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Book Reviews of Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice
Bitter Harvest A Woman's Fury A Mother's Sacrifice
Author: Ann Rule
ISBN: 105012
Publication Date: 3/10/1998
Pages: 496
Edition: Abridged
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 7
4 stars, based on 7 ratings
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Type: Audio Cassette
Reviews: Write a Review

49 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

 MaryMary avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 32 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
True story of a sociopathic woman who becomes a doctor, but her horrible personality problems leads her to set several houses on fire, poison her husband and kill 2 of her 3 children all to get her own way. Fascinating, yet very sad story.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 22 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Very chilling account of this woman's desperation to keep her husband.

Reads like a novel rather than a biography.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 140 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Bitter Harvest probes the case of Debra Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland. A small town girl with a genius IQ, she achieved an enviable life; her own medical practice, a handsome physician husband, three perfect children, and an opulent home in an exclusive Kansas City suburb. But when a raging fire destroyed that home and took two lives, the trail of clues led investigators to a stunning conclusion. Piece by piece, Ann Rule digs beneath this placid Midwestern facade to unveil a disturbing portrait of strangely troubled marriages, infidelity, desperation, suicide, and escalating acts of revenge that forever changed dozens of lives.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I liked Ann Rule's books a lot better when she was still relatively new to the genre. I liked this book but I don't like her giving so much personal analyzation and opinions. Plus her bias' are very obvious.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 42 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
very chilling true story of a doctor with everything going for her but revenge got in her way-sad story but gripping
aafolk avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
Helpful Score: 1
Ann Rule's writing is so suspenseful, that I am always spellbound by her books - even though they are non-fiction and I usually know the ending already. This one is no exception.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
Helpful Score: 1
Actually, Tertia, it's Prairie Village, KS.

I grew up in the next town, mere blocks away, and I remember when all of this happened.

This is a very good book, and kinda eerie to read. Ann Rule is an exceptional writer, very thorough, and she almost puts you in the heart of the action.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is yet another one of Rule's great true crime stories. Such a tragic story and the pictures of the children that were killed are just so haunting.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 242 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
An intriguing, sad, true crime story of a woman, Deborah Farrar, whose personality disorder leads her to destroy her house by putting it on fire, killing 2 of her 3 children. During that time period, Deborah's husband, Dr. Michael Farrar, had left her to live with another woman. There were good reasons why he left her but Deborah puts all the blame on him for the disintegration of their marriage. Uncommunicative, slovenly with her appearance and with her housekeeping, Deborah made no moves to change the undesirable parts of herself that many, besides Michael, found hard to handle. How the investigation revealed Deborah as the firesetter and killer of her children makes for fascinating reading as only Ann Rule can write.
LoveBeingMOM avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 134 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Ann Rule, again, brings this true life story right in front of you and you live the story. Beautifully written.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 24 more book reviews
Very interesting reading!
mrsparis385 avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 5 more book reviews
In "Bitter Harvest" written by Ann Rule, As a reader we are taken back to Prairie Village, Kansas on October 1995. We are told the story of Dr. Debora Green who was a women of great intelligence but as her career started spiralling down hill, and her marriage began to fall apart. We learn she started to lose herself and dispite her husband's efforts of reaching out trying to get her some help when warning signs started to make their precence known he did so unsuccefully. It's hard to say if this story would end the same way that it does had others stepped up and said something instead of doing nothing when they recognized the warning signs of trouble.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 3 more book reviews
This true story was INCREDIBLE. How one woman can do so much damage is unbelievable. I couln't put this down. You'll end up loving Deborah!
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 7 more book reviews
Ann Rule delves deep into the lives of the victims and broadly gives a sensational picture of what happened and all the little details that are so interesting.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 31 more book reviews
Frightening to see just how far a woman/mother would go to get back at her husband. This book was tragic in many ways but fascinating to read b/c the story took place in my hometown.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 78 more book reviews
This author grabs your interest right from the beginning and holds to right up to the end of the story. A true crime story.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 13 more book reviews
I love Ann Rule or at least most of her books but this one really tugged on my heart strings but shows how sick people can be. I really enjoy true crime stories and this one kept my attention from begining to end.
mrsalanking avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
Whoa! Another sad story from the files of life itself, but written wonderfully! I can't recommend this one enough. It was hard to put down, but then again, all of Ann Rule's books are!
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
I love Ann Rule's books. This is the first one I have ready by her, and it was great if you are into true crime books.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 23 more book reviews
One of Anne Rule's finest!
budgie11 avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 4 more book reviews
this book was such an interesting story and was, as always is in Ann Rule's accounts of true crime, expertly well written. I would say this is her best book to date.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 102 more book reviews
I am a true crime fan and loved this book.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
Another good read from Ann Rule.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 44 more book reviews
Loved it! If you love Ann Rule's books like I do, this is a must read.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 141 more book reviews
THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF ANN RICE'S TRUE STORIES THAT DEPICTS THE INNER DEMONS OF PEOPLE. A GREAT BOOK.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 11 more book reviews
True crime by former policewoman. Female doctor murders
part of her family. True crime. Ann Rule writes, it seems to me,
in a very easy to read, very informative, insightful style.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 26 more book reviews
Great Ann Rule book.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 48 more book reviews
WOW. I live in Kansas, actually just moved from Topeka. This was so close to home. I hadn't remembered much about it, but boy, it all came back. Go, Ann Rule.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 19 more book reviews
This is the first time I've ever read a true crime book. Ann Rule is really good at writing about the facts and making it read like a novel at the same time. It was hohwever, a creepy read. The the subject is of a vile woman who took revenge due to a failing marriage. I was left with a fleeting chance that she could be innocent (?)
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 285 more book reviews
A must-read story of the '90s American dream turned, tragically, to self-absorbed ashes.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 23 more book reviews
I like reading Ms. Rule's works. If you like true stories you will like this one.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 28 more book reviews
I love Ann Rule's style of writing. She is so skilled at blending setting, background, and common occurrences into her true crime accounts.
trekie70 avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 291 more book reviews
Meet Deborah Green and Mike Farrar, married with 3 kids and successful as doctors. Like any married couple, they have their ups and downs. Behind closed doors, however, animosity and bitterness are growing. It all comes to a head one fateful night in October, 1995 when a fire breaks out in their home, resulting in the deaths of their oldest and youngest children. Bitter Harvest takes the reader on a fascinating journey, beginning with how Deborah and Mike meet and culminating in a months-long investigation into the fire and Mike's strange life and death battle resulting from an attempt by someone to kill him with ricin, a very deadly poison. This is the first Ann Rule book I've read but certainly not the last.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 46 more book reviews
Engrossing, hard to put down. Husband and wife doctors, seemingly perfect life w/3 kids. House burns down, two lives lost. Investigation leads to a disturbingly troubled marriage underneath the facade and possible murder. True Crime. Just goes to show you human nature can be unpredictable - even the most seemingly normal people....
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 10 more book reviews
One of the most gripping true crime novels that I have ever read. You may question your own sanity after reading it. Great read!
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 20 more book reviews
Ann Rule's 12th astounding bestseller is a tension filled, page turning account of a shattering modern tragey.
It is the case of Debora Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland. A small town girl with a genius IQ with her own medical practice, and a handsome doctor husband, 3 perfect children and a beautiful home in Kansas. Ann Rule digs beneath this placid facade to unveil a disturbing portrait of strangely troubled marriages, infidelity, desperation, suicide, and escalating acts of revenge that forever changed dozens of lives.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 6 more book reviews
Great writing, loved the families and the location. So interesting
gmnes avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 17 more book reviews
Interesting, true story. Wanted to read after my neighbor told me that she knew the characters when she lived in the city with them.

I always find non-fiction most interesting. Sad story but full of intrigue.

Neon
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 27 more book reviews
N.Y. Times bestseller is a "tension filled, page turner." It is a true story about the case of Debora Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland until everything she ever wanted was gone.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 15 more book reviews
Bitter Harvest probes the case of Debora Green, a doctor and a loving mother who seemed to epitomize the dreams of the American heartland. A small-town girl with a genius IQ, she achieved an enviable life: her own medical practice, a handsome physician husband, three perfect children, and an opulent home in an exclusive Kansas City suburb. But when a raging fire destroyed that home and took two lives, the trail of clues led investigators to a stunning conclusion. Piece by piece, Ann Rule digs beneath this placid Midwestern facade to unveil a distrubing portrait of strangely troubled marriages, infidelity, desperation, suicide, and escalating acts of revenge that forever changed dozens of lives.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 10 more book reviews
This is the first Ann Rule book I ever read, and I was definitely hooked. I have already read at least half of all her true crime books.
jadeval76 avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 16 more book reviews
very good book!
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 19 more book reviews
I think this is probably Ann Rule's worst book. I love her work, but this book was clearly not her best effort. She seemed to be taken in by the slick "victim" and discounted the actual facts.
CherryBlossom avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 24 more book reviews
Good book if you like the true story types with the photos.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 30 more book reviews
A little too long, but very good book
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 102 more book reviews
A woman's fury ....a mother's sacrifice.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 101 more book reviews
Paradise Village, Kansas hides a world of hate, rage and homicide. True crime reporting at it's best.
Bernie avatar reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on
Dr. Deborah Green was a brilliant, wealthy, married mother of three who was convicted of repeatedly trying to poison her husband and of killing two of her children in a fire she methodically set in the family home. Rule (A Fever in the Heart, LJ 11/1/96) proves once again that she is a master of the true-crime genre?she builds the narrative from Green's days as a student of superior intelligence through her years in an increasingly unhappy marriage to her physician husband. Rule carefully chronicles Green's bizarre behavior and takes the reader through the arson investigation as well as Green's husband's illnesses, surgeries, and attempt to rebuild his life with his remaining child, who escaped the fire. Peppered throughout the narrative are quotes from Green herself, which expose her twisted thinking and her attempts to rationalize her behavior. An outstanding chronicle of a crime investigation as well as a riveting profile of a brilliant mind and empty soul.
reviewed Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice on + 32 more book reviews
Haven't read it, just want to past it along to someone else.

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