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True Crime Read In 2020: Post Reviews Here!
My 2020 goal is to clear as many of the older books from my TC shelf as I can.Signed in Blood: The True Story of Two Women, a Sinister Plot, and Cold Blooded Murder
3 stars
I liked the basic premise of the story. It's pretty rare to read about two older ladies who befriend homeless or down-on-their luck gentlemen, take out multiple insurance policies on them with themselves as the beneficiaries, and then kill them. But we find this out in the first pages and then the rest is trial, first the preliminary trial, which is similar to a grand jury trial, and then the main trial, which is mostly a repeat of the preliminary trial. The book doesn't delve very much into the background of the ladies or their victims. If you like the minutia of reading about trials, you may like this book, otherwise skip it.
Noose: True Stories of Australians Who Died at the Gallows
Author: Xavier Duff
3 Stars = I liked the book. I'm glad I read it.
Pretty interesting book. Well researched. Written in a down-to-earth style. Of the 1700 Australians who were hanged before capital punishment was abolished, the author has chosen to focus on 11 of these cases. He weaves bits about Australia's social, and criminal, history in amongst the telling of each tale. I learned a few things, which is always a big plus for me when reading a book.
Diane in Australia wrote: "Noose: True Stories of Australians Who Died at the Gallows
Author: Xavier Duff
3 St..."
Great review, Diane.
Hari wrote: "Great review, Diane."Thanks, Hari. It was a pretty good book.
Cold North Killers: Canadian Serial Murder, by Lee Mellor3 stars!
This was an interesting read about, not only Canadian serial killers, but SKs from the United States who slipped across the border to do a few more killings and, to my surprise, more than a few Canadians who went south of the border to do all their killings in the US. The overall impression he left me with was that there just weren't enough serial killers in Canada to fill up his book, so he borrowed a few. I like some of his turns of phrase, for instance saying Clifford Olson's eyes were "like two cigarette burns." I wish he has dug up more details on some of these guys, though. The bios range from very satisfying to vaguer than vague. Overall well-written despite some Spellchecky errors here and there.
No, Daddy, Don't!: A Father's Murderous Act of Revenge by Irene Pence5 stars
I have read a lot of true crime books, but not very many have led me to tears the way this one did. The senseless killing of two young girls by their father. So very frustrating that both of the man's ex-wives tried to get law enforcement to do something about this man who beat them almost to death, one ending up in the hospital and the other probably should have been, how they begged and pleaded with law enforcement and even judges to put this man away, and yet the courts basically slapped him on the wrists and allowed him unsupervised visitation with his children. The one good thing about this crime is that it led to important legislation regarding men who are abusive to their wives cannot have unlimited access to their children. I thought the court proceedings were nicely recapped rather than word for word testimony and only took up about 50 pages. A hard to read story but I think important to know these things do happen.
My first true crime of 2020: The Rug Master Murdershttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
*I hope I did the link to my review right
Stacey wrote: "My first true crime of 2020: The Rug Master Murdershttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
*I hope I did the link to my review r..."
The link works fine!
A Death in Texas: A Story of Race, Murder and a Small Town's Struggle for Redemption by Dina Temple-Raston3 stars
This was not just about the murder of a black man by 3 white men. It is an exploration of bigotry and hatred in a small Texas town. I thought the historical research was great. If the author had interviewed the murderers, families, and other townspeople to get a more intimate perspective it could have been a 5 star book.
Koren wrote: "If the author had interviewed the murderers, families, and other townspeople to get a more intimate perspective it could have been a 5 star book."You'll find a somewhat closer angle on the same story in Long Dark Road: Bill King and Murder in Jasper, Texas.
Breaking Blue by Timothy Egan5 stars!!!
Wonderfully written story of a true-life Don Quixote type who couldn't let go of his unanswered questions until he got to the bottom of the very last one. This book gave me a taste of what it was like to live in the utterly different world of the 1930s. Just read this one; you won't be sorry.
Savage Shadows by Eileen Ross3 stars
The author is legally blind and is attacked and raped in her own home. If it weren't for her persistence in getting the perp caught and prosecuted, he probably would have gone free. She went on to a career helping women who have been raped.
While I admire the tenacity of the author and ability to keep calm while being attacked, I wondered why she wrote her book in the third person. I found it to be rather annoying. She was a strong woman who kept her cool and turned a horrific incident into a positive.
Blitzed: Drugs in Nazi Germany, by Norman Ohler3 stars
An intriguing reframe of the decline and fall of Nazi Germany, seen through the lens of the incredible intake of perfectly legal, over-the-counter methamphetamine available to every German of every age during the Second World War. Backed up by a small avalanche of citations. This would make a great companion read with Dr. Feelgood: The Shocking Story of the Doctor Who May Have Changed History by Treating and Drugging JFK, Marilyn, Elvis, and Other Prominent Figures, not least because the doctors in both books are products of the same time and place. I found this a depressing read for a lot of reasons -- so depressing I had to take a break for a while before finishing -- partly because it reminds me of all the drug-and-alcohol biographies about people I admire dying young. Partly it makes clear that the Nazis might not have been so difficult to defeat if they weren't using these chemical booster rockets, helping ordinary soldiers become unstoppable homicidal maniacs, still being fed to children today as if the stuff were perfectly harmless.
Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History by Gary L. Lavergne 3 stars
Interesting story of how the system failed the victims of this killer. In an attempt to save money and lower the prisoner count, the state of Texas gave early release to thousands of prisoners in the 1980's. For some, this might have been a good thing, but one man who never should have been released was Kenneth Allen McDuff, a convicted murderer who was given a second chance. McDuff went on to brutally murder several more people and got away with it for quite some time. While the basic premise of the book was interesting, it was a little too detailed for my taste and at almost 400 pages, could have been a more interesting book if it was a little shorter.
End of the Rope: The True Story of North Dakota's Last Lynching, Dennis Edward Johnson3 stars
An account of the extrajudicial hanging of a suspected, and confessed, mass murderer. The author, an attorney, points out the many factors in this case that would have probably freed Charles Bannon if he were being prosecuted today. The usual protections for the lynch mob were, and still remain, firmly in place. An interesting read in a very hard-to-find book.
https://www.amazon.ca/Dark-True-Story...This is a very intense and edge-of-your-seat read. It is a true story of the Blackout Ripper in 1942 when London faced a reign of terror which was unknown since Jack the Ripper. While the Luftwaffe Bombed London and its citizens fled underground, a killer emerged from the shadows to satisfy his inner darkness.
He seemed so cheerful, decent and normal but over a five-day period, he murdered with a lightning-fast ferocity that stunned and baffled investigators. With chief Superintendent Frederick Cherrill, head of Scotland Yard's revolutionary fingerprint division, the nice decent cheerful killer made a slip-up which revealed his true identity. A fascinating read! 5+ Stars
Rita wrote: "https://www.amazon.ca/Dark-True-Story...This is a very intense and edge-of-your-seat..."
I loved this one too, Rita!
Fishface wrote: "Rita wrote: "https://www.amazon.ca/Dark-True-Story...This is a very intense and edge..."
Another thing I was going to put in my review is how this author described the process of the death penalty and the procedures preparing for it. My other big surprise (although I guess I should have known) was that the jury were all men.! Simon Read is one of my top true crime authors. Thanks for the reply Fishface!!!
Mod
This is a very intense and edge-of-your-seat..."
In the Dark: The True Story of the Blackout Ripper
Bone Crusher by Linda Rosencrance 1 star
Didn't finish. This book is almost all overly-detailed investigation with word for word testimony. Little biographical information on the killer or the victims. Reading the reviews is seems that most people agree with me. Almost all 1 and 2 star reviews.
Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "Rita wrote: "https://www.amazon.ca/Dark-True-Story...This is a very intense and edge..."
It sure was Belleza and I want to read more of his books. Thanks for replying!
The Murder of Geneva Hardman and Lexington's Mob Riot of 1920, by Peter Brackney3 stars
This book left me feeling split down the middle as to whether this was strictly a true crime story or more of an incredibly detailed history of Lexington, Kentucky. The author clearly turned over every stone to find out every scrap of information he could get his hands on, whether it directly applied to the story or not. I was intrigued to learn that the Hardman family still has a big box of sympathy letters sent to Geneva's mother and I was gratified to read some of them. There was more history about the accused than I have seen before and more information about his other possible murder victims. (I was also startled to find the name Clarence Walker -- another African-American serial killer -- pop up in these pages. It was a different guy of course, but still.) On the other hand, I am not sure I needed to see a complete list of every military unit ever associated with the Great War veteran sent in to quell the riots that followed Geneva's murder. I am equally puzzled at the incredibly detailed listing of historical facts about the various buildings involved and the original placement of the statues shown in the background of some of the photos. With that said, I feel this book added a lot to the knowledge I picked up from reading Death at the Court-House and I'm glad to have it in my collection. Now if only Brackney could have scared up a mugshot of the man they hanged for the crime!
The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death by John Bateson5 stars
Absolutely fascinating! This book follows a county coroner in Marin County, California through his 35-year career, the interesting cases he has seen and the things he has learned. It moves quickly, not spending long enough on one story to get bored. I will be looking for more by this author.
Koren wrote: "The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death by John Bateson5 stars
Absolutely fascin..."
This book has been on my TBR shelf for a while.
Hari wrote: "Koren wrote: "The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death by John Bateson5 stars
Abs..."
You must read it.
Predator by Jack Olsen5 stars
Very interesting from beginning to end. Even though this book is over 400 pages the short chapters and writing style make it move along quickly. There are many layers to this story: the rapist and his life story and does his childhood influence how he came a criminal (nature versus nurture). The man who was falsely accused of the crime and how it effected the rest of his life, the policeman who set up the falsely accused man for his own personal gain, the newspaperman who helped acquit him, the family dynamics, the court system and psychiatric treatment system for sexual predators. I know I'm forgetting some things. With all this the author didnt need use fillers with boring things like courtroom testimony. The only thing I was missing is pictures. I tried to do an internet search but didnt have any luck.
Fatal Journey by Jack Gieck1 star
I hate to say a book about a rape and murder could be boring, but this one could win a prize. We get very little background information on the victim or the murderer, but most of the book is the courtroom proceedings. About halfway through the book, the trial is finishing up and I'm wondering what the rest of the book is going to bring. Guess what! The murderer wins an appeal and now we get to read about the new trial with almost all the same information. The new trial takes up half the book. I have to say, the only way I even finished this book was by skimming, mostly to see if some new information turned up, which it didnt. One interesting bit of information I came across was in a google search. Here's what it said:
"To comply with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that people deemed “mentally retarded” can’t be executed, the state attorney general’s office has given 74-year-old Jesse Pratt and 53-year-old Michael McNeely life without the possibility of parole.
Pratt was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing a woman near Klamath Falls. He had been the state’s longest-serving death row inmate, having awaited execution at Oregon State Penitentiary since 1991."
I'm a little puzzled by that statement because no mention was made in the book about mental retardation. As a matter of fact, the murderer was a semi-driver that owned his own company.
Parkland: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen3 stars
For those that are not familiar, Parkland, Florida was the scene of a school shooting on Valentine's Day 2018.
I read the author's book on the Columbine murders and thought it was one of the best books I had read that year, so when I saw this book about the Parkland murders I grabbed it. I rarely buy a new hardcover book. I saw most of the reviews were 4 and 5 star reviews so I was eager to start this book. I have to say, I was disappointed. While Columbine delved into the backgrounds of the shooters and the victims, this book did neither. I understand that the name of the shooter was never released to the public, but it doesn't give us any information about him or why he did it. It also tries very hard to stay away from any political comments. There are a few comments about the money spent by the NRA on political elections and a mention of Marco Rubio. That is about it. As a lover of biography, autobiography, and memoir I missed having no personal information. This book was almost entirely about the teenagers going around the country giving rallies. If I had read the inside front cover information I probably would have realized that, as it does tell us that. The author mentions he got to know the kids very well, but he doesn't really let us into their lives or make us feel like we know them. That said, many people gave this book 5 star reviews, so if you are interested in what happened to some of the kids, you may very well like this book.
I would also like to add that my copy does not say Parkland: Birth Of A Movement. The front and back covers and spine all just say Parkland and their are 3 title pages where 2 just say Parkland and one says Parkland: Birth Of A Movement so I dont think I was wrong to assume that this book was about the entire Parkland school shooting and not just what happened after the shooting.
Tom and Huck Don't Live Here Anymore: Childhood and Murder in the Heart of America by Ron P:owers
4 stars
There are many layers to this book. I started it thinking it was a true crime book, but the crimes that happened are just a small part of the book. The author grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, the hometown of Mark Twain. Within six weeks two murders happened in Hannibal by teenagers. The author decides to return to his hometown to explore how Hannibal had changed from the time of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn to his own teenage years in the town to the current state of affairs of the town. Like most small towns, Hannibal has not aged well. The book is mostly a memoir of the author and very little about the crimes. I would have liked to have seen more investigation into the crimes themselves and the backgrounds of the teenage criminals and their families, but otherwise, there is much food for thought in this book, with the main idea is that times have changed and not necessarily for the better.
Mod
Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors Murders
This is my first book about the Moors Murders, another reviewer said he was disappointed because it did not have much about the murders and that was a disappointment, because he didn't know much about them, seriously though, if you don't know anything about Ian and Myra, can you really call yourself a TC fan?
As the title says, this book is more about how Ian Brady became a murderer and how he groomed Myra into being his accomplice. It also shows how he also 'groomed' David Smith, groomed is in quote marks because we all know, or should know what happened when Ian tried to initiate David into his little club.
In all, I would give this book 4 stars because it is exactly as the title says.
Under the Bridge: The True Story of the Murder of Reena Virk by Rebecca Godfrey3 stars
The murder of a teenage girl by a group of her classmates. I'm puzzled as to why only two of the group were charged and at least one of those two got off pretty easy. The other was still on trial at the time of the writing of the book. I liked the fact that the author did a lot of interviewing in writing this book and didnt just take the story from articles and court transcripts. I found the first half of the book interesting, but found the second half largely repetitive.
Lady ♥ Belleza wrote: "SPOILER ALERT If you never heard or read anything about the Moors Murders, there will be spoilers.Brady and Hindley: Genesis of the Moors Murders
This is my first book about the Mo..."
The other reviewer may find, as I did, that almost no book on the Moors Murders goes into much detail about the killings themselves. I did finally learn more when I read Ian Brady: The untold story of the Moors Murders, which includes Brady's own account of how the killings went down, and when I read Cause of Death -- the author did one of the autopsies and gave his findings.
Mod
I can think of three reasons for this. One, only three people actually know what happened, one is dead, and the other two have no interest in the truth being known. Two, the bodies were so decomposed when found there was no way to actually know what happened. Three, so many people find the subject of child murder so horrifying (these would be normal people), that they do not want the specifics.
I watched Stephanie Harlowe video of the Moors Murders and she mentioned how when they played the audio tape of sweet little Leslie begging for her life, hardened police officers were crying. And I thought, Ian was probably getting an erection.
I remember reading that Ian and Myra shared a giggle as the tape played. Way to win over the jury.The medical examiner in one of the books I read pointed out that peat, the substrate all the victims were buried in, preserve the remains remarkably. Every mark was visible, even on poor Pauline Reade who had been dead the longest.
No, Daddy, Don't!: A Father's Murderous Act of Revenge, Irene Pence4 stars
I was led to expect a sort of typical domestic violence story, but this was much, much worse that that. Well organized so that the trial wasn't merely a repeat of what had already been explained. Well written and well edited; even the phrase "chaise longue" was spelled correctly, to my astonishment. This one is well worth your time...if you think you can stomach it.
Aaron Hernandez's Killing Fields: Exposing Untold Murders, Violence, Cover-Ups, and the NFL's Shocking Code of Silence, by Dylan Howard3 stars
I read this on the anniversary of the Hernandez's suicide, mostly in an attempt to find out why he might have killed himself right after being acquitted of a double murder. I knew almost nothing about this case before and I found a lot of big holes in the author's theories. He alternately states an idea as fact and then turns around and says he has no way of really knowing, but it sure would make sense, wouldn't it? And here's the thing: it would make a lot more sense if the author were correct. But at this point we just can't know...
Predators: From the Files of True Detective Magazine, edited by Rose Mandelsberg3 stars
Another cavalcade of hideous crimes, all of these committed against children and the elderly. A remarkable number of these perps were just flat-out psychotic and in most cases, the juries couldn't have cared less about that fact. Two of these were known to me but the others were stories I have not seen before. Worth your time if you don't mind some purple prose and a lot of truly horrible stories.
Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World's Most Savage Murderers by Scott A. Bonn2 stars
I was very puzzled by this book. It gives us case histories of several serial killers, all of which have had books written about them so there is nothing new here. He talks more about profiling then he does about why people love serial killers. He doesnt actually talk about why people love serial killers until the last chapter of the book. There really isnt anything here that most people who follow true crime dont already know. It reads like a textbook (interpret boring). I did manage to stick with it-barely.
True Crime Case Histories - (Books 1, 2 & 3): 32 Disturbing True Crime Stories, Jason Neal3 stars
Many of the cases in this triple volume were new to me, and even the familiar ones had new information in them. The writing was good, not great; the punctuation was eccentric and the book needed a good text editing to correct phrases like "10 a.m. in the morning." As promised, most of the cases were very gruesome indeed.
Fishface wrote: "True Crime Case Histories - (Books 1, 2 & 3): 32 Disturbing True Crime Stories, Jason Neal3 stars
Many of the cases in this triple volume were new to me, and even the familiar one..."
Ah, Fishface,
This is a good review. And I was gratified to see that you get annoyed when writers write things like "10 AM in the morning".
I can't lie, Hari. Clumsy writing makes me cray-cray.
Cold Kill: The True Story of a Murderous Love5 stars
There is a reason Jack Olsen is considered one of the best True Crime writers. This book is well-researched, is not repetitive and he managed to write a 380 page True Crime book with very little investigation and no trial testimony. Actually, there is an investigation but the female private detective is the most interesting character in the book. It is not merely a repeat of information we already know. As the book was published in 1987 I wanted to search to see if this woman continued in her job as private detective but was unable to find anything. I thought the book ended rather abruptly so did a search to find out more. There is a bit more about them that is worth a google search when you are done with the book.
Mod
3 stars
Many of the cases in this triple volume were new to me, and even the familiar one..."
Which is why I prefer to use 24 hour or military time.
Mod
3 stars
Another cavalcade of hideous crimes, all of these committed against children and the elderly..."
When I went to the library to find this book it wasn't there, I did find The Killer Across the Table: Unlocking the Secrets of Serial Killers and Predators with the FBI's Original Mindhunter and Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders. Of course I immediately downloaded them.
It's the smiles that get us through 😁
The Misbegotten Son by Jack Olsen5 star
The story of serial killer Arthur Shawcross by the master of True Crime. Shawcross only got 25 years for killing two young boys, got out early for good behavior and went on to kill 11 women. At 581 pages it did get a little wordy and sometimes repetitive. This could have come across as being taken mostly from transcripts but he never sticks with one person for long and writes as if the person is talking right to the reader. I liked how he wrote the way the person spoke, accent and all. My heart went out to the girlfriend Mary Blake so much that I wanted to help her. The book is 27 years old so I hope Mary is doing better if she is still alive. Very memorable book.
Bitter Remains: A Custody Battle, A Gruesome Crime, and the Mother Who Paid the Ultimate Price by Diane Fanning3 stars
An husband and wife kill and dismember the mother of his children so they dont have to deal with her over custody issues. The first half of the book was interesting but the second half dealt with both of their trials, which was largely repetitive.
Cellar of Horror: The Story of Gary Heidnik by Ken Englade3 stars
This is probably one of the most horrific kidnapping and murder cases ever. I think Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer might be on a par with Gary Heidnik. Hard to read story but interesting. I wish the author would have delved more into his childhood and what, if anything, would have driven him to commit such horrific crimes. The trial is mostly a repeat of what we have been told previously.
The Marriage TrapThe Marriage TrapThis book was an addictive psychological thriller which I just finished. It was totally gripping, heartbreaking along with a splash
of triumph. The secrets and lies kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, more twists and turns with an unpredictable ending that was a shocker! A must read.
5 Stars
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Obsessed with True Crime
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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True Crime Read In 2018-19: Post Reviews Here!
True Crime Read In 2017: Post Reviews Here!
True Crime read in 2016 ~ Reviews welcome here Part 2
True Crime read in 2016 ~ Reviews welcome here