Small Sacrifices: A True Story of Passion and Murder
by Signet

	Small Sacrifices: A True Story of Passion and Murder
	Customer Rating: Sales Rank: 27991 Available from Amazon
	$7.99

Book Description

Ann Rule's shocking and powerful account of the destructive forces that drove Diane Downs, a beautiful young mother, to shoot her three young children in cold blood.<P>"Vivid.Extraordinarya page-turner."--<i>New York Times Book Review</i><P>"Superb[a] riveting detective story."--<i>Indianapolis Star</i><P>"A harrowing pathological portrait.A work of resonance and revelation with breath-stopping tension to the end." --<i>Kirkus Reviews</i><P>"Fascinatinggrislyun-putdownable." --<i>New York Daily News</i><P>"Excellent.One of the most detailed studies of a sociopath to dignify the true-crime circuit." --<i>The San Francisco Chronicle</i><P>"A raw docudrama of almost unbelievable intensity." --<i>Booklist</i><P>* Also by Ann Rule (in Signet's newly repackaged editions): <i>The Stranger Beside Me</i> (4/99), <i>The I-5 Killer</i> (6/99), <i>The Want-Ad Killer</i> (8/99), <i>The Lust Killer</i> (10/99)

Reader Reviews

This is a riveting and spellbinding book about a woman who let her sick obsessions overrule her heart and her love for her children. It is a story about selfishness and desire. It is about how children become pawns in a world of lust and greed and how they paid the ultimate price. Thankfully, the perpetrator did not evade the justice that will be dealt her here on earth. It made me sad for children who are born into homes where there is no guidance and no love, only madness.

It grabs your attention from the very beginning and steers you through its pages with the sickening realization of where this woman's obsession is leading her. It is frightening that someone can walk around in our society without gathering any attention until it is too late.

This story reminds me a lot of the story of Susan Smith who also killed her children for "love" or her idea of love.

Now if we could just find a way to prevent it from happening again. And of course the sad thing is we can't or won't so someday there will be another story like this, and then another.

I recommend it but it will leave you both sad and angry. Ann Rule, as always, did a very good job getting inside the head of her subject, which makes the story come alive. She won't disappoint her readers with this book. She is right on target.