A Deadly Game

March 1, 2005
After the seemingly never-ending media coverage of pregnant Laci Peterson's Christmas Eve 2002 disappearance and husband Scott's subsequent arrest, trial, conviction and death-penalty sentence for her murder, it's hard to believe anything about this notorious case could still be "untold." But Court TV anchor Crier and co-author Thompson's encyclopedic tome includes never-before-released transcripts of conversations between Scott and others (which don't significantly impact one's understanding of the case, however) and a 38-page appendix of photos, documents and other police evidence. Although much of the information in this book has been reported previously or revealed at trial, anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of the case will find it here. The authors chart not only the police investigation and trial but the personal and family history of Scott and Laci. A more balanced examination of the case is all that's missing to make this book really stand out. Up front, Crier states that since the first days of the case, she felt certain that Scott was a sociopath responsible for his wife's disappearance, and throughout the book, she demonstrates how and why. Given Scott's behavior in the weeks prior to and immediately after Laci's disappearance, not to mention all the lies he told to police, family and friends, she's not exactly going out on a limb. Although few people would doubt Scott's guilt, the whole book is very pro-police-it's even dedicated "To all those who protect and serve." Had the authors started from a presumption of innocence and turned a critical eye on the investigation, which yielded more circumstantial than solid forensic evidence, the book would have been more compelling, but its thoroughness will draw many readers nonetheless. 12 pages of color photos.