This Week's Question:
Have you ever read a book or books you would consider 'toxic' because of the effect it (they) had on you? If so, which one(s)? (submitted by Maria @ A Night's Dream of Books)
My Answer:
I spent a lot of time during the week thinking about this question. I didn't have an immediate pick as I didn't really consider any of my reads 'toxic'.
The book I did finally choose was 'After Evil' by Jane Carter Woodrow. It is not one I would put under the 'toxic' category, but it was a book that gave me chills and completely terrified me (close enough to 'toxic' I hope?).
The book tells the story of the serial killer known as the 'Yorkshire Ripper' - it follows the events that unfolded with each of his killings and describes the gruesome nature of the murders. In particular the book focusses on the family of the ripper's second victim. It was an interesting read that really opened my eyes in many ways, but it truly scared me when reading about how the serial killer was able to get away many times and claim the lives of so many people.
Summary: Everything seemed perfect in Neil Jackson's childhood until one day, on a cold January morning in 1976...He was awoken by the police knocking on the door to break the shocking news that his mother had become the second victim of a serial killer - soon to become known as the 'Yorkshire Ripper'. This evil act exposed a web of secrets and lies that was to devastate Neil and change his life forever. Jane Carter Woodrow, an experienced criminologist, discovers what happens when the camera and the lurid headlines fade away. Neil's riveting story captures the real nature of the tragedy that murder can visit on a family and shows how incredibly he pieced his life back together after becoming one of the forgotten victims of Britain's most notorious serial killer. (Goodreads)
I, too, could think of no books I'd really call toxic. Happy Reading!
ReplyDeleteThat does sound chilling, and that is how I defined toxic in my answer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing...nice to see you on the HOP,and thanks for stopping by my blog earlier.
I dont like crime / thrillers for this very reason. I read to escape into another world, to be swept off my feet, to find a happy place... Not to be given nightmares about a psycho murdering women due to his deep seated mummy issues. (Haven't read the book but know enough about the story of the Yorkshire Ripper to avoid like the plague!)
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