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

1. What a great book! Couldn't put it down! Ann Rule is one of the best authors in this genre. I felt like I was in the case myself



2. This is the very first book by Ann Rule I've ever read, and will definitely be the very last book I'll ever read by her. I don't want to spend lots of time on something I found so inferior, so I'll try to make it concise. First, the title: very sensational, exploitative and UNTRUE. This killer was not a "butcher" as the title strongly suggests. Second, the book is extremely overwritten in many places and terribly underwritten in others. Rule claims to have cared about each and every victim, but it's obvious that she had her favorite ones (some women get mentioned in LONG detail, repeatedly to boot, while others get 3 sentences maximum. And believe me, information has always been out there about them, as well). This bothered and disappointed me. Hardly NOTHING about Marcia Chapman :( a mother of three whose murder was the one that broke the case 2 decades later. Where was her sad, but proud declaration "I need this money for my kids"? The drastic differences in attention from one victim to the next made for an uneven reading experience. Furthermore, lots and lots of pages are wasted on false suspects and assaults that apparently weren't encounters with the GRK. The last section of the book, devoted to the retarded loser who was in fact the killer, and his confessions and hearing, is thin and very rushed in comparison to the drawn-out, oftentimes boring first half. If Rule hated to write about him & his actions that much, she shouldn't have tried to tackle this difficult subject.
   
   Perhaps the worst part is her need to constantly interject herself into things. There are even two pictures of HER (very bloated and quite UN-photogenic I might add) in the photo section amongst the victims and cops. I was quite offended by her unwarranted ego. Her personal experiences are relevant about three times, yet she stops the story on dozens of occasions to brag about how she was receiving worthless tips, writing other potboilers, casually covering the same ground as the killer, and arriving at the crime scenes or choosing to stay away. Who cares?! She wasn't a police officer or even a journalist assigned to the case. She was obviously so desperate to be a part of things, either as a cop, a reporter, or perhaps...??? It was pathetic and left a bad taste in my mouth. Some details were mentioned but not even attempted to be followed up on- like why the rocks were left in the two young women in the river, and just how much of the letter he wrote was (in)accurate. She could've fit all this in and more if she had removed herself from the book. That would've cut the word count down by a third.
   
   If you're unfamiliar with this case and want to learn more, I'd definitely recommend researching on the internet instead. There's only a little that you'll find in this book that isn't on reputable websites, plus there's a lot more that she didn't bother to put in, especially regarding the confessions. If you're very familiar with this case, pass on it unless you're an obsessed loser. I'll give it one star for the half-a**ed effort and another for the readability (junior high school level). Absolutely NOT the definitive book on this case.



3. I have read quite a few true crime books by Mrs. Ann Rule,such titles as "The Lust Killer"-The story of Jerome Brudos, "The Stranger Beside Me"-The Ted Bundy Murders,"The I-5 Freeway Killer"-The story of serial murderer and rapist,Randy Woodfield and "Small Sacrifices"-The story of Diane Downs. "Small Sacrifices was a particularily emotional and very heartwrenching true story of a young mother of three who shot her three small children, one died and the other two have permanent physical and emotional damages, because her lover did not want to be a "daddy", Now ,Rule's latest book to date "Green River,Running Red" in my own opinion is the most accurate, horrific,shocking and most of all, very emotional. Rule brings back life to the dead young women and gives them dignity that very few people of Seattle, except for their grieving families and even the poor women themselves, felt they did not deserve to be treated with respect and dignity simply because they were trapped in a hellish life of prostitution. Ann Rule's book literally sucked me into the story. I felt I was right there in the middle of it all. I felt I had known the victims myself because Rule gives such a clear, comphrensive account of their short lives that were over before they really even begun. I give this book 5 stars because of the accuracy,the story of how The Green River Task Force worked endlessly for over twenty years,the easy to understand literature and most of all ,the compelling emotional truth of the Green River cases and the victims and their families. A must read for all Ann Rule fans!



4. 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.



5. 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 .

5 comments about Invisible Darkness: The Strange Case Of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.

1. I had never heard of either Paul Bernardo or Karla until I picked up this book. I had been reading Ann Rule books that I really enjoy and I came across this one. This is one of those books that will stay in my mind forever. Rarely does a book shock or disturbs the way this one did. I actually had nightmares! This book is very graphic and my heart goes out to the victims. I can't believe that Karla actually walks around today a free woman. I would imagine that she must walk around looking behind her back at all times. Paul Bernardo is sick & twisted, but Karla is pure evil.



2. This item was exactly what i ordered in the exact condition that i ordered it in. Would definitly do business with seller again! Thank you



3. I am still waiting to receive this product, since 3/9/07!!! Very hard to rate something you are still waiting on.



4. I found this book to be very detailed and thorough. It is one of those books you don't want to put down, however the crimes described are gut-wrenching and very twisted. If you want to know the details of the crimes, this book will definitely provide you with the details, and basically I think that's what most people want to know. The book provides some details about the killers' background, but mostly as it relates to the crimes committed. The author believes that Karla is far more responsible for the murders than she claims, which some may consider controversial. Overall I highly recommend it, and incidentally agree with the author.



5. Best book I've read yet dealing with this subject matter. There have long been rumors that author Stephen Williams had access to the actual video recordings of the crimes and therefore they are described in chilling detail leaving nothing to the imagination. If you can handle it, this book won't let you down. You will not be able to put it down.

1 comments about Never Seen Again: A Ruthless Lawyer, His Beautiful Wife, and the Murder that Tore a Family Apart (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. Perry March was a successful attorney with a beautiful wife, Janet Levine March, and two beautiful children. They lived in a Jewish community of Belle Mead, Tennessee near Nashville, music capital. Janet goes missing and of course, the suspicion goes towards the husband as prime suspect. In this story, the twist is that he convinces his elderly father to help dispose the body of the mother of their two children. Larry and Carolyn Levine, the in-laws, are immediately suspicious because the couple were having lots of marital problems. Perry March is not a sympathetic husband as he tries to get out of this mess. He left a firm because he sexually harrassed one of the women there. After Janet's disappearance, he fled with his children to Mexico to avoid deportation. The law would catch up with him eventually and he was deported back to the United States. He wanted to make a deal of like 7 years in prison. Even without a body, his father would confess to dumping Janet's remains. Perry even remarried and fathered a daughter in Mexico as well while his in-laws fought to see their grandchildren. I felt bad for Arthur March who died on December 21 at 78 years old in prison and was interred at Beth El Cemetery in Portage, Indiana with his son and daughter. He loved his son, Perry, and would have done anything for him. I think it's wrong for the state to rescind it's plea bargain. Arthur March was harmless at the end and died in prison anyway.
   Until I received a recent comment about Arthur March, I had no other knowledge about Perry's life with Arthur. It is possible that Arthur was probably responsible for his wife's death but it wasn't known. Yes, Arthur should have turned Perry into the police but the book can be somewhat regarding Perry's upbringing. There is no question that Arthur had responsiblity for the death of his daughter-in-law but only afterwards and help covering up for his son as well. He could have said that he killed her and spent the rest of his life in prison. But like I wrote, the author never mentions much about Perry's mother or his upbringing. The problem with true crime books is that it doesn't cover everything and things are omitted for the readers. True crime readers like myself are not expected to go out and research the cases. That is the job of the true crime author to report all relevant information. While I admire Jeanne King's writing, I do have to say with regret that I should have given less stars because of the omissions regarding Perry's upbringing and background. I do not doubt that there was abuse in Arthur's household and the belief that he could have gotten away with murder. If Perry had witnessed his own mother's murder at his father's hands, it could be traumatic but we don't know the truth. We can only speculate. King's job is to report and analyze from the information. There is no question that Arthur disliked the Levines as much as Perry did but father and son were both dangerous when they didn't get their own way. Now, if Jeanne King had focused on that in her book then it would have been more memorable. Regardless, Perry is in prison for his wife's murder and his children are being raised by the Levines. The March children have suffered losing both their parents in such a heinous matter.

5 comments about A Warrant to Kill: A True Story of Obsession, Lies and a Killer Cop.

1. Kathryn Casey takes us into the bowels of the Houston police department and shows us a man that NEVER should have been in law enforcement. What a sad story of a flawed woman and the police officer who ended her life. This book was masterfully researched and written, as are all of KC's books. The more I read this writer, the better I like her work. I have pre-ordered her next book.



2. This is the first true crime book I have read and it was only because I saw the story on A&E and was intrigued to learn more. It was very detailed and while I can't say I enjoyed it (murder is nothing to be happy about) it really shocked me at how much harm a man with a badge can do. Susan White had her issues but she didn't deserve to be harassed and then be killed by someone who is supposed to serve and protect. Anyhow, while I truly found this intriguing, I don't know that I will read anymore true crime simply because I love happy endings and these for the most part don't end that way. I will stick to fiction.



3. I have enjoyed all of Ann Rule's books, and find this author to be almost as good. This true story is even more gripping than fiction.



4. Though I am a veteran reader of true crime, I had not heard of Kathryn Casey until earlier this year when she was recommended by a friend.
   A WARRANT TO KILL is the third, and the third outstanding, of her books that I've read. To briefly summarize, it is the story of a troubled woman, Susan White, killed by a likely-sociopathic rogue cop named Kent McGowen. As in her others I read earlier, SHE WANTED IT ALL and THE RAPIST'S WIFE, Casey's talent for true crime is remarkable. Her writing is crisp, reportorial, and to the point. As in the others, A WARRANT TO KILL contains none of the boring, superfluous filler found in lesser true crime. It contains none of the irritating drama, often used even by good writers, which can turn true crime into cloying true soap opera.
   
   A WARRANT TO KILL shows in-depth research and interviewing and a sincere interest in writing an outstanding book. She also, importantly, knows when to leave out unnecessary or repetitive information, with the result that she avoids excessive length and boring repetition. An excellent example is the section of the book which deals with the trial. This is often a deadly dull part of a true crime book, but Casey keeps it moving and interesting by not including every bit of testimony, only that which is necessary to futher the story line. And, thankfully, she does not feel the need to include every bit of forensic testimony.
   
   Finally, Casey, as in all of her books I've read, does a masterful job of presenting the details of the personalities and psyches of the principals in the case. This, in my opinion, is the single most important element in great true crime. And Kathryn Casey writes great true crime. Fans of the genre will love this book.



5. Kathryn Casey tells a tale of obsession, desperation, and a cop who exacted his revenge on a woman and her troubled son. Susan White and her son both underestimated the lengths to which Kent McGowen would go to make a point about who was in control and who held the power. Written in a smoothly captivating fashion, Kathryn Casey demonstrates insight into the strange dynamics that existed between a cop and his supervisors, a woman and her son, and the forces that brought them all together in a moment of tragic proportions. As are all of Casey's books, A WARRANT TO KILL is meticulously researched and formatted in an understandable and gripping manner. The Epilogue of the book, in which Casey personally interviews Kent McGowen, is nothing short of a stunning look into the mind of a psychopathic liar and a cop without morals! I read late into the night and could hardly wait for the long arm of the law to reach out and take down Kent McGowen.
   
   McGowen was a cop who used the law to exercise his own brand of justice. Wholly disliked by other law enforcement officials for his lack of appropriate judgment and incessant arrogance, Kent McGowen seemed unable or unwilling to stop using his job to bolster his own ego or his status within the community. After a series of poor performance reviews at several different law enforcement agencies, McGowen had backed himself into a corner. Unable to find another agency willing to risk his employment, Kent McGowen took a position as a sheriff's deputy entrusted to patrol a wealthy Houston subdivision. It was a Mickey Mouse position, but that mattered little to McGowen. As long as he had a badge and a gun, he was the BMOC in his own mind, a Big Shot. While it is unclear why McGowen focussed his attentions on Susan White, his rage came to a full boil on muggy, August night that ended in murder.
   
   A word of warning to the reader, however. Susan White is a less than sympathetic victim. While she claimed to love her son above all else, she seemed unwilling to do the difficult tasks associated with parenting. Shirking her responsibilities as a mother, Susan White turned a blind her to her son's escalating behavioral problems. While Jason spiraled out of control and spent large amounts of time unsupervised, Susan White appeared to have plenty of time to dine at expensive restaurants, frequent barstools in trendy pubs, drop names, and go home with men in her never ending quest for the next wealthy man who would support the lifestyle to which she had become accustomed. Often intoxicated or strung out on prescription drugs, Susan White was an addict self-destructing at an alarming rate. McGowen simply ended a downward spiral a bit sooner than it might otherwise have come. While Susan White is not responsible for the egregious behavior of Kent McGowen, she tragically underestimated the consequences of her own actions and inaction. In so doing, she lost her life and left her son to grow up without a mother.

5 comments about The Complete History of Jack the Ripper.

1. Jack the Ripper is perhaps the best-known figure in history whose real identity is obscured. He killed (as far as we know) something between 4 and 9 women in London between 1887 and 1891. He was never caught, and there's no convincing proof anyone ever saw him clearly, let alone came upon him in the act of killing and tried to stop him. He became the subject of rumor and speculation while the killings were going on, and has since been a subject of much speculation and theorizing. "Solutions" to the crimes he committed range from various suspects to a conspiracy of the British Royal Family in some fashion all the way around to anti-Semitic conspiracies.
   
   Author Philip Sugden decided to write this book, and work from as many original sources as he could, recounting only that information he was able to confirm from contemporary records. He generally dismisses newspapers of the era, and tries to rely on police files as much as possible. What emerges is a different picture of the killer and the murders than has been presented in the past, because many previous books have repeated the errors of others while recounting what they believe happened. Sugden does his best to avoid this.
   
   The result is a well-written, detailed, exhaustive study of the killings themselves. Sugden recounts each of the killings in detail, and then spends considerable time telling of the police response to the crimes, their attempts to counter the killings, and especially their interrogations of witnesses. One point he makes clear is how primitive their forensic thinking was at the time: fingerprints were about a decade off yet, and it wasn't even possible to analyze bloodstains to tell if they were human or animal in origin. The police, as a result, depended to a great deal on witnesses and confessions. In crimes of passion or crimes of greed, those things worked reasonably well, but with a "stranger crime" where the killer and the witnesses probably didn't know the criminal, and he probably also didn't associate with other criminals, the chances of catching him were frankly minimal. That's what happened...they didn't catch him.
   
   I really enjoyed Sugden's book. It contains a great deal of information. The author, in the latter part of the book, leans towards one of the suspects (George Chapman) but doesn't insist that he must have done it. He does think it unlikely that Druitt, Kosminski, or Ostrog were the killer, but in each case his evidence is, like everything else at this remove, pretty much speculation. At least his speculation makes sense, however. Regardless, anyone who's interested in Jack the Ripper needs this book, definitely.



2. I found this book to be a bit boring and quite wordy for my personal taste. There were alot of facts that seemed to lead nowhere. I wasn't impressed!



3. Unlike most "Ripperologists," Philip Sugden does not have any pet theories to prove. Therefore, like a good historian, Sugden concentrates only on all the facts of the case as they can be cooberated by the primary sources. Very well written and thoroughly researched, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper not only covers each of the known murders in detail, the book also looks at several other unsolved murders that may have been part of the series of "Jack's" crimes. Furthermore, Sugden follows the police investigation and examines the suspects developed by the police at the time. While Sugden does evaluate the likelihood of these suspects' guilt, he makes no attempt to positively identify the killer. If you read only one book on the 1888 murders in Whitechaple, read this one.



4. Like many others, I have been interested in the story of Jack the Ripper. When I finally decided to read about the crimes, I wanted to read only the best, most definitive account. I believe that Sugden's book fits the bill. He sticks only to the facts; when he theorizes, he presents an opposing view as well. He does not claim to know who Jack the Ripper was, but he does put forth a theory. After having finished this book, I cannot imagine that there is much of anything else to know about the case. I would highly, highly recommend this book to anyone interested in reading an emotionless, fact-filled book about Jack the Ripper to pick this one up.



5. First let me state the categories of people who should (please note the emphasis) study (not 'read') this book: -
   1. Anybody who is interested in the any or all of the following: the Whitechappel killings, the subsequent frenzy, investigation into the murders, armchair investigations by "Mycroft" wannabes, and the literally literary withchhunt being carried out over the past century & more to "unmask" the killer;
   2. Anybody who is interested in understanding the socio-economic dynamics of the world's largest, richest, proudest and yet ruthlessly exploitative (of its own citizens, esp. the young and the women) city at that point of time when the nails were finally being hammered into the coffin of the 19th Century that had experienced the pinnacle of British glory;
   3. Anybody who, after being overfed on the serial killers (Hannibal et.al) produced by the "hot" American novelists, actually wishes to know how it is like to be chasing a black cat in an enormous dark cavern while blindfolded;
   4. Anybody who actually thinks that "the truth" might have been out there at some stage, but even with a centuries old "cold" case something can be done (unlike some trashy attempt sub-titled: "CASE CLOSED").
   
   This book is not only accurate and free from all the popular & obscure misconceptions, it is also a living proof that history can be made more attactive than fiction while staying rigorously free from falsehoods. Recommended to everybody belonging to the afore-mentioned 4 categories as well as to all who, after reading some new adventure pitting Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper, start pondering over "what if.."-s.

5 comments about Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer.

1. I was in junior high school when the Green River Killer was making his rounds. I remember watching about it on the TV news. While books have been written about the case, I was waiting until it had been solved to read about it. When I saw this book, I knew this was the one I would finally purchase because it was written by someone who actually had worked the case, not an outsider.
   
   This book is excellent--it is very well written, concise, and full of factual evidence. It also shows that we in law enforcement are humans and have feelings, too. We just often have to set them aside while we deal with horrible incidents.
   
   I am a dispatcher at a sheriff's office in a western state. I was almost finished with the book when I brought it to work with me. Within minutes of its discovery, co-workers were calling out dibs on who got to read it next. One deputy even called me on the radio to ask if I was finished reading it yet!
   
   So, this book is making the rounds at our office. And, everyone agrees with me that it is a VERY GOOD book.



2. Gary Ridgway is a pretty unremarkable man, but he inspired a remarkable story. This is one of the few serial killer cases where the investigative team is more interesting than the actual killer. At no point has Gary Ridgway crossed over from being a heartless murderer to pop culture antihero like, say, Charles Manson has. Being prostitutes, Ridgway's victims were almost too vulnerable, practically laid out on a buffet for him to prey upon. David Reichert struggles with this fact and many others throughout this story. You'll get a good sense of the intense pressure he and his team felt during their experience. The community was outraged at the task force's seeming lack of progress; the media fueled the fire by pointing out mistakes and missed opportunities. Later, budget cuts and over-involvement by the FBI were enough to drive many task force members to seek other assignments. Reichert's views on all of these are made clear, and the politics of a major city's police force are on display for all to see. Incredibly, at one point, the case had become so fruitless that only one man (not Reichert) was assigned to it for the duration. The task force's tireless work and evidence-collecting paid off in the end, and the prolific killing spree was finally ended. Others reviewing this book have called Reichert an egomaniac but I don't think he comes off like that at all. He gives a lot of credit where it's due, admits his errors, and is respectful to the victims at all times. His obsession is the reason the case got as far as it ever did. If David Reichert wanted to look like a big shot, I'd say he sacrificed a lot to get there.



3. Sheriff David G. Reichert might have written his autobiography here. After all, he was one in charge in regards to the Green River case. Reichert got involved from the first victim until the killer, Gary Leon Ridgway, finally confessed to killing over 50 victims and finding locations for the remains of some of them. For his confession, he was given life in prison without the possibility of parole. I'm sure some people felt that he deserved the death penalty and probably so. He murdered almost all women mostly prostitutes and drug addicts and runaways. Hardly the population that needed publicity. In Ted Bundy's day, he went after well-respected daughters, college students. Bundy referred to the Green River Killer's victims as bottom feeders because most families and friends wouldn't report them missing so soon. Reichert writes about the frustration and aggravation in almost every turn in trying to chase the devil who was the Green River Killer. I think we forget that law enforcement can be human and make mistakes. There were those that covered. The girls on the strip were in danger and they even knew it too. The Green River Killer took 20 years to find and he was a regular employee at Kenworth company as a truck driver. He was interviewed at times but nothing added up until the technology and DNA evidence. He finally confessed to his hideous crimes which included necrophilia something that Ted Bundy also did but was ashamed of. Ridgway comes clean and confesses to over 50 murders. It probably relieved the families that there would never be a trial which can be more painful in bringing up the past. Some victims were never found but I admired Reichert's way of memorializing them on the end pages of this book as well as writing about the many people, men and women who brought justice to the Green River victims.



4. as far as biases go, this book takes the cake. mr. reichert explains how he was the absolute pivot point around which the entire investigation rotated. i wasn't there, nor do i know what actually happened - but to think that one person solved the entire case is mind-boggling. i know forensic science is all encompassing and a community of scientists, police, etc. working together to come to the conclusion. mr. reichert makes it seem as though he did not utilize anyone else's help. interesting perspective.



5. This book was awful! The only reason why I read it all the way through is because I paid money for it. It has very little to do with the Green River Killer and everything to do with the investigator. I bought this book wanting to know about the investigation not about what Reichert had for breakfast! AWFUL.

5 comments about The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: An American Nightmare (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. This book starts out like it is going to be interestin and then after the first chapter it starts getting really boring. It tells the same thing over and over. First he takes home the boy and then drugs him and then cuts up the body. That is all it says everytime, it doesn't go into detail. The ending is really boring i could barley finish it. He gets caught durin the middle of the book and the rest is just trial crap that is really not intersting.



2. If you know nothing about Jeffrey Dahmer and want to know which crimes he commited and how he did it, this is the book for you. But if you have read other books about him, don't bother.
   
   The facts presented in this book are accurate, but it's such a shame that you don't get to know who Jeffrey Dahmer really was, nothing new about why he did it, his psychology. Okay, maybe nobody knew who he really was, but the author could have at least tried to give us something new.
   
   Although I believe that Milwaukee is interesting doesn't mean that I want to know its complete history! It just went on and on! After a while you know more about Milwaukee and Bath than Jeffrey Dahmer ever did.
   
   I guess that books like this one are written because of the fascination for serial killers. Although nothing new is said, the author knows that people will buy his book. And that's a shame.



3. This book gives great detail into the life of Jeffrey Dahmer's life and the sick crimes that he committed. The thing I did not care for in the book is that it would go off on history of a town or an area and continue for the entire chapter and it left you feeling what does the towns history have to do with Jeffrey and his killings?



4. My review isn't going to be much different from the others.
   
   I have become quite fond of true crime books, and this was the second that I have read. I knew very little about Dahmer before reading this book, and I found much of it to be very interesting.
   
   Unfortunately, the author has prioritized quantity over quality. It seemed to be loaded with all of the bare bones of the crimes, but contains very little meat. It also seems he relied on geography and the history of the regions where Dahmer did his deeds as filler. Believe me, there's plenty of it. I could almost swear that entire paragraphs were duplicated throughout the book just to take up page space.
   
   I'm not a great author myself, which is why I haven't made an attempt at getting paid for it. The fact of the matter is that most of the book could have been written using tourist brochures and local newspaper coverage of the crimes as the only resources.



5. I finished reading this book in about a week and thought that it was not as bad as some of the reviews claim. The author does tend to ramble on at the begining of a few early chapters about the history of Milwaukee or Jeff's hometown, but it's not as bad as one might think. Buying this book along with 'Massacre in Milwaukee' is the best way to go, as both books contain detail that the other doesn't. And with the low price of both, you can't go wrong.

5 comments about The Family.

1. A book doesn't have to be accurate, ethical and truthful to be "good". That's where I find a lot of disagreement on these reviews. I don't have to believe that UFO's built the great pyramids to have fun reading that perspective; I don't have to believe Jack the Ripper was really Walter Sickert to to have run reading the "proof". But, so many on here seem to give bad reviews based on their indignation at the truthfulness (or lack thereof) in a given book. Ed Sanders is a smart-aleck who evaluates the Manson Family as "Okies". He implies they videotaped murders. He claims they were affiliated with various satanic and occult groups. He claims certain Hollywood bigshots new Manson a lot better than they acknowledge. And blah blah blah. He can't really prove any of it, but for me, so what? I have to admit, this book is a lot of fun to read. I'd say, give it a try



2. So far, I've read 300 + pages out of the 500+ pages and it is very detailed! It is very informative!



3. A perfect companion to Vincent Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter", "The Family" was written by Ed Sanders, one time member of the "counter culture" 60's act The Fugs. Like Bugliosi, Sanders had first hand contact with The Manson Family in the late 60's/early 70's, however unlike Bugliosi he was not a straight prosecutor but (admittedly) a member of "the underground press" and a dyed in the wool hippie. Sanders occasionally deviates through some wacky borderline conspiracy theories, though always leaving you to draw your own conclusions. The fact that he took numerous trips out to the desert to mix with the Family while writing this book is akin to frontline tours of duty as a war correspondent and adds to the realism as he breaks bread with Manson's murder zombies. I've read this book five times over the past three years and each time its as chilling as the first when you realize that an ex-con hijacked the peace and love generation by collecting damaged youth and utilizing his control skills learned as a former pimp which combined with liberal doses of hallucinogenic drugs helped him create his morbid dream world of racial unrest, murder and mayhem, that was quite possibly just a mask for a personal, money and drug fueled related agenda.



4. Not as well written as Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter", but pretty good read all the same.
   Bugs theory of Helter Skelter motive is dubious at best and refuted by some.
   When it comes down to motive Sanders book makes a lot more sense.
   After all, he came in direct contact with some of the people connected to the Family.
   He doesn't produce any sources for his info, but that is understandable
   as he may have been scared for his life, or told not to by those who were scared for theirs.



5. This is one of the most poorly written books I have ever picked up. The author purports to be a poet, which, if true, is tragic indeed.
   The very first paragraph of the book has a hanging sentence, "There was." Is this some poet's idea of an ontological statement? Or just sheer sloppiness?
   On page 9, we are treated to the sentence, "Of irony,[how about 'ironically'? it's a perfectly good word here.] Manson seems [seems? It's pretty well documented that he did.] to have become a protege in prison of probibition gangster Alvin Karpis, a member of the evil [Wow; labelling something in a book on Manson has to be done in soemwhat relative terms; but I am glad that he let us know who the bad guys were here!] Ma Barker gang, which left fourteen victims dead."
   Let's go to page 53, where we read that "Rosemary's Baby, a saga of satanic chauvinism, is a story about the big-league affluent hail-Satan [that's a mouthful] crowd and their evident [Again, isn't the qualifier here a bit too cute?] success in getting Satan to make pregnant [I think the proper verb is "impregnate."] an innocent {is there any other kind?] female victim, played by Mia Farrow."
   Later, we read that "She stayed with the film; Sinatra left her, and so another headline sequential monogamy entered the dust." Good god.
   I hope you get the picture. This fellow needed a good editor and a decent English teacher in high school.
   I am sure that this book contains stuff not found in other Manson books. It is a laudatory effort for this, and this alone. It's quite a lengthy book. But trying to read it is, for anyone with other than a tin ear, an impossible task, unless one has at hand a bottle of decent Scotch, some nice music, and a wicked sense of humor.

5 comments about And the Sea Will Tell.

1. Vincent Bugliosi is not only a top-notch prosecutor & attorney, he's also a top-notch writer! This is one of THE best books I've ever read....you talk about not being able to stop reading a book. This is one of the strangest "True Crime" stories ever, and it will just blow your mind. Some nights it gave me such chills, I was afraid to get off the couch & go to bed! I was frozen with fear almost. Spooky....This crime is freaky & scary. Get this book! You won't regret it. Promise. If you love True Crime, get this book!



2. This book had me enthralled from the opening page. Mr. Bugliosi weaves an amazing story with so much detail that it seems like he is narrating something as it happens! A sad tale of two customers looking to be alone in a remote island (I wonder if the same island was used for the Tom Hanks movie survivor?) who get miffed that they are not alone. One of the couples ends up murdered and it is obvious who their killers are but through lack of physical evidence, the killers were not brought to trial to many years later. Note: spoilers below:
   
   It made my blood boil at what Buck Walker and Jennifer Jenkins did to the Grahams. The photos in the book show them as a beautiful couple with a boat that anyone would be proud to own.
   
   The only issue with the book that I had was how Mr. Bugliosi could defend Jennifer Jenkins (note: I looked at newspaper articles and her name is different. I wonder if she changed it for the publicity), insisting he was sure of her inocence when the prosecutor's closing arguments of the trial left no doubt that she had to be involved in the murders.
   
   I was also upset to read that Buck Walker was paroled in 2007.



3. Forgettable title, but what a fantastic true crime book. Sometimes the mini-series based on this excellent narrative by (former prosecutor turned defense attorney) Vincent Bugliosi, shows up on television (starring Rachel Ward, James Brolin, Richard Crenna) and it's also a real stunner.
   
   What really happened on the remote South Seas island of Palmyra? How did a young hippie couple who ditched their leaky boat end up sailing majestically back to Oahu on a fabulous yacht? And what happened to the yacht's owners, Matt and Muffie Graham?
   
   Bones wash up on the island six years after the couple's disappearance--and two young people are arrested for murder.



4. As a fan of mystery stories, both real and fictional, I was drawn to the premise of "And The See Will Tell" by Vincent Bugliosi. It is the tale of two couples living on a supposedly deserted South Pacific atoll that ends with two people losing their lives with very little evidence as to how it happened. Bugliosi not only serves as the author, but also the defense attorney in a case that sought to bring justice to one of the accused killers over a decade after the grisly murders took place in 1974.
   
   Jennifer Jenkins and Buck Walker couldn't have been a better example of opposites attract: Buck was a convicted felon while Jennifer, not exactly spotless in her record, was certainly peaceful and nonviolent. Yet she fell in love with Buck and would do anything for him, even aid him in his flight from the law. It was Buck's idea to sail to Palmyra Island, a deserted atoll in the South Seas, where they could live off the land and no one would be the wiser. Jennifer went along with Buck, never dreaming of the nightmare they would encounter there. For Palmyra, far from deserted, was a place of interest and stopping point of many travelers, including Malcolm and Eleanor Graham, experienced sea travelers who planned to spend at least a year at Palmyra, having sailed form Hawaii on their beautiful boat the Sea Wind.
   
   The two couples who found themselves living upon Palmyra couldn't have been more opposite: the Grahams were conservative and extremely prepared for their voyage, while Buck and Jennifer were certified hippies, inexperienced at sea and surprisingly unprepared to deal with life on the atoll, which gave almost every visitor a discomforting vibe. When Buck and Jennifer return to Hawaii aboard the Sea Wind, the reader knows that something horrible has happened to the Grahams, but Bugliosi chooses to keep those details for the second part of the book. The first part is told through third-person narrative, recounting the events that unfolded on the island, and Buck and Jennifer's subsequent arrest when they return to Hawaii: with the Grahams no where in sight, murder is the immediate conclusion.
   
   The second part of the book is told through Bugliosi's first-person narration, a recounting of how he became acquainted with the case and served as a defense lawyer in the murder trial, evidence existing in the bones of Eleanor Graham being divugled by the sea several years after that fateful trip. "And The Sea Will Tell" is a riveting case and a very thorough examination of the murder trial, perhaps almost too thorough at times. There are numerous footnotes to expound upon testimony and court procedures, which can slow down the narrative. Vincent Bugliosi certainly knows that he is a good lawyer and lets this be known, which can read as rather pompous at times, but his attitude only enhances the story in the end rather than distract from it. And while justice may have been served in this trial, the truth as to what actually happend on Palmyra with these two couples is still shrouded in mystery, for no one, not even the sea, is telling.



5. I thought the first part of the book was a page-turner. But less that halfway through, I had to force myself to read it. I thought it was a self-serving book for Mr. Bugliosi. How he says "I just can't defend a client unless I know they are innocent" and I love how when the judge tells him he can only have a certian amount of time for his closing statement, he is sure to tell the judge (and us) how another judge thought his 13 hour closing statement was the best one he has ever heard. I'm not in the mood for an author who beefs himself up in a book. I couldn't even force myself to finish it-it was that boring! Perhaps lawyers will enjoy it since it's 99% courtroom & 1% true crime

5 comments about Death Scenes: A Homicide Detective's Scrapbook.

1. I did not buy this book, but morbid curiosity DID get the better of me and so I stood in the aisle and paged through quite a bit of it. I wish I had not done that. When I decided I'd had all I could take, I could not get the book out of my hands fast enough. I even went to the magazine section of the bookstore to leaf through those cheesy celebrity rags, just to see pictures of smiling, beautiful, healthy people who were impeccably groomed and dressed. The contrast to what I had just seen was startling, and made Death Scenes all the more depressing. I stayed a bit depressed, and thought about the graphic images many times in the days that followed. Bottom line: If you want to see pictures that will make you think that the "good old days" were the most horrific, sickening, pathetic days in history, this is the book for you. I'll give the book two stars because it certainly does what it intends, but I just can't give it any more than that....I am STILL having trouble eating!!!



2. This Book is not for the faint of heart! I knew Sean Tejaratchi when he was a teen at his mother's house in Walker Basin so I just had to have a copy. Well Sean you still are marching to a different drummer! Best wishes.



3. This book is profoundly disturbing and not for the faint of heart or stomach. After first viewing some of these photos over 10 years ago, I lost the desire to eat food of any kind for almost a full 24 hours afterwards. Some of the most heinous murders pictured here were real headliners in their time - some cursory research on the internet reveals front-page coverage in the L.A. Times, particularly of the Virginia Lee Griffin murder, in which case the killer was executed in San Quentin a mere 4 months after sentencing. Makes you realize how no-nonsense the justice system was back in the 1940's. As the sub-title of the book succinctly states - "There were no 'good ol' days'". This book proves that nostalgia is largely a lie and, as Jesus Christ said, "The past is best forgotten."



4. This book shows through the eyes of the author that nothing has really changed about the violence we do to each other and ourselves except maybe the methods. This was an exceptionally accurate glimpse into a time gone by and the unchanging human condition. The photos were excellently restored.



5. Well, I must say that this book is a gruesome one. I have a friend that is a doctor and gets to see stuff similar to the pictures in this book first hand. His background didn't help him much when flipping through the "kid" section in this book. The text rambles and really doesn't provide anything but page filler. This book would not make an acceptable coffee table read, but will cool you to the core if you're all alone and have an overactive imagination. Good luck with this one if you are even slightly a wuss.