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Catch the Sparrow
Catch the Sparrow: A Search for a Sister and the Truth of Her Murder | Rachel Rear
4 posts | 2 read | 11 to read
Stephanie Kupchynsky, the step-sister of Rachel Rear, disappeared when the author was a teenager - and it would be seven years before her body would be found; and yet another fourteen years before two dedicated police officers were, at last, able to coax a confession from her killer. A powerful and moving account, Chained to the Sky reconstructs the dark and serpentine path of Stephanie's long-unsolved murder and explores, on a personal level, the experience of living in the shadow of that legacy. This book is, in part, Rachel's meticulous reconstruction of events - how a beautiful violinist and teacher fled an abusive relationship and made a new start for herself in Rochester, New York; how police corruption and dysfunction contributed to the crime going unsolved for over two decades; and the terrible cost of those hard decades was to Stephanie's family and loved ones. But Rachel also discovered echoes and parallels between Stephanie's life and her own, which included physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their respective fathers, and how that damage impacted their future relationships with men, and their perceptions of themselves. There's an obsessive quality to both directions of inquiry - the crime, and the costs of the crime - which introduces a writer of uncommon talent.
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review
Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

A mix of true crime and memoir, this is squarely in my wheelhouse. Rachel Rear, the author, has written an examination of her stepsister‘s disappearance. It‘s a bit problematic because Rear never met Stephanie and writes this book against Stephanie‘s sister‘s wishes. Rear uses case files she has access to as a member of the family, and interviews people close to Stephanie. The case is ultimately solved and I was hooked until the end.

LoverOfLearning What a great cover! 2y
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Chelsea.Poole
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A perfect Friday night! I don‘t even mind this horrible cold weather that‘s supposed to be spring because I have this gorgeous new fireplace! 🔥 And here I am in my turnip socks, book in hand, as promised 😊

Cupcake12 Sounds and looks so cosy….enjoy ❤️ 2y
95 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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After school playground session for my boys while I antisocially read in the car 😅😏📖

AmyG Ha. I knew I liked you. I would do pick up at my kids middle school. All the moms chatted in the parking lot while I read in the car. (edited) 2y
Erinreadsthebooks Small talk is terrifying. I‘d much rather read in the car 😁🙋‍♀️ 2y
sarahbarnes Cheers! I just did this tonight while picking up from ballet while moms chatted in the parking lot. 😁 2y
Chelsea.Poole @AmyG @Erinreadsthebooks @sarahbarnes I knew I‘d be in good company here with you all! So I guess I wasn‘t so antisocial after all—I did post to Litsy and get to interact with you all! 😆 2y
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Chelsea.Poole
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#BookReport ✔️
A great reading week. I highly recommend each of these!!
#currentlyreading 📖
👑WILL is extra intriguing after the events at the Oscars
🪶SPARROW is #truecrime and excellent so far
#WeeklyForecast ⛅️
I‘ve got some nonfiction titles lined up for the upcoming week. Not sure I‘ll get to all of these but I‘ve been looking forward to Foreverland so I‘ll probably prioritize that one.

Cinfhen I‘m glad you liked French Braid 💖It was too vanilla for me. 2y
marleed I read Will when it first came out and liked it but I think it would read differently now. I keep thinking of his describing his need for his premieres to top that of Tom Cruise. 2y
Chelsea.Poole @Cinfhen I totally get that! I know she‘s not for everyone but her writing just clicks for me 😊 2y
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Chelsea.Poole @marleed oh yeah, it certainly hits different after all of that. It‘s very interesting listening to it…there is almost a sense of foreshadowing of the incident. (edited) 2y
Cinfhen I LOVED Will when I listened- it was 5 stars for me but now like @marleed I wonder how i might react. I do think there are lots of “warning” signs/ I don‘t want to spoil anything but I think you raised a good point. “Knowing” more of his family background, I totally agree. 2y
Chelsea.Poole @Cinfhen I have been on hold for Will for a long time from the library and it happened to just pop up this week as available, a few days after the Oscars. The timing is funny, after he‘s been in the news everywhere, so I‘m extra interested to see what made the man behind the slap heard round the world! 2y
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