Keith Ablow, M.D. – a forensic psychiatrist and commentator for CourtTV -- offers some interesting insights INSIDE THE MIND OF SCOTT PETERSON. I know this story has been told over and over again, but this particular book adds an element of observance that other authors may have overlooked while covering this tragedy.

If you want to use an analogy to describe the events leading up to the horrific murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son Conner, you need look no further than a favorite childhood pastime. Remember when you would stand you dominoes up on end, lined up one after another? I’m sure many of you do. Then you topple that first domino into the second, and the second would topple the third, and so on. Well, the events that may have guided the path that Scott Peterson was destined to follow may have been a similar chain reaction. This chain reaction is more like a runaway train.

John H Latham, Jackie Peterson (Latham’s) father, was murdered by blunt force trauma On December 20th 1945. As a result, the domino effect was put into motion with Jackie’s mother, Helen, giving up custody of Jackie to an orphanage shortly after John Latham’s death. There are births out wedlock propagated by Jackie’s desire to find a man to replace the void that her father left after his murder -- two babies given up for adoption due to Jackie’s inability to provide any maternal qualities. This is only the beginning of the intriguing theory put forth by Ablow.

I found this book was able to keep me intrigued enough to dash through it in maybe 6 hours of reading time. Each chapter built on the preceding one until the entire event comes into full focus in the latter chapters. I am compelled to give this review a 3-star rating based on the author’s ability to present some very interesting views. If true crime and psychological profiling is an interest, this book should be very engrossing for you.