frustrated by the lack of answers after all these years. If I feel that way, I can't even imagine what it must be like for the mother of Ronda Reynolds. Because the case has not been resolved, this was not a typical Ann Rule book. I like when she draws clear pictures of all the people involved and takes the reader along as the pieces of the puzzle come together. This case remains murky as do the backgrounds and true character of some of the main players. So although I felt a great deal of empathy towards Ronda Reynold's strong and resilient mother, I was a little disappointed in the book. Even so, I'm glad Ann Rule wrote it show more because it may help find justice for Ronda someday. show less

This is not my favorite Ann Rule book, that would be Small Sacrifices. This book was rather strange for me because this is the first one that she wrote that I can remember where the killer is not in jail when the book is written. In fact no killer is identified at all though several suspects are explored. The true story revolves around a young former state trooper named Ronda Reynolds who is rather unlucky in love. When she is thirty three and newly married to and on the verge of divorce with husband number two, she is found dead of a bullet wound to the head in her closet. She was planning on leaving her two timing husband who was sleeping with his ex, for good the next day. Ronda's death was initially ruled a suicide and the book is show more about her mother's effort to get the ruling changed to homicide. Along the way Barb, Ronda's mother picks up many supporters, one of whom is the author Ann Rule. After ten long years Barb is finally able to get a jury to rule Ronda's death a homicide but who is the murderer? Is it soon to be ex husband number two Ron Reynolds, one of his awful teenage male children, or Ron's ex wife who he was still sleeping with Katie? We don't know but Ann Rule explorers all of these possible suspects. Ann Rule asks for tips in this case on her website and Ronda's mother maintains a website as well. My main complaint about the book is that it feels like it was written before the story was finished and in actuality it may never be. Ann Rule is not just telling the story, she is trying to make it at the same time. I missed all of psychological dissection of the killer that is present in all of her other full length books. I would still recommend this book and I hope Ronda's killer is one day found and brought to justice. show less

Review: In The Still of The Night by Ann Rule.

Ann Rule has written many books about real life cases. I enjoyed the book but felt like it was too much information about certain people and not enough data about Rhonda’s death. Plus as the reader I have many questions that I felt never got investigated and many things that was not covered at all. It’s a sad story and too many flaws in the investigation that happened so many years ago that I don’t believe this case will ever be closed. Too much time has gone by that no more forgotten pieces can be put back together.

Every reader will have their own opinion to what happened to Rhonda but the reality of the case is hidden somewhere in the past. I feel bad that Rhonda’s mother Barbara show more spent so much time and effort to honor her daughter throughout many years and I believe Rhonda would be so proud of her mother but also wanting her mother to have her own life moving away from the past.

The book was about everyone who was in contact with Rhonda and all persons who were suspects that had a motive to take Rhonda’s life along with the flawed investigation….. show less

This was not my favorite Ann Rule book. I appreciated reading it, but found it to be very repetitive. I understand trying to get the victim's story told and what it means to the victim's family, but this should have been much shorter.

I was disappointed. It was a mountain of dry facts with insufficient payoff. The writing was adequate but the story too thin.

Rather weak true crime story. The story doesn't have a conclusion. No killers were ever convicted of the crime, so what was the point. To prove that the victim didn't kill herself, come on man. It doesn't take Dick Tracy to figure that the victim didn't killer herslef. The husband ended the relationship that very week, he paid the life insurance premium after her death, he took a shower minutes after calling 911. His whole life he was a self-centered slob. The part I really don't get is why the author never discusses what a twit this gal was for getting involved with the idiot in the first place. I mean, come on, you marry a guy you barely know and then end the relationship within a year. This gal wasn't the sharpest knife in the show more drawer. She could be the most naive (sp?) women of all time. It wasn't a horrible book, but it was disappointing. show less

Account of Barbara Thompson's quest to have her daughter's death ruled a homicide instead of a suicide. The case goes for more than a decade, so at the time of the writing there is no charges filed against the suspected husband or son.