Search -
A Friend of the Family : The True Story of David Snow (Resources for Biblical Study)
A Friend of the Family The True Story of David Snow - Resources for Biblical Study Author:Alison Shaw In 1988 the author and her husband moved from Toronto to Orangeville, Ontario seeking a simpler life and a safe environment in which to raise a family. One of the first people they met was a local antique dealer, David Snow. The author became his tenant, renting studio space in his shop, and her husband, Darris, became his business pa... more »rtner. Spending countless hours in the Shaw household over the next couple of years, David Snow was a close friend to Darris Shaw, a troubling enigma to Alison, and "Uncle David" to their baby daughter. To Alison's growing alarm, Snow's behaviour, eccentric to begin with, became even more unpredictable. After his unexplained disappearance, she and Darris discovered another side to his disturbing personality; an obsession with pornography and military weaponry. A few months later, when lists of weapons left at cottage break-ins were shown in the newspaper, Alison recognised his handwriting. The "House Hermit" thus became the "Cottage Killer", suspected of the murder of a Toronto couple, Ian and Nancy Blackburn. Alison and her family moved to Vancouver to start life anew. A few weeks later she discovered that Snow, eluding a manhunt, had also fled to B.C. When he abducted two women and held them prisoner in the woods, she wondered, terrified, if she was next on his list. After his arrest, she learned with horror of her own inadvertent role in his violent rampage. A fascinating blend of true-crime story and psychological thriller, and a book that documents both a misogynist's descent into madness and murder, and a woman's brave journey toward independence.« less