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Archive > True Crime Read In 2018-19: Post Reviews Here!

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Diane in Australia | 640 comments Cries Unheard The Story of Mary Bell by Gitta Sereny
Cries Unheard: The Story of Mary Bell
Author: Gitta Sereny

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

Interesting book about an interesting case. The author wrote a previous book about Mary, after the trial, and this is a follow-up, which was based on interviews with Mary, now an adult.

I felt the author truly wanted to help society figure out why kids kill, but I'm not sure she accomplished much towards that goal. She was 77 when she wrote this book (1998), she is a journalist - not a psychologist, and was probably not the best qualified to analyse Mary Bell's motives, etc. In fact, I didn't feel that Mary, as an adult herself, had much of an idea about that either. So, the author puts forth her own ideas, bounces them off Mary, and so forth.

But despite its shortcomings, if you are a true crime fan, you'll probably want to read this book - and the author's first book, too. It is a look 'inside' child murderers that we don't often get a chance to see.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments American Predator The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century by Maureen Callahan
American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
Author: Maureen Callahan

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

Israel Keyes was a serial killer par excellence. He was usually the smartest person in the room ... any room, all kinds of people ... including the police, attorneys, and the FBI agents ... and he was well aware of this fact. He was very much 'at home in his own skin'.

The author spent over a decade researching how the FBI finally caught him, and what transpired afterwards. She did many interviews with folks who knew Israel, and several members of various law enforcement. She had access to classified FBI files.

She does not drag us through a trial scenario. Yay! Most trials are reported in such a mind-numbing way they create a massive 'dead' spot in any book.

Due to ineptitude, from most participants, the opportunity to discover ALL of Keyes' murders slipped through their fingers. Infuriating how stupid some people can be.

If you like true crime, you'd probably like this book. A serial killer ... highly intelligent, physically powerful, emotions aptly handled, and a pure enjoyment of kidnapping, and killing ... not many like him ... thank goodness.


message 303: by Fishface (last edited Oct 17, 2019 06:05PM) (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Now hang on just a minute there. In what possible sense is a serial killer handling his emotions aptly?


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Fishface wrote: "Now hang on just a minute there. In what possible sense is a serial killer handling his emotions aptly?"

lol ... okay, it does sound weird when you put it that way. I meant that he handled his emotions during his interrogations, and didn't let them rattle him. But as to before he was arrested, and out there killing people ... umm, no, he wasn't handling his emotions well at all.


message 305: by Fishface (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Ah, then I see what you mean.


message 306: by Hari (last edited Oct 18, 2019 09:54AM) (new)

Hari Brandl (crochetbuddies) | 649 comments Diane in Australia wrote: "Fishface wrote: "Now hang on just a minute there. In what possible sense is a serial killer handling his emotions aptly?"

lol ... okay, it does sound weird when you put it that way. I meant that h..."


Isn't handling one's emotions during interrogation kind of a hallmark of psychopath-ism? (I just made up a word.)


message 307: by Fishface (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Well, the question with these guys is always about whether they feel anything at all!


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Hari wrote: "Isn't handling one's emotions during interrogation kind of a hallmark of psychopath-ism? (I just made up a word.)"

Very cool made up word, Hari. It probably is 'psychopathism'.

A lot of murderers seem to slowly unwind when being interrogated. This guy knew what he wanted, knew what he could offer to get it, and stuck to it. Unfortunately, the powers-that-be didn't handle him as they should have, and we'll never know about his other victims. Pity.


message 309: by Koren (new)

Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments Give a Boy a Gun: A True Story of Law and Disorder in the American West by Jack Olsen
4 stars

The crime takes place in the late 70's, early 80's. There were some elements to this crime that were different. The setting is in the wilderness and involves two game wardens. The murderer is a likeable guy, which probably plays a part in the sentencing. Strangely, the hardest part for me to read was the killing of the animals. Read this one for yourself to form your own opinion whether this is murder or a justifiable killing.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments The Fatalist by Campbell McConachie
The Fatalist
Author: Campbell McConachie

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

The book is about an Australian multiple murderer. It was written by one of his friends ... who didn't know that Lindsey Rose was a murderer. The author gives us Lindsey's history, both good and bad. He also spent many hours interviewing him in prison.

As with so many criminals, Lindsey had a lot going for him, if he had managed to stay on the right side of the law. But, unfortunately, he doesn't.

Interesting book, with an interesting viewpoint from the author. If you like true crime, you'd probably like this book.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Your Eyes or Your Life: The True Story of the Central Park Jogger Rapist, Richard Siracusa

3 stars

I no longer remember just what I expected from this book, because the author -- who has represented Matias Reyes in court -- took me off in a completely different direction. He told me a lot more about the case than I would have thought he was allowed, and he went through everything to try to really clarify what happened. And it was not at all what I expected. And he may well be completely correct. This book needed much better text and copy editing before it was released, but don't let that stop you. This is a real eye-opener.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments The Girl with the Crooked Nose A Tale of Murder, Obsession and Forensic Artistry by Ted Botha
The Girl with the Crooked Nose: A Tale of Murder, Obsession and Forensic Artistry
Author: Ted Botha

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

After reading The Murder Room, which includes bits about Frank Bender, I was thrilled to find this biography. Frank was an artist, a photographer, and a man who was able to recreate the face of a dead person from looking at their skull. Amazing.

The book is not in chronological order, so, if that bugs you, you are forewarned. It does cover his personal life, his non-police work, and, of course, his sculptures for the police. He was a 'character' who lived life on his own terms, and that is a major part of his charm. His work with the skulls helped police solve several murder cases. There are lots of photos, too.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Diane in Australia wrote: "The Girl with the Crooked Nose A Tale of Murder, Obsession and Forensic Artistry by Ted Botha
[book:The Girl with the Crooked Nose: A Tale of Murder, Obsession and Forensic Artistry|401209..."


I loved this one!


message 314: by Fishface (last edited Oct 29, 2019 02:14PM) (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Diane in Australia wrote: "Hari wrote: "Isn't handling one's emotions during interrogation kind of a hallmark of psychopath-ism? (I just made up a word.)"

Very cool made up word, Hari. It probably is 'psychopathism'.

A lot..."


(She marshals the forces of her degrees in English and clinical social work, takes a deep breath, and says...)

The word is "psychopathy." Pronounced "psych-OP-uth-ee."


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Hari wrote: "Isn't handling one's emotions during interrogation kind of a hallmark of psychopath-ism? (I just made up a word.)"
Diane wrote: "Very cool made up word, Hari."
Fishface wrote: "(She marshals the forces of her degrees in English and clinical social work, takes a deep breath, and says...) The word is "psychopathy." Pronounced "psych-OP-uth-ee."


Oooh, an even cooler word! Thanks, FF!


message 316: by Fishface (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments NP!


Diane in Australia | 640 comments The Irresistible Con The Bizarre Life of a Fraudulent Genius by Francis Wheen
The Irresistible Con: The Bizarre Life of a Fraudulent Genius
Author: Francis Wheen

3 Stars = I liked the book.

Where to start?! The book, published in 2004, is about a conman named Karoly Hajdu, born in 1920 in Kispest, a town near Budapest. He lives the life of an impostor, taking a new name, occupation, etc. when it suited his needs. He was also a cross-dresser.

Eventually he/she settles on a name, and occupation ... Dr. Charlotte Bach, a supposed former lecturer at Budapest's illustrious Eötvös Loránd University. He/she came up with an alternative theory of evolution, known as 'Human Ethology'. He/she was even invited to speak at Darwin College, Cambridge, and Sussex University. He/she lived as Dr. Bach until his/her death in 1981. Only then, due to an autopsy, was it revealed to the world that Dr. Bach had, in fact, been an anatomical male.

Not sure if this is the same book, Who was Dr. Charlotte Bach?, published in 2002, but it sure looks like it might be.



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Fishface | 18964 comments Well that sounds fascinatingly weird!


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Fishface wrote: "Well that sounds fascinatingly weird!"

It was! With equally fascinating, weird photos ... lol


message 320: by Koren (new)

Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments The Girls Are Gone by Michael Brodkorb and Allison Mann
3 stars
The Girls Are Gone by Michael Brodkorb

I bought this book because it takes place in my home state of Minnesota and was surprised to find out that it takes place in a town I used to live next to and went to a year of high school there. Even so, I dont remember hearing about this true crime story. I soooo wanted to like this book. There were elements of this story that were so interesting. A former beauty queen that for some reason went off the deep end, her long-suffering husband, and a newspaper writer who followed this story and then wrote about it. This could have been so good, but the author does not realize that a good true crime story is not just newspaper articles and word for word transcripts. We know when he is using word for word transcripts because suddenly the print gets so darn small you almost need a magnifying glass to read it. I also was disappointed that the majority of the book, when not giving us word for word transcripts is telling us how crazy the mother is. I would have liked to have delved a little deeper, such as exploring why a loving wife and mother suddenly became a crazy, raving lunatic. I also would have liked to read a more personal aspect from the girl's perspective. This book is too much 'just the facts' and not enough about the emotions of the people involved. The story about the crazy lawyer was interesting and probably could be a book by itself.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments The Thing She Loves Why Women Kill by Kerry Greenwood
The Thing She Loves: Why Women Kill
Editor: Kerry Greenwood

3 Stars = I liked the book.

Edited by Australian author Kerry Greenwood, this book is by a team of solicitors (lawyers), and other professionals, who have been involved with this aspect of crime. There are nine chapters which touch on various different female murderers. Also, discussions on the influences that could cause a woman to kill ... including the 'battered woman syndrome'.


message 322: by Diane in Australia (last edited Nov 09, 2019 11:17AM) (new)

Diane in Australia | 640 comments Darkness Descending The Murder of Meredith Kercher by Paul Russell
Darkness Descending: The Murder of Meredith Kercher
Author: Paul Russell

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

Published in 2010, this book does not contain all the more recent twists, and turns, in this case. It ends with the completion of the trial that was held in 2009.

This is certainly a whodunit type of crime. So many variables. So many opinions. Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Guede, are all suspects. DNA is found. Alleged staged break-in. Alleged contaminated evidence ... left at the scene for over a month. Somewhat 'unusual' behaviour by Amanda Knox immediately after Meredith's death, and off-and-on throughout. That doesn't make her guilty, but it does draw attention. And on, and on, and on ... this case has it all.


message 323: by Fishface (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Almost all. The one thing it's missing is a clear resolution...


message 324: by Diane in Australia (last edited Nov 09, 2019 11:28AM) (new)

Diane in Australia | 640 comments Fishface wrote: "Almost all. The one thing it's missing is a clear resolution..."

I agree. I think the only one who knows the truth, is the one who did it ... and unless they are willing to lead the cops through how they did it ... step-by-step with airtight corroborating evidence ... we'll never know, unfortunately.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Author: John Berendt

3 Stars = It was 'okay'.

Due to all the hype, I went out of my way to get this book. I needn't have bothered. It didn't impress me. The author admits he mixes fact with fictional embellishments, which is sometimes 'okay', and sometimes not. In this instance, it was more of a 'not'.

If you love Savannah, or Georgia in general, you'd probably enjoy this book as he totally nails the ambience of that city, and its locals. If you're looking for a riveting true crime book, this one may not be very enthralling.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Indict and Convict. Crime and Law Enforcement in California: An Inside Story., Bill Davidson
3 stars

This was a good read about the daily workings of a California District Attorney's office. Well written, moves right along. My only advice is that you read it over a weekend or some other time when you will not have a lot of interruptions. There was so much going on at once that when I came back to the book after a day's work I discovered I had totally lost track of the proceedings. There were so many people coming on and off the stage that it was tough to keep everyone straight. I even managed to miss the fact that the main suspect in the murder case that proved to be the centerpiece of the book was one of the department's own prosecutors. I finally found that out more than halfway in. Once we got into court with that case the author handled it excellently, taking the reader from one moment of high drama to the next and summarizing the more boring stuff in between. All of the cases were super interesting and unusual, not to say weird. Worth your time.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Evil Wives Deadly Women Whose Crimes Knew No Limits by John Marlowe
Evil Wives: Deadly Women Whose Crimes Knew No Limits
Author: John Marlowe

3 Stars = I liked the book.

This book contains the true crime tales of 34 murderous women. Each chapter, on the average, is around 6 pages. There are photos/drawings with each chapter. The women included are as follows: Jane Andrews -- Tracie Andrews -- Celeste Beard -- Sue Basso -- Betty Broderick -- Joyce Cohen -- Adele Craven -- Evelyn Dick -- Nancy 'Nannie' Doss -- Kathleen Folbigg -- Tracey Frame -- Rita Gluzman -- Marie Hilley -- Kimberly Hricko -- Elena Kiejliches -- Nancy Kissel -- Katherine Knight -- Ann Miller Kontz -- Shayne Lovera -- Jessica McCord -- Shelly Michael -- Sharee Miller -- Shawna Nelson -- Dorothea Puente -- Margaret Rudin -- Pamela Smart -- Susan Smith -- Lynn Turner -- Rosemary West -- Lisa Whedbee -- Mary Carol Winkler -- Misty Witherspoon -- Susan Wright -- Aileen Wournos.

If you're interested in true crime, and looking for a brief synopsis of any of the above women, this book is a good place to start.


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Fishface | 18964 comments I've never heard a lot of these names!


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Fishface wrote: "I've never heard a lot of these names!"

I know! That's why I included the list.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Murder in the Heartland, William Phelps
3.5 stars

A really good read about one of the sickest crimes ever. The author breaks a large, complex story into bite-sized pieces so it worked out to be a quick read despite the thickness of the book. I was a little thrown by the photo section, which had a single, blurry snapshot of one of the victims, then 2 of a survivor of the crime followed by 13 -- count 'em, 13 -- photos of the criminal as if she were the most fascinating creature alive. I wish the book had included the outcome of the proposed changes to the law resulting from this nightmare scenario but you can't have everything. Well written by today's standards. I recommend this one.


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Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments Never See Them Again by M. William Phelps
4 stars
Never See Them Again by M. William Phelps

Judging by the size of this book I thought it must not be as overly detailed as most William Phelps can be and I was not disappointed. This is probably the the shortest one I have read so far with the exception of the e-book shorts. I did skim a bit when it came to the trial. It was a bit disappointing that there were not more personal interviews but he stated at the end of the book that they just were not forthcoming. This is the true crime story of 4 friends that were killed by another friend and her boyfriend. The only thing I was disappointed in was that it didnt really go in depth as to why she did what she did.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Briar Patch: The Murder That Would Not Die, Donald G. Shomette
3 baffled stars

A puzzling book. The author, whose surname is the same as that of one of the Northwest Branch Park murder victims this book is based on, produced what may be a novel or a very-thinly-disguised true story of the aftermath of a cold case. What started out as true crime with the names changed turned into the gruelling story of a surviving relative's struggle with failing health and unresolved grief. The first half seems very true to life and the second half would seem to be an incredibly long tangent if it weren't also true. I came away not knowing what to make of this one. I'm not sorry I read it, but far from clear on what Shomette was trying to tell me...


message 333: by Koren (new)

Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments The Killing Kind by M. William Phelps
4 stars
The Killing Kind by M. William Phelps

Phelps is one of the top true crime writers but what drew him to this case I do not know. While the crime of murdering two young girls who were addicts and prostitutes was horrific, the case had little that was unusual or anything to set it apart from hundreds of other cases. The trial was mostly repetition. If I were to recommend a Phelps book it would not be this one. I would say this is probably the least interesting book I have read of his.


message 334: by Hari (new)

Hari Brandl (crochetbuddies) | 649 comments Koren wrote: "The Killing Kind by M. William Phelps
4 stars
The Killing Kind by M. William Phelps

Phelps is one of the top true crime writers but what drew him to this case I do not know. While ..."


Koren,
This is good information.
With so many good books out there it is helpful to know from an expert which ones to let go by the wayside.
Thanks for that honest review.
Hari


message 335: by Koren (new)

Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen
5 stars
If You Tell A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen

It has been a long wait for another True Crime from this author. This was a 'cant-put-downer' for me. Most True Crime gets bogged down with the investigation and trial being largely repetitive of what we have already been told but this one does not. I kept reading wondering when the arrest was going to be made. I dont think anyone can understand what makes a person be so hurtful and mean to another human being and why it went on so long after the children were grown and knew what their mother was doing was wrong. The husband was the one that was hardest to understand. How he kept doing everything his wife demanded of him. This was a quick read for me and I hope I dont have to wait so long for the next True Crime from this author.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Life for Death, Michael Mewshaw
5 stars!

An outstanding, 5-star read about an utterly depraved household and how the kids escaped alive. To read this book is to have one chasm after another open up under your feet. Every time you think it can't get any worse, it does. It's not what you could call an uplifting story, but I came away impressed by what a person can get through and still stay sane. Warmly recommended.


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Fishface | 18964 comments White American Youth: My Descent into America's Most Violent Hate Movement—and How I Got Out, Christian Picciolini
4 stars

Chris Picciolini's memoir of growing up skinhead -- what drew him in, what dragged him back out again almost a decade later, and how he made sense of it all. Well-written, and illustrated throughout with photos doctored in the traditional manner of the punk-rock era. If only I could have shopped at Chaos Records while it was still open for business! This book is well worth your time.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Most Wanted by Margie Danielsen
Most Wanted
Author: Margie Danielsen

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

Very disturbing story about a woman who falls in love with a man, marries him, and later finds out he is wanted for murder. She seemed a bit naive to me, and I just wanted to shake some sense into her. The writing isn't really 4 stars, but the story she relates definitely is. I can't even imagine what she, and her children, went through.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Teresita, the Voice from the Grave: The Incredible But True Story of How an Occult Vision Solved the Murder of Teresita Basa, John O'Brien and Edward Baumann
4 enthusiastic stars!

I was really expecting this book to be super cheesy, starring a phony-baloney psychic who manages to get on the witness stand and accuse someone of murder. That kind of story was so common when this crime went down. It was nothing of the sort, though. The authors simply told the story, registered everyone's statements of dismay and disbelief at the paranormal events described, and let the reader decide. It's wonderfully written, well organized and never repetitive. It takes you all the way through the victim's life, up to the day of her horrible death. The authors clearly took some liberties when telling us what the victim was thinking about this or that situation. But they could have had enough detail from informants who knew her to make educated guesses. I highly recommend this one. It's a good crime investigation and a paranormal head-scratcher at the same time.


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Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments Broken Doll by Burt Barer
1 star (Didnt finish)
Broken Doll by Burl Barer

In the beginning, I thought this book was going to be really good. It had a focus, which was fetal alcohol syndrome. But the book doesn't go into much detail about the characters and quickly starts to sound like it is mostly taken from transcripts. Halfway through I was totally bored and didnt finish. I did not think it was necessary to include a picture of the dead body of the little girl that was murdered.


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Fishface | 18964 comments Crime Archive: John Christie, by Edward Marston
4 stars!

This confirms what I always say about reading more than one book on a true-crime case if you can. This little hardcover treasure contains all kinds of information on the Christie case that was new to me. It's well and clearly written, offers photos I never saw before and includes much more about the married lives of the Evanses and the equally short, tragic lives of the other victims of this terrible man. Don't miss it.


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Koren  (koren56) | 1604 comments A Wife's Revenge by Eric Francis
1 star
A Wife's Revenge by Eric Francis

Could contain spoilers although from reading other reviews it seems almost everyone said the same thing.

This book could be used in a writing class on how not to write a true crime book. I stuck with this only because it was a quick read. First, in the beginning author's note the author states that due to lack of information he totally made up what the victim went through and what his last thoughts were. Hello....isn't this suppose to be NONFICTION? Then at the end I was very confused because he gives several scenarios of what might have happened when the wife murdered her husband, totally disregarding the fact that he said in the book several times that she weighed 100 pounds less then her husband. And finally, there is almost no biographical information on the wife or her husband or background as to what there marriage was like. The wife claimed she was abused but it seems to me stabbing him 200 times was OVERKILL! No pun intended. The book was mostly courtroom transcripts, which is almost always a big no-no for me. I would just skip this and fortunately I got it at a book sale for 25 or 50 cents.


message 343: by Fishface (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Hey, at least he warned you that he was making stuff up.


message 344: by Fishface (last edited Jan 02, 2020 07:42AM) (new)

Fishface | 18964 comments Dead And Buried: A Shocking Account of Rape, Torture, and Murder on the California Coast, Corey Mitchell
3 stars

The troubling account of the murders of Rachel Newhouse and Aundria Crawford by a man who knew better, but went ahead and did it anyway. He caused far more pain than this, affecting many other people, but because most of his victims survived they didn't get nearly as much attention. This book is about the two times he went that one extra step.


message 345: by Hari (new)

Hari Brandl (crochetbuddies) | 649 comments Hello, fellow club members. Here's hoping your holidays were enjoyable.
This comment contains Spoilers.
I finished "If You Tell", Gregg Olsen on New Year's Eve, and I was really disappointed in it. I felt it read like poorly written fiction, and was woefully in need of an editor. It totally lacked credibility for me because he didn't name his sources, his chronology was almost non existent, and he never addressed discrepancies in the narrative, like not settling the lingering question of whether Shelley ever had cancer; if the family never had money how did they manage to take care of livestock; why was Dave's charge of first degree murder reduced to second degree, when Olsen states Dave shot Shane in the back of the head (!), etc.
I'll probably read one of Olsen's shorter books, since he has such a good reputation, though.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments The Cutter by Michael Litchfield
The Cutter
Author: Michael Litchfield

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

This book is about Danilo Restivo, a man who started out with a weird obsession of cutting bits of hair from women's heads ... total strangers to him, done on the sly ... and escalated to murder.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments A Child Called 'It' One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer
A Child Called 'It': One Child's Courage to Survive
Author: Dave Pelzer

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

I know there is a controversy as to whether Dave is telling the truth in this book, or not. I know his brother wrote a book (A Brother's Journey: Surviving a Childhood of Abuse) that corroborates Dave's memories. On the other hand, some of his relatives say that he was the problem, not his mother.

It is written from the viewpoint of Dave as a child, which may be why some readers find the writing to be childish. Not sure if he intended it to be that way, or if he truly is just a terrible writer.

Almost everyone I know was abused as a child, including myself, and, yes, unspeakable things do happen that when written down make some folks say, "Oh, that couldn't have really happened!". I beg to differ. It can, and it has, to far too many children.

So, if Dave suffered even 50% of what he wrote, he was still horribly abused. If every word is the truth, then he's lucky to be alive, and fortunate to be sane.


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Vanished The Truth About the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann by Danny Collins
Vanished: The Truth About the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Author: Danny Collins

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

Madeleine has been missing since 2007. If still alive, she is now 16 years old. Danny Collins is an investigative journalist, and he has tried to piece together what may have happened on that awful night in 2007.

These missing children just rip my heart out. I look at this photo ... those little hands ...



Diane in Australia | 640 comments A Mighty Heart The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Danny Pearl by Mariane Pearl
A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Danny Pearl
Author: Mariane Pearl

4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.

"The task of changing a hate-filled world belongs to each one of us." ~~ Mariane Pearl

A very moving book written by Mariane Pearl, the wife of murdered Wall Street Journal reporter, Daniel Pearl. She, and her husband, both journalists, were dedicated to the idea of making certain that the public be an informed public. Sometimes that involved taking risks to get a story. Sadly, one day in 2002, Danny gave his life for that dedication.

Mariane's prologue says it all.
"I write this book for you, Danny, because you had the courage of this most solitary act: to die with your hands in chains but your heart undefeated.

I write this book to do justice to you, and to tell the truth.

I write this book to show that you were right: The task of changing a hate-filled world belongs to each one of us.

I write this book because, in suppressing your life, the terrorists tried to kill me, too, and to kill our son, Adam. They sought to kill all those who identified with you.

I write this book to defy them, and in the knowledge that your courage and spirit can inspire others.

I write this book to pay tribute to all the people who helped and supported our family through terrible times, creating an emotional bridge for us to stand on.


I write this book for you, Adam, so you know that your father was not a hero but an ordinary man. An ordinary hero with a mighty heart. I write this book for you so you can be free."


Diane in Australia | 640 comments Australia's Serial Killers The Definitive History of Serial Multicide in Australia by Paul B. Kidd
Australia's Serial Killers: The Definitive History of Serial Multicide in Australia
Author: Paul B. Kidd

3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.

There are 33 Australian serial killers covered in this book, from 1822 through 2000. This was a pretty good book. Obviously, with only 373 pages to cover 33 killers, he isn't able to write at any great length on each one.

Interestingly enough, he befriends one of the killers, William MacDonald (The Mutilator), after getting to know him in a lengthy in-person interview. "I decided then that I would be his friend until he died and I told him so. In his curious and matter-of-fact manner he nodded his head and said that he would like that and that it would be something new as he had never had a friend before."

I have included the table of contents, for your reference.

Contents:
The Cannibal Convict (Alexander Pearce - Tasmania, 1822-23)
The Berrima Axe Murderer (John Lynch - New South Wales, 1840-41)
The 'Rough on Rats' Murderess (Martha Needle - Melbourne, 1885-94)
The Baby Farmers (John and Sarah Makin - Sydney, 1892),
(Frances Knorr - Melbourne, 1893),
(Alice Mitchell - Perth, 1900-06)
The Windsor Murderer (Frederick Bailey Deeming - England and Melbourne, 1891-92)
The Murderous Mistress (Martha Rendell - Perth, 1907-09)
The Schoolgirl Strangler (Arnold Karl Soderman - Melbourne, 1930-35)
The Swaggie Killer (Albert Andrew Moss - New South Wales, 1938-39)
The Brownout Strangler (Edward Joseph Leonski - Melbourne, 1942)
The Thallium Killers (Caroline 'Aunt Thally' Grills - Sydney, 1947-53), (Yvonne Gladys Fletcher - Sydney, 1948-52)
The Romanian Maniac (John Balaban - Paris and Adelaide, 1946-53)
The Night Caller (Eric Edgar Cooke - Perth, 1959-63)
The Mutilator (William MacDonald - Sydney, 1960-62)
The Carbon Copy Killer (Barry Gordon Hadlow - Queensland, 1962-90)
The 'Kill Seven' Serial Murders (Archibald Beattie McCafferty - Sydney, 1973
The Lonely Hearts Killer (Rodney Francis Cameron - Victoria and New South Wales, 1974-90)
The Truro Serial Murders (Christopher Robin Worrell and James William Miller - Adelaide, 1976-77)
The Angel of Death (Helen Patricia Moore - Sydney, 1979-80)
The Pederast Predator (Michael George Laurance - Griffith, New South Wales, 1984-86)
The Moorhouse Street Murders (Catherine and David Birnie - Perth, 1986)
The Kimberley Killer (Josef Schwab - Northern Territory and Western Australia, 1987)
The Granny Killer (John Wayne Glover - Sydney, 1989-91)
The Backpacker Murders (Ivan Robert Marko Milat - New South Wales, 1989-92)
The Frankston Serial Killer (Paul Charles Denyer - Frankston, Victoria, 1993)
Scattered Remains, Splattered Brains (Mark Mala Valera - Wollongong, New South Wales, 1998-2000)
The Wagga Serial Killer (Matthew James Harris - Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, 1998)
Lennie the Loon (Leonard John Fraser - Rockhampton, Queensland, 1998-99)
'How Did You Come to Be as You Are?' (Peter Norris Dupas - Melbourne, 1997-99)
Snowtown: The 'Bodies in the Barrels' Serial Murders (John Justin Bunting, Robert Joe Wagner and James Spyridon Vlassakis - Adelaide, 1992-99)
Mummy Dearest (Kathleen Megan Folbigg - Newcastle, New South Wales, 1989-99)


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