Melissa G. MooreCritiques

This poor girl and her family. Her father being a serial killer was just the icing on an already crappy life. Her father was abusive, her mother did nothing to prevent or stop it, they live in bad conditions, she gets raped and pregnant and on top of all of this, she finds out her father is the Happy Face Serial Killer. She does eventually come to terms with her life and her father's choices and she ends up marrying a nice man and has children on her own. It is amazing she survives at all. She must be a amazingly strong person. This story is so riveting and hard to put down.

Melissa was already having a terrible childhood, long before she found out her dad was a serial killer. She spends her life surrounded by abusive people, and those who don't abuse her ignore her cries for help. It is very inspirational that she was able to move beyond her past and not let it define who she would become. I can't imagine living through all that she has. It amazes me that she became the person she is and is also able to help others!

Reviewed by Samantha (Class of 2012)
I am still reading this book. That is why I am rating it a four at the moment. This book is the untold sotry of a serial killer's daughter. She had these feelings, like in the pit of her stomach. She thought she just wasn't feeling good everytime this would happen to her. She got these mainly when her dad was coming around and she would get them when her dad killed a woman. At the time though, she didn't know about her dad and what he was doing until one day he got caught and and she found out EVERYTHING! This is a great book and she speaks with great words. I would read this book if I were you. You WON'T be disappointed.

I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who has unwittingly held the blame for the actions of family members. The author's honest and straightforward manner of telling her life story, especially in relationship to her father and divorce will ring true to many children of dysfunctional families. Meliissa especially talks about the secrets and the lack of communication, which are all because of pain being buried. Running away does not help, but acknowledging and moving forward and away from the type of thing we leave is. It takes great courage to share this with the world and especially the Christian segment of it, but I hope her message goes out to many, many people to understand the pain of those who have gone through this.½

We often hear about the victims of brutal crimes. Newscasters tell us stories about their families and how they are suffering from the loss of their loved ones. Occasionally we get the inside story on a serial killer made famous by sensationalism. We’re told the gory details of his (or her) crimes and we attempt to delve into their minds to learn the why behind the behavior. However, it isn’t often that we hear from the family of the serial murderer. Rarely do we even consider what their lives must have been like.

Melissa Moore, daughter of the “Happy Face” killer, gives us that inside scoop. Melissa bravely shares an intensely personal story of what life was like for her and her family. We see this serial murderer through the eyes of a young girl who wants nothing more than her daddy’s love.

This book is an easy read, sort of like we’re sitting with Melissa as she confides in us. Her father puts the family through horrible psychological abuse while her mother stands by and allows it. I found her mother’s indifference appalling. Melissa had virtually no one to turn to. Whatever you may think of this book, it would be impossible not to walk away without immense respect for Melissa Moore.