She Had No Enemies by Dennis Fleming

Amazon.com link for She Had No Enemies

Book Description:


Dennis Fleming's 18-yr-old sister, Mickey, was murdered by serial killer Anthony J. LaRette, Jr. Through a combination of solid journalism and introspective reflection, Dennis weaves an intricate story filled with sadness, anger, and even humor about his attempts to cope with the greatest tragedy he'd ever known. A life-affirming story about one man's twenty-five-year search for meaning and fulfillment in the face of a devastating situation. It's also about keeping a promise to someone you love. From the shocking details of Mickey's murder and his subsequent suicide attempt to the mixed feelings he experienced as he witnessed LaRette's execution, Dennis delves deeply into the complex process of coming to grips with his sister's death and of eventually finding forgiveness in his heart for her killer.

My Review:

She Had No Enemies is a personal and touching true crime story about the death of the author’s young sister, Mickey, by a serial killer. At times it was difficult to read, but there is so much to this tragic story from his own family dynamics to the legal drama that came with the arrest of the killer. The story clearly shows how the death of someone so young damages those who love them physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Those who suffer through this type of loss have to make a decision at some point to go forward, and this book explains how the author took his loss and created something positive. The book takes some strange spiritual turns at the end, but it is the author’s story and part of his recovery. Finding peace is not easy when things in life are going well, but finding it in the midst of tragedy is truly an accomplishment.

Desperate Highway *****

Desperate Highway (Amazon Link)

by Jesse Stretch

From the book: Jeff Andrews didn't just scam people; he ripped them off for everything they were worth. He took their homes, cars, planes, boats, even their girlfriends, and spent the money on booze, guns, coke, and limousines.

My Review:

Jeff Andrews was a bad guy, a crook, drug addict, thief, womanizer, and all around jerk. He stole from anyone and everyone and didn’t care. He was so self-focused that he only cared about his own needs and wants. He spent time in 25 jails and correctional facilities. Desperate Highway tells the story of a young man who makes one bad decision after another until his is a full-blown habitual crook.

The book chronicles the years he spent stealing and losing whole fortunes at a time. His life of criminal behavior left him on the run and always fearing detection. He was a hopeless waste of life – until he met the one person who could change his heart and make him someone of worth. While in prison he opened a Gideon Bible, and finally heard the truth about what was important in life, and gave him the one thing he didn’t have - love. Desperate Highway clearly explains that even the worst of the worst have value in God’s eyes, and redemption is always in their reach.

This is an excellent book with an important message. I appreciated the appendixes in the back of the book with information on Jeff Andrews’ ministries. I would have liked to know more about his transition into the ministries, but that does not take away from the importance of the book and the message. Jeff’s life begins where the book ends. According to the book and his website, he is involved with prison ministries and mentoring those just out of prison. Mr. Stretch had done a nice job in capturing the important messages in this book.