Mary Yoder, the matriach of the Yoder family, is beloved by her family, friends, patients, and the community of her small upstate New York town. She is described as active, generous, and caring by all those who meet her. When Mary falls ill suddenly one day and dies 24 hours later from an unknown illness, everyone is shocked and understandably distraught. As the evidence and circumstances surrounding her death come to light, a killer and a motive emerge.
This is my first book to read by Phelps. I don't really read much true crime because most of it is a bit dry and boring for me. Or it tends to go on and on and on about some trivial detail. I am pleased to say that Phelps writing style did not read this way. The details he chooses to include and the intentional place/order in which he chooses to reveal them keep you hooked from the beginning to the end. I had a hard time putting this book down all the way through. I appreciated Phelps attention to detail and his inclusion if interview and materials from everyone involved who was able and willing to participate. That lent so much to the story and made me feel much more connected with this family. I also really enjoyed some of his author commentary in the epilogue explaining some of the things he "chose" to do (I use that word lightly because it wasn't really his choice) and some of the after effects on the family. I would have probably liked a bit more of that, but I also understand wanting to respect the family's right to grieve and put the incident past them at a certain point. All of this to say, I very much look forward to reading more of Phelps books in the near future.
This is my first book to read by Phelps. I don't really read much true crime because most of it is a bit dry and boring for me. Or it tends to go on and on and on about some trivial detail. I am pleased to say that Phelps writing style did not read this way. The details he chooses to include and the intentional place/order in which he chooses to reveal them keep you hooked from the beginning to the end. I had a hard time putting this book down all the way through. I appreciated Phelps attention to detail and his inclusion if interview and materials from everyone involved who was able and willing to participate. That lent so much to the story and made me feel much more connected with this family. I also really enjoyed some of his author commentary in the epilogue explaining some of the things he "chose" to do (I use that word lightly because it wasn't really his choice) and some of the after effects on the family. I would have probably liked a bit more of that, but I also understand wanting to respect the family's right to grieve and put the incident past them at a certain point. All of this to say, I very much look forward to reading more of Phelps books in the near future.