Thomas French in his book Unaswered Cries tells the story of Karen Gregory, a young woman who had just moved into her boyfriend’s home when she brutually murdered by her neighor George Lewis: an all American boy next door with good looks and a career as a firefighter.
The main viewpoint stressed in Unanswered Cries, and hence the title, is that many of Gregory’s neighbors reported hearing a blood-curdling scream but did nothing that may have assisted Gregory. Most of her neighbors would live with the regret of having minded their own business as a young woman lay dying at the hands someone they all knew and trusted.
The one disappointing aspect of this book is that, despite the many references to victims’ rights, there was no photograph included of Gregory; leaving readers to have to conjure their own image from the detailed writing.
This is an excellent piece of true crime writing. Unanswered Cries is attention catching and thought provoking. As I finished, I found myself asking: “The next time I hear a scream resound through my neighborhood, what will I do?”
