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I was born into the U.S. Air Force, and life has taken me to Idaho, Kauai, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Missouri. Who killed Leila Welsh? An answer to a question I was committed to for years to lift her story again after 80+ years. My life revolves around family, painting oceans, and flower gardens.
Reviewed by Natasha Jackson for Readers' Favorite
As an avid true crime reader, I was very pleased to get the opportunity to review Stranger in the Window by Cathy Coombs. This is the story of Leila A. Welsh, a young teacher from Kansas City, her murder, and the fight for justice. Leila’s life was taken in an era before we knew anything about DNA or genetic genealogy, which meant the only thing law enforcement could rely on was old-fashioned gumshoe police work. Police theory and procedure of the time meant that some things weren’t considered or were missed altogether, which is how Leila’s case ended up as a cold case. From basic forensic information through the investigation, this story takes you on every step.
Cathy Coombs did a good job of outlining the details of Leila Welsh’s brutal murder, and like any good cold case, some of those details will make you scream in frustration. The story of the brutal crime and the investigative work that went into it made Stranger in the Window a compelling read, but at times it read more like a journal of the author’s research and writing process. Laying out the history and culture of the time was an important aspect of the story, and I appreciated the reminder of what was going on at the time. None of it detracted from the story Coombs wanted to tell. The author did a solid job of laying out what little evidence there was to analyze, including the prime suspect. This was a true crime story I hadn’t heard of, which was why I was so eager to learn the details.
