Blink Book Review: THE CHARMER: Written By Prosecutors Of Serial Rapist and Murderer Robert Reldan

“…He has dug to the core of his problem [and] has gained all of the insight necessary for a successful adjust to society….” It is anticipated that Reldan will probably be one of the most successful people who ever graduated from the Rahway treatment unit..”
William E Prendergast, Jr-  Quotes contained within his report for parole for Robert Reldan, convicted rapist, eventual career criminal.

William E Predergast Jr,  who was never a licensed psychologist, was in his first year on staff at the Rahway Treatment Center.

He gave his best Dr. Frederick Chilton impression with a third gushing and seemingly  smitten report in 1968 of his  350 + hours of treatment of registered sex offender Reldan

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Reldan began his criminal career before he had a drivers license and committed two sexual assaults by his 27th birthday.  His juvenile record was sealed, so his rape conviction in the eyes of the court made him a first time adult offender who was sentenced to a prison hospital for 3 years.

Not the the 30 year sentence he should have received, or that his family cash could repel.

The Charmer, indeed.

Thus sets the stage for the tale of how one of New Jersey’s most sadistic serial rapists became a rapist-murderer with the unintended help of the Bergen County court system and the effective ATM of an aunt who had the great fortune of marrying well.

Mrs. Lillian Booth shared the last name of a well known assassin.

As you will read,  THIS Ms. Booth was fine with the play, other than that unpleasantry, for sure.

The Charmer is co-written by by former Deputy Attorney General Charles Buckley who ultimately slammed the cell door on RRR and esteemed Bergen County prosecutor and Buckley protegee Richard Muti.

Prendergast’s myopic view is one of many contained in the chronology of how the man of means – the son of the owner’s of the Sweet Sue Bakery in the Bronx , which consequently is the name of both of his murder victims and his own sister,  charmed his way through the criminal justice system, prison, and his marriage to the former wife of an executed Chicago mobster.  “Judy, Judy, Judy.”

Reldan was the Madoff of crime before Madoff was could spell ponzi, or was a criminal.

Similarly to Madoff’s not so silent alarm, there is a confluence of events that SHOULD have been Revere-esque in stopping this man’s tortuous  rampage.

“The Reldan is coming, the Reldan is coming”.

I heard it in my ears as the chapter’s tides dared me to meet it’s rip.

Muti and Buckley provide the perfect combination of chronology, facts and page-turning prose that make this non-fiction work a must read for true crime enthusiasts.

Sadly, it is also an avuncular handbook for law enforcement looking to bend the rules in an effort to be right about a suspect.  While they absolutely were, there was dire consequences.

DiLuzio is a Di-loser in my professional opinion.  You will have to read for yourself to digest the reference.

As a criminal investigative analyst with recent advanced education in the sexually motivated offender profile(s), The Charmer had me dog-earing pages with margin notes and highlighter saturation.

What can I say- with my schedule I am an avid audio book and occasional kindle reader,  but the crisp pages and  artful weave of reality loomed with eye- bulging twists, prompted  more than a few illustrious phrases from this Jersey girl.

The addition to my non-virtual library is a treat.

The change to legislation to accommodate a civil litigation on behalf of a victim’s family made me like former Governor Corzine for the time it took me to come up with an acronym for MF global.

Reldan was bionic for a bit thanks to an un-addressed legacy will.  No kryptonite involved .

Reeve was the best Superman’s real last name.   Read THE CHARMER for your decoder ring.

Four out of five  winks from blink.
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THE CHARMER  purchase options.

 

 

 

 

Disclosure: I have not nor will I receive any remuneration for endorsement of this publication.  The reviews of S. Christina Stoy, Editor In Chief of www.blinkoncrime.com, are at the request of authors who have been advised they will have no creative input and may not reflect a positive review at my discretion.  The review is based solely on the publication provided.