- Shopping Bag ( 0 items )
Available on NOOK devices and apps
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Darrell Mease grew up in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri, in a slice of rural America where religion flourished and tradition thrived. Everyone said he was a good kid: a bit of a clown, maybe not too serious about his studies, but sweet and kind and quick to make friends. When, as a clean-cut teenager, he signed up with the army, the people of Reeds Springs, Missouri, expected to hear nothing but good things about R.J. and Lexie Mease's eldest son.
It wouldn't work out that way. Darrell Mease would end up on the front lines of the Vietnam War and would come home a drug addict. Over the personally tumultuous, drifting decades that followed, he'd make a new name for himself in the Ozarks: as a tough drug dealer. Then, in 1987, he gunned down a 69-year-old meth kingpin, his wife, and their 20-year-old paraplegic grandson. After a desperate cross-country escape, he was captured, hauled back to Missouri, and sentenced to death for his crimes.
In jail, Mease experienced a religious conversion, and he made a shocking prediction: he would be saved by miraculous intervention.
No one believed it would happen. But it did.
On January 27, 1999, Pope John Paul II visited St. Louis and spoke to Missouri's then-governor, Mel Carnahan. It was the same date that authorities had set for Mease's execution. The pope asked that he be spared. Carnahan agreed.
Anonymous
Posted December 23, 2008
this book was very touching to me.i know the family personally. the arthur could not have done a better job and i commend him for that!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 19, 2006
The author, Mike Cuneo, was actually my college professor last year and he is brilliant! Needless to say, so is his book! The way he delved into the culture and the lives of the people in the Ozarks, especially Mease, is amazing! He truly turned a cold-blooded murderer into someone every reader could sympathize with...not an easy task! I recommend this book to anyone!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 15, 2004
A great read. The writing is never less than note-perfect. The characters are memorable and the events never less than mind-blowing in their unpredictability. The best book I've read this year by far.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 6, 2004
This is an extremely provocative book that takes the reader on a fascinating trip into the lifestyle and culture of the Ozarks. The way that Cuneo was able to get up close and personal with Mease, outlaws, investigators, and many others who were involved in the case allows for a read like no other. The story of Darrell Mease's life and surroundings takes the reader on an extremely personal ride describing his SPIRITUALITY, love, dissapointments, the murderous day, and the incredible tale of what happens after the murder. As interesting as this story is in and of itself, the way Cuneo tells it makes it all the better. This is a story that will remain imprinted on my mind forever.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 4, 2004
Cumeo captures both the events and the inner lives of the main participants in the crime drama he recounts. The book is hard to put down.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 13, 2004
The author captures a part of America that I had no idea existed. After reading a few chapters you will find yourself immersed in the world of Darrell Mease.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 31, 2004
Cuneo's research is unbelievable. The guy obviously got his hands dirty in his endeavour to bring the Ozarks and a cast of its characters alive to the reader. He captures and recreates a fascinating story. The principal, Mease, is both hero and anti-hero. And, this guy can write. The book's flow makes you reluctant to put it down and anxious to pick it up again ...highly recommended.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted April 1, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted March 6, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Darrell Mease grew up in the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri, in a slice of rural America where religion flourished and tradition thrived. Everyone said he was a good kid: a bit of a clown, maybe not too serious about his studies, but sweet and kind and quick to make friends. When, as a clean-cut teenager, he signed up with the army, the people of Reeds Springs, Missouri, expected to hear nothing but good things about R.J. and Lexie Mease's eldest son.
It wouldn't work out that way. Darrell Mease would end up on the front lines of the Vietnam War and would come home a drug addict. Over the personally tumultuous, drifting decades that followed, he'd ...