5 comments about Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders.

1. Author William Drennan, professor of English (and it shows), wastes little time and few words in summarizing the events leading up to a horrific crime: the murder of his lover, Mamah Borthwick Cheney, her two young children (visiting the estate), and (eventually) four workers, who were killed by an ax-wielding arsonist servant at the home Frank Lloyd Wright designed for life with his mistress, Ms. Cheney. Theories on the motive, never firmly established because the killer died before trial, include the perpetrator's mental instability or possibly revenge for verbal insults by one or more of the victims. Although the subtitle, Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders, indicates murder as the central theme, at least half of the (pre-reference section) pages leading up to the chapter entitled "A Summer Day That Changed the World" Murder at Taliesin, are filled with background, primarily of Wright: his ancestry, (pre-marriage) family life, career, married life, relationship with Cheney, and negative treatment by the press and people of Oak Park, Illinois. Drennan shares his views in several places, notably: in modifying the accepted version of the murderous rampage to better fit the evidence and that Wright was skilled at structural design of buildings. His examples, the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, which performed well during earthquakes in the 1920s, and Midway Gardens in Chicago, which because of its stout construction, was difficult to demolish, confirm the latter point, others, notably Fallingwater in Pennsylvania and the Freeman House in California, which have not fared as well structurally, do not. The issue of Wright's structural design skills and the sensationalist title and cover photo (ax prominently displayed) aside, Drennan has done an excellent job of putting together a short, reader friendly book about the circumstances surrounding the Taliesin murders. It would have been even better about fifty percent longer, with more information on some of Wright's many architectural masterpieces. Hands down better than Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.



2. Having been a Frank Lloyd Wright "fan" for many years, and having taught a short course on his architecture at the college where I was a professor, before retirement, I appreciated the in depth research on this "scandalous" period of FLW's life. A daughter lives in Oak Park and I toured many of FLW's Prairie houses there, as well as visiting "Falling Water" from a later period of his career. Book arrived in good time, in excellent condition. I will lead a discussion next month on this book for my book club. After all, I recommended this book for discussion.



3. While Drennan wrote about his amount of research done for this book, he came to incomplete conclusions; completely misinterpreted his research; or lost his references in (I am sure) his piles of notes. It's apparent to those who have studied Wright, or have an interest in him, that, while Drennan refers to books in the bibliography, he didn't study them, particularly in his misunderstanding of a proper floor plan for Taliesin I.
   
   There are things that he just gets plain wrong (page numbers refer to the hardcover version of the book).
   
   Page 6, he writes that Taliesin is on the "banks of the Wisconsin River." It's not. It's just down from the top of a hill (on the brow of the hill, leading to the name "Taliesin", "shining brow" in Welsh) and also separated from the river by a road.
   
   Page 16, he states that Wright spend "five summers" working on his family's farm. Wright spent summers there from the ages of 11-18.
   
   Page 19, He writes that Wright went to Chicago and spent 2 dollars on a concert. Wright wrote in his autobiography that he spent $1.
   
   Page 31, he states that Wright met CR Ashbee in 1896. They met in 1900, which Drennan would have known if he had read one of the books he cites in his bibliography, _Frank Lloyd Wright: The Lost Years, 1910-1922: A Study of Influence_, by Anthony Alofsin.
   
   Page 67, A statue shown in a photograph on this page is referred to as "an [Alfonso] Ianelli sprite" (from Wright's Midway Gardens project in Chicago, IL) when it's actually _Flower in the Crannied Wall_, designed by Richard Bock for Wright's Susan Lawrence Dana House in Springfield, IL (which he would have known had he read Narciso Menocal's article about the statue in _Taliesin 1911-1914: Wright Studies, v. 1_, which Drennan cited in his bibliography).
   
   Page 161 he writes that, "When Miriam Noel learned of Olgivanna, she lay siege to the place and dragged out divorce proceedings for five turbulent years." Wright and Noel were married in 1923, and divorced in 1927.
   
   Page 168, he states that Wright had been buried "next to" Mamah. Their graves are about 20 feet apart. Drennan refers several times to the valley that the Lloyd Joneses lived in as "Bear Creek," but it's never been called that (Helena Valley is acceptable).
   
   He also writes that Wright's family had come across the United States directly to Spring Green, Wisconsin, when in truth they'd actually settled in Ixonia, Wisconsin (on the eastern side of the state) for about a decade before coming to Spring Green.
   
   There are various statements he made that have no citation in the endnotes:
   Page 14, Wright's father's turn as a Unitarian minister is described on page 14 as "a 'sop,' it has been called" - no citation
   
   Page 15, he states that Wright's half-sister Lizzie charged that his mother was "spoiling Frank rotten..." - no citation
   
   Page 15, he states that Wright's father "pointedly" called Wright and his two sisters, "Anna's children" - no citation
   
   Page 137, he refers to "One online source" with no citation
   
   Et cetera.
   
   All the while, he writes that all of these other writers have gotten things wrong or misinterpreted things. He is the one who misinterpreted the area, misunderstood Taliesin, Wright's family, and Wright's background.
   
   If you want to know about Wright, read Meryle Secrest's biography. If you want to know about Taliesin I, get _Taliesin 1911-1914: Wright Studies, volume I_, ed. Narciso Menocal (this will also provide you with a Taliesin I floor plan). If you want to read about Wright's relationship with Mamah Borthwick, read Nancy Horan's book, _Loving Frank_. It's historical fiction that is better researched than _Death in a Prairie House_.



4. The book was in excellent condition and shipped in good time. I believe it arrived even before the forecasted delivery date.



5. This books gives an account of the tragic event and the circumstances surrounding it -- the murder of Mamah Borthwick Cheney, her two children and other members of celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright's household at Taliesin, his sprawling hillside home near Spring Green, Wisconsin.
   
   The book is a work of non-fiction; it gives the reader as detailed a portrait of the tragedy as possible, now, nearly a century later.
   
   William Drennan's account of the events takes a closer and more scientific approach to the fire and murders than heretofore. Mrs. Cheney and her son and daughter, along with members of the Taliesin household, were having lunch when the disaster occurred. A servant set fire to the house, and as the frightened residents attempted to flee, he killed many and wounded others using an axe. Word reached both Mr. Wright and Mr. Cheney in Chicago, at about the same time; they took the same train up to Wisconsin, still unsure of who had lived, who had died, and what might have precipitated the disaster.
   
   In earlier biographies of Wright, none of the authors analyzed Taliesin's features--floor plans, doors, windows and courtyards--with an eye toward reconciling the sequence of events as witnessed by the survivors. Drennan remedies their oversight and in so doing, shows Wright scholars and aficionados, as well as the general reader, what probably occurred on that sad day. If you enjoy history, true-crime, or are simply a fan of Wright, you will not want to miss reading this book.

5 comments about Deadly Dose: The Untold Story of a Homicide Investigator's Crusade for Truth and Justice.

1. Great Book. You can't put this book down!
   
   This was a wonderfully written book about the tragedy of young promising AIDS researcher. It really goes deep into the behind the scenes work that is done by detectives.



2. I was a neighbor of Ann & Eric's for about 4 years when the couple lived in Holly Springs.
   On our very short street they were "the newlyweds" who were just starting out in life.
   The detective in this book knew Eric's personality amazingly well considering that he never actually met Eric. Eric truly was a pleasure to know. I remember when the movie "Jurassic Park" came out how he laughed as he xplained to me why it was impossible for Dinosaurs to be cloned that way.
   To give an example of what Eric was like I would often come home late from work, always later than he did. Whenever I did happen to run into him on our street when getting home I would always ask him the same question. With "Tongue in Cheek" I'd open our conversations with "Hi Eric, hey, did you have fun today staring at viruses through your microscope all day?"
   He would always start laughing, and never once say "Hey Gary, that's really getting a little old." Not once, I was wondering if that would ever happen and I probably asked him that silly question over 30 times.
   Eric would light up a room at any block party or Pig Picking. He didn't seem to want attention, he was just a very pleasant person to be around. He was trusting, happy, honest, and transparent, know the type?
   He had a T shirt with a picture of whale on the front with the caption "Save the humans". He was just like he looks in the picture on the top-right side of the book's cover.
   
   Ann was always quiet and seemed to always think before she said anything. Once, at a neighborhood party, I remember asking her if she had decided to keep working in the same field that she was studying and she surprised me by saying that she was considering a career in "Criminal Law".
   
   The book reveals all of what was happening behind the scene as we were wondering who on Earth would ever want to kill someone like Eric Miller. There was no answer, everyone liked Eric, he had absolutely no enemies.
   The only thing that I could think of was that maybe Ann was guilty and did it because she couldn't stand being around someone who was so "upbeat" all of the time. Maybe she was someone who needed to vent about her personal problems and maybe he would seem to trivialize them just because he was so easy going etc. It's a great book, and I agree that truth is stranger than fiction.
   We all miss Eric, we all regret not having spent more time with him when he was here.
   Gary, Holly Springs,N.C.



3. Deadly Dose is the revealing and sometimes-shocking account of longtime homicide detective Chris Morgan's relentless effort to keep alive a seemingly unsolvable high-profile arsenic poisoning death that captivated the Triangle area of North Carolina for years. It's a page-turning tale of intrigue and mystery and is a must-read for any fan of true crime and anyone touched by the heartbreaking and untimely death of Eric Miller -- a young father with a promising future -- or angered by his killer-wife's ability to evade arrest for too many years.
   
   Amanda Lamb's portrayal of Morgan and his quest to seek justice for the murder victims he works for and their families will make you appreciate him -- and even more, the thousands other law enforcement officers and criminal justice employees like him across our country who dedicate their lives to helping put murderers like Ann Miller Kontz in prison and keeping our streets a little safer.
   
   I highly recommend Deadly Dose -- you MUST read it -- and I eagerly await Amanda's next true-crime book.



4. Crime reporter and author Amanda Lamb has done an excellent job sharing the gripping story of incomprehensible murder. You will be moved by her intelligent, well-thought out re-telling of retired detective Chris Morgan's epic quest to solve the mystery of Eric Miller's tragic murder, murder at the hand of his own wife. You will grieve for Eric's family. And, you will indeed, as another reviewer points out, be deeply, profoundly grateful for the champions of truth and justice like Morgan and others who fight daily to solve and prosecute crime. Lamb and Morgan are a perfect pairing for an unforgettable true tale. You won't be disappointed by this provocative, first-rate account.



5. This is a sad, fascinating story with unexpected twists written by a TV reporter--but the substandard writing style is a distraction to readers of "true crime" classics like Fatal Vision. The first paragraph alone has three overwrought metaphors about the investigator's leather chair that may cause a reader to start laughing. Slog through pages of repetition and you will wish that Ann Rule had written it instead. My recommendation is to skip the fluff and read the free online coverage from the Raleigh newspaper.

5 comments about Such Good Boys: The True Story of a Mother, Two Sons and a Horrifying Murder.

1. The two boys had every reason to do what they did, and if they had looked or acted remorseful during that time, it would have been to their benefit. But no, page 186 describes Jason telling another inmate that he killed his mother, grinning about it the entire time. What did he expect? That they wouldn't consider him a threat to society if he acted like that? Then there's the unfortunate fact that this young man was 18, and considered an adult, who could have gone out into the ring and taken the legal system on himself for custody of his brother.
   
   I agree that this story is tragic for many reasons. First of all, because someone should have taken custody away from the mother, she was in no shape to be raising two teenage boys. Even their father sort of backed out after he left her and sort of saved himself. If anyone had made a case out of this, I doubt any judge would have left two boys with a mother who is obviously and unmistakably mentally ill.
   
   The other reason this story is tragic is the fact that it ended with murder. The children's mother was very sick and someone should have tried to get her help, instead of treating her like she had full mental capacity and holding her responsible for her actions. She probably did not mean to hurt the boys the way she did, but she was terrified every day herself of millions of formulated threats and being stalked by "the henchmen of Duncan Sheik." She was scared, in some ways really a victim herself, and she needed to be in the care of a psychiatrist and on some kind of medication that might have aided her in living a normal life.
   
   So while this book demonstrates a complete lack of regard from the entire world on the abusive situation the boys were forced to deal with for years, it also demonstrates a lack of regard and compassion regarding a woman who was seriously mentally ill, by no fault of her own, that no one bothered to aid or care about until it was too late.
   
   I think Jason's punishment was apt. Matthew, however, really does deserve a second chance at life.



2. This book should make clear to anyone who reads it the hypocrisy and double standards with which our culture reacts to murder. If the genders were reversed, Jason could have been ten years older and would have been portrayed as rising against the shackles of patriarchal oppression. There would have been celebrities and artists and feminists turning the case into a cause celebre, as they did with Aileen Wuornos, who had far less reason to commit her depradations than these boys. I, too, think the punishment for Jason was appropriate, although the expectation that he could have been repentant is ridiculous. Most people -- male or female -- who are raised under such circumstances aren't. Jason was rightly held socially responsible for his actions, but the root cause of this ugly tragedy was mainly the monster "mother" who "raised" him.
   
   Note, too, the eager willingness on the part of female readers to assume this "mother" was mentally ill. Apparently, there are those who believe that only men are capable of abuse, violation, and oppression through the force of their own will.



3. I received my order within a couple of days, very fast shipping. The book itself was a great read. Would recommend this book to anyone.



4. This is a well-written, gripping true crime tale. I simply could not put the book down! It is a tragic story that is profoundly sad, as it deals with the murder of a woman, Jane Bautista, by her older son, Jason Bautista, with the knowledge and blessing of the younger one, Matt Montejo. Jane Bautista was mentally ill, and they simply could no longer deal with her erratic and frightening behavior. Jason's regrettable act was one that he deluded himself into thinking would restore normalcy into his and his brother's lives, only to find that his young life would never be normal as a result.
   
   The book lays out the pattern of the children's lives over the years, living with a mother that had, undoubtedly, developed paranoid schizophrenia in her early adulthood. Her behavior was erratic, frightening, and totally paranoid. Although she came into contact with adults, including her own family, displaying frightening, irrational, and peculiar behavior, no one did anything or notified anyone to intervene in what certainly must have been a very difficult situation with which to cope for her poor children. Their life was anything but normal.
   
   The Deputy District Attorney who tried the case seemed to be totally without compassion, seeking the maximum penalty for this murder. He saw it simply in black and white terms. It is true, however, that Jason, who was about twenty years old at the time of the murder, could have sought outside help or simply left the household instead of murdering his mother in cold blood. Instead, he not only killed her but chose to dispose of her remains in a way that shocks the conscience. Although given his home life, it is difficult to expect him to have been totally rational. Yet, there is simply no way one can condone what he did. Still, one cannot help but feel that the criminal justice system dealt with Jason over harshly, given the context out of which his actions arose.
   
   This is an excellent true crime book, three dimensional in the telling and well-researched. It is certainly one that aficionados of the genre will greatly enjoy reading.



5. Such Good Boys: The True Story of a Mother, Two Sons and a Horrifying Murder
   
   This story is very frustrating because several people knew this mother had mental problems and did't try to get help for her or her children.

5 comments about A Family Cursed: The Kissell Dynasty, a Gilded Fortune, and Two Brutal Murders (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. A Family Cursed: The Kissell Dynasty, a Gilded Fortune, and Two Brutal Murders (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
   
   Kevin McMurry strikes again! This story of real life power, wealth, greed, desperation and yes murder, will captivate you. You do not need to be a lover of true crime stories to get hooked on this compelling story by Kevin. The author's vivid descriptions of desperate people doing the unthinkable in order to retain & gain wealth will capture your imagination. Two perfect American Families that any of us would love to be a part of or maybe not. Kevin's investigative reporting & analysis mixed with a true Irishman's uncanny ability to tell a story makes this read a real winner!



2. The poor Kissell family who had it all but was cursed by it's own success. The poor brothers, Robert and Andrew Kissell, were murdered. Robert was murdered by his wife, Nancy, in Hong Kong. She was sentenced to life in prison there. Their three children would face a custody battle among in-laws. Andrew had lots of legal problems because he acted illegally and immorally in most business and finance transactions not like his brother Robert who graduated college, married, and rose up the financial ladder as being one of the hardest working financiers even in Hong Kong. Regardless, Robert and Andrew did not deserve their fate. Robert's wife, Nancy, was lonely and was having an affair with a blue collar television repairman in Vermont where they had a second winter home. Sadly, Robert and Andrew were laid beside their mother Elaine Kissell at Riverside Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey. Robert's children are being raised by the only surviving Kissell child, Jane Kissell Clayton, in Seattle, Washington with her two children. The Kissell patriarch is still alive and living in Florida. It's still a sad story but I think the writer's inexperience at writing true crime stories surfaces here and will get better in the future.



3. I have been reading Kevin's works as they come out and this is his best effort to date. A must read !! Kevin puts you right into the lives of this family and shows all the scars.



4. Kevin F. McMurray missed his calling. This investigative reporter should have been a detective. With him it just the facts. His research is SUPERB! Not a rehash. He doesn't embellish the case with his own speculation. He leaves that up to you. McMurray lifts the dark veil of the Kissel Dynasty, and what he reveals is the dark side of their high society, Wall Street, power, fame, wealth, fraud, sex and murders. McMurray extensive interviews paint a portrait of the Jekyll and Hyde within each personality. His work is thorough and yet he treats each suspect and victim with respect. This style makes his books page turners. It would make one hell of a movie. A real life who-dun-it?
   
   I also read his fascinating book, "Deep Decent" about his dives on the infamous Andrea Doria sunk in 1955. His hair raising adventures of deaths and near death experiences makes great reading. This guy seems like the real deal.



5. Wife with too much money kills husbund. Brother who wants more money is killed. Was it worth it? She now sits in a jail in China.No money,kids,or boyfriend.

5 comments about Die, My Love: A True Story of Revenge, Murder, and Two Texas Sisters.

1. Fans of psychology and true crime will thoroughly enjoy this book. Die My Love tells the story of how one woman's obsession would lead to murder and the destruction of an entire family.
   
   There's no time to catch your breath in this latest true-crime page turner from Kathryn Casey. With her unique voice style, the author paints a vivid portrait of Piper Rountree...petite, beautiful, attorney and murderer? Although those closest to the family were painfully aware of Piper's irrational, eradicate behavior, only her sister Tina truly understood the darkness that had enveloped her every thought.
   
   Using her sister's identification for plane tickets and hotel reservations, Piper flew from Texas to Virginia, where she gunned down her estranged husband in the driveway of his home, as their three children slept in their beds mere yards away. Despite the sister's best efforts to concoct an air tight alibi and dispose of evidence, it was just a matter of time before justice came calling.
   
   Extensive research takes the reader behind the well manicured facade that had been painstakingly constructed to protect the all important image Piper cultivated. With lyrical prose, Casey skillfully traces the Jablin-Rountree story - from their early days to Piper's strange, irrational behavior, to the series of events that would lead to the destruction of an already flawed marriage. Weaving a complex narrative of a family who, lived in a beautiful home, surrounded by friends and family but lingered in the shadow of dysfunction, Casey reassembles their shattered lives in the years and months before Fred's death, intimately describing what led this petite, educated, Texas lawyer to murder her ex-husband and the father of her children.
   
   Filled with the most complete case facts available, Die My Love offers an unparalleled look at one of the most captivating murder cases in recent years told by one of the most prolific crime writers of our time! I recommend this book to all who enjoy true crime novels, as well as, thriller and mystery lovers! I anxiously await Kathryn Casey's next novel!
   
   Happy Reading!



2. DIE, MY LOVE is Kathryn Casey's account of the murder of Fred Jablin, a respected college professor, by his self-centered and narcissistic wife, Piper Rountree. Rountree's motivation was to assure that she was granted custody of their three children, and, not incidentally, that she would not
   have to pay child support. She is presented as a woman who professed repeatedly to care more about her children than anything else in the world, but who in fact simply used them when it suited her needs, one of the main ones being to show the world that she was, above all else, a MOTHER!
   Fred meanwhile became the one who actually cared for the children on a day to day basis, performing the routine, mundane tasks that a truly loving parent repeats daily to raise and protect a child, because Piper found this necessity boring and beneath the artistic, new-age, and ultimately just "special" person she considered herself to be. Both before and after the murder, Rountree and her equally self-centered sister clumsily constructed a series of events designed to provide Rountree with an alibi. But since the sisters were not as smart as they believed they were, the attempt ultimately failed.
   
   This is the fourth Casey book I have read and reviewed (the others are A WARRANT TO KILL, THE RAPIST'S WIFE, and SHE WANTED IT ALL) and they are all outstanding. Casey, as is for her routine, avoids filler and drama. Her research is so deep that she has no need to copy police reports or trial transcripts, a common tactic of the lazy incompetents who litter the true crime landscape. Her writing, as always, is crisp, reportorial, and adult. It is also highly literate, and it is always a pleasure to read a writer who actually appears to have more than a passing familiarity with the English language.
   The highest praise I can think to give a writer is to say that you realize that when you have finished a book you are truly glad you read it and then realize that, while it was beautifully written, you were not aware of the author's personality while you were reading it - that the author does not personally intrude on the story he or she is telling. And I can praise DIE, MY LOVE as well as Casey's other three books as meeting this standard.
   
   DIE, MY LOVE is outstanding true crime, and I believe Kathryn Casey is among the very best true crime authors currently writing. I unreservedly recommend this one.



3. For so many years Ann Rule has been the reigning ruler of the true crime genre. Well she better watch her back because KC is poised to steal that crown. All of her books have been excellent and this one does not disappoint. In the days of so many poorly written, lazily researched and badly edited true crime books ruining the genre thank goodness for Kathryn Casey. Rather than start the book at the point of the murder, she is like the proverbial fly on the wall and takes us back through the lives of Fred Jablin and Piper Rountree. From what shaped them as adults to their meeting and subsequent marriage, all the way to the contentious divorce and custody battle and then the tragic murder of Fred Jablin. All this back story may sound boring but it is far from that. It gives insight that makes the story of the police investigation and subsequent trial all the more interesting. She also delves into the dysfunctional and troubling bond between Piper Rountree and her sister Tina which added a creepy element as well as in my opinion a bond that helped make the murder happen. If you are thinking of giving up on true crime because of all the bad books out there give this one a read. It is an excellent book and will restore your faith in the genre.



4. I just finished this book and found it hard to put down. Piper Rountree is right up there with the worst of the worst - an incredibly narcissistic, coldblooded, self-absorbed individual. Kathryn Casey pulled it all together seamlessly, from the beginning of Piper's and Fred's relationship to the tragic end. It's the first book of hers I've read, and I'm here now to order another.



5. Oh those minority opinions, sure to get the writer in trouble- especially when all the foregoing reviews have awarded DML 5 stars! Nonetheless, let's give this review a try: Piper and Fred are not the ideal, happily married couple. In fact, they are poles apart. He is a distinguished egghead of a college professor; she can kindly be described as a "free spirit". Early one morning, Fred meets his demise in the driveway of his Richmond, VA home. It is not divulging much to state that the slate of suspects is short. Wifey quickly emerges at the head of the list, as most spouses do in these situations. The challenge to the Law is to place her at the crime scene. What makes DML interesting is Piper's alibi-she claims to have been in Houston at the time of the murder. Plus, there is a Texas-based sister who could pass for her. That draws 2 investigative departments into the chase. The story ebbs and flows as scenes shift from Texas to Virginia and back. This reviewer found it difficult to track all the detectives, district attorneys, lawyers, witnesses, family members and hangers on in two cities. Sometimes interest would heighten, other times it would wane. The end result was an often frustrating read. One has to hand authoress Casey credit. Imagine how challenging it must have been to document the myriad of facts and personalities herein. Ms. Casey certainly set a high bar for herself but this reader found DML a bit much. This reviewer is actually a Casey fan, but one has to call them as he sees them: Ms. Casey has simply done better work elsewhere, most especially with her first tale, "The Rapist's Wife". This review could not conclude without mentioning the infamous Ann Rule rule: Tundra will be happy to read that it is not in effect here. Those centerfold photos do not even hint at the resolution; they do the proper job of putting faces on the main characters. Also, the front and back covers reveal nothing. Casey fans take heart: Most reviews are favorable. Scroll up or down to receive more favorable opinions of "Die My Love".

5 comments about Key Lime Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mystery With Recipes) (Hannah Swensen Mystery With Recipes).

1. This was the first book I've read in the series, so maybe that is why it seemed so full of unnecessary information. The author is so intent on mentioning characters and sub-plots from other books, the plot in this book seems paper thin. I read a lot, and it takes a pretty bad book for me not to finish one. I did finish this, only because I made myself. I almost started a list of characters as a reference because it was so confusing. Since the villain seemed obvious pretty early, it was really irking that the main character, who gets involved in a lot of police work, would stumble around so blindly. At points she just seemed kind of dumb. Not an endearing quality for a heroine. I gave the book two stars because the recipes look yummy and seem fairly simple.
   If this book were a recipe, it would be one of those that seems simple and yummy from the description, but you find out it has a hundred and forty ingredients once you try to actually make it. Not worth the effort!



2. I love the Hannah Swensen series, and I love to cook and bake, so it's a
   "thrilling" combination



3. I always enjoy the Hannah Swenson mysteries. The recipes are great in this one, but the story is not her best. Very good, but not her best.



4. I'm not sure if it's boredom or morbid fascination that has kept me reading this series. The mysteries are good, I have to admit, but Hannah and her perpetual (and really too obvious) see-sawing between men is getting on my nerves. It doesn't work the way that Evanovich's Plum series does, because... because Hannah is a 'good girl'. It's all so uptight and... sweet. And annoying. Sure, Hannah has some imperfections because she's not as good looking as her sisters and has impossible red hair, but she's still too idyllic to make a good main character. Give me the screwed-up world of Plum or the unexpected world of Polifax any day! Character issues aside (and really only Hannah is annoying, several of the minor characters are quite well done) they're good little cozies and do have amazing recipes!



5. I have been a long time reader of the Hannah series. I actually did not rush right out and get this book because I had been so disappointed in the last one. This book was better than the last entry, but I do feel that the author needs to take heed of her reader's requests to wrap up the whole Mike/Norman/Hannah storyline.
   
   This entry, Hannah's overly precocious niece Tracy was only mentioned in passing, and that greatly improved the book, in my opinion. Also, the mystery was given more of a foreground, unlike the last book where the murder took place in the last third of the book. These were the things that made the book more enjoyable. Some have commented that Hannah sounds condescending in her tone or that she is unlikable. I don't feel this way about Hannah. I do, however, feel that for a woman of her age who makes it known that she is independent, owns her own home, her own business, etc., it is a bit unrealistic that she would not have a computer or cell phone. Most businessowners today, even of a bakery, have a computer for billing, ordering, etc.
   
   I will continue to read this series as it seems that the mystery is improving by being the main part of the book, and will just have to look past the whole marriage proposal storyline. Actual rating would probably be a 3 1/2.

5 comments about Savage Grace: The True Story of Fatal Relations in a Rich and Famous American Family.

1. Did not like the format of this book at all, would rather it had been
   all in present tense. Too much info of no use from people who did not matter. Also not enough family background.



2. I first read this book when it originally came out. I was in high school and like many teenagers I was prepared to see parents as the source of most teenage troubles. After reading this book, I promptly wrote my parents a nice letter about what swell people they were. I was that grateful not to have had Brooks and Barbara Baekeland for parents.
   
   This is the rare book that proved even better than I remembered when I reread it last month. It starts with the murder of Barbara Baekeland by her son then goes back in time to beginnings of the Baekeland fortune through the passionate but ill-fated marriage of Brooks and Barbara until it catches up with the murder and the sad denouement of Tony's life. As one reviewer here has noted, this is not a traditional narrative but an oral history. The transcripts of interviews are presented without comment - very much like Jean Stein's great Edie and Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil - and the speakers reveal far more about themselves than any narrative could.
   
   If there is a villain in this story, for me it wasn't Tony Baekeland, who clearly suffered from serious mental illness but his father Brooks Baekeland. Rarely have I come across a character in fiction or nonfiction who made me want to slap him so hard or so often. Early on one former friend of the Baekelands' talks about wanting to kill Brooks in the street with a brick. By the end of the book you may, like me, find this to be a perfectly reasonable response because Brooks is a piece of work. In fact, he's a complete jerk. If I'd been Tony's lawyer I'd have used the fact that Tony had the opportunity to kill his father yet didn't as Exhibit A in the fact that Tony was insane. Whether he's yammering on about how much he was like his brilliant grandfather, complaining about the fact that Tony couldn't stick with anything (this from a writer who only managed to write one short story and didn't finish his PhD!) or basically abandoning Tony after he's released from Broadmoor, Brooks Baekeland is a loathsome individual. His blatant homophobia and sheer lack of compassion will take your breath away. Other characters come across as clueless or careless but Brooks is downright diabolical in his self-absorption.
   
   As an evocation of a time, a certain type of ultra-privileged couple (the sort with artistic pretensions but little talent or commitment) and a mind boggling selfishness, Savage Grace is a book to read and reread. It's suited for True Crime and biography fans. As noted, if you don't like oral histories you probably won't like it - there is very little narrative holding the interviews together. When the author wants to describe Riker's Island, she presents her description as an interview, for example. If you enjoy hearing the story from the mouths of those who lived it, Savage Grace is a book you won't soon forget.



3. This was truly a fantastic book. Many will say they dislike the format, and I will agree it can be confusing (a Baekland family tree might have been helpful) but to state that these characters do not matter is an unfair judgment. The characters are absolutely astounding the way they interact. And the format plays to the benefit of the story, because it hints that the real truth will be forever lost, and additionally because all of the characters tell their version of one event so one can see the true motivations of each character. Such as Brooks Baekland (Tony's father) who strives to be a dashing intellectual, at which he arguably succeeds in doing, protects the family name through a blatant yet subtle ostracization (I think thats a word) of his wife and son. Then one can see where the actions and feelings of Tony are coming from. This book was utterly fantastic and I would suggest it to anyone. This is not so much historical True Crime, it is a deep delve into the psychologies of the old-money aristocracy.



4. I could not, and didnt want to put this book down. A consistant page turner. The style in which it is presented is easy to grasp and far from confusing as stated by other reviewers. The unique style of presentaion makes the "voices" come to life as if the recollections were taking place with the reader right there. The movie starring Julieanne Moore is not to be missed. "Mommie Dearest" without the eyebrows. rent it on pay perview or IFC-In-Demand until the DVD is released.



5. An appropriate title for this book. Very interesting indeed--made even more so by the fact that this is true. This is a nightmarish tale of a "Mama's Boy". This story has everything. Insanity, murder, obscession, betrayal, jealousy, wealth, homosexuality, even incest. With parents like these, no wonder Antony Baekeland snapped. I enjoyed it thoroughly, even though it is not written in a traditional way. Taken from slices of interviews, journals, and documents, this book is a great read. Very interesting, however it is not for everyone. If strange family relations are not for you, stay away. If you are of the stereotype that incest only happens in the south (which is untrue anyway), and not to wealthy, "normal" jet-setting families, this is not to you.

5 comments about How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder: The Shocking Inside Story of Violence, Loyalty, Regret, and Remorse.

1. THIS BOOK IS REAL ITS DOWN TO EARTH HONEST AND I REALLY LEARNED ALOT OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENED THE WRITER MIKE GILBERT IS A MAN WHO NEEDED TO COME FREE OF SERCERTS THE TRUTH THIS BOOK WILL HELP ANYONE WHO READS IT UNDERSTAND WHY MIKE HELPED O.J AND WHY HE IS TELLIN THE TRUTH NOW ITS A BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD READ AND TO MR. MIKE GILBERT THE LORD FORGIVES YOU AND AND SO DO I YOU ARE FREE NOW LIVE YOUR LIFE AND ENJOY IT GOD BLESS YOU AND THANKS FOR WRITTEN THIS BOOK NOW I KNOW THE REAL TRUTH.



2. Like millions of Americans I was glued to my TV and Larry King Live for the entire second half of 1994 following every bit of the OJ case. This is as close to the real story that we will ever get--I couldn't put it down, I read it non-stop until I finished it. I believe Mike Gilbert answers every question anyone who followed the trial would have about the truth. This isn't a cheap sell-out book either, you can feel true remorse in the authors tone. At the beginning of the book Gilbert acknowledges that he, like all of us, saw the evidence, but unlike us, he had a profound conflict, he loved OJ Simpson. The book is how he comes to peace with this conflict after fourteen years. I found it very moving and would like the author to know that his apologies to those involved brought me to tears. Highly recommended.



3. well written and interesting but its a thin book and doesnt take long to read. anyway i recomend reading its good.



4. I very much enjoyed this book. I think finally we get to the truth. Well as close to the truth we're ever gonna get, un less OJ decides to do the decent think and confess. Its a very honest book from Mike Gilbert, who is honest about his regrets and mistakes. Once I started reading I could'nt stop. Its amazing how did OJ get away with it??



5. Mr. Gilbert must have had an extreme difficulty of living with himself and his former wife. If one is in a business for the love of the man he is representing, how is one able to perform as part of the defense of OJ and make bucks for him while he is in jail? According to his words, Johnny Cochran and the crew did not win the case, Mike Gilbert did based on his advice that OJ not take his arthritis medicine so his hand would swell up. Where was the prosecution's medical expert and knowledge of what not taking a medicine could do to his hand based on his medical condition? Where was Marcus Allen as a character witness or even a to what extent did his involvement with Mike Gilbert and OJ go? A whole host of foul-ups here! Knowing of a Nicole and Marcus Allen dalliance or two that caused OJ to see red and refusing to admit to himself the truism of all that he knew. Mr. Gilbert's mantra was his belief that his hero couldn't have killed Nicole. He even admits that he didn't know very much about Nicole or her needs or desires. He buried himself in his belief that OJ was a human god. After reading this, I now know why OJ hasn't been able to find the killer. OJ sure wasn't going to admit to wrong doing when it is an ugly dream to him and he feels he, as a person, is to be worshipped.

5 comments about Dr. Mary's Monkey: How the Unsolved Murder of a Doctor, a Secret Laboratory in New Orleans and Cancer-Causing Monkey Viruses are Linked to Lee Harvey Oswald, ... Assassination and Emerging Global Epidemics.

1. Haslam's brilliant non-fiction book weaves together many strands: cover ups and long-neglected follow-ups in the unsolved 1964 murder of a talented cancer researcher; a mysterious underground lab involved in secret work with cancer viruses--work that has had far-reaching harmful effects on world health; the New Orleans mafia; the CIA; a prominent and well-connected physician; an eccentric and political pilot and self-taught lab technician; and Lee Harvey Oswald. The book raises many questions that make you wonder where the media has been in all of this: The dropped Sixty Minutes episode, the History Channel episode that never aired again, and the memoir by a lab assistant/lover of Lee Harvey Oswald, which went out of publication after only two weeks.
   
   This book demands a wide audience. It ought to be a best-seller.



2. What a great book. It was hard to put down and contains valuable information. The public needs to be aware of these things because it gives one an idea of what "they" are capable of. The book is thoroughly documented and well written.



3. Excellent writing style, easy to read. I love that throughout the book, the author second guesses himself which leads him into other paths of investigation. Very sad topic. Makes one question the level of evil reigns over the masses. Real life murder mystery. Fact finding and proof is well established. Fascinating!



4. This book will definitely make you reconsider the murder of JFK, along with the cancer so many of us fight each day. It's scary to imagine what the government can do.



5. As a native New Orleanian, I was 20 years old when Dr. Sherman was murdered and remember parts of the strange story of her murder in her St. Charles Ave apartment. Having actually met a couple of the players in the book, back in the early and mid-60's, remembering the stories of the Primate Center over the years and various related vague controversies, I find Haslam's story very compelling, well researched and totally believable - it sure tied up a lot of loose ends for me about many questions I've had since 1962. It also helps explain why so many people of my generation (who took the polio vaccine in question) seem so susceptible to the current cancer epidemic, at least here in New Orleans. Call me cynical, but to me, there is nothing far-fetched in this book at all and Haslam clarifies a lot of issues/mysteries that have been successfully suppressed for 40+ years.
   
   This book was somewhat "under the radar' here and was a word-of-mouth type of thing that locals started to talk about, passing around their copies of the book (which I could initially only find on Amazon); however, I noticed it on display at a Border's store this week (at $19.99). I've referred the book to everyone I know and I am ordering another 4 copies today from Amazon for friends - I think it is a must-read - even if you don't believe part of it, it is a book that is hard to put down and frightening on many levels.

5 comments about Vanished at Sea: The True Story of a Child TV Actor and Double Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. This horrific story about the murders of Tom and Jackie Hawks was truly difficult to comprehend. It is extremely difficult for me to relate to human beings who are too lazy to work but want to steal and kill in order to acquire wealth.
   
   While the novel was well written, I truly wish I had read the reviews by others before I purchased the book and read it. While the wheels of justice seem to move quite slowly in some cases, I am baffled as to why Jennifer Deleon went to trial quickly and it seems as if Skylar Deleon and his partner in crime have yet to have a trial.
   
   I was hugely disappointed when I reached the end of the book only to discover Skylar had not had his trial. Now I will have to keep searching the Internet for information on him in order to learn of his fate :-(
   
   As a long time fan of Ann Rule, I can't help comparing other true crime writers to her. I don't recall Ann Rule ever writing a book until the killer had been to trial. In fact, that is usually a huge part of her novels,as she attends the trials herself. If Ms. Dirmann felt strongly about writing the book before Skylar Deleon went to trial, it would be a service to her readers if she would at least post on her web site what was happening with his trial, as other authors have done.



2. I live in southern California where the murders were committed and I followed it in the papers, but this book has more to it than I remember reading about. I won't go into the logistics of the crime since others have covered that very well, but I didn't know about the perpetrators' backgrounds, nor about other crimes, nor about a possible sex-change, etc. This is very well written and held my interest throughout. My only complaint is with the editing: There are several errors in dates..... I had to keep flipping back and forth to figure out the dates..... but that is a minor complaint with a book that was so well-written and fascinating in all it's detail. I read a lot of true crime, and most of the books published in the past few years (including Ann Rule's books, sadly) seem like elongated magazine articles and aren't worth the effort of the reader, let alone the cost of the paperback. This is one of the best of the past few years.



3. why can't people just work hard for a living? Instead of stealing and murdering other people. I have worked hard since I was 14 years old,I may not have much but everything I have I worked for.Just goes to show how screwed up people are.



4. I am an avid reader, mostly of mystery fiction, but also true crime. I had followed the story when it happened. The interviews and Tina's dialogue style truly brought out the personalitites of everyone involved and how they all became entwined in this horrific event. It is a very tragic but interesting story and I recommend it to anyone interested in studying human nature.



5. Being new to the true crime genre, mostly a reader of fiction, mystery, and non-fiction adventure and science (a.k.a. Crichton, Connelley, Krakauer, or E.O. Wilson), I was pleasantly surprised by this book and this author. This story surprised and shocked me to say the least. Ms. Dirmann's account was well researched and very well written. Her conversational style kept me turning the pages as though she were telling me the story herself, in person. It made for an easy, enjoyable read. In fact, I am looking forward to reading it again, as soon as I finish her first book, Such Good Boys, which I am halfway through after one day and cannot put down.
   
   Also, I do not subscribe to the "written-too-soon" train of thought. The story ends with a sense of finality, with all of the accused (if they even deserve that bit of politically correct leniency) charged, behind bars, and at least one trial complete. As I understand it, others are still awaiting trial (it was recently postponed AGAIN until August 2008), and it's been 4 years since the murder. To wait for all trials to conclude before writing a book like this would deprive readers of an engaging tale for possibly years, and the story is far faded from the headlines. If opinions or accounts do change, I look forward to the 2nd edition for clarification, the decision of the jury, and the sentencing, if necessary.
   
   Great work Ms. Dirmann, Ill be in line for your next one. Please keep them coming.