Murder Books

Dorriance Publishing Co. no longer carry this book. At this moment C C Publishers own this book. It can be delivered within 2-3 days. ccpublis@home.com Fax (609) 232-2527 Phone (609) 402-0505

Dorriance Publishing Co. no longer carry this book. At this moment C C Publishers own this book. It can be delivered within 2-3 days. ccpublis@home.com Fax (609) 232-2527 Phone (609) 402-0505

I recommend that every parent in America read this book. It is a wonderful guideline for parents.

The book "Will You Murder Your African American Children" is a guideline for parents who care for their children but do not have the information that will help them become successful parents.

Hello Eric: I've reserved "Wind Cave" at local public lib & am anxious to read it. Good luck with book! I'm a PA author with my "Passing the Baton..." in pre-publication stage. Am not going to Convention at Ft. Detrich Holiday Inn, are you? How was your book signing at Willow Grove? I'd like to communicate with you, if you're so inclined---to compare notes, etc. William J. Hirsch, 150 Strafford Ave., Suite 115, Wayne, PA 19087, voice 610-687-7792, fax 610 687-7704.

I found Wind Cave an insightful work based on the following observations. First, I enjoyed the way the author depicted different character types in the teenager heroes of the story. Moreover, in the course of the story it is the innocent soul of a teenager that is the key to help the restless spirit of the victim of a horrible murder to find her murderer and bring him to justice. The other aspect of the story, which I found commendable, was that the author touched on one of the most fundamental questions of human beings - life after death.

In Wind Cave every reader can find him/herself in the image of one of the teenager heroes of the story. Meanwhile, the thrilling nature of the murder mystery keeps the reader attached to the story. Wind Cave is a work that will be remembered long after it has been read because of its originality.

On Saturday, June 14, 1969, John Ellison, age 13, and his stepfather were exploring Wind Cave, a segment of the Arnold Lava Tube System in Bend, Oregon. Shortly after entering the cave, John had a sudden, overwhelming feeling of dread and a premonition that something was terribly wrong. John convinced his stepfather to leave the cave as quickly as possible. About a half hour later, two other men in the cave discovered the badly decomposed body of Mrs. Beverly Gayley. The body was wrapped in bedding and hastily buried under rocks near the entrance. She had an electrical cord around her neck and severe head trauma. Gayley, age 54, had been reported missing from her home since mid-April. An autopsy reported her death was due to "combined acts of violence." For young John Ellison, the memories of that trip and the ensuing murder investigation would have a profound effect on him for years to come. So profound in fact that as an adult, "the need to purge his soul of disturbing memories" would inspire him to write Wind Cave.
In Wind Cave, Ellison (NSS# 50750) has relived the events of his youth through the eyes of Ronny Hazelwood and his young companions. When a woman's body is found in Wind Cave, the kids begin their own murder investigation and unintentionally get caught between supernatural forces of good and evil, culminating deep underground where the known laws of nature seem to have disappeared. It is the perfect book to read aloud the next time you find yourself trapped underground with a bunch of scouts.
Anyone wishing to explore Wind Cave after reading this book should be reminded that the murderer of Beverly Gayley was never found. And you know what they say: the guilty always return to the scene of the crime.

John Eric Ellison's new book takes a nod to horror and the supernatural. Although the writing is as refined as Desecending Circles, John takes a different step and concentrates more on characterization this time, as opposed to historical detail. The result is a more enjoyable book in my humble opinion. It's obvious that Mr. Ellison has remembered his childhood; many people forget that children's problems can be as agonizing in their minds as the problems adult's have. This concept is brought home with striking ability as the story unfolds. The reader begins to race along with the novel's events towards the conclusion, where the philosophical ramifications of life after death, spaced throughout the book, are brought into play.
In many ways similar to Dean Koontz' novels from the 1980's and 1990's, this novel takes murder and the supernatural, and combines them with humanity and philosophy.
The result is a complex and deep novel you will read again.
(Additional note: my high school aged son read this book in record time, also enjoying it immensely.)

I loved Bonnie Pinkwater, the math teacher who is the hero of this series. She's in her fifties, she's a middle school teacher and she's a widow. This is not your typical hero. Bonnie is witty, engaging and sparkling with down-to-earth intelligence. I found her relationship with her former student, now the investigating detective in a homicide, charming and believable. Her budding relationship with Armen Callahan, another teacher, is both romantic and laugh-out-loud funny. Adults should love this book. The mystery is well constructed and every step works perfectly. (You'd think the author was a math teacher, or something.) The characters are strong and unique and the high plains of Colorado are beautifully brought to life.

Now, about you teenagers. I'm going to recommend this for all teens, because I've read Harry Potter and I know what happens in there. What are few bodies in this book compared to watching Voldemort kill Cedric Diggory? In "The Witch of Agnesi" there are several murders and some very scary, very suspenseful scenes. There are a number of teenagers in the novel, all of them as real as the kids you go to school with. There are no boring stereotypes. This is a story that respects who you are as a teenager. You'll like it.

For parents, I recommend this book for teens. There's no love scenes, though there is a charming and very low-key romance and another, sordid relationship that's revealed at the very end of the book. There are witches, but they are neither the spiritual good guys or the evil bad guys. The "Witch of Agnesi" refers to a mathematical curve, which you see on the cover. There are some suspenseful and very scary scenes, but they never tip over into outright gore. You teen will enjoy this novel very much and get a lot out of it.

I highly recommend The Witch of Agnesi. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

The author combined all of these features in this clever and engaging book. This is a great mystery with a surprise ending. As the intricate characters and clues are gradually unveiled, you will be further immersed by the unique humor, a budding romance, and the inventive incorporation of the author's multidisciplinary knowledge.
You will thoroughly enjoy and look forward to the time you spend reading this book.

I am very picky about my reading choices. I revere books, but I've also learned to let a book go if it's not going to pan out as a good read - I'd rather get onto a better book!

Bearing that in mind, I say that this book is a Must Read. I eased into it, but it was never far from the top of my priority list. The further I got into the book, the harder it was to put down. I ended up staying up way too late one night to finish it; I was completely taken in by the action and the story and the writing. I even had been given a few clues and forgot to watch for them as I was reading.

This is a book well worth reading and it sits well in the murder mystery genre. There are red herrings, clues disguised in plain view (or East Plains view), and an engaging protagonist. I spent some time pondering the clues vs. the misdirections, almost seeing the answer as a shell game. I would have put my money down, and I would not have come out on top! I also came to really enjoy being in the company of these characters. I am looking forward to his next book and following more adventures of Missus Pinkwater and other East Plains characters.

I must mention that I feel this a book for a more mature reader. There is some language and there are some adult themes in the book, so it is probably more appropriate for adults and older or mature teens.

Overall, I was impressed with the book and I was pleased that I didn't figure it all out before the final reveal. I'm looking forward to discussing the book with friends or hopefully in a reading group.

In Colorado, East Plains middle school teacher Bonnie Pinkwater works with the intelligentsia, but for the first time in a decade, they failed to finish in the top three at the Knowledge Bowl competition. Just after their crushing loss, the team's thirteen years old star Peyton Newlin vanishes. Everyone presumes that the teen ran away than have to face his abusive martinet of a father Colonel Ralph. Peyton's parents blame the defeat and their son's cowardly reaction squarely on Bonnie.

The next morning someone murders brilliant student Stephanie Templeton. Feeling already a bit culpable but not sure why, Bonnie with the help of science teacher Armen Callahan, who is falling in love with her, begin investigating the disappearance and the homicide, which they believe is linked by a scholarship competition, but how is unclear. Other students die including Peyton while Bonnie and Armen seek the truth leaning towards violent student bully Jesse Poole though a coven of witches remain a prime suspect.

THE WITCH OF AGNESI is a terrific teenage amateur sleuth starring a likable pairing trying to uncover who is eliminating the geniuses one at a time. The story line is fast-paced yet contains a strong cast though clearly Bonnie is the star. The mystery is cleverly devised and filled with twists and red herrings as Robert Spiller keeps his audience alert at all times as he shrewdly spills clues with multiple possibilities. Young adult readers will enjoy this wonderful middle school mystery

Harriet Klausner

I think this book was good and interersting and to me It was a good book.This author is my only uncle and I think he is a great poet/author!!!!!!

Neal Bowers made an interesting discovery one day - one of his poems was published under someone else's name.

With this minor irritation (one never gets rich from poetry, one's own or others), Bowers began the trek down a bizarre path to try to find out who was plagiarising his work, and why. Bowers discovered a man going by the name of David Sumner, aka David Jones, who had a habit of copying the poetry from others (not only Bowers), changing the title and a first line or two, and submitting these to poetry journals, magazines and other media outlets as his own. Exactly why was unclear - any pieces of note would undoubtedly be discovered, and few publishing successes came with any kind of monetary compensation attached.

Bowers never intended to become a detective, but the trail just kept on going. Bowers actually made contact with the person, threatened legal action, abandoned because, after all, there was no money in it beyond Sumner/Jones sent to Bowers (some $600 or so that he managed to make from the poems), copies of journals from which he'd lifted poems, a marked book that showed his submission patterns - each step of the way, Sumner/Jones claimed to be operating in good faith, but there was inevitably more to be found.

What was going on?

The more Bowers dug, the more surreal the situation became. Sumner/Jones had been a teacher in Illinois and Oregon, dismissed under terrible circumstances (molestation of children from his second-grade classrooms), jailed for the actions, and strangely, focussed his plagiarism on poetry that dealt with family issues and loss. Bowers was not the only poet plagiarised - as it turned out, Sumner/Jones was successful enough to have many publishing successes, and even had poetry readings arranged.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this is near the end, the attitudes of various persons towards Bowers and his quest for some sort of justice. Journalists by and large were sympathetic, not liking the idea of someone stealing the words (the stock-in-trade of their profession) and getting away with it. But there were those in the media, including poetry journal editors, who seemed to think that Bowers was the 'bad guy' for making such a fuss. Because of the attentions of journalists, others who felt they'd been wronged (not only in plagiarism, but in other realms, too) assumed Bowers would be a kindred spirit and naturally willing to help them - Bowers' mail quadrupled, with all manner of bizarre requests.

Bowers even discovered plagiarism from his friends - one friend, a calligrapher, set some of Bowers' poems in her art, and even produced her own hand-drawn book of his poems (offered at a very high price) without permission, and perhaps more surprisingly, without any recognition that what she was doing was in any way wrong - words were hers for the taking.

In the end, the story ends the way it began - Jones/Sumner still sending out plagiarised work, now having 'graduated' to short stories. But one assumes that Bowers will let others continue the pursuit. Sumner/Jones, in finding Bowers to be a reasonable, even nice, person generally, may have focussed upon him more directly because of this. No good deed goes unpunished!

A fascinating and unexpected tale.

This is a fascinating and scary book.

WORDS FOR THE TAKING is by the poet Neal Bowers, who stumbled on one of his poems that appeared under another writer's name. After some detective work, he found out that the plagiarist, David Sumner/David Jones, had ripped off several other of his poems, and had also stolen from poets as well known as Mark Strand and Sharon Olds. Further investigation located the man, and it turned out he was also guilty of child molestation -- a second-grade teacher who was convicted of molesting 7-year-old girls left in his care.

I wonder if you have to be a writer yourself, to understand how violated the author felt. (And how terrifying it must have been to find out how completely bereft of morals the violator turned out to be).

The first instance Bowers found was "Tenth -Year Elegy," a very personal remembrance of his father. Most of the other poems stolen were about family relations, which in context is sinister.

(One must quote, for fun, the response that he got from the editor of _Poetry Forum_, with an unlikely name, Gunvor Skogsholm, the burden of which seems to have driven him to reinvent the history of poetry in his own eloquent terms: "It's my strongly felt opinion that a good poet by nature ought to possess humbleness and that he or she ought not to think to [sic] highly of him- or herself. Throughout history, those have always been the personal traits associated with a POET. If you have read any of the literary histories associated with the great names in the art of poetry, you will know this is so.")

It's a very well written book on a fascinating subject. Bowers understands that merely ordinary people might see his concern and the steps he was driven to as being excessive, and I think in that light, both he and the publisher, W.W. Norton, are to be commended for keeping a proper perspective.

I was fascinated by this book, especially since I worked with Bowers in his quest to catch up with his plagiarist, a quest detailed by this book. Although the editor before me published the poem, I was the editor of a small poetry magazine which had printed a plagiarized version of one of Bowers' poems. Both in our brief correspondence and in this book, Bowers' impressed me as a brave soul. Plagiarists, on the other hand, are not the pranksters they imagine themselves to be; they are the cowards of the literary world. "Words for the Taking" is a tale of courage, both in the story it tells of the tracking of a criminal, and in the example it sets of one man believing in his writing. There are many lazy, slack-off writers out there. "Words for the Taking" shows us more than any writing course could that putting effort into and believing in your writing is one of the bravest acts possible.

Great story, not as exciting as the first two, but it does keep you going. I have reas all the Womens Murder Club and this one was my least favorite but I still loved it. I am getting high expectations. C'mon James Patterson give us some more of that great stuff!

Just when I think Patterson can't shock me anymore, he does it again. I love the Ladies murder club, it is rare to find strong smart women in most media, but Patterson does us well!

This book is great!!! I have followed the whole series and haven't been disappointed yet. James Patterson is such a good author. He spins a really good story!!!

For a realistic, hearfelt look at what it was like to dance at an infamous strip club, have a long love affair with porn king Artie Mitchell, and hang out with Hunter Thompson, this is the book to read! Full of uncanny detail, Corday's story is affectionate, funny, sexy, and a real page-turner. With a searing account of Artie's slaying by his brother Jim and the motives behind it, the murder trial which cost him $1.3 million, and the political connections that helped him get off with serving just 3 years at San Quentin.

An absolutely unmissable read for anyone interested in this bizarre story of two brothers who had the world on a string and then stuck a pin in it.

Simone Corday not only provides intimate details about working at the O'Farrell Theater, she kept track of conversations between she and her long-time lover Artie Mitchell, and her compadre Hunter S. Thompson in journals.

In her memoir, you are like a fly on the wall, drinking in so many delicious details about her life with these over-the-top counterculture icons.

It's a sensual, emotional page turner. You won't want to put it down, and then you will be crying out for more, lingering on that final page, and searching for old Mitchell Brothers' films to get more glimpses on her extraordinary life.

This is a book detailing the true historical account of the Grace Brown Murder (done in by Chester Gillette). Occurring at the beginning of the century, Theodore Drieser based his novel, AMERICAN TRAGEDY, on newspaper accounts of the murder and trial. Later, Hollywood used this same story for A PLACE IN THE SUN - an Academy Award winner. Joseph Brownell has spent decades researching the case and getting (never before allowed) family interviews. He still lectures about the case. The book is now in a revised print

Anyone who a) lives in upstate New York (as I do), b) is a fan of Theodore Dreiser, or c) watches old movies is sure to know about the famous Chester Gillette murder case. The incident was turned into the famous novel, 'An American Tragedy" and later into a movie. This book is excellent because it gives all the details of Chester's life, his trial, and love letters written between him and his girlfriend whom he later murdered. For people reading the novel, which I am doing now, it is also helpful because there is a chart telling who each of the characters was actually based on in real life. This book is out of print nationwide, but you can still find it here in upstate New york in giftshops or bookstores. I got my copy at the Herkimer Jail where Gillette was kept in 1907. They still have tours here.

One of my favorite movies is "A Place in the Sun" starring Montgomery Cliff, Elizabeth Taylor and Shelly Winters. It is based on one of my favorite fictional books, "An American Tragedy," by Theodore Dreiser. Both are inspired by the Gillette murder case of 1906, the subject of "Adirondack Tragedy," a factual, deeply researched and well written book. In addition to presenting the murder case in a straight forward and non-sensational manner, the authors of this book also detail how Dreiser's novel and the movie diverged from the facts, the myths that have sprung from the case and live on to this day, and the subsequent lives of the individuals concerned. Even if you are not familiar with the novel and movie, you will find this an interesting book. One area I wish the authors had covered is whether under today's legal system (especially regarding disclosure and rights of the alleged criminal and forensic and DNA sciences) the result of the trial would have been the same as it was 100 years ago.

My mom was murdered by my biological father in 1991, and I met Carrie and Peggy, the authors of this book, through Parents of Murdered Children and Other Survivors of Homicide Victims. Carrie and Peggy are wonderful people and Carrie truly understands what we are going through, as she is going through the same.

This book validates our feelings as well as helps us cope with the "new life" we are driven into after a loved one's murder. I encourage every survivor to read this book as well as anyone who knows a murder victim survivor. Although the book is written for survivors, it will help others understand what we are going through.

Thank you, Carrie and Peggy!

Until I read Carrie Freitag's book, Aftermath: In the Wake of Murder, I knew little about the ultra-traumatic loss grievers of homicide face. Carrie's work, co-authored by Margaret Kerouac, has given me a newfound awareness of, and appreciation for, survivors of murder--and the unique situations and issues they face grieving their loved ones. Aftermath guides its readers through murder's challenging emotional, legal, and judicial waters by offering life rafts that work--whether or not the survivors achieve the ultimate verdict they seek.

I highly recommend this down-to-earth and personally informative book to grievers of homicide, their compassionate comforters, and the public at large.

Christy Lowry
Anchorage, AK

This book is excellent as a resource for anyone wanting to understand murder bereavement as a professional or a friend. As someone who has lost a loved one to murder, I find this book invaluable. It helps me understand myself, and understand how this massive trauma pervades every aspect of life, throughout life. This book breaks things down and the chapter headings help you to use it as a reference to read something validating depending how you are feeling, or what you are experiencing (such as going to a trial).
In our group for homicide survivors, this is a book people want to hang onto and use as a reference.

It is amazing that a woman could think so much like a man in this love, sex, murder story of international adventure. It was hard to put down as the story was not one that would really lead into what one would think would happen when the situations unfolded in suspense and real pleasure.

A great mix of romance style literature with a mystery story that rocks the reader into real excitement

It is amazing that a woman could think so much like a man in this love, sex, murder story of international adventure. It was hard to put down as the story was not one that would really lead into what one would think would happen when the situations unfolded in suspense and real pleasure.

A great mix of romance style literature with a mystery story that rocks the reader into real excitement

Overall, ALLUDE TO MURDER is a great story full of passion, sizzle and chilling suspense. No wonder Affaire de Coeur Magazine rated this book with a 5-star review!
After courageous American teacher, Lindsay Forester, saves the life of a young Turkish man in Berlin, she ends up hiding the rare Eastern Orthodox icon he took off a dead Serb agent. Jahvet Kahveci, the young Turk's older brother, meets Lindsay and disregards her wariness of his dark and enigmatic demeanor, declaring himself her protector. He adores her and is so persistent and irresistible that her heart stumbles. Yet, cultural bias inhibits her trust.
They are sucked into a smuggling scheme designed to re-ignite war in Eastern Europe, and Jahvet is hard-pressed without trust to save Lindsay from those who would kill for the icon, including the extremist Muslim smugglers and Serb secret agents who stalk her, alluding to murder.

This is the best mystery novel I've read in ages. I've been telling everyone about it primarily because it's great, and also because it has a truly awesome FEMALE protagonist. It's pretty hardboiled; what this lady goes through is really over the top. A friend in the small press industry recommended it, which I like, because we miss so many good books that aren't widely distributed. Best of the year for me, though.

The Angels Fell is excellent reading. It is one of the best books I've read in a long time. In my opinion, this author rates right at the top of the list with authors such as, John Grisham, Stephen King, and Agatha Christy. This book is difficult to put down. I am the type of reader that will stop reading a book after the first few chapters if my interest is not "peaked." Mr. Rush's writing is of the caliber to hold one's attention and keep you coming back for more. I look forward to reading more of his work. When's the next book due out? I can hardly wait!!!!

"The Angels Fell" is fantastic and Marty's my hero! A believable character who has flaws and pitfalls but comes back. The other characters were very alive and believeable. One thing I dislike about these books is that they can be comicbook, which this is not. Marty's like a cross between dark Angel, Xena, and the gal in "witchblade", but human. There's a great excerpt from the second (not out yet) Marty novel (which I can't wait for!) in the back of the book. An excellent female character.