✰✰✰✰½ Clark Rockefeller made international headlines when he kidnapped his daughter and disappeared. During the manhunt that followed, police were stunned to discover that the man known as Clark Rockefeller was an imposter. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter went from foreign exchange student to wealthy scion, by bluffing his way into exclusive clubs, communities, and financial institutions. Over a period of three decades, this self-made con man managed to fool nearly everyone including his Harvard-educated wife. This true-crime book reads like a fictional thriller. Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down. You simply won't believe it's true.
The Bottom Line: This book has it all: mystery, intrigue, and murder. It is a quick read that will leave you wondering just how one man could fool everyone with his outrageous lies. Highly recommended for fans of true crime stories, mysteries, and deception. Several pages of fascinating black and white photos are included as well.
Book Club Notes: The discussion for this pick was well attended and lively. The average rating for the book was 4+, with a range from a low of 3 to a high of 5. There was a lot of excitement about this book, and many participants commented that is was hard to put down.
It has been a few years since the book was published, so there were a few loose ends. I gathered articles and photos to supplement the discussion and bring the group up to date. We were very interested in finding additional photos of John and Linda Sohus as well as Reigh Rockefeller.
Questions for the discussion were available at BookBrowse. However, I also supplemented the discussion with a few of my own questions:
Q: Is truth sometimes stranger than fiction?
Q: Would you have confronted him?
Discuss the importance of churches and libraries in his life.
Q: Which was his greatest character?
The author writes: Nothing sparks a conversation between strangers faster than a walked dog. Dog people just talk to each other. P. 144 True or false?
Q: Sandra Boss: Innocent victim or enabler? Do you think the Rockefeller name was a big reason why Sandra stayed?
Q: Why didn’t anyone question the authenticity of the art?
Discuss Clark’s relationship with his daughter Reigh. Self-love vs. parental love.
Q: Was he crazy to the point of not knowing right from wrong? P. 316
Q: Are we all posers?
Additionally, I created a timeline to facilitate the discussion. Name changes are indicated in red.
Feb 21, 1961 – Born Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter in Bergen, Germany.
1978-79 – He came to America as a high school foreign exchange student. He lived in Berlin, CT. He became Chris Kenneth Gerhart.
1980 - UW – Milwaukee
1981 – Married Amy Jersild on Feb. 20. In April applied for status as a permanent resident. In June drove west. In Las Vegas he was known as Dr. Christopher Rider, a cardiologist. In California he became Christopher Mountbatten Chichester.
1983 – Got a California driver’s license
1984 – Produced Inside San Marino as Chichester.
1985 – Moved into the Didi Sohus’ guesthouse at 1920 Lorain Rd., San Marino. John & Linda Sohus disappear. Chichester vanished too. By June, he lands in Greenwich, CT as Christopher Crowe, film producer.
1987 – Worked for Nikko Securities.
1988 – Detective Allen looks into the missing persons case of John & Linda Sohus.
1988-1992 – Crowe disappeared for a time.
1992 – Emerged as Clark Rockefeller at St. Thomas Church in NYC. First wife Amy Jersild files for divorce.
1994 – John Sohus’ remains are found in San Marino.
1995 – Boss-Rockefeller wedding on October 14.
2000 – They move to Cornish. Also, Sandra gets pregnant.
2001 – Reigh “Snooks” Storrow Mills Rockefeller is born on May 24.
2006 – The family moves to Beacon Hill
2007 – Sandra filed for divorce on January 17. Sandra & Reigh moved to London on December 23.
2008 – He assumed the name of Chip Smith. Kidnapped Reigh on July 27. He was captured on August 3.
2009 – Gerhartsreiter was found guilty of kidnapping of a minor and assault & battery by means of a dangerous weapon on June 12.
2011 – Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter was charged with the murder of John Sohus on March 15.
2013 – Convicted of the first degree murder of John Sohus on April 10. On August 15, he was sentenced to the maximum of 27 years to life for the murder of John Sohus. He still maintains his innocence. He will be eligible for parole in 2039 at the age of 78.
2015 – Linda Sohus has never been found.
Overall, this was a fantastic pick for book club. Enthusiastically recommended for any group interested in taking a look at crime, deception, and human nature.
Details: The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Impostor by Mark Seal. Paperback published by Plume in 2012. 368 p. ISBN: 9780452298033
✰✰✰½ Welcome back to the quirky, quaint little village of Three Pines in Canada. It's Eastertime in the village, and the trees are just beginning to bud. To celebrate the holiday the villagers have arranged to hold a séance in the creepy old Hadley residence. Before the night is over, one member of the party will be dead. What appears to be a simple natural death may have been caused by something more sinister. Once again Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his team including the inept Yvette Nichol, find themselves investigating crime in the isolated village.
The Bottom Line: The character of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is interesting and complex. With two story arcs, there are plenty of surprising twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very end. This charming cozy series is suitable for weekend reading, and this installment is the perfect entertainment for a rainy, lazy day. This literary treat will appeal to mystery buffs who enjoy eccentric characters.
Details: The Cruelest Month: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel by Louise Penny. Paperback published by Minotaur Books in 2007. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-312-57350-8
✰✰✰✰ It's the spring of 1951, and Flavia de Luce's long-lost mother, Harriet, has finally returned to her beloved ancestral home, Buckshaw. It seems the whole town of Bishop's Lacey has turned out to welcome Harriet home. The gathering includes extended family, friends, a famous politician, and a mysterious stranger, who ends up dead soon after delivering a cryptic message to Flavia. Immediately Flavia's interest is piqued, and she must once again don her sleuthing hat. Working around her grieving family, with the funeral just hours away, Flavia must work quickly to uncover even more family secrets and discover the cause of her mother's untimely death.
The Bottom Line: Flavia is captivating, sweet, and just a little bit morbid at times. Her character continues to mature as she is confronted with death on a personal level; however, she's still that spunky, tomboyish free spirit I adore. As more family secrets are revealed, Flavia uncovers and struggles with her destiny. This quick and quirky mystery is enthusiastically recommended for both YA and adult readers who enjoy cozies set in England. It's always fun to read about Flavia's fascination with science.
Details: The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches: A Flavia de Luce Novel by Alan Bradley. Hardcover published by Delacorte Press in 2014. 336 p. ISBN: 978-0-385-34405-0
✰✰✰✰✰ The year is 2068, and life in the moon's Bubble is boring. When Marty's best friend is forced to move back to Earth earlier than planned, fifteen-year-old Marty is left alone. Everything changes when Marty befriends a classmate named Steve. As an orphan, Steve is used to being an outcast and a loner. It isn't long before Steve and Marty's new friendship leads to trouble. Having skipped school, the pair takes a crawler out to the abandoned First Station.
What starts out as a quick and harmless adventure quickly goes awry when the crawler skids out of control. The friends awake to find themselves in a cave beneath the moon's surface. Much to their surprise they find food, oxygen, plants, another human, and alien life. At first the place seems magical, but the more they consume, the more obedient they become to the alien creature in charge. As the days go by, it becomes harder and harder to resist submitting to the creature. Before forgetting who they are, Marty and Steve make a plan for their escape. However, the creature just might have other plans for them.
The Bottom Line: This is classic science fiction at its best. I remember reading and rereading this book in grade school during the 1970s, and I have been searching for a copy to own ever since. I'm happy to write that the book has retained its magic. The themes of friendship and believing in yourself are just as current today as when it was written. Very highly recommended for kids in middle school. Also, highly recommended for adults interested in sci-fi.
Details: The Lotus Caves by John Christopher. Paperback reissue edition published by Aladdin in 2014. 288 p. ISBN: 9781481418379
✰✰✰✰✰ The Gingerbread Baby is sassy, plucky, and oh so lonely. One day he sets out to find friends like himself. He ends up in a bakery where the cookies only stare straight ahead. There's not a friendly face in sight. The Gingerbread Baby only has thoughts of home as he is chased from the bakery by a mama mouse, a cat, and the baker. Along the way more animals join in the chase. After a close call, the Gingerbread Baby arrives home just in time to find a delicious surprise waiting for him.
The Bottom Line: Scrumptious illustrations in pastel colors make for a tasty treat for readers. A recipe for gingerbread boys and girls is included in the margins of the book which concludes with a colorful giant foldout page. Perfect for storytime; this lyrical and clever take on the classic Gingerbread Boy will delight kids and adults alike.
Details: Gingerbread Friends written & illustrated by Jan Brett. Hardcover picture book published by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 2008. 32 p. ISBN: 978-0-399-25161-0
✰✰✰✰✰ On a cold winter's night, a young cow named Martha is alone and lost. As she braves the frozen fields and bitter winds, she knows she must find shelter and people to help her. Martha's baby is due very soon. At long last she finds a farm, but it is dark and abandoned. She continues her search following a bright star. Eventually Martha comes upon a shed with a donkey, hay, and a young couple. As the woman delivers her own baby, Martha's calf arrives too on a very special winter's night.
The Bottom Line: John Herman's gentle tale of a lost cow about to give birth parallels the story of the birth of Jesus. The illustrators chose to depict the story of Mary and Joseph's journey in black and white, while the cow's journey is depicted in color with a focus on shades of blue. The illustrations and the text merge together beautifully in the end. Highly recommended picture book for kids in grades K - 3. This is a beautiful book you will want to read again and again with your children.
Details: One Winter's Night story by John Herman & illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon. Hardcover picture book published by Philomel Books in 2003. ISBN: 0-399-23418-7
✰✰✰✰ Christmas at Tante's was special. Every year she cleaned and baked in preparation. Then all the children and animals were invited to see Tante's beautiful Christmas tree. Only the spiders were turned away.
As always Tante wished to experience a little bit of Christmas magic for herself where animals might speak or bees hum carols at midnight. However, Tante always fell fast asleep. Then one Christmas a mysterious visitor left Tante's door open just a crack. The curious spiders finally had a chance to experience Tante's beautiful tree and in return they leave behind a little bit of magic that has become legend.
The Bottom Line: This version of the German folktale is set in the Bavarian forests. Both the story and the illustrations have an Old World charm and will appeal to children in grades 1 - 3. Kids will delight in the magical story of the tradition of tinsel.
Details: Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel written by Shirley Climo & illustrated by Jane Manning. Hardcover picture book published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2001. 32 p. ISBN; 0-06-029034-X
