Grave Accusations: A True Story of Lies, Family Secrets, and Death

"Grave Accusations" concerns the suspicious death of Monica Dunn. She was the former wife of Paul Dunn, a Farmington, New Mexico cop. The circumstances of Monica's demise are questionable, to say the least. In an apparent rush to judgement by the local District Attorney, Paul is charged with her murder. Officer Dunn claims Monica committed suicide. GA proceeds from this adversarial stating point and follows the cases of both prosecution and defense. Although the text is slow paced and frequently repetitive, suspense is maintained until the jury renders its verdict. Readers are advised that despite the "maintenance of suspense", authoress Egger is scarcely an impartial observer. She wrote GA in cooperation with the defendant! Consequently, the prosecution's viewpoint is downplayed, if not almost scorned. The local D.A.and his expert witnesses are labeled as venal, politically motivated and even incompetent. Egger then proceeds to portray the defense team as crusaders for justice when they really are just well -paid hired guns. Two observations on those centerfold photos: They are boring and far from " startling", as the book jacket claims. They are as bland as can be. They neither shed light on the resolution nor do they humanize the characters. The "Ann Rule rule" is NOT in effect! GA is still recommended. At least it is different. How many true crime tales are set in remote Northwestern New Mexico? True crime aficionados should be satisfied with GA if they can ignore the overstated evidence and hold Egger's preset prejudices in abeyance.

I'm amazed at what the prosecutors did in this case, and especially the medical investigator! A regular who-dun-it, where you're thinking in one direction for half the book, then you believe the total opposite about the crime at the end. (I don't want to spoil it for you!) Frightening about this book is this could happen to anyone. I read a lot of true crime books and found this one up there with the best of 'em. Well researched, lots of interviews, a broad perspective of "both sides" of the situation. Pretty unbelievable but true!