Eight Days in Darkness

Eight Days in Darkness

Angela Roegner, LCSW and Anita Wooldridge

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: April 2010

Publisher: Synergy Books

Pages: 415

Book Site: http://8daysindarkness.com/

My Rating: 3.75/5

Source: Received for review from Phenix & Phenix Publicity

Synopsis

[from goodreads.com]:

On June 25, 1998, Anita Wooldridge was taken from her parents' home in broad daylight by a convicted rapist. For eight terrifying days, Anita was savagely beaten and raped by her captor, who locked her in a metal storage cabinet for hours at a time. With only a steadfast faith in God to comfort her, Anita refused to give up hope that she would be found. Eight Days in Darkness chronicles the shocking events of Anita's kidnapping, including her transport across state lines, and the impressive efforts of local authorities and FBI agents which led to her rescue and the dramatic capture and conviction of her abductor. Anita's story is still used today as a case study for prospective FBI agents, and Eight Days in Darkness paints a portrait of the real-life battle between good and evil.

Review:

EIGHT DAYS IN DARKNESS was an interesting non-fiction book. Interesting because it read more like a fiction story rather than the normal non-fiction book. Instead of facts kind of strewn together it was more novel-like and I enjoyed reading it in this manner despite the difficult subject matter. The true story account of the abduction, multiple rapes, and rescue of Anita Wooldridge was I’m sure difficult to put into words for both Anita and her co-author/therapist Angela.

I have the utmost respect for Anita. The fact that she is sharing such a painful and personal part of her life with the world is both inspiring and admirable. After reading through all the details of the investigation and capture of the abductor Anita’s hardships are still not over. She goes into some detail of her life after her terrifying ordeal. Depression was quick to follow and although her spirit wavered some, Anita’s strength (with the help of others) was able to overcome all the darkness in her life.

This story may be painful for some to read, although I found the way it was written helped “soften” some of the despicable crimes committed for the public. But Anita’s strength and faith in this book is sure to touch many people’s lives. And the psychological depiction of the abductor was an addition to the book that was more than welcomed by me. It provided a different aspect to the story. And although every name in the book (other than Anita’s) was changed, I still found the “characters” had personalities and were detailed enough to be engaging. I do admit I became a little confused in some of the parts because it was hard to keep the investigation team straight. Overall, the book was one that will stay with me for quite some time.