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While They Slept: An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family
While They Slept An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family
Author: Kathryn Harrison
Early on an April morning, eighteen-year-old Billy Frank Gilley, Jr., killed his sleeping parents. Surprised in the act by his younger sister, Becky, he turned on her as well. Billy then climbed the stairs to the bedroom of his other sister, Jody, and said, ?We?re free.? — But is one ever free after an unredeemable act of violence? The Gilley fam...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780345516602
ISBN-10: 0345516605
Publication Date: 11/24/2009
Pages: 288
Rating:
  • Currently 3.6/5 Stars.
 4

3.6 stars, based on 4 ratings
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed While They Slept: An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family on + 17 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book really wasn't what I expected...I thought it would be more of a true crime book.
thebeakeeper avatar reviewed While They Slept: An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family on + 167 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
id never heard of this but its requested on my book swap and i got it for $2 at the airport.

i have a few problems with it. kathryn harrison previously wrote books on her own experiences with abuse, which i have not read and know only about from this book. in this book before telling the story of which she is supposed to be writing, she talks about herself. a lot. and it comes across that when she was 20, she met her dad, he tongue kissed her at the airport and shes been a mess ever since.

based only on that incident (she talks of no other incidents in this story) she constantly compares herself to the two main people in this story. um- being tongue kissed by your dad when you were a gorwn adult is nothing like having your brother MURDER your parents and little sister when youre 16 because of abuse. NO comparison.

she also compares herself to the brother. um- yeah, you had some eating disorders and some insanity- you did not freaking beat your parents and little sister to death with a baseball bat!!!!

i also have a problem with her believing everything the living sister says and beliving nothing of the brother (who murdered the family.) he was obviously a mess and had some major problems but i do think there is some truth to his account.

it seems as if all jody (the living sister) and kathryn harris write about are the murders and abuse. thats all there is to them. theres nothing more to their lives. is jody the murders? is kathryn harris her dads kiss? is that all they have? appears so.

im glad i read the reviews before starting this because they all do say that she talks way too much about herself. if ihad any interest reading her memoirs- i no longer do after reading this.
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reviewed While They Slept: An Inquiry into the Murder of a Family on + 47 more book reviews
This is written really well, but the author relates it a lot to her personal life experiences other than having the story be only about the crime. This makes it better in some ways, and distracting in some ways. I would recommend that a potential reader of the book first check out the author's bio and her other autobiographical books.


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