Trophy Murders
Sue Julsen
Sarah Freedman has lived her whole
life in fear. From the moment she turned three when her father abducted her,
used her for his own gratification, Sarah never felt safe just alone. Sarah was
taught to lie, cheat and steal in order to please her father and not be the
object of his wrath. Her father enjoyed the company of many women who for the
most part were warm and kind to Sarah until Janet. Janet was her nightmare and
even more. She became her stepmother and Sarah became her ticket to punching
bag and her meal ticket. No matter how hard Sarah tried to please this horrific
woman and begged her father not to leave her alone with her, her words fell on
deaf ears. Not until he finally realized that he could not deal with Janet anymore
and did not want to support another child did they leave. When things became
difficult her father would wake her in the middle of the night to leave but not
before stealing valuables and money from whatever women they were living with
at the time. But, Sarah’s troubles were far from over even when her Uncle Henry
used all of his police contacts and the finally brought her back home to her
mother. Violet became so distraught after she went missing that she could no longer
handle life, became an alcoholic and for the few months that she got to
reconnect with her daughter she never really appreciated her or life. Violet
had an untimely death leaving Sarah in the custody of her grandparents and
later her mother’s brother her Uncle Henry. Offering to care for her and adopt
her he and his wife Olivia agreed to become her parents. But, Olivia is no
better than Janet or anyone else that she ever lived with. As a matter of fact
her Aunt if unforgiving, cruel, abusive, mean and really hates Sarah because
she considers her a carbon copy of her father a man she barely remembers. Sarah
should feel safe but does not. She harbors many fears and often awakens in a
cold sweat or has terrible nightmares of a woman that was mutilated and hurt.
Even her uncle cannot console her when Olivia is around. Every move she makes
is criticized, shunned and ridiculed. Moving to Munday, Texas was supposed to
give Sarah the feeling of security she deserved and taking the job as Chief of
Police Henry thought would benefit the town and his family. But, Olivia was
cold, mean and cruel. From the author of Bitter Memories comes Trophy Murders
as Sarah’s story continues.
From the moment Sarah came to live
with her uncle and aunt nothing changed just the location of where they lived.
Although her uncle tried to create a nurturing and loving environment for
Sarah, he did not succeed. Every step of the way Olivia set up roadblocks,
found many reasons and excuses to beat Sarah and inflict pain and injury on her
almost like she was taking some sadistic pleasure in doing it. When Sarah is
forced to hold her hand on the way to school and wear the ugliest dress her
aunt could find, she is ridiculed by her, slapped for no reason and then
laughed at by the girls in her school. When some of them attack her and start
calling her names, Sarah fights back. Although the Principal of the school
understands her situation she cannot stop what happens next even though she
tells her aunt she was just defending herself against a group of mean girls. Her
aunt would not even listen when told she was not at fault and lashed out at her
so brutally and cruelly that I could feel every smack, hit and lash she
received. Child abuse is wrong and there is never a reason to hit anyone
especially to the point where you might put him or her in the hospital. Yet,
Olivia got away with her abuse even though Henry knew and saw what she did and
the school did too. Why didn’t anyone stop her?
Henry Frye as Chief of Police could
get called at any time. When he learns of the murder of two elderly people and
sees the horrific things done to them he realizes this is just the tip of the
iceberg and feels that more murders will follow. A gang has just moved into a
big on the hill could it be just a coincidence that so many murders occurred and
were they the ones responsible? A young boy is the next victim. Mutilated,
sodomized, butchered and beaten, even Officer O’Malley did not want to face
this again. Looking at the young boy who was once a happy young man, Henry sees
something in the eyes of the child, which is more than frightening. Fear! Imagine
knowing that you were going to be killed. But, this child was not the only one
killed that day an elderly woman was murdered in the house too and her heart
and liver removed. Trophy murders. Organs used as rewards or considered
trophies for the killer’s to savor and keep as remembrances of their work. Then
another murder and a possible witness but not before Olivia threatens Sarah
again and this time the end result is much worse. When the Principal saw what
she did to Sarah why didn’t she do something about it? Why let her go home to
more of the same?
Another murder but this time more
brutal and horrific as Henry allows the reader to learn about his lover Mona
and when he arrives him seeing Sarah sets him on fire. What he finally says to
Olivia and his confrontation hopefully will change things but nothing would
soften the heart of stone and steel. Sarah feels alone and unwanted and because
Olivia claims no one else wants and she believes her making it worse. As she
recounts the beating and her family history to Miss Adams you can feel the
relief in her voice yet the fear in her heart when she speaks of her aunt and
her father. What would she do with this information? Legally she had to report
the abuse. But, some punishments are more painful than a smack. Some are so
vicious they play on your mind and you never forget them as Olivia verbally
abuses and insults Sarah, Miss Adams wallows in her guilt and quandary over
what to do and her Uncle Henry warns her to be careful. Every step of the way
she suffers and the end does not seem to be near as she relates more about her
father to Miss Adams and yet no one has done anything to stop her pain.
The body count was rising and the
end did not seem in sight as Henry’s old police captain comes to see him. Discussing
Sarah’s father and going to see him about a murder might clear up her dreams as
the vision that is described is exactly what she sees in her nightmares. Added
into the mix is Sarah’s desire to write a sci-fi story in order to escape
Olivia and have something meaningful to do.
When Henry has to go out of town to
check on Eli he reunites with Mona the one woman he really loves and needs. But,
no matter how hard Sarah tries Olivia is steadfast in her ways and remains
hardened to this precious child. But, Sarah is not the only one that has been
victimized as we hear Mona’s voice and listen to her story we realize that she
and Sarah just might have something in common and that Henry deserves more than
Olivia can give.
When Henry visits Eli in prison the
startling confessions and one revelation will definitely give you chills.
Returning home he is greeted by more murders, the injury of a dear friend
permanently in a coma and the death of three of the gang members. But, who is
behind the killings of the elderly? Who is this new friend that Sarah made?
What about the kills that were suspended for a month? What about Olivia and her
threats?
A town riddled with crime and each
person whose voice you hear besides Sarah’s consumed with his/her own grief,
problems and reflections that no one sees the torment that one young girl or
fear reflected in Sarah’s face. An uncle who loves her but needs to solve the
horrific string of murders and who is dealing with his passion and feelings for
another woman. One aunt so filled with hate and the fear of loving one young
girl named Sarah who through it all is honest, straightforward and whose
friendship anyone should value. Why don’t they? When the past comes flooding
through and many truths come out what will the final result be for Sarah? Will
anyone come to realize how special she is and how amazing she can be? Will the
Trophy murders be solved? An ending so heartbreaking, horrific and frightening
you know that there is much more before all is said and done. What happens to
bring closure to some issues leave open wounds in others and much more pain.
Will the author tell the rest at another time and will she bring back Sarah and
her final chapter? One sad town filled with hate, unhappiness and sorrow and
one young girl just fighting to be loved and seen. Trophy Murders: Trophies are
to be displayed. Trophies are to be honored. Sarah Freedman was not anyone’s trophy
so why did her aunt almost make her one. Told in a straightforward and graphic
manner this book shares the inner most thoughts of the author, the characters,
the mistakes of the educators and others who turned a somewhat blind eye to one
young girl whose silent cries only wanted to be heard. This is a must read for
all educators, administrators, doctors, nurses, pastors, adults and friends to
know if you see something that is wrong Report it.
Fran Lewis: reviewer
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