• Dance with the Devil

  • A Memoir of Murder and Loss
  • By: David Bagby
  • Narrated by: Allan Edwards
  • Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (130 ratings)

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Dance with the Devil  By  cover art

Dance with the Devil

By: David Bagby
Narrated by: Allan Edwards
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Publisher's summary

Immortalized in the spellbinding documentary Dear Zachary, this angry, raw, and brutally honest true crime memoir of murder and loss chronicles a system's failure to prevent the death of a child.

In November 2001, the body of a young doctor named Andrew Bagby was discovered in Keystone State Park outside Latrobe, Pennsylvania, five bullet wounds in his face, chest, buttocks, and the back of the head. For parents Dave and Kate, the pain was unbearable? But Andrew's murder was only the first in a string of tragic events.

The chief suspect for Andrew's murder was his ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner? Whom was also a doctor. Obsessive and unstable, Shirley Turner lied to the police and fled to her family home in Newfoundland before she could be arrested. While fending off extradition efforts by U.S. law enforcement, she announced she was pregnant with Andrew's son, Zachary. The Bagbys hoping to gain custody of Zachary moved to Newfoundland and began a long, drawn-out battle in court and with Canadian social services to protect their grandson from the woman who had almost certainly murdered their son. Then, in August 2003, Shirley Turner killed herself and the one-year-old Zachary by jumping into the Atlantic Ocean.

Dance with the Devil is a eulogy for a dead son, an elegy for lives cut tragically short, and a castigation of a broken system.

©2007 David Bagby (P)2016 ListenUp Production, LLC

What listeners say about Dance with the Devil

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A Whole New Level of Anguish

The reading was flawless, as was the book.

Taking the advice the advice of other reviewer(s), I dutifully sat and watched the documentary "Dear Zachary." I laughed at Andrew's clowning, and cried, as the editing and film-making had such an impact, found myself ready to kill a lot of people in the Canadian justice system, not to mention Carol Ross and that idiotic psychiatrist. Not that our judicial system is any better. My husband couldn't finish watching just before part II started, but I did. Somehow I felt it was my duty, after all one of my sons is the same age as Andrew.

So I bought the book because from watching the documentary, I felt a bond with Andrew, Kate, David, Zachary, Kurt, and all of those wonderful friends. The Bagby's are all too human, but humans anyone would be proud to know. Through his writing, he expressed the unimaginable, and even though I only finished it, I plan to listen again. The book and the film should be mandatory for everyone in the judicial and child care systems of the world, not just on this continent.

If you listen to only one true crime book, listen to or read this one. If you are impatient, the book might not be for you, but I believe the loss of these two lives should stand for something. Getting to know the Bagby's a bit through the film and book, I think if they can be the catalyst for sweeping changes so that this type of thing never happens again, they will then know their son and grandson live on in the hearts and minds of so many. I will never forget, but that is of small consequence because I am not a law-maker nor in the child care system. But one of my sons is the same age as Andrew, and my own son's face would sometime blend in with Andrew's as I watched, and as I listen, because I do see mental images as I listen.

On the one hand the story is extremely heart-breaking. On the other hand, the amount of love in it is stupefying. My love goes out to the family and friends left behind.

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15 people found this helpful

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Will never forget this story

Would you listen to Dance with the Devil again? Why?

Yes. But I'll need time to digest this and ponder before listening again. It's quite emotional. From intense sadness to a anger ablaze, I was tossed about with each chapter. At times, I had to stop the book and just think for a minute about what was unfolding.

What about Allan Edwards’s performance did you like?

Excellent, fabulous narrator. I'd not heard him before this but now I'll try to find more books narrated by him. Truly talented. His inflection was spot on all the way through. This story is purely maddening and Edwards captures the anger.

Any additional comments?

I've watched Dear Zachary three times. The first time I saw the film, I'd never heard of the case. For that reason, when the film reveals Shirley Turner's final actions, I literally gasped and covered my mouth in horror. Absolute horror. I did not see it coming. But... the Bagbys did.

Conversely in the film, the viewer is exposed to not only remarkable footage of Andrew, who was clearly one heckuva guy, a gem in every way, but to his parents. From the first time I saw the film I knew they were a cut above. So when I saw this book on audible, I didn't even need to read the reviews or the synopsis. I bought it. I had to see further inside the hearts of these two people. Forget Shirley Turner. It was the Bagbys I wanted to know more about.

The reader will be amazed by the intestinal fortitude of these two. Their resilience, their determination, and even their melt downs are full of strength and full of love not just for Andrew but, for Zachary and for each other. Love of that depth is far too rare.

I've wondered throughout this book about Shirley's children and how they cope with such a horror in their family history. They are victims of her in a terrible way, forever linked with a beast that they likely still love in whatever manner love survives such an atrocity. Can't imagine the twisting and tearing at the emotions for them.

Albeit a dreadful story, it was beautifully written and brilliantly narrated. Like so many other readers, I send my warm, heartfelt wishes of wellness and peace to the Bagbys.

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8 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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The story is mostly about Canadian laws

The story is sad, like all true crime books.
be aware that this book is mostly about the laws, and extradition laws. I myself am not a fan of lawyers or how the law seems to favour the criminals so this could be the reason I didn't care for the book. There is little character development or history of the characters, the story itself is quick and short.
I'm a true crime reader for years and I found this to be more of an educational read.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Tragic miscarriage of justice

I bought this book not realizing that I had watched the documentary about the case. Both the book and the documentary made me cry. My heart goes out to these people. Without giving away any spoilers all I can say is I am so sorry for their losses.

Although I might not agree with everything Mr. Bagby says in the end of the book, I truly feel their pain and frustration with the legal system that allowed this to happen. Very well written and narrated. I could have done without the last 1-1.5 hours. The point had already been made. The damage can never be undone.

God Bless these people and may they find comfort in their efforts to change the system that allowed this tragedy.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Heartbreaking

The story of Loss gets No Worse than this.....The FAILURE of the two governments involved astounding, tho predictable can REALLY ONLY be fought by those who know this pain. How do we change Mankind without Loss & Pain for those to me seem to be the motivator for all. Bagby's strength and durability is food for the Soul -AND- knowledge for all.

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3 people found this helpful

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Unbelievably tragic circumstances-Must read!

Having lost a son to murder myself, I felt the pain that this brave couple endured. I particularly related to the rage! Wonderfully written!

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If I could give this book more than five stars, I would.

David an Kate Bagby are now two of my favorite people. What those two have been thru has been nothing short of hell on earth. You can feel the pain, the anger An the overwhelming sense of loss in the words of Mr. Bagbys book. I just wanted to reach thru my headphones as I listened to the narrator read this story an not only put my arms around The Bagbys for comfort but to put my hands around Shirley's throat!!! Knowing what she was did to Andrew out of pure selfishness an what she was gonna do to that precious little Zachary that never asked for any of this. Such a sad waste of two beautiful lives!! R.I.P Andrew an Zachary Bagby.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Very very frustrating

Simply put, one of the most frustrating stories I've EVER listened to. I would have liked more details on the killer's childhood and earlier life but I am guessing that wasn't the point of the book. Definitely could have done without the last few chapters. Overall a very sad story.

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Horribly tragic story

The father of an American murder victim takes the reader through the unbearably slow Canadian extradition procedure to return the apparent murderer to face trial in the United States where the crime was committed. His experience, the emotional torture in the process and the faults in the Canadian protection of an innocent child are exposed. Well documented . It is an excruciating story. The appendices are piled on unnecessarily in my opinion, since changes to the Canadian system were sought and obtained as a result of the deaths recounted by the author\collateral victim of the manipulative, evil accused woman. I can't say I enjoyed the book but it was wortwhile. I also recommend the documentary film on the subject. I saw it first and it led me to search for this book.

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Heart Breaking and Eye Opening

I've watched the documentary about this and my heart absolutely broke and I literally cried at the devastation this couple has been through and the ridiculous demands they had to endure.

The story is well told and the narration is easy to listen too.

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