I was privileged to be asked by author, J. Reuben Appelman to review his novel, The Kill Jar.
I met Appelman last year at the IWG writer’s conference. I thought I would get a lecture on writing true crime, but it was not what I expected. He went through the research and the agony that chasing this killer caused. I left that class with the realization that writing true crime is much like staring into the abyss and having that abyss not only stare back at you but kill you slowly. Much like my expectations of his lecture, I believe people have a preconceived expectation of his book, but they are shocked that it doesn’t go through the case, clue by clue.
I think people pick up The Kill Jar and think they will read a typical true crime novel. They possibly assume that at the end of the book they will know who the Oakland County Child Killer is. However, they stunningly find themselves enveloped in the ghosts that haunt Appelman and his personal experiences while investigating these murders.
I believe that you are better served by approaching this book as you would a memoir. Appleman’s experience with this investigation is tragic and cathartic. This book is more about the impact that a killer can have not only on his victims but on the community.
Watch my complete review here.
