Surprisingly Thought Provoking

I thought I was a staunch proponent of the death penalty. Surprised to find myself somewhat questioning the validity of that belief.

Kevin Stillwell is a masterful narrator. Mr. Bledsoe is an easy writer to follow and have read and listened to a number of his books. These two together are a winning combination.

10 people found this helpful

Master Manipulator of All Time!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes and no. Yes because I simply cannot believe how Velma Barfield so manipulated everyone whilst incarcerated that the victims became almost by-products! Unbelievable! No because if you are not a religious person, you will feel as rankled as I.

What could Jerry Bledsoe have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have lightened up on the "sainthood" of this murderer.

What does Kevin Stillwell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The reading was fine.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

If it moved me, it moved me in a direction not intended by the author. It was the near vilification of the victims and their families!

Any additional comments?

By book's end the reader was supposed to be convinced that Velma was a saint. The horrible deaths she inflicted upon those she supposedly loved, all the while being righteous, was...really not important. What seemed important to the author was that she had "gotten religion" ... who on death row does not?To tell the truth I was outraged on behalf of the victims and their families. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This woman was such a manipulator that she had sold even the defense attorneys on her sainthood. But since there were no drugs to be had, and no one to murder while in prison, what choice did she have? The only viable point is the knot on her head...studies are being done still, to this day, to prove that that area of the brain can cause this type of behavior. But the knot on her head was still there when she was in prison. I think the sickening amount of religious propaganda and the lack of attempting to be in the shoes of the victims and their families...well, I'd have to think 10 times before reading another book by this author. The writing was just fine, but it was not...by any means, without prejudice, in my opinion.What I did get from the book was that this woman was the master manipulator of all time.

9 people found this helpful

Death penalty

Good story! Unbelievable how her children stood by her through all the years, but they should have allowed her to face her own consequences...had they left her in jail on her 1st check fraud, she would have had to get off drugs. It's called tough love!

She deserved the death penalty after her sentence...without all the expense of delays. I don't believe she should have had her choice of last meal or all the helpful instructions on how she would die...she did not permit those choices to her many many victims.

She was like a spoiled child when she was on drugs, needed a spank not a cover-up. What a sad life...all because of drugs & alcohol! Hard to believe her children would ever consider either after she was gone.

1 person found this helpful

Good story

The story moved quickly. The pace kept you going. I picked this book, mostly due to the narrator

1 person found this helpful

Bleeding heart author

This book got old really fast. This obvious and eventual admitted serial killer deserved the death penalty and the author did everything in his power to pull the sympathy card. Oh no, this is a woman, this is a grandmother, this just should not happen. Let's not worry about all of her victims that she killed. Let's leave about 10 pages to address that problem. This woman killed to make sure she got her drugs, not her "medicine". Call it what it is, stop trying to cover it up with made up childhood issues and religious redemption. She's dead and that's as it should be and I hope it gives some relief to the families of all of her victims.

15 people found this helpful

True but sad story

Once I started this story I couldn't stop. Well written and worth everyone's reading. I actually cried at the ending.

2 people found this helpful

BORING BORING BORING

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I cannot think of anyone who would enjoy this book. It was completely devoid of any suspense or substance. The plot, if there was one, was weak at best. It went on and on, saying the same thing over and over. It was like watching paint dry.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jerry Bledsoe again?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of Kevin Stillwell’s performances?

Kevin Stillwell reminded me of Mr Rogers, as though he was reading to 8 year olds.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

This book had no redeeming qualities. For the few chapters it seemed like something of interest might happen, but it took eight or so chapters for it to pick up slightly, and then quickly fell right back down to yet more humdrum. It was a total waste of time. Of course, I did not finish this book.

8 people found this helpful

Gripping

Couldn't wait to hear what was going to happen next in this tell all book.

2 people found this helpful

EXCELLENT

An excellent look into the heart and soul of how a killer's actions and resulting punishment affects not just them and their victim, but their family, the victims families, their communities, the lawyers and even their jailors. No one is freed a certain amount of grief when a sweet grandmother decides she needs special individuals out of her way.
I loved this book and will definitely relisten in the future. But quite frankly what this woman put her children through their entire lives makes listening a little difficult at times and I have to stop and take a break.
Truly a great listen.

Velma is victim

Don’t like how this book makes Velma and her family and friends more the victims than who she killed and their families