5 comments about BLOW: How a Small-Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellin Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All.

1. If you want to understand George Jung this is the book to read. After you read this you'll have a new appreciation for how cleverly the movie was made. Sadly, the real George had some sexual habits discussed in the book that would of been better left unsaid, that don't add to the story and only tend make him sound bad. Never the less, it gives you a clear picture of how he was used as an example and given a much harsher sentence than was warrented. George Jung should be a free man today. He's more than payed his debt to society!!!!!



2. I loved the Movie, and finally read the book. The book is great! Better than the movie, partly because it's so much more in-depth. The characters are captivating (especially the star, George Jung), the story flows nicely. I learned so much about the cocaine business and what goes on in the underground world of cocaine dealing. George Jung was an incredibly risky guy. A strong-willed personality who decided he was going to make it happen. And he did just that!
   
   If you enjoyed the movie, you will love the book!



3. This book drags all the way through. I was hoping to hear more of the 'horrors' of the times in prison and the nastiness of the creeps that George Jung had to deal with (including himself) in the drug business. This book falls flat.



4. Ive seen the movie and read the book about this story, and the book is much better. The movie isn't that bad and is played well by Johnny Depp, however, the book just goes into greater detail of which the movie doesn't and leaves some important things out. It is a good book and I highly recommend it. Other great works on cocaine cartels are Mark Bowden's "Killing Pablo" and Gus Gugliota and Jeff Lean's "Kings of Cocaine".



5. Blow is a classic smuggling tale and one of the first of this genre that I ever read. The book offers more insight than the movie. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a fast easy read.

5 comments about A Man Called Intrepid.

1. What a great and interesting unknown ( to many of us ) part of WW2.
   I fascinated by the BSE story, and the fact of being headquartered in New York. This is a must for the history or intelligence student. What a creative and intelligent mind, Sir William from being a canadian teen, WW1 trench fighter, WW1 fighter pilot, becoming a millionaire in the 20's and did not hesitate to use his life and fortune to fight evil, nazi Germany and comunist Russia.
   His creation, the British Security Coordination, led to the CIA and one of his staff members, a Royal Navy officer named Ian Fleming, wrote all the scripts for James Bond 007. The beautyful female agents in 007 can be traced back to Cynthia, code name for a super sexy BSE agent.
   
   Just read the book, I enjoyed page by page, and paid my respect to the Room 3603 at the Rockfeller Center, the former headquarter of BSE and Sir William.



2. I read that Valerie Plame had read this book and that it made a difference in her choice of careers, and was curious about a book that could have such an impact. I found it fascinating and an easy read, and have to compare some of the reviews to the famed contemporary critic of Mozart who complained there were too many notes. This book explained so much that I have been looking for in trying to grasp the big picture of WWII. I was left feeling immense gratitude for the people who gave so much for the cause of freedom.
   The person who posted a review in January 2007 seems to be mistaken in stating "Stephenson (who was the agent Intrepid, not the author of the book)... claims that President Roosevelt knew about Pearl Harbor in advance - a debatable claim..." while the book itself (Chapter 23) describes in a footnote certain documents that "led to the false accusations that President Roosevelt knew beforehand abou the planned Japanese attack." I could not find the claim attributed to Stephenson in the book-did I miss it?



3. If you want to know what led up to WWII, this is the book for you. Fascinating little known historic facts and behind the scene events.



4. A little confusing in the beginning due to author and Intrepid's name being very similar but I got the hang of it and then captivated by the end. So much so, that I immediately started reading it again. Funny, the man who recommended it to me did the exact same thing I found out afterwards. We had to go back and take in all the detail to make sure we didn't miss anything.
   I marveled at the things I was unaware of due to the "popular" versions of WWII events that have been published for years. Amazing how propaganda and misinformation can influence us so much. A must read for anyone interested in WW II. Excellent insights into Roosevelt and Churchill and the those behind the scenes who could never get credit for changing/influencing history.



5. Battlefield and sea wars cannot be won without decisive intelligence and covert action within enemy territory. Some of the greatest danger is from within. This true history centers on William Stephenson (INTREPID)who established a cooperative British/US world wide intelligence network to fight the Axis Powers of World War II. Secret by necessity and thus little known, the average citizen is unaware of this massive and successful effort. Our future should be guided by knowledge of this history. Very well written.

5 comments about Dead And Buried: A Shocking Account of Rape, Torture, and Murder on the California Coast.

1. Corey Mitchell's DEAD AND BURIED, about the life and times of rapist and murderer Rex Krebs, has been reviewed and praised so extensively that I would not normally write this review. But I want to emphasize the massive amount of research Mitchell has done on this book.
   I am a veteran reader of true crime and feel that the two areas that make or break a true crime book are the research into the backgrounds of the main players and the quality of the writing.
   First let me assure you that Mitchell can write. The writing is straightforward, intelligent, literate, and professional, and Mitchell does not feel the need to inject his own personality into the narrative.
   And Mitchell has researched the life of Rex Krebs as thoroughly as any true crime writer I've ever read. The first 230 pages, an unheard of number, is devoted to Krebs' life before he committed the crimes discussed in DEAD AND BURIED. The result is that the reader understands what caused Rex Krebs to be the person he became, presented in linear fashion, starting from the time of his birth.
   Readers who enjoy intelligent, skilled, and meticulous true crime will appreciate the hard work that went into DEAD AND BURIED and will love the result.



2. My favorite stories are crime stories. I watch CSI and all those Court shows on television. None can tell the story better then a good book and this is one of those books. Corey Mitchell is one of my favorite author's and I have read all of his work to date. This one tops my list. I can't wait for his newest book to come out. Another one I would recommend.



3. Wow! Another great book by Corey Mitchell. This one is probably my favorite and I've read all of his books. This held my attention from cover to cover!



4. Yet another hit from Corey Mitchell! The way he starts out with some of the attacks and then starts from the beginning of where everyone involved came from etc. was awesome. I again love the way he ties in other cases where applicable that people might recall. I was especially touched by the story of his deceased wife at the beginning. I had read books done after this and seen the reference to her but had no clue til I read the story. She is definately looking down on you Mr. Mitchell and smiling as you get these stories out to help others. I'd love to help make it so rapists can't get out after the first offense to do what Rex Krebbs did. Wonderful job!



5. Having read the many positive reviews of Dead and Buried, I assumed this would be a real page turner. Instead, it was a dull book that only made me feel terribly depressed. The only joy was finishing it, knowing I would have to work through any more repetitive chapters. I think the best true crime books keep the reader turning each page to learn more about the crimes, how the predators were caught, their mistakes, etc. There is tension, suspense, fear and hope - even though we know many will die before justice is served. Mitchell's book had little to do with how the police captured this predator - it was anti-climactic, anyway. Just the standard biographical filler, a summary of his crimes, and a few predictable chapters on his trial (spoiler: he's guilty, of course). It's all so utterly predictable. In the end, this seemed more like pornography than true crime. Or perhaps a 400 page newspaper article on these murders. Ann Rule has nothing to fear here.....

5 comments about Blood and Honor: Inside the Scarfo Mob, the Mafia's Most Violent Family.

1. If you liked Murder Machine and Gotti: Rise and Fall you will like this mob book. Probably would make an excellent movie.



2. An all-time great work of storytelling and journalism. "Blood and Honor" follows the career of Nicky Scarfo from his rise in the Atlantic City of the 1970s to his life sentence in the '80s. Anastasia clearly has good sources in high and low places. As a writer, he produces a fast flow. The real-life characters (especially Bruno and Scarfo) are drawn fully -- or at least well as you can do with homocidal psychopaths), without cliches or hyperbole.



3. Talk about disfunctional!!!! This book starts fast and doesn't slow up at all. Nicky Scarfo gives a new meaning to the expression " abuse of power". There isn't a lick of honor anywhere in this family. The breakdown of the Bruno killing, Phil Testa's send off, and the treachery used to get Salvie Testa showed that there is no such thing as a "family". I've read over 42 books on the mob. The only one that comes close is "Murder Machine". Constant plotting and backstabbing brought this family down and I'll be shocked if it bounces back. Nicky Crow did what he had to do.



4. If you are into mob books, this is one for you to read. Nick Caramandi wrote a tell all book. He leaves nothing to the imagination. He tells you how he started out with low level scams and worked his way into the mafia. He tells of the many murders that occured during the reign of Nicky Scarfo. Some people were killed to gain power, some to seek revenge and others for the slightest infraction. Much like the "Iceman", Mr. Caramandi admits to committing murders. He tells us who was murdered, why they were murdered and who committed the murder. Very intense and very well written.



5. This book is very insightful into the violent and egotistical Scarfo family in Philadelphia during the 1980s. These were REAL killers who thought they were in the movies and it's amazing to see and hear where and how these events took place and then drive 30 mins to South Philly and see the real locations. The inside story from Nicky "The Crow" Caramandi is amazing and I even saw a show on Nat Geo channel about this story. Scarfo was a complete megalomaniac and it became his undoing, which the book explains fantastically. Highly recommended for mob enthusiasts and Philadelphians alike.

5 comments about Thank God I Had a Gun: True Accounts of Self-Defense.

1. this book needs to be read by people that are not total anti-gun but think the police can "save" them. Learn that the gun is just a tool with a job to do,learn to use it like you would any other tool.



2. I was very pleased that I learned so much from this book. I am an advocate of personal responsibility and self defense is a part of that. I try to think of ways to keep myself from ever having a confrontation and ways to remove myself from one if it were to happen. This book gives accurate descriptions of how people behaved in these times of stress, and while reading them I automatically inserted myself into the situation and noted how I "think" I would behaved differently were it me. At the conclusion of each story, I was able to compare what actually happened to what may have happened had it been me and I found some of my decisions to be in error. Hopefully I'll never have to be in one of those stories, but if I am, hopefully I'll be able to apply the knowledge gained from this book.



3. Of course you will not be able to put down the book because you are on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next in each story. Chris Bird doesn't just focus on the story itself like a cheap Hollywood film. Details of each victims personality, what led to the incident, how the police responded and the aftermath (how people who defend themselves feel afterward) gives you a lot of food for thought. There is probably someone who was involved in defending themselves that you can relate to. I bought this and the The Best Defense by Waters, read them in a few days each, and passed them among girlfriends. They make great conversation; we consider the possibility of an earthquake putting us in a situation like the Katrina chapter. Or what gun control means to an older woman who lives alone. Also, knowing what really happens when gunfire is exchanged, you will never look at an action adventure movie or police drama the same again!



4. "Thank God I Had a Gun" by Chris Bird
   
   This is a book of stunning accounts wherein ordinary people protected themselves from assault, for the simple reason that they had a firearm on hand with which to defend themsevles.
   
   Stories such as these, wherein ordinary people defend themselves against criminal violence do not receive much attention in the media. Their stories do not always appear in print or in news accounts. Nonetheless, many Americans do protect themselves and their loved ones on a regular basis. Ordinary people, in their homes and places of business, subjected to criminal attacks, do not always suffer injury and death, if they have the will to survive, and a firearm in their grasp. The unarmed however, are not so fortunate. They become statistics, and end up in the morgue or the hospital on many occasions.
   
   The author is very experienced in the use of handguns and makes his living as a shooting instructor.
   
   Most people, with no criminal background, can purchase a firearm for self defense. The background check takes between 20 minutes to 1 hour generally. After which time, you can leave the store with the means to protect yourself. That, and some affordable self-defense classes in firearms saftey and uses, can make the difference between living and dying, or going through life with nightmares for memories.
   
   A very good and informative read for those who desire to educate themselves regarding the facts of firearms possession. Whether renter, housewife and mother, businessman, or just plain folks, this book is very useful.
   
   /
   
   /



5. These stories are about people that had a gun when they needed one. You don't hear about these in the paper. You only hear about the ones (Usually DEAD) that didn't have one. Good read!

5 comments about Perfect Beauty: A glamorous Socialite, her handsome lover, and Brutal Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. Perfect Beauty is a book that's only interesting to people who live in the Akron, Ohio area, and even then it leaves you wanting more. There are to many unanswered questions, that can only be answered by the George family, and they are not talking.



2. This will not win any literary prizes. Mostly enjoyable because of it's local connection.



3. This is a solid entry into the True Crime genre paperback division. The story of Jeff Zack and Cindy George is a true crime writers dream, full of cheating wives, amateur hitman, hard-drinking-hard-living-halter-wearing police informants, a restaurant that sounds too tacky to believe and police department infighting. This could pretty much tell itself and Keith Greenberg wisely doesn't get in the way. He tells the story from the vantage point of the police who are investigating the murder, not my favorite device, in fact it verges on my least favorite but Greenberg usually avoids overdoing it. (I could have done without the details of the department in fighting but if Greenberg's co-author wants to settle a few scores I guess there's a price to pay for inside info.)
   
   As a guilty pleasure companion on your daily commute you could do much, much worse. For true crime fans and perhaps Akron locals.



4. Received in good condition but wasn't impressed with the story itself. No problems with seller.



5. Keeps your interest at all times, very well documented. The main character is beyond contempt and yet....I won't spoil it!! Must read.

2 comments about First We'll Kill My Husband (Pinnacle True Crime).

1. The story of Kelly Brookshire, the only woman on Georgia's death row, is a sad case of neglect but no excuse for her involvement in the planning and execution of her husband Doug Jr. by persuading her longtime boyfriend Greg Owen to take the blame. In this case, I believe Kelly was abusive enough as a spouse towards Doug. She had sons, Brandon, and Jonathon also known as Cody, with two other men but her daughter Kayla was her husband's child. Regardless, Doug Jr. treated his stepsons as if they were his own children regardless of biologically. They didn't have a father to call their own anyway. Kelly has a split personality. I don't question that she is a sociopath. She never really loved her husband or boyfriend or wouldn't put them through so much hell on earth. Kelly wanted to rid herself of Doug but why doesn't she just abandon him and the kids and run off. She believed that Doug would never leave her alone but I think it's the other way. Doug's family suffered harshly as Kelly knew and was aware of his fate. Doug's remains were so decimated by animals that it was a closed coffin funeral. Kelly's behavior which included several sexual relationships with men and now in her profile for the Canadian group against the death penalty that she describes herself as a gay female. Funny since in the book there is no indication of her sexual involvement with other women. Kelly also had parties while her husband was serving his country in the military forces in Germany. Kelly spent money on her friends to party and have good life while her kids suffered themselves. It was not an ideal situation. After all, Kelly's childhood chronicled her mother's three divorces, abusive relationship with Wade who was far more abusive than Kelly's father. Kelly went after anybody who got in her way. Greg got a life sentence to serve 25 years with a possibility of parole while Kelly is serving her sentence on death row in an isolated cell without contact from other inmates. Since Georgia death row inmates are not allowed contact with the prison's general population. She spends most of her days in her cell watching television and alone. She gets an hour outside and still no contact with other inmates. I don't know if her appeals would work so she can get life without the possibility of imprisonment but the prosecutors believe that she deserves the death penalty for threatening to kill witnesses. I don't know if she would have gone through with it. Still the book is a good read for the hardcore true crime fans.



2. I was a litle disappointed in the overall text of the book. The author jumped from one subject to another and sometimes forgot to explain just who was who and what was what. Poor editing and confusing dialogue at times. Many sentences came out of nowhere and left the reader wondering what they misssed previous. I found myself going back to previous pages many times because something was not clear. There were noticeable errors in the book and one that stands out said that Kelly found out when she was a teenager that Wade was not her real father and at the bottom of the same page the author states that Kelly was 10 when she found this out. There were a number of errors like this but I wanted to point one out that I stayed in my mind. One question I have and if anyone reads these comments and can answer I would appreciate it. In the epilogue the author gives an update on the key players in the story. One comment made was that Belinda was raising her sister's children and I was wondering why and what happened to Katina? Unless I missed something Katina Owen disappeared out of the story not long after she was introduced. I'm a dedicated true crime reader and read nothing else so I have read many. While this story was interesting I would like to see another author give their version of the events. In true crime as I guess in most books, the author's portrayal of the story and it's characters is key.

2 comments about Open City: True Story of the KC Crime Family 1900-1950.

1. I am anxious to read this book! I grew up in the north-end "Little Italy" section of Kansas City (3rd and Gillis). I later became a Police
   Offier,where I worked with the Metro Squad, including Mob incidents, as I was familiar with the "family" and knew many of them personally. I remember working with Bill Ouseley and George Lukenhoff at the Kansas City FBI office back in the 60's. John W. Yates, Jr.



2. Written by a former FBI agent, he provides a great deal on the history and structure of the Kansas City Mafia from its inception to the beginning of the Civella era. He includes information from the Kefauver Hearings and background files, from the recently published MAFIA book (from the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and with an intro by Sam Giancana, the former crime boss's nephew), Nicola Gentile and the Kansas City Star. Unfortunately he gives no sourcing except for a small list of books that covers two pages. I wish he had footnotes or endnotes. The writing style is also rather dry and matter-of-fact, but it is accurate. As someone who has researched organized crime for over twenty years, I can definitely recommend this book.

5 comments about Death's Acre: Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales.

1. This book keeps your interest the entire way. The information was fascinating, informative from a science perspective, and gross all at the same time. Definitely a great book! I also enjoy reading about Dr. Bass' career.



2. Death's Acre
   Dr Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson
   
   I am fascinated by forensics and the details that can be discovered through forensic work. So, when I got a chance to interview Dr Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson on a book panel, I was thrilled. I have to admit that neither of the men were what I expected, but that's all right. But, I was very impressed with both of them and I've enjoyed the books they have written together.
   
   For people who aren't familiar with Dr Bill Bass, he is a world renowned forensic anthropologist and he has worked on a huge number of cases. At one point in those cases, he realized that it would be beneficial if there was a scientific way to determine how long a body had been dead. This would make it much easier for police, attorneys etc to make a case against a suspect. If the time of death is narrowed down to several days - it can be hard to debate an alibi, but if the time of death can be narrowed down to a more limited time frame, that makes an alibi more necessary and more useful.
   
   This is one of the things that prompted the development of the "Body Farm" at the University of Tennessee. The Body Farm was started by Dr Bass and it was originally an acre - therefore "Death's Acre". Dr Bass and the UT students study the various stages of death and decomposition in a wide variety of conditions. It is fantastic research which is very helpful in crime solving.
   
   I could rattle off all kinds of great stories and examples that were in the book, but that would take the fun out of it for you. I will tell you that there is death, gore and sorted details. It could be more gory, but there is plenty of detail. I think it was handled very well and should appeal to many people who are interested in forensics and forensic anthropology. I highly recommend the book and it gives you an interesting overview of many aspects for Dr Bass' life.
   
   I admit that I had a tough time getting into the beginning, but give it a chance. The case studies are great. When I talked with Dr Bass, he looked at my copy of the book and noticed all the paper clips on the pages (there are a lot). He asked me what they meant. When I told him those were all the examples that I want to include in my future mysteries. He gave me a huge smile and said he was very glad he could get me thinking. Its a fantastic resource for mystery writers and entertaining for people who are interested in forensics.
   
   Nikki Leigh



3. I do not question this Author's intelligence or scientific knowledge. I do however, find this author's racial biases at times to be a little more than I can handle. Had he just stayed with pure scientific explanations regarding skeletal differences among the three main classifications: caucasiod, negroid and mongloid this book would have been rated by me as 6******'s However, when one is subjected to hear that the reason there are no black olympic swimmers is because their skulls are a tad thicker than a white person's I get more than annoyed and irritated.
   I would think the Editor should have been a little more diligent and deleted the more obvious comments.



4. Having read Patricia Cornwell's and then all the Jefferson Bass (Jon Jefferson and Bill Bass) novels, it was a foregone conclusion that I would have to read Death's Acre and I'm glad I did. Bass and Jefferson are excellent a writers as well as researchers and this book kept me page-turning far into the night (and yes I slept well afterword). It reads just like a novel and keeps you interested with facsinating information but never grossed out. I'm now over halfway through their next one printed in 2007 "Beyond the Body Farm". What's next?



5. Despite its title and subtitle, this book is really a chronicle of some of Dr. Bill Bass's professional experiences in the world of forensic science. In recounting these fascinating stories, Dr. Bass, an anthropologist, briefly explains how the idea of the Body Farm was conceived and how that facility evolved into reality. Some of the scientific research that takes place within the Body Farm is described but not belabored; it is made clear that the Body Farm is an important scientific tool (one of many) that is used in solving crimes. Consequently, most of the book is comprised of gripping descriptions of some of the cases in which Dr. Bass has been involved and in which he used everything he could in his forensic science armory to solve them, including the Body Farm. Also included in this book are a few tragic episodes that have occurred in Dr. Bass's personal life. The writing style is friendly, lively, authoritative, accessible and quite engaging. This is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone, although those fascinated by true crime and forensic science would likely relish it the most.

5 comments about Dark Dreams: A Legendary FBI Profiler Examines Homicide and the Criminal Mind.

1. Dark Dreams is a book that is absolutely for mature readers its content is not child friendly. Roy Hazelwood spent sixteen years as a member of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit. During this time he worked on many shocking cases but that's not all, he also did research on deviant behaviors this book shows some of what he discovered. Throughout the book Hazelwood gives many examples of horrifying real life crimes that he examined. The twenty-one year old woman with no history of arrest or psychiatric problems who while working at a funeral home developed a romantic interest with a corpse. Crime knows no age, thee boys of the ages seven, nine, and ten took a female playmate and forced her to perform oral on them and they took found objects and penetrated her vaginally and anally. The book went into some detail about the crimes and the explanation of some of the reasons for the crimes and what types of behaviors that lead a person to commit them. When I finish the book I still had some unanswered questions. Don't get me wrong the book was great and I would recommend it to anyone who is mature enough to handle its contents but I wish Hazelwood had gone into greater detail.



2. For some reason I thought this was a book about the science behind criminal profiling. I was mostly wrong. It's a book about some mildly interesting crimes, much like you would see on A&E's crime shows.
   
   There is a page or two about the science of criminal profiling, but that's all.
   
   I'm not into true-crime stories, so it wasn't that interesting to me.
   
   Again, if you're looking for the methods of profiling, this is not the book.



3. This book was very informative. I was fascinated by all the things that Hazelwood has encountered in his career. This book is very graphic.



4. This book is not for those with a weak constitution. The cases reviewed and discussed are disturbing, but the insight is great. This book allowed me to understand a bit more about the process used to understand the mind of the criminal.
   
   I highly recommend this work to anyone in law enforcement, private investigations, or for those who want to understand the art of investigations... Just make sure you have not eaten lunch just before you start reading.



5. Roy Hazelwood is the premier profiler. If ever you considered a career in this field, this book is a MUST read. Afterwards you'll be able to decide if this is the life for you. Very informative and a tad frightening. I personally have read this book three times and also everything else this man has written. Not for the faint of heart.