Barry Siegel

When Jerry was a young woman she gave up her infant son for adoption. Years later when she wanted to reconnect with her son, she learned that he had died before he was 4 years old. When she investigated further, she discovered that although a coroner's investigation was opened and there were ample indications that the child had been physically abused, a cause of death for her child had never been determined. Jerry insisted that the authorities reopen and reinvestigate the case of her son's death, so that his cause of death could be determined and guilty parties, if any, be brought to justice.
This book is a lengthy and detailed exposition of that investigation, and of the prosecution of Harold and Lois Jurgens, the adoptive parents (who after the death of the 4 year old went on to adopt 4 more children who were also abused). The case led to ground-breaking new laws that are crucial in prosecuting adults who abuse children who can no longer speak for themselves.
For the most part the book was compelling and interesting reading. However, in my view it contained too much extraneous detail. For example, there is a great deal about the history of the town and descriptions of its physical layout, as well as descriptions of its governing officials, as they compete to win the "All America City" contest. Perhaps the point was that this story could happen anywhere, even in an "All America City," but it simply took up too much space in an otherwise good read.… (more)

Really good, actually -- Siegel writes about law in a way that doesn't make me immediately think, "Oh, this guy isn't a laywer," which is rare. How many newspaper stories or books have you read where the writer just doesn't seem to know how to put legal words together in the same way that a lawyer does? Siegel avoids that.

More importantly, though, Siegel tells a story that draws clear parallels between the dawning of the Cold War and the post-9/11 era without beating us over the head with it. He makes the story much more personal, a sad tale of the government lying to three widows and largely getting away with it. But he doesn't ignore the larger ramifications, either -- he weaves them in skillfully, pointing us in the right direction without making the book his own crusade for truth and justice.… (more)