No comments about Nuestro hombre en la DEA/ Our Man in the DEA.

No comments about The Baltimore Plot: The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

5 comments about American Tragedy.

1. Schiller provides a useful look into the trial which captivated the nation and this reviewer. I was so interested in watching our judicial system handle such a case of national interest. My reaction after seeing all of this was twofold: if a juror, I would support the decision of acquittal, due simply to the fact that the prosecution did not put forward a case that proved beyond reasonable doubt; two, I like all suspect O.J. put the facts of the case as presented did not support this. I continue to be disturbed that many fellow citizens cannot clearly make this distinguishment. Our whole legal system is built on this, innocent "until" proven guilty.

   What one thinks is irrelevant. What is relevant is allowable evidence in the court. Schiller gets behind scenes and gives much background info for consideration. Especially does he provide picture of defense and prosecuter teams. Fascinating stuff!

   Schiller helps clear some of the smoke away. Cloud of suscpicion still pervades however, and might never be dispersed. Great read as all of Schiller's.




2. I decided to read this book and expected a very detailed inside account of the so called "Dream Team". Overall the book exceded my expectations. It is an almost daily account of what went on in the trial and the behind the scenes details are the most interesting. Especially insightful are the thoughts of Robert Kardashian and his "evolving" thoughts on O.J. Kardashian, Carl Douglas (Cochran's associate) and Shawn Chapman (another Cochran assoc.) are the main sources of the information for the book. The events surrounding the verdict and O.J.'s worries about his security after the trial is something I never thought about. There really was concern for the lawyers' safety as well. Of all the characters involved in the dream team, Bailey comes out looking the worse. His drinking and hand tremors make him an almost pathetic figure. Barry Scheck, even w/his doubts of Simpson's innocence, looks the best without any doubt. O.J. should thank him for his acquittal. After 600 pages, you start wondering when it will end but it was necessary to make it that long because it gives you a sense of the unbelievable length of the "trial of the century".



3. This is the best O.J. Simpson trial book out there. It is encyclopedic in its detail, comprehensive and exhaustive enough to satisfy any detail-lover's appetite for "trial of the century" tidbits.
   
   Schiller and Willworth are slightly biased in favor of the "guilty" side, but so am I...those who are sure O.J. is innocent may object to some of the editorializing.
   
   But there is no question that if you want the best chronicle of this extraordinary legal and cultural event, this is the place to get it. Well worth the money by page count alone! :)



4. The book is a chronological telling of O.J. story, starting around the time of the murders and going right through to the end of the trial. It includes a lot of detril or trivia that is fascinating to the trial folowers - that we did not see through the regular media coverage.
   
   O.J. never says to Schiller, "okay I killed her now are you happy?" No he never says that but reading between the lines it is clear that O.J. acts like he has done it; his friends act like he has done it; the defense team acts like he has done it; and, on and on the story goes. Clearly the defense team and O.J. and his friends thought he might be found guilty and there seems to be a degree of surprise that he gets off free and clear of the criminal charges.
   
   I read the 1000 page book cover to cover and found it to be well written with lots and lots of insights, inside knowledge, lots of new detail, and generally one of the better books on the O.J. trial. Frankly it is very good up to a certain point in time, that being the moment when he finished writing the book. Even with 1000 pages he misses many things. Is it fair and 100% accurate? Probably not. But it makes for a good read and it is one of the best books on the subject.



5. This 689 page hardcover book presents the "Uncensored Story of the Simpson Defense", factually based on personal interviews, documents, transcripts, and other material (p.ix). The `Acknowledgments' tells of Schiller's friendship with Bob Kardashian, and thanked the many who helped him. He tells how Vannatter told OJ's lawyer he wasn't under arrest (p.10), then when he talked to OJ alone he gave the Miranda warning (p.11). The idea of OJ using a knife was wrong, he owned nine guns (p.12). This case was all over the TV. [Was it to distract the public from the Korean war scares of May?] OJ's plumbing was awry from the thorough police search (p.26). After this OJ called Bob Shapiro who immediately hired the best experts (p.28). OJ was very emotional for his polygraph (p.33). OJ "didn't do it, wouldn't do it" (p.37). The photographs of OJ showed no marks or scratches (p.39). OJ's medications made him groggy (p.41).
   
   Schiller tells about Bill Pavelic's life with the LAPD (p.45). The wounds on the victims suggested two knives, two killers (p.47). AC doubled for OJ to draw away the media crowd (p.48). Schiller tells about the events on the day OJ was arrested. OJ was depressed, he went outside with AC, they were gone when the police arrived (pp.60-61). Bailey knew OJ's letter "shrieked innocence" (p.64). OJ's room in Chicago had broken glass and fresh bloodstains (p.66). OJ knew a long trial would deplete his wealth (p.67). That may explain his suicidal thoughts, the captain going down with his ship. The details about OJ's surrender are on pages 73-76. Pavelic had a different view of the LAPD at Simpson's house: poking around or taking evidence (p.77).
   
   Kardashian told the imprisoned OJ that "God has a plan for your life" (p.83). Shapiro chose the 3 greatest lawyers he knew: Bailey, Uelman, and Dershowitz (p.87). The story of Jill Shively about a Bronco at 10:50 had no corroboration (p.94). The 911 tape of Nicole damaged OJ's reputation but led to the dismissal of the grand jury. [Some said the grand jury would not indict OJ for murder.] Page 133 gives some reactions to Fuhrman's testimony; Bailey had doubts. Pavelic noticed Fuhrman was all over this case, but not in the reports (p.134). Some LAPD officers worried about Fuhrman (p.135). This part tells of the importance of Kardashian behind the scenes. When the press turned against OJ, were they leading or trailing public opinion (p.167)? Why was OJ's blood taken to the crime scene (p.173)? Why was some blood missing (p.174)? A neighbor's maid saw the Bronco parked around 10:15pm (p.186). The record keeping of the blood evidence was incomplete (p.187). How could they know that Nicole's blood was on OJ's socks before they tested (p.213)? There was no blood on the socks when collected for evidence (p.214)!
   
   When the jury selection began the high costs of the defense caused budget problems (p.219). The defense strategy was reasonable doubt, the effect of a rush to judgment (p.223). Only the DNA evidence from the blood makes OJ look guilty (p.225). [But how did it get there?] Cochran's faith in OJ's innocence was unshakable (p.226). [Did he have a source in the DA's office?] Was there tampering with the bindles (p.228)? If the blood evidence is untrustworthy, there is no case. There was a question about the blood drops (p.286).
   
   This very thorough book is much too long. About 100 pages on the pre-trial efforts, 250 pages on the trial would make a faster reading book. The minute details could be posted on an Internet site and not impede the narrative. For many, the high point of this trial was "the gloves didn't fit". There were other problems with the evidence, but none so glaring. [Try on your old gloves over a latex glove; it still fits.] We know the loafer shoes that left a bloody print were never bought or worn by OJ (those published photographs were faked). Most of all the time line showed OJ could not have personally murdered Nicole and Ron.

5 comments about Salt of the Earth: A Mother, A Daughter, A Murder.

1. Jack Olsen is great at true crime. He leaves no stone unturned, yet you never get bored. I have to agree with a fellow reviewer when he said that more time should have been spent on Michael Kay Green. The story, nonetheless is riveting. I could not put the book down. Elaine Gere is one tough lady, you sometimes feel like you are reading ficton yet it is real! I highly recommend "Salt".



2. I eagerly awaited the arrival of this book. Once again, Jack Olsen doesn't disappoint. This true crime novel will take you through a range of emotions. The story line keeps your interest until you reach the last page. Mr. Olsen has a unique way of telling the story that keeps you wanting more. Fantastic!



3. As one of the people who found the remains of dear Brenda on the Tulalip Reservation, finding this book was a chilling end to the mistery and the saddness of finding this poor little soul. Well written and informative this book laid down the facts and events that will keep you reading non stop to the end. Our hearts go out to the family and friends, and we are happy to have found her for all who loved Brenda.



4. This is just an excellent book that is throughly well written.
   Speaking as a California what really haunted from the accounts
   of this family in South Fontana, is how basically California
   hasnt changed much. Poor people are poorer, rich people are
   getting richer and the whole system is getting more corrupt
   with every passing day.
   
   Olsen tracks the Gere family (Joe, Evelyn, Bobby, Big Ed, Elaine)
   on what is a life journey filled with sadness, love, friendship,
   racism and inner spirit to survive. Thats the best way of summing
   up the book its the survival of one family in a big cosmopolitan
   country (Cali) that gives nothing to this class of people
   struggling to get by, yet enjoys the fruits of their labor.
   
   The book also has a great deal of social commentary as well,
   man you can easily make this in a course at a school and college
   and liberate and educate many youngsters in what life is about.
   
   It should be required reading, great book!!!



5. I have read all of Jack Olsen's books, but this one appealed to me because it was about the end result of a crime, not just the crime itself or the criminal. I was captivated by Elaine and her ability to handle everything, but I was devastated for her; this crime could have been prevented had people been more alert and as concerned about her child as they were their own. It takes crimes like these to educate us, but are we more alert today than we were when Brenda disappeared? Children are still disappearing right before our eyes. Based on this book, Elaine is my new hero and I needed to know there are women who suffer these events and still maintain hope. Olsen lets his readers see the story through the character's eyes, as if we were there. Unable to put it down, I end up reading the whole book in one day!

4 comments about Crossing Hoffa: A Teamster's Story.

1. This is a very well written book that tells a compelling story of two men's lives and how they intersect. It has the feel of a good mystery novel and, even though the phrase is trite, really is hard to put down. The reader gets drawn into the story immediately and is carried along from page to page in anticipation of what will happen next. If you enjoy reading any subject matter at all, you'll enjoy this book.



2. This is an extremely well-written book that will appeal to all! Harper's story of one man (the author's father) reminds us of what really matters in one's life - being true to who you are. In the telling of his father's intriguing story, the author illustrates to us that we need not be afraid of life's setbacks and obstacles for they can be used to build personal strength, character,and wisdom, and expand our empathy, acceptance and love of others. Harper's exceptional writing style results in one of those rare books that leaves you feeling like you were there -- "But by the grace of God go I...." And regardless of the dark places our life's journey might take us, it is never too late to leave our legacy --especially when it is built on on love and honor. A fascinating and moving true story --a must-read.



3. Great reading as the author, with his litigation experience, puts the pieces togethet of the story so that all the facts are represented and the story flows. Even though I knew the outcome, I was still pulling for the dad to muscle out and be the victor against Mr. Hoffa. Besides the story about his father, what a wonderful way to remember your childhood thru the eyes of your father.



4. A very riveting book that drips with a son's respect and admiration for his father's crusade for reform in a notorious and corrupt Teamster chapter. The author's father stands toe-to-toe with Hoffa and risks all.

5 comments about Roemer: Man Against the.

1. This book covers everything. Tells all about Sam "MO" Giancana to everything about Tony "Batters" Accardo. The details are fascinating and chilling. Really interesting and unbelievable. Makes you feel like you are Roemer himself. Great book!!!!!



2. I thought this book was magnificent. Roemer is is genuine in depicting the power that the mob had over anything and everything...He talks in detail about Accardo, giancana and the master fixers..aka the curruption squad of Murry Humphreys, Gus Alex..It's full of murders and double crosses..all in all it makes you feel like your right there...A must read



3. Retired FBI Agent William Roemer (1926-1996) details the workings of the Crime Syndicate in Chicago from the late 1940's into the 1980's - mirroring Roemer's career with the FBI. Roemer spent decades fencing with Chicago mobsters and mob bosses, including such figures as Tony Spilotro, Murray "The Camel" Humphreys, Sam Giancana, Tony Accardo, etc. Readers see how the mob operated, drawing its income from a combination of theft, fraud, gambling, sex, street taxes, and other venues, while enforcing discipline via intimidation and murder. We also see that the mob's moderately-successful ban against drugs resulted not from social conscience but from desires for preservation - Accardo and other bosses realized that drugs brought added public disdain and extra government heat, while turning some mobsters into junkies.
   
   This is a very readable and informative book, but it suffers a bit from a couple questionable claims plus self-boasting by the author. Still, these pages give readers a view of Chicago's mob/mafia syndicate, one that dates back to before the arrival of Al Capone.



4. IPSN.ORG
   
   William F. Roemer, Jr. (1926-1996)
   
   By: John J. Flood
   
   Everyone in law enforcement lost a true partner this past year. Many might not realize nor have known the man but one of their own - a street guy - has passed from law enforcement's midst.
   
   Bill Roemer, who retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after toiling 30 years ventured forth and became a book author and free-lancing attorney who specialized in assisting clients victimized by libel suits filed by organized crime associates, lost the toughest battle of them all and his life to that horrible disease - cancer of the lung. It took him down.
   
   It was not the syndicate hoodlum or the contract killers he relentlessly pursued and investigated as an agent who loved the day to day activities of being assigned to the F.B.I.'s Top Hoodlum Program that did him in, but rather, he met his maker from a terrible scourge that our government should spend a few more dollars funding a cure for.
   
   Bill Roemer was a great guy and a gentleman within law enforcement to say the least. Soft spoken, pleasant of nature and flashing a disarming smile, Roemer also spoke with conviction and authority. He blended an academic background with the experience only years on the street can bring. He lived by a simple credo that placed honesty, integrity, and duty to friends and family above his own needs. He could work the street with the best of those that had gone before him and he wouldn't back off tough matters when pushed in the belly. His quiet dignity and firm resolution set an example for younger agents to emulate. Duty. Honor. Integrity and a respect for those who paid their dues on the job.
   
   With the passage of time he became somewhat of a legend within law enforcement circles, though some will steadfastly argue that the legend had a self-perpetuating bent. So what.
   
   True, Bill had a knack for self-promotion, but so did Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickok and of more recent vintage, Eliot Ness - an unknown G-Man who was wallowing in obscurity until author Oscar Fraley got a hold of him and built up the myth of the Untouchables around a few kernels of truth. In turn, the Ness myth gave rise to a cottage industry of films and books that still fascinate the public. The legendary Chicago Police Officer Frank Pape was touted as such by columnist Nate Gross of the old Evening American and many other cop reporters.
   
   History often collides with fantasy and imagination. Ness was a freshly minted college grad assigned to the Secret Service when he came to Chicago in 1929 to do battle with Al Capone. Actually it was his street- honed agents recruited from various police departments who battered down the doors of the breweries and gathered the hard evidence that finally put Capone away with Ness absorbing much of the credit. But very often that is how our legends are crafted.
   
   Bill Roemer was the son of a former Jesuit seminarian, but as a young man, he opted for a legal career, beginning at the University of Notre Dame where he played rough sport and became an excellent amateur boxer. He earned the nickname "Zip" because of the speed and accuracy of his punches. His motto, one that he carried through life, reflected his relentless, optimistic outlook. "Keep punchin!" he always liked to say and everyone who knew the guts of Bill Roemer also was aware that he subscribed to that ideal till his last. He was not the type to whine about unexpected reversals of fortune or back away from a challenge. He thrived on it. He was a law enforcement guy, and he respected his peers.
   
   Bill was personally selected by the late J. Edgar Hoover to participate in the Bureau's Top Hoodlum Program, from its inception in 1957 when Hoover had to finally acknowledge the existence of a national network of organized crime - the Mafia as commonly known. Roemer's task was to gather data and conduct intelligence surveillance on several of the top outfit bosses in Chicago - notably Murray "the Camel" Humphreys among others, and Sam Giancana, the foul-mouthed gangster who was designated by Tony Accardo to head Chicago operations in the 1950s and sixties. One of the major reasons Giancana was hounded out of the country was due to the undaunting work of Bill Roemer and his colleagues who received a tremendous amount of their education from honest Chicago Police Officers.
   
   Roemer once said that it was his boyhood fantasy to become the nemesis of the Chicago mob, and after 21- years of doing this kind of work in the Windy City, there were more than a few hoodlums in town who would say he achieved the goal. Roemer and the agents with him planted microphones and conducted around-the- clock surveillance of the hoods as they gathered to discuss their criminal ventures in the back of a Michigan Avenue tailor shop. No simple task bugging these guys and the dangers were high.
   
   It was a black flag operation all the way, and Agent Roemer understood going in that if caught, his superiors from Hoover on down would deny any knowledge of the efforts to bug the wise guys leaving Roemer vulnerable to breaking and entering charges and the knowledge that his career could be over. Never mind if the hoods caught him in the act and turned him into trunk music. But the pineapple-sized microphone over- hearing mob activities was never detected by the wise-guys and over a period of months Little Al, as the device was dubbed, revealed a remarkable tale of political corruption, contract murder, and syndicate mayhem in metropolitan Chicago and throughout the country. A plethora of job action was opened to the government prosecutors.
   
   Despite being an F.B.I. agent, Roemer was extremely generous with his praise for the courageous street cops and detectives who worked in the Chicago Police Department - they had acquired a sophisticated knowledge of the mob long before the F.B.I. jumped on the band-wagon and he readily admitted that without them, the agents would not have found an elephant in a phone booth.
   
   Bill turned down several promotions to remain in Chicago environs working mob activities. He was always the street guy and liked being where the action was. He savored every moment of it - the constant intrigue, the danger, the challenges of working in one of the most mobbed up cities of the United States. Chicago was his kind of town. He had many friends - and enemies - as many in law enforcement who stir the murky waters always have.
   
   Roemer cultivated a string of high-placed informants including the late and infamous Richard B. Cain, the rogue cop who went to jail in the 1960s for his complicity in all sorts of mobbed up activity. Bill maintained that even while Cain was in the employ of Sam Giancana as his point man chauffeur and confidante he was funneling information back to the G-Man in a double-agent role. In the parlance of street agent of the time, Cain was a friend. A friend could be very useful in building an intelligence profile on a mobster, reveal the trail of corruption and payoffs, and in some instances help circumvent an impending murder. Bill had many such friends as most who are knowledgeable in law enforcement cultivate along a very gray line.
   
   He was never very far away from the action, even after he moved to Tucson in order to be closer to his son. In Semi-retirement, Roemer began a new career as a private attorney, consultant to the Chicago Crime Commission, and book author while keeping close tabs on one of his Arizona neighbors - former top New York City crime boss Joseph Bonanno and all else that was happening with La Cosa Nostra.
   
   The accolades and recognition became more public after Bill testified as a witness before the U. S. Senate rackets committee held in Chicago in 1983. Suddenly Bill Roemer burst through the clouds as the newest media celebrity, and with it he cemented his reputation as the Man Against the Mob.
   
   In 1989, Bill's first and best book, appropriately titled: Roemer: Man Against the Mob, was published and it chronicled his exploits as an F.B.I. agent in Chicago. It was an eye opener and must reading for any law enforcement type who wants to know what is going on to this very day. Two fiction-based-on-fact novels followed: War of the Godfathers and Mob Power Plays and a pair of non-fiction books including biographies of Tony Spilotro (The Enforcer) and Tony Accardo (The Genuine Godfather).
   
   In the last decade of his life, Roemer was a frequent guest on TV and radio programs enlightening the public on organized crime influence. He appeared on such major news documentary programs as American Justice, on the A & E cable network and many more radio talk shows of local origin in addition to writing articles for numerous publications including the Illinois Police & Sheriff's News. He enlightened the public with his knowledge.
   
   His opinions were sought out by the major media, and as the nation's reigning mob watcher Bill lent his insights and talents to a variety of projects including the made-for-TV movie Sugartime, which aired in 1995. Teaming up with the daughter of his old mob nemesis, bill and Antoinette Giancana formed an unlikely alliance, but they were designated as the major consultants to the producers of Sugartime. Roemer appeared in the movie in a cameo walk-on-role.
   
   His life's work now complete, Bill Roemer, a man for all seasons, has gone to his maker. He has been laid to rest along side of his parents at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in South Bend, Indiana, not far from his alma mater and the site of his youthful accomplishments in the athletic realm.
   
   He will be missed but never forgotten. Quite simply a great law enforcement guy and I am proud to say my friend. To his family, I would like them to know that I am a far better man because of my acquaintance with Bill Roemer.
   
   
   
   Roemer: Man Against the Mob



5. lots of good information. the content of this book is amazing. roemer may be the greatest F.B.I. agent of all time, as he claims, but he is a terrible author. exclamation points abound in some of his other books. this book is less cheesy, but roemer really should have narrated to a professional writer, god bless him

5 comments about Deadly Masquerade: A True Story of Sexual Secrets, Illicit Passion, and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. A strange and sordid tale of a woman who meets and marries a man still involved in a transsexual relationship with a man who committed a murder years earlier. Not very well-written, the book lacked "common sense." I find it odd that she never apparently asked her husband if he was in love with this person, or other obvious questions. And the police angle of allowing her to run an "investigation" of her own is far-reaching. For a woman who was concerned about her children, she certaintly seemed to leave them "for the weekend" a lot of the time. It seems as throughout the whole book most of her time was spent "crying and shaking", or on the phone. An "okay" read for the lay person, but not for a true fan of true crime. You will be sadly disappointed.



2. The heighth of self serving, convoluted drivel. I would no way share this book with friends. Haven't decided whether to just trash it or put it in a goodwill box.



3. This book is so boring, I could not finish it. Most of the stuff does not even make sense and is hard to believe.



4. Donita Woodruff was a divorced mother of two children. She was looking for love and thought she found it in Dave Allen, an Academy Award nominee in visual effects for the film, Young Sherlock Holmes, in 1985. Anyway, she thought that she found the perfect man except his ex-girlfriend, Valerie Nicole Taylor was somehow in the picture. As she slowly uncovered the truth, Donita would learn that Taylor was born Freddie Turner Jr. in South Carolina and was wanted for murdering Billy Posey twenty years ago. She would later learn that her husband had known about the murder and helped Valerie become a woman by paying for her sex-change operation. The relatinship between Valerie and David was a lot more complicated. Valerie or Freddie is a criminal psychopath or sociopath and brilliant con-artist. She managed to blackmail and deceive men out of money and relationships. While I disagree with many of Donita's actions, I can only help wondering what I would do in her situation. SHe did her best in finding out the past and trying to bring justice to a deceased man and father that she never knew. You know the phrase that you get what you wish for and Donita wanted something more than a quiet life and she got.



5. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this story. I couldn't even finish it. The only "true crime" here is that people have actually paid money for this book. Don't waste your time or your money.

3 comments about Family Skeleton: A Brother and Sister's Journey from Murder to Truth (Real People/Incredible Stories).

1. After finishing the story and closing the book I was left speechless. I felt a need to breathe deeply. I could not put this book down. It is a story of tremendous courage and strength in the face of horrific odds. It is beautifully and skillfully written and one understands only one person could have written their story for them and that is Ms. Mackey. As the story unfolds one can only imagine how incredibly difficult it must have been for this story to be told as well as written. This book first breaks your heart and then heals it as you read in awe of their incredible strength and courage. I strongly recommend reading this story, it is one you will never forget.



2. This is a true story about Andre and Sabrina's lives growing up who were scared, and kept a great big nasty secret for 20 years. Imagine going through life with something in the back of your mind that you remember but too afraid to tell anyone. Being isolated from the world and afraid to even go home after school.
   
   In New York a single mother, Mrs. Carmichael, was raising four children on her own. Gregory is the oldest boy, then Sabrina, and twins, Andre and Latanisha.
   
   When the twins were three and Sabrina eight, Sabrina witnessed her mother and brother Gregory beat Latanisha till she fell backwards dead. After trying to resuscitate her, they put her little body in a garbage bag and then into a trunk. The trunk was then put in the back of the mother's closet where it remained-never to be spoken of again. Both Andrea and Sabrina were abused over the years, and Andre is kept isolated at home. They are both scared of their mother and brother Gregory.
   
   Twenty years later Andre searches for Sabrina. He has known something was missing all these years and is most curious about his twin-an aunt claims he has a twin. After several attempts Sabrina tells Andre of the murder and where Latanisha's body still is. Sabrina is scared to go to the authorities for fear of their lives and their children's lives. Andre talks to a detective and then they go to the police.
   
   Andre and Sabrina take the stand at the trial against their own mother and brother. After being convicted and sentenced the mother still has no remorse or truth, and she takes it all to the grave with her.
   
   Aurora Mackey had read the story about the Carmichael family. It touched her deeply and she got in touch with Andre. After getting to know Andre and Sabrina, they became good friends. Sabrina and Andre told her she could write the book but it was to be Latanisha's story. After a while Aurora shares her own secret with them-about her fraternal twin, and that she understands how Andrea feels.
   
   After reading this book I had chills because the abuse is so unbelievable, not to mention the murder.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: Strong story that's sad-but-true real life.



3. Andre and Sabrina Carmichael lived through some very harsh and disturbing times. The fact that, after twenty years of fear, they were able to finally tell someone about it is a testament to the strength and courage they both had to have to endure.
   
   Madeline Carmichael had four children: Gregory, the oldest, Sabrina, and twins, Andre and Latanisha. At some point, things changed for Madeline. She became very abusive to the children and oftentimes used Gregory as her enforcer to help the younger ones behave. When the twins were around three years old, Madeline and Gregory beat Latanisha to death and disposed of the body as Sabrina and Andre watched. Carefully orchestrated abuse meant to instill fear was used to keep Andre and Sabrina separated so they would never talk about what they saw. Sabrina would live with the terrible secret and the harshest of treatment for twenty years. Andre, though too young to remember details, would always have the feeling that something was missing as he endured many beatings as well.
   
   Twenty years later, at the behest of Andre, Sabrina reveals the truth of that awful day. What unravels is a story of horrific proportions that leaves many wondering how these young children could have fallen through the proverbial crack. On their journey to truth, Andre and Sabrina relive the nightmare and lead authorities to the evidence they have lived with most of their lives. It all culminates into the arrest and conviction of their mother and older brother for murder.
   
   FAMILY SKELETON: A Brother and Sister's Journey from Murder to Truth is a shockingly frightening and mind-blowing portrayal of society at its worse. My heart becomes entrenched in the lives of these children and the horror they faced from someone who was supposed to love them. A government that was supposed to protect them failed in every sense of the word. Although justice was served, albeit late for Latanisha, Sabrina and Andre were able to find some healing for themselves. This true account is surprisingly told in way that flows perfectly, even though it comes from two different accounts. Aurora Mackey does an excellent job of bringing Sabrina and Andre together to tell Latanisha's story.
   
   Reviewed by Brenda Lisbon
   of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

5 comments about Predator.

1. I'd expected the book to be good, but it was excellent. I highly recomend it to all true crime fans. The book gave just enough background, just enough of the trials, just enough opinions etc. It was very informative and such a compelling read. I was already familiar with the wrongful conviction of Steve Titus, and found Olsen's account to be quite accurate and compassionate.



2. I am a fan of thrillers and suspense books. Books such as this go far in proving that real life events can be far more terrifying than anything we read in fiction. Any fan of real life crime, criminal psychology or of books about our criminal /judicial system really need to read this book.

   There are two aspects to this story...more if you want to start considering the many rape victims left in Mac Smith's wake. The first aspect is Mac Smith himself. The story goes very far in explaining how personalities such as Mac Smith's are formed. Jack Olsen portrays Mac as a well-rounded individual, even a likeable person. Yet, Mac is truly twisted and sick. Extremely manipulative. It is frightening to know that this person could be out on the streets in another 4 years...

   Then there is the story of Steve Titus. This is, perhaps, the most frightening part of the whole story. It really makes you wonder how often innocent people are convicted of another's crimes. This man suffered for 8 months...through his arrest which he jokingly thought was all a mistake, a trial, a conviction, and finally numerous postponements of his sentencing before his innocence was finally proven with the assistance of a news reporter. His life was destroyed....he lost his job and eventually the woman he loved.

   This book is a truly compelling read. I read it in one day of nonstop reading. After reading this book, the next time you hear someone in jail profess their innocence, you will hesitate before you sneer and say, "Yeah...that's what they all say..."




3. If you are a fan of True Crime, then get your hands on this book. Jack Olsen is one of the best True Crime writers around. Not only will this book keep you on the edge of your seat, but it will also enrage you at the injustice put upon one man. I highly recommend this book.



4. This was a case of police creating evidence to fit crimes. As I first began to read Predator, I thought it was going to be a shallow account of mistaken identity, but as I got further into it, I was totally caught up in it. How sad that in the police's efforts to clean up a case, a man's life was ruined. Nothing can make up for the railroading of Steven Titus and how it ultimately affected his life and death. Jack Olsen succeeds in delving into the case and all the personalities involved. This is an excellent book.



5. I first read this book many years ago and the feelings of rage and injustice are still very sharp. My late father was an Army MP and then a deputy sheriff and I remember how my world was turned upside down by what happened to poor Steve Titus. And of course I always felt that the cops should have been punished somehow. Not just for what they did to him but because of all the women who landed in the crosshairs of a serial rapist who went undisturbed by a real investigation.
   Whenever I hear people gossiping about the justice system and how we coddle criminals and how lawyers are morally as corrupt as their clients, I always ask, " Do you remember the Predator case?" To date, nobody I've ever asked has ever heard of it. When I tell them, they tell me it's not true, or that Titus must have done SOMETHING!! Some will question me about being related to a victim, or being one of the attorneys. For the record, I work in a warehouse and I don't know anyone in the book.
   This book was the first in the genre I ever read, and got me hooked on true crime. I recommend it to everyone, especially as a first attempt at non-fiction.
   I also recommend 'All sHe Ever Wanted' by Aphrodite Jones (it's the book that was made into the movie 'Boys Don't Cry" with Hilary Swank; and 'The Michigan Murders' whose author I don't recall.

1 comments about Kentucky Moonshine.

1. I read this book in college for kicks and it opened my eyes about many things. Moonshiners were not just crusty old mountaineers who wanted to get drunk and have a good time. This book explains how the social and economic aspects of an agrarian sub-culture led to an era of Americana that has been immortalized by icons like the Hatfield/McCoy feud, Snuffy Smith, and characters from "The Andy Griffith Show". Maurer shows how a seemingly innocuous pasttime like making illicit liguor grew from an immigrant tradition to the sport of NASCAR. Anecdotes, pictures, illustrations, and testimony brings it all together. A good read for anyone intersted in a often misunderstood piece of American history.