Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Juggernaut by Ruth Forrest Glenn is the first book in the It Went Like This series, a gripping true crime with an intelligently written plot and robust characters. Forty-six years ago, a phone call to the sheriff’s wife got her rattled. That phone call was from someone who was going to be a victim of murder. But what happened was witnessed by the sheriff’s fifteen-year-old daughter, Jennifer. The deputy sheriff went after the sheriff’s daughter, asking what she knew. But the young girl, terrified and abused by her parents to keep her mouth shut, could say nothing. It is not until after four decades that she musters the strength to speak up.

Juggernaut is poignant and heart-wrenching, a tale of murder and domestic violence that explores what parents can do to hide their evil. Readers are introduced to a world where those who are supposed to protect lives and seek the truth hide it. The author’s descriptions are terrifically rendered and readers will have vivid images of what happened on the fateful night of the murder. The emotions of the young girl are strong and readers instantly feel sympathy for her. The story opens with a disturbing scene, capturing the meanness with which Jake West treats his toddler, Bette, calling her dirty and evil. The cycle of domestic violence will eventually be transmitted down to Jennifer, the sheriff and Bette’s fifteen-year-old daughter.

From the moment the reader is introduced to Mark, Bette, and Darlene, the narrative becomes more gripping and electrifying. The premise is ingeniously written and the interest of the reader is grabbed. Ruth Forrest Glenn writes in prose that is excellent and in a tone that is captivating and spellbinding. This is one true crime story that is written with ingenuity and will have the reader on the edge of their seat. A book never made me so angry and riled at domestic abuse before the way this one did.