Murder Books

As a judge, a lawyer and an historian I had heard about the Leo Frank case but did not know the details. Leonard Dinnerstein does an excellent job of relating the story of Leo Frank in a fair and unbiased manner. He also puts the entire affair in a historical context. This would be an excellent read for any student of racism in America and of the New South. It is easy to read and has an excellent bibliography.

I got interested in this case after reading a large write up in the local paper, the Atlanta Journal constitution, which is quoted many times in the book. I like historical books and was really amazed at the semitic overtones in the south during the civil war. As stated by reveiwer C. Ellen, it was written well and put into context with other goings on in that period. Being from Atlanta myself, I could very easily relate to the narative and it held my facination throughout. It told what I beleive to be the complete story and facts as well as being updated for NEW release in 1987 by adding an additional preface. Anyone who is interested in civil war reads, the laws of the time , or who lives in or around Atlanta , will be interested in this book. Over 50 pages of it are dedicated to the bibliography and all facts are well documented. It is a story that is all to reminiscent of famous cases that have arrisen in the past few years. It's a sad commentary on just how far the attitudes of this nation have come in the past 100 years or so. If interested in further information after reading this book, then I suggest trying to contact the Atlanta Journal Constitution for their brilliant account of the incident in the June 11, 2000 addition of their paper. It also gives a partial list of the lynching mob, held in secretcy until this time. A great book to own for any historical book collection.

The circumstances and attitudes that coincided in the trial of Leo Frank, had very little to do with the accused or the victim. They were both surrogates for a larger battle; Leo Frank was proxy for Northern industrialists and "Little Mary Phagan" stood in for the victimized South who had been taken advantage of by Northern opportunists.

The fact is that the case of Leo Frank acted as a steam valve, in many respects, to the buildup of Southern frustration and anger that had grown since the Civil War, then through Reconstruction and its aftermath. Southern Pride took a near-mortal blow when Lee surrendered to Sherman at Appomattox, humiliating the survivors of hundreds of thousands of dead. Reconstruction brought in Northern carpetbaggers who participated in the governments of the states that they had just defeated. Southern anger accumulated, especially as attempts to overturn it were thwarted until the contested election of 1876, in which Rutherford B. Hayes won on the condition of agreeing to end Reconstruction.

Reconstruction allowed Southern states to exact a measure of revenge on black populations, although resentment toward the North remained unavenged. In an honor-bound society such as the South, it is very difficult to imagine that wrong to one's family would go without settling the score. Such is the larger metaphor of the South as a whole to the North. Southern society and culture prided itself on being a distinct and cultured entity from the slavish industrialists of the North.

Thus, when a stereotypical Northern carpetbagger, a Jew no less, found himself in connection with the violent death of a Southern belle, vengeance became a powerful a prevailing force. Upon Leo Frank was heaped all of the indignation from Southern loss to the North - the industrialization, forcing young girls to work in factories; the ownership of capital; the imposition of Reconstruction; Lincoln marching into Richmond - all Southern rage at the North was embodied in the trial of Leo Frank. (Ironically, a Northern newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, fed the flames through his acquisition of the Atlanta Georgian, which led the pack in sensationalizing the trial.)

All of this is to say that the forces which demanded that Leo Frank be the sacrificial lamb for the North's crimes against the South were too powerful for rational legal procedures. If the governor had reversed the conviction or the commuted the sentence, he would have been denying the mob the satisfaction of revenge. The lynching of Frank did give rise to the Klu Klux Klan, however the immediate reaction of Georgia (and the South) was a demand for justice, even though it was at the end of a rope.

It is telling that Frank did not receive a pardon of his conviction until 1986, and even that was amid controversy in the South. Those eighty years had to pass before rational analysis of a crime could be carried out and a form of justice could be executed, which lends perspective to the heft of the event in the history of the South. Tom Watson's remark was an astute reflection of the prevailing sentiment of the day and offers a glimpse into larger, unresolved tensions of the day.

Dinnerstein does a beautiful job in eloquently presenting the facts of the famous Leo Frank case. All angles of the case are examined in a thorough, impartial manner. A must read for anyone familiar with the Frank case, and well worth looking into for anyone who loves a good murder mystery.

Wow! He's almost as smart as his son

Uelmen writes as few can, a legal professor and scholar who himself was part of defense team of this trial.

He provides healthy, worthy set of lessons to be taken from this experience. This is more vital than disputing the outcome, for it must be all about a legal system with the best chance for a true and fair outcome for all parties, including society.

Agree with the author that biggest lesson is that trials as this are flashpoints for what is really on culture's mind at the time, here race, decreasing attention spans and bias without basis, spousal abuse, etc.

Further, we learned that tv and courtroom don't mix well. That massive DNA data without certifiable collection/preservation. Uelmen also contends that this trial was an aberration of the real, normal trial system.

Well done, and fascinating, insightful read.

Professor Uelmen is doubly blessed. First, he has one of the finest legal minds in the country and, second, he writes in such a clear, cogent style that one need not be a lawyer to understand him. Despite knowing the outcome from the start, this book is a real page-turner. One cannot help but think that if the prosecution had a lawyer nearly as capable as Uelmen they might have won instead of the defense. But the best part of all is the insider's view: no other book on the trial comes close to explaining how the defense won a case that seemed at the outset to be unwinnable. Whether or not you agreed with the defense, this book demonstrates their superior lawyering.

Gerald F. Uelmen is a professor and former dean of the School of Law at Santa Clara University. He was part of O. J. Simpson's defense team from the beginning, and can speak with authority about this trial. The sixteen chapters contain the lessons that readers may learn. There is no index. You should be familiar with this case or have read some other books before reading this overview of a Trial of the Century. After the jury verdict there was an abundance of proposed solutions which were thoughtless and wrong (p.1). A knowledge of history would correct these errors for those "unhappy with the verdict" (p.3). These proposals have led California to intellectual, fiscal, and moral bankruptcy in the criminal system, which is weighted heavily in favor of the prosecution (p.4). Many innocents have been convicted because of mistaken identification, police perjury, or simple incompetence by a defense lawyer (p.5). The foolish call for reforms have occurred in the past (p.7). The first lesson from this trial was how the Corporate Media fooled the people and fueled this controversy (p.8). [Joe Bosco said the trial he witnessed was different from the trial broadcast by the media.]

The media blitz led by DA Garcetti affected public opinion. But this allowed the defense to bypass the grand jury and go to a preliminary hearings (p.23). The double-dealing of the prosecution's grand jury is described on page 25. Fuhrman and Vannatter "contradicted each other on many key points" (p.35). Page 39 tells of the effect of the exclusionary rule, and why judges won't do anything. Do judges lack "moral courage" (p.45)? The "narcissistic personality disorder" (p.47) is defined as "a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for excessive admiration, and fantasies of unlimited power and brilliance". [Does this remind you of some of your managers?] Uelmen shows his wisdom on page 65, unlike the critics. The need for press interviews by defense lawyers is explained (pp.69-70).

Their concern about evidence tampering and forging is explained (p.72). California law allows a lawyer to protect his client from prejudicial publicity (p.75). The foolish actions of "knee-jerk" politicians is described on page 77. The "National Enquirer" is more honest than "TIME" (p.78). A juror's race is part of their life experience, which affects judgments (p.81). Uelmen explains the death penalty (pp.82-83), and why selecting jurors is very important (pp.88-89). Video recording of trials could be a good teaching tool, but television allows reporters to comment as if they knew what happened (p.94)! The bias of commentators is explained on page 95. They had no idea! Television helped to find witnesses (p.99). But TV is for entertainment, not justice (p.101).

The murders of Nicole and Ron had nothing to do with domestic violence, based on the evidence; it was smear tactics (p.103)! The problems with the blood evidence and its collections are on page 122. The prosecution delayed the defense's testing of the samples (pp.123-4). The flip-flop testimony about OJ's blood sample is on page 126. The Fuhrman tapes were "the most devastating evidence" to completely destroy the credibility of this police officer (p.129). Fuhrman had been extolled as a model officer. When the Prosecutors learned of these tapes, they tried to get a mistrial (p.145)! I think the original intent of the Fifth Amendment was to prevent torture by forcing a person to testify against himself (p.155). "Third degree" methods were still used in the early 20th century. The Prosecutors would do anything to convict (p.165). A defendant can be convicted on the basis of circumstantial evidence only if no other conclusion is possible (p.167). Were the threats to Cochran meant to force him to accept guards (p.171)? The jury quickly said "not guilty", there was "something wrong" with the prosecution's case (p.180). Watching a trial on TV gives the illusion of actually being there (p.182). Uelmen explains the difference between a criminal trial and a civil trial (p.195). [The example of Lizzie Borden shows flawed research (p.196).] A trial isn't a search for truth, but to have a vision of truth prevail 9p.199). Civil liberties in America are documented in the criminal courtrooms, where the Government infringes on the individual's rights for the weak and powerless (p.205). Chapter 16 summarizes the lessons from this trial.

Sue Young expresses eloquently the anxiety and frustration of dealing with a system designed more to protect the perpetrator than the victim or the victim's family. She also provides us with the lonely feelings of a mother who knows that her daughter may have been killed by a person she knew but like any mother holds on to the belief that her daughter may still be alive. It is a heartbreaking story full of suspense and hope.
It is a tribute to Sue Young that she was even able to put down in words the tragic event that changed her life forever and that none of us who have children should ever have to experience.

James J. Pecora
Author: Dead End

I knew bits and pieces of this true story before I picked the book up. Still, I was riveted by the story. I wanted to know the details of what happened and in what order. Sue Young has done a great job detaching herself and writing a difficult story. It gave me the creeps yet, by the time I finished the story, it gave me hope. Sue Young has stepped out to crusade for justice and has made a difference. The story warns me about danger signs in relationships and challenges me to fight for what it right.

Having grown up in East Lansing, MI, around the corner from the Young Family (my Dad is the guy mentioned who organized a neighborhood search), and graduated with Martha Sue, I lived in fear of Donald Miller for years. The community was sure he had committed the crimes, but he just couldn't be caught. When he was scheduled for release, it was just another reminder of the frustration of keeping this criminal where he belonged. The book clarified the misconceptions I had for all of these years. I'm glad to see Sue Young is complimentary of the people she dealt with in the justice system (especially since may of these folk are still involved in the system!) I'm gratified to see her experience so eloquently related in this book. Even without the direct experience of knowing the victim, and the neighborhoods, this book is a very good read. I read it in a day. Congratulations to Sue Young for sharing this experience, and once again living this tragedy so that others might benefit from her work and suffering.

A friend called me after she picked this book up and spent half the night reading. I couldn't put it down, either. This is the very personal story of a woman whose daughter was murdered by a serial killer. Even a single murder creates many victims. Author and mother Sue Young relates her experience in stunning detail. Her daughter Martha was just nineteen when she was murdered, a student at Michigan State University. Sue Young points out behaviors in Martha's boyfriend, who was Martha's murderer, that in hindsight were warning signs: he was not the trustworthy young man they had thought. She explains the understanding she gained of God as she went through this, and the role faith played in her survival. The author also shows how she regained control of her life after this devastating trauma, and how hard she worked to keep other parents from experiencing what she went through. Sue Young demonstrates the challenges of the criminal justice system; the agony politics can play in shaping it. And how caring, dedicated people can come together to change flaws in "the system." Ultimately, this book is a poignant tribute to Martha. Sue Young shows that "one person can make a difference" and inspires thoughtful action to better our world.

Amelia Bascome thinks she is the better half of a nefarious team, her adopted husband, Gerry, the other half. Amelia is right but the one minor detail she doesn't know about the plan could kill her. The pair board a steamer headed to Lisbon to ply their deadly trade. All goes well, business, after all, is business.

I am a fan of this style of first person writing and the author pulls it off beautifully. I hope to read more of Larry Evans.

Larry Evans transports his spellbound readers backwards in time to the long-gone world of chrome-sided diners and stale cigarette smoke... the pay phone...the number to call...the hard-boiled protagonist's roving eye for skirts. He doesn't mention it once...he doesn't have to...but you can see the eighty-nine cent blue plate special scrawled on the chalkboard. Rich imagery in the classic film noir tradition abounds in this story.

This is true crime thriller nostalgia, seen through the eyes of a solitary hitman, moving from place to place...one as good as the next...always in the service of the 'company'.

The reader is beguiled by this kind of crime drama nostalgia...and finds himself straining to see beyond the next name on the list...you know something is out there...on those rainy streets with their iron grate fire escapes...even on a steamship enroute to Lisbon. Larry Evans' hit man is as comfortable the one place as the next...it's a business...

And then the jolt! If you were chewing on popcorn you likely dumped half of it on the floor! Nicely done, Mister Evans! My kind of nostalgia! Five Stars!

Larry Evens comes up with a chilling tale a cold blooded contract killer that is told in the first person. This story was well written and his characters were well thought out. The word usage and descriptions were awesome. When a woman partner is brought into the loop to help with the next assignment, the killer isn't happy, but he learn very quickly she is just as cold hearted as he is. This author introduces a twist to the end that is fitting. This story makes me wonder at who is out in this world walking around among us. You never know what is in the mind of someone beside you who may have no heart.

Reviewed by Vickie, (Tory Lynn, author of My Charming Protector)

I was blown away by this short piece of literature. Mr. Evans is very effective with his first person narrative style. I also appreciate the author's command of imagery and description. The use of words like "dame", "skirt", as well as the reference to the nickel phone booth takes the reader to a specific time without actually saying 1929, or whatever. I thought Mr. Evans short, The List, is well written and I recommend it with unbridled enthusiasm.

Reviewed by Joshua Berry, author of Andrea's Dream and Too Much Love, an Amazon Short.

The first book in the Wicked Dead series is a creepy horror/murder story, but geared towards young adult readers. It also delivers a chilling message about the dangers of internet chat rooms, and how technology can sometimes work against you.


One dire day in the dark of night
Four ghost girls, in an oil lamp's light
Sat in a circle and rolled the bones
Despite the wind, and its moans and groans

They rolled the bones, and when they fell
One girl would tell a tale from hell
As luck would have it they chose Anne
And so this "Lurker" tale began

A tale to fill young girls with dread
As Naughty Nicki turns up dead
Abducted from her home one night
And butchered before morning's light

It shows how scary things can get
When chatting on the internet
And mystery callers on your phone
Send messages when you're alone

They say that pictures never lie
But when they do, someone will die
The Witchman's made a bloody vow
Beware - it's CUL8R NOW!!

OMG, TTFN
Text jargon flows from Stefan's pen
A gruesome tale for girls to heed
That all IM'ing teens should read



Amanda Richards, January 12, 2008

I've been waiting for these books for a long time and LURKER does not disappoint !

Wicked Good fun ! These stories work for me on many levels. Good creepy fun for the YA set, yet smart and snappy enough to be enjoyed by adults.

Highly recommended.

Mandy had her life mapped out and the one she was living right now wasn't too shabby. She had great friends and a pretty hot boyfriend. Well, only until he screwed up their relationship, so scratch that--not a great boyfriend. Everything else seemed normal, even when Nicolette Bennington, Nicki or Naughty Nic as some called her, didn't come to school. Nicki always skipped school or pulled pranks, but not the ones that hurt others. But when news came that Nicki didn't come to school that day since she was murdered, the whole school and town was in shock. In such a small town, no one believed that a murder could happen.

Even though Mandy hardly knew Nicki, she still seemed connected to her in more ways then one. Before she knows it, she starts seeing images of someone, quite possible Nicki's killer, The Witchman. Of course Mandy thinks she's just seeing things.

Not only that but now Mandy's ex-boyfriend, Dale, wants to mend their relationship since he knows that he messed up and is really sorry about what happened. But can Mandy ever take him back, especially when there is Kyle, the guy who came out of nowhere and started talking to Mandy on the Internet? The guy that Mandy is starting to like but is always busy when Mandy wants to meet up. Is there more to Kyle then what Mandy thinks?

LURKER is the first book in the WICKED DEAD series told by Anne, one of four ghosts who sit around and tell scary stories. The storyline reminds me of the time when kids would go to each others houses for sleepovers and tell scary stories. Except this story isn't your typical scary story, it seems real, and the fact that some of the things that happen could happen in real life is what makes it even creepier--well, except for a certain part. Twilight Zone inspired, LURKER is a great start to the WICKED DEAD series and I cannot wait to read the next book.

Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen

Anne, Mary, Shirley and Daphne take turns telling a haunting Wicked Dead story. Anne is first as she relates Lurker to her pals at the run down Lockwood Orphanage.

In her mind teenager Mandy lives an ideal life even factoring in her boyfriend Dale who messed up real bad so she dumped him. Everything is fine and apparently normal for instance Naughty Nic skipped school. However, normalcy crashes for everyone when they learn Nic failed to attend because someone murdered her. Not just Mandy is shocked by the tragedy; the entire Lake Crest High School personalizes the homicide and the town is traumatized that such an act could happen here.

Stunned although not a close friend of the late girl, Mandy finds herself seeing visions of an unknown person, who she begins to believe is Nic's killer dubbing him the Witchman. An apologetic Dale wants Mandy to forgive him and take him back while she is considering Kyle the Internet dude she has not met, but would like to soonest.

LURKER is the first of four horror novellas as each of the ghostly female "pajama party" pals stare at bones and tell a tale of death. Mandy is a terrific lead character holding the tale together while fearing she will meet the Witchman who haunts her sleep. The murder mystery and the aftermath reaction to it especially of the victim's school peers bring a reality to this entertaining tale with a stunning fascinating otherworld twist. Although targeting young teens, boomers also will appreciate this opening Wicked Death thriller.

Harriet Klausner

When her elderly Uncle Jake pleads for her help in running his tourist lodge in the Tahoe area, Maren O'Connor reluctantly agrees. Little does Maren know, when she encounters a body in her cabin, that this is only the first of several murders, whose solutions uncover painful family secrets.

The discovery of a rough diamond in a hidden compartment of a desk leads Maren to realize that in this instance money is truly the root of all evil. She and her sidekicks must follow the trail of the killer and his hostage into a cave deep in a mountainside, where only Maren's quick thinking saves them from being victims as well. A well-described setting and interesting characters will keep the reader on the edge of his seat until the unexpected conclusion.

Betsy Wachter
Librarian, Sunnyvale CA

THE MADD MOUNTAIN MURDERS
By Lana Waite

Meet Maren, a woman who is asked to help her 80-year-old uncle run Tall Trees Lodge. Maren gets much more than she bargains for when she arrives at the lodge and finds a body. This is just the beginning for Maren and her new experience at Tall Trees. Will she be able to handle the small town and its distinct characters or will she fail and be caught in the numerous murders that seem to happen? Ms. Waite does another great job in developing well-liked and diverse characters. The portrayals leave very clear pictures for the reader of the characters' personalities and looks. Ms. Waite quickly catches the reader's attention and makes "The Madd Mountain Murders" an exciting read. The descriptions of the areas Maren gets caught into paint a perfect picture for the reader. The small rural town atmosphere is once again captured by Ms. Waite in "The Madd Mountain Murders" and can only work for this type of plot.

Reviewer: Jen Oliver
© MyShelf.Com. All Rights Reserved

Rebeccasreads recommends THE MADD MOUNTAIN MURDERS as an entertaining modern evening's mystery, with a barrel of red herrings & a passel of dead bodies, eccentric prospectors & well-heeled land-grabbers. The heroine takes some getting used to, yet all has a pleasing flavor, rather like an old-fashioned jigsaw puzzle.

Lana Waite is a product of Seattle and the University of Washington, where she studied architecture. She has spent most of her adult life in California connected with the Navy, her husband's occupation, and raising children. THE MADD MOUNTAIN MURDER is her second mystery, following up the charming BURIED IN BURRYWOOD, which was set in her native Puget Sound.

Maren O'Connor gets the hard-to-ignore plea for help from her Uncle Jake when her crotchety Aunt Ella has her leg broken (by someone, she claims). Maren leaves her shaky business in uncertain hands and rushes off to the Lake Tahoe region to help with the family business...a ski lodge called Tall Trees Lodge nestled in the mountains. Along with the mountains comes all sorts of interesting ways to commit murder, not to mention the romance and mystery of the leftover gold rush days. As Maren settles in to a small cabin off the premises to gain some solitary time for herself, she discovers a body in the old freezer who is, naturally, an old miner named Charlie. Maren is the prime suspect, and trouble just seems to follow her around. Luckily, she teams up with Charlie's partner, Titus, who becomes quite an ally as the murders continue, wills start turning up, and everyone becomes suspect:

"'Do I want to hear this, Titus?' What can a neutral person do, after all? In answer he reached for the paper and handed it to me. I stared at it blankly for a moment, almost unable to take it in. What it was-it was another copy of Charlie's will! I clapped the paper to my chest and beamed at him. "Oh, Titus! I'm so glad you have this. I found a copy and I didn't know where to take it. It affects so many people."

Lana Waite has done it again. She uses her considerable experience to develop an Agatha like plot with all sorts of interesting and well drawn characters. Maren is an average and ordinary heroine who is reluctantly pulled out of her habitual love of isolation to help family and friends find a vengeful and terrifying killer. THE MADD MOUNTAIN MURDERS is a quick and engrossing read set in mountains that are mystifying and surprising. Waite throws a wonderful hook in to the story to pull it all together, and the denouement is one for the silver screen. Waite has also written an entirely new and different mystery from her first, but the theme of hidden treasure lurks in both tales. A wonderful read!

Shelley Glodowski
Senior Reviewer

This is an excellent book about how specific corporations, individuals and both European and African rulers have plundered Africa for profit and the accumulation of private fortunes on the backs of millions of Africans who have been slaughtered over the centuries. Some of the individuals have passed into the history books, but some of the corporations and individuals are still very much in the news today and the world still waits for their atonement. Madelaine Drohan has provided a very courageous addition to the literature in the area by in-the-field research in some of the most dangerous places in Africa and written in most detailed and compelling manner.

What happens when multinational corporations decide that the use of armed force is really business? When companies line up with warlords and armies to make a profit? When corporate interests dictate war or peace? Madelaine Drohan's meticulously researched and impressively wrfitten expose, Making A Killing, shows just what happens in a world of multinational power, drawing important connections between corporate armed forces and history and providing food for thought for corporations, policy makers and national leaders alike -- the result is an intriguing, eye-opening discussion.

Drohan cover a number of specifc cases of corporations using violence to further their interests - dedicating a chapter to each case. She makes no effort to be a comprehensive compendium of all the ills perpetrated by corporations, instead choosing to focus on a few prime examples in detail where her experiences as a journalist can bring some perspective to each case.

My own particular interest is around the role of Calgary-based Talisman Energy Inc. in Sudan. The chapter on Talisman was solid and insightful, with Drohan drawing from her own experiences in Sudan and interviews with key players, as well as the volumes of research and reports available.

The book is a telling study of the irresponsible extremes corporations can go to in their simple-minded focus on profit as the only goal.

Resource control is the core of Madelaine Drohan's book. Where the image of empire was once faceless armies, religious zealots or expanding trade, modern conditions have changed this view. Instead of governments launching empires, suit-clad businessmen now decide where the action lies. Decisions to exploit resource areas are not made in ministry offices, but in corporate boardrooms. Businessmen, "and they are almost always men", choose locations, make investments, recruit workers and begin operations. Until there is unrest. Then they call in governments to support their enterprise. If governments cannot or will not respond, the entrepreneur's answer is the "private army". Mercenary professional military men act as "security" teams, policemen or replacement armies. And they are accountable to no-one but the firm that has hired them.

Drohan's account begins with the rule of Cecil Rhodes "who stands head and shoulders above" the ranks of those applying military solutions to "corporate problems". Rhodes built an immense resource empire in Southern Africa. He also set the standard for controlling workers as firmly as he did markets. By the expedient of raising a battalion of "pioneers" to deal with reluctant African peoples and recalcitrant workers, Rhodes expanded his holdings to an unprecedented degree. Attributing his goals to the furtherance of the British Empire, he also ensured the continuation of profits to his own pocket. Belgium's king Leopold followed Rhodes' example by keeping the Congo as a personal fief. The Belgian government was simply shunted aside on imperial affairs for decades. The rape of the Congo is a glaring example of imperialism run rampant, yet it set the stage for what followed.

Drohan's narrative is dominated by personalities. Like a gaggle of rapacious ravens, men prominent in resource enterprise descended on Africa after Rhodes. Some of these were British, some Canadian, but others arose from among Africa's own peoples. These last were flexing political and economic muscle as former colonies became independent. These new nations, with their artificial boundaries laid down irrespective of tribal or ethnic limits, became caught up in internal regional disputes. Resource firms played off these rivalries to their advantage where possible. If contests for power became too heated, the companies had the option to withdraw or find ways of protecting their investments. Protection was provided by "security forces" available for hire. Among the most notorious of these was the South African firm, Executive Outcomes. Staffed by disaffected South African soldiers, it offered services directly or through hidden subsidiaries. Executive Outcomes emerges frequently, if often vaguely, as Drohan valiantly tries to unravel the machinations the firm and its customers perpetrated as gold, diamonds and other resources were sought and exploited. Legality is an elusive term in these activities.

These are not distant and unrelated events. We tend to cling to the image of investment benefiting all - the theme of "globalisation". Drohan demonstrates how firms, pursuing resource wealth in Africa, have followed the Rhodes formula for success. Whether hiring private armies or simply requesting local government forces to act in their interests, resource firms are steadfastly ignoring the impact on local people and their economy. Of all Drohan's examples, the most glaring is the Talisman Energy story. Her chapter on this operation is at once the worst and the best example in the book. Talisman, a latecomer to Africa, seems to have learned nothing from previous resource history in the region. As Drohan describes it, Jim Buckee, Talisman's head, followed a sinuous path trying to keep his firm active in the resource field. With one eye open to profits and the other closed to government activities done in the name of "security" for his operations, Buckee brought his firm close to disaster. On the other hand, the case demonstrated the power of the public in bringing such firms to judgment. Various large stockholders, chastened at the thought of supporting a firm blind to the impact of its operations, withdrew investment. It's a fine example of what individuals can achieve in acting collectively.

Drohan's book is a much needed exposure of business morals left unscrutinised. In her final chapter, "Perfectly Legal, Perfectly Immoral", she shows the path to justice for people under oppressive regimes shored up by rapacious businesses is long and difficult. Yet, if readers pay attention, she shows how they can be effective in making change. With a federal election looming, it would benefit electors to read this book and reflect on its message. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A haunting, unforgettable, ice-blooded thriller. When it comes to portraying twisted minds, Hope Newman has no rivals. Engrossing. Unquestionably the best yet, a tale of perverse revenge that strikes very close to home. Malibu Murders sizzles...positively chilling...fast-paced action, high-intellect, dandy characters...don't try to guess the ending...

A complex and haunting story...hits the reader right between the eyes. Hope Newman has created an engrossing thriller. A knockout of an entertainment. A marvelous read. I stayed up and finished it in one session. Loved the characters. But be warned. This one is going to scare the hell out of a lot of people on its way to the best seller list.

Intense, gripping, and thoroughly entertaining. Newman weaves a deep web of deceit, lies, and intrigue set against the backdrop of sinister settings. You can pick it up but you won't be able to put it down.

An insatiable serial killer, so lethally clever that no one has ever suspected him--until now. Hunted by the unorthodox and tenacious detective. A smart, suspenseful thriller with crackerjack performances. This book was everything that a thriller should be. Loved it.

Mr. Campbell creates a cozy world of mystery with this latest in his Greg and Jill McKenzie mystery series. His characters are familiar, real and charming (even to those who have not read his previous books) and the plot developments keep the story moving at a fast pace.You will thoroughly enjoy reading this book- and what else could you ask?

Greg and Jill McKenzie, owners of McKenzie Investigations, feel obligated to help when Colonel Warren Jarvis asks them to take on the case of his good friend Kelli Kane. Kelli needs the McKenzies to help clear the name of her great-great-grandfather Sydney Liggett. Back in 1914 he was accused of embezzling funds from Marathon Motor Works.

Pierce Bradley, a construction supervisor at the former Marathon Motors building, found papers belonging to Sydney Liggett which would have exonerated him, but he disappeared before the papers could be turned over to the DA. Bradley called Kelli's grandfather and set up a meeting to hand over the papers. Unfortunately Bradley can't be located now.

Not long after the McKenzies being to investigate, Bradley's body is found submerged in a lake. The papers he claimed he found are still missing. To make matters worse, more people connected to the investigate end up dead. There aren't many clues to go on, but the McKenzies are committed to do everything they can to find those papers. Can they find them before more people die? Can they find them without putting themselves in danger?

I love this series. Jill and Greg are such lovable characters. The plot is well constructed, and the setting is terrific. Such a great cozy mystery series. The author has done a fabulous job of setting up the story and creating characters that are believable. I enjoyed learning about the Marathon cars as well.

I highly recommend this book and series. I found myself having trouble putting it down.

Greg McKenzie, retired Lieutenant Colonel where he was an agent with the OSI [Office of Special Investigations], is contacted by a former colleague from the Air Force and asked to investigate a matter for his girlfriend, one Kelli Kane. Greg and his wife, Jill, live in Nashville, TN, where they opened a p.i. agency about seventh months ago. Kelli herself has a background that includes working undercover for some Federal Agency, whether CIA or otherwise is unclear. It seems that her great-great-grandfather had been accused of embezzlement when a large sum of money went missing from the company for which he worked as assistant treasurer, Marathon Motor Works, ultimately resulting in its declaring bankruptcy. Her grandfather, now 84 and in a nursing home, has been contacted by the job foreman for a company renovating the building which had housed that company ninety years ago, telling him that some papers had been found, hidden in a wall, attached to which was a handwritten note indicating that the papers were to be turned over to the District Attorney's office. The job foreman, a man named Bradley, was to have brought the papers to Kelli's grandfather, but never kept his appointment. Greg and his wife are asked to find Bradley and the papers which they believe will exonerate her relative and clear the family name.

It is not long before Bradley's body is found, and his house is discovered to have been ransacked, as is Kelli's grandfather's house. And of course the papers that might solve the mystery of the missing money are nowhere to be found. Complicating matters is the fact that as the investigation progresses it appears that the old man had a propensity for alienating a wide range of people, as had Bradley himself, and his being targeted may have had nothing to do with the Marathon investigation, but simply a matter of vandalism. But then another body is discovered.

Marathon Motor Works was a real company, and in fact it produced the only car completely built in the South. Nashville and its environs are lovingly described by the author, who has given us a very good mystery, well-written and suspenseful, and one I enjoyed a great deal.

When Colonel Warren Jarvis asks Greg and Jill McKenzie, owners of McKenzie Investigations, to take on the case of his good friend Kelli Kane, they readily agree. Jarvis was instrumental in one of their former cases and the McKenzies feel indebted to him. Kelli needs the McKenzies' help in clearing the name of her great-great-grandfather Sydney Liggett, accused of embezzling funds from Marathon Motor Works in 1914. Kelli's grandfather recently received a phone call from Pierce Bradley, a construction supervisor at the former Marathon Motors building, who found papers belonging to Sydney Liggett which would have exonerated Liggett had he not disappeared before he could turn them over to the DA. And now Bradley is nowhere to be found. The McKenzies have barely begun their investigation when Bradley's body is discovered submerged in a lake, but the papers he claimed to have come across are missing. The McKenzies hope to recover the papers, but nothing seems to jell and, to make matters worse, people connected to the investigation are ending up dead. The only clue: a Russian cigarette stub found at each crime scene.

This fourth installment of the Greg McKenzie Mysteries is proof positive the series remains strong and fresh and is a major contender in the mystery venue. Greg and Jill McKenzie are a nice pairing, an amiable blend against the shady backdrop of murder and deceit. This well-plotted cozy is sure to please its fans and lure even more into its fold, the not-so-easily-guessed mystery one readers will enjoy trying to solve.

The May Day Murders kept me in suspense all throughout the story. Like Wittenburg's first novel, the characters are believable and the reader is drawn into the story from the very beginning. The small town setting in the Midwest was a great setting for such an edgy thriller/mystery! I highly recommended this mystery novel!!!

This is truly one of the best murder mysteries I've ever read! Right from the start, I was drawn in to this story and couldn't put it down! I highly reccommend Wittenburg's novel to anyone who likes an intriguing mystery with characters you can relate to (and fear)!

A really good mystery/thriller full of great tension. As in Katherine's Prophecy, Wittenburg paints the environment nicely with his visually-inspired writing style. Impossible not to get caught up in the story. Hard to put down.

I consider this novel a great contemporary work of mystery - a jewel in the treasure which such a genre is.
The plot of a mystery novel is probably the most important part of it - and here Mr Wittenburg provides the reader with a hard but coherent puzzle of events which is always thanked. But the plot is nothing without characters, and characterization is what I appreciate the most in this book. The author has given their characters a realistic psychological depth - even subject of a comparison with Jung's archetypes - and that is what makes the reader enjoy it. We can easily identify ourselves with the fictional people of the book, and I would say that Sam Middleton has much of autobiographic.
Doubtless, this novel is something that the fan of mystery literature will enjoy.

Rafael Pascual.
Granada, Andalusia, Spain.