“Dr. Hanlon has done a masterful job presenting the case of Tom Odle, a male adolescent who was sentenced to death after killing his parents and three younger siblings. This fascinating work covers Tom’s childhood history, the legal proceedings, and perspectives of the mental health professionals who examined the youth after the killings. It also beautifully weaves in changes in the death penalty in Illinois that resulted in Odle’s sentence being commuted to life. Most important, this book presents Odle’s reflections two decades after the crime. The breadth of this work and its careful presentation virtually ensure that it will become a classic in the field of familicide.”
—Kathleen M. Heide, professor of criminology, University of South Florida, and author of Understanding Parricide: When Sons and Daughters Kill Parents
