Salt of the Earth: A Mother, A Daughter, A Murder by Jack Olsen (March 1997)

Oh Jack, I Miss You!
Review by Kim Cantrell

Many readers think of Truman Capote as the Father of true crime. Maybe so, but Jack Olsen refined it.

Well known true crime author Burl Barer recently said, “After I read the first page of Salt of the Earth, I wanted to toss my keyboard into the ocean.”

Believe it or not, Salt of the Earth was one of a couple of Jack Olsen’s books I hadn’t yet read. Barer’s comment reminded me that I needed to right that wrong.

And in true Jack Olsen fashion, I was hooked from the very first page!

In this 1997 true crime, Olsen shares the story of Elaine Mayzsak Gere – a mother, a wife, a survivor.

In 1985, Elaine’s 12-year-old daughter, Brenda, went missing. Although police had plenty of eye witnesses who pointed the finger at Michael Kay Green, former college football star and Mr. Universe wannabe, there was simply no evidence that he harmed Brenda – there wasn’t even a body.

Living with the questions daily, Elaine struggled to go forward. While it took all the strength she could muster to return to normalcy for the sake of her two young sons, her husband, Joe, sunk deeper and deeper into alcoholism.

Yet Elaine never let her hardships keep her from searching for Brenda’s kidnapper and, as she had to come accept, murderer.

It would take six long years, insurmountable trials and tribulations, but Elaine would, in the end, see justice for Brenda.

Salt of the Earth is a little different style than other books by Jack Olsen. Readers of this book will find the story is told not from the writer’s point of view, but through the eyes of a surviving victim.

Readers will grieve for this mother who suffered so much, admire her for her ability to keep going when things were tough, and feel safe when a steriod-raging maniac is locked away for life.

All wrapped in the detailed, thoroughly researched Jack Olsen style we all love.

If you haven’t read it already, you must put Jack Olsen’s Salt of the Earth on your reading list.

You’ve got to read it, so go and get it:
                

Updates from this book:

Although I spent hours searching for updates on the Gere family, the information I located was sketchy, at best. I located an Evelyn Elaine Gere living in Renton, Washington, and working as a Court Reporter. There is also a Joe Gere (possibly Joey Gere?) living in this same area.

It seems that Michael “Mikey” Gere has returned to his parents’ roots, living in Fontana, California, along with a wife, Virginia.

Michael Kay Green remains imprisoned at Monroe Correctional Facility in Monroe, Washington – at least, according to Washington inmate record searches. However, a blog maintained by Michael Green during the latter months of 2007 and early months of 2008 provide an address of a prison in Elroy, Arizona.

It’s not confirmed, but I suspect Diane Pittman Green is estranged from her family, considering that her mother, Sharon Pittman lists all of her children, including a foster child, with the exception of Diane, on her Facebook page. Diane’s current whereabouts are unknown.

Brenda’s aunt, Georgeann Mayzsak passed way in August 2006. Jimmy Mayzsak‘s whereabouts couldn’t be verified, but it’s believed that he resides in Moorcroft, Wyoming, near (most of) his children and grandchildren.

Michael’s mother, Kathleen Green, succumbed to Alzheimer’s in December 1998.