Losing Jon
A Teen's Tragic Death, a Police Cover-Up, a Community's Fight for Justice
by David Parrish


Kensington Books
Citadel
Nonfiction (Adult) | True Crime
Pub Date 28 Apr 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Losing Jon through Kensington Books/Citadel and Netgalley:




When David Parrish discovered that nineteen-year-old Jon Bowie’s body had been found hanged from a backstop at the local high school’s baseball field. The death was ruled as a suicide, but something was not right. David had known Jon as well as his twin brother since the boys were kids. He had coached them them on the baseball field and welcomed them into his home for sleepovers with his own sons. After David learned how Jon’s body was founded felt the need to find the facts by this incomprehensible tragedy.




It wasn’t long before David learned of a brutal attack at a hotel, where both Jon and his brother were horribly beaten by police officers. He learned too of the fires charged against the officer and the months of harassment and intimidation Jon and his brother endured. There were few in the Utopian like community of Columbia, Maryland believed that Jon would commit suicide. David could not help but wonder how a night of teens blowing off teen could end so tragically. The officers were unable or unwilling to find answers and seemed to be intent on preventing the truth from surfacing. In his own research on the case David uncovered a series of cover-up’s could only lead to one conclusion—Jon’s death was an act of murder.



I give Losing Jon five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This book is for lovers of true crime. It was very well written and grabbed my attention. I was hooked from the beginning . The story was so captivating. It was like the author was talking to me.

David Parrish was in disbelief when he learned that nineteen-year-old Jon Bowie’s body had been found hanged from a backstop at the local high school’s baseball field and the death declared a suicide. David had known Jon and his twin brother since they were boys. He had coached them on the baseball field and welcomed them into his home for sleepovers with his own sons. However, when David learned how Jon’s body was found, he felt compelled to find the facts behind this incomprehensible tragedy.

Soon, David would learn of a brutal incident at a local motel where Jon and his brother had been severely beaten by police officers, the charges filed against those officers, and the months of harassment and intimidation Jon and his brother endured. Few in the utopian community of Columbia, Maryland, believed Jon could commit such a final act. Like many others, David wondered how a fateful night of teens blowing off steam could lead to such a tragic end. As law enforcement failed to find answers and seemed intent on preventing the truth from surfacing, David uncovered a system of cover-ups that could only lead to one conclusion—Jon’s death was an act of murder.

This book was very disturbing. Especially with how olive are murdering innocent people in real life and getting away with it.

Hooked from the beginning this page turning true crime story was both captivating and infuriating.
19 yr old Jon Bowie is dead under very suspicious circumstances. This book explains the ordeal his family and friends go through in order to discover the truth while being harassed and intimidated by the police.
When his death was ruled a suicide by the police and the medical examiner, author David Parrish knew that Jon wouldn't have taken his own life. He was Jon's former baseball coach, knew the family well, and worked diligently for justice and to clear Jon's name.
The author did a wonderful job researching this complex story and capturing the community's response to the tragic events.
An important story to tell!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Losing Jon
David Parrish
The horrifying death of a nineteen-year-old Jon Bowie, singled out for harassment by local law enforcement before his body was found hanging from a backstop at the high school’s baseball field and immediately declared a suicide never made sense to his family, the community, or family friend David Parrish.
Beginning in January of 1990 when a group of teens rented a room the Red Roof Inn in Howard County, Maryland, a noise complaint brought several officers whose approach was to question the kids as if they were a gang of felons, and then savagely beat both Bowie brothers. From there life for the family, and some of the other students, was an implacable series of stalking and threats.
The tragedy and the deplorable coverup by local agencies as well as the state police is like something from a 1950s or 60s movie that takes place in rural town with sadistic sheriff’s deputies.
Author Parrish, having coached Bowie and his twin brother Mickey in baseball when they were younger, and knowing the family, provides a view from the inside as the tragedy unfolds.
This story will, and should, disturb the reader.

*Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for giving me a copy of this book.

This book is very strange. I think the author wrote it because he wanted people to know and remember Jon, and that is understandable. But sometimes it seemed a fictional story, with so many psychics and unrelated random things happening all the time. It was hard to remember that it is real because it's so frustrating that the case wans't even resolved and that police was so corrupt and incompetent. That is real life, I know, but I just thought se were getting somewhere with all this but it didn't happen.
R.I.P Jon Bowie.

This is an interesting and relevant true crime piece about, well, a teen's tragic death, a police cover-up, and a community's fight for justice (just as advertised!). Jon Bowie and his brother Mickey were having a little party at a Red Roof Inn somewhere in Maryland. The police got a noise complaint from the motel and went to check it out, but the situation soon turned nasty. The three officers (and more who came) on the scene didn't like the Bowie brothers' attitudes, and what was supposed to be an easy check-in turned into a disgusting display of overreactive police brutality on two innocent teenage boys. The Bowie brothers were arrested, but opened a suit against the officers for abuse of force.

A few weeks later, Jon Bowie would be found dead, hanging from the backstop of the local baseball diamond. The police ruled it as a suicide, despite assurances from everyone Jon Bowie knew (including the author, who was Bowie's baseball coach) that he would have never committed suicide. The police made insinuations and false statements about the boy's character, sometimes seemingly covering up evidence rather than leading an investigation. The small community was outraged - they knew foul play was afoot - so when the police ruled it a suicide, they decided to lead their own investigation to find out what really happened to Jon Bowie.

This is a good story, but the way it was written doesn't do the excitement justice. I had a hard time following events and people, and a lot of the "plot" is legal action and waiting for results/decisions (yes, most legal thrillers are this way, but this didn't seem like a legal thriller). In my opinion, this may have been better if told from the perspective of an objective outsider rather than a member of the community - of course, Parrish has amazing insights to offer on the details of the investigation, but I wonder if this story might receive another treatment. Lastly, there's quite a bit of "supernatural" talk here - mostly people having telling dreams, seeing things, sensing things - lots of folks with ESP. This took a bit out of the story to me. I understand what purpose these feelings and premonitions added to the story, but I'm a total skeptic, and I found myself being a bit leary of all this.

Thank you to Citadel Press for the ARC!

True crime at its best. The author is part of the story as he knew the teen killed and helped search for justice after his death in 1990. It is hard to believe there was so much corruption in a police department.

Losing Jon tells the tragic story of nineteen year-old, Carl Jonathan "Jon" Bowie of Maryland, whose death left a hole in the hearts of many people and a thorn between the police and his community. It begins with a noise complaint from the Jessup motel where Jon, and his twin brother, Mickey were partying with their friends; and ends with Jon's death on May 4, 1990. He was found hanged on a baseball backstop outside Oakland Mills High School. Although, his death was officially ruled suicide, but evidence shows otherwise.

David Parrish is a friend of the twins and he shares his experience and investigation of this case in this book. He writes with so much passion while staying true to the facts of the case. It is an emotional read for sure. It has the depth of the case and the writing although mostly engaging, there were some parts that felt "clunky" and disjointed. I was somewhat surprised by the supernatural/psychic aspect of the story to be honest. But I understand that it may be pivotal to the story, or even a way of coping with grief and loss, or desperation for the truth.

Overall, I think this book will be appealing to true crime readers. This is a case of police brutality and cover-up and how it impacted the victim's family and community. There were so many flaws in this case. From the crime scene, to the autopsy and even the internal police department investigation were so flawed and filled with biasness. So, if you are looking for books similar to Just Mercy, A Death in Belmont and Adnan's Story, this may be the book for you.

Pub. Date: 28 Apr, 2020

***Thank you Kensington Books and NetGalley for this gifted review copy in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed in this review are my own and was not influenced by the author, publisher or any third party.***

What was going on in Columbia, Maryland? The strange events surrounding a community tragedy leads this author to write about it as a way, and maybe the only way, to get to the truth.
This book reads like fiction and I whipped through it in 2 days. The story is compelling and interesting but I felt the ending was flat and unsatisfactory, which I’m sure is the way those that think Jon was murdered feel today. Must read for true crime buffs and conspiracy theorists.

First, thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing Corp for the opportunity to review this book.
I found this book to be a phenomenal work true crime. I felt David Parrish did a wonderful job and managing the details, from the major points to the very minute details. I thought he created a genuine portrait of Jon’s character and true nature and provided ample evidence to support it.
I thought the book flowed well, from the beginning at the motel party to very end.
The only suggestion I would make is, due to the fact that I am a very visual person, would be to spread out the images. I believe it connects and invests the reader in the story so much more if we are able to see this young man. They say “a picture’s worth’s thousand words” and that’s true. Looking at the candid photos of Jon and Mickey and Carlen make you believe this was just a normal kid.
I will say reading about the many failures of the various law enforcement agencies and the abuse of some officers infuriated me, but in a good way. It’s that level of passion and emotion that will make the reader remember Jon Bowie long after they turn the final page. Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity!!!

Losing Jon: A Teen’s Tragic Death, a Police Cover-up, a Community’s Fight for Justice by David Parrish | review. ⁣
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This book tells the story of nineteen year old Jon Bowie, his suspicious death and the journey his family and friends would go through to try to discover the truth. Author David Parrish knew Jon and his twin brother Mickey since they were boys and couldn’t believe the police could be right when they claimed Jon committed suicide. Months before his death, Jon and Mickey were involved in an incident with police where they were both beaten and arrested. The brothers filed against the officers and were then harassed and bullied for months. When the police seen intent on not investigating Jon’s death, David begins his own quest for answers and justice for Jon. ⁣
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➖ This book will anger readers immensely. David carefully lays out evidence that supports teenagers in Columbia where often targeted by overzealous police for minor offenses. How can police commit such brutalities and receive no justice? ⁣
➖ Ultimately, I felt like this story was a little clunky and could have used some additional editing. David brought up the supernatural a lot and it made me roll my eyes every time. ⁣
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Overall, I think true crime fans will like this book and I hope it brings more attention to Jon’s death.

David Parrish, a retired tech writer, was a part-time baseball coach many years ago. When he learned that one of his former players, Jon Bowie, had died, Parrish was stunned. As a friend, he talked to friends and family, trying to understand what police and the medical examiner had ruled a suicide. Jon had been found hanging from the backstop at the local high school’s baseball field, although it seemed unlikely for a variety of reasons (including logistics, Jon’s personality, and the possible role of the police. Thanks to Kensington Books/Citadel and NetGalley for an advance copy of Parrish’s book, Losing Jon, in exchange for an honest review of this book, subtitled A Teen’s Tragic Death, A Police Cover-Up, a Community’s Fight For Justice.

Some months prior to Jon’s death, he and his identical twin brother Mickey were with a group of young people (apparently most of whom were under the legal age for drinking in Maryland) at a party in a motel room rented by a friend. When police came, several of the males behaved like the drunk teens they were, and the police responded with force that was WAY over the top. Following “the incident,” the Bowies filed complaints against two of the officers, citing excessive force and claiming it wasn’t necessary for them to have been kicked, beaten, and choked. The young man who rented the room was later abducted and dragged by the neck, allegedly by police officers, which didn’t surprise those who were familiar with the months of harassment and intimidation by police that the Bowie twins had endured – the abduction occurred the night before he was scheduled to testify about the incident.

Most of those who, like the author, lived in Columbia, Maryland, didn’t believe that Jon would commit suicide. Community feelings ran high, and there were calls for an investigation into the death as well as the actions by police. As part of his investigation into the matter, David Parrish came to the conclusion that Jon was murdered. This book is an extremely detailed documenting of the incident, the author’s investigation, and the cover-up(s) on the part of the justice system in Maryland.

As someone who has read books and listened to podcasts over the past several years dealing with the criminal justice system in the Baltimore area, I found the story disgusting but sadly not surprising. Mr. Parrish has done a good job documenting this complex story and capturing the community’s response to the events. I love true crime when it is done well, and this one is done well! I deducted one star because while I found the parts about Mr. Parrish’s mother being able to “see” things and the role of the psychic near the end being interesting, they seemed somewhat…not sure what. Possibly out of place? Jarring? Lacking clarity? Can’t quite put my finger on it but for me they detracted from the story of corruption and malfeasance just a bit. Four stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

David Parrish's Losing Jon is a harrowing account of a teenager's death following a night of partying under suspicious circumstances. The whole book is written to bring out the police brutality in Howard county and the steps the police, FBI and other officials took to cover up the crime. The book was engaging and gripping in its storytelling. I was interested in finding out what had happened to Jon Bowie and hoped to God the murderer/murderers were caught. The book takes us through Jon and Mickey's lives as they navigate their school and college. Jon and Mickey were twins and they were one night partying at a motel with 12 other friends when police came knocking on their door. Everything that happened from there is quite surreal, almost movie-like but sadly true. The accounts from the witnesses and fellow students all report that excessive force was used on the students by the police. Later the kids were harassed and followed and stalked by the police. And one night the body of Jon was seen by a jogger hanging from the baseball backstop. The whole incident is horrific and on top of that, the way the police and FBI behaved towards the victims was simply disturbing and cruel. They were intentionally framing the kids and also trying to make it seem like Jon committed suicide and not handling the proper investigation to solve the crime. The blase way the whole case was handled and the other incidents surrounding it are all one big mess of incompetency on the legal system as well. I was hooked from the beginning and the more I read the more I was drawn to the case. I felt bad for the family, friends, and victims. I was frustrated and angry and emotional through the book. I thought the book was going to be a solid 5-stars book for me and it was going to be giving us the answers to the case and how it got resolved. Let's just say that didn't happen and I was highly disappointed by it. The book ended abruptly and we don't get to see or find out how Jon Bowie dies. There are no answers to some of the questions that were frequently asked throughout the book, and adding to the confusion we have psychics and their prediction muddying everything. I am confused and disappointed by the way the case was closed and on top of that, we do not get answers to the important points made in the book. I wish the author addressed them and help resolve the issues. The book simply leaves readers with the family moving on with their lives because Jon appeared to them and told them to let it go. After all of the struggle and pain and hard work, it just seems like we are left in the dark with more questions than answers. I don't believe justice was served to the families involved, the case got closed without proper investigations, and there are too many people whose roles feels undefined in the entire case. I gave the book 3.5 stars and it would have been a 5 star read if not for the way the book ended. I sincerely hope the family got their answers and they are at peace. I can't imagine the pain and turmoil the family must have been in following Jon's untimely death. I pray the wrongdoers were all brought to justice and they answered for their failures to provide the closure for the family. I believe this is an important story and everyone should read this book to be aware of the brutality and possible cover-up of crimes committed by the police and other systems.

What a highly frustrating and angering book this was. A young man dead under very suspicious circumstances. Police brutality, lies, deciet, stalking and intimidation all make up this true crime read without justice, Family and friends that will never be the same and a story that must be told.

For anyone interested in true crime reads, documentaries, or podcasts, this story is definitely going to be right up your alley, especially for fans of the first season of the Serial podcast or the Netflix documentary, Making a Murderer. This story is about police corruption and murder. The story is riveting and, at times, a little scary. The author does an excellent job of evoking a feeling of community to the reader, making you feel like you are one of them, probably because the author was, in fact, one of them. Getting to experience the story from someone who, not only lived it but, was on the front lines is a special treat, for me as a reader and lover of true crime.

The writing for this book, though, was a bit “clunky” for me and, as you can tell, that of a first time book author. David Parrish worked as a technical writer and it shows. The writing at times felt almost robotic. Plus, there were sentences that just didn’t make a whole lot of sense, some that weren’t needed and/or misplaced, several sentences seemed to be copied and pasted for reuse, and even some that seemed to contradict one another. Don’t go in expecting this book to be on par with the classic Ann Rule book “The Stranger Beside Me”. Also, I felt that the supernatural aspects of this book really detracted from the gravity of the situation for me; it would often times take me out of the story resulting in eye rolls and heavy sighs. But, I just kept reminding myself that even the sanest of us might believe in the craziest of possibilities when we are at our most desperate.

In the end, I found the book enjoyable, but at times hard to stick with.

Wow this book was extremely intense and as a true crime junkie, I was shocked that I had never heard this. It was incredibly well-written and easy to read even though the content was extremely difficult to get through. This must be on every true crime fans bookshelf.

Riveting, but painful to read. Must read true crime.

Thanks to author,publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free,it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

This is such a tragic story - an identical twin losing his life under suspicious circumstances. I really feel for the family and friends left behind. This book isn't unbiased, being written by a family friend, but does raise some important questions that haven't been answered about the circumstances around the death of Jon. RIP Jon.

The writing was clear, concise and at times a gut punch. The author was very compelling in his reasons on why he believed that Jon did NOT commit suicide.
However, there was some drawbacks to the story....one is the use of psychics, from his mama to the Florida psychic at the end. I felt that the reliance upon them was too much.
Two was the White Wash committee...the amount of names being brought up during those chapters boggled my head and dulled my eyes.
Overall it was a good story, one that has so many holes and at times left the reader wanting to know what really happened.....makes the reader wonder if we will ever know the truth.