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The Darkest Night

Two Sisters, a Brutal Murder, and the Loss of Innocence in a Small Town

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About this listen

Casper, Wyoming: 1973. Eleven-year-old Amy Burridge rides with her 18-year-old sister, Becky, to the grocery store. When they finish their shopping, Becky's car gets a flat tire. Two men politely offer them a ride home. Yet they were anything but good Samaritans. The girls would suffer unspeakable crimes at the hands of these men before being thrown from a bridge into the North Platte River. One miraculously survived; the other did not.

Years later author and journalist Ron Franscell - a childhood friend and next-door neighbor to the girls - can't forget his hometown's shocking story of abduction, rape, and murder. Exploring the nature of a small town's memory and the poison of survivor guilt, The Darkest Night races toward a shocking ending. The result is one of the most provocative true-crime stories of the decade, told by one of the nation's finest narrative journalists.

©2007 Ron Franscell (P)2015 Tantor Abductions, Kidnapping & Missing Persons Murder True Crime

Critic reviews

"This uncommon story has every chilling component of human terror, drama and suspense that readers of true crime look for." (Vincent Bugliosi, author of Helter Skelter)
All stars
Most relevant
Well researched, for me structure was fine.
I didn't know the case. So shocking.
Narrator does a superb job. He makes it heart wrenching and anger provoking.
Well worth a listen

not a case I knew.. glad I listened

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Harrowing true crime story well written by Ron Franscell and masterly narrated by Rob Shapiro.

Gruesome real life story.

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A compelling account of terrible events. Some very interesting sections but a little repetitive and long winded at times. The personal connection with the author added to the story.

Terrible events

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As a forensic psychologist, I'm rarely surprised by the accounts of crimes I encounter or read about, but I had this on my mind for weeks. The language was compelling and the story told sensitively. A truly heartbreaking tale of so many lives ruined by acts of such callousness that I would genuinely struggle to work with the perpetrators. The language was beautiful in parts and the narration was excellent.

Just heartbreaking

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As an avid reader of true crime and with a deep interest in the psychology of evil this brilliant telling of an event that I had never before heard of, shook me to the core. Sensitively and beautifully written, Ron Franscell gives us an account of a stand-alone crime and it’s aftermath and the lingering personal guilt and horror still felt amongst an entire community. Having read hundreds of true crime biographies of murder, serial killing and psychopathy, this one affected me more than any other. I thought I’d read and heard it all but no - It’s impossible for me to ever comprehend the extreme acts of depravity and cruelty some human beings are able perform and feel nothing at all.

Profoundly shocking

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