Serial Murder Books

Of the many, many books I have read on this topic (which is one of my areas of interests) this is book is by far the best one I have read. This would be, in my opinion the most complete, informative and unbiased work on the subject.
The book covers just about everything most readers would like covered on Serial Murder. It covers fact, fiction, history, definitions, in fact everything you could imagine. I could not believe just how much is packed into the 380 odd pages.
Not only is the book a wealth of knowledge on the subject (and many related areas eg Stalking, Insanity Defences) but is also loaded with 'Profiles' of many individuals (and teams) to illustrate the area under discussion. Many tables also provide interesting reading.
The book also looks at the phenomina of Serial Murder in countries other than the USA.
Another thing I really like is the way Hickey presents various aspects and theories. Hickey discusses all the theories, views etc along with their apparent strenghts and weaknesses. For example, other authors I have read flatly dump the FBI Psychological Profiling Model. Hickly presents all the pros and cons on the topic in a very unbiased manner.
This book is not just a good book, it is a great book. It is a 'must have' in your collection, if this is your area of interest or you really want to learn about it. If someone asked me for just one book to read on Serial Murder, this would be the one. It covers so many topics within a topic, yet it is concise and very readable. The average person with no knowledge on this topic would walk away with a good 'working knowledge'.
I have read the book twice and have now been drawn back to a third read.
I will now be searching for other works by this author and congratulate him on a 'classic'.

This is an excellent reference book, but what really makes it stand out is the "Mind of a Killer" CD-ROM included with it.

The videos and searchable information on the CD-ROM really bring the subject vividly to life. There documentaries on about a dozen famous cases with footage I'd never seen before including confessions made to police, interviews and courtroom scenes.

I was also impressed with the mapping system that plots the locations of different cases or types of cases with all kinds of search options.

After reviewing and studying the material within this cover, you will see life in a different way. We all want to see the good in people; As any physical realm, there is the duality from good to evil. What exactly happens when what we see the destructive nature of man? What makes the destructive destructive? Who are they? What do they think? Where do they come from? and What will they do next?
This book helped me to breeze through my serial and mass murder class ... AND actually lock onto possible perpetrators in real world scenarios.
After reading this book and studying the nature of homocide, you'll be analyzing everything through rational choice. When you walk down the street, youll look at everyone as you notice their demeanor and watch their subtle actions. You'll look at the small and obscure nuacnes in nature as you enhance your deductive reasoning. Most of all, you will build a base in whch to combat becoming a victim.
I highly recommend the first piece you read in this book to be (pg 278) "An Interview with a Male Serial Murderer". This passage will restrain you to read and study this work to its end if not for learning, but to possibly stop a tragedy such as this from happening to someone you love.
You should supplement this book with TV: A&E, Biography, and History Channels will suffice.

Being one of the lucky people in this world to study from Dr. Hickey at Fresno State, I consider this book and the Dr. to be two of the most amaizing sources of knowledge in this dark field. If you begin reading this book knowing nothing about the topic, you walk away being a sudo-expert in the field and study of Serial Killers

I am a graduate student of Dr. Hickey's at California State University, Fresno. I came to this institution specifically as a matter of curricula, and I must say that after a review of the literature both broad and exhaustive Dr. Hickey's book is the closest thing we have to the reality of our special killers' doctrine. What is most compelling about this piece of literature is the open mentality that is greatly lacking in nearly every other book out there. We have relied to a great extent on the works of the FBI and, in a much more aniquated way, the works of Freud and the general positivists.

This text is certainly a sociological treatise, but even more so it underlines the issues inherent in both criminology and a general study of human nature. What should be garnered from this read is what we DON'T know as compared to what we do. One must applaud Dr. Hickey for his ability to admit that the evaporative quality of this field of study is prevalent and must be dealt with.

Of particular interest is the discussion of the mythology surrounding "serial killers" and the true affect with which they operate. Take these things for what they are worth and you are left with many questions. I have no doubt in my mind that this was the objective of Dr. Hickey, and is ideally the objective of any social scientist. Those who wish to comprehend the nature of serial killers will not find all their answers here, but they may find some questions that our humanity dearly needs to be addressed; the most important part.

I was at a book store and recognized the name of the Author (a neighbor and friend). So I purchased the book and was mesmerized. As one who sided for the death penalty I went from for to ambivalent to against. Professor Diaz is a humble and brilliant man, gifted with humor and a perfect family. I never realized he had a book out (he never told me). I highly recommend it.

www.DrJosephDiaz.com
I wrote this book a few years ago, and was amazed at the response that followed. Within a year of its release readers from all over the world were contacting me to tell me that they were deeply affected by the book. I have to say that my intention wasn't to affect anyone, but to put down in words (to the best of my ability) what it looks, sounds, and feels like to sit inches away from a violent sociopathic killer as he is being executed. And, more importantly, what it feels like as a regular person off the street to watch a stranger being killed... and then share the horrible thoughts that come in the hours that follow. As a compassionate, Christian man, it was the most disturbing event in my life. It was, in so very many ways, unreal. I tried my best to capture that feeling and those thoughts in this book, and countless readers around the world have written to tell me that I succeeded.

This new edition of the book is updated in many, many ways. I noticed problems with the first book at once, but it had gained such a large audience that it was decided that we should leave it as it is. With this new edition, I've fixed the parts I didn't like, made needed corrections, changed the layout, and the cover to match the content of the book. You can find a description of the changes on the website WWW.DRJOSEPHDIAZ.COM

I'm very excited for this new book to be released, and again, I hope the book affects you in the same way that it did me to write it.

Joseph

I was the officer who arrested Mr. Castro in 1986 just after he murdered the man in Ocala. I was present during his interview when he described the murders he committed. I look forward to reading this book (ordered 9-10-07). Bobby Boatwright

This book is a cant put down type book. Things I hadn't known about various killers were in this book. This is a in debth acct of anything involving the killer, it breaks down everything for you, the different types of killers, ect. You may not read everything about a killer in the first part of the book but as you read on you are going to read more than enough on each one, even some you've never heard of, before I could finish the last couple of chapters I had gotten to the point that I couldn't read anymore about these people, the things they've done and everything was more than the human mind could absorb. I am a Christian and believe in the death penalty, as is the way God deals with this in the Old Testiment and for good reason, they can't pass on the horrible things they've done this way. After reading this book you understand no two killers are the same.

Edward Castro was a piece of work. He was a sociopathic serial killer who enjoyed his life of crime way too much. Professor Joseph Diaz is a Professor of Sociology who specializes in criminology and antisocial behavior, has a wife and kids, and is a very Christian man. Professor Diaz was also a person who used to be ambivalent about the death penalty. The Execution Of A Serial Killer is Professor Diaz' very personal story of how he came to watch Edward Castro executed by the State of Florida, and what effect this event had on his thinking. I was thoroughly involved with Diaz' physical and mental journey, and highly recommend this book, especially to those folks who are either ambivalent about the death penalty or pro-death penalty, but couldn't see themselves pushing the button personally.

The Kingsbury Run murders were gruesome and the killer seemingly mocked Cleveland, Ohio, Public Safety Director Eliot Ness in executing the perfect crime.

The crimes - still unsolved - were committed in the mid- to late-1930s with the victims surgically butchered; the heads, arms, legs and torsos cut by someone who seemingly had a medical expertise in removing body parts. Only three of the fourteen victims were ever identified.

Ness - who took center-stage in the investigation - was criticized for the inability in finding the killer. Police detective Peter Merylo actually believed that there were at least 40 murders in Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh, Pa., spanning three decades that were perpetrated by the individual.

Torso captures the frustration of Ness and the concerns of the public and city leaders while discussing the various theories and suspects. In as much a political as safety decision, Ness ended up raiding & burning several shantytowns in The Flats to clear out an area where it was felt the murderer could feast on any number of "nameless" victims.

According to The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, a film on the murders could be released in 2008. While that may bring new focus - and books - on the crime, Torso will surely remain an outstanding resource for those seeking an understanding of those frightening years.

Very good. Accurate, concise, and interesting. Could have used more elaboration on both the potential connected crimes and the Elliot Ness socialite nut goofiness. Best book on the Kingsbury Run Butcher yet.

In the 1930s over a dozen murders were attributed to the "Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run", a ravine that runs through Cleveland Ohio and contains this stream and railroad yards. Most of these bodies were unidentified: headless, the arms, legs, and torso were cut up by someone who knew anatomy or butchering. It was never solved, altho one suspect was made to confess, repudiated this confession, and then found a suicide in jail. Such serial murders were rare in America; earlier serial murderers did it for money and left this trail. No motive was ever established for these murders. Most sex murderers are the product of large cities, which have anonymous victims or perpetrators. Chapter Eleven summarizes these cases.

This book is about the later career of Eliot Ness. After Chicago, he was put in charge of the Alcoholic Tax Unit of norther Ohio. He cleaned out bootleggers, hitting a still every day. Organized crime made Cleveland a safe haven for criminals on the run. Corruption had spread everywhere; neighborhood crime had greatly increased. Harold Burton became mayor, and chose Eliot Ness as Director of Public Safety to oversee the police and firemen. (Burton later became a Senator, a friend of Truman, and was appointed to the Supreme Court.) The ineffectiveness of the police was due to widespread corruption and complacency. With Prohibition gone, Ness prosecuted gambling and union racketeering. Ness cultivated a good relationship with reporters, and got favorable publicity. He tried to purge corrupt policemen but was met with silence. Then a police captain was caught in a cemetery lot racket. Another owned a restaurant which fronted for a gambling room. The bodies found in Kingsbury Run highlighted the corruption.

Cleveland had been the worst city (after Los Angeles) for traffic deaths and injuries. Ness purged the traffic division, began arresting drunk drivers, prosecuted ticket fixing, gave harsher penalties for unpaid fines, and started tougher automobile inspections. Ness promoted traffic safety with a public awareness campaign. He began an Emergency Patrol with first aid training to reach any accident within two minutes. This cut traffic deaths by half, and he received national recognition. Some of the increased traffic fines were put back into the police budget. Squad cars now had two-way radios. A single phone call brought police assistance within 60 seconds. Ness was criticized for wasting tax dollars, but in one year overall crime dropped 38%, robberies by 50%! Public success was followed by private problems: divorce, late night socializing, stories of drinking.

Ness later resigned to join the Federal Social Protection Program during WW 2. Afterwards, he became a businessman but was not successful. His campaign for Mayor of Cleveland flopped. He later met Oscar Fraley and began to write his book. Just before its publication, Ness died of a heart attack; he never knew of its success.

Not long after his "Untouchables" days, Eliot Ness experienced many successes as Public Safety Director of Cleveland (OH). Unfortunately, capturing the 'Torso Murderer' was not among them. A relatively little known crime, this serial killer haunted Ness' time in Cleveland. This book is both a look at Ness himself after his Chicago accomplishments, and an examination of one of America's greatest unsolved serial killings. If you are interested in either subject, this is an excellent purchase.

The book's title is somewhat misleading us into believing that the 1930s `The Untouchables' character of Elliot Ness ran a serial killer investigation. Half this book is the life and times of Ness who happened to be Director of Public Safety in Cleveland while his skid row turned up mostly unidentifiable dismembered remains of vagrants, it was Ness who gained the most attention throughout the investigation by eventually burning down the homeless slums of the Kingsbury Run district in an attempt to clean out, tag, and fingerprint potential victims in the making, probably destroying the killer's Cleveland homeless hunting grounds, also a turning point event in Ness's career, a prohibitionist alcohol distillery buster, who once put away the national crime lord Al Capone, sadly failed systematically to progress his ratings with the city, eventually becoming involved in a hit and run accident that cost him an election run as Mayor, the over-hyped but none-the-less interesting account of Ness is all here, but maybe a little bit more than a seasoned non-crime fiction reader would care to expect, means you get only about 100 pages of the Torso investigation, where we concentrate on the city coroner Dr. Samuel Gerber and Detective Peter Merylo.

Ness comes into play now and again, obviously as a propaganda figurehead designed to play to the media, backfires most of the time he does appear by getting involved in the wrong thing at the wrong time, still had a very high success rate in exposing corruption, and did work on a number of highly constructive policies like getting kids off the streets and stressing the fight against disease, obviously behind the scenes worked with the ""good guy"" force heavies getting all the important political prohibition work done (alcohol prohibition was a failure not because alcohol is safe to use but because prohibition itself actually increases the prohibited drugs risks, usage rates and overall crime goes up because of it, a statistical fact). It is reading the situation of these same propaganda violent cops becoming cold case serial killer squads, even before the term serial killer was used, makes it an absurd situation of bad police management for the 21st century reader to contend with, and was the reason Ness went bust in the end and even more importantly, why the killer got away with so much in the first place.

Thus the investigation in Torso is not like any other, the cops are a different breed (just like out of a comic book meaning useless in real life) and the concept of `stranger killing' was not even present then. The classic book "The Complete History of Jack the Ripper by Philip Sugden" is based on the police records at Scotland Yard of the investigation at the end of the 19th century, news paper clippings and various memorandums that followed with surprising valid detail (all 500 pages of it). Torso reads like trying to find anything factual as if anyone except the leads could read, write or file reports, pounded and smashed their way across Cleveland in the hopes of stumbling across a sexual sadist who would suddenly admit to picking up homeless people, decapitating them with a large blade while they where asleep and or tying them up beforehand so they could not escape, a paraphiliac, expertly removed all the appendages after death with `knowledge of surgery' and bisected the body, sometimes used chemicals or freezers to keep his victims, would then wrap the pieces and begin his very strange dumping process which ranged from never-found victims, to victim's body parts appearing in the middle of the city for everyone to see, going to great lengths to leave two incomplete victims from different time periods together in the same spot, it stands to reason that Dr. Samuel Gerber and Detective Peter Merylo would give us a much better angle, and it is with the medical evidence that Gerber comes off as a sort of new-wave criminology serial killer expert, knowingly prevented other coroners from going near the victim's body parts, rightly asserts himself as a scientist in among all the investigative despair, leading some to suspect and challenge Gerber himself, after his conclusions that a recent severed leg was the work of the same hand, this statement exonerated various numbers of peoples who where obviously rotting in jail on suspicion of being the killer.

Merylo correctly guessed that the killer was somewhat mobile in the area and probably moved on after the killings that did not stop at #12, Merylo at the end of his career guessed that it was probably above forty. Dr. Francis E. Sweeney is the mystery Ness suspect not named in this book but the evidence is circumstantial at best. Gerber may have given the investigators a better idea of who there man was if he did not also subscribe himself to propaganda theories (druggie maniac). It is almost a certainty that if the investigators conducted better searches of abandoned train carts that they would have discovered the killer's `laboratory', a series of abandoned carts containing three different bodies that came from Youngstown after being there for almost a year, was almost certainly that unacknowledged lab of his, but Gerber did not examine these bodies. From the victims that could be identified all where prostitutes or homosexuals. The killer probably killed them away from his home, suggesting that he lived homelessly or with a family, certainly hung around the lower classes of society, befriended vagrants and some other loiterers who where happy enough to sleep with him in train carts (if this fact you are reading now had have been known at the start it would have probably prevented more death), resided in the general area and probably killed and mutilated several times before the first official Torso was found, meaning he learned his `surgical skill' that way.

He should have been caught earlier. Torso is a shallow account of the subject matter but still essential non-fiction crime literature.

Stephanie Stanley was a reporter for the Times-Picayune in New Orleans in 2002. She proves to be a talented true crime author with this book.

There is a common theme with some serial killers-an abusive petty criminal breaks the law with impunity and recieves little or no punishment. As a child nothing is his fault. Derrick Todd Lee shares that theme with Kenneth McDuff.

The investigations into the multiple murders that Lee committed were hampered by two factors. First,the usual routine of looking at those closest to the victims as suspects. Husbands and boyfriends. Next was the F.B.I.'s profile that suggested a white male was the serial killer. The author spotlights the pain and disappointment of victims' families as well as some members in law enforcement that believe Lee could have been investigated 5 years earlier, sparing lives of latter victims.

Another problem in the investigations was the fact that he killed in multiple jurisdictions, crossed racial lines in selecting victims,and used different means of killing. A versatile murderer. It took time for authorities to link up the crimes.

As with many cases, DNA evidence was crucial in eventually connecting Derrick Lee to 6 victims. The author explains some of the process without getting too technical.

"An Invisible Man.." is one of the better,recent true crime books that I have read. I recommend it.

Product was used but in good condition. Description was helpful and accuraate. Mailed at a reasonable timeframe and rate.

I'll keep this short - READ this book. Well written, scarey as heck and true ! A must-read for true crime buffs.

This is a must read if you like to be scared and love true crime. I read a lot of true crime but must say this book really got me scared. Reading it late at night, I double, triple checked all the locks before I went to bed! This story of a serial murderer who gets into women's houses in nice neighborhoods to brutally murder them, is frightening and terrifying.

I read loads of true crime, and this one is very well written and is a good story. I wasn't familiar with this case and I like to learn the details of a case as I go along, and that is the way this is written. Some true crimes give the ending away in a preface, or a first chapter which I do not like. This is very a very intersting case of a serial killer, and I can only imagine the horror this man inflicted, seemingly for his own satisfaction. Well, I guess that is the definition of a serial killer/psychopath/sociopath. Call him what you will, he is an awful man and belongs where he is! Held my interest from first page to last page. Hopefully Stephanie A. Stanley has written other books ..... I keep up-to-date on new true crime books through the search button at Amazon, and always read the reader reviews, if there are any. This book had good reviews, and they were right on. Thanks to all the readers who review at Amazon!

I like the way Corey Mitchell writes, this book is excellent as is Evil Eyes. Both held my attention throughout with plenty of interesting details and juicy bits without sensationalism. After having read stacks of true crime books that declare they contain pages of "shocking photos" this book actually contains a really disturbing picture, I love it! Corey Mitchell writes true crime that almost takes you there. I dont pretend to read this stuff for purely intellectual reasons. I want to experience what the crime scene technicians and profilers experience. While I am very interested in what may separate a homocidal maniac from Joe America and I want to know warning signs and patterns and all of that. I admit I want a thrill of the forbidden and the chase. Corey Mitchell gives you the feeling of looking over the shoulder of the killer in my opinion and I like that. This is a really good book; but, I think Evil Eyes is even better. If you feel like I do, you probably should look into buying both of them.

"Strangler" is another excellent offering from true crime author Corey Mitchell.
This is the second book from Mr. Mitchell that I have read. Like "Evil Eyes" it didn't disappoint.

The author includes transcripts from Anthony Shore's confessions.
The reader gets a chilling insight into the mind of an incestuous serial killer. He sensed that he would be discovered after submitting a court ordered DNA sample. Mr. Mitchell gives accounts of some of Shore's disturbing activities as a youth.

Corey Mitchell does a great job of detailing the investigation and prosecution of Anthony Shore.He writes about the crime lab scandal and that makes the independent DNA lab very important as a part of the prosecution's case. Add to that the tragic suicide of one of the homicide detectives,and the revolving door of relationships that the killer had and you have a very chaotic period.

The author provides a fast-paced but focused book on virtually every aspect of theses murders,from the victims,their families,Shore's family,the detectives determination to solve the cases,and the Assistant District Attorney who successfully prosecuted the killer.
A great read from one of the best true crime writers of the day!

I read this book in only a few days because I couldn't put it down. The way the author went into the backgrounds of not only the victims but some of the detectives, lawyers, etc. was really nice and cool. It helped remind me where I had heard some of the names before. Last night I was only gonna read to one part and as I was reading that mark kept changing until it was 5:45 AM and I was at the end :) A must for any true crime reader! Great job!

Once again, Corey Mitchell holds my intrest with his story telling. He is sure to become a favorite among true crime readers.

This is the first book I have read from Corey Mitchell, and based on the strength of this one, I will be purchasing his other true crime stories. Mitchell has a gift. Even with presenting what could be dull facts, he keeps the pages turning. His writing is clear and concise, and never gets boring. The story of Anthony Shore is interesting and the author really details his life nicely. You can never really know what makes a talented musician and very intelligent guy turn into a murderer, but Corey Mitchell lays out all the facts and gives you everything you need to get into the twisted mind of this killer. Very good book.

It took me a second to adjust my antenna to this latest work by IMP. Television of the 1950's appeared in black & white, but this EXCELLENT true crime collection of that decade appeared to me in black and blue highlights, underscored by copious amounts of blood red.

Reaching to the archives of collected TRUE stories from police magazines of the time, this book presents the cream of the crop.

A must have for fans of the 1950's and true crime!!!

Two things are evident in IMP's newest volume of mid 20th century carnage:
Mr. Jacobs, in selecting the cases for this collection, proves without a shadow of a dought that sociopathic killers are not a modern day phenomenon, and, their senseless and hateful crimes are as gripping and powerful today as they were years ago when the first drop of innocent blood was shed. Those without a strong constitution proceed with caution.

A good book with many intriguing and terrifying police cases. I loved the `50s no-nonsense approach to police work... breakout the roitguns, set up the roadblocks and round up the sex offender. A welcomed change from the many CSI inspired true crime books.

Meet, up close and personal, a legion of menacing rogue males. They will steal to support a drifter's lifestyle. They will rape to defile virtue and kill just for kicks. While robbing a house, one of them came in contacted with a 2-year-old boy, who he gleefully strangled to prevent his cries of pain and terror. When caught, he told the detectives "I always wanted to kill somebody" but had no reason why he stripped naked the boy's body. He is just one of the lowest scum the 1950's had to offer.

This book would have been grim reading if wasn't for an army of police officers and law enforcement professionals, who, dedicated to the principles of justice, sent these misfits to the morgue or the electric chair; a perfect ending for most of these stories.

When taking into consideration the level of crime that is reported day after day in the news, I am left to wonder if things are "getting worse."

After reading Hoodlums, HopHeads & Hepcats, I feel fairly confident that while crime is probably reported more today, the criminal element has always existed in the shadows, ready to STEAL what they want, and MURDER anyone in their way!

From the case files of this book, readers will be shocked to read the exploits of the pot-smoking juvenile who killed for loose change, the acid-throwing maniac who was intent on blinding a journalist, and even a "misguided human missile" that killed a 22-month old child for the thrill of it.

If you have the strength to look into the heart of darkness, take a glimpse at this work of criminal reality from the 1950's...

I wish I could give this book 10 stars. From the clever plotting to the interesting characters to the smooth writing style and the endearing quirks (like the funny character names), it was a joy from beginning to end. And it kept me guessing as to the murderer's identity. I'm sad to discover that the author has only one other book listed on Amazon. Mr. Beechey--please write another!

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

this is some of the best writing i've enjoyed since terry pratchett's earlier discworld novels. the plotting is superior to most serious mysteries, the thumbnail descriptions of minor characters are amazing (and the major characters are incredibly well drawn), and the humor is of the put the book down and laugh out loud for several minutes variety.

alan beechey has only one other book listed here on amazon, written in 1999. after that, nothing. why, oh why not??? two is not enough. perhaps he will emulate 'the cat who' author and resume, though i hope he won't take twenty years to do so.

maybe he went back to england. i think i'll check the brit amazon site....

After a night of snark-hunting, Sir Harry Random, a well-known children's author, turns up dead in a fountain in Trafalger Square. His body is found by his friend Oliver Swithin, a fellow snark-hunter and part-time children's author who has created one of the most malevolent characters in all of children's literature, the ferret Finsbury. Sir Harry is but the first in a series of corpses, all of whom seem to be the work of a zodiac serial killer. Oliver's uncle Mallard is a Detective Superintendent in the New Scotland Yard whose attractive young assistant Effie Strongitharm is a budding love interest of Oliver's. The story of their search for the murderer is a cleverly written and twisting tale, fast-paced and most of all, FUN!

I bought these as a gift for my grandmother who is a huge fan of some author I can never remember the name of...so as I was searching for his stuff these came up and the reviews claimed to be better than what I was looking for originally. She's read all 4 I purchased and is begging me to find more. The best part was that they are signed copies - nothing I was expecting! This was a great buy!

Bryson Coventry, a detective with Denver homicide, is a flawed individual. Not only does he have one blue eye and one green, he lets himself become involved with Tianca Holland, a beautiful bi-sexual who may or may not have killed her female lover, Angela. However, when three other bodies are found in close proximity to Angela's body, it appears less likely that Tianca had anything to do with Angela's murder. Haley Wilde is just out of law school and brand new at a large, prestigious legal firm. On her first day there, September 5, she finds out that a woman who had befriended her when she worked as an intern the year before has been missing since April. When she hears that two bodies have been discovered and the women had been missing since April, Haley is certain that her friend was probably murdered too. She begins to search for clues at the legal firm that might lead to her friend's killer. She contacts Bryson and feeds him information. Jack Degan's business is securing women for men to kill, and then cleaning up after their male killers. Jack makes good money but begins to wonder if his profession is worth everything he has to put up with, when things start to go sour. Degan begins to yearn for his Malibu ocean home, and begins to think of taking Gretchen, a prostitute he met and has grown fond of, with him as soon as his next job is finished. Bryson Coventry and his female sidekick, Shalifa, work diligently, trying to find a solution as bodies keep turning up. Tianca also keeps turning up the heat in her relationship with the handsome detective as he tries to unravel the mysterious killings.

FATAL LAWS is quite the page-turner. Action comes fast and furious and one is left guessing until the very end...but don't read the end first and spoil things. This is a very gritty detective novel and not for the squeamish, but if you have the stomach for it, FATAL LAWS is a "can't put down book". What I liked about the book is that the characters, though very busy, do have time to take potty breaks, eat and get some sleep. One criticism I have is that the author often uses "me and so-and-so" instead of "so-and-so and I". This use of grammar is acceptable for speaking with friends or from someone with little education, but I think most educated, high-power lawyers would use correct grammar when talking to the police. (I could be wrong). Jim Michael Hansen has written a fast-paced mystery with a surprise ending. The characters are well-drawn characters, some with fatal flaws. I think that FATAL LAWS is geared more for the male reader than female; however, I have friends that like gritty, edgy, gory stories, and enjoy reading about the seamy side of life. Go for it, you might find you are one of them.

Jeannine Van Eperen, Reviewer, GottaWriteNetwork
author of Memory and Desire, Willow Spring and others.

Fatal Laws is the third thriller in Law series.

Hansen is an author with a publishing dream. He is determined to write thrillers without the 'necessary' help from agents or New York publishers. Hansen is showing the publishing world that with a sizzling book and a good marketing plan, viable titles can be written and sold--and a fan following can be achieved.

When a body is found in a shallow grave, Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry, 'catches' the case. During the initial investigation, Coventry finds another body buried not far from the first. A new attorney, Haley Wilde, is quietly investigating the disappearance of a friend. On a hunch, she visits the burial scene of Coventry's case where two more bodies are unearthed.

One of the women who died is linked to the wealthy and beautiful Tianca Holland, who becomes a suspect. Coventry is more than a little attracted to Tianca and as usual, he becomes caught up in her life.

Coventry is a womanizer, but you love him anyway as his heart is always with the victims--and solving the crime is foremost in his mind.

The body count is rising and Coventry and his partner Shalifa Netherwood's investigation of the murders intersect with attorney Wilde's. The race is on to find the brutal killer and prevent more deaths. No one is really who you think they are--and the appetites and secrets of some of Denver's most visible citizens are more than dangerous--especially when they are aided by people without any moral compass.

Hansen has become one of my favorite thriller authors. His writing is crisp and clean and his plots are scintillating. After reading a Law series novel, I find myself checking the doors and windows to make sure they're locked, and I am always on the lookout for a maniacal killer who might be stalking me.

Hansen leaves us with a big question in this novel, and I'm hoping for the answer in an upcoming book. If not, it will be a big disappointment. I can't wait for the next Law book.

Armchair Interviews says: If you want your thrillers to be exciting, entertaining and gritty, the Law series is what the doctor ordered.

"FATAL LAWS is the third book in the Bryson Coventry franchise. In each successive outing Hansen has place Coventry in more demanding situations, both professional and personal. How Coventry deals with the blurring of the lines and his strong moral sense of right and wrong are the hallmarks of this excellent series.

It's early September and Coventry is called to investigate the death of Angela Pfeifer. He meets the beautiful Trianca Holland - a woman who may be involved to be the prime suspect or the next victim. Coventry is spellbound by her beauty and finds it difficult to keep his professional distance, especially knowing that her background is on the edges of normal society. Freshly minted lawyer Haley Wesson is secretly looking into the disappearance of Renee Rand, a lawyer in the firm that she clerked for over the summer before being hired on in the fall. When Coventry's case intersects with Wesson's clandestine investigation, Denver may have a new serial killer on the loose. A series of shallow graves containing women murdered in various brutal ways confirms the suspicions and sets the course for this thirteen day thriller.

Hansen is a master of drawing you into the story early and making you care about his players. At times you may find yourself shuddering as the events play out on the page. Hansen's characters, the tightly plotted story line, the concise timeline, place the reader in the heart of the action. All of this makes FATAL LAWS a must read. One word of advice, read this book with the lights on."

Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is working what appears to be a serial killer case as corpses appear in shallow graves. However, the problem with this theory is that each person died differently; serial killer typically uses the same MO.

His investigation leads Bryson to the avaricious Degan. This affluent man apparently chooses the victim, whom the predator kills. The case also brings him to Tianca Holland, a woman of interest to him not just because of her ties to the dead. Still none of what he finds makes sense to Bryson as it goes against what is known about serial killers and his desire for Tianca. Yet to have multiple murderers burying their victims in easy to find shallow graves makes less sense than Tianca being a killer, associate, or next victim and where Degan fits is even more complicated as nothing adds up except that Bryson believes somehow this man is being compensated.

The latest Brysan "law" tale is an exciting police procedural in which the sum of the murders add up to be greater than the individual killings. Brysan is at his best trying to determine whether a serial killer or multiple killers are the murderers while also struggling with Tianca whose seductiveness has his blood flow entirely to his lower head. Fans of the the series will enjoy his latest thriller while newcomers will seek previous Coventry investigations (See NIGHT LAWS and SHADOW LAWS).

Harriet Klausner

Great book! Full of suspense and humor. If you like Laurell Hamilton or Kim Harrison, you will like this book.

Private detective Chase Dagger finds an Indianapolis cop and auniversity professor on his doorstep revealing their theory behind arecent series of homicides. The professor beliefs there is an evilthat has been passed down from generation to generation and is at itsworst during a full moon on Friday the 13th. Dagger feels theprofessor knows far to much about the murders and the killer. FullMoon-Bloody Moon is an X-Files style mystery that brings back ChaseDagger for another tautly written, reader-gripping, mysterythriller. Also highly recommended is Lee Driver's debut novelintroducing Chase Dagger and an unusual blend of horror and mystery inThe Good Die Twice (5-3,...). END

FULL MOON-BLOODY MOON is the second in the Chase Dagger series. This one combines mystery and horror in a story about a little known phenomena -- the combination of a full moon and a Friday the 13th. Dagger is confronted by an Indianapolis cop and a university professor who have a theory behind a series of murders. They believe a man has inherited an evil passed on through generations that is at its worst during a full moon on a Friday the 13th. This book pits an evil shapeshifter against Sara, Dagger's shapeshifting partner. As in THE GOOD DIE TWICE, Sara's shapeshifting is the catalyst in this series. And the existence of this evil shapeshifter becomes real when it starts communicating telepathically with Sara. This is a tightly written thriller that will have you looking at a full moon quite differently. To show you how rare the combination is, October 13, 2000, was only the thirteenth time since 1800 that it has occurred.

Author Lee Driver returns with the second in her series starring mysterious private investigstor Chase Dagger and his Native American shapeshifter associate Sara Morningsky and scarlet macaw Einstein--Full Moon Bloody Moon. This entry finds them with a more gruesome case as the bodies keep piling up, but no logical suspect can be found.

Lisa was a really good cop, a quick and accurate shooter. So, it was a real surprise when she was found dead along her regular jogging path with her gun still holstered and with the safety still on. The other surprise was that she was found twenty feet up, stuck in the V of a tree branch. Of great import to this case is the rarity of the combined occurrence of a full moon on a Friday the 13th. The story takes place during the five days leading up to Friday, October 13, 2000, when it is believed that the killer will attain his greatest level of power during the upcoming full moon.

Meanwhile, Chase and Skizzy are also working on a case involving weapons thefts from a local police station. Skizzy's invention of the "Mick," a mechanical spider-shaped surveillance camera, provides much of the intrigue in this subplot, which otherwise feels much like another day on the job.

Things really take a turn in Full Moon Bloody Moon when it is discovered that the killer can communicate with Sara through the telepathy that, until then, the reader had thought that only she and Chase could share. Is the killer a shapeshifter, too? Chase's ability to overhear their conversations causes his pragmatic worldview to begin to crumble. Able to accept Sara as a shapeshifter, because that was how he discovered her, the idea that there are more is almost too much for him. And the closer he comes to a solution, the more it seems that the killer is something that Chase is not entirely prepared to deal with.

The sexual tension between Sara and Chase continues building, with their friends invariably making comments to Chase about questionable situations. These are still some of the most intriguing characters in fiction, and any male reader is undoubtedly going to want to be Chase and want to be with Sara. Their relationship is an engaging combination of sibling and romance that succeeds because of not engendering any untoward feelings whatsoever. I'm becoming as comfortable with these people in just two books as I did Ed McBain's 87th Precinct crowd. I can only hope that Lee Driver exhibits McBain's longevity. Add to that her skill at writing epilogues that make me want to begin the next book immediately (in this case, The Unseen), and what we have is a terrific fantasy mystery series that deserves bestseller status.

FULL MOON BLOODY MOON is the second Chase Dagger mystery; the first was THE GOOD DIE TWICE.

Chase Dagger is back, but this time he will need more than luck to catch a killer that has been around for more than 200 years.... Knowing that Oct. 13th a Friday was not even here yet, the worse was yet to happen.

FULL MOON BLOODY MOON has the same unconventional and fetching characters as THE GOOD DIE TWICE. Einstein the bright red macaw that has a big mouth, Chase's right hand woman, Sara, Simon the mailman who knows everybody's business. Padre and Skizzy are also back as well as some new characters. FULL MOON BLOODY MOON is a ferocious horror-filled ride that will stick with you well after you have finished reading the book. Mixed with sex, violence and plenty of fast paced action. I hung onto every word.

Lee Driver (aka S.D. Tooley ) you have done it again, keep up the good work.

Burl Barer is a true crime writer in the Pacific Northwest where the Queen of True Crime, Ann Rule, is also based. This book is about the Spokane serial killer, Robert Yates Jr., who mostly killed prostitutes and drug addicts as well as others. Barer does not forget the victims which is important because he makes it clear that no victim deserves to be killed and discarded like trash and garbage. People's attitudes about prostitutes and drug addicts must be revised in order to pay attention to the serious problems. Prostitutes are illegal in Washington but they are also mostly likely to be victims of serial killers like Ridgway and Yates. If Bundy had murdered prostitutes, they received little or no attention. Bundy referred to them as bottom feeders as the lowest of society. He had higher standards towards his victims but he still treated them like garbage. We might have to legalize prostitution in order to save their lives. We have to stop the fear of them being arrested, tormented, and used by police authorities as well as their clients. People don't know how dangerous that prostitution can be in their line of work. They are often desperate to be put in that position in the first place. My biggest problem with the book is the lack of organized outline regarding the victims like a chronology detailing their age, background, date of disappearance, etc. Barer does try to humanize each victim's background by describing their families and their loss.

BODY COUNT relates the story of Robert Yates, Jr., a serial killer responsible for 18 murders in a time span of approximately 20 years.

The author, Burl Barer, provides great insight into life on the street as a prostitute, constantly living for the next john while just trying to survive. Barer does a tremendous job of reminding readers that "sex workers" are people too; that they have families who mourn and miss them when their lives, no matter how trecherous or disgusting to the averge joe, are prematurely ended.

Readers are also provided with an upclose view of how such cases can haunt the detectives who work to solve them, and the toll it can take on their sanity and physical health.

And lastly, Barer reminds his readers with his story just how "normal" a serial killer can be. Yates was a father and a husband, someone no one ever suspected. A creepy reminder that the nice guy next door could be a Ted Bundy when no one is looking.

This is an interesting and insightful book. If you enjoy stories about serial killers, this is definitely recommend for you.

Historically speaking, the northwestern part of the United States has seemed to breed its share of serial killers. This being said, it may seem challenging to stand out in a background with the Green River Killer and Ted Bundy. Yet the story of Robert Yates Jr. is compelling on a number of levels. And just as important, Burl Barer proves to be a talented writer in "Body Count" with good pacing, appropriate word choice, and lending a sense of dignity to the genre of true crime.

Robert Yates Jr. committed his first murder in 1975. However, the uncontrollable urge to kill did not take him over until the late 1990's. Despite having a daughter the was near the same age of some of his victims, Yates systematically murdered prostitutes in the area of Spokane, Washington. Unlike his somewhat random first murders of the 70's, the prostitute murders were typified by a bullet behind the ear and three plastic bags over the head to seemingly control bleeding.

There are many interesting aspects to this case which I am somewhat hesitant to advertise and spoil the enjoyment of this book for others. The miltary and security guard background of Yates seem to play to the idea that he not only sought control in his killings in addition to sexual gratification. While Yates seemed to defend his crimes to some degree by noting that he was molested as a child, not every molested child becomes a serial killer.

Burl Barer is a true crime writer that I believe belongs in the upper echelon of the genre. I never got the impression that he was exploiting the misfortune of others or just out to make a quick buck in this book. He tells the story with a solid writing style.

Burl Barer is, in my opinion, the #1 true crime writer in America. Each book takes a tragic case, elevates the victims' deaths to the level of sacrifice, and probes the inner working of the killer's mind and upbringing. I was mystified by the review that said there was no information about Yates' life and upbringing -- in truth, Barer delves deeply into Yates personal history. An added shocker is that author Burl Barer knew Yates' first victims, and also knew one of Yates' final victims. Both the killer and author lived in the same small town; their daughters attending the same school.
Unlike Mark Fuhrman's book about the same case, Barer's is accurate in detail. Yes, there is one unsolved murdrer after another...a repetitive "problem" with serial killers -- but Barer uses this very aspect of the case, and the dead ends of the investigation for many years, to heighten the sense of frustration and desperation that haunted the Homicide Task Force prior to their arrest of Robert Lee Yates. If you want to read true crime at its best, pick up any book by Burl Barer.

Body Count was a very interesting read. As an avid true crime fan, I don't remember hearing about the Yates case until now. Burl Barer perfectly balanced Yates' background with the investigation and victims' stories. Ann Rule is still my favorite true crime author, but Burl Barer is a close second.

The reason why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 was because of several typographical errors throughout the book and the name of one victim not being consistent throughout the book. As a proofreader, these errors stood out and bothered me. If readers ignore these things, you will enjoy reading this book.