Fascinating Authors

Book Review
by
John H. Manhold

Murder by Family by Kent Whitaker

ISBN 978-1-4165-7813-0, Howard Books, Hardcover 211 pages, $22.95

Murder by Family is a most unusual tale. The story is told by the father who survived a lethal attack on his family that was orchestrated by one of his sons in 2003 Texas.

Murder by Family not only is an unusual story, but it is difficult to review. It opens with Whitaker’s remembrance of the attack, and progresses through his period of recovery, and his subsequent relationship with the surviving son. There are many reminiscences of occasions with the son, along with the author’s repeated declaration of disbelief of the son’s implication. When the son finally is accused and brought to trial, the steps he takes to attempt to exonerate him, along with some activity of the trial are presented.

Whitaker’s presentation is what makes the book difficult to review. Much of the detail seems to be vaguely presented, as is the thrust of the story itself. He repeatedly expresses his complete faith in God, and states that he feels much like Absalom with his wayward son. He believes that his son was suffering from existing in a complete void from which he now is liberated and truly repentant of actions performed during that period. The thrust of his entire presentation is toward this goal with what seems to be a surprising lack of details about his wife or the other son, along with any details as to how his wayward son reached this point of ‘emptiness’. This exclusion provides a ‘lack of depth’ of feeling to the story, so that one gains an impression that ‘something’ was missing in the family relationship, as it is in the telling.

So, to repeat, a review is most difficult and is the reason I would suggest one read Murder by Family. Perhaps one could discern whether there was a particular depth of feeling for the boy to the almost exclusion of the wife and other son, whether the complete immersion in faith is as it is stated, or whether it is an escape for the author from the horror of the attack, of possibly from some vague feeling of guilt because of his apparent favoring of the one son over the wife and other child.

Many more details would be required to postulate an answer to the many questions the story raises. Thus, the interested reader can render his own decision about the author, the son and the fairness of the result of the jury’s decision.