Murder Books

After spending a few month's in Tom Laird's high school english class, I can clearly see that his writing and teaching styles are remarkably, almost frighteningly similar. Seriously, "Season" is a well written, bluntly honset, and satisfingly page turning. If you are looking for an entertaining, slightly graphic, pulpy detective story, look no further.

This book is exceptional in all respects. Parisi is a wonderful character. The dialogue is hard with nothing wasted.

The characters are the kind you respect. Parisi is worth bringing back again and again. Very well written.

Another outstanding ms by this new author. The author holds your interest from beginning to end. The cross-over between the father and son is well done. Sometimes when you go from one timeframe to another,you get lost and have to re-read to keep up. NOt in this case. The father-son relationship is, even after the father's death, is very emotional. A recommended read. Looking forward to more.

As the title says you might not want to read this book at night. Not because it is scary though, but because you'll lose great amounts of sleep doing so. The characters in this book are very well written and you can relate to them so well that while in the process of reading the book, it is hard to put the book down because you want to know how certain characters will deal with certain situations or if they will be alright. The storyline is amazing. I don't usually like to read books twice in a row but this book was so good that I have already started reading it again. I didn't read Cutter but as soon as I can find a copy of it, I'll read that one too. This book is simply amazing and it's one of the best books I've read in a long time.

I found this book to be very well worth reading, everything is supported by factual evidence(e.g the letters and police reports)and Simmie keeps the story progressing very well from start to finish while keeping it clear and understandable for the reader to follow what is happening. It doesn't tell the story of a man consumed by love as most would say, but of a man consumed with himself and his selfishness, he wanted something and didn't care what or who he destroyed in the process of acheiving it.

All the letters and stuff were pretty boring to read. And the suicide attempt scene is probably the most horrible thing I've ever read and will scar me for life but this book was actually pretty...good. Especially since I hail from Regina, I reccommend this book to all the Skatchies

This is a great book! I would suggest it for anyone who live in saskatchewan. It shows how much control love has over one man. Enough power to cause him to murder, (...)

It's a horrifying story of a man who gains to much power in the mounties and kills his wife. If your from Saskatchewan, the places in the book are all close to home and give you a sense of realism.

The Sentinel by voracious reader and avid technology buff James P. Moss is a dark and chilling novel monsters who use distance and cyberspace technology to cover the tracks of their crimes. After losing his lover and companion to a sadistic on-screen murder, Jack Pond investigates a string of killings that lead him to the Internet Crime Bureau - which is supposedly also investigating the murder spree. One never knows who or what is truly on the other side of an online chat screen, in this suspense-laden mystery.

I enjoyed the way the author drives you to an intimate knowledge of characters. His detailed descriptions of their moods and the scenes make the reader feel the atmosphere and the environment.

It is also attractive to feel that apart from the reader there is some body else watching, giving information on what is going on, and at the same time getting sentimentally involved with the characters.

The book has explicit descriptions of sex and violence - scenes that need an open mind to be read, but it also has tenderness scenes that help to reconcile with the author.

It is interesting to read the way in which the past influences personalities and the impact it has on future behavior of people.

Reading The Sentinel is easy as it maintains expectation in each chapter and awakens the impulse to read it to the end. The way events are linked keeps alertness and the presence of certain elements, very well described, maintain interest in what happens in the novel. It is easy to identify with characters and get involved in their feelings.

The climax, which happens in the last chapter, has a sequence that maintains expectation and permits to start concluding on the role of each character and to understand their participation on the scenes described earlier and in the whole plot.

I did enjoy reading The Sentinel and I do recommend its reading.

An outstanding technology thriller. Fast paced action that keeps you reading. True to life circumstances that make you want to "look over your shoulder."

To those of us who use our computers as work horses - to write, crunch numbers, or communicate - The Sentinel will introduce the darker side of cyberspace. Between these covers you will find an erotic thriller, a haunting murder mystery, and high tech savvy most of us cannot imagine.

Jack Pond learned at his father's knee to take care of business and "get it done". That work ethic has fed Jack's success and made him a very rich man. When Jack meets Lisa, it's love at first sight. They commute by plane to steal precious time with each other, and when that is not possible they fuel their relationship in cyberspace. What could it hurt? They are both consenting adults and everything is protected by encrypted passwords, right? Wrong. During a romantic cyber-encounter, Lisa is brutally murdered as Jack looks on. >From that night, he isolates himself in high tech luxury and has nothing left to live for but the hunt for Lisa's killer.

Jack's prey is pure voyeuristic evil, taking perverse pleasure in forcing friends and lovers to witness each victim's demise. Technology easily tracks committed lovers amd casual pleasure seekers as they fulfill sexual fantasies online in supposed safety. Lisa is the killer's first victim, but not the last. Numbed into celibacy for several years, Jack wades through the sometimes unsavory cesspool of private chat cams in search of clues. One suspect after another is examined and eliminated. No one is safe.

The Sentinel is a tidy thriller. You won't know the killer until the end. Not recommended for young teenagers or sensitive readers due to mature subject matter and strong sexual content.

Harriet Ford was a reporter/columnist for the Rockford Labor News in Rockford, Illinois. She covered Ted Kuhl's trial for the murder of his girlfriend. At the time Ms. Ford, as well as many others, felt that the investigation into the murder was sloppy and many other possibilities were overlooked. Along with Joe Lamb, an investigator, she delves more deeply into the case and even has an expert criminologist look at all the evidence, interviews done prior to the trial and interviews Ms. Ford conducted. All the evidence pointed to the very strong possibility that Ted Kuhl was not guilty but no one in the Illinois justice system including Paul Logli, IL State's Attorney, will support a retrial.

When they started their investigation Harriet asked Joe, ' what're we going to do if no one pays any attention to all of our efforts here?' and he said, 'Well then we go to plan B. We write a book.'" Joe died shortly before the investigation was completed but Ms. Ford completed `Plan B' with Shadow in the Rain - a fictionalized version of Ted Kuhl's case.

As the fictionalized reporter, Tia Burgess, pursues finding the truth about Ben Krahl (Ted Kuhl) or at least as much evidence as she can to show the need for a new trial, amazing lapses in investigative procedure, police coercion in interviewing witnesses as well as Ben himself and the suppression of some witnesses information come to light.

All of the documentation Ms. Wood included at the end of the book which makes for an even more interesting read. It is appalling that such a travesty of justice was carried out to begin with but even more so that there has not been a retrial with the new evidence coming to light.

Intertwined into the real story is a fictional story that keeps readers turning the pages with a lot of excitement. The combination of the fiction and the non-fiction is entertaining but also an enlightening look at our justice system.

Based on a true situation, Harriett Ford's book brings to the forefront a man, not just a number, who is a victim of a legal system that has turned a deaf ear to true justice. The intermingling of fiction with the realities of this case was interesting as well as an eye-opener. As a college instructor, I find it a must read for students doing a persuasive essay about the need for reform in the criminal justice system. Criminal justice students, as well as those already employed in the area of law enforcement, would find this book not only a great read but a valuable reminder as to how the system holds a person's life in its hands and why that system must be thorough in investigative practices. The author did a fantastic job of investigation. Too bad the authorities did not.

Great read, scary that we put so much trust in our law and judical system
and a sad outcome

I want to begin this review with one word, DISTURBING! The further I read this book the more I shook my head and thought, how could this be happening in the land of the free? The story you will find between the pages of this work will keep you absorbed from beginning to end. Part fictional story aided by the truth, our author takes us into the world of murder, one that hangs in my opinion unsolved and very disturbring.
In 1999 a young woman was shot in the parking lot of a local Bar & Grill, seemingly for no other reason than a jealous ex-boyfriend. He is arrested, tried and put in prison for her murder; but the question that has not been answered without considerable doubt is this - did he really pull the trigger? Is he truly a cold-blooded killer? Many say yes, others no and as far as I can see by the evidence shown within this read; the proof is definitely not in the pudding that he is guilty.
This entire story is wrapped about the true case of Ted Kuhl who has been imprisoned for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. However according to the evidence presented something is definitely amiss in this entire investigation. From the beginning it is running over with Police blunders, no DNA testing, alibies not checked, suspects let go, the entire working of this case was like that done by the Keystone Cops of yesteryear, and should be an embarrassment to our justice system. How can this be ignored? Someone in authority must step up to the plate and reopen this case for further investigation. If they don't, it certainly would seem a solid question to ask, why not? Cases have been reopedend for less than what you have here.
Listen, I'm all for putting the bad guy behind bars or worse, but when the evidence in a case is so lacking and so many questions are left unanswered as in this one you just have to wonder, who doesn't want what uncovered? And who has the power to make sure it isn't? We have the best Justice System in the world, and the best country as far as I am concerned, but even at that there are always times when something just doesn't add up. This is definitely one of those times. I am but one small voice, but this voice is yelling, "what are you thinking?" If the man is truly guilty, prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt, reopen the case and answer the unanswered.
Read this book, it may scare you because we all can only pray this type of nightmare never darkens our door or those we love. America is justice for all, remember, for all; let her bell ring.
Shirley Johnson

Although I get the impression that the ABA choose this book for the general reader in order to cast some illumination on the criminal justice system, as a practicing prosecutor who enjoys this genre but finds little time to read it, I enjoyed this story very much and recommend it to the guild of prosecutors, especially assistant district attorneys. It is more in the style of Turow rather than Grisham, it is relatively short for the busy reader, and it treats the drug trial accurately, for I myself have tried drug possession cases and have dealt with the issue of knowing possession before a jury. I am going to recommend it to all my fellow prosecutors in my office.

The Shadow of Justice is a tantalizing beginning for a new author. One can hardly wait to turn the pages to find out what happens next to Judge Clark and his cohorts in the Miami legal scene. The interspersing of cultural nuances that are so mandatory to the flavor of the city only whet one's appetite for the story to follow. Full of surprises, this book had me interested from the beginning to the end. Can't wait for the next book.

Hirsch has written a wonderful legal thriller. In The Shadow of Justice, a Miami judge must confront the incomprehensible, violent crime of one dear friend and the awful corruption of another. The intelligent narrative works as an exceptionally fast-paced suspense novel and an excellent primer on criminal law. It's not often one gets an inside look into the seamy side of Miami from such a literate storyteller, one who quotes Tennyson and Proverbs with equal finesse. A terrific read!

A terrific novel. The main characters - the Miami trial judge who writes the first person narrative, a criminal defense lawyer whose moral ambiguity conflicts with his lawyerly competence and obligations, and a police officer (who, though dead as the novel begins, is brought to life through the recollections of the judge and attorney) - are as well crafted as the apparently simple plot, which leads to a complex moral dilemma and an unexpected, but understandable outcome. Equally well depicted are the tension between what law requires and justice demands, the scruffy not-quite-dignity of Miami's trial courts, and the course of a brief, "routine" drug possession trial, the intersection where the book's characters and themes collide. The book's lawyer-author clears away the resulting wreckage with skill and insight, while leading the reader to ponder what he would have done, had he been in the place of each of the three main characters as they chose the paths that the book has them follow.

So just what is going on here? How can teenagers be so gullable and what's with this fascination with firearms? Whatever happened to playing varsity and intramural sports, going to Friday night dances and trying out for the school play? For me the harrowing events depicted in Kathryn Eastburn's "Simon Says" serves as a stark reminder that evil really does exist in this world and that young teenagers are a prime target for those who seek to spread it. You will find yourself just shaking your head again and again when you learn about the senseless murders of three members of the Dutcher family in the remote hamlet of Guffey, CO in the wee small hours of New Years Day 2001. Incredibly, the individual who ordered the "hit" on the Dutcher family and the two young men who carried out the bloody deed were all students at Palmer High School in Colorado Springs. "Simon Says" is a chilling tale that brings to mind the likes of Charles Manson and the Reverand Jim Jones.
Author Kathryn Eastburn does a marvelous job of portraying the young men who would become caught up in this tangled web. The leader of the group was a young man named Simon Sue. Simon had moved to Colorado with his parents from his native Guyana. He was a natural born leader in search of malleable young minds to exert influence over. Sue was fascinated with guns and with the military and bragged to whoever would listen that he was part of a secret paramilitary group known as the OARA. In the fall of 2000 he found a pair of recruits in 15 year old Isaac Grimes and his older pal Jon Methany. Later on another young man named Glen Urban would join the group. Just a few short months later, Simon Sue would order his troops to kill the Dutchers and his willing accomplices carried out his wishes.
Of course, "Simon Says" offers comprehensive coverage of the investigation into this heinous crime and of the subsequent trials of these young men. You will meet the detectives who finally managed to ferret out the facts of this case and the lawyers who argued for both sides during the interminable proceedings that would follow. Then you will learn how each of the families, the students at Palmer High School and the community at large tried to cope with these sensational events. There are so many issues to ponder here and I am sure that each reader will attempt to make sense of it all. But in my estimation this is simply not possible. At the end of the day far more questions than answers remain. Despite Kathryn Eastburn's best efforts to help us to understand I don't believe that anyone can present a rational explanation for what went down on that cold January morning in the Rockies. Nevertheless, I found "Simon Says" to be an exceptionally well written book that managed to hold my interest from cover to cover. Highly recommended!

Kathryn Eastburn is at her best with the telling of this tragic tale. She approaches the subject with a reporter's objectivity, yet true to form with all of her writing, there is an underlying humaness that refrains from stooping to sensationalism or lecturing.

Make sure you have a significant amount of time available before you start to read this book, because you will have a difficult time putting it down. I read it in two sittings. It rates right up there with Judgment Ridge, the story of the two Dartmouth professors who were murdered by two Vermont teenagers less than one month later in January of 2001. Simon Says is an appropriate title for this new book because it is the tragic story of a very controlling and charismatic high school student named Simon Sue who manipulated those he saw as vulnerable into doing whatever he demanded. If they failed to do his bidding the threat of death to themselves and family members was made to appear real. One of the vulnerable boys, Isaac Grimes, murders his former best friend, Tony Dutcher, by cutting his throat as he slept while another, Jon Matheny, murders the boy's grandparents in their home by shooting them to death. The book covers the boys' relationship with charismatic leader Simon Sue, the murders, detective work needed to get confessions, the guilty pleas of each of the defendants, and subsequent appeals. This is a book filled with tragedy not only for the boys involved, but for other family members as well. It is a story without any winners. The only redemptive feature is a forgiving relationship between Isaac Grimes' mother and the mother of Tony Dutcher, the boy who Isaac murdered. It is the tragic story of an individual with a controlling and charismatic personality preying on vulnerable and younger individuals who otherwise would have never have become involved in such tragic behavior. The books' cover says it quite thoroughly, "A True Story of Boys, Gun, and Murder." I definitely got the feeling the boys, however belatedly, appreciated the beauty of their Colorado surroundings and would now not be able to enjoy the freedom they once had.

The shocking teen violence and depravity in this country that a decade ago seemed like a horrid anomaly, unfortunately now seems to have become a weekly occurrence. On New Year's Eve 2000 in the rural countryside outside of Colorado Springs, just twenty months after the Columbine massacre, a Grandmother, Grandfather and their fifteen year old Grandson were brutally and senselessly murdered.

The investigation that followed revealed that four teenage boys with ages that ranged from fifteen to nineteen years old were involved in committing the murders, planning the murders, and destroying crucial evidence. One of the boys, fifteen year old Isaac Grimes, who was later convicted of murdering fifteen year old Tony Dutcher by slitting his throat from behind with a knife in such a heinous way as described in the court records: "at issue, is the brutality with which the defendant killed Tony. The autopsy showed he sawed back and forth." "The D.A. demonstrated a sawing motion with his hand against the loose skin of his own neck." "He severed the spinal cord, not just the spinal column." What makes this repulsive crime even more incredulous is the fact that Isaac and Tony used to be best friends.

The Grandparent's Carl and Joanna Dutcher were slaughtered in a salvo of bullets. But the backdrop of this horrendous crime that joggles the imagination and all human sensibilities, is the relationship and "pecking order" of the four teenage criminal sociopaths Simon Sue, Jon Matheny, Isaac Grimes and to a lesser extent Glen Urban. (He destroyed evidence.) Simon at nineteen was the oldest high school student and he filled the role as a "Svengali" like leader. His parents were originally from Guyana a small South American country. None of the future criminals had many real friends, so Simon targeted them to become part of a non-existent "secret" paramilitary organization, "Operations and Reconnaissance Agents" (OARA). Simon said "OARA stood ready to serve should a coup arise against the standing Guyanese government, the People's Progressive Party. Under Simon's tutelage the boys learned to assemble and disassemble weapons, practiced shooting and planned and carried out burglaries. All without any of their parents knowing what was going on. When Simon demanded they murder Tony Dutcher and his Grandparents while Simon was conveniently out of the country, the other boys followed orders, later saying Simon's threats to murder their families kept them from telling anyone.

After the murders the police and CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) during the course of their investigation turned up among other things at Simon's house alone; THIRTY SIX GUNS, MOST OF THEM MILITARY ASSAULT RIFLES, WEDGED INTO A CLOSET... THEY TAGGED UZIS, SKS,'S AND AK-47'S. As heart wrenching as the murders themselves are, the domino "death-affect" tremors of loss to all surviving family members is just as important in the telling of this tragic senseless crime. Charles Dutcher alone lost his son and his Mother and Father. The authors writing style is not poetic, nor does it revive memories of Hemingway or other famous authors. But what the author does succeed at is terrific investigative reporting. There is not a wasted chapter or a wasted page. The reader is taken step by step through this entire sordid mess. She cannot give you the big answers, because that's the problem with this heart-breaking catastrophe, no logical person with a heart beating with even an ounce of humanity can answer the questions that this story and far too many stories like this raise. As many scientists state: "THE BEST EXPERIMENTS CREATE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS" AND PERHAPS THIS BOOK SHOULD BE FILED UNDER THE SAME HEADING!

Great Story line and would make a Terrific terrific ACTION MOVIE!!!! his writer will only improve with time ;-)

I couldn't put it down! It had such a great storyline, I didn't want to stop reading. I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Author keeps you interested all the way through with great detail and action. Can't wait for more from this author.

I literally could not put this book down! It is written in such a way, that the story easily flows, and the mystery is at such a high level, you just have to read on to see what happens next!
If you enjoy mystery and intrigue, this is the book of the year.
I will definitely look forward to more novels by this Author!

WOW WHAT AN ITENSE BOOK!! SO MUCH EXCITMENT, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN FOR A MINUTE! CAN'T WAIT UNTILL HE WRITES ANOTHER.

The character development in this novel is exceptional. The twists and turns in the plot lend the book to an adventure filled and suspensefull movie, as do the beautiful and diverse settings Most definitely a "two thumbs up" novel and movie.

A provacative and descriptive novel which kept my attention and could not be put down. I was both entranced and intrigued throughout. A must read for anyone who yearns for experiencing the lust, lore, romance, and power of the sea. I would recommend to anyone wishing a detour from the norm.

April 26, 2000.This book, Someday Comes by Harry Munns, is a wonderful book. It has romance and action all thrown into one. A sure fire suspense book that I had a hard time putting down! It takes place in different areas of the Caribbean and Florida. A must for anyone! I really loved it and can't wait for more from Mr. Munns!

If you're looking for a fast-paced cliffhanger you can't put down, I recommend Someday Comes. The book lures you like a gentle breeze entices a fair weather sailor but then grabs you and before you know it tosses you into the full gale of a fierce hurricane. Mick Baker is tossed from one peril to the next as he tries to save his reputation and perhaps rejoin his new found soul mate. The book takes you on an intriguing journey from the neauvoux rich of Southern Florida to the romantic Caribbean Islands. I can't wait Harry's sequel.

I thought this book is a action packed book. I saw what a cop working in the ACU (Anti Crime Unit) really does. It is a totally true story about a man named Paul Ragonese working on the streets in New York City. He is a American hero, Saves many People and to some is a role model. I may only be Ten years old, But I can feel evey bullet, fist and weapon that is said. I recamend this book for retired cop and cop in the job. Also to Teen-Agers who love those volient video games such as Grand Theft Auto. Who needs Medal of Honer or James Bond when you have this Book? Nobody!

this is the best book i have ever read. the story of PAUL RAGONESES life as a cop in new york is astonding. the thing he did just because he was a cop were unbeleiveable, true sacrifices. if all police officers were more like him this world would be a much better place. he is one of my heros. i strongly recomened this book to any one.

I loved this book. I have always been interested in police work, and this book brought it all to life right in front of my eyes. P. Ragonese was a fine Officer, and all of his duties deserved to be put in such a manner, Thank you Paul for giving us a close-up look of the real world..

If you ever wondered what it would be like to be in law enforcement this is the book for you. This is the autobiography of Paul Ragonese one of the most decorated cops in America. As a New York City Police officer, and later detective, he won the medal of valor five times and in 1986 was nominated "Cop of the Year". You may remember him as the host of the television show "Crimestoppers".

This books show you the highs an lows of being a police officer in the big apple. Once you strat reading you will not want to put the book down. When I finished it I wanted even more.

I cant add anything to what the other reviewers have already noted. It's a compelling story. This is how youre supposed to write!

Greetings,

As an avid reader of true crime books this one rates really high on my list. I loved every minute of it as the book was well written and really held your attention. Once I started reading I could not put it down. I liked it because the author told the entire story without adding endless pages of scientific termonology that would go over the average reader's head. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated with the criminal mind.

which satisfied many of my long-standing questions & concerns regarding the tragic death of one of Mr. Spencer's victims. My interest in this particular crime is personal because I knew her. We worked together & interacted on an almost daily basis. I'd describe her best as a "jackie-of-all-trades" (architect, attorney, photographer, adventurer). She was also perhaps our office's Einstein equivalent, for she was so intelligent & bright. I continue to remember her most for her many eccentricities, some endearing & some perhaps not (depending upon whom you happened to ask). She was a gentle spirit who always remembered to live for each day & to be thankful for its many gifts. There was truly no one else quite like her!

"Stalking Justice" is a very good book. It is the story of the arrest, conviction, and eventual putting to death of Timothy Wilson Spencer for a series of gruesome rape/murders in Virginia in the 1980s. The murders took place in Arlington and Richmond. The book focuses on Arlington Detective Joe Horgas' investigation. This was also the first murder conviction that hinged on the breakthrough forensic science of DNA fingerprinting. This not only lead to the conviction of Spencer but helped free a man who had been convicted of one of the murders.Paul Mones does an excellent job of recreating the horrific crimes and crime scenes. Spencer was also linked to a series of break-ins/rapes that had been committed by a masked man. He was truely an evil person. Mones takes the reader step by step through Horgas' investigation. He shows the reader the right things that were done and also the errors that were committed by others. I grew up in Richmond and remember the panic that shook the city to it's core during the "Southside Strangler's" 3 murder spree. The number of murders may not seem large by serial killer standards, but there was a genuine fear in the city, especially by women who lived alone. I also knew one of the victim's mother. She was a teacher of mine in elementary school, so I always remembered the case. A whole other book could be written about the psychological aspects of the killer's makeup, but the bottom line is this was an individual who ritualistically tortured his victims and kept them alive for long periods of time before killing them. Luckily, he was stopped.I have a few complaints about the book. First, Det. Horgas is depicted as a one man wrecking crew while all other investigators are depicted as pig-headed or incompetent. I don't believe the entire Richmond PD was that inept. It was pointed out that several people involved had reservations about how Horgas came up with Spencer's name. While the evidence shows that Spencer undoubtedly committed the murders, the question of how Horgas pulled Spencer's name out of thin air is a curious one. I have no doubt this can happen in an investigation, but it is very coincidental that it happened this way in such a high profile one. My only insinuation is that maybe there was more information not privy to the reader. Also it was mentioned that animal hairs/fibers were found but the author never gave resolution to this. Did Spencer have a dog? Maybe I missed that in my reading. These complaints are minor as the author overall did an outstanding job. My only major complaint is that no picture of Spencer was included in the photo spread in the book. All major players were shown including the man falsely accused, but not Spencer. This was an error in editing. My last observation is in regards to the DNA analysis. The author mentions another case involving Barry Sheck, where DNA analysis was thrown out when the lab's quality control came under fire. DNA fingerprinting is revolutionary in crime fighting but it is only as good as the people analyzing the samples. Spencer was undoubtedly guilty, but for the sake of innocent persons accused the labs doing the tests have to be closely monitored. The Spencer case is also mentioned in John Douglas' "Journey into Darkness".