Welcome to The Official Websleuths Investigative Book Club !

[Insightful1]

I have to say, I think this story is one of the most horrific crime stories I’ve ever read, and I’ve been reading them for 50 years. I’m almost done with the book. Aphrodite did a great job of getting the back stories, and the book is mostly easy to follow along. I am not really good with names, so when an author writes about a person using just the first name, and then switches to the last name, I tend to get confused. But that’s just me…

I feel the same way in regard to how shocking I found it. Considering I’m someone who’s first true crime reads were about Gein and Fish. I’m completely with you on how it has never left my thoughts.

 

[Jo_sews]

I had to set it down a few times. The details made me cry and cringe. I feel so sad for her. No one deserves that. When Melinda said she felt bad, I'm like now you feel bad kinda too late for that.

Cringe is the right word. It makes me remember that our brains aren’t fully formed until we are @25 years old. I feel like the subjects of this book are a prime example of that.

 

[JenLovesHats]

This crime is absolutely horrifying. It's hard to believe teenage girls are responsible.

 

[PeachesVonTT]

I thought it was particularly cruel the way the girls posed the body. She wasn't even a teen yet.

 

[SensibleCrime]

In a few other crimes committed by girls against 1 girl you frequently see disfigurement. They didn't actually cut her hair but they threatened to. They also focused on damaging her face, which was significant because she was so pretty.

 

[Jo_sews]

I read this book many years ago. It’s the book that introduced me to Aphrodite’s writing. I find her books completely immersive. You just fall right into the story. In regard to this case. I’m really enjoying reading the book again. I find it completely shocking. For me that says a lot. I think it has to do with Shanda’s age and that 4 girls went along with this. Mob mentality but still.

I agree, her book is immersive. I’m probably going to finish it tonight. I’d like to see how it all plays out in the end…

 

[SensibleCrime]

I thought it was particularly cruel the way the girls posed the body. She wasn't even a teen yet.

Yes, and that reminded me more of male sexual offenders. It's like they were a cross between that and mean girls.

 

[chipmunk43]

As I read I was thinking how this goes into how people will join in on things even if they feel it's off. They get caught up in adrenaline and forgetting its real life. Kinda like large protests, it starts with one and escalates. People act differently with friends. How much of this was immaturity and not understanding the gravity of actions like murder. Laughing and gloating but later realizing how dirty she (Melinda) felt. So many times when they heard her I was like now is a second chance stop it, let her go.

 

[tricia]

Hey Everyone.
If you are struggling with how the forum works. CALL ME. I have a phone that I use when I need to post the number publicly. You can call me at 435-647-6896.
Tricia
P.S. I just accidentally almost posted my ex-husband's phone number. Luckily, I caught it before I posted it. Trust me, he would have been so confused getting calls from book club people; he probably would have gone off the grid for the rest of his life because he would be so freaked out. It actually makes me laugh, so maybe I will post his number just for my entertainment later. haha

 

[tricia]

This crime is absolutely horrifying. It's hard to believe teenage girls are responsible.

JenLovesHats welcome to Websleuths.com. It is hard to believe these are teenage girls.

 

[Insightful1]

In a few other crimes committed by girls against 1 girl you frequently see disfigurement. They didn't actually cut her hair but they threatened to. They also focused on damaging her face, which was significant because she was so pretty.

Agreed, just like in the Missy Avila case.

 

[Insightful1]

Hey Everyone.
If you are struggling with how the forum works. CALL ME. I have a phone that I use when I need to post the number publicly. You can call me at 435-647-6896.
Tricia
P.S. I just accidentally almost posted my ex-husband's phone number. Luckily, I caught it before I posted it. Trust me, he would have been so confused getting calls from book club people; he probably would have gone off the grid for the rest of his life because he would be so freaked out. It actually makes me laugh, so maybe I will post his number just for my entertainment later. haha

Hahahaha

 

[Janet Smith]

I am not much of a reader but I thought I would give this a try especially since it’s a true crime story and we can discuss the book and Tricia is Amazing! I started reading and was immediately hooked and couldn’t stop. While I was reading about the most horrific gruesome murder committed by these young girls I literally became sick and had to make a mad dash to the bathroom where I ! I was then afraid to go to sleep for fear I would have nightmares. I’m in the middle of the book and dang it’s taking me a minute to think about and process a lot of the events, especially the life of Melinda. Happy Reading Mad Chatters!

 

[Janet Smith]

Hahahaha

 

[tricia]

Why do you think this type of horrific crime with teenage girls didn't happen say in the fifties?

 

[PeachesVonTT]

I think there was more that happened on the car ride when it was just the two girls.

 

[tricia]

In a few other crimes committed by girls against 1 girl you frequently see disfigurement. They didn't actually cut her hair but they threatened to. They also focused on damaging her face, which was significant because she was so pretty.

Exactly. Very thought-out and diabolical.

 

[SensibleCrime]

I am not much of a reader but I thought I would give this a try especially since it’s a true crime story and we can discuss the book and Tricia is Amazing! I started reading and was immediately hooked and couldn’t stop. While I was reading about the most horrific gruesome murder committed by these young girls I literally became sick and had to make a mad dash to the bathroom where I ! I was then afraid to go to sleep for fear I would have nightmares. I’m in the middle of the book and dang it’s taking me a minute to think about and process a lot of the events, especially the life of Melinda. Happy Reading Mad Chatters!

I actually read up to page 60, then reread the first part. As Tricia says, we have to learn how we make monsters to keep from creating more of them. After you knew about Melinda's history you could see why she could feel so threatened by a romantic rival and how she could be so violent at such a young age.

 

[Stellie]

What I find odd is that this book is written from the prospective of the killers. Until I got to the body being found and the posing did I get the biggest hit from the victims side.
These girls didn't even appear to realize how far they had went.

 

[Insightful1]

We’ll have Aphrodite on of course. Also, after we are all done reading the book. I will post an update and photos of the perpetrators now.

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