A Rip in Heaven

Find a true-crime story in the news. Quantify how much attention is placed on the murderers versus the victims and their families. Analyze how the media represents this story, and compare it to how the book represents the murder of the Kerry sisters.

Cummins narrates the actions, thoughts, and motives of the four men who murdered Julie and Robin Kerry. What do you think of this approach? Is it fair or ethical? Why or why not?

How does Cummins demonstrate the power of family to overcome tragedy? Name three specific examples in which this theme is developed, and explain how Cummins illustrates the power of family in each example.

Choose one of the following figures from the book: Tom Cummins or Tink Cummins. Trace their development throughout the story, following their complicated path from teenager to mature adult. How do they change? Provide specific examples.

Analyze the tactics of the police to elicit a “confession” from Tom Cummins. How, and to whom, do the police lie? Do you think such tactics are ethical? Explain your answer.

How is the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge used as a symbol for Julie Kerry throughout the book? How is this symbolism complicated by the fact that Julie is raped and murdered on the bridge? Is this an appropriate symbol for Julie? Why or why not?

Can you think of a specific time when your life was dramatically changed in a brief moment, even in a subtle way? Describe this moment and compare it to one of the pivotal moments in the book.

Analyze Cummins’s choice to write the book as a narrative true-crime memoir rather than a fact-based, journalistic exploration of the case. Why do you think Cummins made this choice, and is it effective? Why or why not?