5 comments about Summer Wind: Thomas Capano and the Murder of Anne Marie Fahey.

1. I read this book after reading Ann Rule's "And Never Let Her Go". I was actually very glad that I had read her book first, because had I not I would not have understood anything about the background of the people involved, which this book did not go into. It was gripping and definately readable but it just sort of covered the story from the time Capano murdered Anne Marie through the trial. If a person just wants an overall view of the case, this would be the book. But if you want more details and more information into the lives and background of these people, I would recommend Rule's book.



2. I started this book in Las Vegas in August ... and I couldn't stop myself from reading. It took me three days (with all the distractions the Venetian has to offer). Anastasia's style was wonderfully blunt. I knew the outcome going in, yet I couldn't wait to turn the next page and read how this author laid it out for me. An incredible story that could've been handled like so many of those "O.J." books ... but it wasn't. Incredibly well done. Bravo, Mr. Anastasia. You have a way with words ...



3. This book ranks right up there with HELTER SKELTER in my favorite true-crime books. I live in Philadelphia, just a stone's throw from Delaware, the locale of the story, and I heard plenty about the Anne Marie Fahey case at the time it happened.

   TSW is the story of gubernatorial secretary Anne Marie Fahey and Tom Capano, a high-powered attorney with political aspirations and connections. This is a story of appearances. To all observations, Anne Marie was vivacious and fun-loving; what wasn't readily apparent was the fact that she was a troubled young woman with eating and emotional disorders that stemmed from a dysfunctional upbringing. Tom was Delaware royalty, the scion of a wealthy Italian-American family who had the brains to take the Capanos to new levels both politically and socially. To all who knew him, he was the biggest mover and shaker in the state. What wasn't readily apparent was the fact that he was a manipulative, obsessive lothario who preyed upon helpless, insecure women.

   You will be glued to this book as you read how Capano literally tried to get away with murder and the anguish the Fahey family experienced as all attempts to locate their sister were in vain. The culmination came with the incriminating discovery of the cooler and the decree of the death penalty, which Capano appeals to this very day.




4. This is the worst of the books written on this subject. The author has a cynical, stereotypical attitude towards women and it's so annoying and so ignorant that it ruined the book. It's like "if she was with a rich, powerful guy then she was a gold-digger and well what can you expect would happen" sort of attitude. The author is the sort of man who automatically would judge a woman in the most cynical way if they happen to be involved with a powerful guy like Tom Capano. Despite the fact Anne Marie's diary actually was {at first} loaded with true affection and statements of love about Tom Capano. The author ignored a lot in order to promote his narrow-minded and ungenerous attitude. The book comes off as having been written by a fairly uneducated person, and I don't care how educated the author might actually be...because the book stinks. What he ought to know is, women can actually love in the sort of relationship Anne had with Tom. That is, before she realized how messed up he was she thought she loved him. The author would rather make chauvinistic statements than see that fact. Everyone said, Tom could be very charming and seem to take great care and interest in a woman....and so of course Anne Marie would love him for that {and I got that good, more honest info from Ann Rule's book}. Also, if Tom Capano had decided to spend money on Anne Marie, that was between the two of them...Tom wanted to do so and Anne Marie was grateful for it {during the days before disillusionment she ended up experiencing}....but the author wants you to think that's all Anne Marie cared about was money. I recommend Ann Rule's book instead. She doesn't see things in total black and white like chauvinist author George Anastasia does.



5. The Summer Wind is investigative reporting at its finest.
   George Anastasia goes behind the scenes of Delaware's Trial of the Century, uncovering the good, bad and plain out ugly of the Capano family and its golden boy Tom Capano's seriously twisted psyche.
   Capano, clever, intelligent, successful attorney and partner, and also a serial adulterer and apparently a man with little or no conscience, begins a relationship with Anne Marie Fahey, secretary to Delaware's governor. When she wants to end the relationship after several years, he is not willing to let her go and kills her, disposing her body in an ice cooler in the Atlantic, in order to keep control.
   What makes this tale of the sad Fahey-Capano case superior to other versions is Anastasia's unbiased reporting. Rather than making Fahey look like an unwitting party, he admits her faults and knowledge that she was conducting an illicit affair with a married man. He tirelessly relives Fahey and Capano's relationship, with their email correspondences and Fahey's diary entries. In this way, Fahey comes across as a real person, faults and all. He spends equal time dissecting the Capano family and, in particular, Tom's long history of lies, deceit and schemes.
   Even knowing the outcome of the trial, this book still had me eagerly turning each page - - feeling sympathy and sorrow for the Fahey family, for Tom Capano's long suffering wife and daughters and absolutely repulsion for Tom Capano himself.
   A classic case of someone having everything only to throw it all away.
   Definitely recommended over the other Capano books out there.

5 comments about A Perfect Husband.

1. I have very little patience when it comes to reading. I give a book about 10 pages before I decide if I will continue to read it or not. I was hooked from page one. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I found it very interesting and easy to read. I have a very short attention span when it comes to reading and I found this book to be quite engaging.



2. "He knew his infidelity was not all HER fault..." That sentence, which made me laugh out loud, summarizes the whole book: ridiculous. The author is talking about Kathleen Peterson's first husband, who has the gall to say that his cheating on his wife is not entirely his wife's fault. Gee, what a big man he is. Of course, the guy comes across as the jerk he is, but the problem is that Aphrodite Jones doesn't get it: she takes the guy at face value, as if cheating on his spouse said nothing about him.
   
   Jones also stars out with the description of an ideal evening that is ridiculous considering she believes that Michael Peterson killed his wife on that very evening. She even narrates what was on Kathleen's mind that night--and, unless she's a medium, there was no way for her (or anyone else) to know. The only thing Kathleen Peterson (RIP) was guilty of was a terrible taste in men, and she deserved much better--in her life, in her marriage, and in the book that was written about her. My condolences to her daughter, Caitlin.



3. To provide a perfunctory summary of Aphrodite Jones' A PERFECT HUSBAND, author Michael Peterson is accused of beating his wife, Kathleen, to death in Durham, NC, and then staging a fall down a flight of stairs. We later learn that Michael may have been involved 15 years earlier in a similar incident, that he is bisexual, and blah blah blah.
   It really doesn't matter because no story, no matter how interesting - and this one is - could stand up to the trashy incompetence of Jones' writing. This book exhibits all the hallmarks of the worst of the genre. Some of many possible examples:
   
   1. In what is likely an attempt to meet a required number of pages, Jones regularly repeats material. On page 245 she writes that "Caitlin's attorney, Jay Trehy, reported..." On 246 she writes "...attorney Jay Trehy had knocked..." On 247 she writes that "Caitlin and her attorney, Jay Trehy, were conducting an investigation..." Presumably Jones felt the need to emphasize that in the space of these three pages of narrative, Caitlin had not changed attorneys.
   And on page 56 we learn that, "...Kathleen had insisted that Caitlin remain close to her biological dad." Two sentences later, Jones writes that, "regardless of her new family with Michael, she wanted Caitlin to remain close to her biological father."
   It's almost as if Jones does not read what she is writing. Which would actually be sensible.
   
   2. Jones does no in depth research into the personalities, backgrounds, or psyches of the principal players in the story. Instead she substitutes superficial banalities to describe characters and events. Kathleen's sisters had "hearts of gold." A cab driver, totally peripheral to the story but who is asked to do a favor is described as "the kind stranger."
   "Barbara", a babysitter 15 years earlier in Germany, "after a weekend of fun would appear chipper every Monday morning, ready for a week of full time work." "Liz went all out, as did her friends, preparing mouth watering appetizers and extraordinary desserts."
   And, describing a wedding that took place 23 years before Jones wrote this book, Jones tells us that "George and Liz glowed...The pair looked stunning and shared vows that people believed could never be broken." What people?
   
   Jones has no way of knowing any of this, and as such A PERFECT HUSBAND is not true crime but is rather its superficial cousin, fictionalized crime/soap opera. Jones' writing about people and events of which she has at best minimal knowledge, results in the saccharine non-information shown above. Rather than illuminating, the descriptions render the subjects two dimensional and clichéd. There is really no information provided.
   
   3. None of the principal characters in this book are ever annoyed, irritated, sad, or surprised. They are all horrified, mortified, beside themselves, agonized, devastated, and, in what must have been the granddaddy of out of control emotion, "completely and utterly devastated".
   And let's not forget the tears. The characters in A PERFECT HUSBAND are perpetually weeping, teary, teary eyed. Sometimes they can even be found sobbing uncontrollably.
   But the king of this book's emotions is SHOCK! Everyone in this story seems to be continually somewhere on the shock continuum, whether entering it, in its throes, or coming out of it. It gets to the point where not even the residents of the region who have been following the case in the media but who otherwise have no personal ties to it are exempt. On page 251 we learn that "The public was shocked..."by a medical examiner's report. And on 220, "...folks in the Triangle region were shocked to learn that the Petersons had let so many charges pile up."
   I have lived in a number of places in America and have never personally witnessed this phenomenon, but it appears that the populace in the greater Durham, NC, area has an unusual propensity toward shock. Maybe it's the water.
   An unofficial count reveals at least 14 instances of the use of the words "shock" or "shocked". Jones apparently doesn't realize that continued extreme emotion results in no emotion. Or maybe she doesn't care. Devastation, shock, or whatever, becomes mundane if it's a constant and therefore not shocking or devastating. But Jones is really not attempting to provide us with any accurate sense of the way people experience emotions. She is again writing soap opera.
   
   4. There is a lot of silliness and just bad writing in this book. On 306, Jones writes that when the sealed-off stairwell where Kathleen's body had been found was reopened, "no one could have anticipated the mystic vapor that would exude from behind the plywood." Well, I guess not.
   
   On 80, Jones reports "There were two black dresses on sale, stunning dresses really," and that in the end "Kathleen opted to buy both." And in the next paragraph, "Yet suddenly here (Caitlin) was wearing that very dress that her mom so dearly loved. It wasn't black, actually, more midnight blue..." What color was that dress? And if it was in fact midnight blue, was it just a fit of whimsy that led Jones to initially call it black?
   
   In an interesting mangling of a cliché, Jones writes "Up until then, any bad news Caitlin had ever heard had been followed by a silver lining."
   
   And on page 131, "As she looked to the sky, Caitlin kept asking her mother for guidance, but she wasn't getting any signs."
   
   5. And, for someone who calls herself a writer, Jones misuses basic English vocabulary to an amazing extent. She writes that a fireplace tool "had been omnipresent in the Peterson home." I might have expected omnipresence from the aforementioned mystic vapor, but not from a tool.
   
   She reports that Michael's defense team "sat in the courtroom, looking somewhat glib." I don't believe you can actually look glib.
   
   We learn that the "jurors seemed mystified by Dr. Lee's grace, by his easy smile." Mystified? That would seem an inappropriate emotion unless Dr. Lee had a reputation of being graceless and unpleasant. Perhaps she means enchanted.
   
   And, astoundingly, Jones does not know the past tense of the verb "weep". My 15 year old has known for at least 8 years that it is wept. Jones believes it is "weeped". And it appears this way at least three times in A PERFECT HUSBAND. An example from page 122 which also illustrates the embarrassingly bad writing: "He simply cried, curled up on the floor and cried and weeped and weeped."
   
   Interestingly, I noticed that on the acknowledgement page, one of the people Jones thanks is her editor. She doesn't say why.
   
   A PERFECT HUSBAND embodies the worst of this genre. It is sloppy, incompetent, superficial, illiterate, and unintelligent. It would seem to be awfully difficult to write a book this bad, but Aphrodite Jones has pulled it off.
   



4. There is a much better book concerning this murder ( and the first murder ) committed by Michael Peterson. It is "Written in Blood" by Diane Fanning, and it is by far the superior book. Much less confusing, much less meandering, Fanning's book manages to span the time frame between two similar crimes of women associated with Peterson.
   
   Much more horrifying is the fact that the children of his first victim in Germany became his wards, and remained in his custody, loving him, the murderer of their mother.
   
   I suggest that anyone confused or put off by this author's style pick up a copy of "Written in Blood." Everything is more cohesive and the spine prickles much more pronounced.
   
   There will be no doubt in your mind that Peterson committed both murders. Evidently the courts agree with Diane Fanning, too, as Michael Peterson's final appeal against his life sentence was denied in 2007.



5. The story of Michael Peterson as the perfect husband is far from the truth. He was a closet bisexual as well as a philanderer besides being a best-selling author. I would love to have his success as a novelist even if it didn't lasted. He was married to a beautiful and successful woman, Kathleen Atwater Peterson, who loved him and their children. Three daughters and two sons although biologically together, Caitlin Atwater is Kathleen's only child. Michael had two adult sons from a previous marriage to Patricia Peterson who lives in Germany. He also became legal guardian to Martha and Margaret Ratliff who despite had a willing aunt to raise them in Rhode Island. Their mother, Elizabeth McKee Ratliff, died under mysterious circumstances in Germany where they lived at the time. As the story unfolds, Kathleen Peterson's sudden death is equally bizarre. Michael claims that she fell down a flight of stairs and died of a natural causes. The truth was that she was murdered by her own husband two weeks before Christmas 1999. Michael tried to convince others of his own sudden sadness but it was not fooliny anybody. He barely conceded to pay for his own wife's funeral expenses. As authorities come closer to sealing a case against him, they learn from Ratliff's death as well in Germany. They exhume her body despite her own daughters' strong belief in their adopted father's innocence. She died similarily. While the author conveys the family's plight on both sides, it truly is a double family tragedy. I'm going to acknowledge anything else written about this case except in this book.

4 comments about Postmortem: How Medical Examiners Explain Suspicious Deaths (Fieldwork Encounters and Discoveries).

1. Postmortem: How Medical Examiners Explain Suspicious Deaths offers what few competitors can: a close-up look into just how medical examiners work. The author spent three years shadowing examiners to understand how they probe questionable deaths, and Postmortem covers not just the physical but the legal, social and moral issues faced by the industry. From issues of objectivity in the face of subjective evidence to influences in headline cases, Postmortem is a title not just for the general public, but especially for the college- level medical collection.



2. This is a superb book that examines the profession of medical examiners from a sociological perspective. The author spent several years observing the practices and methods of one (anonymous) urban medical examiner's office close-up, standing in at autopsies and conducting many interviews with all levels of staff.
   
   The book looks at several topics in detail: coronary artery disease; shaken baby syndrome in the "Nanny Trial"; suicide; and organ and tissue donation. (I'm probably leaving something out here.)
   
   The introduction is a tad jargony if you are not a sociologist or academic, but very interesting nonetheless. The author explains the difference between medical examiners (physicians) and coroners, who do not need any medical experience, are usually elected, and conduct public inquests. Much of the book looks at differences between various professions and explains why they may be competing with each other for authority and professional recognition. For example, forensic pathologists do not have the same goals as public health officials, as seen in the cases of coronary artery disease and suicide. Pathologists (looking at dead bodies) may come in conflict with clinicians (looking at the live patient), as seen in the case of shaken baby syndrome at criminal trials. The goals of pathologists are often at odds with those of organ and tissue donation advocates; the pathologist may need to do an exceptionally thorough autopsy in the case of a suspicious death or a homicide, while the organ donor advocate may insist that a patient in need of a liver should ethically take priority over the non-existent needs of a dead body.
   
   The endnotes and bibliography are extensive and well worth reading.



3. Not a fun read...qusi scientific with enough detail to satisfy anybody shor of a fourth year med student...lots of details such as what is the difference between a medical Examiner and a Coroner...a walk through of a autopsy of an unkown death and how the ME made critical decision as to how the person died.
   
   The author then goes into spacific areas of interest such as suicide...infant deaths...murder and the organ tissue trade.
   
   A criticism of this book to some might be that the author uses fictious names, places and ME's in telling his stories. Although he explain this in the preface and provides extensive notes and source material this may bother the purists among us, I didn't find it to be a problem.



4. As a practicing forensic pathologist, I will recomend this book to anybody interested in the topic, specially my colleagues in this line of work. THe questions and arguments expressed in it are worth considering everytime we make a decision as to cause of death and specially on something so subjective as manner of death. This book is an open invitation to reflect on topics that we take for granted.
   Pedro M. Ortiz Colom MD

3 comments about Preacher's Girl: The Life and Crimes of Blanche Taylor Moore.

1. I got this book out of my local library after seeing the TV movie starring Elizabeth Montgomery. The TV movie was based on this book. However, the movie did not even begin to scratch the surface of what Blanche Taylor Moore was really like. I was horrified to think that one human being could be this evil, yet appear perfectly normal. Her father was a terrible man, there was no question about that. He forced Blanche to do things that no child should have to endure. That is why Blanche probably turned out the way she did. It does not, however, excuse the terrible things she did to the people she supposedly "loved." It's a fascinating book.



2. Jim Schutze, the book's author, takes you inside the crimes committed by Taylor-Moore against lovers, husbands, and family members. In horrifying detail, Schutze describes how the poison used, arsenic, destroys the body from the inside, and the pain and torture it creates. At times, the descriptions may seem almost too graphic, particularly if someone leans towards being a "visual" person to begin with. Not for shock value, however. I am convinced that Schutze uses the graphic detail to take the reader into the victim or his (her? as suggested in the death of Isla Taylor) family, allowing the reader to "see" and feel what those around the victim felt and experienced. Horribly real in every way, but it's not easy to put this book down either.



3. This woman really was a wounded, sick individual and Schutze tells her bone-chilling story with grace and wit.

5 comments about Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes & Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings.

1. As a Generation Xer, I remember only some of the happening of this story as it unfolded in real life. I had toured the mansion couple times and knew of the story while living here in the Twin Cities.
   I saw this book for sale and bought it at once. The book is very detailed, stocked up with facts before and after the murders, and very well put together.
   I first thought it would be a little boring read about Carla and Chester but I did not know how famous and rich they were in Duluth. This book does a good job explaining the eariler life of the Congdon's.
   Then reading about the murders and after. Man, I didn't know a person could be like that. And she lived in my area in Washington county. Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen really did a lot of "bending the truth" and getting in trouble. I was suprised they could not get her on some of the facts, which the book later goes through towards the end of the book.
   I recommend this book for your reading. I didn't know how I would like it but the more I read, the more I was curious on the final ending. I did not know what happened to Roger before the book. It will be interesting to see what ends up with Marjorie and where she will end up.
   I thought the authors did a good job. I liked some of the photos and even a small family tree to help picture in your head some of the people in the book. At the end there is also a timeline story for you to follow if you wish. The print is smaller then some books but it is packed full of info and the whole story of Marjorie Congdon Caldwell Hagen and how much of a charactor she is.



2. If this book were fiction, I might dump it for being completely unbelievable. Most people would think, "No one could possibly do all that." Unfortunately for Miss Elizabeth and her nurse, it was not fiction.
   
   I had been told it was boring--and horrible to read. I got it from the library and soon realized I couldn't put it down. I bought my own copy (online!) and couldn't wait to finish it. I have since loaned it to friends across the country (many are on the waiting list).
   
   If a reader doesn't like non-fiction where the authors really include their deep-down feelings, then he or she might not like this. If someone just wants to read what seems like an inconceivable story, this should be perfect.



3. My husband bought this book for me since I loved touring Glensheen and also I'm a big fan of true crime books. This book was the perfect combination. Loved all the nitty gritty details of everyone's life - really made it enjoyable - Like you're there.



4. I have followed the story for over 30 years now.
   I do not see Marjorie as "greedy", as a normal person would be greedy. She gave more to others and to her children, friends, and family than she did to herself. I think she had a "spending" problem, I see her as probably a bit spoiled by a person who knew nothing about discipling children, and she certainly was raised in a lifestyle that most of us never had, but did she kill her mother? NO, I don't believe she had anything to do with it. Upon Elisabeth's death, there had to be over 100 people that would have benefited.
   Her husband never once implicated her as an accomplice, even though he certainly could and had a right to, especially after she dumped him while he was in prison. Even after she was acquitted of the crime in her own trial, her husband certainly could have pointed the finger at her at that time, as she could not have been tried again for the same time. Yet, he did not. In fact, he said to his dying day that he didn't kill them either.
   I am just wondering why the so-called "third party" was never gone after, and why the case was closed?
   I think all of Marjorie's problem were a sign of this anger and rage she had inside of her over this money, that she could never seem to get her hands on. Her mother set the precident by giving her money as she needed it, but after the Trustees got control of it, she had to grovel and was humiliated by it. I would have been mad too, if someone was always trying to keep my money from me. What business is it of theirs if I wanted to spend it all in one day! However, there are proper and improper ways of channeling anger of course.
   A very good read in my opinion, but way too many holes in the story to be able to know who really did what.
   Much was based on hearsay.



5. Considering that I used to live in the Twin Ports--I lived in Superior, Wisconsin, but the news was mostly from Duluth, Minnesota and surrounding area--this book about the Glensheen murders and events following it was something I just had to read. When a friend of mine asked me what I wanted when I was in the nursing home recently recovering from an accident, I told her I wanted to get "Will to Murder", so she brought it to me as a gift! I had heard Gail Feichtinger discussing the book with one of the reporters on WCCO-TV out of the Twin Cities earlier this summer, so I just knew I had to read this narrative of one of the most famous murders of the northern Midwest.
   
   Although I still wondered about some of the evidence that was found at Glensheen, the discussion of the DNA testing in recent years could have been a sure thing for the prosecution to win the case compared to the faulty evidence that was used in court the first time. It's quite obvious to see how new methods of testing evidence, especially the method of finding DNA on most anything, has turned many cases around. Even if Roger Caldwell didn't do the crime, there were a lot of events that certainly pointed to him. The most glaring scene right after the murders was when all the missing jewelry somehow showed up in Marge Caldwell's possession. How could she have lied so blatantly about her mother's jewelry? I often wondered, as I continued reading this book, how one person could continue to dish up the lies, find more ways to spend money which she didn't have. It just sounded like a spoiled child that never grew up!
   
   Since I'm not much of a crime story reader, I sure kept glued to this book since it was about a murder that actually happened right across the Lake (Superior) from us. The history of the family just made it that much more interesting, and the author(s) gave details on the psychological basis for Marge's behavior, too, so that added to the interest of this narrative. Of course, coming from the mindset of a reporter (Feichtinger), one should expect this kind of detail. The appendices gives more detail for the reader--actual photos of the Congdon family, Marge Caldwell Hagen, the Glensheen Mansion, items from the murders of the two women and much more; history of the Congdon family; and other additional information. For anyone that wants to delve into this famous murder of the '70s and more about the ongoing antics of this Marge Caldwell Hagen, this book is well worth reading.

1 comments about Written in Blood: A History of Forensic Detection.

1. This book is chalk-full of tons of information!! It tells about almost every recorded crime, including famous ones such as The Black Dahlia, Charles Manson, and Jack the Ripper; including an interesting turn on who Jack the Ripper really was. There are also a couple pages of pictures from crime scenes such as Madeline Smith, Leonard Lake, John George Haigh, and the trial of Ted Bundy. If you're looking for an interesting read and you love forensics and crime, then this is the book for you!

1 comments about Who Killed...? Cleveland, Ohio (Who Killed...?) (Who Killed?...) (Who Killed?...) (Who Killed?...) (Who Killed?...).

1. Author Jack Swint brings these cold case Ohio murders back into the publics eye in his no nonsense straight to the point style of writing. As the fourth book in the "Who Killed?" series, Swint has detailed these unsolved murders in hopes someone will come forward to police with new information and clues to solve these brutal and senseless crimes.
   
   I am confused though why Rooftop Publishing Company is not giving any acknoledgement or credit to this author. When I purchased this book online it arrived with NO AUTHORS name on the cover or anywhere in the content of the book. Also, Rooftop implies that they are the authors and this all appears very deceptive! I met author Jack Swint, and he wrote the manuscripts to this book and the ones in Savannah, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.
   
   Rooftops publisher needs to acknolwedge and give their writers credit.

5 comments about Brian Jones - Who Killed Christopher Robin?: The Truth Behind The Murder of a Rolling Stone.

1. Brian Jones was the founder of the Rolling Stones, and this book unflinchingly lays everything out about his life for the reader. Based on years of research and interviews with people that knew him, it is probably the most factual of the books I have read. It also lays the ground for some serious discussion about the possibility that Brian's swimming pool death was not accidental. This is not a "new" revelation - murky details about the death have been scrutinized pretty much since the day after it happened in July 1969. The author clearly demonstrates that it is within the realm of extreme possibility that Brian's death was no accident. Oh, and someone allegedly confessed, as well.
   
   Apparently Keith Richards has spent some effort over the years trying to get to the bottom of just what happened the night Brian died. This is the book that Keith said, "...the cat [the author] probably got it about right". This statement says to me that Keith feels this is probably the closest we'll ever get to any truth.



2. I have this book and felt it did not show the real Brian Jones. Brian was a very intelligent, great musician,
   and basically a good and decent man. When people use drugs/alcohol their personality changes dramatically.
   When Brian was at Cotchford Farm he was attempting to get his life back on track. In writing about Brian
   one has to remember this was the Sixties and the culture, attitudes and social beliefs were entirely different
   than in the following decades. Brian was a drug addict and probably an alcoholic. He was trying to cope with
   his problems with the other band members, his life in general. Since there was no rehab or counseling like
   there is today he felt this was the only way to handle it. I truly believe Brian Jones was definitely murdered.
   Probably by Frank Thorogood with some help. Brian was more than the demonized versions I have seen in
   several books. It is only fair to this musician to portray him in all aspects and not just when he was messed
   up, and depressed. He was often compassionate, kind and cared deeply about his loyal friends. Let us remember this please



3. Great read if you're a fan of Brian Jones and his work. Compared it with Bill Wyman's book, STONE ALONE, and details of his early struggles as a musician are pretty similar. As with any biography, what's true and what is not is always very questionable. However, this book gives the reader an insight of what kind of life Jones probably led and the path to his demise. I would rate STONE ALONE ahead of this book for reliable information because it's from the Stones' bassist himself. The Anna Wohlin book reads like a romantic novel, and the material is very questionable. This book is more for diehard fans of Brian Jones.



4. Terry Rawlings, has written a great book in the 1960s i was in a Band
   that was hailed as the american stones .( The Rave Ups) and met the stones
   and became, a good friend of Brians a week before he was killed he
   came to RADA in London to see me act, Terry's book cuts to the point
   of what happened. May Frank Thorogood BURN IN HELL



5. If you are old enough to remember Brian and the early years of the British bands, this is a very interesting read. It makes sense and is probably the closest one will ever get to the truth of his life and death. I also saw it as a supplement to "Stone Alone." Well written, well documented.

5 comments about Blood of Innocents: The True Story of Multiple Murder in West Memphis, Arkansas.

1. Written in an objective newspaper style, Blood of Innocents is the single best book yet written about the West Memphis murder case of 1993 in which 3 eight year olds were sadistically murdered, tortured and mutilated.
   
   Unlike the grossly overrated Devil's Knot, this book does not feature any elaborate conspiracy theories about "satanic panic" and police skullduggery. Instead, it lays out the evidence against the 3 criminals and does so in throughly convincing fashion.
   
   Ignore the conspiracy theory hype, Blood of Innocents lays the facts out for all those who really care about the truth in this case.
   
   Heartily recommended.



2. I bought this book after viewing the documentary, Paradise Lost. I was disapointed. I was expecting and hoping for an unbiased account of this brutal, terrifying crime. Instead, I bought a poorly-written and biased account of the crimes.
   Instead of focusing on the sensational crimes and the "Satanism Scare" that plauged the media for months, Blood of Innocents focued more on descriptions of the city and tedious biographies of minor characters.
   For those interested in the case of the "West Memphis Three," I would suggest they search elsewhere.



3. Two books have been written on this case; if you're only going to read one, though, do not choose this one. This case has turned out to be a very controversial one with seriously troubling questions about the manner in which the defendants were identified, incriminated, and prosecuted. But these authors, two of whom covered the trial as newspaper reporters, pretty much miss the story concerning those issues and instead choose to report on every lurid bit of unsubstantiated rumor and gossip concerning Satanic rituals and orgies and sacrifices that they can find; no tale is too absurd, no accusation too outrageous, to be harped on. A goth magazine found in the trash of one of the defendant's girlfriends gets twice as much ink (two pages worth) as the trial testimony of a defense expert witness on false confessions, an issue that is perhaps the central point of contention in this case. Two more pages go to a juvenile in confinement who is obviously improvising a false story about local Satanic street gangs affiliated with Bloods and Crips, while another defense expert who testifies about the lack of factual evidence or scientific basis to support the then-trendy theory of a national occult crime wave gets less than one page.
   
   Like national reporters who have recently been embarrassed by simply believing and uncritically reporting stories from government officials about things such as the Jessica Lynch ordeal, stories which it is now obvious were largely invented by those officials, these reporters basically accepted the word of the authorities - prosecution and police - hook, line, and sinker without doing any critical investigatory work. To take one example that represents the blind trust that these reporters had in the accuracy of what they were being told by officials, the authors repeatedly express how amazing of a coincidence it is that the case number happened to be 0666; it seems so improbable that a case in which the police claim teenage Satanists were involved would happen to get, just by chance, the number of the beast. But they quote the lead detective as their authority that this is purely a coincidence, and they accept his word. Had they only paid a bit more attention to the case files, though, they would have discovered what the author of the other book on this case discovered, which is that the earliest reports from this case were originally numbered 0555; apparently, this was not some "coincidence" after all, but a deliberate act.
   
   The book's Postscript, written years after the rest of the text, does acknowledge, though, that the authors may have erred when they wrote the disputable claim that, at the conclusion of the sentencing phase of the defendant Damien Echols, "all doubts that police had the wrong man began to evaporate." Apparently with the benefit of some hindsight, they have revised their stance and now claim that "given the void of evidence in this case - and developments since the trials - Echols' contentions [of innocence] may merit another look."
   
   And another book. "Devil's Knot" is a superior account in almost every way. However, all of this is not to say that "The Blood of Innocents" is not worth reading at all. It can be seen as a supplement to the other book; it does contain some useful background and interesting descriptions of the towns involved, and it describes early leads and police interrogations of other initial suspects that went nowhere. But for a detailed, accurate, insightful account of how this case unfolded, you have to look elsewhere.



4. Those who reviewed this book prior to me are MISTAKEN that this book is untrue. It was written by the reporter who was covering this case for the local newspaper during the 2 years it took place.
   
   This is the story the "other side" doesn't want you to hear. Namely, the FACTS in the case as they unfolded. He is unbiased in explaing why 3 teenage boys were arrested and eventually convicted in the brutal murder of 3 young grade school boys in the town of W. Memphis, Arkansas. The reporter does an excellent job of reporting both positive and negative behaviors of the community, families of all 6 boys, the police department, and those involved.
   
   Take a chance: become informed as to why these boys came to be in jail. Everything contained in this book can be verified through newspaper articles and police reports, both before the murder and after.
   
   
   
   It was not written to smear anyone, but rather to explain why a case that to outsiders appeared to be a "witch hunt" unfolded. Testimonies of many individual are given. The author wrote what he reported as he saw it unfolding in court.



5. This terribly biased book portrays the West Memphis Three as immediately guilty and evil while glossing over major portions of the case. Skip it and read Devil's Knot and see the movies instead.

5 comments about The DD Group: An Online Investigation Into the Death of Marilyn Monroe.

1. David Marshall has taken on quite the task of organizing and presenting a years worth of online discussions based on Marilyn Monroe's last days in his new book, "THE DD GROUP; An Online Investigation Into the Death of Marilyn Monroe" and he has done it admirably.
   
   Having had the privilege of starting the online club Forever Marilyn's Death Discussion (www.forevermarilyn.com) and being one of the original members that contributed to the discussion which lead to the writing of this book I am personally pleased to share with you my review of this highly unique book on Marilyn Monroe's death.
   
   With all the controversy that still swirls around Ms. Monroe's untimely death here is FINALLY a book that takes on every theory fearlessly and without prejudice. Diving head first into Marilyn's final days is a group of educated scholars on Monroe's life, each one with a different and valid opinion on her mysterious death.
   
   This 497 paged soft-covered book is well worth the $30.95 cover charge. Aimed at educating the reader on the facts of Marilyn's death this book goes well beyond the confines of the timeline of August 4, 1962. The cast of characters in Monroe's life, as well as the events surrounding her last days are mapped out in the 23 chapters of this hefty book. The only draw back to this nonfictional piece of work is the lack of an index. But with each chapter covering so specific of details you hardly notice this tiny omission.
   
   Much of the material in this phenomenal book is new in presentation. Facts on Monroe's death that you thought you knew are thrown into question and material never before released is presented in a revealing and titillating light that may startle even the most educated of readers.
   
   Mr. Marshall skillfully lays out the theories of the original ten online DD Discussion Members in a format that is easily accessible to even the most novice of fans and is backed by impeccable research. From start to finish this book is riveting, holding the reader spellbound as you are challenged to come to your own opinion by the end of the book. That is not to say conclusions are not drawn by the author himself, but Mr. Marshall allows for plenty of room for the reader to take the information available and form their own opinion.
   
   If you have ever wondered about or questioned the death of one of the world's greatest (and most tragic of) movies stars then this is, without hesitation, THE Marilyn Monroe book for you!



2. What a remarkable detailed account of Marilyn's last days. The book focuses mostly on the last day however gives detailed information from other times that relate to the events on Aug.4, 1962. This would be a good book for someone just beginning to research MM or for someone who has read all before it and has their own conclusions about her death, since this book references other popular biographies written about Marilyn. This book is great becuase it's only purpose is to provide detailed information both before and after death so as to help the reader decide on their own conclusion. Although the author has his own beliefs which he shares with the reader, there is absolutely no intention of pursuasion to try and promote any one idea or theory. A personal thanks goes out to David Marshall and all who helped make this book possible, as it the best read on Marilyn Monroe I have come across yet. I have read many biographies and documentaries on Marilyn, and absolutely could not put this book down. I hope all others will enjoy it as much as I have.



3. David Marshall's "The DD Group: An Online Investigation Into the Death of Marilyn Monroe" is a must-read for anyone interested in learning the truth about the premature demise of Hollywood's most enduring star. The book examines all aspects of Miss Monroe's death by carefully reconstructing her final hours and analyzing the facts in a logical, detailed, and organized manner. Medical and forensics evidence is carefully dissected, and the possible agendas and questionable credibility of several key associates of Miss Monroe's {as well as a number of contemporary biographers} is presented for consideration. The book contains numerous startling new facts never revealed in any other Monroe biography, information which is compelling, ground-breaking and startling in the extreme. The intense research conducted by the participants of the group is impressive and unprecedented, and Mr. Marshall did an admirable job condensing what must have been an intimidatingly vast amount of information into a concise, well-written and thoroughly gripping investigative report. I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for the truth about what happened to Marilyn Monroe on the night she died. Fact and fantasy will become very easy to discern, and readers will arrive at a possible conclusion which is credible, realistic, and devoid of sensationalism. This book is a tremendous accomplishment, and you will never look at the death of Marilyn Monroe the same way again.



4. I liked the format of this book, researcher sharing comments and formulating their opinions. Perhaps a better way of looking at what happened than individual writers have done. Worth a look see.



5. 
   Just finished the book this morning. Couldn't put it down since I purchased it a couple of days ago! I believe it has demystified so much here about Marilyn that it has to be very close to the last word on the subject. I took an interest in MM a few years ago and read many books on her. I was so impressed with her life that I wrote a three-act play called "Bye Bye Baby" about her last thee days. It hasn't been staged yet but one lives in hope! It was heavily biased by the Slatzer, Wolfe angle [murder] but since I read this book I'll have to re-write it removing this bias. After I read it I immediately went to Matthew Smith's Last Words to see if the DD Group's versions matched in any way. I believe, with a little bit of editing, it has second-guessed the Marilyn's tapes which weren't published at the time! It all makes sense now!!! However, although I really believed all along that she had been murdered, I now believe she did kill herself and that she made her mind up after RFK'S visit. It would seem that her whole world caved in then. When she asked Dr. Greenson "Did you take my Nembutal?" I think she was calling his bluff. She probably told him earlier that she only had one or two left and hid the 24 or 25. He may well have given her a shot of a small, controlled amount of Nembutal, with this knowledge in mind, when he returned, advising her to go to bed immediately. [I think most psychiatrists can and do give shots]. Remember that her total well-being depended almost entirely the esteem in which the Kennedys held her. If that was lost irretrievably, MM was lost. And it looked pretty final at 4.00 that Saturday. Dr. Greenson alone couldn't keep her from ending her life, even though he was indispensable to her in many ways. She was too intelligent for them all but must have made up her mind that afternoon.
   MM must have felt lonelier that evening than any other time in her life and in that lonely bed in Brentwood she must have sobbed herself into that deep, deep sleep. I do believe now that she did say "Say goodbye to Jack..." to Peter Lawford. It's so, so tragic.
   This book is a wonderful, intelligent and compassionate insight!!! I am forever in their debt.
   
   
   Seoirse O Dochartaigh, Donegal, Ireland