J. Reuben Appelman is such a good writer. He has created such a detailed and touching account of the short tragic lives of the four college students who were killed so senselessly in Moscow, Idaho. And he isn't vicious about the killer either. The suspect has had major mental problems that apparently nobody addressed.
I first encountered Appelman's writing when he waded into the OCCK mess out in Detroit, where we are both natives. Again, he doesn't disappoint.
Appelman has a gift for connecting with people and he's obviously interviewed people close to the victims who, I'm sure, have sent others way. The book is full of facts and situations expertly woven. And the book is great even though the perp's trial hasn't happened yet and we don't know what the defense will come up with to excuse these ridiculous killings.
I hope this book gets the promotion it deserves.

Having followed this case since the beginning I was so excited to get the opportunity to read this book in advance of it’s publishing. It was really nice to be able to catch up on the timeline and details before the trial begins hopefully this fall. While there wasn’t any information included that I didn’t know prior to reading, I would recommend to anyone who isn’t familiar with the case instead of having to do their own deep dive. I truly appreciate the amount of work and research that had to go into this book in order to report details as accurately as possible pre-trial. It was a great read!

I received a free copy of, While Idaho Slept, by J. Reuben Appelman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I think almost everyone has heard about the Idaho College students murdered in the college town. Madison Mogen 21, Kaylee Gonclaves, 21 , Xana Kernodle 20, and her boyfriend Ethan Chapin also 20. This book takes toy through the crime but also, tells about the victims, who they were to their family and friends. Such a needless tragedy.

As a true crime lover this book fell flat--It didn't focus on the crime or the perpetrator--but as someone who feels for the families of the victims and appreciated how tirelessly the police worked to catch that POS. A this wad a well-written and informative tribute. Don't read this for entertainment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book before it is officially released.

I have read many true crime books and this one is definitely not one of the best that I have read. It is not a badly written book, it just doesn’t seem to have the detail or gripping story of other true crime books I have read by other authors.

I feel like most of the information in this book came from public knowledge and outlets (social media, newspaper articles, online forums). It does not appear that the author actually spent much time speaking with anyone involved in this case or getting first hand information from anyone close to the case.

Also, there are parts of the book that have too much detail for things that don’t relate directly to the murders or the case. For example, the details of the car crash in front of Bryan’s apartment the night/early morning of the murders. The car crash had nothing to do with the murders, or anyone involved in the case, other than staying Bryan had to leave his apartment from a different exit to drive to Moscow.

There is no conclusion to this story/book, yet since the trial is currently being “stayed” and no verdict has been determined.

Even with these things, I gave this book 3 stars because I feel like the author did give respect to the victims and their families. Also, there were parts that were well written. But I don’t think this book is completed and doesn’t have as much information as it needed to give us the full story of this heinous crime.

AHHHHHH. Okay. I am so thankful to Harper Perennial Paperbacks, J. Reuben Appelman, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this horribly alarming and yet trending narrative depicting the facts and know-what for the Idaho Four (gag-ordered) case. While Idaho Slept is projected to publish on October 3, 2023, yall better get your pre-orders in for this one ASAP, especially since so little is being communicated as far as this ongoing case goes.

I'm sure the world has heard the gruesome tale of the events that took place back on King Road in November 2022 -- the tragic murders of four college students shook the surrounding areas, especially as no immediate answers were captured in light of such awful loss.

The author does a great job at analyzing the murderer (who I will not be naming out of respect for the victims and their families), breaking down his routine stalker-like movements and odd characteristics leading up to the murders and after the fact.

I felt this book was well-produced and sourced accurately from a journalistic standpoint.

Awesome true crime. Kept your interest.
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.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Normally I probably wouldn't read a true crime book that's published before the trail is over but this case happened in the state I live in.
The author does a nice job of giving focus to the victims' lives and does so tastefully.
The information on Kohberger was succinct and shows both sides of his potential guilt or innocence.

A comprehensive account of the grisly murders in Moscow, Idaho. Such a tragedy and the author does a very tasteful job in outlining the murders but also giving a nice tribute to the victims.

This was so respectfully written first and foremost, something I always admire!

I’ll admit when I first picked this up I wondered why this was written before trial, but I kept an open mind and I am glad I did! This took a very deep dive into all 4 victims lives. It was so nice to hear about their backgrounds and families as opposed to all the crap you hear on the media. There was also a background on Bryan’s and his family.

I think he was so respectful in his writing in regard to the families. It was written on facts and not bias from either side. Lastly, I commend the work he did with the background of the police officers. I feel they were scrutinized by the media while everything was very methodically done. Loved this one!

Thank you to Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, the author, and NetGalley for this digital ARC!
Publication date: 10/03/23 ☺️