Book Review
Justice Wanted - The Kid in the University Stairwell
by Marlene Gentilcore
About the Author
Freelance writer, Marlene Gentilcore earned her Journalism/Pre-Law degree at the
University of PIttsburgh; won the Pennsylvania Keystone Press Award for
Investigative Reporting and appeared on Unsolved Mysteries. She is
currently at work on her next book.
I wrote the book and put it away for five years. When I took the manuscript out and read it after all those years, it felt like someone else wrote it. Reliving those incredible 15 years all over again was painful. And even though I actually lived this heart-wrenching story, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief several times I still have a hard time believing what happened to this 20-year-old student and his family--who only wants to know the truth.
Book Description
On October 17, 1987, Jack Alan Davis, Jr. disappeared. Five days later, his body was found at the bottom of a campus stairwell. By noon the next day, the county coroner announced he drank too much alcohol, passed out and choked to death on his own vomit—not everyone believed him.
This moving and ultimately redemptive book tells the story of Jack, the student who died at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, of the older brother who was determined to find out how Jack died, and of the tireless reporter who devoted herself to finding justice and truth for Jack’s family. The true story takes readers from idyllic campus scenes haunted by imagines of senseless and brutal death, to the coroner’s examination room, all while questioning how we treat the dead—and how we treat those who survive.
As Marlene Gentilcore tells her readers in the final pages of Justice Wanted, “Looking back now, I realize that no matter the outcome of our...courageous quest, we have lived the real American dream”—fighting for the promise of a nation based on justice for all.
Freelance writer, Marlene Gentilcore earned her Journalism/Pre-Law degree at the
University of PIttsburgh; won the Pennsylvania Keystone Press Award for
Investigative Reporting and appeared on Unsolved Mysteries. She is
currently at work on her next book.I wrote the book and put it away for five years. When I took the manuscript out and read it after all those years, it felt like someone else wrote it. Reliving those incredible 15 years all over again was painful. And even though I actually lived this heart-wrenching story, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief several times I still have a hard time believing what happened to this 20-year-old student and his family--who only wants to know the truth.
Book Description
On October 17, 1987, Jack Alan Davis, Jr. disappeared. Five days later, his body was found at the bottom of a campus stairwell. By noon the next day, the county coroner announced he drank too much alcohol, passed out and choked to death on his own vomit—not everyone believed him.
This moving and ultimately redemptive book tells the story of Jack, the student who died at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, of the older brother who was determined to find out how Jack died, and of the tireless reporter who devoted herself to finding justice and truth for Jack’s family. The true story takes readers from idyllic campus scenes haunted by imagines of senseless and brutal death, to the coroner’s examination room, all while questioning how we treat the dead—and how we treat those who survive.
As Marlene Gentilcore tells her readers in the final pages of Justice Wanted, “Looking back now, I realize that no matter the outcome of our...courageous quest, we have lived the real American dream”—fighting for the promise of a nation based on justice for all.
Our Book Review
When an investigative reporter, the author, is shown a videotape of the second autopsy of the body of Jack Davis, who disappeared on October 17th 1987, she knows she has to find out the truth behind this mysterious death.
As new evidence and testimonies were proved and taken and leads take the investigation down new avenues, it shows that in order to find out the truth or prove than an injustice has been done, that you need to be brave and intrepid with relentless gusto.
The real strength of the reporting of the investigation is the emotion that you feel, when reading, the frustration and anger of the family, who feel that all the lines of new evidence are totally shut before they are even opened. The skepticism and fear that the author faces from all parties is shocking.
As we all know when trying to find out the truth, the people who want it kept hidden go to extraordinary lengths to do so. As the facts, interviews and evidence are still coming to light, hopefully the family can have closure on what happened to their offspring. Having the book highlight this crime and bring it to the forefront of peoples minds again is another great key to the success of finding out the truth.
The writing and explanations of the investigation are presented in a totally unbiased manner and the author lets the reader make their own decisions based on her findings and the facts.
This is a must read for all fans of true crime and unsolved msyteries.
Our Rating
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Wow!! I am totally going to get this book! Thanks for sharing I LOVE books like this!!!
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds like my kind of book. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe title alone makes me want to read more! Funny how some books just grab you from the beginning!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful book. I think I'd like this one.
ReplyDelete