No comments about The Spy's Bedside Book.

4 comments about Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia.

1. If you wish to know something in a sober way about what Michael 'the Pope' Greco and Joe "Bananas" Bonnano were up to, how the mafia and the Christian Democrats in Italy greased each others wheels for decades, who almost destroyed the mafia (the fascists) and of course which type of Alfa Romero was the mafiosi car bomb of choice in the 1960s - almost always an Alfa Romero Giulietta - then this is the book for you. One distraction: while much of the book is clearly based on the oral testimony of Tommaso Buscetta, a pentiti or mafia defector near the end of his days, the author repeatedly reminds us that his testimony is not entirely reliable, an annoying and patronising ) sleight of hand.



2. The praise given by critics and reviewers when this book was first published in 2004 are easily understood and justified when reading it in paperback format. While many earlier books have largely relied on a review of recent Sicilian history and events post WWII (Norman Lewis, Claire Sterling) or focussing on a very specific area (such as Alex Stille's "Excellent Cadavers" on the story of investigating magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino), this is the first real recent effort I know of in English to write a full history of the Sicilian Mafia under its correct name of Cosa Nostra.
   
   This is faciltated by the recent outpouring of Italian writings based on the vast amount of new information and evidence now available and which Dickie fully acknowledges in his book. In addition Dickie has also researched a number of historical sources and reports which have been largely ignored by previous English language writers.
   
   What really places this book above the rest is:
   
   Dickie has proven much better at covering the 19th century foundation of Cosa Nostra (and its earlier roots in Sicilian society) and then tracking this organisation's development of being a very tightly controlled killing machine exterminating any competition through the 20th century to date - the fact that nearly half of the book is devoted to the period before the end of WWII reflects this approach.
   
   He has avoided the trap of spending too much time on the US Mafia with its more public image and history, instead only referring to it as it actually impacts and helps our understanding of the Sicilian society's history.
   
   Finally he has done a much fuller job than many prior books in tracking the Cosa Nostra linkage through Sicilian politics with Italian political history since Italian unification in late 19th century and especially since WWII, with the rise of Christian Democrats party who dominated Italian politics, especially under Andreotti. He makes a very strong case that without such political links and Rome's constant vacillation, Cosa Nostra would never have become as endemic and protected from the forces of law and order.
   
   One ends the book feeling that the whole tragedy while not at an end is certainly moving into a model seen in many other countries, where criminal or terrorist elements have realised their best chances of survival are lower profile protection and corruption activities plus control of drugs, kidnapping and prostitution rather than seeking to always be in the public eye. This development as the book explains was almost wholly down to an almost public civil war started and executed by Leggio and Rinna with numerous public killings between 1970 and 1982. The murdering of a number of high profile police and anti-Mafia lawyers and politicians, ultimately created the environment where Falcone and Borsellino were able to achieve the maxi-trials in 1986 which used pentiti (defectors) such as Tomasso Buscetta. This led to many (but not all) leading Cosa Nostra old style heads being jailed for long terms under better enforced new Italian laws and those persons failing to date to obtain their freedom by political corruption in Rome, even after the murders by Cosa Nostra of Falcone and Borsellino.
   
   The book is likely to be the classic text of the area for some time given all these strengths and with the organisation becoming more circumspect.



3. CN is well-written and starts out being very interesting: the early chapters discuss the origins and traditions of the Mafia. As the book progresses, however, it starts to drag. I think I skimmed the last 40 pages or so because I had gotten bored.
   
   I can't really blame the author; it must be very hard (or impossible) to get enough information on a secret society to write a coherent history. CN is mostly a patchwork of accounts of individual criminals and specific crimes. It's decent work but not really what one thinks of when one is bying a "history" of something.



4. The author has written a compelling, well researched and substantial account of the history of the Sicilian Mafia. The bibliography is very impressive as Mr. Dickie has read widely and deeply to produce this book with careful attention to details of persons and events.
   
   He argues that the Sicilian Mafia did not originate centuries ago as an Honored Society but contends that its genesis was a criminal organization during the troubled period of 1860 to 1876. Sicily during this period became part of the nation of Italy after decades of rule from Naples as part of the Bourbon Kingdom. During these chaotic years the organization that we know today as the Mafia took shape, organized and began to proper. However its genesis was a complex affair and the author is able to unravel the puzzle and produce a very readable and fascinating account from its beginnings to the present day.
   
   One of the most fascinating figures to emerge from the book was the very competent and efficient Ermanno Sangiorgi who was Chief of Police of Palermo at the turn of the 20th century. He conducted criminal investigations made raids and arrests and was able to lay the ground for prosecution of Mafia figures. He produced a very comprehensive report on the Sicilian Mafia with details of criminal family structures, individual profiles, Mafia initiation rituals, codes of behavior as well as it business methods and operations. Despite his best efforts the Mafia survived his attempt to shut it down, however with more support from the government and certain officials he would certainly have seriously weakened it but probably not shut it down. Sadly all the good work Sangiorgi did was filed away and forgotten about and a valuable chance to seriously weaken the Mafia was lost.
   
   The author is able to peel away the layers of myth and mist that surround the history of the Sicilian Mafia and reveal an organization that is very adaptable and sophisticated. There is much information about it workings in the affairs of government and private industry as well as its international relationships

5 comments about Donnie Brasco: Unfinished Business.

1. I missed the first book, so this is tying up ends I didn't know were still loose. Even if you didn't read the author's original book, this sequel is still full of enough fun Mafia tales to keep you entertained. I saw the movie so long ago, I can't recall it now. But this made me want to take a second look. If you like true crime and La Cosa Nostra inside looks, then this is for you.



2. Former FBI Agent Joseph Pistone and former Delaware Deputy Attorney General Charles Brandt, have teamed up to write this true Crime Thriller which is based on six years of undercover work by Pistone, a/k/a Donnie Brasco. Donnie Brasco went "under" the same year Teamster Boss, Jimmy Hoffa was killed (1975). Brandt wrote about Hoffa in his 2004 book, "I Heard You Paint Houses". Pistone, likewise, has written about his fascinating work in previous books.
   
   "Unfinished Business" is fast paced and heart-stopping. And troublesome. When he was undercover, Donnie Brasco determined that, if necessary, he would KILL an innocent person rather than blow his cover. In fact, he did beat the crap out of two thugs to maintain the façade. However, he claims he probably saved their lives. One wonders.
   
   Donnie Brasco "went under" as a jewelry thief. The FBI actually trained him in the field; it didn't take much; as few thugs know about jewelry. I would like to have heard more about the psychology or reason(s) Joe Pistone was selected for this dangerous operation. Whatever the reason(s) for his selection, it was a stunning success. But it lasted much too long and recklessly endangered Pistone's life and numerous investigations. Pistone stayed under so long because he wanted to achieve "made man" status before surfacing. Fortunately, his handlers pulled him out before it was too late.
   
   Pistone's efforts coupled with talented, ambitious and determined federal prosecutors, exposed and decimated the Mafia's operation in New York and other U.S. Cities. Among the prosecutors Pistone worked with are Rudy Giuliani (2008 Presidential Candidate) and Michael Chertoff (now Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security). Pistone and men like Giuliani, Chertoff and others, helped along immeasurably by the Witness Protection Program, mandatory minimum sentences and RICO Statutes combined to deliver a breath-taking blow to organized crime in New York and elsewhere. To this day, the Mob continues to suffer from the efforts of these brave, bright, hard-working men.
   
   In many respects this book (after page 75) reads like a series of victory laps. The narrative explicates the dramatic success that Pistone's efforts brought to criminal prosecutions outside New York as well as a number of prosecutions in and around New York including the "Pizza Connection" cases, the "Mafia Commission" case, the Lucchese Family prosecutions, and cases as recent as 2006 involving the so called rogue "mafia cops". The "rogue" cops were convicted and will probably die in jail. These are all tremendous victories for the government and it will apparently be a long time before the mafia can make a recovery, if ever.
   
   But Pistone's efforts were not appreciated by everyone, including fellow agents and especially one supervisor who gave him such a difficult time that Pistone actually quit the FBI for a time. After being undercover for 6 years (1975-1981), he would testify in a number of trials; usually with devastating results.
   
   I found the first 75 pages most engaging, Watching Donnie Brasco sweat and weave his way through the mob is thrilling and scary beyond any comparison. He could have been "whacked" at any time. For any reason. For "disrespect". For being a traitor to the mob. For no reason. The word "whacked" must appear 200 times in the text. Fortunately, it doesn't apply to Mr. Pistone. YET. Killings were often performed by Zips; hoods imported from Italy to do messy work. Hoods with a curious morality. Listen to this excerpt regarding one Zip, Luigi Ronsisvalle, age 47 and imported from Catania, Sicily with a fourth-grade education:
   
   Luigi confessed to 13 murders the way you or I might confess to having eaten the last slice of cake in the refrigerator. His first slice of cake was at 18 in Sicily. His last slice was the 1979 pay-for-hire shooting of a restaurant chef who had allegedly raped a Brooklyn father's 14-year-old daughter. The girl's father had gone to the Mafia instead of the criminal justice system seeking the death penalty to avenge his child. Luigi walked into the restaurant and asked to see the chef. The chef said, "That's me," and Luigi blew him away on the spot.
   
   Luigi explained his hits to the jury in English with a heavy Italian accent. "That was a job. It had nothing to do with destroying people....If you give me $30,000 to kill a person, you kill him, not me."
   
   Pressed further about the 13 hits, Luigi explained further: "I'm-a no kill. I'm-a the messenger. The bullet Kill. I'm-a just-a the messenger"
   
   The troubling aspect of this book is that one of the principal crime fighters, FBI Agent, Lin DeVecchio, was recently indicted for murder by a Brooklyn prosecutor. That case is still (July, 2007) working its way through the court system and while numerous FBI agents have lined up behind the defendant in support of him, the defendant is in a great deal of trouble and may be, and hopefully will not be, convicted of serious crimes (like murder) which could put him away for the rest of his life.
   
   Early on in the book, Pistone explains that he was willing to take an innocent life if necessary and at the end of the book former FBI Agent DeVecchio is being charged with murder. My guess is the now indicted FBI agent wishes Pistone had not been so candid in revealing that he was prepared to do whatever was necessary to protect his undercover identity. The question now is what was DeVecchio prepared to do. And what did he do, if anything.
   
   The Epilogue is odd. It is one page and is a requiem, if you will, "of Mafia men I associated with and hung out with who got whacked......(there's that word again)". No wonder then that there was, and may still be, a $500,000.00 contract on Pistone's head.



3. Okay. I read the first book. But other than a few extra sentences what was so different about this one? It's a good thing the Bonnanos are my favorite family to read up on (all the dysfunction).But honestly, there is nothing all that new here, just a few corrections and clearing up the movie difference.



4. If you've already read "Donnie Brasco", there's really nothing here that you need. Pistone rehashes some of his time undercover, and then goes on to re-report the same mob news that's been reported over and over for the past decade. Really, there's nothing here to justify the cost. No new photos, very little new information of interest, save Pistone's opinion on more modern mobsters and a few undercover snippets from his other later operations. His clear opinion that the Commission Case led to the dismantling of the modern American Mafia is a bit overstated, as well, being mentioned continually during his ruminations on the state of the modern mob. Overall, you can miss this one, without actually missing all that much.



5. I find it truly amazing that ANYBODY could withstand 6 months of the undercover police work Joe Pistone indured, let alone 6 years. His insight into the inner-workings of the Mafia was very informative,interesting and frightning. A good read. Get it.

5 comments about Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer--America's Deadliest Serial Murderer.

1. I decided to read this book after seeing the TV movie based on Ann Rule's book. However, I believe another book written in the late 80s/early 90s, The Search For the Green River Killer, was better.
   
   Rule's book goes a bit overboard in giving backgrounds to the many women who disappeared. After reading 40+ mini bio's on each of the girls, the book starts to become a bit boring. However, she does give the reader enough information to know that these girls were real people and that they all had mothers, boyfriends, and family. However, these bios continue for at least 250 pages (paperback). Once the bios are finished, the book begins to take off.
   
   One irritating factor is how Rule stops the flow of narration to interject comments about herself, or what she was doing during the course of the killings, or how she passed on certain information to the police, blah blah blah. I believe one should write objectively about the subject without personal interjection.
   
   Another facet of the book I found unusual was how the book skipped from circa 1988/89 to 2001. Rule gives basically no information as to what was happening on the case during the 90s. She starts section III with 2001 and the capture of Ridgway. Well...what happened during the 90s? How did the police slowly hone in on Ridgway?
   
   The last section of the book starts with "We've caught the GRK" and then goes into his capture, his trial and so on.
   
   I've read other Ann Rule books. I know she writes well but this book was a bit self-serving.



2. It took Ms Rule over 20 yrs to write this book , and as you will tell it is very well written . It tells us the story of the 49 victims and a little of what their life was like as most of them lived on the streets .
   The Green River Killer (GRK) didn't have a preference , He didn't care about the age or race of the girls , He just patroled the strip for his victims . SOme of them being easy targets as they were prositutes and others that weren't . This book shows us how anyone can fall victim to this type of crime when there is a serial killer loose .
   
   You never know your neighbor or friend as Ms Rule says in here as she worked along side of Ted Bundy prior to his killing spree .
   
   Was the GRK ever caught and what happened , you have to read the book to find out .



3. I could not get past the first 100 pages. The topic is interesting but the style of the writing is boring and unbearable. Hard to stay interested with all the off topic tangents the author goes on.



4. Accurately and graphically covering details of horrific murders, Ann Rule does so with compassion and sympathy. This is not any easy task considering the horror of the crimes against more than 50 young women in the Pacific Northwest during the 1980's. Rule gives the reader insight into the both the killer's and the victim's motivations and life's story. This story is well-presented and conclusive. Recommended.



5. This book is more of a yearbook of the victims than it is an account of the crimes or the mind of the GRK. It just went on and on about each girl and her miserable life and how that led her into the world of prostitution and eventually to becoming a GRK victim. I read about 3/4 of the book and then just gave up. It just went on and on and on and jumped all over the place. Only Ann Rule book I did not enjoy. And the first book I have ever not bothered to finish reading.

5 comments about Henry Lee's Crime Scene Handbook.

1. This book was an exceptional take-home package of crime scene processing information in an easy-to-read format. However, the chosen title for this work is egotistical and arrogant. There are a large number of typographical errors, but the book is actually quite useful. I must say, please wait for the second edition before purchasing this book.



2. Response by Marilyn T. Miller. I am compelled to respond to an earlier review. This book was a cooperative work of all three authors but was done under the direct guidance and care of Henry Lee. Crime scene investigation has been one of Dr. Lee's lifetime concerns. This book is the result of that dedication. The other authors owe a hugh amount of graditute to him for their participation in the effort.



3. i will like to ricieve a copy of this book.



4. I read this book as a required text for a Masters program in Forensic Science. Having read the previous reviews on the book, I was not expecting a particularly good textbook, but I do not believe that the other reviews do justice to how totally worthless this book is. I feel obliged to write a review of my own to balance the scales, as it were.

   First off, the comment regarding the numerous typographical and grammatical errors in the book is grossly understated. I cannot believe that this book ever saw an editor's desk. I have randomly opened the book to several pages, and quickly found the following sentences, which I believe should illustrate my point:

   - Most importantly [sic] by keeping the suspect away from the scene, any physical evidence found at the scene that originated from the suspect will link the suspect to the scene only at the time of the crime and not from the suspect having been returned to the scene for identification by victims or witnesses. p.53 (grammatical error, poorly written and confusing)

   - Access [sic] the type of scene, the boundary of the scene, and the personnel and equipment needed. p 58. (should read, 'assess')

   There are others, as well - alas, I have forgotten the sentence I came across while reading for class that contained a minimum of 5 errors. Yes. One sentence.

   My most significant complaint, however, is that the book is simply not thorough. This is primarily due to the fact that it appears to have been written for idiots - all the major areas are touched upon, but there appears to be a fear that tackling them in detail would confuse people. So, instead, each technique is mentioned only in passing, leaving the reader with only a very vague overview of what goes on at a crime scene. Any person actually practicing in the field of forensic science is bound to be disappointed by its lack of depth, detail, and 'new' material. This likely also applies to anyone who has read any other books on the subject, whether they are active in the field or not.

   For those who are interested in the subject and looking for a much better primer, I would suggest Fisher's 'Techniques of Crime Scene Investigation,' instead. While he does not have the friendly or chatty writing style that Lee has (the only thing going for Lee's book, incidentally), he is significantly more thorough. The book is also more well-regarded in the field, based on everything I have heard. This is not to say that Lee does not have a prominent name in forensics - quite the contrary. But, I would hate to think that anyone would purchase this book on his name alone. He should stick to spoken lectures, at which he is quite excellent.




5. Very informative. Great details. It goes over everything that a person should know.

1 comments about Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism.

1. This book is far superior than many other books on similar topics, and the authors walk the line well between being academic and practical. The thrust of the book is toward an understanding of what criminologists call "emerging crime," and it delivers a well researched baseline of information synthesized with what is known or speculated about emerging trends. The end result is a product suitable for adoption in the academic marketplace, and would even make for fascinating reading by laypersons. Overall, the book is congruent with the scholarly and curricular purposes of higher education, and one shares the sense of urgency that comes across at times, but one also relishes the moments, evident in the writing, when careful and meticulous reflection is done.
   The introductory chapter spares the reader from a boring introduction to the history of the Internet, and the basic typology relied upon is the well-known computer as target and computer as tool (instrument) which comes from some of the earliest distinctions made, as well as the third type, the computer as incidental to crime. The authors wisely stick to a legalistic approach, and educate or orient the reader about theft and fraud law, which is important to do. Gladly, there is not any overemphasis upon news stories. The writing is generalized when it can be, and specific when it has to be.
   The criminological theory chapter is ripe with promise. Twenty-five pages are spent bringing the reader up to par on the mainstream theories in criminology, but then, strain, learning, and control theories are just applied, not really extended, to explain computer crime. Theoretical extensions are left to the reader's imagination.
   There is a well-done analysis of hacker subcultures, but the approach taken is symbolic interactionist, leading to a morally relativistic position that hackers and computer criminals are qualitatively and quantitatively different from other criminals. Likewise with the discussion of virus writers, semantic danger is noted in perceiving virus writers as "technopathic" and I take this as the authors attempting to make the reader more culturally sensitive to the plight of those poor, unfairly-labeled "bad" guys.
   The crimes of embezzlement, economic espionage, money laundering, and fraud are discussed in a straightforward manner, but the approach is quite legalistic, and all the reader will walk away with is a better understanding of the CFA and EEA acts.
   A welcome focus on victimization appears when stalking and obscenity are discussed, but the writing is quite antiseptic, handling very meticulously and tactfully things like child prostitution and sexual predators on the Web. Topics like sex tourism are also discussed, but there's really no "voice" of the victims to be found.
   Towards the middle, the book shifts to what criminal justice agencies are doing, but the discussion is freshman-level, and there's really no coverage of the Patriot Act, Homeland Security, or what the feds are doing. Other topics are missing altogether, like cyber-vigilantism. Computer forensics is the focus.
   Once cyberterrorism is finally gotten around to, four types of it are discussed: infrastructure; information; facilitation; and promotion. The first type brings up the subject of homeland security. The second type brings up web defacement. The third type discusses cryptography and steganography, and the fourth type gets into the topic of propaganda. Issues are only brought up and never fully explored or exploited. An interesting inclusion is what's written on anarchy, eco-terrorism, and Internet cartoons. It seems like certain emerging trends sometimes take precedence over mundane issues.
   All in all, the book grasps what can safely be generalized without losing currency. There are some brave, noble initiatives in this book, and it is creative in many respects, but it tries to deliver all things to all people, and suffers somewhat for it by lacking a perspective or voice.

5 comments about Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia.

1. book is very good in detailing La Costra Nostra in NYC during early 70"s. mostly 80's- enjoyed it.



2. I love the stories about the NY crime families. Obviously I didn't like the murders and the actual "taxes" they added to cost of so many goods and services.
   
   Sammy the Bull was not a good guy. However in a twisted way, we can learn a lot about dedication and hard work. It's too bad he needed crime to be successful, albeit temporarily. His work ethic could have made him a very successful honest businessman.
   
   In any event, this is a great book for those who remember the NY crime families of the 1980's - especially if you lived in Queens, Brooklyn, or Staten Island. I'm not saying that Mafia crime didn't happen in the other boroughs. It's just that most will remember the dumping grounds in Staten Island, the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, and Gotti's neighborhood of Queens as important areas to the Mafia.
   
   The NY media was obsessed with John Gotti. This book tells a different version of the story.



3. We all know by now the tragic story of John Gotti and Sammy Gravano. Here Sammy tells his side. I don't believe certain segments of this book because I know how the game goes and some things were not adding up. But he also admitted some things and did not seem to try to hide who he really was. All in all, it ends up with him flipping on John Gotti. But honestly, I don't think John left him any other alternative.



4. This is an interesting look at the mob from someone who was a made member of the Cosa Nostra. Sammy the Bull Gravano is no angel and he pulls no punches, as he regales the reader with his tale of growing up on the mean streets of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn as the dyslexic son of Italian immigrants. A high school drop-out, Sammy graduated from local street gangs to the Cosa Nostra, taking a blood oath of silence. So much for promises.
   
   This book is a series of taped interviews that are edited by the author, who interposes little analysis but serves to connect the dots. The feel of the book is gritty, and Sammy the Bull Gravano comes across as a reasonably intelligent person who made a knowing choice early on to enter into a lifestyle that was fraught with murder, larceny, greed, betrayal, and fear. The book documents his rise in the mob, until he becomes the underboss for the "Teflon Don", the ever dapper John Gotti.
   
   There is clearly little love lost between Sammy the Bull Gravano and the late John Gotti, who comes across as a narcissistic, egomaniacal, stupid, greedy thug. Of course, Sammy's take on himself, although a hard core made member of the mob, is that of a guy who was let down by the bosses who promised honor but did not know the first thing about it.
   
   While Sammy tries to whitewash himself, there is no getting around that he was a killer, a thief, and a thug. I doubt that Sammy would have talked, had he not felt that he was being set up by Gotti to take the fall for him. Clearly, Sammy's motive for blabbing to the Feds was not altruistic. Still, through his defection, Gravano was responsible for the conviction of many key mob figures. His impact on organized crime will be felt for some time to come. For those that are interested in reading about the Cosa Nostra, this is definitely a must read book for an insider's view of that lifestyle.



5. This book rivals The Valachi Papers and is even written by the same author Peter Maas.It gives a good insiders view of the lies and deceptions of the mob.Gravano was able to navigate the "mob" system,make alot of money and get out before either he or his family were killed.In addition by turning "States Evidence" as did Joe Valachi,he helped put a spotlight on the "Mob" and from a read of this book,"Cosa Nostra" would not be a life to envy or emulate.
   Gotti is portrayed as truly a media infatuated figure of the eighties,a mob superstar smiling for the cameras seeming to say,"Hey look at all the fun we're having and the law can't touch us"!Did his tailor also design suits for PTL's Jim BAKKER?(My own obsevation).With all the murder,lies and deceit in this book you would have to conclude that anyone in the Cosa Nostra is capable of any crime confessed to by Gravano.I must say a whole book filled with such unadmirable and deceitful characters you will have trouble finding.
   One small anecdote from the book sums it well.John Gotti proudly tells "Chin" Gigante that he has made his own son John Gotti Jr. a "made " member of the Cosa Nostra.Chin,also a "made" member, in an honest and spontaneous reply says,"Jeez, I'm sorry to hear that"!Gravano has done an excellent job and this book definitely rivals Maas' The Valachi Papers.This book does to the Gambino "Family", what Valachi did to the Genovese "Family".

1 comments about The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime.

1. A fantastic story but known to people that have watched the World Cups from 1970 and after..Brazil and Italy,the teams that have won more trophies in this tournament is not because they deserved it but because they had help from outside the field.The strange thing about Mundial is that the ONLY footballer which was caught "dirty" was Diego Armando Maradona.The one that made football so popular in all over the world.All others are clean...
   My congratulations to the author.

5 comments about Into the Kill Zone: A Cop's Eye View of Deadly Force.

1. Dr. Klinger is one of those rare people who has spent a substantial amount of time on the street as a cop and then gone on to earn a reputation as a serious scientist. He uses this unique combination of skills and insight to shed light on one of the most talked about and least well understood events in contemporary American life -- police shootings.
   
   If you want the true story about what it's like to be in the kill zone where cops make life or death decisions, then live or die by them, this is the book for you. Klinger's interviews with 80 police officers who recounted incidents in which they used deadly force, were shot themselves, or exercised restraint even when they would have been justified to shoot are mesmerizing. They also have every bit of drama you would expect in a movie or TV, but with none of the b.s.
   
   This is the truth, recounted by people who were there and recorded by a thoughtful scholar who's been there too. As another ex-cop who also is a scholar, I recommend this book most highly.



2. Klinger does an excellent job of showing what officers go through before during and after a shooting. Nobody should be so pretentious as to criticize an officer unless they have at least read this book.



3. This book is easy reading and worth every minute spent doing so. It is steeped in the experiences of others and hence a valuable resource.



4. Not a big fan of cops, but this was a very interesting read (except for the first 2 chapters.. I liked it from "holding fire" on...). It's full of anecdotes so it reads fast and you get involved in each one.
   
   It will give you a new perspective of when a cop draws his/her weapon and if you run into a cop after reading this book, trust me - you won't move and you'll do everything they ask!



5. This book is an excellent tool, especially for LEOs with initiative, to help stay mentally prepared and to realize the importance of training and proficiency. It is an easy read, with situations that readers can imagine themselves in, with each included incident.

3 comments about Fatal Vows: The Tragic Wives of Sergeant Drew Peterson.

1. This is a crazy story and Hosey does an incredible job of telling it. This is a great book.



2. This book is a great read. The writer gives us the story in a clear and concise way and makes it so interesting that it is hard to put down. He gives you all the details of this fascinating case as well as the back story of the principal characters. An interesting facet of this book is the inclusion of the opinions of a former state's attorney, a psychologist and even the Bolingbrook Police Chief. I highly recommend this well-written and compelling book.



3. Joe Hosey takes the time to tell the story of the women who aren't here to tell it themselves. His book takes the spotlight back from Drew Peterson and Joel Brodsky and the media circus they have created and thrive within, and puts it on the victims, their lives, and their stories.
   
   Great read for those looking for inside information or facts about the case.