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True Crime Read In 2017: Post Reviews Here!
Fishface wrote: "The Piano Teacher: The True Story of a Psychotic Killer, by Robert Tanenbaum and Peter Greenberg5 stars!
This was a great way to start the New Year -- an excellent read about a very..."
It was a fascinating read Fishface and I couldn't put it down.
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Not at all, Bel!Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean, by Richard Logan and Tere Duperrault Fassbender
5 enthusiastic stars!
I gulped this down in a couple of hours. It's a fascinating, horrible story of a family lost at sea for reasons that may never really make sense, despite some very solid, probing investigation. It's also a testament to the human ability to pick up the pieces -- sometimes very few pieces -- and move on. Don't miss this one if you liked And the Sea Will Tell, Black Wave: A Family's Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them or Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea. This story is more frightening than any of them, if you ask me.
Just finished this one. It was okay.Dead Run: The Murder of a Lawman and the Greatest Manhunt of the Modern American West
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Laughing Gorilla by Robert GraysmithOh wow....this author paints a vivid portrait of the early 20th Century crime. It is full of tough cops controlling order in a fog-shrouded port city, San Francisco and both good and bad were called the Gorilla Men.
An honest cop with the help from trustworthy partners braced against a corrupt police force. What transpired was too unbelievable!
Only Robert Graysmith tells the story the way it should be told as it took him six years of investigating every little scrap of information by so many different characters. We learn so much about the history of this city and every page leaped out at you. This is a journey where your worst nightmares come true!
5 Stars
I'm glad you liked that one, Rita. I really liked it too.
Fishface wrote: "I'm glad you liked that one, Rita. I really liked it too."Thanks Fishface! He is an amazing author. I am ordering Zodiac next too.
I am loving Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World's Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler. I blasted through half of it yesterday although I certainly had other things to do. It's very hard to put down.
Winged Obsession: The Pursuit of the World's Most Notorious Butterfly Smuggler, by Jessica Speart5 stars!
An excellent, nerve-stretching read about a very long-running undercover operation to try to capture a successful, extremely slippery trafficker in rare and endangered species. I physically felt the letdown every time the Fish & Wildlife agent felt he'd dropped the ball, and my heart started racing again every time he got back into the game with his old opponent. Unexpectedly, after what I thought was the end of the story, the author stepped in using her own voice and added another chapter to the pursuit. The perp is a complex and unforgettable character.
To Love and to Kill by M. William Phelps3 stars
M. William Phelps is the master of True Crime. At over 400 pages we know that there are going to be a lot of details. There are some things I loved and some things I hated about this book. The thing I hated the most was that the story was the same old, done a million times plot of husband kills wife to get custody of the kids. There is nothing really unusual about this book. Another thing I didn't like is that it jumps back and forth in time. Sometimes I was left thinking "Wait a minute, she was dead, now she's alive". Phelps is a master at getting into the minds of the killers. It says this on the cover so we know it must be true. But seriously, that is when I liked the book the best. The last 2 chapters were the best ones in the book. The other thing I liked was the short chapters. Perfect if you are like me and will pick up a book when you just have a few minutes to read.
JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation, by Steve Thomas with Don Davis5 enthusiastic stars!
This is the detective's-eye view of THE great unresolved murder case of the 1990s, aside from the OJ case. I expected to be bored with this one because Schiller's Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Truth was too dull to finish. I'm glad I was wrong. This book riveted me from the first page and I was totally engaged all the way through. It's a book you'll cheerfully skip a meal to keep reading. I was as satisfied as I can be with the conclusions drawn by the author, considering that this case was sabotaged, not to say torpedoed, from the day JonBenet died. The expose was cutting, the facts compelling, and the injustice utterly galling. This is the ONLY treatment I've seen of this case that makes the injustice to JonBenet the central message of the book, and that alone would have made it worth reading. Don't miss this one.
Three Sisters in Black, Norman Zierold5 delighted stars!
Finally, all my questions about the death of Ocey Snead are answered! I think. This was a great study of a weird, weird, weird situation. The author really did his best to dig into a case when there was probably nobody left alive to interview. By the end of the story I was really starting to wonder whether the madwoman they were questioning on the stand was telling the truth all along. She made some good points. But here's the thing: so did everyone else involved. Very well-written and thought-provoking. I would recommend this to anyone!
Murder on Shadow Mountain by Jimmy Dale Taylor and Donald G. Bross5 stars
A while back in the true crime group we had a question asking if there was a likeable criminal. I would say this would definitely be one. The criminal was Jimmy Dale Taylor and the crime happened 21 years before his arrest. I could not put this down. First, it had an interesting story that was out of the ordinary, there was little courtroom or facts just taken from documents and it made me feel something for the murderer and his family. Not wanting to give anything else away, you will just have to read it to find out. I thought the book had a perfect ending.
I thought it was interesting that Jimmy Dale Taylor was listed as the author and yet the story is not told from a first person perspective.
Linda wrote: "Just finished Above Suspicion 
Review --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
Thanks for the review. Did you know there is a movie based on this book coming out in 2017? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5688068/?...
Shelley wrote: "Linda wrote: "Just finished Above Suspicion Review --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
Thanks for the review. Did you know the..."
I did know a movie was mentioned ...wasn't sure if it had already been done or if it was coming. I'll be looking out for it :-)
Linda wrote: "I did know a movie was mentioned ...wasn't sure if it had already been done or if it was coming. I'll be looking out for it :-)"The movie came out in the 1980s! It's getting hard to find but there are a few used copies floating around out there...
Koren wrote: "Murder on Shadow Mountain by Jimmy Dale Taylor and Donald G. Bross5 stars
A while back in the true crime group we had a question asking if there was a likeable criminal. I would say..."
That fine volume is one of the few I was able to list as a spoiler-free book. NOTHING, even in the photo section, gives anything away until it happens in the book.
Fishface wrote: "Linda wrote: "I did know a movie was mentioned ...wasn't sure if it had already been done or if it was coming. I'll be looking out for it :-)"The movie came out in the 1980s! It's getting hard to..."
The one I saw on IMDB must be a re-make then as it hasn't been released yet. It's new.
Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Murder on Shadow Mountain by Jimmy Dale Taylor and Donald G. Bross5 stars
A while back in the true crime group we had a question asking if there was a likeable crimina..."
Both you and Koren have said it's a great book. Would it qualify for a February book if we go with the "relationship" murder theme? If so, I will try and get it for February.
I don't think it's about relationships, really.
Okay, thanks!
Finished Shadow of Doubt: The Trial of Dennis Oland by Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon4.5 Stars
Very well written. The book covers the murder of Richard Oland, a member of the wealthy Moosehead Breweries family. Dennis is the son. The trial and the evidence is covered in detail. I know some true crime readers aren't keen on trial details but I am and especially in this case. We don't get many high profile murder trials and this one was a "sensation" in Atlantic Canada. Still is. It has all the right elements for a good read; affairs and money problems uncovered, bumbling law enforcement antics and no really decisive evidence so there was a lot of debate about what the verdict should be. For the main part of the book, the author only covers what the jury saw and heard so the reader basically experienced the trial like the jury did. Then, at the end of the book, she covers the things the jury didn't see and hear. That was interesting too.
Shelley wrote: "Fishface wrote: "Koren wrote: "Murder on Shadow Mountain by Jimmy Dale Taylor and Donald G. Bross5 stars.
A while back in the true crime group we had a question asking if there was a..."
No. Actually it was a guy that was killed by another guy. They only knew each other a couple of days. The girl in the story was a hitchhiker they had just picked up.
For the Defense, Ellis Rubin4 stars!
This is a pretty exciting ride through some of Ellis Rubin's loopiest, most controversial and most important cases in his criminal-defense career, touching on everything from cases tried in the press and effective jury selection to the one that put the author in jail himself for a while. He also gives us some of his own life story and talks about the obstacles he has to overcome to make it in life. Well-written and entertaining.
I finished Shake the Devil Off: A True Story of the Murder that Rocked New Orleans by Ethan Brown4 Stars
This was very well written and a good read. However, I wonder if it would appeal to 'true' true crime readers as it covers a lot about the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; the politics of it all. It does cover the crime, of course, and it is a pretty gruesome and surprising one at that. There is no doubt that the lack of support for vets with PTSD is a terrible thing and, as in this case, can have devastating consequences when untreated. The author doesn't have a lot of good things to say about the support the federal government gave New Orleans after Katrina or about law enforcement in that city. I will have to google to see if it's gotten any better there. I would love to go there someday but right now I am don't think that's a good idea.
Finished Dancing with Death: The True Story of a Glamorous Showgirl, her Wealthy Husband, and a Horrifying Murder by Shanna Hogan4 Stars
Well written and an enjoyable read. In many ways this is your typical case of one spouse doing in the other but there was enough interesting parts to make it a good book. I would definitely read something by this author again.
Started and finished reading A Trail of Corn by Keith WalkerAll the accolades which I heard about this story and author holds true from beginning to the end. I can't think of any other book I read that is so intriguing on every page, through the trial, after the trial and beyond. The trial alone was a stunner! Both sides fought hard for their client and people were lined up to witness this fireworks and drama. Each side were desperate to seek the truth.
What I really liked as well was at the end of this story, when all was said and done the author listed all the main characters throughout the book bringing the reader up-to-date on their where abouts years after the trail. I appreciated that extra because I always wonder about the aftermath of a tragedy.
I highly recommend this book.
5 Stars
Step into My Parlor: The Chilling Story of Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer, Ed Baumann3 solid stars
This was quite a good read, taking us from dismemberment murders elsewhere in Wisconsin that were knocked off the front pages by the Dahmer case, all the way to the point of Dahmer's defense team waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. Appendices let us see some of the contents of the legal paperwork as well. This one told me even more about the victims than The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer, and that's saying something. The writing was sometimes clumsy, and occasionally the author misapplied his wisecracking, but these are just quibbles. This one is well worth your time.
Alligator Candy: A Memoir by David Kushner3 stars
This book wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be. The author investigates the murder of his brother as a child and the author was 4 years old. He didn't remember much about it because of his age and wanted to know more. I thought it would be about solving the murder but it was solved right away. I would have liked to know more about how the case was solved, but this was more about the author and his emotions following the death of his brother and how it effected his entire life. The book itself was ok as a memoir of living with the death of a brother, but as a case study it is sadly lacking.
Too Pretty To Live: The Catfishing Murders of East Tennessee, by Dennis Brooks3 stars
This was a mostly-interesting account of a very, very odd murder case. It sort of dragged in the beginning but then picked up steam, and I really wanted to find out how it played out in court. This would have been a spoiler-free TC story if the knuckleheads who designed the jacket hadn't included a blurb that spoiled almost every single surprise between the covers. The photo section gave nothing away and the author didn't ruin it for you during the introduction. I'm glad I read to the very end, where another fresh revelation was waiting for me. "Grammar Nazis" will hate this book, but for me it was worth the white-knuckle journey through those nutty e-mails. I feel horrible for the jury, who had 207 pages of that stuff to read through! Note to author: if you're going to criticize other people's punctuation and spelling, you need to brush up your own usage and punctuation before going to press.
Pointing From The Grave by Samantha Weinberg.I started this book thinking I might not find it interest but to the contrary, I found it a fascinating subject on two ground-breaking news. The first is about the idea of conception and the birth of DNA by a German Biologist Walther Flemming in 1869. Other scientists such as Swiss Johann Friedrich Miescher and many more biologists and geneticists joined in advancing understanding of this discovery.
Although it took a long time before this second breaking news was reported a very brutal murder and the detectives got to use this technology of DNA connecting the murderer and the victim. You refresh your memory on the studies of long ago reading this intriguing story. I highly recommend this to true crime readers.
4+ Stars
I agree, that was a very good one. Kind of painfully ironic, too.
Fishface wrote: "I agree, that was a very good one. Kind of painfully ironic, too."Yes, painfully ironic exactly.
Fishface wrote: "Not at all, Bel!Alone: Orphaned on the Ocean, by Richard Logan and Tere Duperrault Fassbender
5 enthusiastic stars!
I gulped this down in a couple of hours. It's a fascinating, h..."
I read this book last fall. I agree, it is a all in one sitting book. The story is absolutely incredible.
One of a kind, I hope! That poor girl!
Mass Murder in Houston his book details the first few days of the Corll investigation. From his shooting through the unearthing of bodies to the changing stories of his 'friends' who were involved. It captures the horror of everyone involved.
Terri wrote: "Mass Murder in Houston his book details the first few days of the Corll investigation. From his shooting through the unearthing of bodies to the changing stories of his 'friends' ..."
I LOVED this one.
Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); and I loved learning about Dorothy Kilgallen - I just got fed up with the speculation and flimsily-made assumptions about her death. It opened up - for me - the whole JFK assassination conspiracy questions - with which I have only a cursory knowledge. I gave it a good shot, but had to quit it about 1/2 way through. Anyone else?
Sheryl wrote: "Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); and I loved learn..."
Oh no! I just got this one from the library. Hope I like it better than you did but if I don't at least it was from the library.
I don't know why, but I get Dorothy Kilgallen and Kitty Karlyle mixed up. Perhaps after reading this book I will be able to keep them straight.
Perfect Beauty: A glamorous Socialite, her handsome lover, and Brutal Murder by Keith Elliot Greenberg3 stars
This is a True Crime book with a twist. The gal grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and marries a rich guy. Then her boyfriend gets killed by her other boyfriend. This is not a spoiler because it tells us all this on the back cover. Too bad. I would have liked that part to be a surprise. The beginning is interesting but the middle gets a little bogged down as not a whole lot happens. There is a twist at the end but I wont tell you what it is. You will have to read to find out.
Sheryl wrote: "Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); and I loved learn..."
Bummer! I really was looking forward to this one...
Sheryl wrote: "Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); and I loved learn..."
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Sheryl. The book was good right up until the time she was killed. After that it discusses various ideas of what happened to her but it is mostly repetitive and no concrete evidence. I stopped reading at page 160.
The Sound Of Murder, Percy Hoskins4 stars!
This is Percy Hoskins' memoir of being a London crime-beat reporter for nearly 50 years, putting together his personal Hit Parade of cases. He apparently chose these, not because they were especially notorious or gruesome, but because he was in on the investigations to some extent and he felt that each one underlines the careful, patient police work that solved cases even before today's fancy forensic analyses. From an investigative standpoint, these are definitely fascinating to read about. Well written. Hard to put down.
From The Cradle To Grave by Joyce Egginton.This story is clearly one of the worst cases I have read about women who kill their children. What stands out the most is why nobody did anything after the ninth child was born healthy and thriving but died alone at the hands of her mother. The horrific and gripping case keeps you glued to this author's superb writing in piecing together the shocking picture of the worst kind of child abuse. It is a story one would never forget.
5 Stars
Finished THE BUNDY SECRETS: Hidden Files On America's Worst Serial Killer by Kevin Sullivan4 Stars
This is the third book on Bundy by Sullivan. The first one was the main biography. This one contains transcripts of actual police reports and official records and interviews Sullivan conducted with some of the people who knew Bundy or had run-ins with him. I found it very interesting and I'm glad he put them in a book so we have access to some of this stuff. I always like reading the actual words said rather than an author's interpretation of them.
Koren wrote: "Sheryl wrote: "Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); an..."
thanks Koren! I was sorry it went that way, cause I was really liking the book up until then.
Fishface wrote: "Sheryl wrote: "Hi all,I just attempted to read The Reporter Who Knew Too Much: The Mysterious Death of What's My Line TV Star and Media Icon Dorothy Kilgallen
by Mark Shaw (Goodreads Author); an..."
Sorry Fishface! the first 1/2 is good though
Hey, you saved me the cost of finding out by ordering my own copy, so thanks!!
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Obsessed with True Crime
Books mentioned in this topic
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A Perfect Gentleman (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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5 stars!
This was a great way to start the New Year -- an excellent read about a very interesting case, as told by one of the prosecutors. There was a very nice, sensitive emphasis on the victims in this case, with a few excellent bombshells thrown at the reader at various points in the story. Well-written, well-edited, and well-thought-out. Highly recommended. I have no idea why someone decided to subtitle this book "The True Story Of A Psychotic Killer;" didn't the people designing the jacket know what the book was about?