First and foremost, true crime is not a genre that I gravitate towards. This book was a gift and I am willing to give any genre a go! ‘Kidnap’ started out strong. The writing style begins as narrative nonfiction really immersing you into the story. The sections of the crime and investigation were fascinating and intriguing. Theories were constantly changing.
Once the investigators think they have caught the suspect we then go into the longest part of the book, the trial. I am someone that courtroom scenes typically go over my head. That stayed true here. The writing style suddenly changed for this section. The pacing was no longer fast but slow. It went from a narrative style to tedious dialogue. These chapters in this section would go on for thirty pages, again, it was tedious and confusing. I would get lost in the dialogue. That being said, I dreaded picking up the book at this stage. The majority of the book I was dreading.
I do think this case was what laid the stones on how kidnapping and missing persons cases are now handled in the modern age. At this later date, it is so easy to see where things went wrong. It seems as though a lot was learned from the handling of the case of the Linbergh baby to help children and families in the present and future. I do not strongly recommend this book but this isn’t typically my kind of story.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
Izzy Reads 