A Rip in Heaven

An unforgettable tragedy in a very close and loving large family that affected the remainder of their lives in irreparable and different ways!!

I began reading this book, not knowing what to expect. I found myself so engulfed in the book so deeply I couldn’t put it down. I had feelings of sadness, pity, rage and more. I still can’t believe this could happen!

I wanted the story to continue! I wanted to find out how everyone moved forward after such trauma. I feel so strongly aBout this perspective, the ripple effect talking of choices and how our Actions can affect generations. Thank you for sharing your family's story

If there was ever a Crime of the Century for St. Louis, the murders of Cummins cousins Julie & Robin Kerry would be IT.I well remember this case on the local news and followed it in the media who sensationalized the victimization of the criminals. Very typical. The media cares less about victims and more about the rights and feelings of criminals.Cummins brings out the truth of what was happening behind the scenes, what the media and police refused to acknowledge, and lays raw the emotions of every family member.The negative reviews appear to be nothing more than reviews put out by supporters of the criminals.This is among the best true-crime documentaries I've ever read...and the first I've read authored by one who lived through the hell.My heart goes out to the family.

Too real, too frightening, too, too, too . . . well written! I felt like part of the family and was sometimes very envious of their tight knit relationships, but I have not had a tragedy of this magnitude happen in my life. I'm so sorry about the horrible loss of those amazing sisters, and the extra horror Tom was made to suffer again and again. I wish only great happiness finds all of you for the rest of your lives!

I hate to say, "I love it" for such a tragic story as this one. It is a cliche for one to say they found the book hard to put down but such was the case with this book. Author Jeannine Cummins relates the story of her bother and their two cousins when the Cummins' family visited their relatives in St. Louis, Missouri. I need not relate the tragedy here as several reviewers has already done that. Suffice it to say the cruelty individuals can do to others knows no bounds whatsoever. The 1924 case of Leopold and Loeb murdering Bobby Franks was solved due to a pair of glasses. The case in this book was solved due to a flashlight in addition to the survival of Tom Cummins.After all the heartache and difficulties that Tom Cummins had to endure to survive this ordeal the punishment from the St. Louis police department was inexcusable. Anything to "solve" a case never mind whether we have the correct individual/s or not.The book contains photos of the Cummins and Kerry family in addition to photos of the Chain of Rocks Bridges north of St. Louis. If you want to find photos of the sickos who are responsible for this heinous crime you'll have to go to the internet. I can certainly understand author Jeanine Cummins not wanting to contaminate her book by placing photos of these individuals in her book.This book is true crime at its worst. My sincere sympathy to both the Cummins and Kerry family for what they have had to endure.

One of the best books I have ever read

About 10 years ago I became a real fan of the true crime genre. I was on a flight from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles and bad weather delayed our flight in Dallas and I had to spend the night in a hotel at the expense of American Airlines. I didn't have a book with me so I wandered into the magazine store of the airport which had maybe 20 books on a rack. One of them was by Ann Rule. I had never bought or read a true crime book in my life, but this one almost kept me up all night and through the plane ride into LA the next day.I have read a lot of true crime books since then, including all of Ann Rule's books (she is the Queen of True Crime after all), but it wasn't until last night when I stayed up reading A Rip in Heaven, that I felt I had found a book that I literally didn't want to put the book down.Others here have described the story and it is incredible, particularly the part of the surviving victim who gets accused by the police of the horrific crimes on no evidence.I write instead to defend the author, Jeanine Cummins' writing style and her decision to write in the third person. Although she was a first time author when this book was published I found her writing to be fluid and compelling. I also thing the third person approach was an excellent way to bring a bit of objectivity to the story.Highly recommended.

I was drawn into the family from the beginning….astounded to read about what the cousins endured the night on the bridge and then realise that horror was just the beginning.I have recommended to my girlfriends at book club….after…they finish American Dirt…

I have become a fan of Jeanine Cummings since American Dirt and have started reading her earlier works. This one is such an important piece of work and she is so skilful and adept in bringing her family tragedy onto the page and into your heart

An interesting read and insight into how a family survives a brutal murder of 2 sisters & the ongoing impact on them all

The third-party narrative style of the author's first-party experience adds to the impact of this book. If you read the book not knowing that it is an account of actual events (imagining instead that it is a work of fiction) then it would be a great novel and superbly written, as I have come to expect from this author. When you know it is a true story (albeit told from purely the author's perspective and experience) then it is one hundred times more impactful. I had tears rolling down my face at multiple times during the story.Jeanine Cummins is a master of her craft. This book is a tribute to all victims and survivors (not just those involved in this particular horrendous crime); a battle cry to have their voices heard and their memories honoured. I am a huge fan of her writing. Interesting then that one of the things I shall most reflect upon (and have some difficulty with) now that I have finished the book is the same thing another recent reviewer has identified.Jeanine Cummins fleetingly referred to Bobby Sands as a civil rights leader at one stage in the story and then re-referenced him later on, in the context of Amnesty International. I fully appreciate that Jeanine's own heritage might lead her to have a certain perspectives about the 'Troubles' in Northern Ireland. I think referencing Bobby Sands purely as a civil rights leader (I would have had far less issue with her referencing him as a freedom-fighter, for example) exposes Jeanine to some of the same prejudice, bias and hypocrisy that she rails against in the book. I think it somehow belittles and demeans the memory of hundreds of innocent victims of the IRA and INLA campaign across 30 years. I am not offering a view on the 'Troubles' themselves; merely pointing out that maybe people (including the author herself) have a tendency to mostly perceive victims when seen through the prism of our own backgrounds and biases, but much less so when they don't look, speak and think like we do.Unlike the other reviewer, the Bobby Sands reference did not make me lose sympathy with the story or the author but it did make make me feel uncomfortable. So I'm now left wondering whether this issue has undermined the story or in fact has made the story stronger because of my reaction and the fact that I am still writing about it now.It's a great book. I thoroughly recommend it.

I had read American Dirt & loved it so then when I saw a book by the same author I wanted to read it. It was amazing insight into the victims family and it was so true how the victims are forgotten & there is such focus on the criminals. Rare insight from Tom who was an amazing survivor and was able to tell what happened..usually no-one really knows what happens to the victims. A very moving story which I felt started a little slowly & then I couldn't put down. Brought tears to my eyes especially for the injustice to Tom. Recommend highly.. good to read books that make us see things differently.. and hear the usually unherd