Old Style with a New “Rule”
Review by Kim Cantrell
America’s most famous true crime author Ann Rule takes on a different style with her latest book, In the Still of the Night: The Strange Death of Ronda Reynolds and Her Mother’s Quest for the Truth.
Ronda Reynolds was a former Washington State Patrol officer who was found dead in the closet of her home in Toledo, Washington, on December 16, 1998. Although little evidence backed up the claim, Ronda’s death was declared a suicide.
Barb Thompson, Ronda’s mother, however, wasn’t about to let such an obvious lie become a permanent declaration.
Thus begins her long, difficult journey to find justice for her daughter.
I’ve longed enjoyed Ann Rule books, but the last several she published were those with a collection of stories; which, in my opinion, they never quite lived up to the books from her early days as a writer.
When I saw that she was coming out with single story book, I was excited.
In the Still of the Night is definitely focused on an interesting case, a real life whodunnit, but I feel Rule got a little too close to Barb to write a truly good book.
The writing style is definitely Ann Rule’s, so it goes without saying that it’s well written. But I walked away feeling as if I didn’t get the whole story – that she couldn’t be as objective as needed about Ronda.
And for the first time I found there to be a lot of fluff and filler in an Ann Rule book. It’s one complaint about her books I’ve never had until now. But when she goes into a lot of detail about how she and Barb were sent on a wild goose chase or tossing in lengthy narratives on other (mostly) irrevelevant cases, I have to question it.
Lastly, another first for a Rule book, is the inconclusiveness of the case. Readers are told that up front, so it’s no surprise. Yet, Ann Rule states on page 397 that “…other information to Barb Thompson and myself – very important things that I am not at liberty at this point to reveal….” Such a statement leads me to believe that there could very well be something that would have been well worth waiting for in the long run. Why not wait until you are liberty to disclose to publish the book?
Am I going to tell you skip In the Still of the Night? No. It’s an interesting case that, as Ann Rule claims, is addictive. Just be prepared to walk away feeling a void of sorts.
Stay updated on this case by visiting www.justiceforronda.com maintained by Barb Thompson or Ann Rule’s website at www.annrule.com.
Want to read it? Here’s where you can get it:
