No comments about SMOKE, MIRRORS,AND MURDER AND OTHER TRUE CASES.

5 comments about The JFK Assassination Debates: Lone Gunman Versus Conspiracy.

1. Michael Kurtz is to be commended for delivering a fantastic overview of the JFK assassination case at this late juncture (2006). Of most value are Kurtz's personal interviews with sundry medical personnel and even three former Secret Service agents: Roy Kellerman (deceased 1984; I spoke/ corresponded with his widow June), William Greer (deceased 1985; I spoke to his son Richard), and Robert Bouck (deceased 2004; I spoke to Bouck 9/27/92). I am on 3 pages of this book. Get it!!!



2. The chapter on the intelligence community does not go into the CIA but Castro. This is a trick lawyers use. Everyone did it but my client. The CIA is out there looking for the real killers along with O.J.



3. Professor Kurtz complied a book of essays in which he compared and contrasted conspiracy theories and the official mythology. What was missing was the scholarship that one would expect from a professor of his standing.
   
   I was expecting an analytical critique of conspiracy theories' and the offical mythology's critical themes. It was not there. The assassination debate was the equivalent dialogue between bar patrons. Both sides remained basically unchallenged because neither could cite the documntary basis for their positions, the documentary basis being the foundation for academic scholarship. What a pity that I was duped into buying a book based on the author's credentials that were not in evidence.



4. A unbiased book that offers both sides of the JFK debate and the supporting evidence for each, sounds great right? And things are rolling along pretty smoothly until Kurtz can't resist wedging in his nonsensical viewpoint in a chapter hilariously "consensus", which is filled with misleading statements("There's no proof whatsoever the rifle was fired that day". No such test exists), ridiculous standards of proof("Nobody photographed the bullet on the governor's stretcher"), supposed scientific findings with no no citations, and outright omissions of fact(Kennedy's head snapping forward). Kurtz'z allegations are seemingly devoid of the recognition that basic extension of logic entailing them leads invariably to oblivion. Hilariously, although Kurtz is disturbed by the lack of proof of CE 399 actually being found on Governor Connally's stretcher, he seems untroubled by his own assertion that it is "unknown" what happened to the bullets that were "undoubtedly" fired at President Kennedy from the front.
   
   Do not swallow the disingenuous "detached and unbiased" hook. This book is simply another in a large stack of conspiracy nonsense.



5. The idea behind 2006's "JFK: The Assassination Debates" seems valuable and overdue: A comparison of viewpoints regarding the murder of President Kennedy, between those who believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and those who don't. A shame it winds up being a repetitive, simplistic explanation of the author's point of view, with some worthwhile points lost amid the clutter.
   
   Author Michael L. Kurtz explains his view at the beginning that there was a conspiracy, but that his own view has shifted. He isn't trying to make up anyone's mind, he says, but offer "a solid basis of information upon which...they can make up their own minds."
   
   There are two chapters that seem to take this approach, one presenting the established lone-gunman view and the other being a sort of generic conspiracy viewpoint, about which Kurtz notes there are many tangents. Kurtz doesn't push his particular view here, and does a fair job establishing both positions.
   
   The rest of his book is less successful. Abandoning the "two-sides" approach which would seem to be the basis for the book's title, he offers his reasoning for disputing the official story.
   
   At times, he does a good job, too, especially when noting the conflicting stories regarding the condition of the President's head when his body reached Parkland Hospital. It's true he doesn't prove anything, but he raises questions regarding why the shattered skull seen on the Zapruder film didn't turn out so shattered when it lay on an operating table some minutes later.
   
   Kurtz makes his best points with the Zapruder film, finding fault in this respect with both lone-gunman supporters and the harder-core conspiracy believers. Why does Kennedy's head fly backward if he was shot from behind, while footage of other such headshots shows the victim falling in the direction from which the bullet was shot? If the Zapruder film was actually tampered with, as some conspiracists now claim, why wouldn't it have been done in a way to make a shot from the rear seem more probable?
   
   As a person who believes Oswald acted alone, I found Kurtz's viewpoint occasionally challenging and worthwhile. But he kept returning to make the same points chapter after chapter, sometimes within the same chapter. He doesn't mention key points like Kennedy's back brace, and diminishes others like the fact the doctors at Parkland Hospital in the first minutes after the shooting were less interested in establishing a clear evidentiary path than in saving the life of a president.
   
   He never adequately explains Oswald in the larger context of things. He's willing to allow Oswald probably shot Officer J.D. Tippit less than an hour after the president was hit, and may have shot at Kennedy as well, just that he wasn't alone or responsible for the killing hit. But who was he, and why is he at the center of every theory, often conflicting, that Kurtz expounds upon? Was he really a traitor, helping the Soviets shoot down a U-2 spy plane? Was he played as a patsy by right-wing conspirists, as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison claimed?
   
   Kurtz calls Garrison's investigation flawed but wants to chew over the notion that he was following a worthy trail, of midnight meetings and a mysterious office at 544 Camp Street, an address he frequently repeats as "the infamous 544 Camp Street address" or "the notorious 544 Camp Street" in case you don't get the point that something pretty bad went down there. Kurtz offers a lot of eyewitness testimony in this regard, including his own, but what he presents boils down to Garrison's original case. If Garrison was a bad investigator, doesn't this all constitute fruit from the poisoned tree?
   
   Reviewing a book for what it isn't is bad sport, but it feels like "The JFK Assassination Debates", by not living up to its title as a sort of side-by-side comparison of viewpoints regarding key elements of the assassination, misses the mark as a noteworthy contribution to a crowded field.

2 comments about Serial Killers.

1. This book is more like an encyclopedia of 50 of the notorious serial killers around. Fortunately, it does not forget the names of the many victims whose lives are taken. The book provides an introduction and an explanation on what identifies a serial killer as well.
   The list of contents include the following profiles:
   Jack the Ripper of London, England
   Herman Webster Mudgett a.k.a. Dr. H.H. Holmes of USA
   Bela Kiss of Hungary,
   Henri Landru of France
   Fritz Haarmann of Hannover, Germany
   Carl Panzram of USA
   Peter Kurten of Germany
   Leonard Earle Nelson of USA
   Marcel Petiot of France
   John George Haigh of England
   William Heirens of USA
   John Reginald Christie of London, England
   Edward Theodore Gein of Plainfield, Wisconsin, USA
   Harvey Glatman of Los Angeles, California
   Albert DeSalvo of Massachusetts
   Ian Brady and Myra Hindley of Manchester, England
   Lucian Staniak of Poland
   Jerome Brudos of USa
   Zodiac Killer of California
   Henry Lee Lucas of USA
   Edmund Kemper of USA
   Arthur Shawcross of USA
   John Wayne Gacy of Illinois, USA
   Ted Bundy of USA
   David Berkowitz of New York, USA
   Peter Sutcliffe of Yorkshire, England
   Dean Corll & Wayne Henley of USA
   Donald Henry Gaskins of USA
   Dennis Nilsen of London, England
   Fred & Rosemary West of Gloucester, England
   Ken Bianchi & Angela Buono of Los ANgeles, California USA
   Ricahrd Trenton Chase of Sacramento, California USA
   Donald Harvey of USA
   Wayne Williams of Atlanta, Georgia USA
   John Francis Duffy of USA
   Clifford Raymond Olson of Canada
   Gary Leon Ridgway of Seattle, Washington USA
   Genene JOnes of USA
   Andrei Chikatilo of Russia
   Leonard Lake and Charles Ng of California, USA
   Richard Ramirez of Los Angeles, California USA
   David & CAtherine Birnie of Australia
   Aileen Wuornos of Florida, USA
   Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka of Canada
   Dr. Harold Shipman of Englnad
   Jeffrey Dahmer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
   Colin Ireland of England
   Moses Sithole of South Africa
   Ivan Milat of Australia
   John Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo of USA



2. This site dosen't have a picture of the book so first let me say that it's a large hard-cover book with half the face of Jeffrey Dahmer and the words 'Serial Killers- The Stories of History's Most Evil Murderers' on the front.
   
   As far as the content.. it dosen't disapoint. This book lists almost every single serial killer that are more well known as well as some you most likely have never heard of...Prominent killers from Australia, England, South Africa, Russia and New Zealand as well as almost all the American ones.
   
   It's a very well put together book that gives it an edge on many other serial killer books because of all the pictures which are close ups and shots you most likely have not scene. Most other serial killer books usually just have the stories and a couple pictures but this has close up pictures of them all in black and white.
   
   It pretty much covers it all.. why they do it, who they are and what they gain from it.. I could only think of one serial killer that was missing but he's not that well known amongst the general population though I consider him to be one of the worst but that's the only one not in here.
   
   Overall, it's a very well put together book with the facts and profiles as well as full stories about the killers and victims. I pretty much know many of these cases by heart and did notice some small inconsistencies that were off that were somewhat annoying but for the most part it's pretty factual. Other than that I consider this worth the money and it's a unique addition to the true crime genre.

5 comments about Others Unknown: Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Bombing Conspiracy.

1. This book was written by Timothy McVeigh's lawyer , it raises the questions: Were there Others Unknown? Were there other countries involved in this conspiracy? Why weren't the defense teams allowed their own independant investigation in the bombing? Why was evidence withheld by prosecutors? A very good book to read, try also reading Freedom's End by James Nichols.



2. As a citizen of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City, I was incensed when Stephen Jones, an Oklahoma Lawyer, wrote a book about his attempt to defend McVay--the man who blew up the Murrah Building in our town. Jones had to have a guard when discussing the first edition of his book in the Library in Perry Oklahoma (where McVey was jailed when picked up on Interstate 35 on the way back to Kansas after the Bombing). Oklahoma people, to say the least, were not happy with Mr. Jones. After McVay published his own book, thus releasing Jones from his Lawyer's oath of Confidentiality, Jones wrote what I call "the rest of the story." I was still not impressed, and I was not going to enrich him by buying one of his books. After 911, I realized that the second edition of his book was written AFTER both World Trade Center#1, and Oklahoma City, and BEFORE World Trade Center II (911). Much of Johes' wanderings about the world in his effort to defend McVay, suddenly began to seem like something I should know about, as a Citizen of this country at this time in history. I bought a copy, and am awe-struck by the information in that book that might have had a bearing on "911"...One must discount all of the "losing lawyer's grumbling" about his poor treatment by the winning side; that is normal in Trial Lawyer Books...It is the portrait of international terrorism that he discovered, and wrote about in this book while preparing for that trial,that is engaging.I doubt if there was anything in this book that would have prevented "911"..but looking back sometimes is the only view of the future that we can have in such times. Perhaps McVay's only patriotic deed near the end of his life, was to free Mr. Jones to write this book, by publishing his own work. Two of McVay's co-defendants are still alive...one is awaiting trial in Oklahoma City for his part in over 160 murders....Find this book at the Library or somewhere and read it. No,I DO NOT KNOW MR. JONES. Clarence Robison M.D.



3. I read this book in 1999 and have shared it with many friends and family. I had the privilege of meeting Stephen Jones and immediately got the sense this was a man with integrity and a very strong belief in the Constitution of the United States.

   After 9/11 my husband and myself re-read this book and again were passing it around to friends.

   It makes you wonder why the government didn't pay attention to the information Stephen and his investigators were uncovering. It is obvious there was a connection of the middle eastern radical influence in the OKlahoma City Bombing.

   With recent information connecting the 9/11 terroist and Tim McVeigh staying at the same motel makes a compelling argument that they are connected.

   This is a must read if you Love America and all the freedoms we enjoy in everyday life.




4. This book is too poorly written to read and understand. Problems in organization, narrative style and structure, plus an occasionally annoying narrative voice, make it difficult to figure out what is going on. The time sequence is random and much that is irrelevant is mixed in and has to be sorted through.

   The author's coy refusal to state whether he believes Timothy McVeigh is guilty is negated by McVeigh's own post-conviction confession.

   Had the author focused on his actual thesis, that Timothy McVeigh did not act alone and probably had the support of some organization, and had he offered well-organized, well-reasoned and well-supported evidence to support this thesis, this would have been a much better book.




5. Jones's investigation revealed many things that were they taken seriously, events like 9/11 and TWA800 might not have had to happen. The Yousef connection in the Philippines, and his link OBL, long before 9/11, was demonstrated in this book.
   
   Jones also demonstrated that McVeigh, while far from being a choir boy, probably bore the brunt of the punishment when many others were involved, and are still walking free. Strassmeier, for instance, is living a good life in Germany, while likely having the blood of 168 victims on his hands as well.
   
   This book will forever change the way you think about OKC, and more importantly, the way our government prosecutes cases without a lot of substantial evidence. The question is not about McVeigh's guilt, it is about the others involved and government's failure to go after them with the same zealousness.

5 comments about Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax.

1. The premise of this book is increduluous. The index is of little use; some very important people are completely missing. There are plenty of other good books on this topic.



2. I think if one has spent time reading Anne M Lindbergh's diaries plus other biographies on her husband a different side of Charles begins to appear. Often masked with excuses Anne writes of Charles's parental cruelty, the manipulative way in which he controlled not just her but the children's nannies as well.
   Clear back to when he was a barn stormer, and flying mail deliveries he was known for intentionally mean jokes never apologizing when harm was caused.
   Having hid little Charles several times from his wife and the nanny, leaving the toddler in a dark closed closet are not normal loving things a father does. Telling his wife she couldn't check on her baby after 8 p m but to leave him alone doesn't show the heart of a caring father PLUS Anne OBEYED him, this proves how controling and afraid she was of him.
   Charles had a sick side, seldom seen because he was a national hero. After accidentily killing his child, it mattered little to him if a poor immigrant paid the price with his life. One thing that is seldom mentioned is the fact that baby Charles was awake when the nurse put him into his crib. No cries of fear, no screams, such as the reaction a toddler often gives a stranger who wishes to pick him up was heard at any time. If Charles climbed in the window and his son recognized him, there would be no crying out. Just a smile and Charles playing another sick game.
   Charles was in charge of that kidnapping investigation from the time it began and because of the respect he received it was allowed and his words believed. So really he put thoughts and words of his own into the minds of those that worshipped him.
   I do think after reading Hour of Gold Hour of Lead by Anne Lindbergh that she reached the conclusion Charles had killed their son. When she suffered her nervous breakdown and asked him for support his reply was " I went through all this a year ago I can't help you with it now". Could he have been afraid she wanted to question him in greater detail?
   That's the problem with heros, the more we idolize them, the more they believe they are gods and don't have to answer for their crimes. Maybe that's why so many people don't like this book, it's hard to believe that such a man could of done this.



3. I originally read this book when it first came out. Having read most of the commercially available books on the Lindbergh kidnapping case I have to admit I was curious to read this new theory. The book's premise is that Charles Lindbergh killed his son during a practical joke gone horribly, horribly wrong. On it's face this is quite fantastic but as most books seem to fall into the "Hauptman was guilty as hell" or "Hauptman was railroaded" camps I found the premise worth at least looking at.
   
   That said, while I have to admit this was an entertaining book, as history or forensic analysis of the case it is lacking. To say that Charles Lindbergh had "issues" is an understatement. But to extrapolate that he not only killed his only son, covered it up, played along with John Condon and his negotiations with 'Cemetary John', paid thousands of dollars to cover it up, sat in silence as Hauptman was framed and executed for a crime he didn't commit and on top of it all testified against Hauptman (who may or may not have been 'Cemetary John') seems incredulous. My main objection to the theory is --- would a man like Charles Lindbergh purposely leave his only son (and its pretty conclusive that the body found was the Lindbergh baby) to moulder in a shallow pit only a couple of miles from his house?
   
   I'm sorry I don't buy it. This is an outrageous conclusion and the authors quite frankly don't offer the evidence to support their conclusions. I gave the book two stars because while I find the theory quite absurd, I've always enjoyed historical fiction.



4. I find this study to be credible and ably presented but with one significant defect. Who built the ladder? Where and when? Surely, the authors don't imply that Lindbergh built it. If not him, who? Otherwise, a very persuasive study.



5. "Crime of the Century: The Lindbergh Kidnapping Hoax", Gregory Ahlgren and Stephen Monier, Brandon Books, MA, 1993 - ISBN: 0-8283-1971, HC 276 pages plus Footnotes, Biblio. & Sources, Index and 10 B & W Illustration/Photos.9 1/4" x 6 1/4".
   
   The authors, a criminal defense attorney and a Police Chief present their detailed conclusions after conducting extensive research that effectively exonerates Bruno Richard Hauptmann in the kidnap and murder of the Lindbergh baby: -- they construct a rather convincing case indicting the father, Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, for a tragic hoax that began as a repeat of a foolish prank and ended with his son's death and worsened by his cleverly planned cover-up leading to a wrongful conviction and execution of an innocent German immigrant who was not fluent in English, denied an interpreter and was assigned an alcoholic defense lawyer whose salary was paid by The New York Daily Mirror newspaper in return for worthy news briefings, additionally supplied with prostitutes beginning day one.
   
   Many articles and books write of the innocence and wrongful conviction of Bruno Richard Hauptmann consequent to his inept legal counsel, over-zealous prosecutors, and a farcical trial judge -- but this book is said, by its authors, to be the first to indict the true alleged perpetrator, the Father (CAL) -- one who in today's society, as a parent, would automatically have been a person of interest if not a prime suspect.
   
   The authors weave their theory of Lindbergh's guilt after accumulating generous if not overwhelming circumstantial evidence of the hoax kidnapping and complete failure of the criminal justice system to have questioned either parent. Col. Lindbergh was bestowed with social and political esteem excesses which provided absolute reverence and immunity that even extended to the lead state investigator, Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, father of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf of "Desert Storm" fame.
   
   I'd be one of the first to insist on the necessity of having true heroes and champions to give us and our children lofty goals and/for inspiration, thus I am saddened to read this seemingly compelling book that deconstructs one of them quite focefully, convincingly, and totally. We must remind ourselves, however, that the "Lone Eagle" is not alive to defend himself...and that additional publications would be essential before abandoning this American Icon.

5 comments about A Love To Die For.

1. that's my opinion. I like the style of Miss Springer.
   I was very shocked about the vicious murder by the 3 who committed it.
   P Springer does know how to tell a story. I could not lay this book aside. Its always nice to read the murderers get their punishment so me too could not believe the "luck" Peterson had. She was the one who told Pike to go for the kill (not that Pike needed that)I have to say I like it better when you hear more of someone's background and the writer did have some parts about that. But I wanted to know more about what had happened the months Colleen and Pike spent together. Why did Pike think colleen was after her boyfriend? so still questions.
   groetjes Marlene



2. I think there must a school somewhere for true crime writers called "How to Write a True Crime Book in One Week or Less".
   
   I suspect the author sat down one day and copied the trial transcripts and turned it in as a book.
   
   She needs to read one of Carlton Stowers, Robert Graysmith, Robert Mayer's or Daniel Keyes true crime books and see what suspense and "page turner" means.
   
   If you want gore in place of good writing you may like this book.



3. A Love to Die for was a wonderful, yet mysterious book. Colleen Slemmer was murdered by Christa pike along with her boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp and Christa's friend Shadolla Peterson. Christa and Colleen never really got along. Why? Find out when you read the book. A jealous rage? Is Christa just evil? What seemed to be a walk in the park to smoke some weed while attending a job corps center to help regain their lives back after stupid mistakes in the past. But why would Christa murder Colleen? You'll have to find out for yourself. Along with pictures Patricia Springer has tons of information on what happend and deatailing words to go along with what is happening during the trials and the murder. If you like murder stories, true stories, this book would be great for you to read.



4. For such a horrific, disgusting crime, the book is bland and the author repeats the same information time and time again.
   Unlike some of the great true crime writers like Anne Rule or Carlton Stowers, the reader does not get to know, or care about the family members of either victim or the killer. The victim, Colleen, remains a mystery-she was 19. I felt like you had no idea why a 19-year old woman would go off in the dark with a group of people wo had tormented her for months.
   The story is sad and horrible but the book leaves a lot to be desired.



5. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS AUTHOR? THIS IS THE SECOND BOOK I HAVE READ BY HER. BOTH BOOKS CONTAINED HORRIBLE PICTURES OF THE VICTIMS. DOES SHE NOT HAVE RESPECT FOR THE VICTIMS OR THEIR FAMILIES? I WILL NEVER WASTE MY HARD EARNED MONEY ON A BOOK BY THIS AUTHOR AGAIN!!!! SHAME ON THE AUTHOR AND SHAME ON THE PUBLISHER!!!!

5 comments about Forgive Me, Father: A True Story of a Priest, a Nun, and Brutal Murder.

1. Okay, I have trouble believing the priest, Father Robinson, was the murderer of Sister Margaret Ann. Yes, there was tension but was it a motive for murder in such a brutal, heinous way. Wasn't there somebody else behind such a crime? The story of Sister Ann Louise was a little farfetched and unbelievable at times. While I don't discredit her story of being involved with an underground cult, I find it hard to believe that there was no evidence to support her history. The murder of Sister Margaret Ann was cruel but I find it hard to believe that Father Robinson killed her to prove a point. There is the fact that she was planning to retire soon and would be out of his way anyway. The priest has the right to decide how to run his mass. The timing of the crime and how quickly it supposedly happen is just hard to swallow and how Father Robinson was acting so suspicious. In the book, I never got the feeling that the Toledo police did a thorough investigation. After all, who would want to kill a nun on the verge of retirement? There was nothing in Father Robinson's history to suggest such a violent nature. I'm halfway through the book but I had trouble believing that he did it and the biasedness of the author and the lack of thorough investigation is hinged on Father Robinson's behavior and the letter opener. Is it possible that it was the weapon but used by the murderer at the time? I just have more questions than answers. I don't know if Father Robinson is guilty of the crime. The whole crime was just brutal and terrifying. I feel sympathy to the Pahl family but want the truth. Even if the letter opener was the weapon, it may have been left there before the murder. While it seems like the circumstantial evidence points towards Father Robinson, there is enough to reasonably doubtful of the circumstances such as the motive. Remember, Sister Margaret Ann was going to retire and leave Mercy Hospital. Father RObinson did not need to have killed her. He had every power to control his mass despite her objections. I just don't think this book makes me believe that a Catholic Priest is guilty of murder even though we all know that priests have used and abused their power in the Catholic community which went without reporting for decades. Sister Annie Louise's refusal to submit to a psychiatric evaluation would have benefited her to get the necessary help and healing that she needs. I believe the Pahl family needs to know the truth just like everybody else. I'm not totally convinced and I can't explain my doubts.



2. John Glatt tells the intriguing story of a gruesome and ritualistic cold case crime which took place in a chapel of a hospital in Ohio. Glatt goes behind the scenes and does an in depth investigation revealing dark secrets which were covered up by the Catholic Church for many years. Although this violent and humiliating act was between an angry priest and a nun, the final judgement was not by God, or the Catholic Church. Judgement of a man killing a woman took place many years later, in a court of law, using the laws of man. Glatt's descriptions of Robinson are creepy and riveting. It's hard to believe that this monster still has some supporters in the Polish Catholic community of Toledo!



3. I have read and enjoyed other books written by Mr. Glatt, and found this one to be fascinating, well-researched, and well-written.
   
   The case itself is intriguing: a priest accused of killing a nun. In a brutal, possibly Satanic way. 25 years ago. The book does not concentrate on being lurid or sensational, but presents a matter-of-fact telling of the facts of the case, up through investigation and the eventual trial of the defendant over 25 years after the murder.
   
   Sister Margaret Ann was brutally choked and stabbed to death on the day before Easter in a Toledo, Ohio church hospital in 1983. At the time, Father Robinson, a priest at the hospital, was the prime suspect due to questions about his whereabouts and some strange behavior he exhibited. However, due to lack of evidence, the case lay dormant for over 20 years until it was picked up by the new "cold case squad". Especially interesting is how we learn about the forensic evidence- in this case, an unusual letter opener and bloodstains on an altar cloth from the crime scene. Robinson was convicted of the crime, causing people in his community to question how could a priest kill someone? Especially a nun? In a chapel? These certainly are intriguing questions, and the author does his best to address them, although Robinson does not confess and offers little insight into his character.
   
   If you're a fan of true crime, especially thoughtful, well-written material, then you're sure to enjoy this one.



4. I enjoyed this book it put into perspective how far the Catholic church will go to protect their priests. Sister Margeret can finally rest in peace. It is sad it took nearly 30 years to happen.



5. Just the prospect of a story of Catholic priest murdering a nun seems preposterous. Regardless of one's feelings about the church or Christianity, the story seems hard to grasp. I can not argue with the stance of some reviewers that Father Robinson's guilt may not have been proven, but I can inform readers that this is an informative and interesting read.
   
   In many ways, Father Gerald Robinson was an atypical priest. To some he seemed socially awkward. There also existed whispers about his membership in an underground satanic group that dressed in nun garb. Yet nothing seemed as sensational as the prospect of killing a nun over a post-sermon argument. When Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was found dead in the church sacristy. Evidence would seem to point toward Father Robinson. However, it would take over 20 years to bring him to trial.
   
   One major detractor from the story is the lack of visual evidence. The alleged murder weapon is unusual. For this reason, I suspect readers may have trouble picturing the key evidence. It would also help convince the reader of Father Robinson's guilt.
   
   Even those well versed in their knowledge of Roman Catholicism may learn something about the church through Glatt's documentation of the investigation. To some degree, the church's maneuvers are shocking. Despite the story, Glatt's tone is never spiteful against the Catholic church.

5 comments about 13 1/2: Twelve Jurors, One Judge and a Half-Assed Chance - A Serial Killer in His Own Words.

1. Truly A story of one mans murderous madness. I had so many mixed emotions while reading this book.A Book that will grab hold of you from the beginning and not let go until the finish. I give this book two thumbs up!
   I cant wait to hear more from Tori Rivers!!



2. I absolutely LOVE true crime books. This one takes the cake. You will travel through the life of Tommy Lynn Sells from beginning til death row.
   It is very well written and I wouldn't be suprised if it is made in to a movie. This book is so engrossing and so real that virtually any reader will find it hard to put down. You will lock your doors day and night after reading this book!



3. This book was pitched to a newsgroup that I belong to by the author. I was looking forward to reading this.
   
   Big mistake. I should know better.
   
   Turns out this book is nothing more than a pack of self-serving lies. The entire book is rife with passages designed to make you think that Tommy Lynn Sells is misunderstood. That he is the product of a horrific childhood. But you know what? All he is, is a cold blooded killer. Nothing he can say will ever explain away what he did, the young lives that he destroyed to appease his own bloodlust. Nothing that he or this author can say will ever illicit sympathy. He does not deserve it. She should know better.
   
   And, as I said I should have known better than to read this book. I should have learned my lesson after reading the Making of a Serial Killer by Danny Rolling and Sondra London. I have yet to find a book that was written with the help of a serial killer that doesn't attempt to make the killer into something he is not. Or one that is not used by the serial killer to relive their crimes.
   
   There is a reason that this book is self-published. It's poorly written, it lacks flow, and even the most basic verifiable fact is twisted and distorted.
   
   Tori Rivers, did, however, manage to turn already disturbing material into gruesome, graphic filth that left me feeling dirty and violated. I can only imagine how the victim's family's must feel.
   
   
   "Tori Rivers" should have left her appetite for 15 minutes of fame back with Arthur Shawcross. There are only so many times you can milk a dead cow.
   
   I won't be using this book for anything other than to line my garbage can.



4. This book is truelly one of a kind. It takes you into the mind of a serial killer and how his thought process works. I enjoyed the book tremendously and hope there are more to come like this one.



5. I am giving this book a 5-star review. It was a fairly easy read. Once you start this book, you just want to keep reading. I guess part of me wanted to know what was going happen next, and the other part of me just wanted to get to the end. This was a glance in to the twisted and perverted life of Tommy Sells, a convicted serial murderer. This attempt at giving the readers an inside peak of what goes on in the mind of a rapist and killer is successful. I do not think that the author is trying to glorify or give reason to Tommy Sells unimaginable acts - you must remember that this is in his words.

5 comments about Family Blood: The Murder That Shattered an All-American Home.

1. This book has no suspense and nothing new to add to the case since the guilty parties were put in prison. The "shocking photos" are highschool and wedding photos- the most shocking is a black and white image of part of a door that is spattered with blood.

   The author didnt string the events together very well or weave a web of suspense. It was like reading the newspaper clippings all over again without the journalistic skills.

   All in all a very disappointing read. Will be putting this in my next garage sale.




2. This book is trash and could have been written by anyone with a little time and money to spare.
   
   Factually the book is about 99% correct, but it really hurt me to read it since i am so close to the man convicted of the crime.
   
   I have discussed it with him, and he agrees with me. He also didn't contribute anything to the story in any way, nor did he ask anyone to write it. All it did was cause more pain and suffering in within his family.



3. This effort would get a "B" in a high school journalism class. The reader will find that many questions come to mind but few are answered. The coverage of the trial testimony of the psychologists, psychiatrists, and social worker is virtually incomprehensible!



4. Author Lyn Riddle has written for an impressive assortment of publications and is obviously capable of writing superior true crime books. The third paragraph of Chapter 1, describing how the town knew something was wrong with their friends, the Robertsons, is taut and builds suspense in 12 beautifully written lines. It demonstrates Riddle's superior talent as a writer.
   
   Unfortunately Riddle appears to rush through the remainder of the book failing to pay proper attention to her writing craft and in the procss this book suffers, lacking suspense and the legal details that could have enhanced the sad story of a son who brutally killed his parents.
   
   On the other hand Riddle includes specific information such as the hand written jury instructions York County, North Carolina, Superior Court Judge Hayes gave the jury prior to their deliberations. The dos and don'ts are an excellent example of fairness that most judges do not impose.
   
   Another significant piece of information, almost never seen in true crime books, is found on page 273 when Lynn Ridde lists the costs involved in James Robertson's trial. This allows readers to determine the cost of justice, important statistics to consider in this day of limited state and county budgets.
   
   Chapter 24, the final chapter of Family Blood details James Robertson's life on death row and somewhat redeams some of the hurried reporting and short cuts found in earlier chapters.



5. The story of James Robertson who murdered his mother and father in cold blood out of pure greed is an interesting case to read; however, the style of writing was found to be a bit tedious. Readers are subjected to the long drawn out trial monologues that fail to produce any drama or theatrics of any sort.
   
   I would recommend this book only when there is nothing else on the shelf that seems interesting.

5 comments about The Rise and Fall of the Cleveland Mafia: Corn Sugar and Blood.

1. There was room for five families in New York. In Cleveland there was only room for one. The Lonardos and the Porellos struggle to control the manufacture and distribution of liquor during prohibition is well-chronicled in this work. Moe Dalitz financing of Las Vegas casinos is discussed. The book even continues on into the racketeering of Danny Greene and the ILA in the 1970's.



2. Organized crime flourishes beyond New York and Chicago and the mob wars of Cleveland, during Prohibition and since, were as colorful and violent as any elsewhere. Rick Porrello is a fantastic writer, a dedicated Mafia researcher, and as both a Cleveland cop and a descendant of Joe Porrello has the inside track on the Cleveland Hit Parade!



3. Great historical facts. Could have been better if it flowed better with less jumping around. Would have enjoyed learning the facts more if it had been done as a factual novel. A must read for any history buff interested in the Clevland area.



4. I love mob books and this one doesn't dissappoint. Must have for the mob book lover.



5. What a book!!! I had no idea Cleveland even had a mob until I started researching Tampa's mob history. There I found out about the Hotel Statler mob meeting back in the 20s, and later when I read up on Vegas and found out about Moe Dalitz. This book gives you insight into the art of rumrunning. This borgata starts out so fierce in the beginning, but just died off and lost strength due to guys getting old, getting killed, and getting flipped. Thanks to this book I'm no longer in the dark about the full scale of organized crime in America.