John Ferak

I will say right off, I really liked this book. It was well-written, the story flowed well, and then made everything very interesting. The author, John Ferak, made the story easy to understand. He first talked about the murder, the victims and then the killer. It was well presented. The narrator spoke clearly and it was easy to understand what he was saying. The book itself is very good. Before this I did not know that there was a serial killer in Joliet, so it was very interesting to me. I found this to be one of my favorite books of this year! I highly recommend it!… (altro)

“The Scorpion investigating the Serpent”

19 year old Jessica O’Grady goes missing after telling her lover, Christopher Edwards that she is pregnant. Christopher’s steady girlfriend is also pregnant, and talk of marriage is in the air. After Omaha PD find reason to pursue Edwards for Jessica’s disappearance, it is decided to call in Douglas County’s crack CSI team, led by Dave Kofoed. Kofoed’s team has a reputation of being the best CSI group in all of Nebraska, finding crucial evidence to help convict some of the worst criminals Nebraska has ever seen. They even found a small amount of blood in the bottom of a dumpster 5 months after the victim had gone missing. Hmm, red flag. The one good thing that you can say about Kofoed is he doesn’t hog the glory, he congratulates his team first. If they only knew who they were really investigating.
It is very easy to see how the years of being a newspaper reporter has paid off for this author. He knows the key players and their stories. Sticking to the facts, his composition of the story reads better than most fiction. His interjection of emotion and opinions do not get in the way of the story, they add color. “The Scorpion investigating the Serpent” is a classic example of his work. Even after years in jail, Edwards has never confessed to the crime, nor has he given up the location of Jessica’s remains. Again, this is not fiction, and it is not a pretty story. This story needed to be told – and John Ferak is the best person to do so.… (altro)

Does anyone really know the answer?

Whenever I review a book, especially non-fiction, I always read it a second time to pick up whatever I missed. Before that second reading, I make a list of questions that I have for the author. I refer to that list often, making sure I am able to address each one. The author did a great job of addressing the who, what, where, when and how of this book. I was left only with the "why's", and no one here on earth can answer those questions, including Dixie. I have to credit the author here once again because he tried to validate as many of these "why's" as possible. The bizarre behavior of Dixie will leave everyone wondering why.

Dixie's life was and is sad, full of pain, suffering, and bad choices. Starting out as an abused child, she married a man who battered her physically and mentally, so bad she was in constant fear for the lives of herself, her children, and the unborn child she was carrying in her womb. There is no denying by anyone, including the judges that her husband, Scott, was an evil and sadistic person. Dixie killed Scott, there is no question about that either, but was that her only option for Dixie? Can she convince the jury she was justified in her actions?

It is easy to see the amount of time and research the author put into this book. He does such a great job of telling the story that at times you may wonder if it is fiction or true life. I had a hard time putting the book down. I challenge you to read this book and not be affected. Evaluate the entire presentation of facts and decide for yourself, was the court justified in their action against Dixie. What would you have done?… (altro)