The Woman Who Wasn't There: The True Story of an Incredible Deception

( 40 )

Overview

The astounding story of Tania Head, whose heartrending account of surviving the World Trade Center attacks made her a celebrity—until it all turned out to be an elaborate hoax. It was a tale of loss and recovery, of courage and sorrow. Tania Head’s account of her experiences on September 11th—from crawling through carnage to escape the south Tower to losing her fiancé in the north Tower—made her both a victim and a hero. She became a key figure in the World Trade Center Survivors’ Network, leading tours at Ground...

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The Woman Who Wasn't There: The True Story of an Incredible Deception

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More About This Book

Overview

The astounding story of Tania Head, whose heartrending account of surviving the World Trade Center attacks made her a celebrity—until it all turned out to be an elaborate hoax. It was a tale of loss and recovery, of courage and sorrow. Tania Head’s account of her experiences on September 11th—from crawling through carnage to escape the south Tower to losing her fiancé in the north Tower—made her both a victim and a hero. She became a key figure in the World Trade Center Survivors’ Network, leading tours at Ground Zero and using her own assets to fund charitable events to help survivors, never seeking personal monetary gain. But a problem would emerge, much later, with Tania’s inspiring account. None of it was true.

When Tania approached filmmaker Angelo Guglielmo to make a documentary about the survivors of September 11, he not only got hours of exclusive interview footage with her, he became her friend and confidant. Eventually Tania’s story began to crumble and the magnitude of her lies came to light—not only did she not work in the Towers as she had claimed, she wasn’t even in the country at the time of the attacks. Told from Guglielmo’s unique insider perspective, this is the incredible story of one of the most audacious quests for acclaim in recent memory—one that poses fascinating questions about the essence of morality and the human need for connection at any cost.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Tania Head is one of the most famous September 11 survivors, with an amazing story of perseverance. After escaping the 96th floor of the South Tower and suffering the loss of her fiancé in the North Tower, she helped found the highly influential World Trade Center Survivor Network. But her account, and even her name, turned out to be a complete fabrication when Head is found to be a delusional, pathological liar. In this disturbing, riveting reporting of Head’s tenure as the face of the survivor movement, Fisher (After the Fire) and Guglielmo (a filmmaker) depict a woman who inspires anger and heartbreak but also admiration. Head first appears in 2003, sharing her story with an online support group for survivors. At the time, everyone other than first responders and families of the dead are overlooked; survivors are never allowed private access at the site, given scant attention from the media, and their families, friends, employers, and doctors have little understanding of their grief and guilt. Head, aided by her incredible account and a seemingly indomitable spirit, successfully transforms the network of survivors from a nonentity to one that becomes a very visible force with a say in countless matters pertaining to the World Trade Center. It’s only in 2007, on the eve of the sixth anniversary, after the New York Times decides to profile her, that Head and her story unravel. A documentary made by Guglielmo about Head will debut on television later this year. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
"I finished reading this book weeks ago, but I can't put it down. It continues to haunt me and it will you as well. A story impossible to believe...except it's all true."

“Alternately heartbreaking and horrifying, The Woman Who Wasn't There is a compelling real-life mystery as disturbing as a psychological thriller. The depths of Tania Head's deception hit me like a punch in the gut.”

"Thought provoking, heart wrenching, and unbelievable... Even knowing the outcome, I could not put the book down, awed by the stunning impact of one woman on so many lives."

“Taut and riveting as a mystery novel, except that it's all true. The tale of Tania Head, the ‘celebrity survivor’ is a fascinating psychological study of the best and worst of human nature. In their deft, compelling narrative, Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr. slowly, but inexorably, lift the curtain on one of the saddest, senseless, and yet most spectacular frauds in recent history. You will not be able to put this book down until you finish the last sentence, and when you do, you will shake your head in wonder.”

“Not since Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man has a con been portrayed in such an empathetic and yet unsparing manner. At the end of Fisher and Guglielmo's masterfully nuanced portrait, Tania Head's deception of the survivors becomes understandable — even as it remains unforgivable — as a remarkable outgrowth of the capacity of the human psyche to deceive others by deceiving itself first."

“Through the prism of a virtually inconceivable web of lies, Robin Gay Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr. offer deep and compassionate insight into the true legacy of pain, guilt, and existential challenges facing those who experienced and lived through the terror of the September 11 attacks.”

"Filmmaker Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr., who became one of Tania’s closest friends, teamed with prize-winning journalist Robin Gaby Fisher to write a compelling insider’s view of this audacious post-9/11 episode and the mysteries that remain about motive and morality. ... A fascinating read."

"It's a terrific read. The reporting is tremendous. Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr. have written a detailed and memorable account of the woman who betrayed countless World Trade Center survivors.”

"In this disturbing, riveting reporting of Head’s tenure as the face of the survivor movement, Fisher (After the Fire) and Guglielmo (a filmmaker) depict a woman who inspires anger and heartbreak but also admiration."

"A riveting real-life mystery, a probe into the inner depths of humanity. This is a page-turner for every American."

Library Journal
It's not often that readers encounter a riveting fictional character in a nonfiction book, but that's exactly what happens when they pick up this title. Fisher (After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival) and filmmaker Guglielmo offer a gripping account of one of the most disturbing scams perpetrated in recent U.S. history, bringing readers close to Tanya Head, a walking enigma. Head, claiming to be a 9/11 survivor, brought national attention to fellow survivors of the World Trade Center attacks, but as she helped give hope, courage, and direction to a group of people who needed it, her hidden past threatened to pull everything down. Readers will ride the highs and lows of Head's short but brilliant burst into the national scene. VERDICT This is a fantastic read, cowritten by a man (Guglielmo) whom Head herself asked to film her group for a documentary. The authors' intimacy with their subject makes for a page-turning unveiling of Head's true identity. Recommended for readers who enjoy gripping true crime and tales of deception and survival.—Ryan Claringbole, Chesapeake P.L., VA
Kirkus Reviews
The story of the startling disclosure of a 9/11 survivor who wasn't actually there. Fisher (Narrative Journalism/Rutgers Univ.; After the Fire, 2008, etc.) and filmmaker Guglielmo team up to bring readers a page-turning account of Tania Head, a survivor of the World Trade Center attacks. Vivid details place readers at the scene of 9/11 during and after the attacks, which may be painful reading for some readers. Injured when one of the planes struck the 78th-floor sky lobby of the South Tower, Head not only survived this near-death experience but also bore the tragedy of losing her new husband in the collapse of the North Tower. She rose to acclaim in the years after 9/11 by starting the World Trade Center Survivors' Network, where guilt-laden men and women could openly voice their distress about the events of that day. Head also helped lead the campaign to save the Survivor Stairway, "thirty-seven steps that had once connected the plaza outside the towers to the street below," which was used by hundreds fleeing the buildings on 9/11. However, as the narrative progresses, readers begin to see small discrepancies in Head's story, along with her terrible mood swings and violent physical reactions to reliving that fateful day. Under extreme pressure to conduct an interview with the New York Times in 2007, Head broke down, and her elaborate and fake story fully emerged. She soon disappeared. Members of the Survivors' Network were left to wonder why someone would go to such lengths to gain notoriety, especially when it involved so many who had survived real damage on that day. A disquieting retelling of 9/11 by one survivor with a surprising twist.
The Star Tribune
"A riveting real-life mystery, a probe into the inner depths of humanity. This is a page-turner for every American."
Meredith Vieira
"I finished reading this book weeks ago, but I can't put it down. It continues to haunt me and it will you as well. A story impossible to believe...except it's all true."
Terence Winter
“Alternately heartbreaking and horrifying, The Woman Who Wasn't There is a compelling real-life mystery as disturbing as a psychological thriller. The depths of Tania Head's deception hit me like a punch in the gut.”
Marian Fontana
"Thought provoking, heart wrenching, and unbelievable... Even knowing the outcome, I could not put the book down, awed by the stunning impact of one woman on so many lives."
Amy Ellis Nutt
“Taut and riveting as a mystery novel, except that it's all true. The tale of Tania Head, the ‘celebrity survivor’ is a fascinating psychological study of the best and worst of human nature. In their deft, compelling narrative, Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr. slowly, but inexorably, lift the curtain on one of the saddest, senseless, and yet most spectacular frauds in recent history. You will not be able to put this book down until you finish the last sentence, and when you do, you will shake your head in wonder.”
John J. Farmer
“Not since Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man has a con been portrayed in such an empathetic and yet unsparing manner. At the end of Fisher and Guglielmo's masterfully nuanced portrait, Tania Head's deception of the survivors becomes understandable — even as it remains unforgivable — as a remarkable outgrowth of the capacity of the human psyche to deceive others by deceiving itself first."
Alice M. Greenwald
“Through the prism of a virtually inconceivable web of lies, Robin Gay Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr. offer deep and compassionate insight into the true legacy of pain, guilt, and existential challenges facing those who experienced and lived through the terror of the September 11 attacks.”
Bob Giles
"Filmmaker Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr., who became one of Tania’s closest friends, teamed with prize-winning journalist Robin Gaby Fisher to write a compelling insider’s view of this audacious post-9/11 episode and the mysteries that remain about motive and morality. ... A fascinating read."
Sandy Padwe
"It's a terrific read. The reporting is tremendous. Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr. have written a detailed and memorable account of the woman who betrayed countless World Trade Center survivors.”
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781451652086
  • Publisher: Touchstone
  • Publication date: 4/3/2012
  • Edition description: Simon & Schuster
  • Pages: 304
  • Product dimensions: 6.52 (w) x 9.34 (h) x 1.08 (d)

Meet the Author

Robin Gaby Fisher is the author of New York Times bestseller After the Fire. She is a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing and a member of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. She teaches narrative journalism at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Angelo J. Guglielmo, Jr., has made two award-winning films, Idling Brando and The Heart of Steel, and has written screenplays both optioned and in development. The Woman Who Wasn't There documentary is in post-production and is produced by Meredith Viera Productions and Academy Award-winner Ross Kauffman.

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Table of Contents

Prologue vii

Part 1 2001

August 14, 2001 3

September 11 13

A Long Way Down 23

Part 2 2003

A Survivor Emerges 35

The Living Victims 43

A Meeting of the Minds 51

Part 3 2004

A Presence 61

Return to Ground Zero 69

A Friend in Need 77

Darkness on the Edge of Town 85

Part 4 2005

A Trip to Sri Lanka 95

The Survivors' Stairway 101

Tribute 109

Best Friends Forever 115

The Inaugural Tour 123

I Will Never Stop Crying for You 137

A Stranger 145

Part 5 2006

Meeting the Crowthers 157

Betrayal 165

Through the Lens 173

In Memoriam 179

The Burned Jacket 187

Part 6 2007

Exposure Therapy 195

Capitol Hill 203

Flooding 209

Shadow of Doubt 219

Slaying the Dragon 225

A Meltdown at the St. Regis 231

The New York Times 239

Unraveling 251

The Truth Revealed 259

The Aftermath 267

An Ending for the Movie 273

Afterword 289

Acknowledgments 293

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 40 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(19)

4 Star

(12)

3 Star

(3)

2 Star

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1 Star

(4)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 40 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2012

    Charismatic charlatan, we've all met them. But the story of thi

    Charismatic charlatan, we've all met them. But the story of this woman's deceits, perpetrated against survivors who were on tenuous mental ground to begin with, puts her in the leagues of some of the most famous charismatics history has ever known. Her story takes on sinister undertones as she tries to blame everyone else for her troubles as her real story is slowly exposed. The eyewitnesses to this facinating story, and the authors' retelling of their first-hand experiences is truly chilling in the recountings of deceit, selfishness and an absolute willingness to say or do anything that would discredit those who dared question Ms. Head.
    To answer some of the less-rated reviewers, how else would you have told this story? Telling it from the perspective of one who had experienced it first-hand gave this reader insights that would not have been possible had it been just a recitation of events. And for the other reviewer who said this book just ends, well, that's where the first-hand story ended for all those people she took in with her poisonous spider web of deceit. Maybe the authors will some day be able to tidy up all the loose ends you'd like to see tied neatly with a bow, but this is NOT fiction, this is a chilling tale of a true-life con-woman, who came from a background of entitlement and never once stopped to think about the effect her lies would have on the people who befriended her. I doubt such a cunning and ruthless woman would sit down with the authors to confess her reasons behind this elaborate and well-thought-out scam. But I would love to see a follow-up on this story someday, maybe culminating in the knowledge that Ms. Head expressed sorrow for what she did to those souls that trusted her with the memories of the worst time in their lives. I doubt anybody thinks that would happen, nobody who would perpetrate something of this heinous magnitude thinks that they're ever wrong.
    I want to close by saying this is a fascinating read. I read it from cover to cover late into the wee hours of night. Sometimes I wish it had been fiction, as I tend to want to think only the best of people. This is a must-read for anybody who's ever ignored that little warning bell inside themselves, if only to remind themselves to trust their instincts. Kudos to all that gave up a little bit of their soul to tell this fascinating (and disturbing) story.

    8 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2012

    This book is a page-turner. Absolutely fascinating. I saw the a


    This book is a page-turner. Absolutely fascinating. I saw the authors
    on the TODAY show and Matt Lauer was over the moon about the book.
    It's one of those books you don't want to put down and you also don't
    want it to end. Highly recommended.

    7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 5, 2012

    I'm shocked by this story, amazed by that this woman did. Howeve

    I'm shocked by this story, amazed by that this woman did. However I'm very disappointed at the way this book was written. Each chapter takes goes into detail (perhaps too many detail which would explain why some readers question whether this book is fiction) about a situation where Tania supposedly lied. Different moments in time where the reader is given an insider perspective into Tania's fabrications. The authors however forget to tell a story. There is nothing linking each chapter to the next. We don't have time to connect with the people affected by it. There are no insights into how they were affected on a personal level, their feelings. No insights either on Tania. Why she did it, where she was, etc..

    6 out of 18 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 5, 2012

    WOW!

    I just finished the book and WOW. I didn't want this book to end. I am amazed at the lengths this crazy women went to just to get attention and love. I highly recommend this book. It is one of those books you can't put down. I now have a much better understanding of what the REAL survivors went through on 9/11 and the aftermath. This is a must read and a great book for book clubs. There is a lot to be discussed and a lot of emotion on those pages.

    5 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 4, 2012

    Loved It!

    Amazing (and true!!!) story! beautifully written. so intriguing! I couldn't put this book down! Move over Hunger Games!!!!

    5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 15, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Good, readable book, and I learned about the Survivors of 9/11,

    Good, readable book, and I learned about the Survivors of 9/11, a forgotten group next to the families of those who died and the rescuers. My main disappointment was that the truth section came only in the last fifth of the book and left many questions about why the woman did what she did and how in the world she could have done it in so much detail. I think the writers could have interviewed her psychiatrist or even other psychiatrists who didn't know the woman to explore the phenomenon and explain how this could have happened, why there was no remorse, etc. The book was more just descriptive (relating the facts) than analytical and thoughtful.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 8, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Amazing Story of Deciet

    What a compelling heart-wrenching story. You feel the pain that Tania Head experienced. Her world fell apart on the morning of September 11, 2001, she almost lost her own life, and she did loose her beloved Dave, her husband/fiance. She recounts her horrific tale many times in this book, how could you survive all that she has lost?
    You hear about the angel in the stair-well, with the red-bandana that helps save her life. She in turn helps fill in a void in his parents life, and brings them some feeling of satisfaction on hearing how he helped her. She becomes the head of the World Trade Center Survivor's Network, and she becomes a life line to so many in need. She leads the group in helping save the "Survivor's Stairway".
    She becomes best friends with Linda Gormley, among others, and when she gets stressed, she treats them terribly. There are several others, that I was worried she was going to put them over the edge, and yet most just were in awe of her. In the end she is a total FAKE! So many people loved and trusted her! Tania actually has a gift of drawing people toward her.
    This book will linger with you long long after you have turned the last page. You will wonder how someone could live with themselves faking such an unimaginable horror.

    I received this book from the Publisher Touchstone, and was not required to give a positive review.

    3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2012

    I LOVED THIS BOOK! What a page turner, you won't put it down.


    I LOVED THIS BOOK! What a page turner, you won't put it down. Enjoy!!

    3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2012

    What an amazing story, this book exposes one of America's greate

    What an amazing story, this book exposes one of America's greatest hoaxes. It is well-written and digs deep into the minds of the people. I couldn't put it down.

    3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 3, 2012

    The story unravels very slowly. You almost want to read through

    The story unravels very slowly. You almost want to read through what you know are lies to get to the good part of how she was found out and what happened in the aftermath. You want to see her story collapse, you want to read about what happens to the characters, how do they cope, what happens to Tania, how she is doing, etc.. But when the story finally gets there, it ends. The climax never happens. Also it reads like a fiction book, by the language and the descriptions used in many instances. As I was reading it, I didn't now if I was reading fiction or non fiction. I think we should adopt a lesson learned from the book A Million Little Pieces. It's fiction with many instances of documented fact.

    3 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 3, 2012

    How come her therapist is able to speak about her therapy? Isn't

    How come her therapist is able to speak about her therapy? Isn't that illegal?

    3 out of 15 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2012

    Don't miss out

    A very well written riveting tale of a woman's lies as she took advantage of a mourning city. I couldn't put the book down read it start to finish in 3 days.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 7, 2012

    Just finished this true life hoax, the way it was written drew

    Just finished this true life hoax, the way it was written drew me right in, I loved this book. I've read Ms. Fishers books in the past, After The Fire and The Boys of the Dark and thoroughly enjoy her writing. I'd love to know where Tania is now, or should I say hunt her down!

    2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 3, 2012

    How can you a review when you haven't read the book. Unfair rat

    How can you a review when you haven't read the book. Unfair ratings due to people like you.

    2 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 18, 2012

    Compelling Story that is only believable because it is true

    I just finished The Woman who Wasn’t There, and I think I will read this fascinating book again. Ms. Fisher and Mr. Guglielmo have written a fascinating narrative of a fascinating character, “Tania Head,” who perpetrated and unimaginable fraud on New York 9-11 survivors and the American people.

    Most of the book is devoted to Ms. Head’s ascendency within the WTC Survivors Network and her leadership of this organization. She told a horrific and inspiring tale of personal loss while [ruthlessly one might say] adopting the role of victim, survivor, organizer, and leader. Ironically, she does a lot of good on the macro level along the way and a good bit of harm on a personal level to those closest to her.

    This book evoked an enormous range of emotions. We all have been personally touched in one way or another by 9/11, and it is hard not to take Ms. Head’s fraud personally and condemn her. It is as if she has stolen from us, and her lies steal from and mock the true heroes and victims. Yet, at other times, it is hard not to feel sorry for her and her pathetic, if not pathological, need for attention. Indeed, she is clearly emotionally unbalanced or worse.

    I found myself asking myself how this could happen. Did a “small” lie snowball out of control or was Ms. Head’s goal always to rise to such prominence? How could her fraud go undetected so long; did we all have an emotional need for the kind of person she claimed to be? Was she our adopted, or surrogate, survivor? How can one look at oneself in the mirror in the morning knowing you are the embodiment of fraud committed on those most vulnerable – those who really did survive and adapt to the events of 9-11.

    If I have one criticism of the book it is that it left me wanting more. I wish Mr. Guglielmo had indeed obtained that last interview. Perhaps also the input of a psychologist - “profiling” what type of person, with what disorder(s) could possibly do such a thing – would have been informative.

    I heartily recommend this compelling read.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 17, 2012

    A heart-wrenching story of breathtaking deceit

    I can't stop thinking about this story and about all the survivors who suffered this trauma on top of the horror of 9/11. The deceit they suffered was nothing short of evil. And yet, this woman did accomplish important things for the survivors. This is a compelling story you won't be able to put down. You may even forget -- for a moment -- that Tania's story is a lie.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 12, 2012

    Awesome Story - must read!

    The Woman Who Wasn't There is a great story and the book was well written.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted April 11, 2012

    What an amazing story. I just kept asking myself "how coul

    What an amazing story. I just kept asking myself "how could she do such a thing?" I'm still amazed and upset by it. You won't be able to put the book down.

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 10, 2012

    Not the best written book I have read

    This book was ok but already knowing the end result made it a bit boring.

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 8, 2013

    Interesting Book

    Very interesting that someone could do this to others who have suffered such a tragedy. I got caught up in this book and could not put it down. Easy read. Detailed and left me sitting there at the end wondering....why and how?

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