Broken Doll

By Burl Barer

Book Overview

Near Miss In May, 1988, in Everett, Washington, four-year-old Feather Rahier disappeared while playing outside after dinner. Her frantic cries drew Feather's mother to the dark garage that was home to Richard Matthew Clark. Clark had stolen the child, bound and gagged her, and begun to undress her. Only at the last instant was the little girl saved by her mother's desperate intervention. The next victim wouldn't be so fortunate. Without A Trace On the night of March 31, 1995, Roxanne Doll, 7, was abducted from the bedroom she shared with her younger sister. It was not until the following day that her mother discovered Roxanne's disappearance. A week later, Roxanne's raped and stabbed body was found. Evidence led investigators to a man the family had trusted as a friend: Richard Clark. No Remorse Clark was a petty criminal, jailbird, alcohol and drug abuser who couldn't control his pedophilic and homicidal urges. In April, 1997, after his conviction for aggravated murder, he mocked and derided the dead girl's parents in a shocking courtroom display. Here is the brutal, heartbreaking true story of the crimes and punishment of a monster who preyed on the most vulnerable victims of all--and of the determined prosecutor who swore to bring him to justice. Includes 16 Pages Of Shocking Photos

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786019255
• ISBN13: 9780786019250
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: Pinnacle Books
• Length: 303 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Killer

I know both party's killer was buying things Roxanne for months and he took her in the night aàand he too down on east Marine drive and stabbed her 17 times and toss over bank keep going many time is how he and the police went too his aunt she wash all his clothes he want his little brother too say it was deer blood he told police he did it mom and dad on tv so drunk they paid him too do it they go away with it the other daughter told police in my sister death they did it then they impound the van for evidence two grills found her body they got 10,000.00 reward a that is how the real store is about the book left lot of things

TRUE CRIME AT ITS HEARTBREAKING BEST

Burl Barer picks his cases carefully, and each book takes us not only into the minds of killers and the broken lives affected by his or her actions, but into the very fabric of American society. BROKEN DOLL tells of Richard Mathew Clark, family "friend" who kidnaps, rapes and murders innocent 7-year old Roxanne, then actually goes camping with Roxanne's father. The lives and families of both victim and perpetrator are fully illumined, and we see with horrid clarity that the humanity of Clark was probably kidnapped raped and killed long before he crawled through the little girl's bedroom window and did to her body what was done to his mind. Brilliantly researched and written by America's master of investigative crime writing.

Broken Doll is a heartbreaker.

This powerful story will break your heart...not only for the little victim and her family, but for everyone involved in this tragic story. This is another "must read" from Burl Barer, America's master of investigative true crime journalism. I suggest every fan of true crime read this book, and everyone who wondered how criminals such as Richard Clark are raised, not born. Burl Barer consistently takes us behind the headlines to reveal more than what we would learn from newspapers or television, plus he always gives us his analysis of the case in his "final remarks." Barer is my favorite non-fiction author, and this is one reason why.

Brilliant, riviting, and ultimately valuable

With incredible insight and journalistic flair Barer once again proves his abilities as one of the top investigative crime writers. In this tragic story of aborted childhoods and destroyed dreams, your heart will break for the family of seven-year-old victim Roxanne Doll, and also for that of her killer, Richard Clark, who's own sense of self and human bonding was forever stilled at an early age. Broken Doll is undoubtedly Barer's best true crime book to date, and the best of the genre this year. I strongly urge every reader of true crime to order BROKEN DOLL.

Painful Story - Excellent Book

Having read all of Burl Barer's work, I made certain to pick up his most recent, "Broken Doll", and was not dissapointed. Barer has an amazing ability to relate what would be a gruesome story with compassion and respect. True Crime is not my favorite genre, but Barer brings so much humanity to each of his books that I can get past the "16 pages of shocking photos" and focus on the tale itself. Highly recommended.

Compelling, gripping, shocking page turner!

True Crime legend Burl Barer returns with another hard hitting masterpiece of investigative crime writing. This time, its the shocking story of 7-year-old Roxanne Doll being kidnapped from her bed in the middle of the night by a trusted "family friend."Barer continues the standard for which he is famed by taking this story beyond the mere reporting of events and details -- he strips away the "law and order" facade of American justice to reveal the tragic interplay of hope and dissapointment, expectation and devastation, that plagued the lives of child killer Richard M. Clark and the parents of his innocent victim.Less frenetic than Barer's excellent yet episodic BODY COUNT, nor as legal-heavy as his outstanding HEAD SHOT, BROKEN DOLL equals his MURDER IN THE FAMILY in setting the standard for contemporary true-crime writing. Five stars, indeed -- Barer's best yet!