T.M.I.
Review by Kim Cantrell
Marc Evonitz was a serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist responsible for the deaths of three girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia (Sofia Silva, Kristin and Kati Lisk) and the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Richland County, South Carolina.
Author Diane Fanning chose an excellent crime story to write about in Evonitz. Into the Water is a well-researched book, providing quite a bit ofbackground on Evonitz that feeds into the reader need in understanding what makes criminals “tick.”
An overshadowing downfall, however, was too much information being included that was not necessary. Fanning includes details on a host of other crimes that I had trouble seeing the relation to of the crimes committed by Evonitz.
For example, readers are given in depth account of Evonitz’s stepfather’s (Perry Deveaux) crimes of rape and murder. If Deveaux had been an influence in Evonitz’s life, such an account would be worth detail; but since Deveaux was incarcerated for the duration of the marriage to Evonitz’s mother Tess, such information is, essentially, burdensome of the story line.
Interesting, I’ll admit, but contributes nothing.
On the plus side, Fanning not only captured my sympathy for the victims’ families, but for the perpatrator’s as well. She did an excellent job of making you realize that serial killers do have those who love them and they are as victimized as the families of those murdered.
With pros and cons, Into the Water is a book that should be on a “to be read” list just not necessarily at the top.
Ready to read it? Here’s where you can find it:
Updates from this book:
Kara, the only (known) surviving victim of Evonitz, recently graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Way to go, Kara!
