2 comments about Incident at Big Sky: The True Story of Sheriff Johnny France and the Capture of the Mountain Men.

1. Beneath some of Montana's grandest mountain peaks lurked a preditor. Caught in the crosshairs of Don Nichols twisted logic was Kari Swenson. The idea of a mountain bride, stolen from a remote wooded trail. Most amazing is how the Nichols' not only managed to elude the persistance of Johnny France, but stayed one step ahead certain death in the Montana winter of 1984 with just the packs on thier backs. You wont be able to put this one down!



2. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL BOOK!! My husband had a copy of this book stolen from him. So, replacing it was in order. He is also a personal friend of Johnny France, and used to live in Ennis Montana. We will be seeing Johnny this summer and will have him sign the copy for us.
   Again, THANK YOU. The ship time was extremly fast too. HAPPY CUSTOMER IN CODY, WYOMING!!!

5 comments about Children Kill: Profiles of Pre-teen and Teenage Killers (2003) (2003).

1. There are few things as disturbing as accounts of children committing murder. Whenever one of these cases appears in the news, it touches a nerve in us all, and those of us who are parents can't help wondering "How could this have happened? Could my child be capable of something so hideous, or was the child who committed this crime some sort of unexplainable abberation?" "Children Who Kill" by Carol Anne Davis attempts to answer these questions, and it is a fascinating glimpse into the pathology of child murderers and a "must-read" for any true crime aficionado. However, having said that, I must mention that the writing style is so amateurish that, at times, I had trouble believing that I was reading the work of a published author. The book reads very much like a middle school research paper, sometimes to the point of being distracting. I took into consideration the fact that the author is British and I am an American, which would explain why some of the phrasing seemed odd to me, but do British schools not teach the use of commas or compound sentences? Fortunately for Ms. Davis, the subject matter is so compelling that one keeps reading despite the distractions. If you are a person who finds true crime fascinating, you will enjoy this book, but if poor writing bugs you, this book will drive you crazy.



2. Yes, Davis lets the crimes speak for themselves. But there is a trend in the USA of trying children as adults and all around demonizing them that this book seems to cash in on, and I find it quite inhumane and distasteful. If there had been any kind of thoughtful analysis it might have mitigated this content, as is I cannot accept it as more than it is: Cashing on on some people's need to be afraid, and giving child haters ballast for passing more hateful laws.



3. This book offers some of the sad stories of kids who have committed horrible crimes. Among factual events in this book, there are still many things said that are false and exaggerated.
   In the crime involving Wendy Gardner and James Evans, it paints Wendy out to be a manipulative monster, when in fact, James Evans was the culprit. Unfortunately the author gives her the beating for James's actions. Wendy was abused by her grandmother, and James Evans was a ticking time bomb who had later told Wendy he would have ended up killing someone during his life, even if it hadn't been Betty Gardner.
   Wendy Gardner thought she loved James at a time when she was experiencing strong teenage feelings, but it wasn't true love - nor did she plot a murder to run off with him. Quite the contrary - she had been trying to end the doomed relationship with James for some time. Each time Wendy attempted to leave him, Evans threatened and manipulated her into staying. Evans was obsessed with proving himself worthy of Wendy's love, hoping she'd feel obligated to stay with him. Wendy had told James she didn't know what love was. This is relevent because it supports the fact that Wendy had no "plans" to run off with James. He knew Wendy's grandmother was abusive, and Wendy had made the mistake of saying she wished her grandmother was dead. Wendy did not seriously mean it - she simply wanted the abuse to stop, even if Evans would hit Betty. Evans obsessed over being with Wendy, but his actions backfired that night. Wendy could not believe James Evans had killed her grandmother - not even now. This shows just how well these teens really knew each other.
   The kinds of things Wendy wrote in her journals were actually typical things that lots of teenaged girls go through. The hormone rushes, family troubles and the manipulation of the wrong boyfriend. It seems wrong that her journals were used to build a case against her.
   Wendy Gardner and James Evans were not stupid kids, but neither was a genius, nor did Wendy conspire with James or make him kill anyone. Nobody forced James Evans against his will to strangle Betty Gardner, and he ordered Wendy to assist him after he killed Ms. Gardner, refusing to let Wendy from his sight. James, in fact, had been the bossy one in that relationship, not Wendy. He figured maybe if he got Betty out of the way, Wendy should be obligated to him. But fate ended his plans forever.
   Wendy tried taking the blame for what James Evans did in the hopes of sparing them a horrible punishment. She had implicated herself in her police statement, knowing full well that she did not force James Evans to commit murder, AND he had no remorse about it. By the time Wendy had told the truth about how she didn't push him into it, nobody believed Wendy, and she was labeled as a "mastermind." Regardless, Evans was no pawn and he took a life, justifying in his own mind his own reasons, without any remorse. The statements Evans gave police and lawyers was that Wendy had manipulated him into killing her grandmother. How convenient for him to leave ot the details of how HE forced Wendy to help him after the murder and told her she'd never be rid of him. He never told police how HE ran the show, refusing to let Wendy out of his sight. His psychiatrist had deemed James a sociopath who would kill again given the chance. James was known for torturing and abusing animals and he had bashed in someone's car with a baseball bat. My family had lived near Wendy and they knew Betty was abusive to Wendy. They also knew Wendy and James were not some couple like Tristan and Isolde. Nobody was shocked that James Evans had ended up killing someone. He was a phony tough guy who was quick to lash out, but didn't mess with someone big or tough who'd actually fight back. Neighbors were surprised that Wendy had gotten mixed up with James Evans at all. Some people knew damned well Betty had been abusive to Wendy.
   Wendy has served her time and she is getting her life together and moved on from the past. She's in a committed relationship, employed and spending time with family. She is not the person this book describes.
   James Evans remains in prison as of this entry, and the parole board will decide if and when he is ready to be released. Although the author has some of the information correct, some things are simply inaccurate. Please understand that the author doesn't actually care about the life or death of Betty Gardner. The media and Wendy's mistake of implicating in her initial police statement is the only reasons Wendy Gardner was pegged as a mastermind, manipulative young killer.



4. This author, a non-professional, has bought the abuse excuses of numerous childhood killers who claim they were abused. There is virtually no corroborative evidence and the author is soft in the head about the child killers who claim, with no evidence, that they were repetetively abused. Skip this offering it is not worth the price. The author never knew any of the murderers and falls victim to their most ridiculous claims of abuse. This is a case example which demonstrates why lay people should never write about such murders because they are completely stupid and unprepared to consider the actual evidence.



5. The tragic truth about what happens to children left to their own defenses. In a world of parents who are emotionally and/or physically absent we see too many children falling into this trap.

5 comments about And the Dead Shall Rise: The Murder of Mary Phagan and the Lynching of Leo Frank.

1. The story is disturbing as are all injustices. But it's journalistic style is well presented and all the cultural bases are covered. A really good read.



2. An absorbing American tragedy is literately and painstakingly explored in this worthy book. So many Americans were lynched in the bad old days; why is it that the average American can name, at most, two victims of lynch law, Emmett Till and Leo Frank? I don't know, but to read this book is to understand why Frank's death at the hands of a mob is a crime that refuses to die. The author meticulously depicts the yellow journalism of the time, and the rivalries of the Atlanta papers, that all but created the story of the murder of a working-class white girl in a pencil factory at the hands, it was charged, of the factory's young, northern-born Jewish manager. The story teems with ironies, not least of which is that a well-educated, well-spoken white man who appeared to be a member of the privileged class was convicted of murder and sentenced to die solely on the word of an nearly illiterate denizen of the mudsill, black janitor Jim Conley-who almost certainly committed the crime himself. It is also a sober lesson in early 20th-century American antisemitism. A massive outpouring of money and legal talent and support from the papers and philanthropists of the North succeeded at last in commuting Frank's death sentence to life, but lost him to a lynch mob almost immediately thereafter, proving to Atlanta's nearly-assimilated Jews that they were outsiders after all. Without ever stating his own conclusions-the author almost ruthlessly refuses to provide us any-he makes the case that Frank might have well been creepy, but he was no murderer. The usual hero of the story is the governor who commuted Frank's sentence, knowing it would end his own career, but Oney's choice is Conley's one-time lawyer, who became an advocate of Frank's innocence. Oney depicts him with sympathy and admiration; he also draws a moving portrait of Lucille Frank, from her girlhood to her long empty decades as Frank's widow. I do wish Oney had tried to explain why Conley's lawyer, who firmly but tardily rejected his client's claim of innocence and campaigned to clear Frank's name, ever believed Conley in the first place. And Oney leaves unanswered what to me is the biggest mystery lingering from the Frank case: why the grand juries, the prosecutor, and the white South at large all were willing to let Conley get away with murder. Even accepting that the murder of Mary Phagan had been transformed into a crime too "big" to be atoned for with the blood of just another black thug, it is hard to imagine, nearly a century later, how the howling mob was willing to let a black "despoiler of white womanhood" get away. That mystery persists, but I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in American race relations or in the history of the South in general. An excellent effort.



3. Steve Oney pulls the reader in right away, setting the scene and describing the key players. The narrative bogs down a bit during the investigation of the crime, so you may find yourself wanting to put the book down, but push through it because from the trial onward, it's a page-turner.



4. If one is interested in the Leo Frank case, this book is a must. It includes a tremendous amount of detail on his trial and subsequent appeals. And more importantly, the book allows us to understand how his lynching was planned, carried out, and covered up. It is a rather long book, but it is written in a compelling style, and because of this I think that most readers will find it difficult to put down.
   
   I have read other books that deal with the series of events covered in this book and in terms of information this book dwarfs all of those other works. Nevertheless, even after reading this volume I found myself wanting to know more and I assume that others will feel the same way.



5. This book is an incredibly detailed and inciteful account of the trial and lynching of Leo Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan in 1913 Marietta, GA. It also explains the Southern and Brooklyn worlds, as they were then, and in doing so gives us a much better understanding of why and how this happened in the first place. It is a HUGE book, so be prepared to be reading for quite awhile, but it is a MUST read for anyone who has an interest in this groundbreaking trial, and in finding out what we ALL need to know about the way Americans were, and can still be, capable of treating others when prejudice and politics rear their ugly heads. This is a trial that should NEVER have gotten as far as it did, and even today, if you ask Georgians about this case, many are still too embarrassed to talk about it, while others still insist that Frank was guilty (he was not).
   
   You MUST read this book.

5 comments about Crime Scene.

1. This is the best of its type I've come across. I'm impressed. However the author doesnt address how you cope with idiots, and the system is filled with idiots: who run amok over the crime scene, destroying evidence; experts who know little or nothing about what they profess, severely damaging investigations; and political pressure to make certain outcomes likely. People get highly annoyed when your report is contrary to their bias and expectations. And newbie judges and lawyers. They arent scientists and they arent detectives, and they are arrogantly clueless when it comes to much of what you discover. This book is well-written, the author knows his stuff, and it's interesting.



2. Good book to read to get background on the field of forensic science. Gives easy to understand information and cases.



3. Absolute fantastic book regarding crime scene investigations. Book is uncomparable!! Don't let the cover deceive you!! The finest writing to date on crime scene investigations!! Buy it and see for yourself!!



4. This is an excellent overview of the forensic world. Very helpful reading before taking any forensic classes. Describes everything that goes on behind the yellow tape. The real story!



5. Dr. Larry Ragle paints the true portrait of crime scene investigation that the television series, CSI, Law and Order, Cold Case, Cold Squad, etc. don't show on television in a forty minutes episode. Dr. Ragle is an expert in crime scene. While he tells the truth, he writes about the crime scenes in this book for those aspiring crime scene investigators. Sadly, I think we live in a society where many crime scene investigators who mean well will jump to conclusions and have tunnel visions. Dr. Ragle explains in detail about crime scenes and explains how to approach them properly. His book does contain a glossary in the back with explanations of such. It would have been better to have an index but it's not necessary. I think this book is not for everybody. It takes away the myth that crimes can be solved so easily. For me, I have never watched the shows that became clones from Law and Order because there are just too many of them on the air, not much different from another. Although Canadian show Cold Squad is filmed in Vancouver, the show is similar to his American counterparts. DNA is not easily explained away that it can happen in one in a billion. Ever since the O.J. Simpson trial, people have been armchair quarterbacks in watching and solving crimes but Larry Ragle is an expert on the crime scene investigation. Crime scene investigation can take months and even years to solve the crimes.

3 comments about We're Dead, Come on in.

1. One of the better books I have read about deadly force incidents. It actually included photographs and, more importantly, diagrams of what occurred. Few authors bother with any diagrams and spend almost all their effort on background of the participants; as a result, readers of most such books know plenty about the actors but little about the actual event.
   
   This author took the time to describe the events in detail and included the court testimony and diagrammed the incident. A much better account of this event is the result. I wish more books about unfortunate incidents took this author's approach.



2. Very good history of Springfield and Greene County, Missouri during the 1930's for those dreadful days.



3. If you are interested in the 1932 Springfield Police Massacre open your wallet and buy this boook. The author truly hits the mark when it comes to describing the actual gunbattle,the folks involved, and the investigation. The only problem is-- he apears to be out of his element when he attempts to give historical background concerning the depression era in the Ozarks,Pretty Boy Floyd, Oklahoma, etc. While he clumsily attempts to work in the Civil War battle of Wilsons Creek and the Bald Knobbers(in all the wrong places) he fails to mention such things as the Leonard Short Gang (A very high profile bunch of area bootleggers and bank robbers operating at the time)or the Bilyeu-Meadows fued. The book is also a bit structurally disorganized in places. But--best work to date concerning this interesting subject. Well written (style-wise). All in all--a bit flawed but a good read... R.D.Morgan... author of "The Tri-State Terror" and "Taming the Sooner State"

5 comments about Conviction: Solving the Moxley Murder: A Reporter and Detective's Twenty-Year Search for Justice.

1. Having followed the Martha Moxley case for ten years now I was pleased to find Leonard Levitt's new account that sums up the last 30 years through the trial itself. Levitt's prose is prosaic, but he is lucid and clear about not only the murder itself but about the subsequent infighting around the events. He reveals little that is new-at least to long-time followers of the case. But he brings in all together without covering old ground in more detail than is necesary.
   
   Levitt actually covers two controversies in fact. The objective drama about the crime itself and the multiple clash of egos about the solution.
   
   Levitt's most telling conclusion is left implicit. It is that the Michael Skakel defenders, from Bobby Kennedy, Jr. on, always ignore, namely that any so-called flaws in the case were caused by the Skakel family themselves. They are truly a pack of loathsome drunks and psychpaths. And that is clear beyond a reasonable doubt.



2. A facinating story of a privileged boy become man who was able to get away with murder for 20 years because of his family connections. The author, Leonard Levitt, places himself in the center of the investigation and reporting while others played a much larger role.
   
   The writing is lurid and repetitive, yet the story is so compelling that one continues to the end.



3. Compelling read. A look at how egos and life experiences shape gut feelings. The book impels us to look at our opinions from a different angle. I started following this case in 1996 online and have read all the books. It seemed at times that Michael Skakel was guilty and then after reading this book I don't know what to think of him. His previous lawyer, Sullivan, says Michael didn't do it but that he is a sociopath and I wonder if he is correct. Michael never said he did it but he did say that he was drunk and high that night and doesn't remember if he did it. The author seems to think that is as good as a confession but I don't believe it is. The best Michael can do is say that he doesn't know if he did it. Is the evidence beyond reasonable doubt that he is guilty? Does guilty mean that he willfully committed this murder? Is it possible to commit murder and not remember it if you're high or drunk enough? What about the aftermath of the murder? Did Michael find blood all over himself? Who cleaned it up? Someone had to. The jeans and gym shoes that police say belonged to Michael showed no blood. What does that point to? Was Michael convicted because he committed murder or was he convicted because he is a sociopath? It's a good book and will make you wonder.



4. Read this one last. The third book about this murder. Glad I didn't buy it. Checked it out at the library. I had to wait months for them to get it in. Differs too much from Mark Fuhrman's account and Mark's is the true story. In reading this book so far, Leo Levitt seems jealous of Mark Fuhrman's investigation and writing ability.



5. This book seems to be the most reliable book as to how the case unfolded. It was absolutely to Frank Garr's credit that this book and the case ever got to trial.
   
   Len Levitt says in the book that it was coincidental that Herr Furhman's book came out and the grand jury was convened. I agree. However, I agree with RFK Jr. that there was not enough evidence presented to convict. I was floored when M.S. was convicted!

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

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



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



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



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



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

No comments about Assassination of Theo van Gogh: From Social Drama to Cultural Trauma (Politics, History, Culture).

5 comments about Deadly Mistress: A True Story of Marriage, Betrayal and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library).

1. This California case of a spurned lover who conspired with a real loser to eliminate her lover's spouse, and in a twist the lover himself, was a fair read at best. While the author did his best to describe the police investigation into the murders it seemed long in details and short on excitement. (even with the twist) Not recommended.



2. It's a tough read. It does not keep my interest. I will finish it because I started it, but it is one I could definitely put down.



3. I have an interest in true crime books and this one is well worth reading.



4. I just heard about this story on CourtTV. I have no sympathy for the Doc. What a fool. It would have come out so much better had he just legally separated. Doc's lover was full of deception and the hitman he hired to undo his wife was actually sleeping with his mistress behind his back. So the plan was for the hitman to kill the wife and wound the Doc whilst they were in the car. Hitman and mistress had other plans. Instead of just killing the wife and wounding the Doc, hitman killed them both. Doc never saw it coming.



5. This is a hard book for me...Dr. Carolyn Stahl was my optometrist, and I had an appointment with her scheduled the day after she was murdered. She was the sweetest, kindest doctor...the entire doctor's staff was shocked and horrified...even if the book is rather detailed and maybe somewhat dry in spots, it makes a difference having known the victim...

2 comments about When Battered Women Kill.

1. This book outlines the well-documented psychological cycle that keeps women in abusive relationships: 1) period of slight tension 2) escalating tension 3) explosion, attack of mental and/or physical abuse 4) Honeymoon period: the perpetrator is sincerely apologetic, regrets his actions, often plys the victim with gifts and promises of "never again." 5) see 1

   This works very, very well because a person who is traumatized is temporarily desperate for love. They crave comfort from any source - even the perp. Her vulnerability (following an attack) coincides with the abuser's promises and hugs. She gives him another chance.

   This same dynamic occurs with kidnappers & hostages, as I'm sure you've heard.

   The key to ensnaring the victim is a slow escalation. Most women, hit out of the blue, will be angry and leave. If their relationship progresses through mild verbal controls, etc, grabbing an arm, then slowly to a severe shaking... you can see how the cycle asserts itself gradually. It's that damn frog again: Drop one in a boiling pot and it'll leap out. Place it in cool water and heat it up slowly and it will sit there until boiled to death. Some people feel they have too much invested (a child, time, etc) to leave. Others have been abused or witnessed similar behavior with their parents, and may on a deep level think it's normal. Very sad.

   The bad news about the escalation is that it almost never stops. Abuse, once started, continues until the victim leaves or is killed. Women who feel they can't leave tend to fight back with deadly force when a new boundry has been crossed: The first time he touches the daughter, for example.




2. The book is in OK shape. It was mailed 7 days after it was gauranteed to be shipped, seller never responded to emails. Would not recommend this seller if you are looking for prompt service. I was dissatisfied.