Reviews

.,."Comes remarkably close to explaining the forces that resulted in an all-but-inexplicable crime. It's a spellbinding read."-- #1 bestselling author John Berendt

"Her dogged research may have saved Andrea Yates's life. That is reason enough to value this book."-- "Washington Post Book World"

"O'Malley's reportage is stunning for its depth, its persistence, and its compassion."-- John Berendt, #1 bestselling author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"

"This riveting book puts a human face on a larger social issue. What happens when the violent actions of an improperly medicated mentally ill person intersect with the legal system? Who bears the responsibility?"-- "USA Today"

On June 20, 2001, Yates drowned her five children, who ranged in age from six months to seven years, then she calmly called her husband and the police and told them to come to her home. This was a murder that shocked people all over the country; how could she do it? Was it the fault of her husband, Rusty? Was it postpartum depression? Was something else to blame? O'Malley covered the case from its inception and provides a fascinating study of Yates and her trial. The story not only covers Yates but also attacks the mental health system where she was misdiagnosed and at one point put into a drug rehab program instead of a treatment center for postpartum depression; the insurance companies that appeared to force Yates out of a treatment facility only days after doctors described her as the "sickest person they had ever seen"; and the defense and prosecution lawyers who missed opportunities to keep this troubled woman out of prison. Becky Ann Baker does a fine job of reading this book, a work that shows Yates was just as much a victim as her children. For all libraries.-Danna Bell-Russel, Library of Congress Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

.,."Comes remarkably close to explaining the forces that resulted in an all-but-inexplicable crime. It's a spellbinding read."

-- #1 bestselling author John Berendt

"Her dogged research may have saved Andrea Yates's life. That is reason enough to value this book."

-- "Washington Post Book World"

"O'Malley's reportage is stunning for its depth, its persistence, and its compassion."

-- John Berendt, #1 bestselling author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"

"This riveting book puts a human face on a larger social issue. What happens when the violent actions of an improperly medicated mentally ill person intersect with the legal system? Who bears the responsibility?"

-- "USA Today"