Crime Books

So often today we find the victim and family of an horrific crime victimized the second time. When I read an excerpt of "Dead Man Walking" and then saw who was directing and starring in the movie version I realized that this cruelty was being visited upon the family of Faith Hathaway. I have always had my doubt about the death penalty however the writers have a very valid point about the alternative punishment: life without parole. As long as the murderer is alive there is a chance of commutation of sentence (the removal of a mandatory sentence makes an inmate eligible to be considered for parole) or an outright pardon. After researching the number of commutations allowed in the past I now realize that, with great deliberation, there still is a place for the death penalty.

This book is valuable for anyone interested in the debates about justice, but particularly for readers of Helen Prejean's Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account Of The Death Penalty In The United States. I also advise reading Debbie Morris' Forgiving the Dead Man Walking: Only One Woman Can Tell the Entire Story, and the Bourgue family's Dead Family Walking: The Bourque Family Story of Dead Man Walking, both written by victims of the murderers for whom Helen Prejean was such an eloquent advocate. This is not as appealing as Dead Man Walking, not as warm and fuzzy, but it is an unflinching, indeed horrific, look at the reality of murder and vicious cruelty.

I believe that if we, as a society, release someone whom we have good reason to believe is dangerous, we are responsible for future acts of violence. Not as a responsible as we are for executing an innocent person, but still bearing a burden of guilt. What I like best about the book is that he talks about the reasons that keep me from accepting the abolition of the death penalty. Varnado points out that the arguments that are advanced against the death penalty could, with slight editing, be advanced against any punishment; at 53, I can remember when they were. Executing the murderer doesn't bring back the victim, but neither does anything else. Many of the leaders of the abolition movement, currently begging us to be content with life-without-parole (LWoP), are the same people who have been opponents of any long-term imprisonment. I don't think that we would have LWoP if we didn't have a death penalty. Given the arguments against three-time loser laws, will people who don't accept LWoP for three felonies, even if they are all violent, continue to support LWoP for a murder, however heinous? I think they'd revert to their earlier and more sincere opinions.

It's not an easy question. The legal system is simultaneously too harsh and too soft. Innocent people have been convicted. Chills go down my spine when mayors, governors, etc., announce that heads will roll if someone isn't accused within 48 hours. "Testilying", i.e., false information by the police, is apparently all too common, but the defense is no better. Obviously our legal system is not too concerned about public safety: convicts are given probation, violate it, and are simply given probation again. I hear horrifying tales of the carelessness of parole boards.

I have also come to think less of Helen Prejean, the more I know about her. I finished Dead Man Walking not convinced, but with great respect for her. As she has become more famous, and more information is available, it has become clear that she feels her cause justified lying and general carelessness with the truth. As Varnado and Debbie Morris point out, she simply accepted what Willie told her without any investigation. It was fine as his spiritual advisor to deal with the world as he saw it, but when she crossed the line into legal advocate and author, such sloppiness became irresponsible. Further, she apparently was knowingly telling a lie when she claimed Willie was remorseful. Not only did he contradict her in his own interview, but Debbie Morris told us that she admitted that she didn't think he was capable of remorse. She has now written a book about people who were supposedly innocent of the crimes for which they were executed; I suppose that I will read it, but at this point, I wouldn't take her word for it. She has co-founded a program for victims, but as Varnado points out, she remains extremely insensitive to them as individuals. Her prayer condemning the participants in an execution, including the victim's parents, is a case in point. She topped this off by not considering how they would feel about appearing in her book, let alone the movie! She's great at touching apologies, but they only mean something if one tries to do better.

Readers concerned about valuing the murderer over the victims may also be interested in reading The Victim's Song by Alice Kaminsky; Yale Murder by Peter Meyer; and The Killing of Bonnie Garland: A Question of Justice by Willard Gaylin.

Victims of Dead Man Walking has been the most difficult, tear-jerking, enraging, must read I have come across. Ever. This brutal rape and murder happened not far from my home, and Faith's memory is still well within the minds and hearts of people all over our area. She was a beautiful, smart, 18 year old young lady who had the world within her reach on graduation day. But a cruel, unrelenting Robert Willie and Joseph Vaccaro, both of them boasting about a life of crime without remorse, stole Faith Hathaway away from this earth. They raped her repeatedly, stabbed her until the gaping wounds nearly severed her head, and left her to die alone in Fricke's Cave, only to be discovered 8 days later by a then 25 year old whip detective Mike Varnado. Hollywood doesn't want you to know these things. They would rather you believe that a then 24 year old "Matthew Poncelet" (a dead ringer for Robert Willie if there ever was one), who received the death penalty by electric chair, became a remorseful repentant man when he met his fate. Nothing of the sort ever occured. His partner in crime, Joseph Vaccaro, sits this day in a federal penitentiary still serving out his sentence for yet another crime, the rape and kidnapping of a "16 year old from Madisonville".

This book is so very well written it feels as though Detective Mike is speaking to you personally. He makes it easy, while terrifying, to put yourself in his shoes, countless sleepless nights after discovering Faiths swollen, nude, decomposing body in the once family oriented Fricke's Cave. You can feel the anger rise up from the pages from a very cruel young man who boasted of his murders, who never showed remorse, but loved the attention he gained from the spectacle of a nun and the television news. After the book DMW and movie of the same name, the real story of Faith Hathaway was nearly forgotten until Detective Mike brought forth the true details of the crime. One need not be pro nor con death penalty to learn valuable lessons and true facts of Faith Hathaway. After speaking with Faith's mother personally, I learned that Mrs. Harvey (Faith's mother) asked Tim Robbins (DMW director) to at least visit the area of Fricke's Cave where her daughter was left to die. Mr. Robbins response was "I don't have the time". Please - make the time for this book, the REAL story of the Victims of Dead Man Walking. These words by Detective Mike will make you a litttle wiser to the facts of this young girl, the trial that followed, and could very well give you the knowledge to save your own life one day.

I lived in the area when this tragic, senseless, and incredibly brutal rape & murder took place near my hometown. Friends and relatives worked the case, and the entire area mourned the loss of Faith Hathaway as the peaceful innocence and sense of safety in our rural area was forever shattered.
The wounds were re-opened when Dead Man Walking came out. It was a slap in the face of everything good and true. It was an incredibly cruel blow to Faith's family, who deserved so much better after the tragic loss of their daughter.
Thank you Mike for setting the record straight, for honoring Faith's memory.

I read the book "Forgiving The Dead Man Walking" by Debbie Morris, who was also kidnapped and raped by Robert Lee Willie and Joe Vaccaro. Debbie lived to tell the story in her own words... I highly recommend it for those of you who care about this topic.

Rory Miller has done a commendable service with this book. For all the Wannabe Bruce Lee's and Happy People Who Live In A Bubble out there (and everyone else), here is a window on real-life Violence that is thoughtful and humbling.

The author walks us through the causes, stages, realities and aftereffects of confrontation. He points out that will is as important as technique, that there are those who prey on the fact that you are playing by a set of rules that they ignore, and that the fancy finger lock your jujitsu instructor taught you won't work on a guy who wants to die to get to you, pinky-finger be damned.

The most useful content, in this reader's opinion, is relevant in the every day experience of being a prepared individual. Before ever learning to throw a punch, it helps to understand the way in which adrenaline affects the body and the difference in how men and women build up aggression based on the hormone pumping through the veins. The next time someone demands "What're you looking at?!", Mr. Miller's half-humorous description of the Monkey Dance might enable a calmer and safer response. This is the stuff you learn one of two ways, through study or by having it pounded into your skull.

The last thing I have to say, and one of the first things that Mr. Miller states, is that the Violence is bigger than any of us, including the author. "Take the information in this book and treat it skeptically as hell." That said, take the information in this book and treat it with the same amount of respect.

As a person who trains in the martial arts and also spends time learning and reading at various martial arts related message boards, I have noticed that when Mr. Miller talks, I and just about everyone else pay very close attention to what he writes. More important than the opinion of a relative beginner like myself, I have noticed that consistently, the men and women on these sites who have decades more experience, also pay close attention to his words. The reason is not only the current and critical personal experience Mr. Miller brings to the table, but also the way he writes in a no-nonsense manner. You will not find a sugar-coated fairy tale loosely conveying the nature of real and brutal violence in this book. So, if that is what you are looking for, do not waste your time reading this well written, and detailed piece. Otherwise do yourself and those around you a favor and read this book.

Sgt Rory Miller was an unknown quantity to me before I read this. He was spoken of very highly on the Uechi Eastern Arts forum, and this volume has made big waves in that community. Meditations on Violence lives up to its name. It is a deep look into interpersonal violence: what causes it, what forms it takes, the perpetrator's motivations, and the means of surviving it. It is a challenge to the martial arts world: to stop living a fantasy: find out what works, and teach it.

Violence is a topic most people are uncomfortable with. Just having this book on your desk at work is enough to get raised eyebrows, stares, and/or a quickening pace from passing co-workers. The author, on the other hand, is very comfortable with this subject. He categorizes violence, separating it into several fields, a few of which he excels in. When violence happens, and you are on the receiving end, it is a safe bet that your attacker has planned this out in their mind, in advance, and you are already three steps behind in the equation. You are behind the curve.

If you claim to teach self defense; if you wear a black belt; if you are a martial artist; at the end of the day, you are a Priest of Mars: a person who is supposed to be able to survive, even excel when things get physical, and show others the way. He offers a plethora of training strategies to increase the survivability of martial artists.

Sgt Miller will not teach you `secret' techniques or how to finish a fight. He might teach you how to stop one before it starts; how a criminal selects their victim; what it feels like to be subjected to a planned attack you never saw coming; and how to (mostly) avoid walking into one. He'll teach you what criminals are like (he's around them every day). He'll teach you about things you may not have heard of before: the OODA loop, Hick's Law, the `Go Button,' the Golden Rule of Combat, and knowing the difference between strategy, tactics, and techniques. He also addresses fear: fear of getting hit, fear of hurting others, and the fear of dying.

The fear of human violence is a powerful force in many lives. One of the most valuable contributions this book can give you is the permission to do whatever it takes to survive a life-and-death encounter. This may sound campy to some, but a large number of people don't feel they have the right to harm or end a human life in defense of their own. Giving someone permission, even symbolically, can empower them to change the way they react to the world.

The author has seen a lot of stuff I hope I never do. As a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force, and as a martial artist, I am a Priest of Mars. I am also a medic, and I have seen the aftermath of some of the kinds of violence he lived through. Sgt Miller has performed a great service in bringing this information to light. Along the way, he bared his soul. That takes an awe-inspiring level of courage and self-awareness.

Thank you, Sgt Miller.

(A note on the construction and editing: the book itself is well-made. The cover conveys the material accurately, the binding is solid, the photos are clear, and the paper is suitable for its purpose. The editor missed only one spelling error that I noted, likely a simple typo. On the other hand I found four juxtaposed words dispersed throughout the text. This did not detract from the material, but it was enough to blink for a second and wonder what the author was trying to convey.)

As a firearms instructor one of the most difficult tasks I face is cultivating my students' understanding of the ugly realities of personal combat. Sgt. Miller has done an exceptional job of explaining the structured chaos of violent conflicts.
Anyone familiar with the art of combat will recognize, relate, and learn from this book. Miller's writings will take the individual who is training to defend themselves against the possibility of an attack one step closer to understanding and defeating their foe. For anyone who believes they live in a "safe" world, beyond the reach of bad people, this should be required reading. As Miller states, "You don't get to pick what kinds of bad things will happen to you."
Meditations On Violence is a book I will highly recommend to both my students and fellow instructors.
Tiger McKee
Director, Shootrite Firearms Academy
Author of "The Book of Two Guns"
The Book of Two Guns: The Martial Art of the 1911 Pistol and AR Carbine

At the beginning of this exceptional book is a black and white photograph of a bathroom with a swirl of sticky-looking muck on the floor and a few little droplets splattered across the side of the toilet. Since there is no color it takes a moment to realize what you are looking at, but this mess is clearly human blood, a LOT of human blood. You don't know what happened but it was obviously something awful. A slowly drying pool of blood is not what one might expect to find at the beginning of a typical martial arts book, but then again real-life violence is not a subject that martial artists typically understand or write about.

Like a pool of blood, violence is a very sobering subject; one that must be treated seriously in order to do any good. Meditations on Violence certainly fits that bill. It is a refreshingly frank, honest, and in-depth assessment that teaches readers how to think critically about the subject, determine how to evaluate sources of knowledge, and understand how to identify strategies and select tactics to deal with violence effectively.

As a corrections officer and tactical team leader Miller regularly tangles with hard-core predators. He describes his job this way: "I beat people up for a living. I can pretty the phrase up a lot, but in the end I get paid (and paid well) to go into a situation, usually alone and usually outnumbered by sixty or more criminals, and maintain order."

This is a guy who routinely survives brutal encounters that would leave the average person physically and emotionally shattered. Unlike most martial arts instructors, he has first-hand experience that separates longstanding myths and heroic fantasies from merciless reality. Using interesting personal vignettes backed up by solid research and undisputable logic he conveys this hard-earned wisdom in a highly effective manner. His insights on how to make self-defense work and overcome subconscious resistance to meeting violence with violence could very well save a reader's life one day.

While the author's no-nonsense tone can be a bit "street" and his examples a bit graphic at times, his psychology degree shines throughout the writing as well. This combination makes for a fascinating read. One of the best features of the book is an informative matrix that addresses various types of violence, demonstrating how they differ from each other and how the lessons from one type may not apply to the needs of another. Other important topics include the dynamics of violence, predator mindset, adapting training to the realities of violence, making physical defense work, and the after-effects a sudden assault or long-term exposure to a violent environment.

Miller's book is extraordinarily well written. Packed with interesting, informative and, most importantly, useful information, Meditations on Violence should be required reading for all serious martial artists, law enforcement officers, security professionals, and anyone else who might have to deal with violence in some capacity. It is illuminating and very likely lifesaving as well.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults and Martial Arts Instruction; co-author of The Way of Kata, The Way to Black Belt, and The Little Black Book of Violence

Note: This review originally appeared in the July/August issue of ForeWord Magazine.

A very entertaining book.

Growing up, everyone has lessons to learn. As we get older, we start to see that our parents are human beings--men and women--not just dad and mom. Thirteen-year-old Ruby Tuesday Sweet's awakening begins with the wedding of her older brother.

Sports have always been an important part of the Sweet household. Ruby Tuesday's dad, Hollis, is absolutely obsessed with the scores of the game--any game. Little does Ruby Tuesday realize that the reason Hollis is so concerned is not a simple love of competition, but a love of income: the Sweet family income. But during her brother's wedding celebration, a series of events gets the ball of awakening rolling for Ruby Tuesday and, suddenly, she is on the road with her rarely-present mother, Darlene, to hide out in Vegas with Hollis's crotchety old mother, Nana Sue. With her eyes opened wide by these two outspoken, independent women, Ruby Tuesday learns more about life--particularly her own--than she ever knew existed.

Kogler brings excitement and realism to Ruby Tuesday without crossing the line for adolescent readers. There is a lot of gambling slang used throughout the book, and readers may be rather confused by this language, just like their new friend Ruby Tuesday. But Kogler includes a glossary at the back of the book, and this will help readers decipher the "code" of the bookie-gambler world.

Fun and excitement, along with some rough awakenings for the naive-but-feisty heroine, make RUBY TUESDAY a coming-of-age eye-opener for both tweens and teens.

Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard

Ruby Tuesday Sweet's family has always been a little different from her classmates' families, but she never knew exactly how different. She had only a vague idea of what her father did, but now things are becoming a lot clearer. Ruby Tuesday has always known that her "Uncle" Larry, mother, grandmother, and father weren't like other people, sure, but now she knows that they're more than eccentric; they've been involved in some shady business, and now her father is in trouble following Larry's murder.

Ruby Tuesday and her mother, Daphne, skip town for a little bit until things blow over. Where do they go? To visit Ruby's grandmother, who lives with her pet iguana, 21, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Apparently, a lot of the secrets in Ruby's family go back to Las Vegas--and gambling. It's legal to gamble in Las Vegas, but Ruby's father and Larry were involved in that same business in California. Now, it's gotten them all into some hot water.

Ruby is just one of many fascinating, unusual, and well-written characters in a great novel by debut novelist Jennifer Anne Kogler. I also believe this is the first YA novel I've read taking place in Las Vegas, and that setting gives a lot to this book. Jennifer Anne Kogler has put captivating people in an enthralling location and written a funny, entertaining, original, and absorbing novel about them. It's a page-turner!

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce
12/20/2006

4.5-BOOKS on WUAT = 5-STARS on Amazon

Ruby Tuesday is one of those rare books that successfully voices the weirdnesses, funninesses, sadnesses, and revelations of moving from a kid world to an adult one, while managing to throw an iguana-filled Vegas adventure into the bargain. Like Roald Dahl, Jennifer Anne Kogler infuses an alternatively dark and touching humor into her novel that catches hold of both adults and kids- although Kogler's protagonist, being a bit older, speaks more to adolescent confusion than childhood rebellion.

Unlike the worlds of Harry Potter or Lemony Snickett, recent hits that also transcend the kid category, the world of Ruby Tuesday, although decidely wacky, is refreshingly and very recognizably the real world. Although Vegas glitz, grimy casino backrooms, and mafia hitmen aren't exactly part of the normal tween experience, the gritty reality of realizing that parents don't always do or say the right thing, and that sometimes it's the kid that needs to forgive, is. The best parts of the novel plunge you, right along with Ruby, into the dicey contradictions of adult relationships and the tension between doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong thing for the right ones.

And as anyone who has read the book will tell you, we're all excited to see what Ruby will do next....

Insightful, hilarious, creative... Ruby Tuesday is impossible to place into a single genre. Its also impossible to put down. Though its hero is a 13 year old girl, her context is decidely unique. A bookie father, a rock-and-roll mother, an iguana-toting grandmother, and an adventure in Las Vegas a normal adolescence does not make. With Janet Evanovich-esque humor, its hard to believe that Miss Kogler pulls off a drama amidst her comedy. I was particularly impressed by how real her characters were even in an atmosphere few of us can relate to. A great adventure, its like Finding Nemo - appeals to all ages, with smart humor and lots of heart.

Of the many, many books I have read on this topic (which is one of my areas of interests) this is book is by far the best one I have read. This would be, in my opinion the most complete, informative and unbiased work on the subject.
The book covers just about everything most readers would like covered on Serial Murder. It covers fact, fiction, history, definitions, in fact everything you could imagine. I could not believe just how much is packed into the 380 odd pages.
Not only is the book a wealth of knowledge on the subject (and many related areas eg Stalking, Insanity Defences) but is also loaded with 'Profiles' of many individuals (and teams) to illustrate the area under discussion. Many tables also provide interesting reading.
The book also looks at the phenomina of Serial Murder in countries other than the USA.
Another thing I really like is the way Hickey presents various aspects and theories. Hickey discusses all the theories, views etc along with their apparent strenghts and weaknesses. For example, other authors I have read flatly dump the FBI Psychological Profiling Model. Hickly presents all the pros and cons on the topic in a very unbiased manner.
This book is not just a good book, it is a great book. It is a 'must have' in your collection, if this is your area of interest or you really want to learn about it. If someone asked me for just one book to read on Serial Murder, this would be the one. It covers so many topics within a topic, yet it is concise and very readable. The average person with no knowledge on this topic would walk away with a good 'working knowledge'.
I have read the book twice and have now been drawn back to a third read.
I will now be searching for other works by this author and congratulate him on a 'classic'.

This is an excellent reference book, but what really makes it stand out is the "Mind of a Killer" CD-ROM included with it.

The videos and searchable information on the CD-ROM really bring the subject vividly to life. There documentaries on about a dozen famous cases with footage I'd never seen before including confessions made to police, interviews and courtroom scenes.

I was also impressed with the mapping system that plots the locations of different cases or types of cases with all kinds of search options.

After reviewing and studying the material within this cover, you will see life in a different way. We all want to see the good in people; As any physical realm, there is the duality from good to evil. What exactly happens when what we see the destructive nature of man? What makes the destructive destructive? Who are they? What do they think? Where do they come from? and What will they do next?
This book helped me to breeze through my serial and mass murder class ... AND actually lock onto possible perpetrators in real world scenarios.
After reading this book and studying the nature of homocide, you'll be analyzing everything through rational choice. When you walk down the street, youll look at everyone as you notice their demeanor and watch their subtle actions. You'll look at the small and obscure nuacnes in nature as you enhance your deductive reasoning. Most of all, you will build a base in whch to combat becoming a victim.
I highly recommend the first piece you read in this book to be (pg 278) "An Interview with a Male Serial Murderer". This passage will restrain you to read and study this work to its end if not for learning, but to possibly stop a tragedy such as this from happening to someone you love.
You should supplement this book with TV: A&E, Biography, and History Channels will suffice.

Being one of the lucky people in this world to study from Dr. Hickey at Fresno State, I consider this book and the Dr. to be two of the most amaizing sources of knowledge in this dark field. If you begin reading this book knowing nothing about the topic, you walk away being a sudo-expert in the field and study of Serial Killers

I am a graduate student of Dr. Hickey's at California State University, Fresno. I came to this institution specifically as a matter of curricula, and I must say that after a review of the literature both broad and exhaustive Dr. Hickey's book is the closest thing we have to the reality of our special killers' doctrine. What is most compelling about this piece of literature is the open mentality that is greatly lacking in nearly every other book out there. We have relied to a great extent on the works of the FBI and, in a much more aniquated way, the works of Freud and the general positivists.

This text is certainly a sociological treatise, but even more so it underlines the issues inherent in both criminology and a general study of human nature. What should be garnered from this read is what we DON'T know as compared to what we do. One must applaud Dr. Hickey for his ability to admit that the evaporative quality of this field of study is prevalent and must be dealt with.

Of particular interest is the discussion of the mythology surrounding "serial killers" and the true affect with which they operate. Take these things for what they are worth and you are left with many questions. I have no doubt in my mind that this was the objective of Dr. Hickey, and is ideally the objective of any social scientist. Those who wish to comprehend the nature of serial killers will not find all their answers here, but they may find some questions that our humanity dearly needs to be addressed; the most important part.

I adore well written horror and it is so rare to come by, I absolutely loved this book. It is not easy to creep me out, this book creeped me out good. There are not a lot of scary scenes in Shadow Child, the story is so solid it didn't need a ton of horror filler. After finishing the book I searched on the stone caves in New England, I don't think I could go near one after reading this book.

short and sweet review ...which I wish everyone would do .

This book is as good as the early Stephen King novels ( when he was king of horror ) .
Don't read this book before going to sleep ....alone . Yes, it's good .

All of Joseph Citro's books are good, but this may be his best. From the first paragraph to the last word I could not put this book down.

Shadow Child is a bone chilling horror mystery based on true events. Joseph A. Citro tells the story of a family in a small town in Vermont haunted by a secret civilization. After a long lost cousin returns everything starts going weird in town. All fingers point to (the cousin) Eric. But who knows? Joseph makes this book so interesting because he includes real newspaper clippings to support his events in the story. He also utilizes foreshadowing. So by the time a third of the book is complete you won't be able to put it down until you are completely finished. You want to know what is going to happen to the family. I would recomend this book to everyone.

Honestly, I had never heard of Joseph Citro, until I stumbled upon a link on Amazon that led me to read about his works. I ordered two books, Shadow Child & Guardian Angels, and was very pleased with both. Shadow Child follows the travails of the Whitcome family, i.e. Clint, Pamela & Luke together with Pam's cousin, Eric Nolan through a New England winter. The Whitcome's house is in a mountainous region in Vermont and its inhabitants are menaced by an ancient race of 'wee folk' called the Gentry...not to give too much away, the storyline is gripping, and the horror is insidious and altogether terrifying. It is a well-told horror story, both atmospheric and frightening...one gets the chills reading about the horrific acts committed by the evil beings, and feels a sense of dread at the menace posed to the family in this story. Citro is a great storyteller, and I think his works are underrated and deserving of a wider audience...his works rank alongside those of Saul's and even King's. I can't wait to read his other works, and only wish he would be more prolific in writing horror fiction.

It is amazing that a book written so long ago is still so entertaining. I will be reading the entire series and I bought the 1st seasaon DVD for a friend.

This is a great example of why this series is so enjoyable. Nero Wolfe proven right about automobiles, Wolfe trapped in a pasture by a bull, (Threatened by food, how appropriate.) Archie meets the one woman who sticks around (Lily Rowan) and a mystery that only gets solved with one of Wolfe's outrageous, but plausible (well, almost plausible) schemes. All the usual pleasures are just a bit better in this one, Archie gets arrested (as per usual) but instead of just suffering comically, he decides to organize the inmates. The banter between Goodwin and Rowan is another highlight (You'll see why Stout kept her around) and the twists and turns all have purpose. This one is one of the true classics of the series.

And it's not Hickory Caesar Grindon, the bull, either. This early Wolfe introduces Archie to his lifelong companion Lily Rowan.

Lily sticks with Archie (God knows why) for the rest of the series, which means from 1939 to 1975.

Some would say that Archie should be ashamed that he never makes an honest woman of Lily - I mean, isn't 36 years long enough? But that shows that they've not understood Lily - or Archie, for that matter.

Lily is a classic proto-feminist. She is independent and wilful. SHe thinks and acts for herself. Marriage, as she would define it, poses unacceptable terms to her: having to conform her actions to the expectations of someone else.

A great pleasure was seeing Kari Matchett play Lily in the much-lamented A&E series on Nero Wolfe. She was perfect: beautiful, self assured, charming and very much her own woman.

Oh, the story: a prize bull is killed and so is another person associated therewith...Wolfe, already grossly inconvenienced and in a highly uncomfortable place, must unravel this to assure that Archie does not languish in a provincial prison.

And, of course, a relationship begins which lasts a lifetime. The language and the characters in this story are irresistable, and Michael Prichard does his usual, wonderful job in capturing the spirit of Rex Stout's writing.

It's a story that stands up to multiple listenings. Enjoy!

Some Buried Caesar begins with an auto accident as Archie Goodwin is driving Nero Wolfe to an orchid exhibition. Wolfe, in his own considerate way, loses no opportunity to tell everyone he meets that Archie has wrecked his car. While this definitely helps fuel some of the comedy in the book, it's not quite the central plot thread. It turns out that Wolfe and company get sucked into a murder investigation where the prime suspect is a prize bull. Wolfe knows that the bull is innocent but has to prove it to the police to earn his fee. There is plenty of enjoyable snappy patter and the story moves along at a nice brisk pace. Archie also picks up something of a girlfriend, Lily Rowan, who will be around off and on for the rest of the series.

Most Wolfe novels have him safely at home in the city but this one pulls him out of his cozy confines and this definitely helps add spice to the story. Speaking of the story, it's one of Rex Stout's best. The characters are varied and interesting and the murder mystery is just as baffling as you could hope for. Some of the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny, just as you would expect from Wolfe and Goodwin.

If you've never read a Nero Wolfe book, this one would make a great introduction to the series. If you have read some of the novels, this one is well worth adding to your collection. In short, I would recommend it without reserve to almost anyone.

One of Stout's best Wolfe novels. The mystery itself is not really entirely gratifying, but the story and the characters that inhabit the mystery make it all worthwhile. The conflicts and dialogue of the characters add to the realism of the novel as well. One of Stout's most accomplished novels.

This chilling new book has more twists and turns than an amusement park ride. Chris Knight uncovers the shroud of secrecy about his mysterious father Al Capone's son, William knight. The search for the truth brings revelations on leading a double life.
Chris Knight's memoir 'Son of Scarface,'is a must read. And there are
some interesting photographs.

Chris Knight's story is fascinating. It's a tale that comes from the heart, and yet it's also backed by meticulous research. I enjoyed reading about Al Capone, but even more interesting is Knight's own story. This is not just a book for crime buffs, it's a story for anyone who's ever wondered where he comes from and what sorts of secrets are buried in his past.

...."If this is the year of truths, Son Of Scarface is a MUST READ! by Chris Knight, Grandson of Al Capone. With tremendous courage, he uncovers secrets of his mysterious father who lived an assumed identity. Compelling and heart wrenching, a Brave Knight has written an unforgettable book in search of ones self. This book inspires us all to go beyond our comfort zone.

Most of us have a proverbial 'black sheep' member of our family. It wasn't until as a 13 year old boy whose father died in his arms that Chris Knight learned that his grandfather was the notorious Chicago mafia boss Al Capone. It was at his father's funeral, attended by a large number of men previously known to Chris that he learned of his father's true identity and began what was to become his life's journey to find out all that he could about his family connection to the notorious Al Capone. Stymied by his mother's abuse and insistence that he and his sister keep his newly discovered connection a family secret, Chris was not allowed friends -- or even to go outside the gates of the family's compound. It was only when he reached adulthood that he could investigate his family's past, from his father's fraudulent birth certificate, to his mother's reluctant confirmation, to genealogical research and private investigator reports confirming and detailing Chris Knight as the grandson of one of the most notorious gangsters of the 20th Century. Of special note is the inclusion of black-and-white photos. His struggle to find out about his family's past, "Son Of Scarface: A Memoir By The Grandson Of Al Capone" is a fascinating, candid, well-written, informative biography and a highly recommended addition to community library collections.

I am not an avid reader of books, since all I do is read court documents and reports every day. But when I began reading this masterfully written book by Chris Knight, I found it very difficult to put down. With every turn of the page I wanted to find out more. The suspense and the drama keeps the pages flipping as it draws you further into the story of this boy's life searching out the truth of who his father was and were he came from. The missing years that no one can account for continues to have a gripping effect as it leaves the reader wondering along with the writer as the facts of the drama unfold. I highly recommend this book for pure good reading.

In Straight, Francis gives us another of his honorable and vulnerable heroes who find themselves in trouble through no fault of their own. True, part of Derek Franklin's problems stems from not getting to know his much older brother, Greville, but the rest of his problems just seem to happen. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time is never in one's favor.

Derek is a successful jockey whose ankle is broken in a fall in a race. Just after he learns that his brother has been killed in a freak accident. Now, Greville was a gemologist who tended to be more than a little paranoid. He loved gadgets and puzzles and lives in a house outfitted like a fortress. Unfortunately, the strength of the house does not prevent Derek from being pummeled and otherwise abused nearly to the point of death. The worst thing is that he doesn't know why. This is a story of many mysteries most of which have nothing to do with one another. True to form, though, the villain once identified, proves to have no compunctions about doing whatever it takes to get what he/she wants and for self protection. Or is that villains?

As the story unfolds, the reader finds out as much about the deceased Greville as Derek, his brother and sole heir. (There are two sisters who live abroad.) It's difficult not to care about both and to feel the regret about not getting to know someone before it's too late.

Straight is a typical Francis novel in that it's a fast read, one cares about the protagonist, and pretty much despises the antagonist. Few surprises when it comes to it, but one of Francis's good ones.

I hve been reading Dick Francis books for at least 15 years. My father introduced me to them. When I go on vacation this summer, some of them will accompany me. "Straight" will be one of them.

Greville and Clarissa had concealed their love affair for three years.

Greville was a middleman, who had traveled the world to search out reliable sources of semiprecious gemstones. The successful London company he founded would have the stones cut in Antwerp, Tel Aviv, New York, or elsewhere, then distribute the gems in quantity to creative designers and producers of fashionable jewelry. Greville also owned racehorses, starting when someone had given him one in settlement of a debt.

Clarissa was the attractive wife of an older British lord, who had pursued her. Greville became Clarissa's first love, as she became his. When he was not on a trip, and she could come to London, they would meet. When apart, which was most days, they had agreed to pause at a set time of day to think of each other, knowing that each was doing the same.

A sudden accident ended all this. Greville had been walking down the High Street next to a construction site, when collapsing scaffolding from high up, struck him, sending him to the hospital, where he never regained consciousness and soon died.

Here are Dick Francis's very first words of the story: "I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me."

The speaker is Greville's brother Derek, younger by nineteen years. Too tall for flat racing, Derek is a steeplechase jockey, which is especially dangerous because of the jumping. In the story he is, in fact, on crutches recovering from a broken left ankle injured in a race.

Derek's racing world and Greville's business world collide throughout the book. Derek must pick up the complex gemstone business traces, while undergoing continuing pressure from racing owners and trainers to hurry up and heal.

The company employees tell Derek that Greville did not deal in diamonds. In going to the bank, Derek discovers otherwise. The manager tells him that three months earlier the bank had loaned Greville a million and a half U.S. dollars, specifically to expand into diamonds, and would soon be looking to Derek to start repayment.

Where are the diamonds? Stolen? Who are the customers who wanted them? Greville's company business and his house are broken into. Derek is assaulted and shot at. The action is nonstop. The book is a fascinating, literate page-turner.

Note: Probably all of us readers like to notice where a book's title appears in the text, and to see the meaning in context. I frankly lost count after more than a dozen instances, many of them different -- from Intensive Care Unit monitor lines going flat, to straight thinking versus labyrinthine, to honest test reporting versus shadiness, just to name a few. And a big one near the end of the book, which I wouldn't want to reveal here. Your reading will have to decide which of the many applies most strongly. Or perhaps they all do?

This has to be one of my all time favorite Dick Francis novels. It has everything a mystery should have in it - murder, missing jewels, mayhem... In my opinion, it's going to be difficult for Francis to top this one, but I can't wait while he keeps trying!

Straight takes the reader behind the scenes of the jewel trade and it's not an industry that's always on the up and up. Derek Franklin has been on a roller coaster ride of late as his steeplechase jockey career is nearing the end with him sustaining yet another injury. During his forced leave to heal, Derek finds out that his older brother, Greville, has been attacked and is on his deathbed. After his brother succumbs to his injuries, Derek is told that he has inherited his brother's business. Too late to protect himself, Derek realizes that his brother was a target and Derek suspects it has something to do with a fortune in missing diamonds.

This isn't a direct "who dun it" but also has a few subplots that are enjoyable in their own right. When Derek is summoned to his dying brother's hospital bed, the interaction (or lack there of) made me very thankful for the close relationship I have with my brothers and sisters. This thankfulness was reinforced throughout the story, as Derek learns more about his older brother and begins to understand him.

One of my favorite parts of the book is when Derek is sure that a clue is hidden in his brother's computer, but he is unable to access the correct password. Greville's secretary comes to the rescue. After hearing the clues left by Greville, followed by a brief mind struggle, she comes up with the correct code word and up pops a message on the computer screen congratulating her and promising her a raise. Now that's the kind of boss I want - he sounds fun!

The only negative some may have with this book is that it is a detour for Dick Francis. As most of his books revolve around horseracing, his devoted fans have come to expect that background. In Straight the only reference to horseracing is the fact that Derek is an injured jockey.

Want to read a mystery that will have you guessing until the end? If so, then this is the book for you to read next! It's very enjoyable and will have you wondering until the very end.

A reader knows what they are getting with a Dick Francis book. The mystery will be well plotted, the hero (usually a jockey or former jockey) will bravely face whatever trials that face him overcoming his troubled past and/or secret sorrow and the action will center around the some part of the racing world. Every once in awhile though a surprise pops up, this time the jockey is thrust into the totally alien world of gems.

Jockey Derek Franklin has been sidelined by a broken ankle, shortly after his brother Grenville is murdered. As Derek tries to settle the estate he finds himself drawn more and more into his brother's world of finance, gems and quirky little gadgets. Gradually he begins to sort out the mysteries surrounding Grenville's life and death but soon discovers that there are others who are determined to keep him from the answers. In the end, of course all is revealed.

This is a well plotted and clever mystery. The clues are all there for the reader to follow. The characters are well written, and draw the reader into the story.

This is a fine book which will help me in my studies of forensic analysis.

Once again, Mr. Fisher has kept us updated with the ever changing world of forensic science and the techniques of crime scene investigation, in this seventh edition. The book encompasses current information in an intelligent and organized manner with the methodology to address, not only the elements of the investigation but also the interaction of the personnel involved.
This in depth text should be on every forensic investigator's bookshelf.

It is a great book that is truly pertinent to the topic it relates to and doesn't go off on a tangent. If you are looking for a book that is related to crime scene techniques then this is a book for you.

Fisher provides the absolute, hands-down best text out there for basic crime scene work. This is the one that is in everyone's bookshelf - we even keep all our old editions! When I began working in crime scene investigations, this was my 'go-to' reference, and several years later, I still read through it every once in a while to keep fresh. I teach part time, and this was the book my co-instructor and I suggested that we use for our basic and advanced crime scene classes - thank goodness it's our new text! I can't wait to share Fisher with our students. Invaluable book.

For all of those who are interested in either becoming Crime Scene Investigators, or increasing their knowledge THIS is the ULTIMATE book to get. It's the leading textbook, handbook, bible, guide, whatever word you wish to use and the author "Barry Fisher" has a way with words that leaves you with no doubt about his knowledge and experience. It's one of those books that I couldn't put down and can learn from and remember what I'm reading. An EXCELLENT study guide.

Sad to think this book is already out of print. This one is the third installment of the Hap/Leonard series and picks up where Mucho Mojo left off. The pair rush off to the aid of a friend, but pay the price for their outsize egos as they find themselves in a part of the South where the calendars seem to be set 30 years behind schedule. There are no quick, easy resolutions to be found and the Hap and Leonard at the end of the book are markedly different from the two at the beginning. As always, Mr. Lansdale's keen ability to understand and describe human nature is evident. Highly recommended!

Books like these are what everyone should be reading. It's damn near a crime that they aren't, but I guess it makes those of us who ARE fans a special little group.

Lansdale is completely unafraid to do what he has to do to further his stories. That means people you like will die, or turn out to be bad folks. It means you can't get too comfortable and think you know what's going to happen when you settle down with one of Lansdale's masterpieces.

"Two-Bear Mambo" continues the Hap & Leonard friendship: a white heterosexual Democrat and a black homosexual Republican, respectively. The story begins on Christmas Eve, where Leonard is burning down the crackhouse next door for the third time. The two friends are approached by their police buddies and sent on a mission to track down their friend: Florida Grange - Hap's old flame and Leonard's lawyer. Grange was last seen in Grovetown, a real, live throwback to the heavily segregated racist '60's.

Of course, they leave right away, and once again start stirring up trouble and townfolk in the flooded little town. As previously mentioned, no one is ever who you think they are, and things are never what they seem.

Bravo, Lansdale.

Lansdale delivers another fine novel featuring Hap Collins and Leonard Pine, one of the oddest (and toughest) couples in mystery fiction. Hap, straight and white, and Leonard, gay and black, travel to Grovetown, Texas, a city that makes Johannesburg look like a bastion of racial unity. They are searching for Hap's ex-girlfriend Florida Grange, last seen there. Wisecracking all the way (even when they're getting the s**t kicked out of `em), the boys stir up a hornet's nest, and in the process learn some hard lessons about themselves and the nature of their friendship.

Two Bear evoked memories of the best of Robert B. Parker and John D. MacDonald. Parker, because of the dialogue, and MacDonald because of the characterization. Lansdale's characters are real people who can get hurt, even killed-- he really puts them through the wringer. Their adversaries aren't cardboard villains, twirling handlebar mustaches. Menacing and memorable, driven by hate, greed, prejudice, lust and ignorance, these folks are scary because you might meet them in real life.

In short, The Two Bear Mambo is classic Lansdale--a good, tough thoroughly enjoyable book that you will remember long after finishing.

THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO by Joe R. Lansdale continues the saga of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine where MUCHO MOJO left off. It starts out with Hap arriving at Leonard's house on Christmas Eve night. Blasting out of his friend's home is the music to "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and Leonard is next door, kicking righteous butt and burning down the neighborhood crack house once again. The police pull Hap and Leonard in, but Lieutenant Marvin Hanson gets them off the hook, provided they do him a small favor. It seems that Hap's old girlfriend, Florida Grange (the one who left him for Hanson) took off to Grovetown, Texas to do an article on a black musician who supposedly hung himself while in the custody of the local police. Florida has suddenly vanished, and Hanson wants Hap and Leonard to pay a visit to Grovetown to see if they can find out anything. The only problem is that this particular Texas town is right out of the fifties and sixties. It's a viper's nest filled with Klansmen, led by Jackson Brown, who enjoy murdering the black folks and seem to be getting away with it. Both Hap and Leonard know that they're going to have their hands full just trying to stay alive as they attempt to investigate Florida's disappearance. Even together, as tough as they are, both men are going to find out that they've bitten off more than they can chew when they take on the populace of Grovetown. They'll find themselves in the middle of free-for-all that would put Billy Jack to shame and come very close to getting beaten to death. Both men will discover true fear for the first time in their lives and have to find a way of dealing with it as their injuries heal, if they want to be able to face each other again, as well as solve the mystery of what happened to Florida when they eventually return to Grovetown to face the evil of its people. THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO will give you a slightly different perspective of our two heroes this time around, making them more flawed and human. As tough as Hap and Leonard are, they're not invincible, and both of them come very close to death as they seek to right a wrong. They will find out things about themselves that will at first be difficult to face; yet, in the long run will make them stronger. Though a part of me knows that these two characters are fictional, the writing is so good that another part of me almost believes that they're real. These are guys that I'd simply love to hang out with, and it's a tribute to the talent of Joe R. Lansdale that he's created such believable characters...characters who are funny, skilled martial artists, almost always unemployed, who have the same kinds of problems with relationships that real people do, and who have a strong sense of honor and justice that gets them into trouble more often than not. Mr. Lansdale is able to do this because he has a unique skill in writing that comes off as being natural and down to earth, but is actually a master craftsman at work. He knows how to make each and every character in the novel come alive in ways I wish other authors could emulate. I never know how each book is going to end; and, quite often, I find myself stunned by who gets killed off. As you can probably tell, the "Hap Collins/Leonard Pine" series has swept me off of my feet in a way that few other books have, and it's one I can highly recommend to any reader who loves novels filled with action, humor, self-reflection, and characters that make you truly believe. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do after I read SAVAGE SEASON and then CAPTAINS OUTRAGEOUS. I wish I could sit down with Hap and Leonard, have a beer, and talk about this particular problem. Of course, I wouldn't get any sympathy from them. In fact, I'd probably have to spend an hour or more listening to their problems!!

Hap and Leonard just can't seem to keep themselves out of trouble. At the beginning of The Two-Bear Mambo, Leonard is yet again setting fire to the drug dealers' house next door. Their friend Lt. Hanson has to take them in just because, but when Hap's ex-girlfriend -- and Hanson's current squeeze -- Florida Grange goes missing, Hanson agrees to drop the charges if Hap and Leonard will go look for her in Grovetown, a burg in East Texas known for its violent Klan members, and where Florida was last seen.

The Two-Bear Mambo is so far the most unflinching in its portrayal of Southern racism. Grovetown is even worse than I could have imagined and Lansdale does not look away for a moment. Leonard is the obvious target, but Hap's association with him brings him into the fray of violence as well. And as for Florida: well, no one as yet has admitted to even seeing her...

My white Southern guilt was intensified while reading The Two-Bear Mambo; the characters, their ideas, and their violence are all-too familiar from my upbringing. So much so that I could barely even bring myself to read it in public, afraid of what the people around me -- seeing the N-word on nearly every page -- would think I was reading (as if the barely euphemistic title weren't embarrassing enough).

But the trademark Lansdale humor abounds in sarcastic remarks and in the first-person narration of Hap -- whose difference from the author himself seems to be getting less and less. Lansdale has said that he is very comfortable with the voice of Hap and the easy-going prose makes that obvious. Despite my emotional reaction to the book, I look forward to continuing the adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. I'm glad they can't keep away from trouble; if they did, I'd be reading some other book that isn't nearly as fun.