"I think one of the worst parts of it was turning it over and seeing the family on the back," he said. "The only saving grace is that the house on the cover is not the (Petits') house."
The book, "Murder in Connecticut," tells the story of the July 23, 2007 home invasion that left Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters Hayley and Michaela dead. Hawke-Petit's husband, Dr. William Petit Jr., was badly beaten but survived.
Two men have been charged with the crimes and face possible death sentences.
Written by Michael Benson, the 240-page book focuses more on the community's response to the killings than gruesome details. There are chapters on the vigils and fundraisers held in the wake of the home invasion, as well as legislative debates on tougher penalties for repeat violent offenders.
Benson said he wanted the book to reflect the community's courage. He dedicated it to the residents of Cheshire.
"They honored the dead in magnificent ways," he told the newspaper. "When I was nine, my next-door neighbor was killed. My town didn't respond to it well, and that's why I'm so impressed with Cheshire."
Gene Brissie, associate publisher for the Guilford-based Globe Pequot Press, which released the book in September, said there is nothing sensational in the book. It is a reporting of the events, he said.
"This was a case where we wanted the story to be about the community and the response to the crime," he said. "We wanted to be first out."
Benson is donating 10 percent of the profits from the book to the Petit Family Foundation. But Cheshire Mayor Matt hall is not satisfied.
"That's 90 percent too little," he said.
Lynn Ryan, a Petit neighbor, said the Sorghum Mill Road neighborhood is ignoring the book.
"All of us have made a decision not to go out and buy this book," she said. "It's just not something we're talking about."
Volpe, who said he has only flipped through the book at a store, believes continued interest in the case is not helping the community heal.
"I don't think this book helps one bit. In fact, I think it hurts," he said. "It brings back a flood of memories. It's hurtful to (the congregation), although not intentionally hurtful."
Benson said he's not surprised by the angry response to his book.
"If the crime had happened in New Jersey, the people of Cheshire wouldn't care," he said. "We all know who they're really angry at."
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