It was nine days before Christmas 1998, and thirty-two-year-old Ronda Reynolds was getting ready to travel from Seattle to Spokane to visit her mother. Ronda's second marriage was dissolving after less than a year and her career as a pioneering female Washington State Trooper had ended, but she was optimistic about starting over again.
At 6:20 that morning, Ron Reynolds called 911 and told the dispatcher his wife was dead. She had committed suicide, he said, although he hadn't heard the gunshot and he didn't know if she had a pulse. EMTs arrived, detectives arrived, the coroner's deputy arrived, and a postmortem was conducted. Lewis County Coroner Terry Wilson, who neither visited the death scene nor attended the autopsy, declared the manner of Ronda's death as "undetermined."
But Barb Thompson never for one moment believed her daughter committed suicide. For eleven grueling years, through the ups and downs of the legal system and its endless delays, these people and others helped Barb Thompson fight to strike that painful word from her daughter's death certificate.
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"I get mad at authors who don't end a book with a viable ending. There is no ending to this story. The only thing determined is the manner of Rhonda Reynold's death. Hopefully Ann Rule can write a sequel to this book with an ending that brings closure to Rhonda's family and Ann's many fans! "
— Lisa (4 out of 5 stars)
" Although it wasn't as compelling as some of her other books, Ann Rule has crafted a suspenseful and intriguing story out of one family's devastating event. "
— Rita_book, 2/17/2014" After a certain point, just skimmed it. "
— Katherine, 2/14/2014" The first Ann Rule I have read (or listen to). I skipped a lot of the book because she is so repetitive and fills so many pages with sub-plots and descriptions of the lives of minor characters. I was intrigued by the major plot line, but the ending is so dissatisfying. Also I did not like how much the author interjects herself into the story itself. "
— Lori, 2/12/2014" Typical Ann Rule: good beach read "
— Elise, 2/11/2014" I am sure the deductions made in Ann Rule's research are very possible. I almost 2-starred this one though. Her friendship with Barb Thompson seems to mess with the author's point of view. Maybe not. However the book brings to mind a divorce where friends take sides. "
— Pam, 2/3/2014" I usually love everything former Seattle police detective writes, but this one was a snoozefest. Of course, I feel terrible for the victim, but many pages were wasted on a case that could have been summed up in one of Rules' one chapter crime books. "
— Sunny, 1/21/2014" Fascinating as always. A bit disappointing that this one wasn't actually solved but I always enjoy Ms. Rule's books. "
— Valerie, 1/20/2014" I stayed-up til six in the morning to finish this one. It's gripping, but not life-changing. "
— Galen, 1/16/2014" I really like true crime and Ann Rule is my favorite. "
— Mary, 1/13/2014" I like Ann Rule - she is my guilty pleasure. Some of her books are fascinating. But this one was pretty much a waste of time. She clearly didn't put her usual amount of effort into this book. "
— Beth, 12/26/2013" My second go-round with Ann Rule. Still not impressed. Find her writing very juvenile and incredibly generic. Why she is the "Queen" of true crime is beyond me. She is not even the same league with the late Philip Carlo . "
— Timothy, 12/13/2013" I like this author. She kept my attention. I will read more of her works. "
— Judith, 12/9/2013" I haven't read much true crime since I had my daughter, it freaks me out now that I'm a mom. This story caught my attention. The case is still open, maybe that is why I didn't love it as much as Ms. Rule's other books. The book felt choppy. "
— Jen, 10/29/2013" eminently readable, ultimately disposable. the mark of a good true crime read. "
— Kevin, 10/6/2013" this book resparked my interest in Ann Rule, so good! "
— Patricia, 8/9/2013" This story is very well written but I feel that there was a lot of story that was left untold. "
— Laurie, 8/5/2013" Repetive, overly detailed, goes off on tangents, and yet a great entertaining story to listen to while working on a house. Ann Rule knows how to tell these stories. "
— Suzanne, 7/29/2013" I saw this story featured on 48 Hours and was so saddened by this case that I wanted to read more about it. Unfortunately, this book does not reveal much more than that show did, so I was a bit disappointed in it. "
— Gretchen, 7/17/2013" Love my true crime and Ann Rule is still one of my fav's! This one didn't end the way you would want it to but great story about fighting for what is right. "
— Kris, 5/10/2013" I read it very quickly. I found it very interesting--finished it quickly. Love Ann Rule but hate that people go through such horrible things. "
— Connie, 4/23/2013" I get mad at authors who don't end a book with a viable ending. There is no ending to this story. The only thing determined is the manner of Rhonda Reynold's death. Hopefully Ann Rule can write a sequel to this book with an ending that brings closure to Rhonda's family and Ann's many fans! "
— Lisa, 12/26/2012" Interesting story. I usually love Ann Rule, but she really repeated herself over and over in this book. It could have been half as long! Hope an arrest is made one day. "
— Nan, 10/12/2012" I have read many Ann Rule books, and I like that she writes true crime. This story, though, was extremely repetitive and didn't follow a chronological timeline. I enjoy her writing style, and thought it was a good "story." "
— Forgetfulone, 5/19/2012" I love ann rule books... "
— Suzie, 1/8/2012" Another great novel....Ann Rule is the best true crime writer....she has a way of getting you involved fro, the first page to the last page.... "
— Roxie, 11/14/2011" Good book, very compelling, but it left me wondering: how could someone LITERALLY get away with murder? And wh did it take so long for the wheels of Justice to turn? Sad, but a cautionary tale. "
— Metagion, 8/23/2011" I am sure the deductions made in Ann Rule's research are very possible. I almost 2-starred this one though. Her friendship with Barb Thompson seems to mess with the author's point of view. Maybe not. However the book brings to mind a divorce where friends take sides. "
— Pam, 6/15/2011" I could not get into this book. This is the first Ann Rule book I've not been willing to finish. Boring. "
— Dommdy, 6/15/2011" This book made me angry...Angry at once again the injustice that people seem to get away with! <br/>I found myself wanting justice to be done just like Ronda's Mom and I pray justice IS done someday! "
— Sharon, 5/10/2011" I thought the book was well written, as all of Ann Rule's books are. I found it easy to follow. It is an excellent choice for anyone who is into true crime and court cases. "
— Angela, 4/23/2011" i think that i have read every book that ann rule has written...this one i would not recommend. i won't say why....just in case you want to read it. i'd move onto the other fabulous books she has written. i met ann rule once at a book signing, she is sweet, kind, thoughtful, a fabulous woman! "
— Ketti, 3/16/2011" Tragic story, just not as compelling or captivating as Rule's other books. But a typically well-written well-researched Rule nonetheless. "
— Adela, 3/7/2011" I really like true crime and Ann Rule is my favorite. "
— Mary, 2/22/2011" Ann Rule is a very good true crime writer. She gets involved with the stories but not overly involved. This book was a little dry in places but it's hard not to be when talking about evidence from a decade old crime. "
— Sarra, 2/16/2011" Definitely not her best book...writing was too simplistic. Very sad story. "
— Jennifer, 2/2/2011" My second go-round with Ann Rule. Still not impressed. Find her writing very juvenile and incredibly generic. Why she is the "Queen" of true crime is beyond me. She is not even the same league with the late Philip Carlo . "
— Timothy, 1/27/2011Cassandra Campbell has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and the prestigious Odyssey Award for narration. She was been named a “Best Voice” by AudioFile magazine and in 2018 was inducted in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.
Barbara Caruso, winner of numerous Earphones Awards for narration, is an accomplished actress. A graduate of London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she was a featured player in the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has played starring roles on Broadway and in theaters across the country. She won the Alexander Scourby Reader of the Year Award for her performances of young adult fiction and has more than one hundred audiobook narrations to her credit.