Sara-Jayne Townsend is a published crime and horror writer and likes books in which someone dies horribly. She is founder and Chair Person of the T Party Writers’ Group. http://sarajaynetownsend.weebly.com/
On 11 August 2008, 18-year-old Marie reported that a masked man had broken into her home near Seattle, Washington, and raped her. Within days, police – and even those closest to Marie – became suspicious of her story. Confronted by their doubt, and her story’s inconsistencies, Marie broke down and said it was all a lie.
‘Unbelievable’ is the true account of the story that inspired the Netflix series of the same name. The book sets out an account of the crimes of the serial rapist, the key events that led police officers in different parts of the US to connect different crimes to the same perpetrator, and the events that eventually led to the arrest of the rapist.
The first thing to say about this book is that it makes for sobering reading. The rapes are described in clinical detail. It also highlights the frequency with which the stories of rape victims are not believed, and how so many of them have to go through the ordeal of being interrogated, accused of wasting police time or ‘asking for it’ when they report rape. It’s very depressing that in the 21st century, rape victims still have to go through all this, and it makes you wonder how many rapes remain unreported, by victims who can’t face the ordeal of an interrogation or the trauma of a court case.
Marie grew up in foster care, and it is one of her former foster mothers who first casts doubt on her story. Marie is bullied into confessing that her story is false. But as other rapes come to light over the years, two Colorado detectives join forces to investigate one particular case that eventually leads them to pursue a serial rapist – and they conclude that Marie’s case requires a second look.
The story is told in a balanced and impartial way, revealing the background of the victims as well as that of the rapist. It is a book that will make you angry initially, mostly over the treatment of Marie, but the dogged determination of the detectives who eventually crack the case is inspiring.
Anyone who is interested in true crime stories will find this a gripping read, and if there is any justice in the world, the flaws in the system revealed in this book will be addressed to make things better for victims of rape in the future.
