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True Crime Read In 2017: Post Reviews Here!
I’ve Been Watching You: The South Louisiana Serial Killer By Susan D. Mustafa, Special Prosecutor Tony Clayton with Sue Isreal
This story is about the portrait of a monster and the beautiful women who died as
A result of his twisted compulsion to kill. It takes us into the mentally bizarre world
Of a real serial killer as he watches, stalks and defiles beautiful and talented women
Whom he hates for being too good for him
This is one of the most difficult serial killer’s to catch, much less profile. The whole city
And later the State was in a roller-coaster ride for these dedicated and hard-working
Detectives and police forces to and were determined to hunt this killer and take him
Down.
The story took on a life of it’s own which was viewed through the country and everywhere.
A detailed and intense trial ensued which leaves you on the edge-of-your chair.
I added book/author but got no results but couldn't find it.
5 Stars
Mod
This story is about the portrait of a monster and the beautiful wome..."
Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "Rita wrote: "I've Been Watching You: The South Louisiana Serial Killer by Susan D. Mustafa, Special Prosecutor Tony Clayton with Sue IsrealThis story is about the portrait of a mon..."
Thanks for posting the book Belleza. This time I remembered to add book/author but it said it couldn't find it. I tried again but it didn't work. Then I tried adding it after I wrote the review and it still didn't work. Another screw-up. ***runs in closet***
Mod
RITA! ***runs into closet and drags Rita out***
Stop being such a scaredy cat! We're all friends here.
Rita, does it never occur to you that this site -- which is as full of bugs as that restaurant where I used to work in Ann Arbor -- might be the one screwing up?
Mod
THIS ^
Fishface wrote: "Rita, does it never occur to you that this site -- which is as full of bugs as that restaurant where I used to work in Ann Arbor -- might be the one screwing up?"Sometimes I cant find a book by title but I can find by author and sometimes I have to enter both. If you get one letter wrong it cant find it so check your spelling.
Rita wrote: "I’ve Been Watching You: The South Louisiana Serial Killer By Susan D. Mustafa, Special Prosecutor Tony Clayton with Sue Isreal
This story is about the portrait of a monster and the beautiful wome..."
Rita, it looks like this book was also published under the title Blood Bath and you posted a review in January 2016. Blood Bath.
Hey Everyone,
My 9th true crime book releases tomorrow. It's about serial killer Joseph Naso. The title is, List of 10. If anyone is interested in reviewing it, please let me know. It will be out in kindle and paperback. I also have a .mobi file for it.
THANKS,
Chris (aka C. L. Swinney)
My 9th true crime book releases tomorrow. It's about serial killer Joseph Naso. The title is, List of 10. If anyone is interested in reviewing it, please let me know. It will be out in kindle and paperback. I also have a .mobi file for it.
THANKS,
Chris (aka C. L. Swinney)
Mod
My 9th true crime book releases tomorrow. It's about serial killer Joseph Naso. The title is, List of 10. If anyone is interested in reviewing it, please let me know. It will be out ..."
ME ME ME PICK ME!!
Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "C.L. wrote: "Hey Everyone,
My 9th true crime book releases tomorrow. It's about serial killer Joseph Naso. The title is, List of 10. If anyone is interested in reviewing it, please let me know. It..."
THANK YOU! Which format would you like?
-Chris
My 9th true crime book releases tomorrow. It's about serial killer Joseph Naso. The title is, List of 10. If anyone is interested in reviewing it, please let me know. It..."
THANK YOU! Which format would you like?
-Chris
Mod
Koren wrote: "Rita wrote: "I’ve Been Watching You: The South Louisiana Serial Killer By Susan D. Mustafa, Special Prosecutor Tony Clayton with Sue Isreal
This story is about the portrait of a monster and the b..."
Really Koren? I didn't know that and thanks for telling me.I also think I have Bloodbath somewhere downstairs, dang!!!
CONVICTION: The Untold Story of Putting JODIArias behind bars by Juan Martinez
Over the course of five years America watched as Arizona Prosecutor Juan Martinez relentlessly battled
To convict Jodi Arias for the murder of her ex-boyfriend
Travis Alexander. This salacious case wrought with sex,
Manipulation and deceit rocked the nation as he exposed shocking evidence of how Arias planned and
Executed the crime building an irrefutable case that would result in a guilty verdict and a controversial life
Sentence.
For the first time Martinez shared the inside story of his
Tireless work to put Jodi Ann Arias behind bars. Her
Arrogance led her to believe she was smarter then everyone in that court room, she was dead wrong. I would deem this 5 Stars.
Listen Carefully: Truth and Evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey Case
If you loved Steve Thomas' book, you'll like Listen Carefully: Truth and Evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey Case. It's full of updated information about the Ramsey case, including the grand jury indictment of the Ramseys and accurate DNA information. I couldn't put it down.
Have you read James Kolar's book, Foreign Faction - Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet??
I have not had the energy to plow through book after book about that frustrating case. They all look interesting in different ways.
Jim Clemente, Laura Richards and Lisa Zambetti, on the"Real Crime Profile" podcast, have done several learned and insightful episodes on JonBenet's case. I highly recommend the whole podcast series to y'all.
Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "ebook, any format, I have all the reading apps. email: belleza@my.com"
I sent you a few formats! Did you receive them? THANKS :-)
Chris
I sent you a few formats! Did you receive them? THANKS :-)
Chris
Mod
Chris "
I did, and already started reading, I'm just a little confused by the first chapter .....
Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "C.L. wrote: "I sent you a few formats! Did you receive them? THANKS :-)
Chris "
I did, and already started reading, I'm just a little confused by the first chapter ....."
Hmmm. Maybe I can help explain. Have a good day :-)
Chris "
I did, and already started reading, I'm just a little confused by the first chapter ....."
Hmmm. Maybe I can help explain. Have a good day :-)
Amityville: House of Lies, London Knight2 measly stars
This book would have been a lot better if the author had settled down and focused on the points he was trying to make. And he really, REALLY needed to hire a copyeditor. But I agree generally that everyone who has ever tried to discuss the terrible events at 112 Ocean Avenue has been lying like a rug, with the exception of Stephen Kaplan. If you want to get all the same information presented in a more readable way, I suggest Kaplan's The Amityville Horror Conspiracy and the prosecutor's High Hopes: The Amityville Murders. You'll find those a lot easier to follow.
Ann Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham.
As this author states, no ther murder of a single individual anywhere in the world has probably inspired so many works of fiction, novel plays and screenplays – not to mention films and documentaries. The only
Exception is 1924 Chicago kidnapping and murder of Bobby Franks by
Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb.
A comprehensive, very well-research he presents the facts and very
Interesting history on his journey and surprisingly leaving the final
Verdict to the reader. I have my opinion now and I would love to know
What opinions other readers might think. It takes place in New
Zealand and a fascinating read.
4+ Stars
Loving Natalee: A Mother's Testament of Hope and Faith by Beth Holloway3 stars
When this crime happened in 2005 it was international news. An 18 year old girl went to Aruba as a graduation gift to herself and disappeared. This is the story of the search for Natalee as told by her mother. Because it is told by the mother it is lacking on most of the legal details and is mostly about her search for her daughter. If you want a more detailed legal account I would try a different book.
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..."
Sheryl, thanks so much for posting this because it was on my wish list but now I took it off. There is nothing worse then picking out a very interesting story and find it hard to stay with it. Yikes...
This true and harrowing story of an Upper East Side New York family whose
Cultivation of taste, pursuit of social distinction and fashionable expatriates
Led it’s members to drugs, to apparent incest, murder and suicide.
An epic portrait of a family which is overwhelmingly compelling to read. This
Tale of aberrant Beautiful People is horrific and potent. This powerful
Baekeland clan owed their money to Bakelite, the original plastic that made
Them a fortune.
As William F. Buckley, Jr. quoted saying…seldom has there been so devastating
An exposure of consequences for the most sophisticated people and their
Failure of the most….simplest duties of love
I took one point off only because of the setup and style. It was mostly paragraphs from the inner circles and relatives which was a he said/she said. I felt like
I was reading a script for a movie.
4 Stars
Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop", Gil Valle with Brian Whitney4 stars!
You may never read another book like this one. It's a combination sexual-escapades memoir, the history of an interesting and important legal case, a fable about the dangers of trusting the media, an object lesson about knowing who you can really count on in this life, and a 100-page love letter to the author's daughter. All of this is packed into less than 250 pages. Well and believably written. I kept hearing (even from the author!) about how graphic and horrifying this book would be, but it wasn't grisly -- it was straight from the shoulder and to my mind lacking in horrifying details, except the parts about life in prison. The legal issues alone should make this required reading for every American. Read it!
Fishface wrote: "Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop", Gil Valle with Brian Whitney4 stars!
You may never read another book like this one. It's a combination sexual-escapades memoir..."
Just curious -- why does the author write a love letter to his daughter? Does the love letter relate to the cannibalism or any of the other violent aspects of the case?
Slackyb wrote: "Fishface wrote: "Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop", Gil Valle with Brian Whitney4 stars!
You may never read another book like this one. It's a combination sexual..."
As soon as his wife got wind of the author's secret, she whisked their daughter halfway across the country and he didn't see her for at least the next 2 years. He may still be fighting for the right to see her. It's not a literal love letter but he gives a lovely account of their close relationship and how much he misses her.
I just read The Stranger She Loved: A Mormon Doctor, His Beautiful Wife, and an Almost Perfect MurderI had heard a podcast about it, and just couldn't stop thinking about it, so I was glad to find a book about it.
This was just such an interesting story. And it really got me thinking about what happened to Martin's life. He just lost it. He had everything, but just couldn't keep it going. Imagine what it must be like to be pretending to be someone you're not 100% of the time! I think Martin just couldn't handle it anymore, and he let himself just drop it all. That is the only thing that could explain why he did what he did, and did it so badly.
I enjoyed it.
But man...the author could have used a better editor. She was sooooooooo repetitive. It drove me crazy. "Alexis would say years later." "Gypsy would say years later." "Rachel would say years later." Oh. My. Gosh. There are other ways to say it! Mix it up a little.
Hi, Kristen,Where can we find the podcast?
Here's the link. You could also access it using the podcast app on your phone. :)http://swordandscale.com/sword-and-sc...
The Profiler: My Life Hunting Serial Killers and Psychopaths by Pat Brown 2 stars
At first I thought this was going to be an awesome book. I was really interested in how she became a profiler. After that she talks about individual cases that she has worked on. It was really frustrating because she talks about her opinion of who the suspect is but there are no arrests or facts to back up her theories. Most of the cases remain unsolved. If you are interested in criminal profiling there are a lot better books out there.
Becky: The Heartbreaking Story of Becky Watts by Her Father Darren Galsworthy, by Darren Galsworthy5 stars
This was a devastating read. Tears rolled down my face almost from the first page to the last. Here is a story you wouldn't wish on anyone. Beautifully written; comes as close as any book could to taking you right inside this man's life. If you think you can take it, don't miss it.
Kristin wrote: "Here's the link. You could also access it using the podcast app on your phone. :)http://swordandscale.com/sword-and-sc..."
Thank-you, Kristen,
What a find! Perfect for taking along on long walks through the Mount Auburn Cemetery.
Hari Brandl, I will give you a heads up. Skip episode 20 and 84. I regret listening to them. I wish I hadn't. They are too dark. I mean, epically dark. But the rest of the episodes are great. :)
Murder for Hire: My Life As the Country's Most Successful Undercover Agent by Jack Ballentine3 stars
Hard to believe there are so many people in Arizona that want to kill each other. This book was very interesting in the beginning but then each story started to sound pretty much the same. I enjoyed the parts about his personal life and finding the love of his life better than the stories about the criminals. There are a lot of typos in this book which I found distracting.
A Perfect Gentleman, Jaye Slade Fletcher4 stars!
I was thrilled to find another true crime title by Fletcher, and I wasn't disappointed with this one. Apparently this author only wants to write about a case if it's extremely gory and horrible; this one was not as grisly as Deadly Thrills: The True Story of Chicago's Most Shocking Killers, but it came pretty close. Well written; she gave lots of detail but never bogged down once. The story moved right along. I got a good picture of every victim, every situation, and the criminal himself, and what a piece of work he is! I only wish we knew more about the other cases this guy is suspected in. A timeline of his movements and known and possible crimes would have been very useful. My only quibble with this story is the way everyone described him over and over as "extremely good-looking." The photos clearly showed an average disco duck of the era, not a guy I'd ever take notice of even if he was driving a Corvette and flashing a wad of $50 bills. the story made clear that he also knew he was a nobody and was constantly trying to convince everyone that it wasn't true.
Memoirs of Lacenaire, translated by Philip John Stead4 stars!
What a wonderful book! This is the memoir written by the man who served as the basis for Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment, the first celebrity-criminal memoir that I am aware of. Lacenaire, who lived at the time when the French Revolution was brewing, was an educated and thoughtful man who wanted everyone to know that he had principles and stuck fast to them, even at the moment when he was braining Madame Chardon with an axe. He managed to keep me interested to the last page, even though he brushed off his most famous double murder by saying, in effect, "You all know what happened that day." Beautifully written, well translated, but infuriatingly redacted by the original French publisher, who repeatedly noted where "the next three lines are not included because they are not fit for the public eye;" intriguingly, almost all of those comments were about the Catholic Church. Don't miss this one if you can find it at all; I paid a heart and a kidney for my copy.
Finished Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop"
REVIEW --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "Rita wrote: "Thanks for posting the book Belleza. This time I remembered to add book/author but it said it couldn't find it. I tried again but it didn't work. Then I tried adding it after I wrote t..."Lady♥Belleza★✰ wrote: "Rita wrote: "Thanks for posting the book Belleza. This time I remembered to add book/author but it said it couldn't find it. I tried again but it didn't work. Then I tried adding it after I wrote t..."
Dang, that is good to hear Belleza, I will put the scared to rest but not the cat! ***not scared but bolted into closet***
A shocking true story in the rolling hills of Jefferson County just
South of St. Louis where two mothers who didn’t know each
Other found themselves in the same terrible moment. It was
Just the beginning of a horrible journey that both of them had
To take.
This author used a variety of notes, police reports, records and court
Transcripts to provide a basis for the true story it tells. The author also has drawn on many participants and observers who reconstructed events and conversations as accurately as humanly possible. For the
Mothers this long and painful journey of disbelief and shock developed
Into anger and revenge. There were many twists and turns that leaves
You gripping and on the edge of your seat. The Prosectutor in this case was the mom’s hero! This author once again did a masterful job of
Putting all the pieces together which revealed the face of evil.
5 Stars
Runaway Father, Richard Rashke4 enthusiastic stars!
What a great read. This should have bored me to tears -- it was mostly legal hearings -- but the suspense kept me right on the edge of my seat until the end. And what a blockbuster ending this one has! Hardly any author can handle this kind of material this skillfully, and Rashke does a great, great job. Don't miss this book if you are interested in good biographies, women's empowerment, the law, mental health, or just a good non-fiction read. This book is all of the above.
The Girl in the Belfry, Joseph Henry Jackson4 and a half stars!
Wow! What a great read this one is. Find it and read it if you can. The defendant in this case was essentially the Wayne Williams of his generation. Out of a slew of titles like The Bell Tower: The Case of Jack the Ripper Finally Solved... in San Francisco and The Letter F that try to cast doubt on Theo's Durrant's conviction, this is the only one I've found that explains exactly why the jury found him guilty. Based on the lead detective's notes -- the discovery of which in the wreckage of the San Francisco earthquake must have bordered on the miraculous -- and the many, many, many interviews everyone involved in the case (including Durrant himself) gave to the press -- this is deeply researched and wonderfully told. The author takes you through the trial evidence step by step without putting you to sleep. Like all books published in the 1950s, this is well-written and the copy was edited by a qualified professional familiar with the English language, not a colorblind gorilla.
Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert, John Barylick4 stars
This was an excellent, at times devastating read. Like Fire in the Grove: The Cocoanut Grove Tragedy and Its Aftermath and The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, the text effectively tacked back and forth between the science of the disaster, the surrounding circumstances, the experiences of the less-central people involved, and the minute-by-minute personal stories of the people who went through it. You never got that far from the horror of the fire, but the author didn't keep you there for so long at a stretch that you started to get numb. I didn't give it a full 5 stars only because at times it did bog down, a just bit, when the author was discussing all the machinations involved in the massive, complex personal-injury suit that followed the Station disaster. If you loved Triangle: The Fire That Changed America, you'll love this one.
Through the Glass by Shannon Moroney4 stars
What would you do if you were married one month, madly in love with your husband, and go away on a business trip and find out he has been arrested assault, rape and kidnapping of two women. The author is the wife so the book is told from her viewpoint. What follows is a nightmare of red tape for her to go through and amazingly she stands by her man and still loves him. Interesting story that makes you think what you would do if you were in her shoes.
This is a compelling anatomy of murder and a unique urban tragedy which is a riveting story that draws hundreds of interviews from friends, workers and neighbours as they tell of her fearfulness and worry but also a probe into the strange chemistry that bonded them, husband and wife together as a couple.
Then in this intensely dramatic trial of the murder of his second wife Diane Pikul, it became a crime that summed up a decade revealing a story of revenge and control involving greed, drugs, perversion and violence.
The victim was torn between years of risky independence and a life-style she would have to pay for
in the tragic ending of her life.
5 Stars
The Babyface Killer, Jon Bellini3 stars
This was good. The story starts right out with a tense confrontation between the wanted man and the police, and then doubles back through his life, starting back when his parents got married, to show us how he got here. Warren was caught primarily because he broke a cardinal rule of laid down by the serial murders union, and if his drug-addled self had been a little smarter he might still be killing people to this day. I feel this book would have been better if Bellini had told us more about the additional murders this man may have committed, and lightened up on the shoot-from-the-hip psychoanalysis.
Badd Newz: The Untold Story Of The Michael Vick Dog Fighting Case, Kathy Strouse with Dog Angel3 stars
Wow. Torture devices, bloodstained walls, clandestine graves filled with unnamed dead with more victims waiting their turn, chained up and starved in filthy conditions...You wouldn't believe it if you read it in a suspense novel, but that's the scene of serial puppy murder Animal Control found out back at Michael Vick's country house. The author traces the progress of the investigation, outlines the roadblocks thrown up again and again by the prosecutor, and got me to rethink everything from what goes on in my neighbor's backyard to the ethics of "no kill" animal shelters. This book needed a final copyedit to take out the extra commas and reconnect words inexplicably broken in two, like "back pedal" and "non combatant," but mostly it was well written. The author knows the difference between a vice and a vise, and that's good enough for me.
A Perversion of Justice, Kathryn Medico and Mollye Barrows4 stars
The odor coming off this case was pretty rank to begin with, but when I read about the legal proceedings that followed I realized I was seeing a real Dumpster fire of a case. Incredible, multilayered tragedy on top of injustice on top of wrongheaded incompetence. I hope I never see another case this messed up again -- but then I've never fully tackled the OJ trial, have I? This book is well written and moves right along.
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Obsessed with True Crime
Books mentioned in this topic
50 American Serial Killers You've Probably Never Heard Of: Volume 5 (other topics)The Giant Book of Murder : Real Life Cases Cracked by Forensic Science (other topics)
The New Murderers' Who's Who (other topics)
501 Most Notorious Crimes (other topics)
A Perfect Gentleman (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Blaine Lee Pardoe (other topics)Terry Ganey (other topics)
Martin L. Friedland (other topics)
Tina Dirmann (other topics)
Donna Fielder (other topics)
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Poison Candy by Elizabeth Parker with Mark Ebner
This story about a woman in Palm Beach County wasn’t just only premeditating
The murder of her husband she married six months ago. There were many layers to this woman that fleshed out this tale of greed and manipulation. Prosecutor Elizabeth Parker teams up with best selling Mark Ebner (true crime writer) to take us behind the investigation and beyond with astonishing Never-before-revealed facts some of the plot twists, photos and details far too lurid for the trial.
Not even Hollywood could come up with a character such as she. My only point
I wanted to mention was it was all about ‘ just the facts’. I know the State was doing their due diligence in all their research and interviews but I wanted to read more on the lives that were turned-upside-down. They make mention of that when it came time to bring in the victims in the forefront, but there wasn’t questions on how it affected their families and their struggle to understand it.
3+ Stars