5 comments about A Matter of Degree: The Hartford Circus Fire & The Mystery of Little Miss 1565.

1. I hope no one was paid to EDIT this book (I can't believe anyone did.) Facts mentioned in passing in the first half, are "astonishing" when discovered by investigator Davey in the second half. And author Massey is WAY too attached to the word "ironically" (and he bats around .500 when it comes to applying it correctly.) But I'm glad I read it, as I've been interested in the story since seeing a reproduction of a newspaper front page showing Emmett Kelly helping to fight the fire.
   I wonder if another book will someday deal with another "lost victim" who's mentioned briefly... the one supposedly carried into a hospital by his uncle... (I think I'll go get "The Circus Fire" for now.)



2. for non writers who manipulate everything to suit their conceptions. the FACTS completely debunk this book. Thankfully, these men will fade; the true mysteries remain unanswered waiting, perhaps, for someone without personal gain to cull through, define and present. What a nasty book.



3. As a Professor of Fire Science I am constantly seeking out books having to do with great historical fires in American. These books are to be used as course research papers by my students and typically are not available via the library network. I trust many of my students are buying their copies from Amazon.com a name that can be trusted.



4. I haven't opened the plastic covering and read this book because it is destined to be a Christmas gift for someone else but it appears to be in great condition. I am very happy with this hard-to-find purchase.



5. Don't waste your time on this book. Get "Circus Fire" instead if you want a more fact-based (and well-written) account of the mis-identification associated with the mass casualties of the Hartfrod CT circus fire.

1 comments about Heat: Fire C.S.I. and the War on Arson and Murder.

1. This book is great. it really shows you the ins and outs of Arson Investigations. It keeps you entertained and makes you feel like you are their going through the cases. One interesting part about this book is that, while some books keep you on one case, this one has many different cases that are each about a chapter, and you really get to see the history and different personalitys of the Fire Marshals. If you are interested in a new kind of detective story or you are considering going into Firefighting or becoming an Arson investigator this book really helps explain what it takes, and at the same time, entertains the reader. One of the best stories is, An F.M. goes into a building and gets in a fight with a suspect, having to finally injure him by shooting him. One of the cops comes up to him and says, you damn FM, you need a real gun. So the FM goes out and buys a Magnium, and he said suspects never put up a fight again.
   
   but all in all, this book was great, you learn about fire and the men that fight them and the stories that are told. i just wish the book had been longer, because although it was great, i wanted to keep reading, i didnt want it to end.

1 comments about Pure Cop: Cop Talk from the Street to the Specialized Units-Bomb Squad, Arson, Hostage Negotiation, Prostitution, Major Accidents, Crime Scence.

1. This book is even better than her last book, What Cops Know. Every page is juicy with details of life on the streets, at police headquarters, and in the lives of individual police officers. Fletcher writes in a direct, clear, and sensible way that is easy for the layman to understand. No excess verbiage is ever used in Connie's books. "Just the facts, M'am, just the facts."

3 comments about Understanding The Arsonist: From Assessment To Confession.

1. I feel the book is required reading for anyone working with individuals with fire setting backgrounds. Moreover, it is very useful for those working with at-risk populations of all sorts, given the connection between this and other dangerous behaviors. This is responsible, clinical research written in a straightforward and accesible manner.



2. 
   This volume by Dr. Williams thoroughly fills a gap in the literature regarding what makes an arsonist "tick." Most texts dealing with arson and arsonists have chapters on the characteristics and traits of arsonists, but are outdated, lack currency, ignore recent research, and rely on folklore. Dr. Williams book gives fresh insite, is easily read, understood, and brings a clarity to arsonists' motives, the psychopathic personality, and other factors that no other text has achieved. It is especially useful to the fire/arson investigator, subject matter researchers, and mental health professionals working in this field.



3. This very important book addresses the complex and significant issues surrounding the act of arson. The book is comprehensive in exploring targeted assessment, issues related to personality structure and dynamics of intrapsychic pathology, but manages to provide the information in a brisk and reader friendly format. The book additionally includes a review of historical underpinnings related to arson and confronts the many myths, stereotypes and misconceptions that have long accompanied firesetting. Dr. Williams book will be a welcome reference to criminologists, police, forensic nurses, social workers, psychologists and frontline healthcare professionals who may encounter these clients in a variety of settings.

5 comments about Fire Cops: On the Case with America's Arson Investigators.

1. I have been a firefighter for a year now. My girlfriend purchased this book for me for my birthday. While I don't have a lot of expierence in Arson Investigations this book vividly and correctly portrays the way a fire scene looks. Too many times people view firefighting and public safety as a "flashy" job. This book portrays the incident scene in a sober, but exciting way. A must have for anyone interested in the Fire Service and Law Enforcement!



2. I have been in the fire service for over 30 years and the past 23 as an arson investigator in a large metropolitan city. The authors have taken the time in most cases to listen to the people actually doing the work on a day-to-day basis. They are to be commended for this. For the person having questions what this job is all about, this book will spell it out in frank detail. This is a subject that is interesting but all too often overlooked by most writers.



3. The stories are great and do justice to the field of fire investigation. What surprised me was the quality of the writing! Usually technical subjects do not attract talented authors. This is an undiscovered gem in the realm of literature.



4. If you are already interested in fire fighting and arson investigation in particular, then you will find this book very interesting, with lots of real life stories. A novice however will find little excitement and too much in depth information to keep up interest.



5. If you are a rank amateur and just want to get some really interesting facts and information based on 'model' fires that occurred in real life, this book is a great book to start with.

   I purchased the book with an interest in just enough details to allow me to 'talk the language' in a book I am writing where an arson investigator is one of the characters.

   I think you'll find this book as fascinating as I did.

5 comments about Fire Lover: A True Story.

1. This is the first Wambaugh book that I've read. I've heard lots of good things about his books. I work in law enforcement and have enjoyed other true crime books written by former law enforcement personnel, so thought I would Wambaugh as well. I had seen the documentary about John Orr and wanted to know more.

   However, although the author is an excellent writer, this book was very biased and Wambaugh comes across to me as very arrogant -- a trait that I cannot tolerate under any circumstance. In fact, his bias that police officers are better than firefighters is downright cocky.

   Although I knew the story of John Orr and felt he was guilty, while reading Fire Lover, I found myself wanting him to get off from page to page because of the cockiness of the writer.

   I would NOT recommend this book to anyone.




2. I think he could have written in 200 words or less that he hated John Orr, thinks cops are better than firemen, and thinks prosecutors should always have the upper hand.

   One thing he could have included was photos, to make the book less boring. And, he could have explained just how we went from the judge disallowing Orr's manuscripts into evidence to the prosecution being allowed to use them as evidence.




3. This is an unusual book. I don't think I've ever read a book about an arsonist before, certainly not a non-fiction book, and the story that it tells is so fantastic that it's one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that defies belief.

   The book tells the story of John Leonard Orr. Orr was a frustrated individual, from a split household, who tried to become a policeman and failed, and wound up becoming a firefighter, both in the Air Force and then in the city of Glendale here in Southern California. He rose to become Glendale's senior arson investigator, actually teaching classes that other arson investigators, even Federal ones, attended. He was considered one of the leading authorities on arson fires and arsonists in California. Then suspicion fell on him and his activities, and he was arrested and accused of being an arsonist himself. The accusation was followed by a pair of trials.

   Now I live in Montrose (yards from the border of the city of Glendale) and used to actually live in Glendale, so it was interesting to read about the locale and the people of my new home (I've lived here for five years). Everything's reasonably well-recreated, though I didn't think Glendale was made that unique compared with other Southern California cities. Orr comes across as something of a nerd, a doofus who's always trying to fit in while never quite making it, and always cheating on the current wife with the prospective one, while paying child support to the ex.

   Wambaugh's writing style is interesting, in that he uses a lot of slang and emphasis to show what he means, and has a very conversational style. It'd be interesting to hear Ken Howard read this book: it reads as if it would sound better than it looks on the page. I will confess that the cast of characters is large enough that I had trouble keeping track of all of the investigators and attorneys involved, and I think it would have helped if the author provided a dramatis personae at the beginning of the book.

   One note: several of the other reviewers presented the idea that the author thinks cops are somehow better than firefighters. This is erroneous. It's his position, stated and restated through the book, that the crime spree was solved by a firefighter turned arson investigator, and that he was ignored by his cop colleagues until the evidence confirmed his suspicions. He does say, several times, that cops themselves sometimes think themselves firefighters, but he's clear that he thinks this is unfortunate. Strange when people have read the same book as you, and come to a different interpretation of what was written. Altogether a good book, though.




4. Having read and thoroughly enjoyed four of Wambaugh's earlier books, I was sure this one would be a page turner; however, it was strictly the story and not the writing that kept my interest. So my feelings are mixed and my rating is lukewarm. Wambaugh tries too hard to depict John Orr as evil, yet without the hard-sell, the reader would come to that conclusion anyway. I finished the book still feeling that there is more on John Orr that could have been included in the book. An additional thought - one reviewer mentions that Wambaugh copies Truman Capote's style of not including photographs of the characters, yet Wambaugh's own picture is on the back. I'd much rather see who I'm reading about.



5. In Fire Lover, Wambaugh attempts to get into the mind of a convicted serial arsonist, one who nevertheless has never (at least as documented in this book) admitted to his crimes. The story is well-written, intriguing, and at times even a page-turner. The few occasions when the story drags are most often in the telling of Orr's trials, when Wambaugh seeks thoroughness in telling the story of the trial, but occasionally at the expense of the reader's interest. But all told, this is a good, even haunting story of a true case.

5 comments about Powder Burn: Arson, Money, and Mystery on Vail Mountain.

1. Dan Glick writes an impressive highly interesting treatise on the 1998 arsons on Vail Mountain. This book not only covers the fires but also the money lust and greed of Vail Associates (VA) and serves as a political-social commentary on big business in small Colorado mountain towns. For Coloradans and residents of the Rocky Mountain west, those interested in current social activism, and money hungy Wall Street-ers this is a must read.



2. My room mate asked me why it was taking so long to read this book, and my reply was that it was hard to stumble through Glick's clumsy writing. My interest, however, lay in my previous residency in CO and my interest in the subject, so I struggled through the chapters (many with very clever titles). I lived near Telluride for several years, and watched many of the same actions take place as did in Vail, re: the disparity of money and living conditions and in the attitudes of the haves and have-nots. Environmental issues are just one of the many issues in combat with residents and eco-groups against many of these new conglomerate ski companies, some with owners based far from operations.

   Glick does a great job with the interviews and investigation; but his long, run-on sentences left much to be desired. If I didn't have an interest in his viewpoint on the subject, I would have put the book down in the third chapter. If you want the gist of it all, just read the epilogue, which - IMO - contains the best information and most well-written part of the book. This, alone, is worth the money, as well as the information. I'll never drive past Vail again without remembering the issues and the personal stories in this book.

   Long live the lynx.




3. Vail/Beaver Creek is probably my favorite vacation spot on earth in the summertime...about the only time of year I can afford it (and even then barely). This is a fascinating book, part history of Vail, part meditation on the issues surrounding growth in the affluent west (ie, how a resort for the rich and famous affects the locals and the environment), but largely a whodunnit surrounding the 1998 arson on Vail Mountain.

   I wouldn't go so far at to call this a "Rocky Mountain version of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' " - Glick's writing isn't that smooth and his character development isn't that deep. But I am fascinated by this part of the country and it's a good story that he has to work with. In the end he presents all the available evidence and lets you draw your own conclusions - probably the best way to end considering that the arson itself remains unsolved.




4. Powder Burn was a GREAT book that provided me with the information that i needed to know about the mystery of who tourched vail. I learned some stuff in my political geography class about this that is what got me interested in it and made me read it. I recommend it to all people who like mystery books with a small twist of history.



5. The book is interesting as an unsolved mystery, but everyone cannot be as guilty as they sound. I struggled a bit with the writing, and did not like all of the vulgarity and profanity. It did not add anything to the book, except to make me feel like I was overhearing conversations in a cheap bar. It was also apparent from the start that Glick does not like rich people (some peoople might call them successful). He could hardly talk about them in a civil tone. He used phrases like "Outrageous luxury", and "Trophyest of trophy homes."

5 comments about Unbridled Rage.

1. This was a fast read, the author handled this sad story with delicate care, it is a testimony that eventually whether you believe it or not what comes around goes around.



2. If you grew up in metropolitan Chicago you are aware of the events covered in this story. Your eyes have glazed over countless news stories and telecasts, all of which served to confuse you more than help you. O'Shea has superbly connected the dots of crime stories more complex than the collective Dashielle Hammett. Terrifying that it is non-fiction.



3. Gene O'Shea has done a remarkable job in telling how two ATF agents solved a heralded Chicago murder mystery 40 years after the killings. Chicago was shocked in 1955 when the naked bodies of three young boys were found in a ditch in a forest preserve. An incredible effort on the part of police and investigative authorities for years was unable to solve this horrible crime. It took two outstanding agents, John Rotunno and Jim Grady, through intensive investigation to crack this "cold case." O'Shea has detailed a most interesting summary of just how these agressive agents turned up enough evidence to convict horseman Kenneth Hansen. His book is a fascinating read. This worthy story would make a top-notch movie...



4. Atf John Rotunno's many, many lies are promoted in this book. ATF John Rotunno is a pathiological liar! Gene O'Shea attempts to make John Rotunno and himself wealthy and great men by solving the Helen Brach murder with countless lies. The truth of the ATF's con has been exposed all over the internet! Just take a look and see the ATF caught in one of their biggest blunders ever! How did the author become Illinois Gaming Commissioner? Please tell us if John Rotunno got you this job?
   
   This book is shameful because innocent people have been lied about by ATF John Rotunno! ( The truth will set you free!)



5. 
   Unbridled Rage is the story of the solving of the 40 year old muder of three young boys in Chicago. Along the way, the author, Gene O'Shea, touches on a number of other murders connected to the notorious Silas Jayne gang in Chicago. The story is fascinating and the writing is just excellent. For example there are courtroom scenes where necessary to advance the story, but these scenes which in the hands or lesser writers can be numbingly boring, are brief and relevant. O'Shea writes as a reporter presenting a clear narrative, rather than as a cheerleader, which unfortunately is an all too common phenonmenon in true crime writing. He remains as non-judgemental as anyone could, given the nauseating nature of the crime, and of the personal make-up, which O'Shea explores in interesting depth, of the murderer. The time frames of this book range from 1955 to the early 21st century. This could have become difficult to follow, but at the start of each chapter, O'Shea lists the dates covered in that particular chapter.
   A very strong effort.

5 comments about Bitter Harvest.

1. What a horrible story about a horrible mother who would sacrifice her own children for own being. Dr. Debora Green had what most of us would consider to be a great life. She was a well-respected doctor with a beautiful home in Kansas City, married with three children. One night, she decides to burn her house down with her children losing one for her own purposes. Debora was a bright yet plumpy woman who was definitely troubled and should have seeken psychiatric assistance rather than murdering her own children in a horrific matter. Unlike Diane Downs in Small Sacrifices, Dr. Green had quite a future in the medical field but like Diane Downs, she would rather lose her children for her own selfish motives.



2. I agree wholeheartedly, with reviewer Melissa Wilson. I am not convinced Dr. Green is guilty. I believe she may very well have been "gaslighted" by her husband and his mistress. Dr. Green and her husband have three children. Two of whom die in a arson fire. His mistress is also married. Her husband kills himself. All this happens within a 2 month period. Shortly before the fire that kills the children, Dr. Green's husband has her committed to a mental institution. Her husband is also a doctor--how convenient. Dr. Green and her husband had been married numerous years. At the time he had her institutionalized, she was in mid-forties. I have extensive firsthand knowledge of the mentally ill. It is rare that a person developes mental illness in their mid to late forties. Mental illness usually presents itself at a much earlier age, and by the time they reach middle age they have been institutionalized many times. The late forties and early fifties is when many people get a handle on their illness. They tend to have fewer episodes. I have many relatives afflicted with mental illness, and I cannot understand why, as soon as she's released from the mental institution, her husband leaves her, and the children. If he were really that concerned for her sanity, why would he leave her with their children. If you have a caring bone in your body, you would never leave your children with anyone you really thought was mentally ill. Mental illness is not cured in the hospital. The hospitalization only halts the acute mania or psychosis. You can liken it to a person that has severe inflamation. They are given a lot of medication to halt the inflamation, but the underlying problem is still there, waiting to flare up again. Real recovery in mental illness begins after hospitalization, with the "calmer" patient returning home and continuing with therapy, and medication. Why wouldn't he hang around and see how stable she was before leaving? My deceased sister was mentally ill, and abused alcohol. I was there for my beloved sister, and I knew right away when she was going off into the deep end. I would have never, in a millions years, left my son in her care. Celeste is his mistress. Her husband(who is well aware of their affair) kills himself. Celeste continues on with her affair like nothing happened. Any "normal" thinking human being would have to stop, and assess how their behavior contributed to the person they married, killing themselves. Even if she no longer loved her husband, he was still the father of her children, and a human being. I would think, any feeling person would have to recognise the devastation her children must feel at losing their father in such a manner. Instead, this woman didn't miss a beat. Only those involved know what really happened, but one thing is clear, at the time Dr. Green was married to an abusive, selfish, egotisical, lying and cheating husband and; he was conducting an affair with his feminine equal. Whether he lit the match or not, he certainly shares in the guilt of this crime. He is by no means one of the innocent victims. As far Celeste goes; after reading this book, I have doubts whether her husband's death was at his own hands. Most men who kill themselves, do it with a gun. Most often, people who feel led to do away with themselves in this type of situation, will definitely kill the other persons involved first, before killing themselves. In these type of situations sadness may be one emotion a person experiences, but anger and maybe rage is the driving force. Too much just does not add up. But again, no one really knows what happened, but Debora, her husband, his mistress; and her husband. I can say it's a sad story; God bless the soul's of the three people who perished, and I hope the surviving daughter is doing well. I have read other books by Ann Rule, although she writes well, I feel she has a tendency to portray the convicted person as the "evil villan" and the other people directly involved as poor "sainted victims". I am certainly no friend of Debora Green Farrar. I am a thinking individual that can read an author's novel without becoming manipulated by their point of view. I read the novel and formed my own opinions.



3. An excellent book! Have never read an Ann Rule book I didn't like!



4. I just finished re-reading this book, and went in search of additional info (my edition is several years old). It is a good book, in that it tells the basic tale. If Ann had been able to spend more time with Deborah Green, AND if she had been allowed to take notes or a recorder into her one interview, we perhaps would have a better picture of Deborah.
   Incidently, some of the reviews talk about Ann being soft on Michael Faraar, Deb's now ex-husband. And several point out that her daughter still loves her. I didn't think that Mike got off soft--he committed adultery. But trying to portray one of the victims as a "bad guy" doesn't go oover well with the public/reader. And her daughter's love for her mother is normal. Ted Bundy's mother continued to love him even after he confessed. That is what family is supposed to do.
   
   As for those who continue to believe Deborah is innocent, check out how many times she has changed her story. And if Prozac fogged her mind so she couldn't participate in her own defense, then all those people who take it and work for a living should be having problems too--and they don't. Of course, I suspect that Deborah's few "true believers" are mostly blood related, or deluded (keep in mind ted Bundy got love letters in prison). Read the book, check out her ever changing stories via newspaper articles.



5. I have every book written by Ann but unfortunately she can write them faster than I can read. I work a lot and have to fit reading in 10 minutes here or a whole hour there, so it usually takes me a couple of months to get a book read. I took Bitter Harvest on a cruise and could not put it down! The story is so sad, to think that a Mother could kill her own children to hold on to their Father in a failing marriage. Honey, when he doesn't love you, he doesn't love you, you can't make him through the children. This woman had so much intelligence and yet no common sense. Like I said the whole time I was on the cruise I didn't want to do anything but read--how can that be?? I loved my cruise but the book was one of Ann's best. All the time and research that is put into each and every book is evident!!

5 comments about Fire Lover.

1. Too much information. The story line gets bogged down and lost in Wambaugh's microscopic details. Too bad. Could've been an interesting read.



2. Even though you know how the true story ends it is a page turner. The arsonist's mind is beyond comprehension. Wambaugh does a great job with this account.



3. Nobody does non-fiction crime reporting like Joe Wambaugh. Like The Onion Field and The Blooding, this is a non-stop read. Wambaugh's insight into human behavior and motivations is fascinating. Joe Wambaugh is an american treasure.



4. I thought that Ken Howard's reading added to the drama of this story about an arson investigator who set and then videotaped his own fires. The author paid appropriate homage to those whose tenacity finally brought John Orr to trial. The trial (transcript) was pretty much verbatim, but that is a plus because the attorneys were so eloquent.



5. Readers know from the beginning that John Orr, ace arson investigator, and the mysterious serial arsonist he investigates are one and the same. We also know that such cases are, alas, not so unusual: fire bugs are often firemen. Even so, Wambaugh's writing skill maintains the suspense of this story to the bitter end. Will justice be done for Matt, the little boy who never got that chocolate mint ice cream cone?
   
   BOOK lovers will be struck by the central role of the perp's autobiographical novel in the case. Can the jury really believe that there is a reasonable doubt that the little boy in the book was named Matt by coincidence?