1 comments about Covering the Body: The Kennedy Assassination, the Media, and the Shaping of Collective Memory.

1. There is some very significant baby in this academese- obscurantist bathwater.
   
   Basically this is an instiutional approach to explaining why the media got it wrong. Does the author put it like this? Not exactly. The woman needs a job!
   
   She argues that the Kennedy Assasination took place at a key time for TV news; in 1963 the networks had just switched form a 15 minute to a half-hour broadcast. The assassination, she argues, made TV news. The later you get the more reporters and editors interjected what they were doing at the time; thier identities and the legitimacy of TV journalism itself had become married to a single bullet, even though it was much more of a shotgun wedding.
   
   Some of the narrative desriptions of individual reporters are priceless. Zelizer does a masterful job of capturing the chaos of the telphone truck, where there was only one phone. Sometimes these narratives of direct reporter experience seem to yearn for conclusions beyone those modest ones that the professor presents.
   
   Don't be put off by the cumbersome style of this book. It is worth reading twice. It goes far toward explaining why the Corporate Media have worked so dilligently to cast Warren Commission Sceptics in such a condescending light. Just so, those aristocratic flat-earthers!
   
   This book is simply too dangerous to be written clearly.

5 comments about "This Is the Zodiac Speaking": Into the Mind of a Serial Killer.

1. Michael Kellehers book on the Zodiac killer is well worth the time and effort and money to obtain and read!
   Having researched the Zodiac case since 1987(zodiacmurders.com) I would say his book is a crisp tight narrative that fully lays out the case with exactness as he makes the story interesting while giving the reader a multi-faceted view into all aspects of the killers mind and criminal activities.
   Many have related they just 'couldn't put it down' until they read the entire book!
   One correction I would like to make- while STILL focusing on this fine work-is that it says Bill Nelson wrote a book on the possible connection of the Zodiac to Charles Manson and some of his associate/s.Only a small portion of the book presents this link.The majority of the content in Nelsons (now out of print) book, is about the Manson Family.It is my book ,The Zodiac Manson Connection, that has, as its MAIN theme,a possible link to the Manson Family.
   Get Kellehers book is all I can say-a must for the true crime buff and members of law enforcement!



2. Flowing prose and a penchant for sticking to the established facts make this book a must for anyone interested in the Zodiac. DEFINATELY read it if you think that the recent film ("Zodiac") is some type of definitive presentation of the what really happened in this truly remarkable case.



3. This is a fine book for those who know nothing about the Zodiac case. It presents only the most "accepted," "dispute-proof" evidence. In that regard, it is the polar opposite of the Graysmith books, which often contain "facts" from a large array of sources, not all of them reliable.
   
   But does that make it a good Zodiac book, one that gives us possible insight into the true identity of this most notorious killer? Ah, no. In fact, it does just the opposite. It obscures the truth, rather than attempting to shed any light on it.
   
   It's approach is classic criminal-profiler textbook murder-by-numbers. Data is compiled and analyzed, but drawing conclusions seems to be much too much of a stretch. Perhaps the authors fear reprisals. Perhaps they don't want to be wrong. For as much criticism as Graysmith has, at times, earned, he at least takes a stand and states an opinion based on what he has compiled. These guys don't take a stand on anything. If it doesn't follow their profiler recipe, they're lost.
   
   And such is the Zodiac case.... disjointed, fracutured, plagued by rumors, apparent coincidences, and theories. And never solved.
   
   Profiling may be a very effective tool for the top percentile of seriel killers, but Zodiac broke patterns in a very consistent way, even within his string of "claimable murders" in '68 and '69. When another murder or event comes close to fitting these patterns in many such cases, it's immediately dismissed by Kelleher and Van Nuys as "not fitting the pattern," yet they argue tirelessly that an incident such as the Kathleen Johns case (which many dispute the validity of) is somehow worthy of inclusion. That David Fincher took Kelleher's word for it and included it in the film version takes the story into bad made-for-TV movie hubris for the scant minutes we suffer through it.
   
   The Bates killing, where the handwriting was positively ID'd as Zodiac's, and contained numerous other similarities to the Ferrin case; The Domingo-Edwards slaying back in 1963; and even the Santa Rosa hitch-hiker murders in the early '70s contain more similarities to Z than the Johns case. Yet this is intelligent detective work? To ignore all possible clues except that which fit your own preordained rigid template based on the psychoanalysis of the Z letters' text by an author who admits that, prior to doing the analysis, that he knew NOTHING OF THE CASE WHATSOEVER!???!!!!
   
   Oh, and let's not forget that one sentence on the man many believe to be the prime suspect, the man who had reams of circumstantial evidence littered around him, who can be placed near the scenes of nearly every Zodiac crime (confirmed and speculated about) --- Leigh Allen. Yes, much of the evidence is circumstantial, but how much evidence do you ignore until you begin to cast some serious, reasonable doubts?
   
   A truly intelligent sociopath, while rare, can sometimes outsmart the police, at times merely by playing to their own weaknesses. And the profilers, like Kelleher and Van Nuys, fit the description of Zodiac's dupes very well. They seem to fall back on cliches such as "let the evidence fit the suspect" so often that they end up drowning in their own paralysis. One approach does not a well-rounded investigation make, whether you are dealing in psychiatry or criminology. Would you go to a doctor who only diagnosed you based on physical symptoms?
   
   If nothing else, these near-sighted investigators have an iron clad alibi on why the case was never solved. Their approach provides them with the ultimate excuse for their own inepititude. After all, it's easy to do a job you never have to finish.



4. "This is the Zodiac speaking" is an investigation into the Zodiac killings.
   What makes this book interesting is the psychological analysis by Mr. Van Nuys,chair of the Psychology Dept. at Sonoma state University.
   
   A quote from page 6 lays out the objective of the book- "We will begin this fascinating journey with facts-solid irrefutable facts and nothing more."
   With that in mind,the authors avoid speculating on the personal identity of the Zodiac killer.
   
   The authors explain the differences in the Riverside and Zodiac letters. They make a compelling argument for different writers based on the style of the letters with a different emphasis. By that reasoning,the man who murdered Cheri Jo Bates was not the Zodiac.
   
   The Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders were examined for possible links to the Zodiac. They seem to be un-related on various levels.
   
   It's obvious from the aftermath of the Stine murder that luck played no small part in the Zodiac avoiding discovery and arrest. You get the sense that he never recovered from his close call with the SFPD immediately following the cab driver's murder.
   
   "Overall,it appears that Zodiac was deteriorating psychologically and had now relegated himself to engaging in a strange fantasy dance with the media."-page 140.
   
   The British language connection was intriguing. Although witnesses state that he had no accent,one has to wonder where that connection came from. Were one of his parents of British origin?
   
   The change in tone in some of the letters,notably three from 1974,was examined. This "denoted a change in Zodiac's psyche that probably related to his ongoing and significant psychological disorder." He may very well have had two personalities. Another interesting theory has the change in tone as a positive result of therapy or medication.
   
   This book doesn't solve the Zodiac killings,but it does shed light on the psychology and evolution of the killer.
   After reading this book I have to wonder if Zodiac didn't succomb to suicide or by some means become more psychologically stable?
   We may never know the answer. I recommend this book as a clear,sensible investigation of the Zodiac murders.



5. A strange book. Starting with an engaging premise - the author worked with the Chair of the Psychology Dept. at Sonoma State University to create a profile based on Zodiac's letters to various newspapers - Michael Kelleher proceeds to swamp his book with potboiler-level prose. The psychologist, David Van Nuys' analyses maintain a degree of detachment that I appreciate with this sort of book, but his conclusions don't aid in understanding of the case or its perpetrator. Most of Van Nuys' conclusions seem facile, on the order of "He must have had a terrible childhood. Perhaps he was abused. He had great rage toward women and fear of male authority figures". In the end, though interesting, the book doesn't add anything to the literature about the case.

5 comments about Death in Texas: A True Story of Marriage, Money, and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library.).

1. Where are Jerry Bledsoe and Ann Rule when you need them? This story could have been turned into a great book - all the elements were there except a writer. The author took a mishmash of "facts" and called it done. I wanted to know the life stories of the characters, the dynamics of the marriage, more about the victim. I was extremely disappointed and don't plan on buying any more books by Carlton Smith.



2. The city of Houston has been home to more than its fair share of epic American murder sagas. Many of these stories have been expertly chronicled, i.e. 'Blood and Money', The Cop Who Wouldn't Quit', 'Cold Kill'. A more recent tale-the murder of Doris Angleton in her sprawling River Oaks estate-deserves to be well told. Unfortunately, 'Death in Texas', a sloppy assemblage of newspaper clippings and court filings, does not come close to getting the job done.
   
   I have followed this case in the Houston Chronicle and Texas Monthly. The story has taken so many odd twists and turns that it seems more like a cheap murder mystery than a real life case. For starters, consider the two main characters. Doris Angleton is a beautiful, popular wife and mother who seems to 'have it all' but has secretly turned to internet chat rooms to meet other men. Robert Angleton, her husband, has become the most successful bookie in Houston while ratting out his competition as an informant for the Houston Police Department.
   
   Given the complicated and interesting people at the heart of this case, author Carlton Smith had a huge head start in sculpting a classic true crime book. Unfortunately, for whatever reasons-tight deadlines, lack of access, limited perspective-the end result here is not much better than reading all of the reporting on this case so far. And consider this: 'Death in Texas' ends when the jury brings in a verdict on the state charge of murder. Since then, Bob Angleton has spent a year in a Dutch jail while the governments of the USA and Holland went back and forth, negotiating the terms and conditions under which Angleton would be extradited back to Texas. In addition, Vanessa Leggert, a journalist who had conducted extensive interviews with some of the key characters in this story, spent 6 months in jail because she refused to cooperate with the prosecution.
   
   There are not many stories that include murder, infidelity, gambling, police informants, rights of journalists, treaties between nations, suicide, etc. This story deserves to be told in all of its tragic, bigger than life, unbelievable, Texas sized detail.



3. This book about the murder of Doris Angleton in Texas has a very easily readible narrative by the author but seems to be lacking in background information on some of the principles in the case. I came away after reading it feeling like their was much more to explore in the relationship between the Angelton and her husband that the author didn't delve into. While the story itself, complete with a bad brother - sibling rivalry - a possible revenge motive, is interesting it lacks the details that other more researched books offer that gives a real good true crime novel it's "must read" quality. I would recommend reading it just for the unusual nature of the case but with some reservations. (If you have another book that sounds as interesting - read that one first)



4. Wonderful,fast service. The book arrived ahead of time!! Thank you so much. Sharon Monarko



5. I'd seen the 48 Hours report and don't think the book offered any new, compelling information...was disappointed.

3 comments about The Crime of the Century: How the Brinks Robbers Stole Millions and the Hearts of Boston.

1. As in her earlier books about Boston's Great Fires, former journalist Stephanie Schorow digs below the surface and comes up with the real story behind Boston's most famous robbery. And it didn't happen like it was portrayed in the star studded 1978 Motion Picture. While she was researching this book subject the author told everyone who knew her what she was working on because she knew from experience that it opens new doors of inquiry. One friend to whom she mentioned her new project said, "Oh isn't that a coincidence, my uncle was foreman of the jury that tried the case." And if that wasn't enough of a tip, her friend also mentioned "that her aunt had kept a scrapbook of the case. And she still had it." Bingo--it was a researchers dream come true.
   While visiting with members of the police headquarters for a "Boston Herald" story, one of the members of the department casually mentioned that they had all the old files and transcripts from the case that had never been examined by researchers. It was another investigative reporters dream come true. Helped by additional surprises and windfalls such as these and another one where a friend from the Jamaica Plains section of Boston told her she knew where the missing money from the robbery was buried and would take her to the Mission Hill location, they went looking for it. Alas, you'll have to read the book to see if they found any of the buried treasure. Later based on information in the scrapbook she had been loaned by her friend's aunt, she discovered the house where the money was buried was the place the robbers had gone after the robbery and split the loot.
   Once you start this thriller, be prepared to stay up half or most of the night trying to get through the book's 204 pages of main text and additional pages of time lines and notes. It's a real page-turner that won't be easy to put down before finishing. The book is illustrated with dozens of rare photos to help explain the story and show the people involved in it as well as police reenactments of the crime scene with the robbery victims recreating exactly what happened during the robbery by the crooks wearing Halloween Masks.
   The part of the book I found the most amusing was the making of the 1978 motion picture about the robbery. The motion picture company kept getting ripped off by everyone in every way. Another robbery occurred on the set of the crime and the edited motion picture film was stolen at gun point and held for ransom. Did the film company have to pay the ransom? You'll have to read the book to find out. Corrupt members of the Teamsters Union were so strong-armed in their no-show hires that Hollywood Motion Picture studios avoided filming in Boston for several years. Eventually three of the corrupt thugs from Teamster's Union went to jail for their ripping off the movie companies. A couple of the original Brink's Robbers were extra's in the movie. Several other characters from the actual robbery and investigation also appeared as extra's in the final movie. It created the same kind of local interest and excitement that "JAWS" later produced with the local population when it was filmed in nearby Martha's Vineyard.
   Part of the book deals with the strange satisfaction local everyday Bostonians took with the fact that a gang of locals could pull off and get away with stealing over a million dollars from the most secure armored car business in the world without firing a shot or injuring a single person during the crime. The local population was also pleased that the thieves would have gotten away with the crime had not one of the gang members ratted the other gang members out six years after the caper occurred. The robbers became instant folk heroes. The author does a wonderful job of tying up most of the loose ends about the story of the robbers and what happened to all the missing money. Some times true stories are more fascinating than fiction and this is one of those cases. It proves that some times it's better to be very lucky than really smart. These small-time robbers almost got away with the perfect crime of the century.



2. Stephanie Schorow is quickly becoming one of the best tellers of Boston's history. The torch has been passed to her from some of the legends like Thomas O'Connor and in The Crime of the Century she does not disappoint. She does a wonderful job here of removing the "folk hero" status that the Brinks robbers received after their job, while at the same time not rewriting history and turning them into some type of scoundrels. She does a tremendous job of keeping the reading involved through the long planning process for the job, the even longer investigation and finally the trial and incarceration of the gang. Schorow does a great job of telling the story behind the movie with the hold up of the film crew and the A/C units in every window after word got out of a fee to remove them being very enjoyable. Lastly, breaking down the fact vs. fiction aspect is highly enjoyable.
   
   My only complaint and the reason I don't give this the full five stars is that I don't think Schorow gives the story the detail and passion she gave Boston on Fire her last full time book. I found that had much more detail and showed a development and story line that mirrored how the city had changed. Either way, don't let that stop you from buying an excellent book!



3. "This is Brink's. We are cleaned out. We are cleaned out." That's how the world first learned of what was then the largest heist in U.S. history - 350 pounds of money was taken by a gang of masked bandits that managed to pull the job without hurting anyone (not until afterward, anyway, when a series of mysterious deaths in the underworld left some to wonder).
   
   The many students of this immortal crime and spectacular trial are well served by this most recent retelling. Newly opened police archives lend new detail, dozens of photos are included, and the author is a superb storyteller. Her prose is carefully polished, the descriptions are evocative, and her portraits of the inveterate thieves and hustlers who did it is deft and engaging.
   
   The Brink's guards, suspected of involvement, were "grilled to the point of trauma." The author captures the public reaction so well ("What was not to admire? No one was hurt. The guards were shaken up, sure, but not a shot was fired. And Brink's -- what was Brink's but a Chicago-based company that didn't live up to its reputation as a bastion of well-oiled, fortress-tight security? Brink's was the real culprit.") And any author who can manage to make the history of Brink's interesting deserves a medal.
   
   This was a meticulously planned heist with such shocking results. The newspapers pulled out their biggest type. And despite the fact that the subsequent trial was "an all-men show" -- the first great criminal trial without sex or romance, "without even a woman's shadow" (Boston Post), the theft has garnered a fortune for more than the gang who did it. As the author states, "If you lined up all those who profited from the million-dollar Brink's heist, the robbers would probably stand at the end of the line. For decades reporters, writers, and moviemakers have seen green in the dramatization of the robbery." Now Stephanie Schorow can add her own name to that list, but unlike the original band of thugs, she deserves her reward.
   
   To top this book, a future author would have to find the still-missing loot -- and even then would have a more awesome challenge trying to best the storytelling skills on display here.

2 comments about D. B. Cooper - Portrait of an American Hijacker (Biography).

1. I bought this book hoping for some classified FBI information regarding the case. Needless to say, I was disappointed. This book is more of the same if you have any knowledge of DB Cooper. The amazon description lists the book at 52 pages but it's only 32 if you take out the bibliography and suggested readings. And the 32 pages is written with pretty large font. It's more a pamphlet than a book. I read it cover to cover in about 5 minutes. All in all if you're interested in the DB Cooper case you can find the same information for free by searching the internet.



2. Very factual, but doesn't give much of the human perspective. If you want just the bare bones (very short book, including lists of movies and music that Cooper appears in) this will do fine. If you want a little juice, look elsewhere.

5 comments about Without Remorse: The Story of The Woman Who Kept The Los Angeles' Serial Killers Alive.

1. Brilliant... It really grabbed me. I loved it. It just kept me reading, which is astounding, because I haven't been through a novel or anything other than a magazine for about 10 years. I highly recommend this book, just be prepared for some outstandingly graphic stories. It will create very visible pictures in your mind.



2. Dr. Pelto's book is a brilliant examination of the twisted minds of the worst among us with no conscience. Her descriptions of the depraved sociopaths, the worst serial killers and rapists housed in the LA County Jail are graphic, disturbing, and brutally candid. She is also brutally honest about describing her own personal history and struggles and she is extremely candid about her feelings and reactions while working in this environment. Her indictment of the sexism displayed in the male dominated LA County Sheriff's Department is courageous and much needed. I greatly admire her personal honesty and courage as displayed in this book. Her writing is spellbinding and reminded greatly of the works of Joseph Wambaugh with its stark and brutal realism.
   I would highly recommend this book to anyone wish an understanding of why society needs to be protected from those around us with no conscience or empathy for others. She has also provided vital information to the warning signs of developing sociopathy personalities. This information is invaluable for anyone working with children and adolescents.
   Dr. Pelto's book will be a classic in the field of forensic psychology and a mega bestseller. It is must reading.



3. WITHOUT REMORSE is truly a unique portrayal of some of the most notorious serial killers in Los Angeles -- the Trashbag Killer, the Hillside Strangler, the Freeway Killer, etc. Dr. Vonda Pelto spent time with each of these men while working inside the L.A. County Jail as a psychologist. With vivid detail, including her thoughts while talking with the inmates, Pelto shares the gruesome details of the murders through her dialogue with the inmates. But what really makes WITHOUT REMORSE unique, is Pelto's unashamed and relatable telling of her own life and her feelings -- beginning as a naive, young woman struggling to care for her two daughters and trying to survive in a very harsh work environment.
   
   One bright side of Pelto's work at the prison is her meeting with the late porn star, John Holmes, while he was awaiting trial and subsequently held for contempt of court. As with her other patients, Pelto's believable dialogue with "The Wadd" brings him to life and offers insight to John and his 111 days in jail.
   
   Pelto's book is an entertaining and inspiring story, and its ending makes me excited for her next book!



4. I thought this book, although keeping my interest, was a disappointment. I thought it was childishly written and held more information about "coffee" (the word appears on almost every page!) and the shiny floors of the prison. I guess I was looking for a more vivid explanation of why these prisoners did what they did. I found no information into the minds of the serial killers, why they did what they did, how they felt at the time and if they were mentally unbalanced as kids. I wasn't interested in her life as a struggling woman raising 2 kids, her affairs after her marriage, etc. I wanted more information into the minds of these killers, which she could not provide to my satisfaction. No one cares what she wore or how these men flirted with her at her job. I was expecting more of a psychological profile of the men, not her.



5. I have mixed emotions about this book. I think that it was the first time that I had ever seen the "F" word in print. I also felt that she was a bit too explicit about her own, personal sex life. (Things I really didn't need to know.) But, it is interesting to know what becomes of serial killers after they have been incarcerated. There, she gives a wonderful recounting as no one else could. If you have a reason to have a personal interest in serial killers, as I have, this is a good book to read to get further insight into who they are and what made them that way. In that, I agree with her 100%!

No comments about Bitter Harvest: Gordon Kahl and the Rise of the Posse Comitatus in the Heartland.

5 comments about The Piano Teacher: The True Story of a Psychotic Killer.

1. I really enjoyed this book. It was intense, and very explainitory. It started with the terrible murder that happened in 1966 and the murder that happened after his parol in 1974. Then it went into Yukle's up bringing. It explained the lifestyles of his parents. They were both very good musicains. They taught Yukle music from a very young age and they were very strict with him. His mother was a perfectionist, and expected him to play every thing perfect. She would make him sit at the piano until he did. When his brother was born they weren't as strict with him. They let him do and be who he wanted. Soon his parents were divorced. He and his brother lived with their father and his new wife. He didn't see his mother for years after that. Yukle and his father weren't very close at all. His father was very cruel to him. He always made Charles feel unworthy. Yukle was a loner and kept to his music, the one thing he was very good at. His grades in school weren't that great except for music. He quit school to go into the army. He was still a loner there to. He was court marshalled and sent back home. He went back to school and met a young girl in band that he really liked. He moved to Chicago to go to school for photography. He felt like a different person behind the camera. Things didn't work out with the girl back home and soon he met his wife; she was one of two women that he was able to talk to, but he was never able to completly open up to her. It talks about the police reports and the events leading to his conviction. It was all very intresting. I like reading true stories rather than fictional, and this one kept me reading until the end.



2. Excellent writing. The author keeps you interested. By the end of the book I absolutely despised Charles Yukl. This is good reading for those who love true crime.



3. It is said a true story. We will never know what was in the killer's mind. And the author never attempt to guess either. Basically the author simply told us what happened. The book lacks of depth, in my opinion.



4. THE PIANO TEACHER profiles the eccentric offender and two-time murderer, Charles Yukl. Raised by an unloving, punitive father, and a controlling mother, Yukl matured with deeply rooted feelings of inferiority, especially where his masculinity and sexuality were concerned. He managed to marry a strange woman, Enken, whom he met while attending college, but he later admitted during a psychiatric interview that during their 14 years of marriage, he and his wife had sex a total of approximately 10 times. Yukl was also quite fond of exposing himself to the unsuspecting students who came to his apartment for piano and voice lessons.
   
   After murdering a young woman in 1966 and completing a rather short prison term, Yukl was paroled, having been described as a "model prisoner." Just 14 months after his release from prison, and still married to Enken, Yukl murdered again... unable to control his sadistic fantasies and murderous impulses.
   
   The history of the offender is detailed and, in parts, riveting. Without spoiling any part of the story, I will state that Yukl implemented an elaborate group scam to bring young women to his apartment, settling upon a select few as potential victims. Two of these young women are lucky to be alive, having been out for the evening when Yukl made his final, fatal telephone contact with an unsuspecting woman who thought Yukl was a legitimate professional.
   
   So, you may wonder, why only 3 stars? The author, a respected criminal trial attorney, is less than interesting when discussing himself. I found these portions of the book somewhat tedious and Tanenbaum's style of writing was, at times, arrogant. For example, on page 225, he writes: "I was attempting to design a mosaic: each piece in and of itself would not point inexorably to Yukl's guilt, but taken as a whole, my mosaic would relentlessly lead to the conclusion that Yukl was the killer." While I am not generally opposed to an author providing his or her impressions and observations of the murderer or describing his or her position as a key player, Tanenbaum managed to portray himself as a Know-It-All. (Perhaps he does know it all. However, he is less than humble and I am not fond of grandiose egos.)
   
   In addition, the pace of the book slowed considerably following Yukl's second arrest for murder and ended rather anticlimactically with a plea to First Degree Murder. As a professional psychotherapist, I do not believe Yukl meets the criteria for Sociopathic Personality Disorder. However, he is or was a very sick individual lacking basic impulse control and rational judgment. Although Yukl often pleaded for psychiatric treatment, as if this could somehow have prevented another tragedy, Yukl fails to address the fact that he met with a psychotherapist WEEKLY for close to one year while on parole. Although part of him seemed to desire knowledge of himself and his impulses, he lied to his therapist on many, many occasions and did not once mention the cunning con he developed to lure young women to his home. As a rule, psychotherapy is not generally successful when patients skirt the truth.
   
   In closing, Robert K. Tanenbaum has written many books. Having only read THE PIANO TEACHER, I cannot comment upon his total worth or talent as a writer. I speak only for myself when I say I probably will not read any other Tanenbaum books.



5. a great read I love every thing about amazon and the items they offer
   thanks

5 comments about Perfect Murder, Perfect Town : The Uncensored Story of the JonBenet Murder and the Grand Jury's Search for the Final Truth.

1. Coming for England, the Jonbenet Ramsey murder was'nt as big as it is in America (I didnt even know there was a place called Boulder in America or that little children dress up and go parading themselves on stage!!), I read a small piece in an English paper and decided to see what the big hoopla was all about and I must say I was hooked, Jonbenet was a beautiful little girl and had a lot to live for. Lawrence Schiller writes a full indepth account of everything thats happened, he doesnt point the finger at anyone like all the other Jonbenet books I've read (what happened to that American saying "Innocent until proven Guilty).
   
   You can tell he has really researched this tragic case and I think this is one of the best crime books I've ever read. What are these strange pageants all about? But like every other book it still leaves the question: WHO DID KILL THE LITTLE BEAUTY QUEEN?
   
   I hope one day Jonbenet Ramsey gets the Justice she truly deserves.



2. I thought this book was really interesting in that it presented a lot of facts that were never reported in the media and also pointed out just how badly this case was handled by everyone involved in the investigation. It was explicit on the evidence that was bungled by the police and how that led to no evidence to go on, which was essential to finding this poor child's killer. It was truly hard for me to believe how so many departments could mess up so many things in this investigation, but it did clearify many issues that the media kept going over and over; some of which made no sense to me at the time and now it does. Overall, this book is good reading for anyone interested in all aspects of this case.



3. What a pig's breakfast--not the book, but the investigation of the JonBenet Ramsey murder. This book is a well-researched, unbiased examination of the case from the murder itself to the grand jury's consideration of the evidence, but for some reason, the author stops short of telling the grand jury's decision--not enough evidence to indict anybody, I know, but one still might have said that, even if it took another few pages to do so. If possible, I'd rate this book 4.5 stars, docking it half a star for that final omission.



4. The first book I had ever purchased about the JonBenet Ramsey murder was written by one of the detectives on the case, Steve Thomas. The book was simply titled, JonBenet. Thomas' book was, by far, one of the best true crime books I have ever read. It was extremely well written - one of those "can't put down" books. In his book, he implicated Patsy Ramsey as the probable, but accidental, killer of JB. And, as a 20-year veteran of the force, one would have to say that his police instincts were probably correct.
   
   Then, I saw Lawrence Schiller's book at a garage sale and bought it. I was not sure if Schiller's book could top Thomas' book, but I like to read two books on the same subject to get different perspectives. However, it turned out I was not too impressed with Schiller's book.
   
   Initially, the first chapter or two was quite fascinating regarding the death of JB, the contamination of the death scene, and the facts surrounding the case. I kept playing in my mind what I read in Thomas' book and what evidence Schiller was presenting.
   
   Unfortunately, this book began to focus TOO much on the politics behind the scenes: the infighting between the Boulder police, the DA's office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the private investigators, the detectives, the FBI, the attorneys...all versus the Ramseys. It became a monumental bore. I was hoping to read how the author pieces together the evidence to find the killer.
   
   No! Just a big cat fight between all the parties I just described and not enough focus on the evidence. However, Schiller would throw in just enought tidbits about the crime scene to keep me motivated, then would write several more chapters about the politics. It was simply too much focus on the political fighting.
   
   I recommend reading Thomas' book and forget Schiller's book.



5. How can we have a book about an unsolved murder? Easy since unsolved murders like JonBenet Ramsay have our country and even the world hooked on this tragic murder case of a young beauty queen. Sadly, the Schiller book doesn't go far enough but he does discuss the politics around the Boulder Police Department, the tabloids, friends, relatives, neighbors, acquaintances, of the Ramseys. Lou Smit, I believe, has the right idea that this was an outside job. I don't when police homicide detectives had the right to accuse the family immediately. It was clear from the parents' that they were distraught, frantic, and terrified. They weren't thinking clearly but clearly the blame should go on the police department for not taking immediate action in searching and preserving the area. The case lost clues such as fingerprints, DNA, etc. that might have helped solve the case. I don't know who did it neither does the author, the police department or even the Ramseys. The sad part is that it's still unsolved and Patsy Ramsey who was long suspected of having a part in her daughter's brutal murder has since died. John Ramsey has lost two daughters tragically. Maybe JonBenet had an unwelcome admirer who knew her too well and it gone too far. Maybe she resisted and he killed her. We'll never know why or who right now. There is enough of blame to go around for years to come. The sad part is that everybody wanted to do the right thing. It's easy when the crime happens and we know who did it. When it's an outsider or stranger, it's always the hardest to solve because there is no reasonable motive for this crime. I wish it was solved. I wish Boulder and the Ramseys can move on with their lives but until JonBenet's killer is brought to justice, it can't be.

5 comments about Blood Rush.

1. This is the first time I have ever written a book review, but here it goes. In my opinion, Blood Rush is a story of a sick man who believes in what he is doing. I think that however cruel and messed others may see Ricky Green, he saw what he was doing as a favor to the world around him. His molestation as a child caused him to become savage to all males who made moves on him, or tried to hit on him. This savagery caused him to lash out and destroy those who were not fit to be in this world(whores and homos...his words). He had a great deal of hurt in his life and was due some respect, and he believed that children from families like his deserved respect too. He thought that if went straight to the source of the problems, the bad parents and child molestors, he could save the world and somehow make his killings acceptable. This book tells the whole story of Ricky Lee Green's life, and I think that I was able to see why serial killers are able to do what they do, kill people.



2. First of all I want to say that Patricia Springer is my favorite true crime author and I have read all of her books (which isn't many unfortunately) and I've been reading true crime for many years now and this book is the best I have ever read. I absolutely could not put it down no matter how hard I tried. My mother is reading at the moment but as soon as she gets done I will read it again. It's like an obsession I can't get rid of. I feel so sorry for Ricky Lee Green even though everything he said may be untrue. And it makes me so damn mad that his ex wife just got off with 10 years probation. Why should only he have to pay the price for something she had a hand in too? It's totally insane!!! But I do think that Patricia Springer did a great job on her very first book!



3. It's a decent book, but the graphics could have been a lttle better.



4. One of the best true crime books in my mind.
   I really like the style of Miss Springer. lots of details.
   You will read how Ricky lee Green was raised. His abusing father, the relation he kept with that father even as an adult. How he met his coming wife Sharon,and how she became his partner in murdering. Having sex in somebody's blood!! A crazy couple.they killed for the thrill, sexual pleasure they got out of it.
   I could not lay this book aside. Its a shocking story very well written. Definitely one to buy!!



5. SOME OF THE STORY SEEMED UNBELIVEABLE. THE FACT THAT THE DAUGHTER, SARAH, NEVER HEARD "ANYTHING".-FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. MR. GREEN AND SHARON ARE TWO VERY, VERY SICK PEOPLE. RICKY FATHER'S IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING TO.IT'S ALSMOST LIKE THE CHILDREN DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE SINCE THE DAY THEY WERE BORN!