Recently, Brian MacQuarrie, a seasoned reporter at The Boston Globe, published his first book entitled, "The Ride," which hashes out the details of the crime and discusses the transformation of the boy's father, Bob Curley.

MacQuarrie holds a Bachelor of Arts in American studies from Colby College, and a Master of Arts in journalism from the University of Missouri.

What piqued MacQuarrie's interest in this murder? "I was assigned, as part of a team, to cover the murder. We didn't think anything about it at first, but then, I saw that it was a story about a 10-year-old boy who was missing in a neighborhood and the community reaction," he said.

Shortly after having attended Curley's wake, at which he set up an interview, MacQuarrie wrote a story about the family's reaction to the recent death. Additionally, he crafted a story on the fifth anniversary of the child's death.

One day, MacQuarrie received a surprise telephone call. "They called me at my desk one day, two weeks before I was going to go to Afghanistan, and asked me about a book." After having pondered that proposition, he agreed.

Initially, it was assumed that the book would solely discuss the actual crime. However, it "became a story about Bob's journey on the death penalty and about the effect that Jeffery's death had on both the family and the neighborhood."

At the onset, "I didn't want it to be a "woe-is-me" story because it's not. I wanted it to be a book about transformation, about personal growth. I also wanted it to be a book about hope — to bring whatever good we could possibly bring from what happened to Jeff and keep his memory alive," said Curley.

Among the possible positive aspects, which Curley suggested could emerge are: the prevention of another child from being molested, kidnapped, or murdered, as well as saving another person from unjust execution. Additionally, "I never really gave the death penalty much thought, one way or the other, prior to Jeffery getting killed."

After a lengthy period of having not publicized his stance, regarding the death penalty, Curley decided to act. "I wanted to put it out there that I was against the death penalty." Therefore, he contacted New England Cable News for an interview.

Ironically, an anti-death penalty conference at which he spoke, took place at Boston College, the weekend following that interview. "It was a Saturday morning, and it was Jeffery's birthday," he said.

Attempting to lead an active life has helped him to cope. "Sometimes when I'm struggling, just a kind, simple act, works for me." For example, at the first book signing, which took place, at The Globe, "A lot of people told me they remembered, so vividly, that time — what they were doing and how they were feeling. Things like that really keep you going," said Curley.

Curley was acquainted with one of the individuals who were involved in his son's murder. "Salvatore Sicari was from right around the corner. He was just an odd kid — easily influenced. [Charles] Jaynes is a really, really, really bad guy. He's really shrewd. He just kind of used Sicari."

Soon after his son's death, Curley recalls his interaction with Sicari, "I was standing outside on the front stairs, and he was just talking nonsense. He was bringing Jaynes up a lot. I just sensed something [was] wrong."

According to Curley, if he had the opportunity to communicate with the two men who were involved, his reaction "wouldn't be good."

Several weeks prior to his death, the two stole Curley's bicycle. Coincidentally, shortly before Curley's son was killed, an eerily similar incident occurred in East Cambridge. However, that time, Sicari's brother Robert was to blame. Unfortunately, that child was raped in a parking garage near MIT, and it was not publicized.

After Curley was missing, an individual informed his father that Sicari's brother had just scammed another child, in the same manner, shortly before it happened to his son.

Jaynes was only convicted of second-degree murder and is eligible for parole in approximately 10 years, according to MacQuarrie.

Curley believes the reason is Jaynes' having a good lawyer. "No disrespect to public defenders, but Sicari had a public defender, and he got the worst of the deal." He was sentenced to first-degree murder.

"Sicari gave the confession. He confessed to being there to dispose of the body," said MacQuarrrie. Further, "When Jaynes was tried, they couldn't use Sicari's confession."

Do you want to know more about MacQuarrie's book, as well as the writing process?

"As a journalist, we have a way to compartmentalize," said MacQuarrie. He has written copious crime and murder stories, in which emotional investment is not practiced. "The more time that I spent with this subject, the more that I got to know Bob, I became invested, in a way that you don't do when writing newspaper stories."

After having spent a year writing his book proposal, the book "process" consumed 18 months, according to MacQuarrie. "Frankly, I didn't realize I had enough material to write a book until I was well into the interview process."

Curley's initial reaction to the book was positive. "It's nothing that I didn't expect. We talked about it. I wanted him to write the truth, and he did."

Conversely, Sicari and Jaynes' families "weren't receptive," according to MacQuarrie.

After having written one book, which was a "journalistic exercise," MacQuarrie is planning to write another, this time in the genre of historical fiction

Although the memory of his son's murder looms, Curley resides in East Somerville because "I love it here. I don't want to be anywhere else. This is where I was born and raised. I like the Somerville attitude," said Curley.

Curley is proud of his son. "Jeff was 10 years old. They offered him a bike. They offered him $50, and Jeff refused. He knew right from wrong, and he knew enough to stand up for himself."

"The best advice that I ever got, and I can't remember who said it, was, 'It's bad enough that these guys killed Jeffery. Don't let them kill you. Don't let them destroy your life,'" he said.

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By Brian MacQuarrie

DaCapo Books

261 pages

On October 1, 1997 ten year old Jeffrey Curley of Cambridge, Massachuset
ts took a ride with two adults, Salvatore Sicari and Charles Jaynes under the false pretense of receiving a new bicycle. He was brutally murdered after not accepting their sexual advances, then post-mortally raped, and stuffed into a plastic storage box. Then the container with his body in it was thrown off a bridge into the Great Works River in South Berwick, Maine.

The Ride is the story of that case, one which is familiar to many in the Massachusetts area. The book works its way from the grisly crime to the years afterward. It focuses on the family of Jeffrey, heavily weighted on the life of Cambridge Firefighter Bob Curley, Jeffrey's father. Briefly the book explains Bob Curley's need for vengeance was what kept him going in the dark months following his son's murder. He became a champion in the attempted legalization of the death penalty in Massachusetts. He spoke out at the State House, in the media, often confronting those opposing his beliefs. Years later, Bob meets the father of an Oklahoma City bombing victim and the brother of Ted Kaczynski, gentleman who opposed the death penalty. Through their shared experience, Bob Curley undergoes a remarkable transformation; he becomes an opponent of the very proposed law that he passionately fought for.

Brian MacQuarrie, a Pulitzer Prize Award nominee and Boston Globe writer does a fine detailed and astute job in reporting the facts regarding this case and the lingering affects it had on the Curley family. It is a no-holds barred account of the emotional ups and downs that occur over the years for the family, placing the reader into the edge of their painful abyss. One can not possibly fathom what it must be like to suffer such a tragedy and then turn the pain into such important work on causes the way Bob Curley did. Bob Curley's work on child safety and protection laws is currently on the books in Massachusetts.

Bob Curley's life as portrayed in The Ride is a study of breaking and redemption of human spirit. The rest of the Curley family was and remains shattered by Jeffrey's murder. There are no words that can be written that could convey this by author MacQuarrie. As a writer he handled this impossible task with skill and sensitivity. I recommend this book as an excellent, interesting read and a ride into heavy emotional traffic.