March 1, 2014
Rother (Dead Reckoning; Poisoned Love; Where Hope Begins) has written another "ripped from the headlines" page-turner. This is the story of narcissistic divorcee Nanette Johnston Packard, who was recently convicted along with her boyfriend, NFL linebacker Eric Naposki, of the 1994 murder of her other boyfriend (and fiance) millionaire Bill McLaughlin. Packard was constantly on the lookout for ways to make money--usually by having someone like McLaughlin "take care of her." In fact, she and McLaughlin became an item after he answered her personal ad seeking "wealthy men only." The murder investigation went cold as the case was mostly circumstantial. Rother covers the lives (and loves) of Packard and Naposki, their trials, and jailhouse interviews with Naposki. The author never strays into salacious melodrama but does include an occasional sarcastic zinger that will amuse readers, e.g., wondering why Packard would bother to earn her GED after claiming she was high school valedictorian. Although Rother is (understandably) empathetic to the McLaughlin family, her portrayal of the McLaughlins, Packard and her family, and Naposki and his family is journalistic and thorough. VERDICT This title is sure to be popular. Purchase for public libraries with large true crime collections.--Karen Sandlin Silverman, Scarborough H.S. Lib., ME
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