Crime Books

Each of the short mystery stories has a nicely surprising ending. Very entertaining. I found that the best stories were placed before lesser ones; in general they are included in roughly descending order (as to perceived quality).

In my monthly Mystery Newsletter, I recommended, 100 Malicious Little Mysteries. Here you'll find, "...charmingly insidious, satisfyingly devious little mysteries. Each story has its own particular appeal-that unexpected twist, a delectable puzzle, a devastating revelation. There are stories by some of the most well-known writers in the field including Michael Gilbert, Edward Wellen and Bill Pronzini."
This is quite an enjoyable book. Of course, there are some stories that appeal more than others, but overall, it's a fun read. There is also an added plus; each mystery is short and easy to read before closing your eyes. A doctor of the macabre might say, "Take one little mystery before bedtime and call me in the morning."
Gerard Bianco author of the mystery novel, Dying For Deception
www.dyingfordeception.com

I loved this book. If you need to pass some time, and don't want to get involved in a lengthy novel, try this out. Perhaps I should not have said "Horror and Humor" but some of these stories made me chuckle. I love them, and would recommend them and other 100.... collections.

If you're looking for a good book to pass time, pick this one up. My favorite story is "A Feline Felony" by Lael J. Littke. Jerome Kotter was a cat. He walked, talked, and acted like a human though. He grew up living a pretty happy, normal life except for one guy, Benny Rhoades, who made Jerome's life miserable. Jerome survives school and gets a nice job with a nice secretary. He fogets about Benny. One day Benny shows up and he has gotten a job in the mail room. Jerome can't believe it. Latter that week, Jerome and his secretary, Marie, were settled down for a pleasant evening when Benny burst in. He had a gun! Jerome didn't think, he leaped into the air, Benny . . . you'll have to read the story to find out what happens.

For the most part, these stories do not fit my definition of "mystery." With the exception of one very neat little Sherlock Holmes pastiche, there usually are no detectives and no whodunnits. The stories feature tales of crime, intrigue, and suspense with surprising plot twists. And the literary genres are as varied as the authors. Some of the stories would even be at home in fantasy and science fiction anthologies.

These short-short stories can give you a few morsels of entertainment at odd moments of leisure in a hectic day's work, or you can curl up in your armchair and bite off huge chunks of reading pleasure in the evenings.

great book and a must read! it really highlights how our justice system has become a big game of wins and losses at the expense of justice. unfortunate circumstances brought me to find this book and sadly i can say that even though the names and dates have changed our system has not heeded the warnings that were brought forth in this book. this book has offered some hope though and we thank randall adams for sharing his story with others.

Passing through a law and order phase in my reading life I came across Adams vs. Texas and have to say it was amazing. Adams vs. Texas is the story of a semi-drifter who, a victim of circumstances, was charged with the murder he didn't do of a man he didn't know and as a result comes up against the State of Texas as a murderer and faces death in the electric chair. His contact with investigators, lawyers, judges, wardens, other convicts, the press, a painfully deluded prosecutor, and the real criminal of the case are combined to make a powerfully compelling story, spanning over twelve years of trial, imprisonment, hardship and finally; triumph. In the midst of this ugly line of events Adams believes that God has him where he is for a purpose and in the end that is true, but it's sad one man had to make such a sacrifice and wonderful that he was able to.
The fact that the events in this book really happened to a man is incredible, but they are presented in such and honest, down-to-earth manner that makes it a real tribute to the man who both went through this experience and survived, both physically and mentally to tell his story. Wherever you are, Randall Dale Adams, I'm sorry they did that to you and you deserve all the happiness in the world. As for the rest of you--go read Adams vs. Texas and remember another, much larger, sacrifice made for you over 2,000 years ago and accept and cherish His gift to you: Life--forever

I can't count how many times I've watched "The Thin Blue Line" and how many times I've read this book. Like everything else I become interested in, I became OBSESSED with the Randall Adams case and wanted to know everything about it. Randall Dale Adams is - in my opinion - a living hero; I hope to meet him someday and shake his hand.

Adams' memoir (1976-1989) reads like a fictional suspense novel... it's hard to believe, but it's true! The book includes a lot of things that viewers of Errol Morris's documentary haven't seen... we see how improperly biased Judge Metcalf was, as he drives from the courthouse parking lot in the same car as the prosecutors, laughing at Adams' family as he passes them! That's appalling.

I highly recommend both this book and the documentary film "The Thin Blue Line."

Other reviewers have expressed curiousity about Randall's life after prison. Here's what I know:
At first, he was hounded by the press; they followed him everywhere. He traveled the college circuit, getting paid for telling his story. He co-wrote this book, and went on a publicity tour to support it (which took him, briefly, back to Texas). Eventually things quieted down and Randall tried to lead a normal life; he got a factory job in his native Ohio and had a brief marriage. Then a friend encouraged him to speak out against the death penalty, and he began again to publicly oppose capital punishment. During another trip to Texas to support a moratorium on the death penalty, he met an activist named Jill. Three weeks later, he moved from Ohio to (gulp!) Texas to be with her. They're now married and speaking out against the death penalty together...

This book gave you the real story of how the legal system can work for or against you. Randall Adams gives you a true account about what we all dream could or hope never happens to us. Its a real eye opener and a book you will never forget about and it will stick with you. A must read if you want to really know. Read it!

This is an extremely interesting book, it's all the narrative background behind the documentary film "The Thin Blue Line." I hope Adams is doing okay now. I'm certainly glad the truth was brought out, and that he was properly cleared and freed.

One point I found most interesting was Adams' sideline exploration of the fact that someone who opposes the death penalty cannot be excluded (for that reason) from the jury in a capital murder case. It seems that juries are supposed to be representative of society, and a significant portion of society DOES oppose the death penalty -- thus it is appropriate for people who think that way to be allowed to serve on a death penalty jury.

Paul J. Ciolino is the investigator who saved Anthony Porter from the death penalty by securing a confession from the real killer. It follows that a book written by Mr. Ciolino and Grace Elting Castle would be excellent It is.

This important book belongs in every investigator's office and in the libary of every courthouse.

Sheila M. Murphy Retired Presiding Judge Sixth District, Cook County, IL

Rarely is Something written that can fill a void on such an important subject matter where a void should never of exsisted to begin with as "ADVANCED FORENSIC CRIMINAL DEFENSE INVESTIGATIONS".This book should be required reading at every law school in America & by all attorneys and investigators in the practice of criminal law including all defendants, and anyone else who is interested in what really needs to be acomplished in a criminal case. If this book had been available to my then trial-counsel , I'd not be on death row in Illinois for a murder I was not only not at, but one that I did not commit! I surely would have had it read by everyone on my trial team. Now that the book is available evryone has no excuse to not get it, read it, & follow it. My life and many others to come will depend on it. Once I began reading it I could not put it down. I advise you to get it, read it, and do as it says. --Ronald S. Kliner, #B-77152, Pontiac Death Row, Pontiac, Illinois

The primary reason I took the time to read Advanced Forensic Criminal Investigations was because I am familiar with all of the authors, and felt an obligation to do so. I was also curious about what this book could possibly offer that hasn't been covered time and again in countless books, "hot-to" guides, articles and conferences.

From start to finish, this book makes you feel as if each author is talking directly to you, educating you, taking you under his or her wing, so to speak. Imagine if you could have a mentor, the opportunity to pick their brain, the chance to shadow an investigator who has an absolute understanding of the methods and techniques, and the ability to answer all of your questions.

So many books, manuals and articles are chock full of "how-tos" and helpful hints, but the real heart of the matter is not explored. The authors provide the secrets, the insights, the total package from A to Z. This book does not gloss over the subjects. It deals with all the aspects of the investigative steps, and provides relevant examples.

This book also makes you think. I found myself contemplating the many options I should have explored in the past which were so clearly explained in each and every chapter. I recalled techniques I had forgotten, and learned so many more new ones. I got an insight into the way that other fellow professional investigators handle their investigations. I may never become an expert in the areas covered in the book, but I now have an understanding of the methods and sciences covered in this publication, an understanding that can only make me a better educated, and knowledgeable, professional investigator.

This book is broken down into fifteen (15) chapters, written by some of the best investigators in the country. All of the chapters are very well written, concise, informative and jam packed with the techniques, and insights of hundreds of years of investigative experience. I consider each and every chapter an individual tool in my investigator's bag of tools. This book is not overwhelming, or a hard read, but draws you in from start to finish, like a good novel.

This is not a book that is once read and then used as a paper weight, or dust collector. Mine is on my desk, and I have and shall continue to refer to it often. There's a feeling you sometimes get when you finish a good novel, you want to tell your friends and share the experience with others. Few textbooks evoke that feeling. This one does.

Paul J. Ciolino & Grace E. Castle have dedicated thenselves to working for those who are unfortunate, wrongly convicted and incarcerated. Usually they are poor as well and unable to hire people to help them. As criminal defense investigators, they are not in the most popular of occupations. Against great odds they have enjoyed, or rather improperly convicted defendants have enjoyed, great successes.

Thier most recent contribution, Advanced Forensic Criminal Defense Investigations, is a wonderful work, one both investigators and criminal defense lawyers will want in thier libary. The topics covered are important and the contributing authors have all done well.

Terence F. MacCarthy, Director, Federal Defender Program, Chicago, IL.

Rarely is Something written that can fill a void on such an important subject matter where a void should never of exsisted to begin with as "ADVANCED FORENSIC CRIMINAL DEFENSE INVESTIGATIONS".This book should be required reading at every law school in America & by all attorneys and investigators in the practice of criminal law including all defendants, and anyone else who is interested in what really needs to be acomplished in a criminal case. If this book had been available to my then trial-counsel , I'd not be on death row in Illinois for a murder I was not only not at, but one that I did not commit! I surely would have had it read by everyone on my trial team. Now that the book is available evryone has no excuse to not get it, read it, & follow it. My life and many others to come will depend on it. Once I began reading it I could not put it down. I advise you to get it, read it, and do as it says.

--Ronald S. Kliner, #B-77152, Pontiac Death Row, Pontiac, Illinois

Many times I listened and have many of
the taped conversations of the late, great
Sherman H. Skolnick, a dedicated toiler
for America's cause, on the Tom Valentine
Radio Free America show (not the show of the
same name now by Carto crony, Masonic nitwit
Rick Adams, a scam artist from Rhode Island!).

Anyone wanting to contact me at richsalzerat
yahooodotcom, I will provide my cassettes
tape list of all the Sherman Skolnick / Tom
Valentine tapes. Mr. Valentine met the para-
plegic Mr Skolnick in Chicago back in the '60's
when Tom was Sports Editor of the Chicago Sun
Times and later Tribune. The writings of Mr.
Skolnick belong in the library of all Ameri-
cans right next to those of the late Col. L.
Fletcher Prouty! And Tom's own great literary
writings!

Why have you, Amazon.com, not printed an explanation as to the doubled pricing of this book? Your silence pertaining to this previously asked question, makes many, with good reason, wonder exactly what type of "business" you run. You owe us all, your paying customers, a response for this blatant price gauge!

Great book, unfortunately, Amazon for some bizarre reason has doubled the list price. You can order the book directly from the publisher for around $20. Who are you beholdened to Amazon?

Why is this book priced so above the cost? Amazon?

Unarguable facts. Amazon sell this at twice the price, and they sell Harry Potter at half the price. You see my friends, keeping people in ignorance is big business.

I think Donna Leon is a gem. Her tales of Venice and its habitants are a delightful read and bring the city to life. Her characters are lovable and the background terrific. If you like a "gentle" mystery, Donna Leon is wonderful. Inspector Brunetti and his staff are developed so well that one feels they could be invited to dinner. Zuppa de pesce for all!!

Donna Leon continues to bring me into the everyday life of the Venetians. I am transported. The detective element is also interesting. But, ah! to be a Venetian in Venice - that's the fun part.

This was the second Donna Leon mystery that I read...note that it is published in the US under the title Dressed for Death. This is a fine mystery with some gruesome moments but also the superb character rendering for which Leon is known. The entire series is worth your time if you like mysteries which are realistic about power and corruption in modern-day Italian society. The foil for this dark seriousness is the city of Venice itself and Guido Brunetti's moments with his family, painted without sentimentality but with much warmth.

With The Anonymous Venetian (retitled by the American publisher as Dressed for Death), the Guido Brunetti mysteries reach their full power for the first time. As with Donna Leon's earlier books, The Anonymous Venetian features a corpse that's prepared and deposited to create maximum confusion for the police. That tiny fragment of her style becomes a launching pad for much self-examination by readers about how others think and live, including transvestite "working women" and those who employ them.

The book offers two new aspects to the series that readers will also find rewarding: Vice-Questore Patta is knocked off his smug pedestal when his wife leaves him to live with a pornographer and Patta also hires the astonishingly capable Elletra Zorzi who makes the Brunetti series much more realistic in terms of portraying police procedures.

But this book could have been better titles as, "Vacation Lost." Brunetti is about to leave for two weeks away from stifling hot Venice for the mountains when a man dressed as a woman is found dead outside of an area where female ladies of the night normally operate. For reasons only known to Patta, Brunetti is assigned to lead the investigation in nearby Mestre. Although Brunetti promises to wind up the investigation as soon as possible, he knows that he's unlikely to be able to join his family. But dutiful to a fault, he proceeds to pursue a case that others want squelched.

The investigation takes Brunetti into the seamy world of those who sell their bodies to make a living . . . and where the police are seen as the enemy rather than as protectors. Brunetti finds himself out of his depth until his wife, Paola, asks some penetrating questions that shake Brunetti's self-absorption.

But watch carefully, there are unexpected events and people populating this book . . . and each unexpected aspect has meaning for the story.

Watch out for one more thing: This book may hook you on the series so that you won't be able to escape its appeal. I don't recall reading a third mystery in a series that's as good as this one.

Why? Venice makes the stories fascinating as you see behind the surface that the tourists experience. Brunetti is a fascinating, complex, and admirable character whom you will enjoy as a detective. His family life adds to the spice. The candid assessments of other members of the police also make for much good humor. The criminals in this case are people you'll be glad to see brought to justice. The methods will be equally intriguing. You'll also explore aspects of life you don't normally think about. As a result, Ms. Leon delivers more than you should expect from even a fine mystery.

Ciao!

A word used in our human circles to describe a crossdresser would be transvestite (Italian: travestito) meaning someone who dresses in the clothes usually worn by the opposite sex. Transvestites may be bisexual, heterosexual or homosexual; Transvestite comes from the Latin word travesty.

Commissario Brunetti investigate the death of what is first to be thought a female worker or prostitute left under a clump of bushes near an Industrial site. The body had been found by a couple of factory workers on their break, all they could really see at the time was her silk red shoes on shapely ankles sticking out of the grass at the end. One of the men approached the women wondering if it was worth stealing the shoes realizing the body was motionless thought better of it and called the police. Twenty minuets later Brunetti and men manage a closer inspection he realizes the female was actually male, full make up wearing his/her very best wig, bright beautiful dress with laced undergarments and striking shoes.

When two more bodies turn up connected to the case Brunetti has to act fast, everybody around seems to be acting like a pack of hyenas (also ambiguous for their gender bend) Brunetti is facing the task of digging deeper into the mind of the crossdresser, which currently is filled to the brim with deception and misconception.

Once again Leon deals with the task at hand with ease, covering many topics, Corruption of government, the sex trade and drugs. The fictional characters are beautifully woven in, a comic team of testosterone police trying to prove what it takes to be real men, right up to my favorite the wonderful Sicilian Vice-Questore Giuseppe Patta (Brunetti Boss) whose wife has called his bluff at last and left him, committing the ultimate unforgivable act of seriousness' denting his incredibly ego, the most important thing on his mind now is how to restore his image.

Brunetti eyes are opened up to the seedier side of Venice once again, Left Occupied in thoughts dealing with the matter alone.

Leon pulls out all stops for a fun loving fantastic read in this series. This book is also under the title Dressed for Death.

Somebody has killed an aging American veteran and Wesley Peterson has to find out who--and why. Old animosities between the U.S. soldiers and the English people uprooted from their homes come into play, but a psychic claims that the Armada Boy--a survivor of the Spanish Armada is the one to ask.

Kate Ellis writes a fine mystery but what makes this book so compelling is her descriptions of the people and countryside of England. Wesley Peterson, with his pregnant wife suffering from hormone overload, Detective Inspecter Heffernam, with is love for sailing and his need to escape from people yet desire to bond with them, and Detective Constable Rachel Tracey with her ambition, all make sympathetic characters you'll root for as they struggle forward.

The mystery is sufficiently complex and interesting. Ellis's approach of weaving the three eras together proves effective and, ultimately, the fabric of the story proves to be woven together more closely than would at first appear. This is an excellent novel.

Rest easy Ms Christie, your succesor has come through with another great mystery story. I can not wait for the next installment of Wesley's detecting prowess. Thank you Miss Ellis for a very entertaining series.

I have just finished reading this novel and could not put it down, it is superb! I feel that I must disagree with the above review by Kelly Flynn - if anything this book is more engaging tham "The Merchants House"

In Kate Ellis, British literature has a champion to contend with the commercial american heavyweights churning out their tuppenny paperbacks. In the Armada Boy, Ellis successfully produces three narratives of different periods of time, all around the same West Country area. She interweaves these timeframes in a refreshing fashion that rather than slowing and disrupting the flow and pace of the story make the novel flow seemlessly and intelligably between ages. The author maintains the characters from the previous novel but manages to find the right blend of introduction and continuity meaning no readers are alienated in terms of character development. The novel's star characters would appear to be the Americans who I assure you, after spending several hours in the presence of some American Vets. on Christmas Eve are spookily realistic. The interaction amongst the detectives is impressive, with real depth and life which adds to the novel rather than drawing away from the pace of the book.

Bottom line: A great read as either a stand alone novel or part of a sucessful series.

This novel grabbed my attention from the first scene and held it to the last. It is a truly great read.

For me, the real joys of 'The Armada Boy' are the fascinating blend of modern and historical crime; the rich diversity of characters (my personal favourite being Detective Constable Rachel Tracey - a real star in the wings who deserves a novel of her own); and the way in which three completely separate periods of history are woven together so effortlessly. Oh yes, and as with all great crime novels, I would never have guessed 'whodunnit'!!

I hardly put this novel down from the moment I picked it up.I couldn't wait to see what the next page would bring. I inherited my love of crime fiction from my late Grandmother who was a real connoisseur of the genre and as I read this novel I thought often of her. How she would have loved it!

I would suggest that you delay starting this book if you have anything else that requires your attention. If you have forgotten your college "all nighters" this book will bring it back to you. I have not seen this many suspects and red herrings since reading my last Benni Harper mystery. Lindy Haggerty is a worthy addition to the new group of thinking lady detectives. I am looking forward to the next visit from Lindy.

"Touring" with Lindy Haggerty and sharing her adventures was great fun! Having always enjoyed dance, but being stuck with two left feet, reading Backstage Murder gave me a peek at a world I'd never have a chance to know. Having a murder and great characters as part of the ingredients made Backstage Murder a terrific read!

Deliciously Flamboyant and Collaboratively Suspensful, BackStage Murder keeps you on the edge of your seat, and as an audience member you will find yourself drawn into the cast of this Colorful and Histerical mystery.

I love theatrical murders and this is delightful. The author did a great job of describing the backstage bickering and pressures. The characters are well developed. Lindy Haggerty is suffering from an empty nest when an offer to get back into show business arrives in the form of her old friend. She joins the dance company only to find a Diva from hell causing trouble for everyone. I liked the light touch of romance. The clues and red herrings were spread about in a minefield of misdirection. If I had one complaint it is that Ms Freydont took so long to kill the victim. I was so annoyed by the character I was ready to do it myself. This book is a great read.

This book was lots of fun. The pace was fast. A lot hpppens. Some unique characters, and a likeable heroine. The insights into the life of people in the theater added real interest.

Hip, young journalist, Alex Bernier and her co-workers at the Gabriel Monitor have seen their fair share of excitement. But nothing like the "frankenfoods" debate.

When protesters at the local university gather to protest genetically modified food research, Alex is on the scene to cover the demonstration. What she didn't count on was having to report that the school's agriculture building exploded and that a prominent university spokeswoman had been beaten to death in her lab.

Alex also didn't count on having to solve the murder mystery herself.

Using her widely acclaimed Gen-X writing style, Beth Saulnier takes an issue from today's headlines and turns it into a fast-paced, thrilling mystery. Alex Bernier is as fun and irreverent as always as she wades deeply into the politics of protest and the corridors of university power.

A great addition to Saulnier's catalogue.

I read this book because the review claimed that the town of Gabriel is really Ithaca, NY and that Benson College is in reality Cornell University, my alma mater. After reading Bad Seed I'm hooked on the charachter of Alex Bernier. She,s tough and intelligent and just insecure enough to make her lovable. Surrounded by her nutty but loyal friends and coworkers she wise cracks her way through this intriguing and suspenseful mystery about a new strain of rice being developed at the Ag School and the mayhem and murder that ensue. I've already ordered Saulnier's previous three books and look forward to the publication of the next Alex Bernier mystery. This story was a great read whether or not you attended Cornell University or lived in Ithaca, but add a star if you did.

A complex and involving plot line; an engaging protagonist; and an atmospheric setting. The fourth book in the Alex Bernier series, and the first in hardcover, brings the sharp and irrevent reporter into harm's way as she tries to solve two bombings and a brutal death on the local college campus. She pits her investigative skills, and those of her newpaper cohorts, against a group of shadowy bioterrorists. Filled with great characters, snappy writing, and a compelling story. Couldn't put it down. A great sequel to "Reliable Sources," "Distemper," and "The Fourth Wall," although it can stand alone. A new, young writer to watch.

I loved it! I have now flown through all four of Saulnier's books found each of them smart, funny and a terrific read. In Bad Seed, poor Alex Bernier, who seems to have an excess of death in her life, is caught up in a finely woven web of science, zealotry and current events. Through basic, hard nosed reporting she stumbles to the bottom of a global plot nestled in the little town of Ithaca. Talk about think global, act local- this one could literally be "ripped from the headlines." I pre-ordered it after reading the first three in the series and am now hoping she keeps this series going. Definitely worth picking this one up.

By the way, I was really disheartened by the Publishers Weekly review but decided to read the book anyway. Did they ever get it wrong! This book is fun and good.

When a murder in academia leaves Benson College PR person Lane Freeman dead by poison and his wife (the Dean of Agriculture) in prison, no one in small-town Gabriel is surprised, since they were an extremely unhappy couple. Nor does anyone take particular note of the protest happening outside a conference at the school on agricultural biotechnology, until a few bombs destroy part of the campus, and the school's popular and revered head biotech professor is found beaten to death.

Not satisfied with the obvious explanations for the murder, Alex Bernier (a saucy twenty-something newspaper reporter whose nose for news puts her right in the thick of things) does a little digging, and comes up with a gaggle of suspects and secrets, including a plan to introduce genetically modified food to an unsuspecting populace. But those who wish their secrets to remain secret will stop at nothing to save themselves.

This book is a super five star treat that I think you'll enjoy very much, and you'll more than likely even get a chuckle or two out of it.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

The narrative style of this book makes the reader feel like they are sitting down with an old friend recounting a special piece of their history in law enforcement. For those who are interested in the harrowing adventures of cops in a big city, this book is definitely for you. A truly enjoyable read!

. . . Badge 149 "Shots Fired!" is for you. Gary Jones has taken a stack of his own personal experiences as a police officer in South Florida and turned them into an exciting, fast paced re-telling of the daily heart-pounding, adrenalin pumping, often dangerous situations police officers are exposed to everywhere. Using official police reports, radio transmission tapes, interviews with former co-workers, and his own personal memory, Gary keeps the reader glued to the pages of his book.

Police officers are often faced with "Shoot/Don't Shoot" scenarios which almost always require an instantaneous decision, knowing their actions will later be scrutinized in minute detail by investigators, lawyers, the media, and the public. Throughout the book there are "Situation" analysis questionnaires in which the reader has a chance to decide what they would do if they were in the shoes of the police officer. At the end of the book you can see the right answers, and what your score would be.

If you like true cop stories turned into an interesting and entertaining book, then go get Gary Jones' Badge 149 "Shots Fired!". I highly recommend it.

This book is testament to all the fine Men and Women in Law Enforcement. Written in a manner that shows the dedication of the officers, the callous attitude of the criminals, the failings to society of the Justice system. Exciting events that are True, that really happened in a beautiful city by the ocean. While tourists partied in Ft. Lauderdale little did they know what was happening around them.. Great read, masterfully written, keeps your adrenaline flowing. This book should be made into a movie, makes most of the Hollywood crime movies look like a Sunday School picnic.

Great book, puts you in the action, makes you think with the scenario questions at the end of every chapter, Shows how a team of cops go out and do proactive police work to make the streets safe. READ IT

As voracious a reader as I am, I have rarely purchased a book more worthwhile. I found the narrative style to be absolutely delightful, flowing smoothly and easily. Opening with the heart-pounding car chase grabs the reader's attention and interest, which never have a chance to wane.
The hatefulness and hypocrisy of the Deerfield Beach Sergeant, the ensuing pain and hardship from the injury, the pace, the perfect amount of humor sprinkled in ( I LOVED Natalie's "contributions" to the rug)...all this and more made a fascinating read. I thought the "situations" were a unique addition to the narrative, most especially situation #6, deadly force. They made the reader an analytical participant rather than a passive observer.
All in all, Badge 149 accomplished something very important: readers will have a new appreciation for just what - - and how difficult - - the role of a policeman truly is. It will also help the reader to identify with police officers as whole, multi-faceted individuals.

Pincus weave a fascinating, true tale of what makes killers tick in this 2001 book. Pincus himself interviewed hundreds of killers during his career as a neurologist. He combines his knowledge of the human body and psyche to draw his own conclusion about why people kill. Whether or not you buy into his theory, Pincus offers a solid case in a well-written, slim book that is an excellent, quick reference for fiction crime writers.
Angela Wilson
Author

The point of this fairly slim volume is to convince the reader that many (perhaps the vast majority) of our most dangerous criminals have neurologic impairments, and that brain dysfunction, along with child abuse and paranoid thinking, is at the heart of much violent behavior. This is not an entirely new message, but it is one Pincus approaches with a great deal of authority -- he's a professor of Neurology at Georgetown, was formerly at Yale and has studied dozens of death row prisoners along with his colleague Dorothy Ortnow Lewis.

Dr. Pincus clearly decided not to risk alienating readers with scientific terminology or complex explanations of brain physiology. The book follows the familiar "casebook" true crime format used by various ex-FBI profilers, coroners, and cops. Most chapters focus on a particular criminal Pincus had dealings with (many of them in his role as an expert witness) and what that criminal's life story shows about the origins of homicidal violence.

The coversational writing style (and oddly cheery alliterative chapter titles) stand in contrast to the horrific nature of much of the material. The crime scene details will be familiar to any reasonably hardened reader in the literature. What really stood out for me was the descriptions of childhood abuse endured by many of the perpetrators Pincus has studied. As a former inner-city teacher, I taught kids from pretty screwed up homes, and had some friends from abusive families while growing up. But the stories Pincus recounts (corroborated by siblings and others) remind us that there is almost no downward limit to the depths of human depravity.

What's rather odd about all the better works in the study of violence and homicide is the sense that this field is under-funded, under-appreciated and obscure. Pincus and other pioneers in the field have answered some important questions, but their work raises hundreds more. If, say one percent of the money our government has spent trying to prove that marijuana is dangerous were instead spent on studying the roots of violence, perhaps we'd have more answers.

I just finished "Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill" and I am adamant that our society shows so much more monetary respect for crime and punishment than early childhood education. We have had recent headlines about men, here in Austin, spiking babies and toddlers like footballs after a touchdown, in anger, killing or maiming them and ending up in prison for life. While this outrage is profoundly disturbing, professionals dither at whether or not early childcare intervention is ethical, cost effective or necessary in our society. Paying attention to parenting of the young child uplifts not just that family, but our societies future well being. Child abuse is the single most important determinant of future violence, and it is endemic and epidemic in our frontier based national mind set. We need to launch an all out campaign to raise the national consciousness about the importance of the nurturance of women, and the children that they in turn nurture, in the first three years of life, and beyond.

This is a well written, well researched book that should be required reading for all professionals involved with adults and children who exhibit anti-social behaviour. It will be invaluable to educators, psychologists, attorneys, police officers,psychiatrists and more. Why wouldn't anyone who can do so not want to be aware of new findings that could lead to identifying, intercepting and possibly changing the course of a future serial killing or classroom tragedy? Take the time to read the book. It's worth it.

"Base Instincts: What Makes Killers Kill?" by Jonathan H. Pincus, MD, ISBN 0-393-32323-4 pbk, Norton & Co. 2001: a 225 page disquisition plus 13 pages of notes by a NYU Professor of neurology & psychiatry and graduate of Columbina CPS who investigated some 150 murderers over a 25-year period and tenders his unified theory that "killers kill for the same reasons," regardless of their classifications (single, mass, serial, & perhaps genocidal).

Pincus observed that killing arises in the milieu and troika of disturbances which generally discloses (1) childhood abuses (sexual, verbal, physical), (2) frontal lobe damage (birth trauma, chromosomal, genic, infectious, toxic as alcohol & drugs), and (3) a medley of mental (neuro-psychiatric) impairments e.g. bipolar depresssion, paranoia, ADHD, CD, ODD, etc. He hypothesizes that single, mass, and serial killings have similarities with the Nazi/Hitler's paranoid anti-Semitism, Gaza Strip atrocities and various terrorist factions of more recent vintage.

He opines the only feasible remedy would be prevention of child abuse and cites pilot studies underway, and also specifies factors impeding implementation of other remedies including treatment of convicted murderers. He details his basic neurologic testing format including specific tests directed at eliciting impairment of the frontal lobes, the latter being somnething he states most/many neurological examiners fail to do. Dr. Pincus has worked successfully on a number of defense cases aimed at getting death sentences switched to life without parole.

The treatise is not overly technical, the writing style is a bit wordy, and very minor detractions were noted (i.e. XYY in not a chromosomal deficit but a chromosomal excess or defect; Trisomy 21 is no longer referred to as mongolism but Down's syndrome; and this reader is skeptical that someone could & would drink a 12-pack of beer and a pint of whiskey in 45 minutes (one can every 3.75 minutes & not counting the hard liquor).

This study is an important contribution to the study of homicide and it provides engaging thought-provoking commentary on what makes murderers murder and also a workable solution to the problem of homocides. This book gives ample graphic grisly details of physical & sexual abuse, sans pictures, which some readers will find disturbing, but so then is murder. This is a must read.