It’s taken me a while to get through this one, not because it has over 700 pages, but because there aren’t enough hours in the day! And most certainly not because I wanted to put it down!!! This would have to be one of the best true crime books I’ve read yet.
On the Farm — Stevie Cameron (Click link to buy kindle version)
If you’re like me and not too familiar with the serial killers in Canada, then I suggest that you make this book your first. Robert William Pickton is one of three sibling born in western canada. He admitted to killing 49 prostitutes, saying he was trying to get to 50.
What I really loved about this book is it’s thoroughness of in her investigation of all of those who were involved in the case. Right from the start of the missing woman, the start of the investigation task force, the trial, and the verdict.
I’ve seen other reviews that complained about the detail the author goes into with the victims. Also of those such as the police and other criminal justice professionals. But I loved it. Too often are we told all the details of the offender and sometimes that can be seen as disrespectful to victims. This book almost focuses on the victims a fair bit more than the offender I believe, and there are many. We learn who they are as people; where they grew up, their struggles, and their families. It’s heartbreaking because only some of the victims didn’t have families that noticed their disappearnace and report them missing. There’s only a few sentences about those ones.
It’s more heartbreaking when you read the heartbreak of their families, who remind us that these women, whether you agree with their lifestyle or not, were human. They were loved and missed, and in many instances they had children who continue to love and miss them. What’s equally sad is that when they were reported, the police didn’t acknowledge them, and as a result this went on for 30 odd years. That’s a long time, and as a result a lot of woman went missing and murdered.
It was great to read about the police, detectives, and lawyers who were also involved. Read about the politics and hardships that they face. Even though there were mistake made by them, you can’t imagine the incredible difficulties that the criminal justice system have, and how single officers or detectives don’t have the luxuries of taking things upon themselves, they have to follow the system. It doesn’t make this story any less tragic, but I see the difficulties they face. Admittedly, there were people in the book I didn’t take to. And if you choose to read this, you might agree.
Overall, this book was wonderful. It didn’t drag for me, I really appreciated and enjoyed the thorough description of those people this tragedy touched, as well as a look at the offender, his life, and his family. I was disappointed with the trial in that it wasn’t the outcome I wanted for the families, some of them haven’t received their justice and it’s really very heartbreaking, some of those women weren’t even found, or only DNA or tiny parts of them found. You can’t begin to imagine what they went through or their families. Stevie does an excellent job of making us notice the victims. Feel for the victims. It’s the victims that deserve to have their story told and she doesn’t this wonderfully.
I give this book: 
/ out of 5
Happy reading
Nat
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