Why do you enjoy reading true crime?

[Christine]

I like reading true crime books because they're so interesting and they're true

[[deleted user]]

This has been such a popular thread that I'm feeling guilty for not contributing to it so I will have to start reading Mob Over Miami.

[Christine]

Would I like that book?

[[deleted user]]

Well, I haven't read it but it has an interesting cast of characters including some famous actresses such as Mariah Carey and Sofia Vergara.

[Christine]

Oh I didn't know it was a movie

[[deleted user]]

No, it's a true story. They happened to be mentioned in the book. Sorry if I was confusing you.

[Dana]

I can't see what book your talking about on my iphone.

[Marian]

Mob over Miami

[[deleted user]]

Thanks marian. Sorry about that Dana. I corrected the post for other people in any case.

[Marian]

Your welcome Ron:)

[Marian]

We just watched this evening..Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil..I had forgotten this was a true crime story.I think I have the book,but do you think I can find the dang thing????..

[Bill]

Review of Anne Perry & the Crime of the Century now up. If you've seen Heavenly Creatures you know the case. Also did any body see the story last week about the 16 y/o boy in England? Like Louise Mensch, I was appalled @ the life sentence for killing his Spanish teacher.

[Susan]

Marian wrote: "We just watched this evening..Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil..I had forgotten this was a true crime story.I think I have the book,but do you think I can find the dang thing????.."

Great movie and a great book!! The transvestite plays herself and is unbelievable. And John Cusack is great too.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)]

Bill wrote: "Review of Anne Perry & the Crime of the Century now up. If you've seen Heavenly Creatures you know the case. Also did any body see the story last week about the 16 y/o boy in England? Like Louise M..."

Sorry, am in NZ so am not aware of the case...but why does it appall you that he should spend his life in prison for depriving someone else of the chance to live their life?

[Feliks]

Frank Pierson says the public and cops love to apprehend criminals (or watch criminals being apprehended) because it means that our own criminal urges remain hidden from exposure. 'All heads turn as the hunt goes by'. Someone else is caught, enabling us to remain at large. We're no different than the culprit.

[Chris]

You may find this off beat but I started to read true crime when I was in a total funk. Feeling sorry for myself b/c of things around me. When I read these books it got me out the the funk b/c there are people out there that really have it worse than me and they survived.

[Bill]

Sandra wrote: "Bill wrote: "Review of Anne Perry & the Crime of the Century now up. If you've seen Heavenly Creatures you know the case. Also did any body see the story last week about the 16 y/o boy in England? ..."
Hi Sandra,

You'll find the English case @
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/...

As you're in New Zealand I expect you're familiar with the Parker/Hulme case. The girls were released after a few years, given new IDs, & went on to useful lives - in the case of the former Juliet Hulme giving a lot of pleasure to many members of this group. I think the points about the severity of such a sentence for a teenager is not only that life for a teenager is an awfully long time but that the teenage mind is just not able to grasp the full seriousness of such an impulsive act. I expect that many of us thinking back on those years can recall acting impulsively - whether it involved drink, drugs, sex, dangerous driving, showing off, anger, or what - so that with a little bad luck it could easily have resulted in seriously blighting our own lives & those of others.

[Susan]

@Bill it's the Murder of the Century, I was aware of the case. But not the one in England about the boy who murdered the teacher. Not sure how the two cases relate. Both premeditated?

The issue of putting teens in jail for life has become an issue here in Massachusetts. Several very violent teen offenders are trying to gain parole.

My opinion: they should stay in jail. All of them. Quoting Bill "acting impulsively - whether it involved drink, drugs, sex, dangerous driving, showing off ... could easily have resulted in seriously blighting our own lives & those of others."

Perhaps, but I don't think that's the case here. Premeditated murder is different and the offender should be treated accordingly. I am not in favor of the death penalty, but I do believe such offenders should be put in jail for life. No parole.
Is it a long time? Yes, and so it is for the victims. They're dead for a long time too.

[[deleted user]]

I'm finally going to get a chance to read this book. Looking forward to it. Moon Over Miami by Michelle McPhee.

[Lee-Anne]

Hi. I have just joined the group and find the discussion on true crime interesting. Could members please advise me on which books to read and where to start. Kind of your top 5 true crime books read to date? So many were mentioned in the discussion.

Thank you

[Skye]

Joseph Wambaugh's novel about the Susan Reinert case, Ann Rule's Thomas Capano and Ann Marie Fahey, The Unicorn Killer ( I don't know exact title and author). These crimes took place close to where I live, and there are more.

[Marian]

Leeanne wrote: "Hi. I have just joined the group and find the discussion on true crime interesting. Could members please advise me on which books to read and where to start. Kind of your top 5 true crime books rea..."

Hi Leanne:)
Well,I don't know about others,but for me..my top 5 would be:

In Cold Blood
The Stranger Beside Me
Fatal Vision
The Night Stalker
Helter Skelter

[Skye]

Yes, Marian, and The SongThe Executioner's Song, and there is one about Lacey Peters, too.

[Marian]

ohh that's right Skye..I forgot about that one!!

[Skye]

There are so many crimes that have taken place nearby, it is kind of frightening; in fact, one is an insurance salesman kills his wife and family for a woman; my close friend's sister was friendly with the family. The man who killed Carol Neulander was my neighbor, and the Rabbi's synagogue is close by, and so is her bakery.

[Skye]

Who wrote Night Stalker?

[Marian]

Philip Carlo, Skye.

[Marian]

Skye wrote: "There are so many crimes that have taken place nearby, it is kind of frightening; in fact, one is an insurance salesman kills his wife and family for a woman; my close friend's sister was friendly ..."

That is scary!

[Susan]

Skye wrote: "There are so many crimes that have taken place nearby, it is kind of frightening; in fact, one is an insurance salesman kills his wife and family for a woman; my close friend's sister was friendly ..."

Wow! I did a blog post on that case. The Rabbi was totally narcissistic. I felt so sad for the children. You can read the post here
http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/blog_...

[[deleted user]]

I am reading Mob Over Miami. I never got a chance to read The Company She Keeps as well.

[Skye]

Marian wrote: "Philip Carlo, Skye."

Skye wrote: "There are so many crimes that have taken place nearby, it is kind of frightening; in fact, one is an insurance salesman kills his wife and family for a woman; my close friend's sister was friendly ..."
I think I would like to read that, Marian.

[Marian]

Its one of the best true crime books I have ever read Skye..but lock your doors..lol!

[Skye]

That good and that scary, too? I am going to check it out; uh oh!

[Marian]

Hi Skye!!
Yes,its the story of ohhhh I cant remember if its Rick or Richard Ramirez I think his name is.

[Marian]

I just found this book on Amazon for you to read up on.

http://www.amazon.ca/Night-Stalker-Ph...

I would say..enjoy..but nah..not in this case.

[Skye]

Thank you, Marian....why oh why do I feel as if a purchase is coming on. My friend did order the other books from Amazon, but I can't remember which ones I asked for???

[Marian]

Wasn't one of the books you wanted..Suspicion?And maybe An Officer and a Spy?..maybe?

[Skye]

Gulp, OH, it sounds so good.

[Marian]

Which book sounds good Skye?

[Skye]

Oh, yes they are the novels ( I had forgotten, Marian) and I would like to read Night Stalker; it sounds so good and so do the other books you, Brenda and Chris like.

[Skye]

We must have replied above simultaneously.

[Lance]

Leeanne wrote: "Could members please advise me on which books to read and where to start?"

The Onion Field . Wambaugh in his prime.

[Marian]

Yes,that's another good one.

[Samantha]

It feels like you can get into their head more with a true crime. The fact that you read so much in the media about it and then often the book is written with the criminals and the officers/ detectives being interviewed and giving their account of it. I find it fascinating. Forensics is a field I would have really enjoyed getting into if I could do it over.

[Jenn]

Hi, I am brand new to this group but was drawn to this discussion. I read my first true crime book in 8th or 9th grade, and it was Helter Skelter. After discovering the genre, I read a bunch. My favorites were by Ann Rule, especially The Stranger Beside Me. I remember really liking Fatal Vision, also. I didn't read any true crime for a long while, but recently got interested again and I am now enjoying Footsteps in the Snow.

[E.]

Hi Jenn. My first true crime was In Cold Blood, way back when, followed by all the ones you've listed and then some. Thanks for mentioning Footsteps in the Snow. Looks really interesting.
Welcome to the group.

[Kelly]

My first true crime book was Small Sacrifices: A True Story of Passion and Murder by Ann Rule. The Blooding by Joseph Wambaugh as well as The Onion Field were great too. I loved Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders and Righteous Carnage: The List Murders in Westfield

[[deleted user]]

Still reading Mob Over Miami. Should be done soon.

[[deleted user]]

I thought it was time to bring this topic back since it has been very popular in the past.

[Susan]

I write crime fiction and do a lot of research about serial killers, stalkers and domestic homicides. In fact I blog about them. http://darkdeeds.susanfleet.com/blog_...

Reading and researching true crime helps to inform my fiction writing, especially how police and FBI investigate these crimes.