Book Review: A Rip in Heaven

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

A Rip in Heaven     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Jeanine Cummins
Class/Genre:   Non-Fiction   AutoBiography   True Crime

In 1991, the author with her parents and siblings visited members of their extended family who lived in the St Louis area. A group of six cousins became extremely close to one another during that visit, and on the last evening of their stay three young adults snuck away from the watchful eyes of their parents and grandparents and drove to an abandoned bridge across the Mississippi. Their goal was to stroll in the late night air and admire the extended display of varied grafitti which adorned the old structure.

What was meant as one final shared adventure became a night of terror, as the cousins were acosted by four young men looking for trouble. Before the night was over, two young women had been raped, the male cousin forced to listen to the assault, and all three dumped off the bridge into the treacherous currents of the Mississippi.

The aftermath of the crime became a crime in itself. The young man, the brother of the author, survived. His wild tale of the events served only to convince the police that he himself was the rapist/murderer of his two cousins.

Distressed by the lack of attention to the constitutional rights of her accused brother, and by a ten year period of incomplete and misleading media coverage of the crime and the trials which followed, Cummins wrote this book. She intends it as a tribute to the two young women who died, as well as to the courage of her brother.

Her research included study of police manuals on interrogation, as well as studies into the effect various interrogation techniques upon the persons being questioned. These passages are a stinging indictment of actions by law enforcement in the days immediately following the assault.

The book reflects the author's commitment to the arena of victim's rights. It's well organized, reads like a compelling novel.

I recommend it very highly!

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM