Truth is definitely stranger than fiction ...


"In October 1997 a clever young law student at the Australian National University made a bizarre plan to murder her devoted boyfriend after a dinner party at their house. Some of the dinner guests - most of them university students - had heard rumours of the plan. Nobody warned Joe Cinque. He died one Sunday, in his own bed, of a massive overdose of Rohypnol and heroin. His girlfriend and her best friend were charged with murder.

Helen Garner follows the trials in the ACT Supreme Court. Compassionate but unflinching, this is a book about how and why Joe Cinque died. It probes the gap between ethics and law; examines the helplessness of the courts in the face of what we think of as 'evil'; and explores the conscience, culpability, and the battered ideal duty of care"



REVIEWS

'A book which functions at one level as a psychological mystery, but at deeper levels as an exploration of the adequacy of the law to dispense justice, and the responsibility that human beings have to each other. .. It is told with compassion, a singular kind of honesty and unadorned intelligence' - The Bulletin


'This horrifying Australian crime is brought to light by Garner's superb journalistic skills. Be riveted as she explores the gap between ethics and the law and the voicelessness of victims' families' - Sydney Morning Herald



I saw this book when it was first released, and was curious about the significance of the green apple on the cover as well as the title. This was an easy and captivating read, but the content horrified me as Garner relates the story before and after Joe Cinque's death. I still shake my head in disbelief at the eventual outcome of the court case ...


Ringmembers are:

1. DrCris - Vic
2. livrecache - Vic
3. Littlemave - NSW
4. Freelunch - Qld
5. Sharky13 - Tas<-- Book is on its way here

Back to ukcanaus

Sent to DrCris today (Wednesday 2 May).

Arrived today. I was amazed to realise that we could have saved some postage by using Uni Melb internal mail! I have one bookrig ahead of this, so there will be a tiny delay.

Wow! I was completely captivated by this book. I have read some Helen Garner in the past and found her to be a bit self-conscious. However, I think that really worked in this context, as the information about the trial and the people involved would not have been as real if we hadn't experienced it the way she did. Surprisingly, I ended up really liking the way that it wasn't told as a complete logical narrative of the case, but rather a narrative of how the author became caught up in it.

I spent some time searching the web once I started reading this to get a picture of Joe. There are a lot of pictures out there of Anu, but I had trouble finding one of Joe. Just a note for future readers - there is one at the end!

I will send this onto livrecache once I check she is ready for it.

On its way to livrecache!

Arrived safely, thanks DrCris. Thanks ukcanaus for sharing.

I'm a little behind in my bookrings, but I'll endeavour not to slow the pace.

I too liked the way Helen Garner told us how she herself became caught up in the telling of the events. I was engrossed in the way she related the reactions of Joe Cinque's victimised family, reminding us that it was Joe Cinque who was dead, while other people had taken centre stage. She showed how so often it is the victim and those who cared for him or her who become afterthoughts in the processes of the law.

I'll PM littlemave for her details

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to the bookring's next participant.

Thanks, I picked this up from the mail box last week, but unfortunately it got caught up with the other stacks I've got recently from op shops and freecyclers, and I forgot to journal.
Look forward to reading this soon.

I dont normally read true crime stories but I'm glad I read this one. I had just finished reading her daughter Alice Garner's Student Chronicles, and saw the ad for this bookring - wouldnt have put my hand up for it otherwise! (my computer just froze after I had written a review, but cant remember what I wrote in the first bit, just the second bit! grrr)
This is such a sad story, but compulsive reading. Initially it appears to be about Anu and Joe, but as you get caught up in the history, there are so many other people involved. How could even some of them not see there was danger? Was her presence so strong? How could so many people be tricked? One could blame her parents for indulging her. I cannot even believe that the murder took place. I cannot believe that someone didnt intervene (well Tanya Z-- tried) that there was no one with a personality to defeat that of Anu Singh - what a complete nutter.
The grace and inner strength of Maria Cinque to remain the perfect hostess under such grief was amazing. It was also definitely interesting to have Helen's narrative as a layman into all things legal.
I must say that all through the book only one thing really brought tears to my eyes and that was turning the last page and seeing Joe's photo. It really brought it home that this was about a real person totally betrayed by the girl he loved. A person totally overshadowed not only in life by her, but eclipsed by her all along during the trial.
Contacted sharky13 to pass along soon. Thank you ukcanaus. =)

Update: sharky13 has been over-bookringed, so freelunch is getting it next.

received today, thanks very much :o)

I'm (always) somewhat over-committed but I'll keep this book near the top of Mt TBR, hopefully to be passed on sometime next month.

well I'd still like to read this book, but I've had it for almost three months now and I'm not likely to get to it anytime soon, so I've posted it on unread to Sharky13.

thanks Littlemave for sending it to me and thanks too to ukcanaus for making it available.