Crime Books

KEVIN AND HIS MOTHER ARE VERY SICK PEOPLE. THIS BOOK HAS ME LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER AT NIGHT WHEN I AM OUT AND ABOUT. VERY GOOD READ!

Thank your for the speedy delivery of the book.

If you've ever wondered what reviewers mean when they use the phrase "true crime classic" this is the book that will explain it. Jack Olsen has written many fine true crime books and every well-read true crime fan has their favorites of his works, this Edgar Award winner is mine.

Frederick Harlan "Kevin" Coe is the son of a respected Spokane newspaper editor and his eccentric wife. The whole family is a little off in Olsen's telling, but batty in a way that reminded me of families I knew or knew of growing up. Maybe every town has a family with a flamboyant parent, one "perfect" child and one child that is "going to become someone important." Other people in town notice that the flamboyant parent's stories never quite add up and the child that is going to be something never seems to grow up but everyone is far too polite to actually say anything. Besides, it's no one's business, right? That's the Coe family - mother Ruth was the flamboyant one, telling people about her Southern belle background (she was from Washington State), Kevin's sister was the "perfect" one (she promptly high-tailed it out of Dodge as soon as she was old enough), and Kevin is always on the verge of something big, to hear him tell it, that is.

But Kevin never really grows up. He's forever reinventing himself, just like Mommy, to the point of rechristening himself "Kevin" and making up civic groups for himself to head up. Olsen makes it clear that Kevin Coe's twisted relationship with his mother Ruth fueled his rage against women. Ruth does a fine job of keeping Kevin tied to and dependent on her while complaining that he's, well, too dependent on her. Olsen shows all this but like the great reporter he was, he doesn't comment on it. He presents the facts and lets the reader draw the inevitable conclusions. For instance, he slowly catalogs the many nicknames Ruth and Kevin have for each other and those around them, showing how detached they are from their fellow humans, how utterly unable they are to interact with anyone else on a truthful emotional level.

What makes this true crime classic one of my favorites is encapsulated in its well-chosen subtitle: A Psychopath and His Victims. Olsen spends as much time and expends as much reporting effort understanding Coe's victims and the horrible toll of his crimes on them. He shows us these women living normal lives before, struggling with challenges like divorce and low self-esteem but still moving forward until Coe gets them in his sights. We come to know these women in a few short sentences and begin to understand the devastation Coe causes them.

This is a great book for any genre and a must read for true crime fans; and it's sadly as relevant today as it was 20 years ago.

This true story is a chilling reminder that we live in a world stranger than fiction. I could not put this book down. If you want to look into the world of the psychopath, this is the book for you.

SON is the type of book that you never forget. As you read, you keep thinking that surely it's fiction and remind yourself that there is a man, a real man alive today, that lived this nightmare. He endured unspeakable verbal abuse but, when he reached a point of no longer being able to "hang in there," he retaliated against his monster mother in the only way he knew how. If I sound sympathetic toward SON, I am up to a point. I am certainly sickened by his dreadful crimes, but he was a psychopath and he did all that he knew to do to block out the reality of his bizarre relationship with his parents. You can draw your own conclusion by reading this incredible book. When the book was made into a "made for tv movie" I didn't think any movie could do the book justice, but it did. The book became even more real after watching Dale Midhoff as SON and Elizabeth Montgomery as his insane mother. If you ever see it listed, don't miss it. All of Jack Olson's books are extremely well-written and always fascinating, but SON is the best.

Examines the roots of an aspect of what is currently being faced in other climes and places. The author is uniquely qualified to write on the subject.

Mr Poole does it again. Another lifesaver for the troops.

Will use it in our training. If you are into tracking; check out the chapter on urban tracking, it's old techniques put in a new environment, might just save your life.

My biggest challenge in reviewing Poole's books is trying to find new ways to say essentially the same things: they are a refreshing, authoritative source of well-documented research and in-depth analysis of modern tactical warfare that are unequivocally the troops' best reference tools and the status quo's greatest threats. This book certainly continues that tradition.

The book was organized into three inter-related parts. In the first part, Poole provided a great, detailed history of the terrorist relationships between Africa and the Middle East, and the increasing influence of Eastern (Chinese) methods and presence in the Middle East. Chapter 4, "Euphrates Pipeline," which read like a detailed intelligence summary of suspected infiltration routes in the Iraq-Syria border area, was the first of three `must-read' chapters for individuals and small units deploying to Iraq.

The second part was an analysis of small unit actions and lessons from many years of African insurgency-counterinsurgency conflicts. I was especially impressed with Chapter 10, the second `must-read' chapter, which highlighted the Rhodesian Selous Scouts. In the final part, Poole shared his experienced perspectives on how to train for and win against the terrorist threats we are likely to be facing for the foreseeable future. This final part includes the final `must-read' chapter, "To Truly Win in a Place Like Iraq," from which the following quote is taken that pre-dated and predicted the kinds of successes that we are starting to see from the surge efforts in Iraq:

"...America's leaders must override their cultural impulse to "think big" and start "thinking small." It will all come down to the basics - basic 4GW [4th Generation Warfare] skills for U.S. troops and basic services for oppressed populations. That means humanitarian light infantrymen instead of infrastructure destroying and jihadist-generating smart bombs. Some squads would anchor neighborhood security through CAP [Combined Action Platoon] platoons, while others mantracked and arrested perpetrators. Only then will the cycle of violence be broken."

I look forward to the challenge of reviewing my next Poole book, but not as much as I look forward to the day when our troops and small-units get the kind of training and leadership that they deserve. Read this book to see what they are facing and how they can be victorious against our terrorist foes.

Future historians will identify John Poole as one of those clairvoyant savants of military art who told us of the threat long before it happened, exactly what we should expect, and how to train to fight it. He will also be remembered as a perceptive author whose books were read and studied by the Soldiers and Marines who fought the wars of the 21st Century but, unfortunately, not read and studied by the generals who led them. In Terrorist Trail, he has again identified the threat, their modus operandi, and where to find them. He has identified why we haven't done very well at finding and eliminating the insurgents because of the lack understanding the threat, the absence of true soldier skills, and the burden of a very heavily laden attrition mind set on the part of most of the senior officer set.

Terrorist Trail is a well researched volume based on keen insights into the Arab mind and culture. Moreover, the Trail follows the flow of foreign fighters right through the valley of the Euphrates and across the borders of Iran. This is more than just insight, it is information - nay, intelligence - from what is happening on the ground based on first hand accounts and observations. It is a detailed account which could be used as a continuity document for units in Iraq to read and understand as they rotate into these areas.

Poole takes us on a tour d' force through successful counterinsurgency (COIN) operations throughout history and in the third world - pointing out lessons that should be learned if we are to ever master COIN ops. It doesn't take a mental giant to understand that this is a primer on "how to", but if unread, the lessons have no chance of being learned. If read, the lessons have to be implemented at a level to be effectively applied. Some of Poole's recommendations might be discerned in the new Army/Marine COIN Manual, FM 3-24/MCWP 3-33.5, December 2006, but these similarities exist in too few areas to think they are more than serendipitous. It would take an entirely different leadership, cultural mind-set, force organization, and training to implement Poole's recommendations, and there is no significant evidence of that in the conventional U.S. Army or Marine Corps.

There is some flavor of Poole's prescriptions in Special Forces, but they too suffer from conventional generals with 2d generation thinking. Poole makes the case for decentralization of training in order to be able to create the type of army that can successfully combat the terrorists. He goes so far as to suggest: "If America's brigade commanders can't figure out how to fight more effectively at short range, they should defer to the collective wisdom of those who do it for a living - their rifle squad leaders." Such an outrageous statement, no matter how true, will provoke more of a defensive reaction by the hierarchy than the more appropriate determination to improve. One suspects that just such a thing is happening as there is now a shortage of his books in the Post and Base Exchanges. As the world situation continues to deteriorate, being good has become far more important than looking good. Poole has developed and tested a new "bottom-up" squad training method. Until more U.S. infantry units adopt it, they will continue to have problems at short range in either conventional or unconventional warfare.

Thank you, John Poole, for doing some serious research and thinking on tactics, operations, and strategy and translating that into this newest great book, Terrorist Trail.

Terrorist Trail by LTC John Poole (USMC-Ret) is one of the great books explaining how operations should be run in Iraq (and Afghanistan) to minimize damage to the local civilian population, while downgrading the ability of the insurgents to re-supply & operate. The book explains irregular warfare at it's best. How to assist the local population without having to destroy it! Unfortunately the GameBoy Generals of the Pentagon do not understand that all that glitzy billion dollar weaponry they love so much causes more damage in the long run to the war effort than it helps. They like to use a sledge-hammer to pick-off a flea.

Instead of relying on massive firepower from the air or artillery, the US military needs to go back to training troops how to become excellent at small unit infantry skills. Let the Platoon & Squad leaders with eyes on the target, knowing his unit's capability, make the decision on how to attack a positon or control a target location. Instead of investing more billions in "real time" micro-managed command & control from CentCom, invest millions in highly effective light infantry training (*See the other works by John Poole regarding infantry training) on how to ID & target insurgent controlled areas while enlisting the help of the local population.
Tracking is one of man's oldest survival skills. Early man tracked to find food & when he "evolved" tracked other men to kill them. This skill is as old as it gets for survival - except for running. The fastest man survived, the slowest was dinner. If the US military wants to survive & even thrive in an asymmetric 4th GW environment it has to evolve & change it's methodology of warfare in the coming years. Terrorist Trail explains beautifully the "how to" methodology of fighting the insurgents and winning in Iraq & in other back waters of the world. Will our current military leadership look at this work as sage advice? Highly un-likely. Most senior military leadership is looking to retire & move on to high paying jobs in the military-industrial complex (better know as Beltway Bandits)& down & dirty combat tactics just won't get them a hi-tech job!

John Poole explains very clearly in Terrorist Trail who the insurgents are & where they come from, who & how are they supplied. The US military can acquire the intelligence to effectively fight & defeat the Jihadists. If you can ID the insurgent, know his mentality & fighting methodology, you can defeat him using the tactics & techniques recommended by LTC Poole in this book.
I highly recommend this book to anyone going in harm's way overseas & to anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of defeating the insurgents at their own game.

Topper is a fun story with several interesting sides. First and foremost, it has been credited with "inventing" the American Ghost. The book deserves a great deal of credit for this alone.

It is also the story of a man in what we might refer to as "midlife crises" today. Bored with his respectable existence, he has fun and takes solace in a holiday outside of his behavioral norms. He has middle aged man thoughts- about his wife and a younger attractive ghost woman, that are realistic (to the extent of the propriety of the author) and enlightening. A true triumph of the work, however, is that it does this without becoming so maudlin that it is suitable for an English class.

Finally, it is a comedic book, that is entertaining and worth reading.

I recommend this book, but the reader needs to be prepared to judge it in the context of its day- and from that perspective it is truly remarkable.

and i very liked the show too !!. i remember seeing this book in the private collection of a professor at the university i worked at. so i took it home without his knowledge and read it. it was a very good read. light hearted but with a pleasant sadness.

I loved this book the first time I read it. This time it was less charming, though still fun. It all begins when Cosmo Topper, the epitome of Humdrum Life buys a car -- and discovers too late that it is haunted. Yes, haunted, and by outrageously adventuresome ghosts as well. Ghosts that drag poor Cosmo from one scrape to another and convert his Humdrum to Mayhem. Great Fun!

Having never heard of the movie, my initial attraction to this book was actually the cover art. Though there really isn't a date given, I pictured it perhaps in the early 1920's, though the depiction of the automobile as some kind of strange novelty probably sets it in the early 1910's.

Perhaps it's a reflection on myself, but I enjoy stories about ordinary people who are stuck in a rut or who have lived their lives having never followed their dreams and who are given one last chance to shine.

The characters and antics are outrageous, yet likable in a strange way. And the story reads pretty quickly.

While reading this book, I pictured elements of the 20's, 50's, and 80's. In fact, I think they should re-make a movie of this book and set it in a "timeless" setting.

Overall, if you're not prejudiced against reading a book written in the 1920's, I'd recommend it.

'Topper' is best known perhaps from the Cary Grant movie version. It's a good movie but I like the book even better. The characters delight, particularly in terms of Cosmo's retaining his decorum, in the warmth of Marion's dead-but-still-sexy presence. Anyone who enjoys humourous novels has to put this one on their reading list. Few recent humour novels are as funny as this classic from decades past, but there is one I know of, entitled 'Rastus Reilly', and I recommend that book as well.

For those looking for a gothic-themed, darker novel with in the CBA, you'll be pleased with this one. Winter Haven read like a cross between Daphne Du Maurier and Victoria Holt's work.

Shrouded in a setting of fog, ancient forests and brooding trees, Mr. Dickson weaves a tale of a young woman embarks on an eerie adventure as she tries to solve the mystery behind her brother's death. The writing is skilled and I was pleased with the richness of the characters and scenes.

Be prepared, however, to loose your footing towards the beginning of the story. There were several places towards the beginning I re-read passages, uncertain whether I'd correctly interpreted the scene laid before me. As the novel progresses, however, the reader will find themselves back on solid ground and deeply interested in the mystery Mr. Dickson spins.

I look forward to reading some of Mr. Dickon's past work.

-Highly Recommended.

In WINTER HAVEN, master storyteller Athol Dickson returns to Maine, the setting of his last novel, THE CURE, to spin the sort of hair-raising tale of suspense his readers have come to expect and enjoy.

On a small Maine island called Winter Haven, the body of a 28-year-old washes onto the beach. When the dead man's younger sister Vera arrives to identify her brother, she realizes something is desperately wrong. Siggy still appears exactly as he did when he disappeared at age 15. And when Siggy, who was obsessed with Vikings, is found with an ancient Viking ship brooch in his pocket, the trouble for Vera is only beginning.

Asked to stay on the island until the mystery of her brother's death can be resolved, Vera is drawn into a web of fear and intrigue. From the start, the islanders make it clear that Vera is unwelcome. She is plagued by frightening hallucinations, hissing voices that only she can hear, and a haunting figure in black --- all which may hold clues to whatever evil lingers on the island. When she stumbles across a large circular boulder with a depression in the center and the inscription, "O thou perfect goddess, Receive mine heart, An eternal offering to thee," her terror is palpable. Just what, the reader may wonder, has Vera walked into?

One handsome man, Captain Evan Frost, owns a large portion of the island, including the beach where Siggy's body was discovered. Evan may hold the key to romance for Vera, or perhaps he holds something more sinister. Is he good, or is he part of the dark side? Vera isn't sure. Unwelcome memories surface from her past, and she begins to wonder if she is losing her mind.

As unexplained ghostly noises continue and more frightening events occur, Vera fears she was lured to the island for other, more malevolent reasons than recovering her brother's body. And is it just coincidence that Siggy is found around the same time Viking artifacts are unearthed on the island? You'll feel the goose bumps begin to rise as a widow Vera boards with warns her about the legend of Evangeline: "She kills and kills and comes again to kill...."

As he did in THEY SHALL SEE GOD and RIVER RISING, Dickson doles out just enough information to keep the suspense high and the reader turning pages. More about Vera and Siggy's past unfolds (including Siggy's handicap and a faith-healing father who believes Siggy is a prophet). But what kind of faith healer can't heal his own wife, daughter and son? The suspense continues to deepen as we learn more about Vera and Siggy's past.

Dickson pens some great eerie scenes, including one where Vera and lawman Steady Wallis talk while large ravens settle on the church roof (perhaps taking its cue from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and just as chilling). In another scene, he paints a lovely descriptive picture of a pair of seals playing in the harbor's edge, while five black cormorants drift nearby. This evocative writing makes following the storyline a pleasure. Christian readers will also appreciate the abundant faith themes throughout.

As events spiral out of control, Vera wonders about a God who would make the coast of Winter Haven so gorgeous, yet allow her and her family to suffer endlessly. No easy question, and it remains a dilemma for Vera until the closing pages and another hook for faith readers. The last two chapters will please those who are looking for a redemptive ending to Vera's story.

WINTER HAVEN is an absorbing suspense novel from one of Christian fiction's most engaging writers.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

This book, like Dickson's previous titles, is full of twists and turns that lead to a satisfying ending. It will keep you predicting to the end.

Thirty years she has been separated from her brother - and now he's dead. "Winter Haven" is Vera's story of uncovering the mysteries of her brother, his death, and why he seemingly had not aged a single day in any of the three decades of separation. Further standing in her way of understanding are the dark mysteries of Winter Haven, a small island off the coast of Maine. Vera digs to find the truth in this intriguing suspense novel, sure to keep readers reading, and a must for community library fiction collections.

Over the years, Athol Dickson has produced some works of great literary depth and originality. I first discovered him through "They Shall See God," a suspenseful tale with multiple plot threads, a thriller deserving more attention than it got. Next was "River Rising," an evocative tale set in the bayous of Louisiana, full of historical mystery and character. Last year's "The Cure" moved to the northeastern portion of the country, building from a deep character study into a story of mystery and some suspense. All of these were enjoyable reads.

"Winter Haven" stays north, moving this time off the coast of Maine to the island of Winter Haven. We are thrown into a world caught in the old traditions, where locals protect their secrets while trying to find ways to survive. When Vera shows up, as an outsider, she threatens their ways, but she is determined to find out why her brother's body has washed up on their shores thirteen years after having last seen him. Even more bizarre to her is the fact that her brother's corpse hasn't aged a day.

Mixing the lonely chills and eerie settings of Stephen King's "The Who Loved Tom Gordon" with the gothic feel of the classic "Rebecca," this novel moves from one side of the island to the other as Vera searches out the truth. Though a richly detailed and atmospheric story, the pace moves right along once you settle into its ethereal feel. The search for truth is multi-layered, dealing with Vera's childhood, her faith, her family, and the history of the island. In the end, everything she believes will be called into question--and, as she comes to realize, those questions are an important part of the journey.

Although the ending comes close to stretching credulity, Dickson's mastery makes it pull together in a fashion that I embraced. We want Vera to understand. We want to believe along with her. Her dreams, her visions, and her nightmares, all have a purpose, and that's what makes "Winter Haven" rise above the standard fair of gothic suspense.

oh my i love this book, i didn't want it to end!
this is a very deep and meaning ful book, with alot of dramas and deaths. it really opened my eyes, and the story line of the book stayed with me for weeks after reading it.
however doesn't like this book either have a bad taste in books or cant read!

Although written for teens this book will capture the interest of adults. The characters are well-developed and you become instantly attached to them and worry about how they will survive their trials and tribulations. I could not put book the down and finished reading it over a weekend.

Naughts and crosses is a great read.
I really loved the storyline, and how it was reversed.
This book was given to me as a gift from a co-worker, I had to thank her again when I was done.

I thought this book was amazing, one of the best I've read. I'm a kid, fourteen, so it's not what I'd normally read, and I admit that I chose it only because I didn't understand completely what it was about and wanted to find out more....It's so sad and scary that this was so real in our history, even now. The book does an excellent job to capture Callum's simultaneous hate and love of Sephy, love for her and hate for what she was brought up to be, Sephy's ignorance in knowing just how bad things were, and her hunger to please Callum and help, and both character's emotions in general. This book made everything real, and I appreciate it knocking more sense into me.

In NAUGHTS & CROSSES, the author creates a very believable alternate world that is almost like our own--but the main difference is a major one. Everything you think you know about race relations and prejudice holds true, but is switched. The ruling class to which Sephy Hadley's family belongs are the black Crosses, named for their supposed closeness to God. The other, the white Naughts, like Callum and his family, are second-class citizens. In this world, it's unacceptable for a Naught and a Cross to be real friends, and unthinkable for them to fall in love. Callum and Sephy are breaking all the rules of the society they live in.

The two have known each other from a very young age, when Callum's mother worked in the Hadley household. Even after she loses her job, though, Sephy and Callum remain secretly close. They meet in secrecy, forced to tell lies and make up excuses, but they never stop seeing each other, no matter how difficult it is. Soon, though, they'll see each other every day--but that's not as good as it sounds. A new law has been passed, and a limited number of Naughts will now be allowed to attend Cross schools. Callum has been accepted into Sephy's school, and Sephy's excited to see her best friend more often. Callum, however, knows that letting their friendship be public could prove very dangerous for both of them. Things continue to get worse when Sephy and her mother are nearly caught in a terrorist bombing. Sephy's life is saved when Callum pulls her out of the building just in time, but nobody's fooled--that's no coincidence. Suspicion falls on Callum's family.

Callum's father is the prime suspect in planting the bomb, supposedly on the orders of a radical Naught terrorist group, the Liberation Militia, or L.M. They're devoted to their goals of rights for Naughts, and they'll go to any length to achieve them. This world even has a parallel to Martin Luther King, Jr.; Alex Luther is an activist whose goal is to achieve equality peacefully. Callum's mother is a supporter of his, but Callum's father and brother don't believe that Alex Luther's way of doing things will actually get anything done. The events that unfold after the bombing threaten not only Sephy and Callum's relationship, but their very lives and the lives of those around them.

NAUGHTS & CROSSES is a fantastic story, and one that will keep your mind occupied long past the final pages. The world created in Malorie Blackman's novel is one that is much like our own, and inspires a lot of "what if?" questions. What if that was our world? It's not so far off to imagine. How would our lives be different? They almost certainly would be. You wouldn't be where you are now. You wouldn't be who you are now; everything would be remarkably different, but still so much the same.

Malorie Blackman's writing does plenty to draw you in and keep your attention with the story, not bothering with the excessive and often boring detail used by some authors. It's definitely a page-turner! Sephy and Callum are very well-developed main characters, and the secondary characters are quite believable, as well. The story is told in alternating chapters narrated by Sephy and Callum, which really adds a lot to it. Sephy and Callum are remarkable people, showing the strength that love can have, the bridges it can cross, and the determination to see past what's on the outside. That last quality is one that is, sadly, not as common in our world (or Sephy's and Callum's) as it should be. Sephy and Callum also show how willing children are to love, regardless of the prejudices of their world, before their minds are poisoned by their elders. Sephy and Callum became friends at a young age and, remarkably, they stayed that way (and became more), despite the prejudices of their society. NAUGHTS & CROSSES is a remarkable book, one that you won't want to put down once you've started reading.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

What I loved about this book was that it was not written by a professional writer, it wasn't a lawyer's point of view, and it didn't preach to me about the death penalty. Instead, this book was a look at the justice system from a regular person's point of view. Kerry Max Cook raised questions about how the justice system works, or more appropriately, doesn't work, and not by hammering on lofty principles, but by showing the reader what actually happens, in court, out of court, and in prison. However, most importantly, he brings us inside the mind of a person facing the worst possible situation and how that affects him. I was inspired by his strength and ability to persevere through things that would have crushed nearly every human being. This book is a must-read for anyone who endeavors to understand the American criminal justice system and what it means to be accused of a crime.

Read the Innocent Man and thought I could never be moved so much by a book-really a life story. Saw the movie The Exonerated and heard about Kerry's life. I started reading the book for about 2 hrs a few nights ago... Last night I actually read from 9 pm to 3 am and then got up snowy day here) and read from 8 am finishing the book. I felt I couldn't put the book down until this whole ordeal was over-like my not finishing it still had held him in a deplorable state on Death Rown. When he is handed his belongings and the 1.28 check from his Trust Fund I bawled like a baby. I never really thought this was a just world but never really considered how injust men could be. Amazing life story of a man overcoming and rising above horrendous acts of injustice!
A Must Read!

A first-hand account of how and why innocent men and women can spend decades on death row in the United States that should be read and discussed by both pro-death penalty proponents as well as abolitionists.
Kerry Max Cook is a modern Dante/ Job. His story is of one who travels to hell and back, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, but who in the end has the strength to emerge as an enlightened, if wounded human being. The tortures he endures after being wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of a young woman he only knew casually are simply inconceivable. Not only does he have to contend with the fear of losing his life on a daily basis, (the fear of execution, and the fear of being stabbed) but he also must survive psychologically the tragic deaths of loved ones in the outside world while he is in prison.
The depth of police and prosecutorial misconduct Kerry describes is nothing less than infuriating, shocking. Yet, the presentation of his case is not intended to be an ideological rant against "the system." Merely by stating the facts, Kerry can convince us of the depth of the flaws.
Besides being an eye-opening account into injustice, Kerry's book is also
told in a way that draws us close to him, a human tale that cuts deeply into our hearts. It is a face-paced read that will keep you turning the pages, one that will haunt you and make you want to live each day of your own freedom to the fullest.

Kerry Cook had a few scrapes with law enforcement as a teenager in a small Texas town - joyriding, kicking out the windows of a store that falsely accused him of armed robbery. Thus, police "knew" they had their man when his fingerprints were found at the scene of a grisly murder.

The abuse of justice started immediately, continued for two decades, and nearly ended with Cook's execution. First it was merely physical - police slamming him into a wall, holding his head underwater in a toilet, arranged beatings by fellow prisoners, refusing showers and clothing, and sleep deprivation to force Kerry to confess. More serious abuses then occurred - withholding evidence from Kerry's attorneys, coaching witnesses to slant/fabricate testimony against Kerry, providing scientifically unfounded testimony that "aged" Kerry's prints to the time of murder, solicited false testimony from fellow inmates that Kerry had confessed - culminating to Kerry's arrival on Death Row in 1978. There Kerry was raped three times, and attempted suicide after each. Then his appeal stalled for eight years, and ultimately was denied.

Finally, things started to go Kerry's way. The prisoner who initially testified Kerry confessed, decided to come clean. An FBI expert provided an affidavit stating that scientific fingerprint "aging" was not possible, information was uncovered that a pathologist had told police that the victim's librarian prior boyfriend had ordered a book describing how she had been mutilated (police ignored, and did not provide to Kerry's defense), the major Dallas newspaper printed a major expose of how Kerry had been railroaded, a foundation funded Kerry's successful re-appeal.

The judge in the retrial, however, prohibited introducing most of this new evidence, the foundation funding Kerry's defense ran out of money (his attorney worked pro bono, but could not afford expert witnesses), and after a mistrial (deadlocked jury) and third trial it was back to Death Row for Kerry.

Fortunately, this conviction was reversed again, and Kerry was offered a "No Contest" plea in exchange for time served. His initial decision was to refuse and go back to trial - however, Kerry accepted the deal after learning that the potential jurors generally thought he had gotten out on a technicality and that they were there to "make it right." Finally, after being freed, results of a DNA test came back, exonerating Kerry and pinning the crime on the librarian originally identified by an eyewitness who had been coerced by prosecutors to change her testimony. Yet, prosecutors continued to contest his exoneration when interviewed.

Kerry, however, is not blameless in this miscarriage. Throughout the trials he lied about how his fingerprints got on the victim's door, instead of simply admitting she had invited him up there. (Kerry claims his father told him not to admit this; however, such an action makes no sense whatsoever.) Finally, while Kerry also should be commended for writing the book himself, continually referring to his parents as "momma" and "daddy" was both infantile and aggravating.

Bottom Line: This book seriously questions the wisdom of the death penalty in America.

Kerry Max Cook met young Linda Edwards in 1977 and was invited back to her apartment for a drink, where he left his fingerprints on the sliding glass door. Four days later, Ms. Edwards was found brutally murdered, and Cook was immediately arrested for the crime. In one of the worst examples of police and prosecutorial misconduct in American history, Kerry Max was put to trial with coached prosecutorial witnesses, bunk expert testimony about the "age" (six to twelve hours) of the fingerprint, and suppressed evidence that would have favored the defense. The state declared that Kerry Max was a repressed homosexual (at a time when homosexuality was a mental illness, and in rural Texas, no less) who raped and butchered a female out of repressed rage - a theory, incredibly, they stuck to even during re-trials two decades later, in the 1990's!

Chasing Justice is the story of the framing of Kerry Max by the Texas justice system. The narrative was written in Kerry's own hand (1,200 pages at first draft) and condensed into a powerfully personal 350-page account of life on death row - desperation, abandonment, rape and sodomy, stabbings, and attempted suicide. The prose isn't depressing; rather, Kerry Max just fights on, always waiting for the next turn, building his cadre of supporters. Texas death row has been ruled in federal court to constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Kerry Max fought for a full two decades for his freedom, through three outrageous trials, with not a penny to his name. While the major Dallas newspaper was decrying the railroading of an innocent man, he was convicted again and again and again. To date, he is still not eligible for reparations from the state of Texas because he has not been officially pardoned, which would require the unanimous concurrence several bureaucratic offices unwilling to admit their culpability in the grave trespass of justice against Kerry Max Cook. (By the way, the state spent $5 - $7 million over two decades in their effort to execute Kerry Max).

The reader will question - why Kerry Max? In his book, the author does not devote his energies to answering why, rather, he uses his energy to fight. From some brief research on the case, I have determined that the real culprit hired a very expensive, well-connected good ol' boy lawyer, requiring the police to find another suspect to satisfy the anger of the community. I can only begin to wonder how the Texas justice system conspired for 20 years to keep an innocent man behind bars. During each of his three trials, judges continually approved motions by the prosecutor and denied those of the defense, even to the point at which the court had contradicted itself on which evidence should be suppressed or allowed and for what reason!

Kerry Max's remarkable story is a damning indictment of the death penalty and the Texas justice system. Right before the publication of his memoir, national crime show Body of Evidence: From the Case Files of Dayle Hinman featured forensic experts "solving" the Edwards murder based on false evidence from the prosecution. Even 10 years have Kerry Max's exoneration in the national eye, misinformation is still being spread by those in power. Kerry Max Cook's experiences should serve as clear warning not to blindly accept the word of authority.

I don't read many authors and tend to stick with true life murder writer Ann Rule as I always know i am going to enjoy the writing style. A year ago my mom gave me this book to read and I finally got around to it 2 weeks ago. I usually read a few pages at night but with this book I could not put it down. I can not wait for my mom to share the rest of the series with me. I met Ms Noble this weekend at a show on our town square, she stated she was writing her next book and I can not wait to add it to my collection.

I just finished reading Sylvia Nobel's Deadly Sanctuary.
I picked this up only by chance while on a trip to Scottsdale,Az.
I finished it in just under two days.
It's been years since a book captivated my imagination to this extent.
This is a fast read "DONT MISS" book that you will NOT be able to put down.

Deadly Sanctuary has good character and plot development, and the story moves at a great pace. Nice fluid style that holds a reader's interest. I found myself caring for the characters. My favorite was Ginger. I love the way Ms. Nobel made a smalltown gossip endearing instead of just another nuisance. Sylvia Nobel spins a good tale, so I'll be reading the entire series.

After skimming a few pages of this book, I put down my Anne Rice novel and jumped right in. I love the single female detective books anyway. If you like Sue Grafton, you will love this author. It is nice to read a book that has the proper spacing also! You don't need reading glasses to SEE IT!

I have read all three of Sylvia's books, but Deadly Sanctuary kept me guessing right up to the end---what a surprise!!! I read it on my lunch hours, and had to force myself to go back to work. I HAD to know what would happen next.

This is a great read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves mysteries. This feisty redhead will keep you entertained for hours with her sometimes harrowing escapades in the Arizona
desert.

I raced through this book to get to the ending. It was completely worth the sleep I lost. I've given it to all my family and friends. Now I understand what has been happening to me!

Please read this - it is vital to our society.

This book changed my entire perspective on what is happening in society today. Thank you Ms. Rain.

This book completely changed my perspective in life! I cannot thank the author enough. She really took me through her horror and to such an inspirational place.

I was given this book to read before deciding whether to put my son on medication. My skin ran cold when I read what this woman endured. I now have my son on the nutritional products this author recommended and his Attention Deficit issues stopped. His grades are high and he is back to being my son.

I am so grateful to this woman.

Deeds of Trust is truly the most important book I've ever read and changed my perspective entirely. I have contacted her organization and they are all wonderful people. I would recommend this novel to anyone.

I loved this book specially lady Denville who stole away the spotlight from the twins and the heroine Cressy in my opinion. She is beautiful, kind, simple, extravagant and had no clue in financing. In the meantime she loves her sons and they adore her. I loved the bond that the twins have for each other and how they come to each others rescue no matter what. The most funny part for me is when Lady Denville asks Rippley to marry her :) Just loved that part.

What can I say Georgette Heyer is the best.

Anna

If there is a more delightful creation than the lovely and extravagant Lady Denville, the thistledown mother of the handsome twin heroes of "False Colours," I haven't come across her. In spite of her maddening inability to economize, her sons, the responsible, but totally charming Kit and his brother Evelyn (Lord Denville), who sails nearer the wind, love her dearly. When she is nearly capsized by enormous debts, Evelyn proposes to Cressy Stavely intending thereby to break a trust that limits his access to the money he needs to bail his mother out. But on the eve of a party meant to introduce Denville to Cressy's relatives, especially to her redoubtable grandmother (whose consent is essential), Evelyn is nowhere to be found, and Kit takes his place. How will Kit manage to find his missing brother, keep his flyaway mother from sinking under her debts, and avoid falling in love with Cressy? These questions are answered in a book overflowing with effervescent conversation, Regency humor, and some surprisingly poignant character developments.

(Mild spoiler) The only quibble I have with this lovely book is that a very significant character related to Evelyn never appears, which I found very unsatisfying. In fact the end seems a bit abrupt, partly for that reason. However, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this novel--almost totally enjoyable.

Kit is a good-looking man, but not drop-dead gorgeous. As a younger son, he is also not titled or unbelievably wealthy. But he is a quick-witted young man, with a terrific sense of humor, a kind heart, a deep sense of loyalty to his missing twin brother and a lot of love and tolerance for his erratic mother - all of which lands him in a scrape, when he takes his brother's place at an engagement party. It was meant to spare Cressy any embarrassment; this lady had gathered all her relatives to meet the Earl of Denville, her fiance. But Denville is missing, so Kit fills in...and then has to continue the masquerade, when Denville remains at large.

In short, Kit is a perfect Beta hero. Cressy is not the best of Heyer's heroines, partly because Kit's mother steals the limelight whenever she appears, along with her snuff-stained and very fat admirer. Not all of the secondary characters are as well-developed as one might wish, so I would not consider this among Heyer's best books, but it is very charming and the resolution of everyone's problems is extremely entertaining.

Eccentric relatives cause all kinds of trouble for Cressy and Christopher, but they use their wits to overcome all. Some clever dialog and a current of humor enliven the novel.
The Sourcebook format makes a more comfortable read than the usual paperback. My only complaint is the impostors on the cover. They are nothing like the Cressy and Kit I have in my head.

It was a delight to find, on my last trip to London, that Georgette Heyer's novels are being reissued in quality paperback form. I snatched up this one to read on the plane going home, glad that the cover--a 19th-century painting of a man in a chair, not your usual "romantic novel" graphic--didn't give me away as a "romance reader." i even tried to get my male companion interested in it, since like so many Heyers, it has a strong male protagonist whose problem is the engine of the story. (Of course my friend was too wary of the "romance.") But also like all Heyers, it had wonderful, believable, lovable characters all around, and a delightfully unexpected resolution. The story takes a while to get off the ground, and I was reminded again of Heyer's tendency toward long involved paragraphs, but I've never minded such "defects" in truly good novels, and in fact, I only wish her books were longer. I love to get to the satisfying ending, but then I want more!

Dennis Palumbo hits this one out of the park. I've rarely been so immediately pulled into a collection of mysteries as quickly as I was by Crime to Crime. The characters in the Smart Guys Marching Society are so naturally and beautifully drawn you'd think the author was a master calligrapher. The dialogue does such a fast and funny pinball bounce that I wouldn't dare take a break for fear of missing the next great line as the plot speeds forward with an enviable rhythm and flow. And the setup for solving these crimes, with beloved Isaac at the lead (boy, could I use an Isaac in my life!) is one of the most enjoyable approaches to crime solving I have ever read. Okay, best part last: every story is so thoroughly inventive that I couldn't wait to read the next one, though I knew I had little chance of solving the crime myself. This book made me absolutely delighted to be mistaken! Pick it up and read it - you'll see.

"From Crime to Crime" is in the Sherlock Holmes school of crime fiction -- when something is askew in the world, it takes a truly observant detective, schooled in human psychology and scientific logic to make it right. The joy in these stories comes from that moment when the inexplicable is explained. Whether prime numbers or a century-old poem is the clue, there is always an answer, and the reader delights in the deft and trustworthy characters (be they members of "The Smart Guy Society" or Albert Einstein himself) explaining to us precisely what, how and why something has gone horribly wrong. In a marketplace full of crime stories that are gritty, dark and seem to dwell on what is vacant and irredeemable about our society, "From Crime to Crime" is full of stories determined to make order out of chaos -- that any smart guy with logic and observation truly can save the world. This was an absolute joy to read -- truly engaging, entertaining and pleasurable.

A terrific read from start to finish. Loved these tales by Dennis Palumbo. Not only are the stories interesting puzzles to solve-- "Okay, Isaac, what do you think?" which allows the reader to participate fully in solving the crime given the clues presented--they are also great fun to read. The characters have unique voices and the stories are laced with a lot of humor. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying these short stories. Better yet, I challenge anyone to just read one of them and stop. I couldn't put this book down. It's that addicting. Bravo, Dennis! Loved your book.

The appeal of the mystery novel has always been their built-in game - figuring out who the culprit is before the protagonist does. "From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder" invites readers to play that game once more with an anthology of short mystery stories following love-starved husbands, deadly psychotherapy sessions, and the gritty world at the turn of the century. All of the tales are as intriguing as they are entertaining, making "From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder" highly recommended for community library mystery collections.

I'm embarrassed to admit that though there are several mini-whodunits squeezed into this entertaining book, I guessed a total of nada. Lest you think I have no business reading mysteries, I did pick up a few clues and managed one or two close calls. But, alas, I'm no Isaac.

The Smart Guys Marching Society is a testosterone, food and brewskis fueled meeting of the minds that nets hints, strange facts and surprising results as well as a lot of fun. I know these guys, and you will likely, too, if you spend any time hanging out with groups of men. If you merged the essence and personalities of Psych, Monk, The Office and The Big Chill together with Agatha Christie and Watson, you might be able to get a feel for the Marching Society get togethers.

A smattering of bonus stories introduce other characters, but hands down, The Smart Guys Marching Society wins my vote as a charming, snarky, good time. I appreciated the blend of several stories, the book was easy to read and gave my mind plenty of details to sort out...fruitlessly in my case... but still entertaining. I'm looking forward to more stories by Dennis Palumbo.

Sensitivity warning...adult language and some locker-room type humor pepper the book. There is little violence so unless you are very sensitive, it's safe to read after dark.