Serial Killers Books

This is one of the most boring books I have ever wasted my money on. It is nothing but one long court transcript. It's as if the author couldn't be bothered actually writing the story, but got lazy and used the transcripts instead. I would recommend this book if you are into self torture or need a sleeping pill.

I realize that Hometown Killer is this author's first published work, but a little research will tell you that true crime readers do NOT wish to read the transcripts...we want the story! Please don't copy verbatim the police and court transcripts, add in a few personal quips and observations and then slap your name on a cover and call it true crime. Quite frankly, just as much information is online; no need to buy the book if this is what it's going to be.

That aside, there is actually a good story in this book. It details the sad tale of the murders of Martha Leach and Phree Morrow, both preteen girls living in Springfield, Ohio. Unfortunately, their fate would have them crossing paths with a sadistic, psychotic killer named William Sapp; who, as the reader comes to learn, is a warped serial killer of sorts.

I wouldn't recommend this book. Because of the transcripts, it is difficult to get into the story, learn the players involved, etc. It's just not worth the time.

Was recommended. Very disappointed. More than half the book was just copied from the transcripts. The story line is an excellent true crime subject but needs to be more detailed for reading pleasure and less repetition of duplicate conversations.

Although this was the first book written by this author, I feel she did an exceptional job of telling this story. I'm appreciative that someone took the time to tell the stories of those loved ones that were lost to this insane madman. The book has made me understand what really went on in my hometown. Thanks Carol for all your hard work and dedication.

I highly recommend "Hometown Killer" by Carol J. Rothgeb; a true life multiple murder case that is an excellent example of "truth being stranger than fiction"! A behind the scenes look into the psychological process used by police detectives to try and get to the truth. I was tremendously impressed with their professionalism, intelligence and compassion.
Some scenes in the book will leave you in shock, anger and disbelief that a human being could possibly do such things to another human being, seemingly without conscience, and all the while living a parallel life that appeared to be "normal". It is a chilling lesson also about the necessity of being ever vigilant around strangers no matter how charming and harmless they may appear to be on the surface.
I applaud the author's focus in being able to sift and sort through a massive amount of documented information to bring it together into a very readable book. Once I got past the preliminary setup of a very large cast of characters, which seemed a little overwhelming (but necessary), I could hardly put this book down! And being in a reading group made for some insightful and interesting discussion as well. A very fine effort and a very fitting public tribute to the key detectives in the case.

My first review of this book was given 3 years ago and I would still have to say that the graphic photo's displayed in this book are incredible personal and hurtful to any of the loved one's involved. I just happened to be in a local drug store one day and came across this book. My brother was one of the victims. I have always been fascinated with true crime books and I don't in the least view myself as being naive, but as I was viewing the book, I came across some horrific photo's of my brother and the other victims. I've never seen a book quite like this. The author could've placed a warning on the cover and notified the families. The only good thing that came out of this tragedy are all the e-mails I've received from readers offering their condolences and prayers. I thank all of you for showing me that the world is full of caring people. Hopefully, as I finish my book of the life of my big brother Robert Sheldon, we will open the hearts of many and possibly prevent the young readers from getting involved in the evil lifestyle that surrounds people like R. Berdella.

One of the most detailed true crime books I have ever read. In this case, the killer kept detailed logs of his torture and took photographs, some of which are included in this book. An in-depth look at the police investigation, the horrible crimes, the victims' lives, and the legal process. I could not put the book down. It is highly recommended for true-crime fans.

I picked this book up in a bargain bin. As I started to read it, I was quite shocked by the graphic details and disturbing pictures in this book. Other reviewers have said this book is insensitive and biased. Although I understand this point, I disagree. If you truly want to examine the depravity of serial murderers, you have to know the details of their crimes to be able to understand the things of which these people are capable. In addition, other reviewers have charged the authors with being homophobic. I did not find this to be the case. Rather, the authors did expose how the homophobia of the KC police dept. affected their investigations and their handling of the victims and Berdella.

Unfortunately, the victims' families are undoubtedly hurt by the openly graphic nature of this book. However, the pictures in this book provide faces to these men IN pain and agony, which reinforces to the reader that they are PEOPLE, not just names. Of all the books I have read on serial killers, this one portrays serial killers as the TRULY sick, evil, emotionless, empty, disgusting, depraved, sub-human beings they are. It does not elavate them to the sensationalist, almost cult-hero iconistic status as do many books, movies, etc...

While I enjoy true crime books, I found the pervasive homophobia of the authors detracted from the book as a whole. I never find true crime authors making disparaging remarks about the heterosexual community based on, say, the actions of Ted Bundy. Yet their book is rife with condemnation for the entire gay community though I suppose it did provide a service in showing just how homophobic the KCPD is as a rule.

I read Mike Sheldon's review and was very touched. I just finished reading the book and I feel that the victims and their families have experienced unbelievable atrocities. I wish I could reach out to the families and offer my heartfelt sorrow for their loss. I would caution readers of the very graphic photographs and the horrific details described in the book. I felt physically ill while reading the accounts of each crime. I read many true crime novels but none were quite this grotesque.

I was so looking forward to this book, as it purports to offer new information about some of my favorite cases...well, the information is new, but only because it largely consists of wild conjecture & speculation, not fact. Why not just come out & say that aliens were responsible (& while you're at it, they probably killed JFK, as well)? The book does contain photos & material not seen elsewhere, but the fantastic stretches it goes to trying to establish a link between some of these crimes are laughable. In the Notes (there are no references, which should have warned me about the quality of scholarship), it becomes apparent that the author has drawn primarily on popular books, newspaper accounts, & Internet sites to formulate his theories, not police reports or any official documents, running the risk of perpetrating errors & myths. Terribly shoddy work & a total disappointment!

This book includes some gory pictures and vivid accounts of some gruesom unsolved murders but the factual accounts presented by the author follow in the footsteps of the killer. Several other theories about the murder of the Black Dahlia seem a little far fetched. Rasmussen's theory seems not only logical but also believable. His in depth research about the Phantom Killer of Texarkana and the Zodiac Killer are fascinating! I highly recommend this book and look forward to future page turners by Mr. Rasmussen..in my opinion his evidential discoveries and knowledge on these monsterous men are on an expertise level.

Aftering reading Corroborating Evidence II I found it to be extremely interesting. The possible connections Mr. Rasmussen makes between the Cleveland Torso Murders and the murder of the Black Dahlia, along with the possible connections between the Phantom Killer of Texarkana and the Zodiac Killer, are compelling to say the least. Why didn't anyone pick up on these connections before? Mr Rasmussen is on an amazing track and in my eyes may just solve these puzzling crimes. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading famous unsolved true-crime.

I read Rasmussen's first book several months ago and liked it and decided to give the seond book a try. In the first book Rasmussen names Jack Anderson Wilson as the main suspect in the Cleveland Torso Murders, as well as, the Black Dahlia. He points out that in 1937 a lady in the Cleveland Workhouse told Detective Orley May that the person who was committing the Cleveland Torso Murders was a former butcher and sodomist by the name of Jack Wilson. Several years later in Los Angeles one of the suspects in the Black Dahlia case is named Jack Anderson Wilson and he is also a former butcher and sodomist. It seems very strange that this person is named in two separate cases several states away but not impossible. Afterall the cases are separated by 20 years and a serial killer does not stop killing just because he re-located. Apparently this man moved from on place to another because he was originally from Canton Ohio.

In the second book Rasmussen finds connections between the Zodiac Killer and the Phantom Killer of Texarkana. When the Phantom Murders were being committed a letter was sent to the step-father of one of the victims. The letter was typed in all capital letters as if to signify an urgent situtation. It seems that all of the Phantom Killer's letters were typed this way and mention "there will be more." In the Zodiac case there was letter sent to the victim father typed in all capital letters and included the phrase "there will be more." It seems to me that this was the first time anyone mentioned the similar letter styles and content connecting the two cases. There are other similarities in the book connecting the two cases like show size, cloth-hood over the head, etc... Rasmussen does not come out and say that only one person committed the crimes he describes but he does present new information that may be beneficial in solving these murders. For example, Rasmussen compares the "bus bomb" drawing the Zodiac drew to a sewing machine. This seemed a little far fetched to me until I read the reasoning behind it. If this intrigues you pick up a copy of the book for yourself or a loved one.

Despite the supposed "corroborating evidence" provided by the author, there is absolutely nothing to connect the Phantom Killer of Texarkana to the Zodiac killer. "Corroborate" is defined as that which 'gives or represents evidence of the truth of something' and there is not one example of evidence provided in Rasmussen's book to even suggest that there's any truth connecting these two, still-at-large, serial killers. First of all, Rasmussen uses some letters written to the stepfather of one of the Phantom Killer's victims and compares them to letters written by the Zodiac. This would be a fine approach if in fact it was known whether or not the letters were actually written by the Phantom Killer, but there's absolutely no proof whatsoever that the letters in question were written by the killer, so what's the point in comparing them? Rasmussen also tries to draw a parallel between these supposed letters from the Phantom Killer to a letter sent to the father of a young woman who was murdered in Riverside, CA. in 1966. However, this victim may not have been murdered by the Zodiac Killer, and it has long been the Riverside Police Department's assertion that she wasn't. Therefore, Rasmussen is not making just one leap in his logic, but several: The Phantom Killer may or may not have written the letters to the murdered victim's stepfather, and the Zodiac may or may not have written the letters to the Riverside victim's father, and may not have even committed that particular crime. Secondly, Rasmussen also notes that both killers wore hoods over their heads when they committed their crimes, but the fact of the matter is that the Zodiac only wore a hood at one crime scene and definitely didn't wear a hood during the commission of at least two other crimes where there were either eyewitnesses or a surviving victim to convey what the killer looked like. Thirdly, the Phantom Killer sexually assaulted and or violated his victims in ways which the Zodiac was never known to do. Rasmussen also points out that both killers had a similar shoe size, the Phantom's being anywhere from 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 and the Zodiac's being approximately 10 1/2. So what? All that this comparison does is narrow the suspect list down to something like 25,000,000 or more. This is hardly "corroborating evidence," as the author suggests. Finally, if the eyewitnesses in the Zodiac case are to be believed when they claimed that the Zodiac was between the ages of 35 and 45 in 1969, are we really supposed to believe that the Phantom Killer of Texarkana was as young as 12 years old when he started his rampage in 1946? It seems kind of strange, and is also very telling, that Rasmussen is willing to ignore this fact. Furthermore, given Rasmussen's bibliography, it's obvious that the only source of research that was used in his study of the Zodiac was a book written by a discredited political cartoonist who was once found guilty of plagiarism. Essentially, this is sloppy research of the highest order. How can Rasmussen claim that he's found "corroborating evidence" when he never even bothered to verify the veracity of the discredited political cartoonist's claims? On page 214 of Rasmussen's book he writes, "In different attacks in California in 1969, the Zodiac wore a hood over his head that did not interfere with his vision and he used a rifle with a flashlight attached to the barrel, thus freeing the other hand." As already explained above, it's only known for sure that the Zodiac wore a hood at one of his crimes, and it was black, not white like the Phantom Killer's was. The Phantom Killer wore a white hood at a number of his crimes. Secondly, the Zodiac never used a rifle to commit any of his crimes, he always used a pistol and at one crime scene used a knife and, unlike the Phantom Killer of Texarkana, the Zodiac never sexually assaulted any of his victims. It's this type of uninformed authorship that gives true crime writers a bad name. If you, as a reader, are interested in spending money on a book that blatantly ignores a plethora of facts in order to propagate an absurd theory, then this book is for you. On the other hand, if you are interested in reading a book that forms its conclusions using hard facts, then this book is to be ignored at all costs.

This book has very little information in it. It doesn't tell the reader anything. At least it does have pictures.

Author Flowers know where of she speaks--the mind of the serial killer. I have admired her other true crime sagas but I think this is her best. Definitely required reading for anyone who wants to understand the tortured pysche of those predators among us or, sadly, to truly understand American society at the close of the last and the beginning of the new century.

This book was disjointed, unorganized, and boring. I felt as though I were reading the notes an author makes before writing a book rather than the book itself.

It's not only exploitative but first of all BORING and very badly written. Even a TV news coverage of Long's story is better.

When my club read this book, we realized that it was a guide in forensic detection with a detailed police procedure. A heavy subject, but it was presented in a very readable manner. Our daughers certainly benefited in knowing how Bobby Joe Long lured his victims. We thought it was an excellent true crime offering.

What is it about the human mind that makes us have a morbid curiosity about death, particularly violent death. I for one don't know, but it is there in a great majority of human beings and I seemingly am no different to anyone else. I approached this book with more than a little trepidation but after reading a dozen or so pages, I found it hard to put down.

The book and author claim that 21st. century investigation methods have at last solved the Whitechapel murders. I personally found it inconclusive. The author puts forward a well structured and well thought out case but I personally feel that the timescale is against any investigation. I am sure that there may have been compelling evidence at the time of the murders, evidence that was either discounted, or never written down by incompetent, or by today's standard, poorly trained officers. Other books on the Ripper have intimated that because of who, or what these women were, their deaths were not taken seriously enough by the police, until that is they realised they had a serial killer to deal with.

I found the book a really interesting, if unhealthily morbid read. Perhaps the time scale of one hundred years plus took some of the brutality away from the deaths of these poor unfortunate women, I am not sure. What I do know is that there will always be a fascination with Jack the Ripper, whoever he was . . .

I am a Londoner, grew up interested in the JtR case, I am also the spouse of a retired cop, so I know something of law enforcement protocols. I've read alot of books about this case, last one before this was Patricia Cornwell's work. Hers was a great read, but I felt she had forced some facts to fit her theory and I was not entirely convinced. I liked this book. I liked the fact this author considered all the traditional suspects, he gave the impression he was not trying to make facts fit any one of them in particular. This book gave an impression of impartiality which was refreshing. The long coroner reports could have been edited down for ease of reading. The cover picture suggests modern forensics would be a part of the study, when actual forensic samples are not available, hence the 4 star review instead of 5. Many enthuesiasts will be disappointed that long held beliefs such as the authenticity of the Ripper Letters is dismissed. Many enthuesiasts will hate any book that does not fit their idea of who was guilty of these murders. No 21st century forensics here, just old fashioned impartial detective work - that is a compliment by the way! If you are interested in examining what actually happened back then, and you are not totally stuck on who you think must have done it, then this is a must read.

this book is a complete and total rip-off. the publishers blurb tauts new victims and a new suspect. in reality the "new" victims are old news and their new suspect is a flat out lie there is no new suspect only a vague theory about the ripper being a seaman which is also old news. save your money there is literally nothing to this book but a well written and misleading publishers blurb.

After reading a review that gave a five-star rating to this utter disappointment of a Ripper book I was compelled to write a few words of my own. Having been an enthusiast on the Ripper case for some fifteen years and collecting all the books on the subject I considered worthwhile I have to say that "JtR: The 21st Century Investigation" by Trevor Marriott was one of the worst I've come across (which is saying a lot remembering all the Harrison/Cornwell -style achievements). It reveals absolutely nothing new of the case, no 'ignored facts' whatsoever.

Anyone who has read "The Ultimate JtR Sourcebook" (which definitely reveals everything you need to know about the coroners inquests and all other official files, newspaper articles and such authentic material), or Philip Sugdens excellent "The Complete History of JtR" will find very little rewarding in this book. Mr Marriotts deductions throughout the book sound more or less vague: "Martha Tabram is not considered by many to be among the Ripper victims, but to my opinion she might as well have been one", and so on. Every basic fact, speculation and reference is offered in a very matter-of-fact, uninterested and selective style.

Keeping in mind that the theory of JtR being a sailor, and thus being able to avoid capturing more easily was put forth already in 1888 and countless times since, mr Marriotts 'discovery' on the final pages of the book seems hardly worth the trouble. His tireless search of all the vessels whose arrivals and departures on the numerous docks of London and vicinity coincide with the time of the murders gives us dozens of ships from England, Germany, Holland etc, all of which have more than insufficient crew lists to begin with.

In the end the reader is left with a feeling not unfamiliar to the spirit of the book in general - "Okay, JtR might have been a sailor on one of those ships, then again he might not have..."

Whether you are an expert or a novice on the Ripper case I seriously doubt that you can find anything of true interest in this book. To me it was both a waste of time and money.

Not without interest but many of the conclusions pompously put forth by Mr. Marriot are hardly convincing. Indeed the leaps of logic made by the author, a former police detective, rather worry me about the competence of the police in general. And while claiming he looked at the evidence with lofty impartiality it seems clear he views the evidence through the prism of his theory that a merchant seaman committed the crime and moulds the evidence to fit his foreordained conclusion.

Particularly weak is the final section when he pins the crime on one Carl Feigenbaum, who indeed did commit a murder but one that seems to me to have little relation to the crimes of Jack the Ripper. He also tries to tie him into all sorts of murders around the world based on newspaper accounts of murders that were considered (however arbitrarily) to be like the Whitechapel murders. The fact that he can't even prove his suspect was even in the appropriate countries doesn't deter his arrogant certainty that he has finally unmasked Jack. Thus his remarks at the end of the book that he is the only one to look uncritically at the evidence and to have solved the case for everyone but those obsessed with the mystery of the case comes across as both as feeble and unintentionally revealing of his own foibles.

Still not worthless, though by all accounts that are better books on the subject out there.

This is the WORST book I have ever read in my life. Riddled with discrepancies, the author felt the egotistical heroism to change the name of some of the victims (which are readily available to anyone who wants to research them anyway) all this book does is irritate and confuse those who are already familiar with the Night Stalker case. Even some of the names he DIDN'T try to cover up, he got wrong. The suspect's sister, as one example. The author is obviously biased and will make underhanded cheap shots at Mr.Ramirez at any open opportunity. It's childish and disgusting and makes for a terrible read, completely un-educational, the false facts poison the entire story. Mr.Linedecker couldn't even get the number of siblings Richie had/has correct, he consistantly goes back to change the "facts" he had already mentioned and gotten incorrect (such as how a victim had been killed, going from shooting an incorrect number of times, to stabbing). Falsified information, he repeats himself endlessly, skips details altogether, and just plain makes things up. I have zero respect for this author, this was an uninteresting read through and through. Before I had even begun, I was curious how someone could fully cover a subject like this with so few pages, and the answer is--you can't. I felt as if I was reading the rough draft of an awful story that a 5th grader had written, I hope the author didn't get paid for this piece of trash. Take this one out of the 'true crime' section and file this one under FICTION, in the bargain bin.

If you want the real deal, please, I cannot beg you enough, read Night Stalker by Philip Carlo. He's a brilliant author who spent over 100 hours talking with Richard Ramirez himself. I trust that he got all the information he possibly could, as close to truth as humanly possible. He's creative with his words, expresses environments in such a way you can nearly feel it, and most importantly he isn't biased. He brings us enlightenment on every area of the subjects life, this book provides a wonderful insight into the killers mind, and puts you right there in the action.

Leave Linedecker's garbage in the trash, where it belongs.

A hispantic man in the Los Anglos area goes around killing people. He tortures, mutilates and kills many innocent people for his own pleasure. He does this things to "please Satan". He makes his victems swear to satan that they won't scream. Richard Rameriez is the killer. He leaves the pentagon (a satanic symbol) in each victems house. His man target is Asian people. He only does these things to the people in a one story house and that live close to a highway. When he is caught he admits to his crimes and he feels no remorse for what he has done. He is proud of what he has done.

"I'm your night prowler, break down your door
I'm your night prowler, crawling 'cross your floor
I'm your night prowler, make a mess of you, yes i will
Night prowler, and i am telling this to you
There ain't nothing you can do"

AC-DC's "Night Prowler" (1979)

From to 17 March to 8 August 1985, fourteen people were murdered and mutilated, with others surviving horrific ordeals. This was a serial killer, who in the case of couples, killed the man first, and if the woman was lucky, her too, as many left alive suffered even more. What initially puzzled the LA police was that the victims cut across race lines. Even though the first victims were Oriental or East Asian, the addition of dead Anglos put paid that theory. But what set the killings apart from the usual convenience store shootings was their sheer savagery, as one of the victims had her eyes plucked out. Another victim bravely spoke to him after her ordeal so she could remember his face should he be caught.

Clifford Linedecker's account of Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, is a well-detailed account that takes the reader from the first victim, to his being sentenced to death by a California jury, and even a to-date postscript, showing that he is still on death row.

The book delves into more than just the killings themselves. Linedecker explains the race and population demographics in LA as a background. LA is such a racially diverse place, that various race groups formed their own enclave in the metropolis, such as the Japanese and Chinese in Cerritos, the Thais and Salvadorans in Hollywood Hills, and Mexicans in east. It's also such an economic powerhouse that it could be an independent country if it chose.

Night Stalker also details the working of the press and how things haven't changed since the days of Al Capone and Bonnie and Clyde, that of making killers into heroes. In this case, it was the Los Angeles Herald Examiner that gave Ramirez his well-known monicker, The Night Stalker. And the methodology used by detectives in tracking down serial killers-Wayne Williams and the Atlanta Child Murders is used as the example-is included.

If anything, Ramirez turned LA residential areas into fortresses. Demand for guns, security systems, fences, and guard dogs skyrocketed, Neighbourhood Watches sprouted like duckweed, and any unfamiliar person in the neighbourhood were reported. In fact, one husband gave his wife a cyanide pill should the Night Stalker break in, figuring that death was better than what he would do to her. But what also amazed me was the relative laxness in home security. Ramirez entered via unlocked doors. Why not just put a sign on the door saying "Hey, Night Stalker, kill and torture me"?

Another chapter delves into the clues and how they weave into past history and the prevalent pop culture. Ramirez's AC-DC cap fuelled the fire of heavy metal being the devil's music, and all amid the teen suicides that took place because parents blamed albums by Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest. In fact, "Night Prowler" from AC-DC's Highway To Hell album was made the Night Stalker's anthem. Another is the pentagram drawn on one of the victims. There follows a brief discussion on the devil-worshipping and the Knights Templar. At least Linedecker gets accurate Anton LaVey's sect that they don't sacrifice animals or people.

The final section deals with the trial, which took three and a half years of legal juggling on the side of the defense. Ramirez wasn't the most genteel of defendants, his outrageous behaviour resulting in his removal from the courtroom.

A well-documented account of one of the U.S.'s most notorious serial killers.

The Night Stalker has the tendency to keep you on the edge of your seat. There's no way possisble to not finish this book. You will learn more about what happened in LA in this one book than anywhere else. It is very detailed in what had happened to all his victims and it puts you in the victim's families place. I highly recommend this book but only if you're into true crime.

Not what I would call a well written book.

Not even what I would call a factual book.

That being said, I'd suggest that if Richard Ramirez fascinates you, and you wish to learn more about him and the crimes that he committed pick up a copy of Philip Carlo's book "The Night Stalker: the life and crimes of Richard Ramirez". Carol's book is a much better documented account of Ramirez, due in part, because Carlo actually interviewed Ramirez numerous times.

If you really don't care that the information is correct or you just want a macabe story to read, then by all means, get this book. Otherwise, buy Carlo's book, you'll be happy you did.

John Lutz has wom the Edgar and Shamus awards, so I'm assuming he's written much better stuff than this, a routine tale of a serial killer who burns people alive. The interplay between the investigating officers was not realistic at all, and the parade of suspects muddies the waters to no good effect. The officers also seemed to have a surprising lack of insight into the workings of the criminal mind, an unforgiveable sin in these days of psychological profiling. The serial killer is a sympathetic character, but we get little insight into his background and motivations.

The book is not up to the high standard set by Lutz's earlier novels.

As an avid fan of serial killer tales, I have read some very poor efforts at suspense. While this book is not absolutely dreadful, it was a bit of a disappointment.
The character of Ben Stack is a cliche among suspense novels: hardened, tough, and estranged from his wife. Detective Rica Lopez does display some creative insights as a character but was left underdeveloped throughout the book. Also, Lutz describes her office behavior as, well, slutty.
The adversary the NYPD cops are tracking down, is the Torcher. A mad, pyromaniac who delights in tying people up and setting them ablaze. Right from the start, it's apparent this killer is following some sort of agenda, but due to the constant backstories and time-changing, it becomes a complicated mess. The one red herring is drawn out relentlessly by the author. While the ending was a suprise and did provide an exlamatory,"No Way!" that wasn't enough to rescue the rest of the book from mere mediocrity.

The wealthy are dying in Manhattan. A serial arsonist is setting their bodies on fire and watching as they burn to death. On the trail of the killer are NYPD Detectives Ben Stack and Rica Lopez. The killer is aware of their presence and calls them to alert them to the killing and to prevent the fire from spreading any further. They desperately must seek the identity of the killer and discover what the victims have in common, if anything.
John Lutz is a veteran mystery writer with many previous books published. He has previously won the Edgar for a short story in 1987. The experience is quite evident in both the pacing and the rhythm of the story. Events move seamlessly and inexorably to the conclusion which is both clever and surprising. Ben and Rica, the main protagonists, are engaging. Other characters are well portrayed but lack the emotional depth of these two. The story is rapidly paced. It is a very impressive work and well worthy of the Edgar nomination.

Well written Edgar nominated (Best Original Paperback) "Night Watcher" is brisk, yet moody; well paced and quirky. This is not your standard serial killer outing.

Ben Stack, legendary homicide detective and his assistant Rita Lopez are assigned a grisly case. A man while bound has been torched in his own New York high-rise apartment. The crime took place in the kitchen and apparent safeguards have been taken to keep the fire from spreading. The victim was a bachelor with no apparent enemies and well fixed financially. There are virtually no clues. Another almost identical killing takes place. The tension racks up not only for the police, but also for the fire department who fear that if these fires get out of control, it could be a catastrophe. It is impossible to effectively fight a fire over the 10th story level. The net widens to take in more suspects, but the killer seems invincible. The climax is a nail-biter; their main suspect could also be the next victim on the list.

Mr. Lutz tells his story in a crafty manner with effective flashbacks, foreshadowing and glimpses into the killer's thought processes. The characterizations are sharp, though Lt. Ben is a little wooden. Assistant Rita never misses a trick to force her way into Ben's affections. No retiring flower here!

Contrary to previous reviews, I believe the story is well told and in a convincing manner. The information on high-rise fires is not only interesting, but also instructive. There are bits of humor in the interactions of the various characters, slyly placed and well presented. There are a few loose ends (how did the killer gain entry?), but they are minor. "Night Watcher" is well worth your time.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer

This is now the third of Levenda's books I have read and the second in this particular series. As other reviewers have noted, by the end of this edition, the author's leftist political views and anti-Catholic epistemological perspective overwhelm the narrative to the point that credibility suffers. This is really rather sad, as Levenda is a talented writer, who has done, evidently, some significant research. Unfortunately, it becomes hard to take an author seriously who quite rightly attacks the Bush clan, whilst holding the hideous Clintons above reproach, and worse, misses no opportunity to villify the Church, while smiling at Wicca. The hypocricy is really breathtaking.

Understand that, in the corpus of this text, there is much that is worthwhile, certainly entertaining, and well presented. It is simply that the dictates of scrupulosity and exactitude cry out for better balance.

This volume ends, as did the last, not with a bang, but with a whimper. In fact, Levenda's last paragraph is, in its entirety, a quote from "The Book of Ceremonial Magic", of all things. We are left wondering as to the efficacy of picking up the next volume in the series. There is much else that cries out to be read. We may read the next in volume, if only in the hope that some sense of balance can be restored. But this may be another example of the triumph of hope over experience.

Good sequel to the first book, excellent research throughout, the only complaint is that it can be a tough read at times.

The author has done his homework into American history and polictics. Some of which is not all pretty. It show the thread of sinister forces that have been running in the country since the very begining of this nation. If your a conspiracy buff or not this book will get you thinking.

The author of Unholy alliance and Sinister Forces-The Nine, did not write this book. If he did it was another personality. Did he double? Like he claims so many have or could have? Maybe the Nazi's did get him in South America, and wiped his memory, if not the nazi's, then someone did. This book was slop. Almost as if someone else wrote it. Some adolescent.
The other reviewers are correct, BIASED is plain language. How he can blast the RNC while no mention of the filthy treacherous dirty deals of the DNC, or a reason to praise the Clinonistas is beyond belief. They are BOTH dirty. There was no honesty here. I guess with all his research ability, he chose selective or "erased" the memory of Mena Arkansas!

It was a sloppy FLUFF center to his oreo "Grimore". Which in book one led you to believe he had a premise that would lead somewhere. Ramblings on message boards are better written. The author of Unholy Alliance did not write this book.
Disgusted. ROBBED.

regarding charges of political bias, i agree ... but i prefer these biases (unavoidable, really) to be out in the open rather than concealed behind a veneer of journalistic "neutrality." writers have Perspectives: file Levenda and Alex Constantine under Relatively Left and, i dunno, Michael Hoffman and William Cooper under Generally Right. as a reader i try to get as many viewpoints on a subject as possible ... and in the case of "A Warm Gun," i found the focus on Richard Mellon Scaife a welcome relief from Conservative Media's very public obsession with George Soros. the material on Jim Jones and Pat Robertson ("Operation Blessing," indeed!) were likewise enjoyed.

Read Maggie Shayne's Wings in the Night trilogy? Want to hear more about her vampire heroes? Well, this book does offer the opportunity - at least, in part. But it falls far short of the original Wings in the Night stories and of the initial follow-up volume, At Twilight.

In this collection, we have a new novella, Run from Twilight, and another reissue, Twilight Vows. In Run from Twilight, Mary is being targetted by a serial killer. Michael Grey appears from nowhere, it seems, and he claims that he's protecting Mary - but is he the killer? Michael is a vampire who was mortally wounded at the height of Al Capone's `reign' in Chicago, but he was transformed at the point of death by Cuyler Jade of Beyond Twilight. The most melodramatic point of this book is when Michael's wife, Sally, shoots herself in front of him, apparently unable to reconcile herself either to his death or to his `resurrection' as a vampire.

The Michael and Mary story certainly has its moments, and it was intriguing to see that the investigation organisation Mary contacts is run by Maxine, Lou and Stormy, the more likeable characters from Twilight Hunger. Disappointingly, still Shayne hasn't furthered the romantic plot regarding Lou and Maxine. Anyway, I was enjoying Michael and Mary's story until suddenly - WHAM - it was over, at a point where I was expecting at least 20 more pages to finish the romance and the general storyline in a more satisfying manner.

Twilight Vows, the reissue, is set in Ireland - and it's advisable to read this *before* reading Twilight Hunger, given the major spoiler in Hunger which affects this novella. Rachel Sullivan has been fascinated all her life by the legend of the two vampires who once lived in the castle. However, she never expected that one of them, at least, was still alive. So when Donovan O'Roark walks into her pub, she is astounded. Even then, though, she takes him for a descendant of the original Donovan - until, after she follows him to the castle and wangles herself an invitation to stay the night, she discovers the truth: he really is a vampire.

Like most American authors writing Irish characters, Shayne wildly exaggerates Irish speech rhythms and dialect; as an Irish person I felt embarrassed reading it. No-one says `Lord `a mercy'; the expression is `Lord have mercy'. Many of her other faintly-phonetic renderings fall short of the mark. And I wonder who advised her on Irish names? Donovan is never, in Ireland at any rate, used as a first name; it is a surname. And Donovan's surname is properly spelt O'Roarke.

Again, as with Run from Twilight, this novella was over-short. Donovan went from denying that Rachel meant anything to him to realising that he loved her in far too short a time, and we saw nothing about his own feeling about her in years gone by, given that he'd watched over her since her childhood. Shayne did this much better with regard to Eric and Tamsin in Wings in the Night. Again, the story needed another 20 pages or so at the end to finish it properly, too.

Overall, this collection needed at least another 50 pages to be worthwhile. The stories in Wings in the Night worked because they were long enough to cover what needed to be covered; the romances were satisfying, and we also saw more of the characters in later books, which equally helped to round off the stories. These novellas, as well as being too short, gave us far too little of characters from earlier books (nothing at all in Twilight Vows), so that hook wasn't present either.

A very disappointing sequel, just as Shayne's Twilight Hunger, her first novel-length story - was disappointing. I just hope that her latest offering, Embrace the Twilight - another novel-length story, is better!

wmr-uk

can't agree more--I love the series and, for that reason only, will keep this one, but not up to the previous standards. Recommend the other Twilight titles and skip this one.

The first book I read by this author was Blue Twilight...it had me wanting more. I looked through Amazon to find ANY of her books and was very surprised to see such an extended list.

I have been trying for over a year to find her books, of which there is a series, and have been disappointed several times. But, when Amazon finally was able to offer her books and had them available, I purchased as many as I could.

Two by Twilight is an excellent read. But, anyone who wants to get the whole story must be able to start with the first in the series to find out who belongs and who doesn't.

Please, if you like fiction which will keep you at the edge of your seat, get the Maggie Shayne Twilight series and enjoy!!

This book is good but unnecessary for the progression of the series. These characters don't really reoccur in the rest of the series --with the exception of Donovan in the book Edge of Twilight (and that is just a bit part you don't need to read this book to understand it). These stories are good just for the enjoyment of the vampire series but the only story I liked is the first one. I can't ever seem to get through the second.

I really loved this book because it was very page turning for me. It had everything that I like to read. Mystery, murders, and very passionate. I feel that as I read the book, I can imagine myself living the story. When I read the second story I realized that I started reading with an Irish accent. The first story gave me chills as I read the decriptions of how Micheal was looking at Mary, and the description of how people died. I found that I couldn't put the book down. Even though very short books every page made me imagine more than I probably should have.

This book takes you on a rollercoaster ride of feelings and emotions. Anger,nausea,pity,anddisgust. The women in this book give detailed insight into their hellish encounters with a serial killer, and then are further violated by our court system. This story should empower all victims of crime to demand judicial change.

The courage of these three brave women personifies the plight of American women in a society of preditors.

This has to be the WORST "true crime" book that I have ever written. While giving credit to Lisa McVey and Susan Replogle (victims of the book's subject), this piece of work is nothing but disguised effort to toot the horn of the book's primary author, and actual writer, Joy Wellman.

Many of the ingredients typical of a true crime were missing from this book; such as details regarding trials, the investigation, many other victims, etc. The reader is provided pretty indepth detail about two victims, general information is provided about others, but some victims are mentioned only in passing. The remainder of the book focuses on the author and co-authors friendship, their desire to teach women to speak out against sexual crimes committed against them, and their lives following Bobby Joe Long, the convicted. And it for this reason that this book should be listed in the biography section versus the true crime category.

It is mind boggeling that three women are standing up to the Florida Supreme Court. A man who killed 9 women and raped women and children shouldn't be taking up so much time and money. Every time I remembered the story was true, I'm enraged. Still I couldn't put it down. Jane Bowen

One of the most poorly written books I've ever read. Dispite the serious subject matter, I found myself laughing aloud at the tortured prose, stilted dialogue and ridiculous non sequiturs -- not to mention the many grammatical errors. This lady needs an editor!