5 comments about In Contempt.

1. A nice book about the O.J. Simpson case. I liked how Darden relays his own story of race with the murder case. Clearly, Darden has evolved over the years and became someone to look up to.
   
   Darden tells it like it is with how the Dream Team uses the race card. Up against insurmountable evidence that their client did it, they attack the DA's case by showing there was a rascist cop and a incompetent technician. The jury itself is itching to come to the same conclusion due to the Rodney King beatings.
   
   This is a nice tale on how the justice system is not always right. Two people were murdered and there was little justice.



2. In this well written book, Darden gives readers a behind the scene look at what happened at the trial. He tells readers how racism was injected into the trial by the defense team, gives his account of the infamous glove demonstration, and reveals the stress he was under being the focus of the Dream Team's wrath. He does not hold back frank opinions about Judge Ito, the Dream Team, fellow prosecutors, Furhman etc. The book is a very interesting read that provides important context to the most famous trial of the 20th century.



3. Truth is stranger than fiction! This would be a great fictitious story, only one small problem, it's real. lf you came from another planet or were under a rock for the past l4 years, you would think that Darden has an incredible imagination. But he lived it. 0f course this was his side of the story, l'm sure the dream team's version is much different. But hats off to Christopher Darden. And BABAB0OEY to y'all!



4. A very well written book about Christopher Darden's childhood, working as an adult in L.A. and "trying" to prosecute O.J. ! I did not want to read anything about O.J. - but glad I went ahead and read this book. I would highly recommend it. Loved every aspect of the book.



5. First off, Jess Walters is a wonderful writer. Very powerful writing.
   
   After reading the book, I have the upmost respect for Darden and his fight for justice. Although he could not achieve justice for Nicole Brown, I admire him for his heart.
   
   This is an easy book to read. Getting an insider look through the eyes of Darden is well worth your time. It inspires emotion and inspiration.

1 comments about The Hoffa Wars: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy Hoffa.

1. The Introduction for "The Hoffa Wars" was Jonathan Kwitney's memory of a search for Jimmy Hoffa at a remote lodge that Hoffa owned a part of. This occured two days after the disappearance and the author participated in the search in Eagle River,WI. It was an entertaining Intro.
   
   Dan Moldea's book was first published in 1978 amid harsh criticism for his suggestion that the trio of Santos Trafficante,Carlos Marcello,and Jimmy Hoffa were responsible for the JFK assassination. In the years since then, that theory has become arguably the most popularly held theory.
   
   The main topic of "The Hoffa Wars" is Jimmy Hoffa himself and the history of the Teamsters Union. A lot of corruption is detailed and Mr. Moldea makes it clear that he is no fan of Hoffa.
   
   This book covers a lot of territory; from Hoffa's early years with the local union to his eventual disappearance.
   The violence among rivals and the circumstances leading to mafia control of some unions is highlighted.
   
   The Nixon bribes, mafia connections, shakedowns during union "organizing" are all discussed in this book.
   
   After reading many books about the JFK assassination, This book is impressive and the author has really done his research.
   
   As far as Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance is concerned....the information that Mr. Moldea provides in this book was confirmed by Frank Sheeran in the book "I Heard You Paint Houses."
   
   The only caveat with this edition is the very small print.
   Despite the volume of the book, it's an easy read with no fluff. I recommend "The Hoffa Wars".

5 comments about A Safe Place : The True Story of a Father,a Son,a Murder.

1. I read and enjoyed Carcaterra's Sleepers and followed it up with a reading of this book. I found the contrast between the two books startling.
   Carcaterra has chosen to write from a first person point of view, which is certainly appropriate in a memoir. But he doesn't follow through with the conventions and limitations of this POV. He constantly gives information that he, as the narrator and a character within the story itself, could not possibly have witnessed. If he learned these facts and anecdotes by being told by someone else (as he must have), he needs to acknowledge that with "as she told me" or some similar explanation. I was repeatedly pulled out of the story by thinking, " Now HOW could he know that?"
   Further, I was deeply disturbed by the loving detail lavished on descriptions of every beating Carcaterra's mother ever took from his father. I don't need repetitious blow-by-blow descriptions to understand that the abuse was constant and long-lived. I was a little sickened by what appeared to be relishing of recounting the horrors.
   Finally, as was mentioned by a previous reviewer, I was bothered by the contention in this book that Carcaterra's entire life was unutterably changed by being told in adolescence of his father's crime. By my calculation, this revelation must have come shortly after Carcaterra was released from his time in a juvenile detention center (as depicted in Sleepers), where he suffered horrific abuse. No mention is made anywhere in A Safe Place of the dear friends described in Sleepers, nor of the crime, trial, and sentence that all went through together. This redoubles the doubt of the accounting of this part of Carcaterra's life. Is one book true and the other false? Surely the time spent in juvenile detention was equally as life-changing as finding out about his father's past.
   Carcaterra must have reflected on his own violent (though accidental) crime and jail time when he learned his father had a similar past. Inclusion of this aspect of his discovery of his father's past would have made a more believable story and would have made this reader more comfortable with balancing the two accounts of Carcaterra's coming of age.



2. WOW! At first I had reservations about reading this book, but once you start - you can't put it down! It's compelling and grabs you by the throat and drags you along.
   This poor kid and his mother went through hell. The abusive father was completely different character than what I thought he would be. You will hate, kinda like, and be scared of this maniac that could be so tender-hearted one moment, and a raving, beating lunatic in another.
   I thought that he would be a coward since he beat on women - but this guy could back it up!
   The story is so well and vividly told, its like watching an accident- you want to look away, be repulsed, but you can't help but look on for more!
   Highly recommended. Great writer.



3. This is truly a work of art...not in the traditional sense. Carrcatera tells the mazing story of his early life in a novelized fashion that grips from the beggining. He captures the lower east side atmosphere amazingly and keeps the reader riveted. In a sense, this is a perfect companion to Angela's Ashes. Roger Mayweather won the WBA Jr Lightweight Title in 1983 by KOing Samuel Serrano in the 8th round.



4. After Carcaterra's painfully prolongued stunt of trying to push his written-with-movie-rights-in-mind "Sleepers" as a "true story" for months, I can no longer believe anything that he says is "true". I think if I heard Carcaterra say "New York is a city in USA", I would check a map. That's why I was sceptical about this book, again. However, regardless of how fake - or real - the story is, its major flaw is that it's not as good to read as the fictional "Sleepers". "Safe Place" just isn't as involving and it lost my interest rather quickly. It's an average book and only recommended if you really cannot find anything else for that time when you're in bed with a cold.



5. A Safe Place is not a book I would have chosen to read or even finish had it not been the selection for my reading group at work. The graphic violence is disturbing, and I might have put the book down because of it. I'm glad I didn't. I don't know whether this book and Sleepers are true, but I know this one is very well crafted with the exception of a little descriptive repetition here and there. The insight into the life of immigrants in Hell's Kitchen, and into the mindset of a wife who withstands years of beatings were worth the pain of reading about those beatings. What's truly interesting is that I refuse to watch The Sopranos or any other "mob" stories because I'm just bored with the whole Mafia scene. But here I was listening to great dialogue that sounded just like Tony Soprano, and understanding possibly why my significant other and millions were fascinated by that series.
   
   Carceterra has a gift for authentic dialogue and a style that flows smoothly without being so smooth you forget what he's saying. He includes rich atmospheric detail that puts you there with the characters. He shows you what his life was like, what the times were like, without resorting to pop psychology or trite explanationv -- "You wanna know me? This is me."

2 comments about Card Games for Kids: 50 Fun Games for Your Children.

1. Solo, family, and party games quickly and easily learned. Explanations and illustrations are clear and simple. Anticipates problems for new learners, recommends playing strategies. I cracked this open with my son (age 7) and we ended up playing "Eights" for two hours. Can't get any better than that! Looking forward to playing many of the other 50 in the book.



2. My 4 year old son originally checked out this book from the local library. Every day he would request that we learn a new game. The book is filled with games for different ages and numbers of players so we are able to play games alone or as a family ( I also have a 7 year old son). We love to play games as a family and this has some great games for introducing your kids to cards and then it expands to more strategic games. I will note, however, that most of the instructions are listed in a page or two so it does not take long to learn a new game. This is a must for camping and also makes a great birthday gift.

5 comments about Cop : A True Story.

1. Being the first "true story" law enforcement book I ever read, I was very impressed. It definitely gave me the bug to read others, and to be active in supporting the law enforcement.



2. I found this book impossible to put down. I am currently going to school majoring in Law Enforcement. I truly enjoyed reading his take on being a Police Officer. It gives a first hand look into what they deal with each day they walk their beat. I have great respect and admiration for my local Officers here that I have done ride alongs with as well as Officers nationwide and worldwide. This book shows just how much they put their lives on the line each day. May you all stay safe out there and I can't wait to see you on the streets soon!



3. The author seems to have the need to applogize for the things he did as a rookie cop. Sounds like a corrupt jerk that did not have the balls to be what any good LA cop is, HONEST! This book is an uneducated joke of a look at actual police work in LA. If the author feels so bad about the things he did, he needs to go down to the DA's office and tell them about it, or did he write it when the statute of limitations ran out. You tarnish the badge for every good LA cop out there, just another whiny jerk that did not have any real respect on the street and within the divisions, no one I know knows this guy. Must have worked West Valley. Shame on you!



4. I enjoy reading non-fiction police stories, especially since I'm looking at working in law enforcement, and Michael Middleton's "Cop" was well worth the read. Middleton is completely honest with the reader, his words seemingly unaffected by political correctness or the need to look right in all matters. I enjoyed and appreciated his candor, despite the fact that he's been chastised for it - Middleton mentions in "Cop" that a fellow officer told him not to be so frank in his recollecting. Likewise, you can look at previous comments that lambast him for being so "corrupt." Policing can be a difficult job, and Middleton says it like it is.
   
   The book was not only informative of police life and the society that we live in, but also placed some of the harsh and uncomfortable truths into the light. I am grateful that Middleton shared some of his career with us.



5. I recently read this book and found it very interesting. I am not a police officer but I respect them with everything. Officer Middleton went through a lot while he was on the LAPD. The things that he went through day in and day out was amazing. I have a few friends that are police officers in the city that I live in and I trust them with my life. After reading this I have found out that there are good cops and there are bad ones too! Those ones that are good know their jobs and do it very well everyday. If anyone was wanting a profession in law enforcement they need to read this book. To all the officers that are out there I think you should read it too. My prayers are with all the men and women of all the police departments in the world!!!

2 comments about The Warren Commission Report: Report Of The President's Commission On The Assassination Of President John F. Kennedy.

1. WHY DID GERALD FORD "MOVE" ONE OF JOHN F. KENNEDY'S WOUNDS? WAS FORD ATTEMPTING TO CLARIFY THINGS? OR WAS HE PART OF SOME MASSIVE "COVER-UP" (AS MANY CONSPIRACY THEORISTS SEEM TO BELIEVE)?
   
   --------------------------------------------------------
   
   The subject of Warren Commission member Gerald Ford "moving" the location of President Kennedy's back wound has come up quite a bit in the wake of Mr. Ford's death on December 26, 2006; with, of course, the conspiracy theorists (CTers) of the world highlighting how Ford supposedly "moved" the wound for some conspiratorial or "cover-up" purposes.
   
   But if CTers were to examine the WHOLE record of the JFK back wound (and the genesis of the Single-Bullet Theory), they'd realize that Ford's moving of the wound (on paper only, of course) actually tends to do the SBT more HARM than it does good!
   
   I hadn't really realized that fact until just recently....with this fact coming to the forefront via some JFK Forum postings written by Jean Davison (the author of the outstanding 1983 book "Oswald's Game").
   
   Why does the "Ford Move" do the SBT more harm than good, you ask?
   
   Well, for starters, there's Warren Commission Exhibit #903 (which is a photograph that shows WC counsel member Arlen Specter with a probe/rod being held next to two "stand-in" victims, simulating the path of the single bullet that almost certainly had to pass through both JFK's body and John Connally's body on 11/22/63 in Dallas, Texas).
   
   Via CE903, it can easily be seen that the metal rod does not indicate that JFK's back wound was in the "neck". It's definitely in the upper back; with an exit point JUST EXACTLY at the tie knot, perfectly matching the SBT's flight path.
   
   Most anti-SBT conspiracy believers, in their usual "everything must be faked or phony" style, scoff at CE903, claiming it proves the SBT is "impossible", for some reason....which is obviously a kooky notion, because it proves no such thing.
   
   The "Specter Holding A Rod" photo that is seen in CE903 is also in general agreement (location-wise) with the autopsy photo showing John F. Kennedy's back wound.
   
   Assassination researcher and author Jean Davison wrote the following astute and common-sense-filled comments in December 2006 and January 2007 at an Internet JFK Forum:
   
   "Both Morningstar and Kurtz claim that the entry wound HAD to be raised to the 'back of the neck' in order to make the Warren Commission's single bullet theory work. But the assertion isn't supported, it's simply a claim.
   
   "Furthermore, the claim is false, since there was no need to raise the wound into the nape of the neck. Whether one agrees with it or not, the official WC illustration of the SBT (Commission Exhibit 903) IS the WC's trajectory for the single bullet, and it doesn't require an entry in 'the back of the neck'.
   
   "I respectfully ask that you take another look at this issue. My question is still, what evidence is there that Ford made his revision in order to support the SBT?" -- Jean Davison; 12/31/2006
   
   ~~~~~~
   
   "To my knowledge, {nobody} has ever explained how moving the back wound up to THE NECK supports the SBT. Nobody CAN support it, because moving the entry to the neck would destroy the WC's SBT trajectory, not strengthen it.
   
   "Again I'll refer you to CE 903. Although Specter didn't drill a hole in the stand-in's body and drive the rod through it, had he done so, the entry would be in the upper back, not in the neck. There's a string on the wall above his hand that shows an angle of about 18 degrees -- that's the approximate angle measured by a surveyor during the re-enactment and the one the WC used for its SBT. If the rod is moved up to the neck, the bullet will exit well above the exit wound under JFK's Adam's apple.
   
   "The claim that Ford's change 'strengthens' the WC's SBT is simply not true. If I haven't made my point by now, I give up." -- Jean Davison; 01/02/2007
   
   ~~~~~~
   
   Is it any wonder why I've always loved the woman named "Jean" who wrote the above common-sense-filled remarks re. Gerald Ford, Arlen Specter, CE903, and the perfectly-logical Single-Bullet Theory?
   
   Just excellent, Jean! And thank you.
   
   David Von Pein
   January 2007



2. The Warren Report may very well be the most unfairly maligned document in U.S. History. Way too many people say that they distrust this book, and they haven't even bothered to read it. Yes, I know that we cannot trust everything our government does, and we have to be skeptical fully-informed citizens. But don't let the conspiracy buffs treat you like a bunch of foolish children. They will tell you that you are naive for believing the Warren Report, and then they will shamelessly manipulate documents and distort evidence because they know you will not bother to check their claims against the real facts. The buffs irresponsibly ignore the mountain of evidence which proves that Oswald acted alone, and they will nitpick away at every little anomaly in order to fabricate a ridiculous conspiracy theory. The men who wrote the Warren Report were earnest, fact-finding patriots, determined to uncover the truth. They were not part of a massive conspiracy or a cover-up. The book is 800 pages long, with 26 volumes of supporting evidence! How can that be considered a cover-up? This book is complete, fair, competently researched and written. I admire Posner, Jennings, and Bugliosi for their efforts to reaffirm the truth, but they really shouldn't have had to bother. The Warren Report should have silenced even the most paranoid, over-active imaginations decades ago. Maybe in a hundred years or so, people will look back on our time and wonder, "What the heck was wrong with those buffs and their silly notions?" And they will see the buffs as we see the ignorant and irrational judges who hanged innocent people in Salem.

5 comments about Cleaning Up: One Man's Redemptive Journey Through the Seductive World of Corporate Crime.

1. An autobiography detailing the creation of a business while still in high school that eventually is worth millions and then falls like a matchstick creation as it was started with fraud from beginning to end. This is the story of how that was accomplished, his time in prison where he meets the most important person in his life, and after he gets out about his failures and his acceptance of his new found accomplishments. A wonderful read!!



2. I found this to be a great read and page turner. If you enjoy reading a personal account of one living a life of dishonesty, pride, greediness, and the downfalls that come with it then this book is for you.



3. Recently I saw Barry Minkow on 60 minutes. Upon reading amazon reviews, I couldn't help but notice the outstanding ratings but I was a bit concerned that this was just another criminal who found religion and subsequently got his act together. I am a slow reader but I've got to tell, I started this book on a rainy Saturday morning and I finished it early Sunday morning -- even the college football on television couldn't subplant my interest in this story. To say that Barry has led a very interesting life would be an understatement. He doesn't make excuses and I think he recognizes his recovery is going to be lifelong process. Look, take it from a sports junkie. You want something different, something that will captivate you from page one -- then this is your book. It's not spiritual and Minkow doesn't preach, he just tells his story. Perfect book for the train, plane or a quiet weekend at home. Gotta give it 5 Stars because its only the second book I've ever read in one day (Glory Denied is the other).



4. MUST READ FOR AN INVESTOR IN STOCKS & MUTUAL FUNDS:
   I watched Barry Minkow speak at a local event in San Diego. Then, I read this book. Second part of the book is quite intriguing and enlightening. After reading the book I realized I had just avoided investing in a Ponzi Scheme simply out of my gut feel. Had I read it before, I would have notified him of a scheme in progreess. I wish Barry wrote more incidents of Ponzi Schemes and how to avoid them.
   I have recommended this book to my closed friends.



5. I would highly recomend this book to anyone!It is truly based on the redemptive spirit of man.Once you start reading you'll be hard pressed to put it down!A moving testimony to the power and possibilty of change.The Past definitely doen't appear to equal the Future!
   It will open your eys to recognizing [..]before it happens, but more importantly it will restore your faith in mankind.
   Truely well worth the read!

5 comments about Final Confession: The Unsolved Crimes of Phil Cresta.

1. Very enjoyable. I agree with other reviewers about its
   contents. My vote to play Phil Cresta in a movie is
   Robert Di Nero. Looking forward to the movie.



2. A lot of fun to read. You can't help but laugh at a lot of these true-crime stories. You just can't make this stuff up. This book would make a great movie.



3. Very well done. Will make a great movie too.



4. This is the best book I have ever read. I read it cover to cover. I could not put it down. It was fascinating, well written and riveting from start to finish. This should defintely be made into a movie. Maybe DeNiro could play Cresta!



5. Hello my name is Buddy Locatelli. I live in Fla. And i have the pleasure of riding in a taxi to south beach and the driver was a retired Boston police officer by the name of Billy Crowley. We had a conversation and on the way i asked him why he moved to Fla. He told me that he co-authored a book with a writer by the name of Brian Wallace of S.Boston about a Boston gangster named phil cresta, and after the book came out for publication they signed a movie deal with 20th century fox. After 2 yrs and 2 screenwriters hired they finally got a screenplay, but at the last minute on the last option the movie was not picked up. He had an extra copy of the book in his taxi and i read the book and was amazed about the crime scene in the Boston area. The book jumped out at me and i could not put it down. I read the book in one night I can see why 20th century fox signed it up it should be a movie.

5 comments about Auto Focus: The Murder of Bob Crane.

1. Graysmith iosn't someone you wanna listen to considering he finished his book on Bob before the trial was even finished! Leaving a ton of things out isn't the way to inform people of a murder. Auto-Focus, the movie, is filled with lies and the director has publicly admitted to putting them in to make the movie sell. The book is no different. If you wanna read the real story of Bob Crane, this isn't it. At all!



2. This is a book I came across after watching the movie "AutoFocus" which I liked very much. I read the book hoping to get into greater detail surrounding the investigation of Bob Crane's murder. The book covers Crane's social exploits in detail. This part of the book is effective and conveys the casualness of the swinger lifestyle and Crane's cavalier attitude towards women and sex. It is also a look into the celebrity worship that is deeply embedded in our culture. When Crane is murdered the police immediately suspect his friend John Carpenter who was in the vicinity the night before. Most of their evidence is circumstantial and they do not indict Carpenter until the mid-90's. This part of the book is very interesting as Graysmith does a very good job of juggling the evidence and the personalities involved in the delayed indictment.
   If there is a flaw it is that Graysmith obviously has some affection for Crane as an actor and coupled with the fact that all of his information comes from police sources the book is pretty one sided. It is obvious that Graysmith wants a conclusion to the case and he, like the officers, are quick to jump on John Carpenter as that conclusion. In the end though the evidence is flimsy, and without a solid motive, circumstantial evidence doesn't go very far. This is not a heavy criticism of Graysmith, his book is still an excellent work up of the case, and Carpenter most likely was the killer. There was reasonable doubt there and it could have been explored deeper. I recommend this book to anyone who likes good true crime, mystery, or Hollywood scandals.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Autofocus. I bought the book after seeing the movie on cable. Graysmith, naturally, does a great job weaving all of the details into a fine crime novel. I have enjoyed most of his crime books and this one was no exception.
   
   Others have criticised Graysmith for focusing too much on Carpenter but after reading the book and the statements being based on fact and supported by statements from the detectives, I have to say that Carpenter really does look guilty. In saying that, I think the police departments could have done a better investigation of the case and looked more into some of the suspects mentioned in the book. It is amazing that police departments were so careless.
   
   The book doesn't go into great detail about sexual specifics and graphic sexual descriptions (this is not one of those fiction love novels!) but he gives you enough detail which leaves you shaking your head at Crane's exploits.
   
   A typically good Graysmith book and definitely worth a read.



4. He was the guy who played the lead role in history's strangest sitcom, a farce about Allied soldiers imprisoned by the Third Reich. A few years later, Bob Crane was a prisoner himself, of typecasting and a swinger's lifestyle that was not only miserable and unhealthy, but as Robert Goldsmith posits in his book "Auto Focus", ultimately fatal.
   
   
   
   Crane was bludgeoned to death in a Scottsdale, Arizona bedroom one June morning in 1978. That brought into sharp focus the sordid way he lived, using the dregs of a once-flourishing career to latch on to as many willing women he could find. Suspicion quickly centered on John Carpenter, a video guy who trolled for sex with Crane, yet the case against him was circumstantial and the horizon of others with motives too vast.
   
   
   
   "When you go out like he did, you put yourself in positions where there are very sick scenes," says Joy Claussen, an actress working with Crane at the time of his killing. "When you are that open sexually, you are that nondiscriminative in the way you pick people, you are liable to find some sick people."
   
   
   
   Originally published in 1993 as "The Murder Of Bob Crane", which became the subtitle when adapted for the screen as "Auto Focus" in 2002, Graysmith's book is poorly constructed and occasionally repetitive, but oddly hypnotic in the way it draws you into Crane's drab yet compelling world. It's like the flip side of "Boogie Nights", showing you the sad and sordid underbelly of the hot-and-horny 1970s. Like "Auto Focus" the movie, "Auto Focus" the book is explicit in its details but hardly erotic. You might prefer a vow of celibacy than living like this guy did, even minus the brutal end.
   
   
   
   KSG's earlier comment here about feeling the spores in the A/C was right on. Graysmith not only charts Crane's last days in hourly detail, but provides a 3-D floor plan of the apartment where he stayed and was murdered. What were Carpenter's swim trunks doing in Crane's place? What clue did the killer give to his identity by cutting a wire from an almost-inaccessible location to wrap around the already-dead Crane?
   
   
   
   Some criticize Graysmith's unwillingness to entertain more than one suspect seriously. It's obvious he thinks Carpenter, feeling betrayed by Crane's apparent unwillingness to continue their relationship (Crane's son Bob Jr. suggests his dad was losing his taste for the "kicks" he got with Carpenter tagging along), had the motive, and it's hard to argue with the blood-smeared rental car Carpenter left as evidence. But Scottsdale police, unused to murders, left some loose ends, and there were other worthy suspects, like angry husbands, freaky girlfriends, and a future ex-wife who stood to inherit Crane's fortune.
   
   
   
   Graysmith sucks up details like a Hoover, and doesn't synthesize well. He brings up episodes like an opening one involving a flat tire that seem to portend much but is left flapping in the breeze. Too often he seems to be paraphrasing the police report, with no commentary of his own. Yet his artless style has a certain validity in how it presents critical case facts interspersed with ephemera, leaving you to make the connections. Even his detours into the desert life of Maricopa County, and the series run of "Hogan's Heroes" years before Crane's murder, brings out aspects of the victim's life and lifestyle that resonate when you think about them.
   
   
   
   "Detectives had enough leads for a dozen murders," Maricopa County Attorney Charles Hyder declares in deciding not to pursue a case against Carpenter. Crane left a great story behind, and a life not worth emulating. "Auto Focus" is an intriguing police procedural and a worthy morality tale.



5. While the case of the murder of Bob Crane has faded from the public conscience, the plausible and implausible theories have continued to grow particularly in the advent of the internet. Robert Graysmith, best known for his books on the Zodiac killer, also has a theory on Bob Crane's murder which is included in "The Murder of Bob Crane" or the repackaged version "Auto-Focus". It is unlikely that anybody will be convicted of the murder of Bob Crane nearly 30 years after the event. So if nothing else, Graysmith has outlined a collection of the facts in this book with his theory.
   
   It is apparent in the mind of the reader who the author suspects the killer to be in this book. In the first publication, he made his case before John Carpenter ever went to trial. At times, Graysmith becomes cumbersome in his redundant recitation of the facts. The portrayal of the character of Bob Crane is thorough. Graysmith does not shy away from Graysmith's sexually promiscuous lifestyle. The background of other characters seems less clear. Little of John Carpenter is noted aside from his relationship with Crane and fellow Hogan's Heros co-star Richard Dawson. At times, Graysmith seems to suggest that Dawson may have been involved in the murder.
   
   While this is an interesting read, the evidence is largely circumstantial and does not stack up. This may be why Graysmith chose to write such a thorough history of the show Hogan's Heros in the middle chapters. While I enjoyed Graysmith's work on "Zodiac", he seems to be writing this book with one intention. However, he failed to convict Carpenter in my mind.

5 comments about Relentless Pursuit: A True Story of Family, Murder, and the Prosecutor Who Wouldn't Quit.

1. Kevin Flynn is a homicide prosecutor in a city that has one of the highest homicide rates in the country, Washington, D.C. Being surrounded constantly with stories and photographs of death and murder, you would think he would have grown a thick skin, learned to objectify the cases and move through them in a detached manner.
   
   But this case was different. The murders of 40-year-old Diane and 13-year-old Katrina Hawkins left a lasting impression on everyone associated with the case. Their murder investigation was one of the most brutal that police and prosecutors ever worked. Over a year after the crime occurred, during the trial, Detected Combee would still grow quiet when testifying about what he saw in the Hawkins house that day.
   
   But this case is not about the terrible method these two victims were murdered. To quote from the book:
   
   It's a story of extremes: the worst and the best the world can offer, humanity at its most brutal and most noble. It's the story of two families -- mine and another from a world that I thought I knew but didn't -- two families full of ordinary people who did their best under awful circumstances.
   
   Relentless Pursuit does indeed follow the Hawkins case, from the initial night of the murders May 25, 1993 to the prosecution in August 15, 1994. But there is much more to the case than just the horror and the story of how they caught the man responsible.
   
   This is also the story of the Hawkins and Flynn families, which became irrevocably linked together. The Hawkins family suffered one of the worst losses a family can, the loss of both a sister and strong influence in the family, and a child, who had just begun to show her gifts and talents to the world. But through it all, they clung to their faith in God, which also served to help their new-found family member, prosecutor Kevin Flynn.
   
   The Flynn family though, was going through its own trials. Kevin's mother was suffering from depression and shortly after he began work on this monumnetal case, his father was stricken with cancer. Through the entire case, Kevin is required to balance his work and family life, including his wife and child, and try not to let anyone down. And part of that includes the Hawkins, who look to him as the only man that can bring them any measure of justice on Earth.
   
   The book is told in a compelling style, taking us through the case, from the night the murders occurred through the entire case. There are procedural sections to the book, such as descriptions of how certain courtroom processes work, but that does not get in the way to the story, which is what the book is really all about.
   
   Relentless Pursuit is not a book for those looking to learn about how the law really works, but you will learn a great deal about how the defense and prosecution work together and against one another, how much power a judge can wield, and some of the reasons why cases don't work out as cleanly as they do on television.
   
   In the end, this book is just what the quotation above says, it is a story of two families. And it is an excellent book.



2. This is a true crime written somewhat similarly to Ann Rule. A pair of victims, Diane Hawkins and her daughter, Katrina Harris, are brutally murdered. It is Kevin Flynn's job as a DC prosecutor to put the alleged murderer behind bars. In his tale, Mr. Flynn expresses outrage at their horrific deaths and loses the cool mask of distant prosecutor. He becomes involved with other family members and friends of the victims and contrasts their closeness to his own small family's experiences with his father's impending death and birth of his first child.
   
   This book is clear and well written, although it will take some readers a bit to "get into" the book. Stick with it, it is well worth the read. I have bought this book for numerous friends and all have appreciated this thoughtful, insightful read.



3. True crime, sometimes, is far less interesting to read than crime fiction. In fiction, the author has many choices that a true crime writer doesn't. Fiction can place the reader inside the mind of the killer and/or inside the mind of the victim. Seldom is the author of a true crime book given that opportunity. Some writers can speculate with a great deal of seeming accuracy. That's not the road that Kevin Flynn takes in his book.
   
   RELENTLESS PURSUIT is told from the perspective of an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, DC; he is prosecuting a man for the brutal murder of a woman and her daughter
   
   Diane Hawkins and Katrina Harris were murdered in May of 1993. The trial took place over a year later, in August of 1994. This may seem like a speedy trial, all things considered. The family of Diane Hawkins and Katrina Harris didn't think so; they knew right away who had killed these two people and had a difficult time with the slow and measured pace of the legal process. It took cool heads to persuade some members of the family not to take justice into their own hands.
   
   RELENTLESS PURSUIT is not the best true crime out there; Flynn can be redundant and verbose. The story he tells, however, is compelling and fascinating. It is unclear until the verdict is delivered in court whether or not he has done his job as a prosecutor. And the reader does want to know the verdict. While the case is already decided in the minds of the reader (probably) and in Flynn's mind, he makes us all too aware of the realities of a jury trial, the complexities of presenting a good case, and how little things can undermine the best presentation.



4. I think that Kevin Flynn has done a wonderful job on this book. Being as though I actually have a close relationship with the Hawkins family, the daughter of Diane (Shante) is my niece and nephews mother, it answered all of the questions that you would never ask. I knew how the Diane and Trina were killed, but it gave more than someone just giving their opinion. This was the actual facts from a very credible source. Even though this has happened almost 15 years ago, it brought back a lot of old feelings to the surface. However, it was two thumbs up as far as I was concerned!



5. For some reason, I thought this book was about the prosecutor's relentless pursuit to bring a hard to catch criminal to trial. It wasn't. The criminal is caught the night of the crime, and arrested soon after. There was no relentless pursuit. Just trying to gather evidence and outsmart the other lawyer, which wasn't too difficult. There was no way this guy was getting off. It's written from the prosecutor's viewpoint, including his family's illnesses, etc.
   
   When he describes the crime scene, the interviews with the victims' families, he does a good job - but I had to skip the pages and pages of preaching regarding their deaths. But it gets really bogged down when he describes his family, and when he describes the prosecutor's job, step by step - as if we don't know the process of a trial. He doesn't seem to know the difference between coveralls and overalls, and although he's a homicide prosecutor, he first heard of blood spatter analysis only a few months prior to the investigation.
   
   I didn't see anything regarding any real plot that the victims' family members had to kill the guy before he could go to trial, but I could have skipped it when going over the boring parts. The family wanted to take revenge, sure, but who doesn't. But they knew he was arrested and going to trial.
   
   I also didn't want to know his every thought (10 years later) as he questioned each witness. I would say that 15% of this book is good, the rest is filler.