5 comments about The Journey to Chatham: Why Emmett Till's Murder Changed America, a personal story.

1. An important and insightful book, that take the reader to a new place of compassion and agony. It's more than a story of Emmett Till's death but a honest reflection of a part of our disonorable history. More than a good read it's a necessary read.



2. This writer, who evidently grew up at a very interesting time. Tells a story about America. An America that I was unfamiliar with. I forgot that the people, and the neighborhood were Black. This is an All-American story that all Americans should read. We can all be stronger and better if we heed the words of the author.



3. This book puts a personal perspective on an event that touched many and helped spark a movement. Set in a time and place in which all the children in the neighborhood "belonged to" all the adults in the neighborhood, the story illustrates the way the sense of innocent safety Black children in Chicago enjoyed was robbed from them when Emmett "Bo" Till was murdered. Documenting a community founded on love and trust, the story indicts the community based on hatred and fear that allowed Emmett to be killed and his murderers to go free. Simple and beautiful in its language, the book speaks appropriately to children as clearly as to adults. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the way an individual, a family, a neighborhood, and a whole people were affected by that single, horrible event.



4. This book included the ugliness and the beauty of growing up poor to middle class and black in America. It reminded me of the burden placed upon black people to carry your race.
   Most black parents that I knew said the same thing to there children, Don't embrassed your people, meaning black people. Thanks Art Miller I truly enjoyed your Journey to Chatham.



5. Mr. Arthur Miller is a personal friend of mine and for as long as I have known him he has been telling me this story of his connnection to Emmett Till and how it has affected his life. So to now see it in a book for public consumption is really a beautiful thing. His perspective is a very unique one but this book also shows the many other parts that contributed to the Civil Rights Movement that isn't being taught in school. This book should be required reading in every public high school in America. Our children need to know who came before them so they can appreciate what they have now. Thank you Arthur Miller.

1 comments about The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd.

1. I was completely unfamiliar with this case when I read this book. The first section is quite dry with extraneous detail (a common foible of true crime books, I admit) about Phoenix of the 1930's and I almost decided to put it down. I'm glad I didn't. Although the details of the crime itself were interesting, I found the real enjoyment of this book came from following the bizarre course of Ruth Judd's life. I kept turning pages to find out what would happen to her next. About the time she opened up her own beauty salon in the insane asylum, I was totally hooked. What a fascinating life she led, albeit a sad one.

5 comments about Hot Toddy: The True Story of Hollywood's Most Sensational Murder.

1. What a great subject Thelma Todd is for a book, and what a shame that this author missed the opportunity she had to write a really good biography. Invented dialogue between Thelma and other people, and the author's undocumented speculations ruin Edmonds' credibility. She missed chance after chance to tell us what made Thelma special, onscreen and off. Her film work, both in features and short subjects (which can now be seen on Odyssey's Leonard Maltin Presents series) are never explored to any degree - but then this author is only interested in the sensational angles of Thelma's life, which sold the book idea in the first place, I'm sure. Sadly, this IS the one biography out there on Thelma. Someday, a legitimate film historian will interest a company such as McFarland or Scarecrow and this unfortunate book will be forgotten.



2. Hot Toddy, natch, concerns the possible murder of a popular 1930s comedienne, Thelma Todd. She's born on July 29, 1905, in Lawrence, MA. She was sweet and spicy with a wisecracking charm and an adroit intelligence. Toddy was a hot property at Hal Roach Studios (whose arsenal included great comedy stars of the day, including Laurel and Hardy), and a big box office draw, having co-starring with the likes of ZaSu Pitts and The Marx Brothers in her prime. In complete contrast with her onscreen roles, however, Toddy's life was quite unhappy. She had a tendency to attach herself to loser boyfriends, she felt the comedy roles constantly foisted upon her were beneath her talents, and her mother made Mama Rose in Gypsy look like a simpering housewife.

   When Toddy was found dead in her car one December night in 1935, the story was national news. Rumors of suicide, murder by Lucky Luciano's mob or any of a string of disgruntled lovers swirled around Tinsel Town, but due to a botched investigation by the LAPD Toddy was ruled an accidental death. The fact that she drank heavily and often passed out in her car after a binge supported this conclusion.

   The author just can't transpose this compelling story into a good read. The writing, the dialogues are dry. It could have been much better.




3. Hot Toddy concerns the possible murder of a popular 1930s comedienne, Thelma Todd. "Toddy" was a hot property at Hal Roach Studios and a big box office draw, having co-starring with the likes of ZaSu Pitts and The Marx Brothers in her prime. In complete contrast with her onscreen roles, however, Toddy's life was quite unhappy. She had a tendency to attach herself to loser boyfriends, she felt the comedy roles constantly foisted upon her were beneath her talents, and her mother made Mama Rose in Gypsy look like a simpering housewife.

   When Toddy was found dead in her car one December night in 1935, the story was national news. Rumors of suicide, murder by Lucky Luciano's mob or any of a string of disgruntled lovers swirled around Tinsel Town, but due to a botched investigation by the LAPD, Toddy's was ruled an accidental death. The fact that she drank heavily and often passed out in her car after a binge supported this conclusion.

   Andy Edmonds, after seven years of research, believes differently, and in Hot Toddy we are treated to his theories on Toddy's death (read: murder), a story in which mobsters figure prominently in using Toddy and her connections to an LA restaurant bearing her name to make headway in California. Whether or not any of it is true I haven't completely decided for myself, though Edmonds assures us by citing anonymous sources present during Toddy's last hours it is. Of course, we really have no way of knowing beyond taking Edmonds's words as truth.

   Though I found the overall story behind Hot Toddy compelling, I must say the writing was a bit dry; imagined dialogue between Toddy and others, Luciano and pals gets annoying after a while.

   As far as I know, this is only book-length interpration of Toddy's life and death: not exactly a title that does the great actress justice, but Hollywood buffs will be grateful for its existence because it does help keep a great actress like Thelma Todd in memory.




4. As a longtime Los Angeles native I drove by the former restaurant-nightclub run by screen star Thelma Todd on Pacific Coast Highway many times. Little did I know about Todd's involvement with mobster Lucky Luciano and abounding speculation stemming therefrom until reading "Hot Toddy" and exploring Andy Edmonds' interesting hypothesis.

   The book is written in the form of a quasi-novel with dialogue between Todd and Luciano, as well as lengthy character sketches of both major players. They loom as fascinating characters for entirely different reasons, a fun loving film star and a ruthless, homicidal gangland boss who takes no prisoners.

   An interesting explanatory element of Edmonds' hypothesis is the involvement of corrupt Los Angeles District Attorney Buron Fitts, who was allegedly controlled by Luciano and other gangland elements. When the no nonsense Todd sought to reveal Luciano's machinations to the D.A. he supposedly expressed interest in what she had to say. Todd was killed a short time thereafter.

   Lonnie Anderson did a good job of playing Todd in the made for television movie "Hot Toddy" based on Edmonds' book. It closely follows the book.




5. Hot Toddy is yet another book about a scandal in old Hollywood. Because of this, it is bound to attract both fans of the era and those looking for all the juicy details of Thelma Todd's death. Andy Edmonds does an admirable job of giving plenty of information without causing her book to become trashy, so it satisfies both groups.
   
   Thelma Todd was a popular comedienne from the Hal Roach studios. She began in silents working as the comic foil for various films including a stint with Charley Chase. She graduated to co-starring parts in her own short series with Zasu Pitts and later Patsy Kelly. Her beauty made her a favorite with audiences, but her knack for comedy kept her from moving on into the dramatic parts she desired. Her affiliation with "Lucky" Luciano and other gang members did her in.
   
   Unfortunately for Todd, a series of previous Hollywood scandals complicated the investigation into her death. Justice was hardly served to those who deserved it. Evidence was destroyed or ignored, and the trial was laughable. Todd's death was ruled to be an accident, but everyone knew she was murdered. Edmonds works through the details of Todd's death and the story of her life to uncover the truth about her early end, and in doing so, celebrates the memory of a beautiful comedienne. She sometimes takes liberties when she manufactures dialogue between the subjects, but this makes for easier reading. There are times when the reading gets dry because Edmonds examines the business of the gangsters Todd knew in great detail, but the information proves to be helpful later. Overall, this is a good book and the best source of information about Thelma Todd.

No comments about Slayer of Innocence.

3 comments about Incident At Big Sky.

1. I've know Johnny France since he was a young man. Without his dogged determination, these two killers might not have ever been captured. Don Nichols is still in prison and most likely will never get paroled. This book tells fascinating tale almost too strange to believe in these modern times. Great reading!!



2. In contrast to the other reader, I've known Johnny France since *my* childhood LOL. This is a gripping crime story that also gives a native's glimpse into a community and a way of life that's rapidly changing. Read this as much for a taste of western Montana as it once was as much as for the murder story.



3. Kari Swenson was abducted by a mountain man father/son team as she hiked alone on an isolated trail in the thickness of the country growth at Big Sky, Montana, as she trained for the Olympics event she meant to win. They treated her abusively in the rough mountain way as she pleaded to be released. The old man, Don Nichols, asked his son, "Shall we keep her?" Danny nodded, with "Yeah, let's keep her."
   
   This drama played out for five months while the first rescuer was killed on Moonlight Creek in the wild forest, so close to Big Sky. "Remembering a tragedy is always painful." The long manhunt and eventual capture of the kidnappers ended peaceably due to the expertise of Sheriff Johnny France. This "drama of the confrontation between the Sheriff and the fugitives is as exciting as any fiction" and it is "a tale of high adventure in real life."
   
   At the first trial in Virginia City where cowboys drink coffee and other liquids at Bettie's Cafe, Danny was not found guilty of murder because his father was the one who shot Al Goldstein. The district judge is described as a crusty old Southerner who 'ran a tight court' who felt that the younger man should have been found guilty as well because the murder had occurred during the course of the original felony. But the jury of rural Montana didn't see it that way. Dan got the maximum sentence to be served at the hardrock prison at Deerlodge.
   
   A new trial ended with Don Nichols receiving guilty on both counts, murder and kidnapping and also got the maximum sentence under law. He must serve 42 years before any chance of parole. For a man his age, that is equivalent to the death sentence.
   
   Life goes on at the Mountain Range with hot dry summers and fiercely cold winters. Kari went back to full time training for international biathlon competition, but this time in the Green Hills of Vermont -- but never alone. She was only twenty-three when that happened; today, she would be 44. By now, it is hoped that she has found the peace after such a grueling experience.

No comments about The List.

4 comments about Stalking Justice The Dramatic True Story of the Detective Who First Used DNA Testing to Catch a Serial Killer.

1. "Stalking Justice" is a very good book. It is the story of the arrest, conviction, and eventual putting to death of Timothy Wilson Spencer for a series of gruesome rape/murders in Virginia in the 1980s. The murders took place in Arlington and Richmond. The book focuses on Arlington Detective Joe Horgas' investigation. This was also the first murder conviction that hinged on the breakthrough forensic science of DNA fingerprinting. This not only lead to the conviction of Spencer but helped free a man who had been convicted of one of the murders.Paul Mones does an excellent job of recreating the horrific crimes and crime scenes. Spencer was also linked to a series of break-ins/rapes that had been committed by a masked man. He was truely an evil person. Mones takes the reader step by step through Horgas' investigation. He shows the reader the right things that were done and also the errors that were committed by others. I grew up in Richmond and remember the panic that shook the city to it's core during the "Southside Strangler's" 3 murder spree. The number of murders may not seem large by serial killer standards, but there was a genuine fear in the city, especially by women who lived alone. I also knew one of the victim's mother. She was a teacher of mine in elementary school, so I always remembered the case. A whole other book could be written about the psychological aspects of the killer's makeup, but the bottom line is this was an individual who ritualistically tortured his victims and kept them alive for long periods of time before killing them. Luckily, he was stopped.I have a few complaints about the book. First, Det. Horgas is depicted as a one man wrecking crew while all other investigators are depicted as pig-headed or incompetent. I don't believe the entire Richmond PD was that inept. It was pointed out that several people involved had reservations about how Horgas came up with Spencer's name. While the evidence shows that Spencer undoubtedly committed the murders, the question of how Horgas pulled Spencer's name out of thin air is a curious one. I have no doubt this can happen in an investigation, but it is very coincidental that it happened this way in such a high profile one. My only insinuation is that maybe there was more information not privy to the reader. Also it was mentioned that animal hairs/fibers were found but the author never gave resolution to this. Did Spencer have a dog? Maybe I missed that in my reading. These complaints are minor as the author overall did an outstanding job. My only major complaint is that no picture of Spencer was included in the photo spread in the book. All major players were shown including the man falsely accused, but not Spencer. This was an error in editing. My last observation is in regards to the DNA analysis. The author mentions another case involving Barry Sheck, where DNA analysis was thrown out when the lab's quality control came under fire. DNA fingerprinting is revolutionary in crime fighting but it is only as good as the people analyzing the samples. Spencer was undoubtedly guilty, but for the sake of innocent persons accused the labs doing the tests have to be closely monitored. The Spencer case is also mentioned in John Douglas' "Journey into Darkness".



2. Greetings,

   As an avid reader of true crime books this one rates really high on my list. I loved every minute of it as the book was well written and really held your attention. Once I started reading I could not put it down. I liked it because the author told the entire story without adding endless pages of scientific termonology that would go over the average reader's head. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with the criminal mind.




3. which satisfied many of my long-standing questions & concerns regarding the tragic death of one of Mr. Spencer's victims. My interest in this particular crime is personal because I knew her. We worked together & interacted on an almost daily basis. I'd describe her best as a "jackie-of-all-trades" (architect, attorney, photographer, adventurer). She was also perhaps our office's Einstein equivalent, for she was so intelligent & bright. I continue to remember her most for her many eccentricities, some endearing & some perhaps not (depending upon whom you happened to ask). She was a gentle spirit who always remembered to live for each day & to be thankful for its many gifts. There was truly no one else quite like her!



4. I cant add anything to what the other reviewers have already noted. It's a compelling story. This is how youre supposed to write!

1 comments about Priority Mail.

1. This book is an expert treatise on the Roy Moody case. Any person who is interested in Explosive Investigations would find this book a compelling read. Several photogrgaphs, including device xrays are included. It would be a good used reference book for a library on the subject.

No comments about A Date With Death.

4 comments about In A Child's Name.

1. If you saw the TV-movie of IN A CHILD'S NAME (starring Valerie Bertinelli), it didn't tell half the story of wife-murderer Ken Taylor, his child-stealing parents, and their accomplices, of whom some were unwitting. With this book author Peter Maas raises the stakes for true-crime writing. Read IN A CHILD'S NAME!



2. This poor girl should have gotten out of this awful marriage. It showed how close to her family she was and at what lenghts family will go to to do the right thing. The book presented how strong and what great character her sister had.I have met her sister on several occasions and she is nice,kind and sweet. How this family can go on the way they do is an inspiration to others.



3. The movie " In A Childs Name" was the best movie that I have ever saw. It brought back memories of what happened to my sister. Now I have ideas to help my nephew.



4. In A Child's Name by Peter Maas is an outstanding non-fiction book. Maas finds factual information about the custody case, because he was one of the reporters. He interviewed both sides and wrote the book based on what they thought, and not his own opinions. He describes in great detail about the battle over Philip Taylor that was between the victim's sister and her in-laws. The book, however, has too many explicit details that younger people should not read. Even older readers can find some parts disturbing. There is a lot of violence, anger, and hard feelings that the reader can feel just by reading the book. The movie of the book is good; however, it leaves many of the details out. The movie doesn't tell about Theresa and what she did with Ken. I didn't know half of the things that went on with Theresa, Ken, and their families until I read the book. I was shocked to find some of the information that Maas wrote about. It also doesn't tell everything about Ken, like the book does. For the full understanding, the book is an excellent source. This is one book that could catch the reader's interest from the beginning to the end. I thought that this book was one of the best books that I have ever read, because it kept my interest. I would definitely recommend this book to people whom like custody cases mixed in with a murder case.