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Small Sacrifices
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
When Diane Downs and her three children were shot on a quiet, country road, residents of Springfield, Oregon, were frightened. A bushy haired stranger had flagged down their car, Diane told police, as she described how the man had coldly opened fire on her sleeping children. Despite the fact she was shot, too, the young mother managed to drive to the hospital in time to save all but one child. But something about her story was fishy, and detectives began to suspect Diane was lying. Was it possible that she was the shooter? Absolutely not, her supporters insisted. Diane, they said, adored her children. When investigators suggested a motive, Diane was indignant. Not only would she never harm her own children, she certainly would never do it for the reason detectives suggested. Was the attractive blonde the wonderful mother she claimed to be? Or was she a woman so obsessed, she would kill her own young to achieve her goal? Ann Rule's critically acclaimed SMALL SACRIFICES, was an instant bestseller, and later Farrah Fawcett was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Downs in the TV miniseries based on Rule's book.
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DebinHawaii
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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#BookBinge

A dozen #TrueCrime books that I found.compelling (it‘s hard to say “enjoyed” with true crime). The tagged book is probably my first real true crime read as I grew up in Oregon & Diane Downs‘ crimes & trial were the talk & news of the 80s.

Eggs Great collection👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 8mo
Kristy_K Columbine, Bad Blood and Missoula top my list of compelling true crime reads as well! False Report is on my tbr. 8mo
41 likes2 comments
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Kerrbearlib
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Been on a true crime kick lately. Listening to the audiobook now. The audio quality isn‘t good, but it is read by the author, which is nice.

9 likes1 stack add
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bibliobliss
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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I'm still reading The Stranger Beside Me and loving it. However, I started this Ann Rule tonight. I'm all set for some disturbing reading with this True Crime. I can't even imagine where children are concerned but I will literally read anything. I guess it's just my innate curiosity about what makes these monsters act in such heinous ways. Tell me more about Ann Rule...I love her already!! (I know she's passed away 😔)

#currentlyreading

bookaholic1 I cried with this one 2y
bibliobliss @bookaholic1 I can already see that happening 2y
32 likes2 comments
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FantasyChick
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Pickpick

This was a solid read and I'm pretty certain Diane Downs had what I will now be calling "Ted Bundy Syndrome"

What a monster!

3hrs

Team Theme: 15
#littenlisten :30
#screamathon :30
#bookspinbingo :30
#spookoween :30
#wickedathon :30
#scarathlon2021 #teamslaughter
@Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks @4thhouseontheleft @TheSpineView @StayCurious @aperfectmjk

TheSpineView Fantastic 2y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 2y
Clwojick I read The Stranger Beside Me this month, and it was pretty good! I'll have to check out more of her true crime. 2y
23 likes3 comments
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Emilymdxn
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Pickpick

Got too excited and read this one prematurely for #scarathlon2021 - oops 😦

I found this really compelling even though it was long. The Diane Downs story is one of the most unnerving and memorable true crime cases for me. It‘s always weird to me knowing who ‘did it‘ but not being able to unravel why, it makes me desperate to find out more so I can get my head round it. Highly recommend (with a major child death and child abuse trigger warning)

Clwojick 😋 3y
50 likes1 comment
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Emilymdxn
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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First few books I plan to read for #scarathlon2021 and #teamslaughter - plenty of true crime and a couple of thrillers too! I‘m beyond excited to get started and start scoring those points @Clwojick

51 likes1 comment
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Tera66
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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#Littensdressedinblood #Hungrylikethewolf
@MidnightBookGirl
Happy Friday, friend!
I haven't read this book and probably won't ever, but my mom did and told me something I will never forget. The murderous mother in this book loved this song and played it as she attacked her children. Makes me sick to think about

Reggie Yikes! Will also have different meaning now. 3y
MidnightBookGirl So I love Duran Duran, and Rio is pretty much a perfect album, but I can't ever get over the fact that Diane Downs let this song play while she tried to kill her kids. 3y
bookaholic1 I read this book, and when the children had to testify I bawled like a big baby, very sad book. 3y
Tera66 @bookaholic1 Yeah, I don't think I could read this one. It bothers me just knowing what I know about it. 3y
Tera66 @MidnightBookGirl yeah, it's so terrible! 3y
24 likes5 comments
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Nerdfins
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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They‘re happy I‘m home safe after running errands. #catsoflitsy #truecrime #cats

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Nerdfins
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Taking a break from crocheting (stupid tendonitis...) for some True Crime. #catsoflitsy #cats #truecrime

AmyG This is a good one! 3y
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Donna310x
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
Mehso-so

Finally finished this one. Was a long haul. Ann Rule books are full of great information and research and really give you the full picture but they drag on. I've also read the Ted Bundy one (cant remember the name) and felt the same.

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Donna310x
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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New book time! I really hope this one isnt as drawn out as The Stranger Beside Me. Such an intriguing case.

Cathythoughts I have this stacked. I enjoyed her book 4y
Donna310x I enjoyed it, just felt it dragged on at the end. 4y
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Michael_Gee
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Michael_Gee
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Initially 🙄 (I can just hear the earnest voiceover caressing the words “Mom & apple pie”) but I keep returning to it. 100p in now & I see this is a serious issue. People want to resemble sitcom families & say things like “I‘m a mother & I just don‘t believe she could” & Hugi‘s team is worried abt jurors “insisting” it “can‘t be true.” Americans are so defensive about “our” “values.” But it isn‘t mores that need protecting, it‘s individuals.

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AmyG
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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@j9brown Wow...thank you SO much for such a wonderful #creepychristmasswap package. The books are all great! I love the Shakespeare game which I will play tonight when my daughters are here as we always play games when we are together. It looks fun...and different than the usual scrabble and yahtzee. 🤣...I love the cat socks, skull lip balm ❤️, great bookmarks and chocolate. But the Rosemary‘s Baby pin....perfect! I LOVE IT. 😘😘😘

@teebe

j9brown Yay! I was pretty excited when I spotted that pin 😝 Have a very Merry Christmas! 4y
AmyG @j9brown Merry Christmas to you, too! 4y
71 likes3 comments
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DebinHawaii
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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#LilithJuly
The summer I graduated high school the Oregon & national news was filled with the story of Diane Downs, accused of shooting her 3 young children, basically because she became obsessed with a married man who did not want children. Currently serving her sentence (+5 years for escaping an Oregon prison for 10 days) in California, she was denied parole twice & is eligible to try again in 2021. Let's hope this #Criminal stays behind bars.

JanuarieTimewalker13 Yikes!!! I have no recollection of this! 5y
KarenUK Never heard of this before.... how awful ! 5y
gradcat Loved this book! 5y
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DogHairDontCare
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
Pickpick

what in the actual fuck.

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FairyHighRoad
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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I‘ve been in a book slump this past month. I‘m hoping the true crime queen leads me out of it with the insane story of Diane Downs and her 3 children.

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BookMaven9
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Mehso-so

I remember seeing this made for TV movie
As a young adult and was horrified that a mother could shoot all
Her kids in cold blood. I found the book to be just ok. I believe partly due to the fact that Ann Rule read the audio. She is a terrible narrator and found her distracting. Although she gets to the heart of this story and shows through testimony how empty and sociopathic Diane Downs is in a very clear and concise fashion.

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Meredith3
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Diane Downs took #selfishlove to the next level when she thought she could catch a man she was having an affair with (who didn't want kids) by murdering her own children. She unfortunately managed to kill one of them, and amazingly the other two survived- although they suffered terrible injuries. #ythoforreal #annrulerules #aprella #spoileralerthelostinterestrealquick

MelissaSue81 Did they make a TV movie about this? I think I watched it as a kid and was semi traumatized. 6y
Meredith3 @MelissaSue81 yes! Farrah Fawcett played Diane downs! I've never seen it, but I'm interested- hopefully it isn't too traumatizing though! 6y
DebinHawaii Great pick and great book--one of my favorite true crime books. The television movie was really good too. 6y
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Reviewsbylola Ugh first true crime book I ever read! 6y
APLitlife Love Ann Rule! Read the one about Ted Bundy, she actually knew and was friends with him! 6y
Mdargusch Great hashtags. Again! 6y
emilyhaldi Good one!!! Glad he had enough sense to lose interest at that point 😆😬 6y
LeahBergen I think of her every time I hear “Hungry Like a Wolf”. 😬 6y
Cinfhen Farrah Fawcett!?!???! NOW I‘m interested!!!! 6y
Meredith3 @DebinHawaii thanks! I will definitely have to check the movie out! 6y
Meredith3 @Reviewsbylola I need to read it! Is it just as good as the stranger beside me? 6y
Meredith3 @APLitlife I've read that one and loved it!!! So I need to read more of her books! 6y
Meredith3 @Mdargusch thank you! 😹😹😹 6y
Meredith3 @emilyhaldi you never know what people are into these days 🙄😳 6y
Meredith3 @Cinfhen heck yeah! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
Meredith3 @LeahBergen yeah that part of the story is very creepy 😱 6y
Cathythoughts Crazy stuff 6y
Reviewsbylola It‘s pretty good. Obviously good enough to ignite my love of true crime. 😂 6y
Meredith3 @Reviewsbylola good point! 💀 6y
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Chocamanda
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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ChelseaM6010
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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#MarchMadness day 12
True Crime ❤🔪

Kaye Always good to find another true crime reader. ✨✨✨ 6y
ChelseaM6010 @Kaye right?! 😊😊 6y
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Lyn-Mara
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Hooked on true crime at the moment and unable to put this one down. I‘ve dragged it along with me on all my Sunday errands.

Skeebies05 The Lifetime movie of this book is seared into my brain. Messed me up. 6y
Lyn-Mara @Skeebies05 Now I have to watch it! 🤓 I‘m excited to see that Ryan O‘Neil is in it! 6y
Eggs Off topic not book related: my last name is Eggleston as well-do you think we have a connection? 6y
Lyn-Mara @Eggs So sorry for the late response! It‘s been forever since I‘ve been on Litsy! Eggleston is my married name. My husband family hails from Vermont. We now live in Washington state. What part of the country are you from? 🙂 5y
Eggs It's my married name also. My late husband grew up mostly in Louisiana. I grew up in Minnesota; migrated to Texas in my 20s 5y
44 likes5 comments
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jennlikesbooks
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Picked up another #annrule book at B&N yesterday because they‘re dirt cheap (especially with my discount) and I‘m in love with her #truecrime writing style after nearly completing The Stranger Beside Me. This one seems like a depressing page turner.

AmyG This book is awesome. 6y
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Chocamanda
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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What am I reading? #24in48 #friendshipgoals

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Chocamanda
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Lydia says, "Mommy! Let's read a true crime classic next" ? #24in48 #secretsantagoespostal #catsoflitsy

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Jabberwocky
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Thank you to everyone for the #truecrime recommendations! These were a dollar each and I‘m super stoked! #bookhaul 2/2

Jabberwocky @FantasyChick so excited to have found a new genre, thank you 😍 6y
AmyG I am envious. I remember reading many of these. ❤️ 6y
FantasyChick Yay!!!! Always happy to make everyone's minds a little more twisty 😊 Will be waiting to hear your thoughts on some of these! 6y
30 likes4 comments
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No_One
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Big Huge Thanks to @LectricSheep and @AmyG for recommending the “My Favorite Murder” podcast to me! Just finished episode 20 (yes, I have to listen in order 😄) and I am most of the way through this true crime book. Seriously hooked! #SSDGM
☠️🤕👮🏻‍♂️🕵️‍♂️🔪

Skeebies05 Ahhh I remember watching the lifetime movie adaption with my mom. I believe it had Farrah Fawcett. 6y
No_One @Skeebies05 what a crazy story this was! I didn‘t even know about it until the podcast. And I was 11 at the time! I wonder if I can find that movie! 🙂 Thanks for the tip! 6y
DebinHawaii One of my favorite true crime books and the movie @Skeebies05 with Farrah Fawcett was very good. 📚👍 6y
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megt Great podcast! Sometimes I think listening to it adds more to my reading list than some book related podcasts. 6y
No_One @Skeebies05 @DebinHawaii that entire movie is on Youtube! I will watch it. 🙂 6y
No_One @megt oh, I am finding that out! Haha! 6y
DebinHawaii @No_One Remember it's late 80s so dated but good.👍 6y
TricksyTails ♥️♥️♥️ Love this! 6y
azulaco Oh no. Now I‘m going to have to try this podcast too, and I already have too many podcasts. #firstworldproblems It sounds like it‘s really good, though. 6y
WarpedSweetness I love MFM!!!! This is really the only podcast I listen to. 6y
nelehelen I love MFM!! 6y
Rachellynnwright Oh yay, I‘ve been meaning to try out this podcast- glad to see people like it!! 6y
Kaye Small Sacrifices was Ann Rule‘s best book in my opinion. 6y
PirateJenny Yay Murderinos! 6y
AmyG My pleasure. You are now officially a Murdurino! @Kaye SUCH a good book. 6y
RiotMom Yay! Litsy Murderinos unite! 6y
No_One @azulaco Thank goodness it‘s only 1 of 4 I‘m listening to! But it‘s the one I keep going to. 🙂 6y
No_One @Kaye @AmyG I also bought “The Stranger Beside Me” which I have never read. 🙂. Can‘t wait to read it! 6y
No_One @PirateJenny @RiotMom @AmyG omg I‘m a Murderino!! 😃 (edited) 6y
AmyG @No_One The Stranger Beside Me is excellent. You have read Helter Skelter, right? Best ever! 6y
No_One @AmyG yes, I read Helter Skelter 30 yrs ago. It was so good! I seem to have gone through a true crime desert. I watch Dateline and such shows religiously, so I‘m happy to be back on the true crime train! 😃 6y
AmyG Well...you stay sexy. Don't get murdered! 🔪🔪🔪 6y
AmyG And...keep an eye out. They do live shows around the country. My daughter is visiting a friend in AZ...so she can go see them. 6y
No_One @AmyG Very shortly after becoming hooked I realized they were just in my area on Sept 29!!! I think that was only a few days after you told me about MFM. 🙁. I will catch them next time and I will be properly prepared and enthused!! 😄 SSDGM!!! 6y
LectricSheep EXCELLENT! 🙌🏻 6y
No_One @LectricSheep 😃 🙌🏼 thanks again!!!! 6y
BeckyandBooks Love that podcast! 6y
dylanisreading Yay! Another murderino! 🙌 6y
No_One @BeckyB @Bianca woo hoo! 🙌🏼 6y
110 likes3 stack adds29 comments
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Brie
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Pickpick

Though I'm a fan of true crime, this is my first Ann Rule and it did not disappoint. I was familiar with the Diane Downs case before, but that didn't lessen the read for me, as Rule meticulously pieces together details and information in a way that had me hooked, but did not glamorize the crime.

AmyG One of my favorites....not just of hers, but all true crime. 6y
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ChelseaM6010
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Starting my #Screamathon with something a little different. . . A true crime book!

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Pandareads37
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
Pickpick

First true crime book and I enjoyed it. One book down for #Frightfall
4 out 5 🌟

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DebinHawaii
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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Day 26 #JuneBookBugs #PublishedInThe1980s In the 80s I was in high school & college and most into true crime, horror & twisty thrillers. Here are six 80s favorites from three of my favorite authors of the times. It was the days before #autobuy but they all would have been on mine. 😀👍📚 I've mentioned it before but it was decades later that I learned that Leigh Nichols was really Dean Koontz using one of his early pen names. 😱#verytrickydude 🤣

AmyG I loved true crime, mysteries and horror too. You got some good books there. 7y
bookloo I have this exact cover of Pet Sematary! I'm waiting to read it for October, but it's kind of hard not glancing in it's direction every time I approach my shelf. ☺️ 7y
peaKnit We were on the same wave length in the 80's for sure! The Stranger Beside Me got me started on serial killers! (And on the path to my job in Corrections!🤣) 7y
JazzFeathers I see a few of my reads too. And l love this 1980s look 😆 They don't do covers like those anymore 😁 7y
95 likes4 comments
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DebinHawaii
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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#SEEWHATIHAVEWON Ann Rule is a great true crime writer & Small Sacrifices is my favorite of her books-likely because I grew up in Oregon, was in high school during the crime, & remember the case well. It's a hard read because Diane Downs is just pure evil & has no remorse for what she did to her children & the book is so chilling & well-written. The 1989 TV movie with Farrah Fawcett was actually pretty good too. Thanks for the giveaway @Liberty 👍

AmyG I loved this book. 7y
Matchkim Oh man. I don't know that I could handle it. I get so enraged just watching the news. 7y
shanebeth excellent book. this case has always haunted me...those poor kids. 😢 7y
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Reviewsbylola Small Sacrifices was my first Ann Rule and possibly my first true crime. I always think if Diane Downs and her poor children when I hear the song Hungry Like a Wolf. How any mother can do that is simply beyond me. 7y
MrsV Me too @Reviewsbylola! I just picture her dancing in the courtroom. 7y
Gayan I literally looked for a copy of this at the used bookstore this weekend. This is my second favorite True Crime right after Helter Skelter. 7y
BethFishReads 👏💫👏💫 7y
DebinHawaii @AmyG @Matchkim @shanebeth @Reviewsbylola @MrsV @Gayan @BethFishReads Yes, it is a good one-very haunting. I know what you mean about Hungry Like the Wolf--after the book and film, I have a hard time hearing it without thinking about the crime & trial. 😬 7y
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Adventuresbetweenpages
Small Sacrifices | Ann Rule
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In a true crime mood

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