Summary
Ann Rule's "Too Late to Say Goodbye" intricately unravels two seemingly disparate cases of women found dead from gunshot wounds, separated by fourteen years, yet connected by one man: Dr. Bart Corbin. The book meticulously explores the lives of Jennifer Barber Corbin and Dorothy "Dolly" Hearn, piecing together a narrative that exposes a chilling pattern of control, manipulation, and violence.
The story begins with Jennifer Corbin, a preschool teacher and devoted mother in Gwinnett County, Georgia, whose life appears idyllic on the surface. However, beneath the facade lies a troubled marriage marked by financial strain and emotional distance. As Jennifer contemplates divorce and seeks solace in an online relationship, she sets in motion a series of events that culminate in her tragic death. Parallel to Jennifer's story is that of Dolly Hearn, a vivacious dental student in Augusta, Georgia, whose promising future was cut short by a gunshot wound. The initial investigation into Dolly's death concluded it was a suicide, but lingering doubts and inconsistencies remained.
As the investigation into Jennifer's death unfolds, a startling connection emerges: her husband, Bart Corbin, was also Dolly Hearn's former boyfriend. This revelation prompts a reexamination of Dolly's case, revealing disturbing similarities between the two women's deaths. Both were found with gunshot wounds to the head, and both had been involved in tumultuous relationships with Bart Corbin. Rule masterfully navigates the complexities of the investigations, drawing on interviews, court documents, and forensic evidence to paint a portrait of a man capable of deception and violence.
The book delves into Bart Corbin's background, exploring his relationships, his financial struggles, and his controlling nature. It examines the impact of his actions on the victims' families, portraying their grief, their determination to uncover the truth, and their fight for justice. The dual investigations, spanning different counties and different decades, converge to reveal a pattern of behavior that points to Bart Corbin as the central figure in both tragedies. With meticulous detail and compelling storytelling, Rule constructs a narrative that is both gripping and heartbreaking, leaving readers to ponder the dark side of human nature and the devastating consequences of betrayal and violence.