Mom Said Kill

October 1, 2008
Barbara Opel, divorced mother of three whose past brimmed with bizarre and aggressive behavior, became the live-in health-care provider for Jerry Heimans invalid mother after a chance meeting in which Opel apparently convinced Heiman of her kind and gentle nature. Talk about first impressions going bad! Eventually Opel would recruit her daughter and a motley crew of disaffected teens to kill Heiman, at least according to the authorities (Opel owned up only to suggesting they beat him). At the heart of this wacky, murderous story is Heather Opel, emotionally beaten down by Barbara to the point of doing whatever it took to placate Mom. I want a new bike. . . . Mom says that if I help kill Jerry I can have one, Heather confessed. Her 17-year-old lover required more for his leading the attack on Heiman; namely, a car, which Barbara allegedly promised to provide. Creepier than the Texas mom who tried to kill her daughters cheerleading rivals, Barbara alone is enough to make this a wonderful true-crime romp.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)