The gripping story of a young woman's murder, unsolved for over two decades, brilliantly investigated and reconstructed by her stepsister. Growing up, Rachel Rear knew the story of Stephanie Kupchynsky's disappearance. The beautiful violinist and teacher had fled an abusive relationship on Martha's Vineyard and made a new start for herself near Rochester, NY. She was at the height of her life-in a relationship with a man she hoped to marry and close to her students and her family. And then, one morning, she was gone. Around Rochester-a region which has spawned such serial killers as Arthur Shawcross and the “Double Initial” killer-Stephanie's disappearance was just a familiar sort of news item. But Rachel had more reason than most to be haunted by this particular story of a missing woman: Rachel's mother had married Stephanie's father after the crime, and Rachel grew up in the shadow of her stepsister's legacy. In Catch the Sparrow, Rachel Rear writes a compulsively readable and unerringly poignant reconstruction of the case's dark and serpentine path across more than two decades. Obsessively cataloging the crime and its costs, drawing intimately closer to the details than any journalist could, she reveals how a dysfunctional justice system laid the groundwork for Stephanie's murder and stymied the investigation for more than twenty years, and what those hard years meant for the lives of Stephanie's family and loved ones. Startling, unputdownable, and deeply moving, Catch the Sparrow is a retelling of a crime like no other.
Reviews with the most likes.
Rachel Rear has wrote a “true crime” book that is informative, respectful, and has heart. The close connection while never having met Stephanie added a unique perspective to the book. Rachel is a great writer that made reading the book easy and engrossing. I had never heard of this story before, but the depth she went of showing all sides to this cold case made it one of my favorite non-fictions/true crimes this year (maybe even of all time). But, be prepared to have a dictionary, because her vocabulary is on point and I'm lucky I was reading on my Kindle and could easily look up certain words.
I think true crime stories are either done from a very emotional/sensitive view point or a very detached/information heavy, sometimes disrespectful view point. I found that this book had all of the information while also making it readable and adding respectful information about her friends, families, and co-workers/clients. She included her opinion as well, but always made sure the reader understood that it was her opinion.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. Even with the tragic content I very much enjoyed it. I know that this was a story close to the authors heart, but I would read anything else that she writes.
