The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes

by Michael Newton

A comprehensive reference to unsolved murders, missing people, assassinations, and robberies from around the world.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Reference, History

436 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

From Wikipedia:
"Michael Newton (born 1951) is an American author best known for his work on Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan series. Newton first began work on the Executioner series by co-writing "The Executioner's War Book" with Don Pendleton in 1977. Since then he has been a steady writer for the series with almost 90 entries to his credit, which triples the amount written by creator Don Pendleton. His skills and knowledge of the series have allowed him to be picked by the publishers to write the milestone novels such as #100, #200, and #300.

Writing under the pseudonym Lyle Brandt, Michael Newton has also become a popular writer of Western novels. He has written a number of successful non-fiction titles as well, including a book on genre writing (How to Write Action Adventure Novels). His book Invisible Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Florida won the Florida Historical Society's 2002 Rembert Patrick Award for Best Book in Florida History. Newton's "Encyclopedia of Cryptozoology" won the American Library Association's award for Outstanding Reference Work in 2006."

Pen names: Lyle Brandt, Don Pendleton, Jack Buchanan

Bibiliography available here.

Reviews

[Christine]

I have to be honest and say that it was an easily read book and even though I have some complaints I actually liked the book. I have read some pure sh** True Crime books that I could have easily written better than the so called author and I am far from being a writer.This is on the better side of the True Crime books I have read.I know that there is only so much information about these unsolved cases available, but if you are really a True Crime reader you can obviously tell where he put no effort into researching some cases at all. I feel when he didn't research the case well is when he added more of his own biased opinions.I feel that the cases he obviously properly researched he did a great job on. There is a huge contrast between the two.

I also feel there were too many Civil Rights era crimes and mafia related murders and even though they are unsolved they are solved,meaning we know the type of personality and their motivation for those types of murders, so they are sort of not unsolved in the way that I feel that the other types of murders are unsolved.Those cases just did not feel right with the other types of murders.No fluidity between those crimes and the other mentioned murders.

[Jayden Perez]

It was fascinating and you can see multiple famous crimes that you heard of before

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the time of writing, this book would’ve been accurate. But as of 2023, a lot of these cases have so far been solved, people have been identified, and it’s no longer relevant.

[Bargle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overall, but suffers from too many entries that fall into either organized crime hits or US civil war era KKK killings. There's no mystery as to why the victims in those 2 groups were killed, we just don't know exactly who pulled the trigger. There's no shortage of real life unsolved crimes that could be used to fill out the book. If you don't believe me, check out websleuths.com.

[Fishface · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read encompassing quite a variety of unsolved murders in the English-speaking world, including more than a few that may, or may not, be serial killings. Frustratingly lacking in the cross-referencing department, Newton does not make it easy to know where to find out more. Some of these cases have been solved in the time since my edition came out.

[Rob · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Too many personal opinions and facts spliced with fiction. It should be titled "The History of Unsolved Crimes According to Michael Newton Even if it's Incorrect."

To the garbage bin this goes.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and comprehensive book, but marred by the inclusion of the Kennedys/Martin Luther King/Malcolm X, none of which are unsolved crimes but conspiracy theories. One or two of the British entries were inaccurate and poorly researched too.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting but a bit random. There seemed to be no real focus to the book, and it was both incomplete and a little too detailed. After awhile all the murders started to run together.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is no closure in any of these.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand why this one isn't more popular; I've been reading this one at my bedside for centuries. now of course, it's not a compendium of "all" unsolved crime, but it includes the most popular cases (and quite a few I'd never heard about, Battle Creek serial killer!?) the descriptions are not too in depth for obvious reads, but still thorough and informative. worth it

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for all the true crime buffs, but at least the older addition there are some weird cases, there are though the don't feel like they should be in the book and thousands that should. I would like to know the Michael's reason for so many cases being picked.