Heart Full Of Lies by Ann Rule

An idyllic Hawaiian wedding held the promise of a wonderful future for handsome, athletic Chris Northon, an airline pilot, a confirmed bachelor-turned-devoted family man; and Liysa, an acclaimed surf photographer, loving mother, and aspiring Hollywood screenwriter. But few, including Chris, had seen Liysa's other side -- her controlling behavior and dark moods, her insatiable hunger for money and property. And no one anticipated the fatal outcome of a family camping trip in an Oregon forest. Liysa soon revealed herself as a victim of domestic abuse that culminated at the campsite, where she shot Chris in self-defense. But crime scene evidence led detectives to wonder if Liysa was a killer, not a victim. Her controversial trial stunned all who thought they knew her. A lifetime of sociopathic manipulations and lies had been expertly hidden behind her facade of perfection -- as was her rage to destroy any obstacle to her ultimate happiness, even if it was the man she vowed to love forever.
People were dispensable to Liysa Northon.As quickly as she would allow them into her lives,she would get rid of them,if they failed to satisfy whichever plan she had had,upon entering this specific relationship.If you were a non confrontational kind of person,you would get to escape alive.If you were like Chris Northon,and you had bonded with your son,to the extent that you would have added certain provisions to the custody agreement,then you would die.That is what happened.Despite Chris Northon's desperate attempts at making the marriage work for the sake of his son,he had made clear that in the event of a divorce he would not be the silent bystander that the father of her first son was.

Liysa Northon was the ultimate female sociopath.She was well liked by anyone she ever met.But yet,she had planned for years to murder Chris by circulating stories of physical abuse in the marriage.Abuse which were only stories told by herself to friends and family.No one ever saw for themselves any of this abuse or even noted any marks on her,at any time.

This decision to murder Chris probably came about for different reasons.Chris had refused to invest in any more properties.This woman was obsessed with the acquisition of properties.Chris was growing more and more tired of her frequent moods and outbursts.But in my opinion,their personalities clashed.Chris was a very independent man who loved outings on his own.Liysa loved being the center of attention.He tended to ignore her and his attitude was more "Stay,its ok.Leave,it's also ok" which would have frustrated her to no end.In fact he was the only husband she was faithful to (of the quite few she had before marrying Chris).

I enjoyed reading this book but I would not class it as one of Ann Rule's best books.Probably because I could not relate on an emotional level with any of the main characters.They both irritated me,but that's just me!!

Buy from Kalahari Books-South Africa

OR for more reviews from Amazon:



Here are some more book details:
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN: 9780743410137
Publication date: October 2004
Pages: 447
Illustrations: Illustrated

Dead By Sunset By Ann Rule

This is the horrific account of a charismatic man adored by beautiful and brilliant women who always gave him what he wanted...sex, money, their very lives.... When attorney Cheryl Keeton's brutally bludgeoned body was found in her van in the fast lane of an Oregon freeway, her husband, Brad Cunningham, was the likely suspect. But there was no solid evidence linking him to the crime. He married again, for the fifth time, and his stunning new wife, a physician named Sara, adopted his three sons. They all settled down to family life on a luxurious estate. But gradually, their marriage became a nightmare.... In this gripping account of Cheryl's murder, Ann Rule takes us from Brad's troubled boyhood to one of the most bizarre trials in legal history, uncovering multiple marriages, financial manipulations, infidelities, and monstrous acts of harassment and revenge along the way.

The next time you hear someone described as charismatic,I suggest you run a mile,away from the charismatic man.These are just a few of the actions of THIS charismatic man:
-Served divorce papers on 7 month pregnant wife
-New lawyer girlfriend serves the papers
-Disconnected phone at pregnant estranged wife’s apartment,she really needed the phone in case she had to phone emergency if she went into labor,being all alone.
-Had the car repossessed while estranged wife was in hospital giving birth
-Paid child support by cheque religiously every month so that ex could not claim from welfare then would have the cheques cancelled.
-Convinces his daughter to come live with him,tormented her,then when she asked to go back to her mother he took all her clothes away because he bought it.She then caught the bus wearing tattered clothes
-Picked up kids for weekend visit,then destroyed the new clothes the mother bought and sent them back with old clothes
-Beat up wives and convinced them they were stupid
-Sent faxes to estranged wife’s work with naked photos taken while they were married
-tried to convince estranged wife’s co workers that she was loose and wild
-when all else failed,killed wife and made sure one of their kids was there to see that happen
-Then he got involved with a new woman,convinced her to adopt the kids,then left this woman and sued her for child support (while she was still paying off the USD1 million debt he incurred and left her with)

And the list goes on...
This man was cunning hence I introduce you to Brad Cunningham!

This book centres around the murder of Brad Cunningham's fourth wife,Cheryl.Ann Rule takes us back into the past of Brad Cunningham,and from witness accounts,the details of his life lived and the cruelties he imposed on the people in his life,including his own children.This man is a piece of work!You know how we all moan about the man in our lives from time to time.This man,Brad, made me realise that most of us are actually with brilliant,wonderful,loving,amazing men if we use Brad Cunningham as the yardstick with which to measure how great our partners truly are.

It took me a while to get close to Cheryl(the murdered wife) specifically because she was the attorney girlfriend who had served divorce papers on the pregnant wife.I just could not get past the fact that in my opinion any man who would do that to the mother of his child,would obviously not be prime husband or boyfriend material.PLUS I have my own views on the "sisterhood" and one of the basic rules is "Do not go anywhere near a married or committed man".But as time went on and I saw what Cheryl went through I began to empathize and the eventual feeling was "No one deserves this,not even if they looked for this trouble"

And to meet a truly amazing woman,read about Sara Gordon,his fifth wife, a doctor who despite all the trauma she suffered at the hands of Brad Cunningham,did the ultimate selfless act.But I won't tell you what she did.You will have to read the book!Hint: it has to do with the three sons that Cheryl has with Brad.

This book was brilliant and I have yet to meet a man like Brad Cunningham,even in my true crime books.He had such an massive sense of entitlement that I am now convinced that there should be a study into what kind of childhood creates this "abnormal" feeling and what kind of crimes it can lead to,and possibly the different ways to avoid and treat this problem.

If you would like to read this book,here are some links:
Dead by Sunset
or Kalahari Books-South Africa

And for those who would like to find this book elsewhere here are some more book details:
Country: United Kingdom
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN: 9780671001131
Pages: 544
Illustrations: Illustrated

To see what Cheryl looked like go hereand a photograph of the amazing Brad Cunningham is here

Too Late To Say Goodbye by Ann Rule

Jenn Corbin was found dead early one morning by her young son,Dalton Corbin.She had died from a gunshot wound to the head and a gun lay next to her.It was initially presumed that she had committed suicide although the gun being partially covered under the bedcover raised some doubts with the investigating officer.To rule out a possible homicide an investigation was started.The husband Dr Bart Corbin,was obviously the first person to try and rule out.

The investigation revealed that Jenn Corbin had been intent on divorcing Bart Corbin and had also started an internet affair.Bart Corbin had been emotionally abusive all throughout the marriage and had conducted many affairs out of the marriage,including one with a married woman even from before he married Jenn.

But the plot thickens.The person Jenn had been having an affair with was not who everyone thought this person was.Dr Bart Corbin avoided speaking to the investigators at all costs and had "lawyered" up very early in the investigation.Then the investigation revealed that some years earlier a previous girlfriend of Bart's,Dolly Hearn,had also died by committing suicide.

Little Dalton's first words were,without prompting "Daddy killed my Mommy" although he had not actually seen this happen.This story is an amazing account of the brilliant investigators who refused to give up,especially when it came to tracking the origins of the gun found next to Jenn Corbin.Due to these tenacious and determined investigators,this crime case ends with the ultimate climax.

I would recommend reading this book wholeheartedly.You can feel Ann Rule's compassion throughout the book.Her relationship with the families of the victims is so very real and loving.Despite this,the story unfolds with no bias but the facts.

Usually in books where the one spouse murders the other,there are always children who for the most part,are either abandoned or put in the care of the murderer's family.In those cases I always wonder how the children are doing and it is absolutely heartbreaking.Thanks goodness I don't have to worry about these two little boys.Jenn's sister,Heather Tierney,is raising them with her own two children and doing a wonderful job.

Little Dalton,strikes me as such a clever little boy and Dillon,the younger brother,was too young at the time to remember much,and is faring better.Both boys have no wish to see their father.I cannot give the whole story away but I just want to add some interesting bits.

Dolly Hearn,the ex girlfriend who had apparently committed suicide had a cat called Tabitha.When she broke up with Bart Corbin he made her life a living hell by stalking her and even kidnapped her cat and abandoned her far away.After a month or so,Dolly convinced him to tell her where he had abandoned Tabitha which he did and luckily the cat was found,a little worse for wear after living on the streets for a month,but otherwise okay.This same Tabitha lived for 21 years,that was amazing to me.

Dolly Hearn,who had been studying to be a dentist,was murdered a year before she completed her studies.Despite her fellow students lobbying for her degree to be awarded posthumously,it was denied as the board believed she had committed suicide as she had not been doing well at her studies(this stalker Bart Corbin had destroyed a few of her important study projects causing her to nearly fail in her studies)and believed the rumors that Bart had spread about her being suicidal.Well the good news is that a few years ago they did award Dolly Hearn with her degree and she is Dr Dolly Hearn.

This book has so many twists and turns.There are even some unsolved murders of women who knew Dr Bart Corbin.Really you have to read this book to understand what I mean.If I had not known it was a true crime story I would have really believed it was fiction.But all of it is true and Ann Rule is at her best in this book.



Here are some more book details:
Too Late to Say Goodbye: A True Story of Murder and Betrayal
Author: Ann Rule
Country: United States of America
Publisher: Wheeler Publishing
ISBN: 9781597224116
Publication date: June 2007
Pages: 602
Illustrations: Illustrated

A Cold-Blooded Business: Adultery, Murder, and a Killer's Path from the Bible Belt to the Boardroom by Marek Fuchs

The fascinating, chilling true story of what happens when you murder someone--and get away with it. Olathe, Kansas, was made famous by Truman Capote in his nonfiction novel In Cold Blood, in which he told the story of the Clutter family's murder in 1959. But few people know that Olathe achieved notoriety again in 1982, when a member of Olathe's growing Evangelical Christian population, a gentle man named David Harmon, was murdered in his bed, beaten so badly with a club that his face caved in beyond recognition. Suspicion quickly fell on David's wife, Melinda, and her boyfriend, Mark, student body president of the local Bible College. However, Melinda and Mark were never officially charged with murder, and they went on to lead successful and law-abiding lives. A Cold Blooded Business documents the shockingly amateurish police investigation, which was resumed in 2002.A fast-moving true detective story.

As a first book,this writer Marek Fuchs shows great potential to go on to bigger and greater things.The book starts off with the actual crime and then goes back in time to the events which unfold until the murder takes place.I felt like I hit the ground running with this book as the writing is very fast paced.The botched investigation,then onto the separate lives of the two suspects after they move on without ever being charged.The portion on Mark is extremely interesting as he went on to become quite a power house in the business world.Then the events which lead to this cold case being re opened.The stunningly short re investigation which is due to the investigators talking to Melinda,and not being in the presence of her father as before,starts talking albeit offering many different versions of what actually happened that night.The fact that her story had changed immediately alerted the investigators that they were onto something.Then onto Melinda and Marc being charged with the murder.The book also explores their current lives in jail after being sentenced.

This book had an impact on me as it is one of the few who have actually made me note when the "murderers" will be up for parole so I can keep track of what happens.While the book doesn't offer any "believable" reasons(for me) for why this murder took place other than Melinda's deeply religious belief that divorce would be worse than murder I have been thinking of my own set of possible scenarios.

David Harmon,the murdered victim,had at one stage put his arm on a friend's leg while he was driving.In the book this event is told by the friend who believes that David had wanted to tell him of the affair Melinda and Marc were having.This event led me to this scenario.David was gay.He had a brief interlude with Marc,who later on,ashamed of this,planned and murdered him in a horrific fit of anger.

Or Melinda,Marc and David were involved in a menage a trois.(Marc was close friends with Melinda and David)I can imagine that being deeply religious that Marc and Melinda would have remained quiet about this all these years,initially for their beliefs and later on to hide this possible motive and still later,once charged, to secure their lesser charges and retain their standing in their social circles once they got out on parole.

The information on this supposed affair between Marc and Melinda is very flimsy and I,for one, do not believe there was any physical affair.I cannot believe that an "emotional" affair would erupt into this absolutely horrific beating.Then these same people capable of this go on to lead impeccable law abiding lives?

Another theory is that Melinda arranged for someone else to kill her husband.I think she was in love with Marc but he did not feel the same.Maybe she came up with this as a way to kill a few birds with one stone.The mind boggles...

From the details supplied I found Marc to be extremely likeable,Melinda to be pathetic and the victim in life,to be childish and immature.I guess my possible murder conpiracies are based on these.I think this story still has some more interesting information to be revealed and Marek Fuchs the writer should go and interview some more people.Maybe now that the "murderers" are in jail,the people who know more would be more willing to talk.

Melinda will be up for parole in April 2010 and Marc in May 2011.I am going to keep track of this true crime story.



Watch this space as I will be doing a book giveaway on this book soon and also I will be interviewing this writer,Marek Fuchs.I have LOTS of questions.The post should be around the end of August.

Here are some more book details:
A Cold-Blooded Business: Love, Adultery, and Murder in a Small Kansas Town
Country: United States of America
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
ISBN: 9781602392540
Publication date: February 2009
Pages: 201
Illustrations: Illustrated

A Slaying In The Suburbs by Steve Miller; Andrea Billups

The true story of the Tara Grant murder. To their suburban Detroit neighbors, Stephen and Tara Grant were happy as could be. But their marriage, plagued by resentment and extramarital affairs, was held together only by their children. Until the night Stephen snapped, strangled and dismembered his wife, then disposed of her body piece by piece in the very park his children played in.

While I do not regret reading this book,I am starting to get a little irritated with the misleading blurbs of some books I have read recently.The term "plagued by resentment and extramarital affairs" would imply that the book would offer "real" proof of these facts.Not one bit of proof is given of an extramarital affair by the wife,Tara Grant and apart from some suggestive e mails the husband and murderer,Stephen Grant had one shortlived affair with the au pair which must have lasted 7 days in its entirety.On my own personal level,I can imagine that an overworked wife and an unemployed husband would fester a resentful environment,this book does not really offer any witness accounts or otherwise of the marriage being plagued by resentment.

I should possibly stop with the "murder by spouse" books for a while as all the information is starting to blur into one big "I marry You,I kill You".

What was good about the book was the absolute unbiased relating of the facts that were indeed available.While unbiased writing is put forward as the better way to write a true crime book,I have noticed that a little bit of bias does seem to inspire more emotions in the reader as the writer expresses their views with more passion.I have now even turned what was good about this book into a not so good thing.

This book was an easy book to read probably due to the fact that I was able to read it without any emotion.I never felt connected to the wife,Tara Grant.I never got to bond with the children as they played extremely minor roles and the husband struck me as a mass of nerves and ineptitude,someone who should have perhaps gotten a spot in the book "America's Dumbest Criminals" instead of an entire book devoted to his crime.

So much for not posting negative reviews but really,this isn't a negative review but more of a personalized one.I did read this book and read it really quickly so it wasn't the writing at all.I just didn't feel the emotions that I usually do.Also bear in mind that I have been reading a LOT of "murder by spouse" books lately so that is definitely affecting my judgement???



Here are some more book details:
A Slaying in the Suburbs: The Tara Grant Murder (Berkley True Crime)
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Berkley Trade Pub
ISBN: 9780425225486
Publication date: January 2009
Pages: 294
Illustrations: Illustrated

Father Of The Year by Glenn Puit

The Father's Day shocker of the year,this dad was so perfect, it was frightening.Bill Rundle may have won Las Vegas's Father of the Year award, but when his wife's corpse was found, the other side of the all-American dad was revealed: a manipulative con man, professional thief, and savage killer whose crimes reached back through the decades.

Bill Rundle won the Father Of The Year Award after his son,Richard Rundle,sent a letter describing his dad.Little Richie Rundle was a diabetic and his father,Bill,had been raising him as a single father.Richard Rundle then died after a woman in a car ran him over as he was waiting for the bus.He was 11 years old.

The childhood of Bill Rundle is covered briefly in this book,probably because it was so uneventful.His parents by all accounts were normal people.After that begins the multiple marriages,children who would be deserted by their father,even one wife who was deserted while she was still pregnant.This man seemed to have an aversion to normal work as we know it.He preferred making his money gambling and even better,by having a woman look after him.He also went through a stint where he pretended to be attending college but in fact had given up years before.

This true crime story proved to me that while society may be accepting of men who desert their wives,their families even covering up for them by saying the woman was a terrible wife,petty crimes like gambling and small scam jobs,living by the seat of your pants with petty crimes and legal forms of desertion and treating people terribly whilst still not breaking the law will in the end result in a crime which is found to be illegal accompanied by a jail sentence.What I am trying to say is beware the member of your family who indulges in these petty crimes that the family laughs about on a Sunday.Small crimes which they consistently get away with creates a mind that believes it needs to move the goal post a little further until eventually it is too late.Regardless that the offender's life will be over in the "free" sense this final ultimate crime normally has a victim who loses their entire life.

I actually know someone just like this and this book has made me realise that perhaps all is not well.This man had his first child with one woman he never married.He also refused to claim the child as his own and has never met this daughter.She will be 18 on the 6th December this year.Then he had another daughter,also did not marry the mother(relationship ended when daughter was 2).This daughter,he has had a relationship with but did stop paying maintenance 4 1/2 years ago.This daughter is 15.Then he went on to marry a girl and had a daughter with her.He started an affair and they got divorced when this daughter was 2.Also did not pay maintenance until about 6 months ago when this mother took him to court and the arrangement is that he pays 25% of what he should actually pay.He has now married the woman he had the affair with,and now has another daughter who is about 10 months old.He has for the past 5 or so years insisted on being self employed.He has not really brought in any money to even talk of and this new wife seems to be supporting him.He insists on living the life of the upper middle class and she supplies the money to help with this facade.

This book was good reading,although when we got to the court case I started dreading a rehash of all the details supplied earlier.Mercifully the court case was quite short and the book ended with Bill Rundle getting sentenced (after a plea bargain).



Here are some more book details:
Father of the Year (Berkley True Crime)
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Berkley Trade Pub
ISBN: 9780425228661
Publication date: May 2009
Pages: 258
Illustrations: Illustrated

Never Enough By Joe McGinniss

At thirty-nine, Nancy Kissel had it all: glamour, gusto, garishly flaunted wealth, and the royal lifestyle of the expatriate wife. Not to mention three young children and what a friend described as the best marriage in the universe. That marriage,to Merrill Lynch and former Goldman Sachs investment banker Robert Kissel, ended abruptly one November night in 2003 in the bedroom of their luxury apartment high above Hong Kong's glittering Victoria Harbour. Hong Kong prosecutors, who charged Nancy with murder, said she wanted to inherit Rob's millions and start a new life with a blue-collar lover who lived in a New Hampshire trailer park. She said she'd killed in self-defense while fighting for her life against an abusive, cocaine-addicted husband who had forced her for years to submit to his brutal sexual demands. Her 2005 trial, lasting for months and rich in lurid detail, captivated Hong Kong's expatriate community and attracted attention worldwide. Less than a year after the jury of seven Chinese citizens returned its unexpected verdict, Rob's brother, Andrew, a Connecticut real estate tycoon facing prison for fraud and embezzlement, was also found dead: stabbed in the back in the basement of his multimillion-dollar Greenwich mansion by person or persons unknown. Never Enough is the harrowing true story of these two brothers, Robert and Andrew Kissel, who grew up wanting to own the world but instead wound up murdered half a world apart; and of Nancy Kissel, a riddle wrapped inside an enigma, a modern American woman for whom having it all might not have been enough.

I remember getting the book Fatal Vision and thinking because there was no picture on the cover that I had ordered,by mistake,a fiction crime book.I checked the back again and I was still convinced it was fiction.I started reading and only quite a way through was I completely convinced that this was indeed a true crime book when the dates started coming out.The reason I mention this is because true crime books written by Joe McGinniss read like novels,and Never Enough is another great book by Joe McGinniss.This book is about the Kissell family,the central characters being the father,and the two sons,Robert and Andrew.The book details their early lives and subsequent marriages.Then into their careers,where one son seemingly chooses the righteous path (by society's standards anyway,considering Robert made money off floundering businesses by buying them and then re selling for a profit) while Andrew although fronted as a real estate investor found every way to scam and con his partners in whichever deal he had currently going.

Their marriages and relationship dynamics within this family is expertly woven into this true crime story resulting in a family saga extraordinaire,to rival any fictional family saga I have ever read.While I am personally very irritated with excessive filler details who provide no extra value to a book,I do however expect it in books which are longer than usual and I do make certain allowances for those.This book at 370 odd pages hardly falls under the description of "short" and I can honestly say has absolutely not one bit of unnecessary information.Everything is there to be devoured and enjoyed.Joe McGinniss is brilliant and I am now going to order his other books,Blind Faith and Cruel Doubt so watch out for those reviews.Joe McGinniss has now joined the ranks of true crime writers whose books I buy just because they wrote it,the actual story being a secondary deciding factor.

I highly recommend reading this book as I do Fatal Vision (I still have to do a review for Fatal Vision-too little time/too many books to read).



Here are some more book details:
Never Enough
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Pocket Star Books
ISBN: 9781416527176
Publication date: July 2008
Pages: 373
Illustrations: Illustrated





Honestly now,is there a tiny little part of you that feels good if it turns out a person who was extremely wealthy turned out to be actually living a miserable life or do you think that all rich people are actually living miserable lives?

One Deadly Night by John Glatt

On September 28, 2000, former Indiana State Trooper David Camm made a frantic call to 911: he'd just walked into his garage, and found lying on the floor the bodies of his 35-year-old wife, Kim, and their two children, Jill and Brad, ages 7 and 5. This was the kind of crime that could tear the heart out of a community. The Camms lived the American Dream. They had what seemed like a loving marriage, a nice little house with a white picket fence, and two adorable children. To top it all off, David Camm was a pillar of the community who had dedicated his career to the enforcement of the law and the sanctity of human life. Then, this happened. Three days later, it got worse when police arrested David Camm for the triple murder. Soon, new stories started emerging: stories about mistresses and violent bursts of temper. And as the ugly truth about the Camms' marriage got uglier and the evidence against David started piling up, two families- and the community at large - took positions at opposite sides of a yawning and bitter divide. Was David Camm a dedicated, conscientious public servant- the victim of unspeakable tragedy, railroaded by an unfair system?Or was he a cold-hearted murderer who earned his three murder convictions and every one of the 195 years behind bars to which he was sentenced? Investigative journalist John Glatt finds out in this gripping new book.

I am not at all convinced of this man,David Camm's guilt in the murder of his wife,Kim and his two children.There were far too many witnesses that he was somewhere else when these murders took place.I think he was pinned for this murder because of all the extra marital affairs he had whilst married and believe me,there were many.Even the end part where someone else puts forward a "murder for hire" scenario,I failed to be convinced still.

Despite the fact that this man was not likeable and seemed to be on a one man mission to bed every woman in a 200 mile vicinity I cannot with a clear conscience find him guilty with the facts put forward in this true crime case.Like was pointed out,he got away for years with these extra marital "affairs" or brief interludes,why would he kill his entire family to be able to indulge in these activities.He was never "in love" with any of these other women apart from maybe one,but that had ended quite a while before the murders.

Being a John Glatt book,of course,I found the book to be right up my alley with the style of writing,and the decision on how to present the facts(chronological order which makes for an un-confused reader).



Here are some more book details:
One Deadly Night (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: Saint Martin's Press Inc.
ISBN: 9780312993092
Publication date: May 2005
Pages: 340
Illustrations: 8 Illustrations

Twisted Triangle by Caitlin Rother

Twisted Triangle is the first complete narrative thriller about the sensational story of Margo Bennet, a married FBI agent, who had a love affair with best-selling author Patricia Cornwell, and whose jealous husband, Gene Bennet, a superstar FBI undercover agent, kidnapped and attempted to murder her. When the case first came to trial, it was reported in Vanity Fair, Newsweek, People, the Washington Post and the New York Times.Most profiles of Cornwell, written in the U.S. and abroad every time she releases a book, mentions this case and her relationship with Margo. Margo also was the inspiration for the heroine in Hostage Negotiator, a TV movie that came out in 2001. Now, for the first time, Margo Bennett has given Caitlin Rother complete personal access, sitting for interviews and turning over photographs, documents, records, and private papers. Twisted Triangle has the makings of a major bestseller: including the crazy dynamics of Margo and Gene Bennett's family, the brilliant FBI undercover career of Margo's husband Gene, the lesbian affair with celebrity author Patricia Cornwell, Gene's reactive kidnapping and attempt to kill Margo, Gene's insanity defense, the trial that validates Margo's story and shows she was telling the truth all along, and a happy ending to her tale of survival. Margo Bennet lives with her two daughters in Berkeley, California where she is a high ranking officer in the University of California police department.Gene Bennet is incarcerated in Virginia, not far from Washington DC where most of the events of this incredible story took place.

First of all,this true crime writer,Caitlin Rother,does explain right at the beginning that both Patricia Cornwell and Gene Bennet refused to participate with providing any information for this book.Thus,this book is written almost entirely from Margo Bennet's perspective.I do believe she was completely honest in providing unbiased details.The reason I believe that is from the fact that she says nothing deragatory towards Patricia Cornwell despite the fact that Patricia Cornwell had initially agreed to participate with this book and then backed out.

I have never heard of this crime story before and I was tempted to read it because it mentioned the sordid triangle with her husband and famous author Patricia Cornwell.For others who might be interested for that reason,you will be sorely disappointed.Please note two extremely brief encounters with Patricia Cornwell is what happened here.If there were other details that resulted in a deep friendship,none of those details are included.There is also very little background information on the main characters.

However,despite the fact that I feel I got "suckered" into reading this book by the tag line "Twisted Triangle: A Famous Crime Writer, a Lesbian Love Affair, and the FBI Husband's Violent Revenge" it still ended up being an interesting book.A wonderful underlying message throughout the book for abused women who might feel if they were physically stronger that maybe they would not be abused,this book puts paid to that thought.Margo Bennett was an experienced FBI agent who was still abused over many years by her husband.The book highlights the fact that spousal abuse is very much a mental assault which then evolves into physical abuse.By the time the physical abuse starts,the mental abuse has totally incapacitated the victim to the point where there is virtually no fight or will left.

Despite these odds,Margo Bennett was able to eventually fight back and win,to the extent that her husband,Gene Bennett,was charged,albeit with a ridiculous sentence considering he was charged with attempted murder.Towards the end of the book,the impact on Margo's children and how it affected them now as adults also highlight the far reaching effects that abuse in the home has on children.I do not regret reading this book apart from the fact that I think the "tagline" is misleading as to what this book is truly about which is actually a courageous woman's will to protect herself and her children whilst dealing with a sexual identity which is for the most part still frowned upon and not totally accepted by all members of society.

Here are some more book details:
Country: United States of America
Format: Hardcover
Contributor: John Hess
Publisher: JOSSEY-BASS
ISBN: 9780787995850
Publication date: April 2008
Edition: illustrated edition
Pages: 281
Illustrations: Illustrated

South African readers interested in getting this book can access via Kalahari Books or to buy from Amazon or read some other reviews see link below
Twisted Triangle: A Famous Crime Writer, a Lesbian Love Affair, and the FBI Husband's Violent Revenge

My Question: do you believe that homosexual parents can raise children in exactly the same way as heterosexual parents or do you think that the lifestyle might have an impact on the sexual identity of the children being raised by homosexual parents.(homosexual being both for males & females sexual identities)

Twisted by John Glatt

From the outside looking in,Karen and Richard Sharpe appeared to be a happy,successful couple.They had been high school sweethearts and had married after the birth of their first child,Shannan.Both had resisted efforts from their parents to put the child up for adoption.After a hard couple of years where Karen worked and supported Richard while he studied for his medical degree,Richard finally qualified.Richard turned out to have a brilliant business mind and built up quite a fortune over the years.
The fortune amassed was very much under Richard's control until he transferred half of it into Karen's account as he was trying to avoid paying tax.Shortly after,coincidentally,Karen filed for divorce.Richard then started stalking Karen which eventually forced Karen to get a restraining order against him as she now feared for her safety.Richard Sharpe calmly walked up to the house she was living in and shot her point blank in front of several witnesses.

As there was no doubt as to who the murderer was due to the number of witnesses to the murder,Richard Sharpe's defence decided to enter into a plea of insanity.The details revealed were an extremely violent childhood at the hands of his father.The one daughter of the family escaped most of this violence and due to that,Richard as a child started dressing up as a girl.This abuse as a child resulted in an adult man who cross dressed regularly,who even stole his own daughter's underwear,who stole his wife's birth control tablets in order to grow breasts of his own,and who was an extreme tyrant with his own family.The years of abuse suffered by Karen and her children were revealed in detail with testimony by Shannan the grown daughter.There was 18 years difference between the first child Shannon and the younger two children.

The book then goes through the legal battle that the oldest daughter and her aunt and uncle went through to secure legal custody of the younger two children.The malingering on the stand by Richard Sharpe so he could prove he was insane was ridiculous and transparent.(I saw the tv program as well).Details from past employees who gave testimony as to their own abuse by Richard Sharpe in the workplace.

Considering all the above anyone could reasonably reach the conclusion that this man was indeed mad.Over and above his actions,years of platic surgery performed on his face also resulted in an extremely strange and scary face which I am sure helped his cause towards proving insanity.

Testimony by psychiatrists and others in the medical field stated that Richard Sharpe only acted strange when he thought he was being observed.They even had video footage of an interview with a psychiatrist,where the psychiatrist leaves the room,and Richard Sharpe who until then had been showing great strain,quickly gets up to look through the doctor's notes.

Based on all this testimony and personal accounts from witnesses, Richard Sharpe is convicted and sent off to jail.This book Twisted by John Glatt provides all this relevant information in an easy to read and follow format(as he usually does).I would recommend reading this book as it even had more information than the hour long program I watched on this true crime case.

To see some more reviews on Twisted by John Glatt please access via link below
Twisted: The secret desires and bizarre double life of Dr. Richard Sharpe (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

Here are some more book details:

Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime (January 20, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312979282
ISBN-13: 978-0312979287
I read this book via Kindle in June 2009.

My Question:
Although Richard Sharpe had murdered his wife,Karen,and there was no doubt about that with the many witnesses to that fact,he still had control over when Karen's body could be released to the family for burial.He was the only who could sign the papers and true to form,used this as a power play to keep her family hanging on for longer than necessary before signing.I understand that he had not yet been convicted and therefore all his original rights remained in place,should there not be a law that says if it is a "slam dunk" case like this,that his rights should fall away.This also pertains to the fact that relatives had to fight for legal custody of the two young children costing money and court time that could have been spent on other cases.So my question,if an alleged murderer pleads "not guilty by reason of insanity" then coupled with that plea should be a signing off of all rights,my point being if you are insane you cannot make any important decisions and the court should appoint someone immediately (not his choice)to take care of his affairs and sign off on all actions?

Blood Brother by Anne Bird

The #1 New York Times bestseller no one else could write: the sister of Scott Peterson reveals how she slowly realized that her brother was capable of murder
What happens if, after being given up for adoption in childhood, you reestablish contact with your biological family,only to discover that your newfound brother is a killer?
Anne Bird, the sister of Scott Peterson, knows firsthand.
In the late 1990s, after a happy life with the well-adjusted Grady family, Anne came into contact with her biological mother, Jackie, and her family,including Jackie's son Scott Peterson and his wife, Laci. Anne was welcomed into the family and grew close to Scott and especially Laci, joining them on vacations and at family reunions. Anne and Laci became pregnant at roughly the same time, and the two became confidantes. Then, on Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson went missing,and the spirited facade of the Peterson family slowly began to crumble. Anne rushed to the family's aid, only to grow suspicious that her brother knew more than he was telling. By the time Laci's body,and that of her unborn son, Conner were found, Anne was becoming convinced: Her brother Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and unborn child in cold blood.
Filled with news-making revelations and intimate glimpses of Scott and Laci, the Peterson family, and the investigation that followed the murder, Blood Brother is a provocative account of one of the most notorious crimes of our time.

I mentioned on my previous review post:For Laci by Sharon Rocha that I had read all the books on this case.Well when I realised that I had not read Blood Brother I rushed over and got it on Kindle and quickly read it yesterday.First off I read it in about 3 hours,uninterrupted 3 hours,as I discovered a wonderful restaurant which caters to children where they have babysitters,one for each child,and the children play in a play area,completely safe and happy,with their own pizza cafe where they order what they want on a pizza and it gets made for them.My little one did not look for me once despite me always going over to see if he was ok.Believe it or not,I forgot to take off my house slippers when we left the house (it has a hole in the front)so I didn't do a lot of walking but I did discover that if I kept my foot back a bit the pink socks did not show through the hole.

Anyway back to this book.This book is basically the life story of Anne Bird,the second child that Jackie Peterson(Scott's mother) gave up for adoption.Her love for her adoptive parents really shine through her writing and the impression I got was of a well adjusted and confident young woman who was sucked into the Peterson family drama.She remained a firm and strong presence through this turmoil I think from the inner strength she herself has,no doubt cultivated and nurtured by her adoptive parents.I am glad I read this book because it provided glimpses into the Peterson family which I had not had before.Remember that from the very beginning the Peterson family closed ranks and apart from gushing about Scott Peterson's good traits,nothing else was forthcoming.

The one part where she discusses Laci Peterson and Jackie Peterson with Scott Peterson(before the disappearance) and Scott's answer is "Those two,yeah" and sighs indicated to me that the realtionship between mother in law and daughter in law was far from perfect.I believe that Laci complained a few times to Scott Peterson about Jackie's treatment of her.Either Laci never mentioned these troubles to her mother Sharon Rocha or Sharon Rocha chose to exclude this from her book.Either way I could have guessed offhand that this relationship was far from idyllic.Mothers who place their "golden boy" sons on pedestals rarely ever meet a woman good enough for their sons.

It was disturbing for me that while Laci was still missing that Jackie Peterson was making comments to Anne Bird about why can't Scott meet a nice girl like so and so.That was terrible.I mean I would never in a million years be thinking that I hope a man(whose wife has gone missing)meets someone else soon,not even about a stranger,never mind when it's your pregnant daughter in law who has gone missing.What is wrong with these people?

Now to get to the heart of the story where Anne Bird states the 33 reasons why she became convinced of Scott's guilt.Although I am firmly convinced of Scott Peterson's guilt,I found her list of reasons to be quite weak.I think if that was the case we would each of us have put at least one member of our family on death row by now if we followed her guidelines.Let us assume that Scott Peterson was innocent.Anne and Scott went out one evening and she had told him beforehand they had to be back home by 9h30.When it got close to that time she mentioned to Scott that they must leave now.He turned to her and said "Who cares!" and continued drinking.They only eventually got home at 10h30 instead.Apparently this qualified as a reason why she thought he was guilty.Assuming he was innocent,he has now had a chance to go out and drown his sorrows,there is no media hounding him,I,for one,would be too devastated to consider other people's feelings when I am going through what could be one of the worst things to happen to anyone,I would also have said "who cares" and continued drinking.

I would recommend reading this book as a supplement to others on this case but not as a first and only book on the Laci Peterson murder.It provides a lot of new information from a different angle but hardly qualifies as in depth if you need to find out the whole story.

If you would like to find out more about this book then South African readers can go to Kalahari Books or if you would like to access more reviews then the Amazon link below will provide those and more
Blood Brother: 33 Reasons My Brother Scott Peterson Is Guilty

Here are some more book details:

Country: United States of America
Format: Softcover
Publisher: ReganBooks
ISBN: 9780060850333
Publication date: January 2006
Pages: 211
Illustrations: Illustrated

One more thing,the photographs provided by Anne Bird had a real impact on me because for the first time it brought home to me how normal this couple seemed.It was so disturbing as it made me realise that perfectly happy couples can end up murdering each other.Only her photos had this impact on me despite the many books I have read on this.I have no idea why Anne's list of photos but I am still thinking about them and how they made me feel.

My Question:
What do you think about private adoptions,where the adoptive family sends the biological mother updates and phtographs often?Do you think if you ever adopted a child that you would agree to private adoption where the biological mother remains involved like that?

For Laci by Sharon Rocha

Laci Rocha Peterson, 8 months pregnant, was last seen by her sister, Amy, in the late afternoon of December 23, 2002. She spoke to her mother, Sharon Rocha, at 8: 30 p.m. that night. This would be the last time anyone from her immediate family ever spoke to her. A search began which lasted an agonizing four months. Sadly, Laci Peterson and her son Conner were found dead on the shores of San Francisco Bay on April 18, 2003. Her husband, Scott, was eventually arrested and charged with the murder of Laci and Connor. After a sensational, media-saturated trial, Peterson was found guilty of capital murder and was sentenced to death on March 16, 2005.

That's right,another book on Laci Rocha Peterson.But this one is special because it is written by her mother and takes you to the heart of this tragic case.Sharon Rocha provides bitter sweet memories of Laci as a child.We all have funny stories that are unique to each child.I remember my daughter and I having a conversation once.I think she was about 10 years old and she made a reference to her "pagina" and when I started laughing she said "Ag Mom I know it's called a "bagina".This book details all those little quirks that were unique to Laci and told from her mother's perspective as only a Mom can tell.I really felt I had a good idea of the kind of little person she was and therefore a good idea of the adult she became.Sharon Rocha doesn't just sugarcoat all the details (as we are wont to do when someone has passed on).She does include the fact that Laci was stubborn and very strong willed.That she was the bossy one when it came to relationships.To me she was still very likeable.The next part of the book covers Laci as a young adult,her experiences when she was studying,her dreams of owning her own shop one day,her relationship with the one boyfriend and finally meeting Scott Peterson and their subsequent marriage.This is all told from Sharon Rocha's perspective.If she did not know details firsthand then it was not included.Some of the information is from direct conversations with Laci herself or gained from the extended family.And finally,Laci's disappearance,what the family goes through finding out what is going on,the discovery of the bodies,Sharon's own insight as to the behavior of Scott Peterson while this is going on and then last,but not least,what the family goes through during the court case which finally ends in a conviction for Scott Peterson,where he is sentenced to death.

I am (as my daughter would say) very "emo" but when it comes to stories written by mothers about their dead daughters,I am out of control "emo".I seem to be reading those books lately as in "Loving Natalee"."Who Killed My Daughter" is another one I have read.I was,true to form,crying from the first page,and then I regained some composure as we went through Laci's early childhood and young adulthood,then I started losing it and finally when Sharon Rocha read out her letter to Scott Peterson which she did just before he was sentenced.It was an amazing letter and by that time I was bawling,loudly.I feel stupid now but the letter was wonderfully written and straight from the heart.

During the court case Scott Peterson's parents treated Laci's family like dirt.Snide comments,vile unnuendoes,you name it.Instead of being angry with their son for being in this situation they chose to direct that anger towards Laci's family.At the end
when Scott Peterson is sentenced to death Laci's Dad turns to Lee Peterson(Scott's dad) and says "sorry".Lee Peterson then swears at him.I have read books on this case and this book confirmed my stance on "nurture" being the most basic reason for the creation of monsters.His parents spoiled him and yet seemed to mix this up with selfish interests of their own.Over and above the fact that his mother Jackie Peterson herself had a horrific childhood.This is going to sound terrible but I was so angry about this behavior that my first thought was "Thank goodness Jackie Peterson gave up two of her children for adoption as the one she raised herself,she raised to be a monster".She actually raised John as well and he has turned out ok,as far as I know.

Since then Sharon Rocha fought hard for the rights of unborn victims.The jury in this case only charged Scott Peterson with the 2nd degree murder of the baby,Conner Peterson and that was a bitter pill to swallow especially if you consider and believe the fact that Laci Peterson only ended up murdered because she was pregnant.Scott Peterson did not want children.I believe baby Conner was the primary target in this crime.This case is truly highlighted in the book Erased by Marilee Strong(link below).

On a previous post I asked the question:if a pregnant woman is murdered should it be considered 1 murder or 2?A big thank you to my readers who commented.Here are the results of Sharon Rocha and others' campaign to have this bill accepted into law:

Full-Coverage Unborn Victim States (25)
States With Homicide Laws That Recognize Unborn Children as Victims Throughout the Period of Pre-natal Development)
Alabama,Alaska,Arizona,Georgia,Illinois,Idaho,Kansas,Kentucky,Louisiana,Michigan,Minnesota,Mississippi,Missouri,Nebraska,North Dakota,Ohio,Oklahoma,Pennsylvania,SouthCarolina,South Dakota,Texas,Utah,Virginia,West Virginia,Wisconsin

Partial-Coverage Unborn Victim States (10)
States with Homicide Laws That Recognize Unborn Children as Victims, But only During Part of the Period of Pre-natal Development)
Arkansas,California,Florida,Indiana,Maryland,Nevada,Rhode Island,Tennessee,Washington

For more detailed information on above please go here

Now to answer Missy's question about which Laci Peterson book I would suggest reading.If you are manic like me then you should read all the books I list below but otherwise consider from which angle you would like to get your information.

If you would like to find out what was going on behind the scenes and what families of victims go through in crime cases then I would suggest the book above,For Laci by Sharon Rocha.

To get a bird's eye view of this true crime story where all the major components of a crime case is listed as in background/childhood,crime,investigation,court case but in lesser detail then you must try this book by Michael Fleeman
Laci: Inside the Laci Peterson Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library)

If you are interested in the psychology behind a crime then Keith Ablow MD more than provides in this book
Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson

If you would like to delve even further into what went on during jury deliberations bearing in mind that juror no 5 was kicked off the jury.He is the one that says he would have acquitted Scott Peterson because Laci was much better looking than Amber Frey,that pregnant women are full of s**t.I dread to think what would have happened if this bombastic oaf had remained on the jury.
We, the Jury: Deciding the Scott Peterson Case

Or if you would like to get the version of the story from the "other woman" Amber Frey.I hated this book's cover and still do.Also I do not have much sympathy for women who sleep with other women's husbands.Granted she did not know at the time that Scott was married but she had had an affair with a married man before so I don't think this would have stopped her if Scott Peterson didn't end up killing his wife.In fact she would have done Laci a favor by sparing her life.
Witness: For the Prosecution of Scott Peterson

And then finally if the thought of all these books are terrifying then there is a DVD on this story although Sharon Rocha says it is mostly inaccurate.I did see it and actually would love to watch it again now that I have all this other information gained from these books.
Perfect Husband - The Laci Peterson Story

For extra information the book Erased by Marilee Strong.This book however covers a few cases and is meant to highlight Eraser Killings which is the "wiping out" of one's spouse from your life for no other reason than they have now become inconvenient.

Missy,you can get the ISDN numbers of these book by clicking the links.They are just further down the page.

Now for my question:
I virtually cringe every time I have to type Laci Peterson.I would prefer to type Laci Rocha.I have a BIG problem with the fact that women who are murdered by their husbands still have this murderer's surname on their gravestone.I think that you take on a man's surname in honor of your marriage to him.When he ends up murdering you I think that should fall away,especially if there are no children from the marriage.(I think the little ones would like their mother to have the same surname as they do.)Do you agree with me or have I lost the plot finally?

Erased By Marilee Strong

Marilee Strong brings years of experience probing the darker areas of human psychology to reveal what is really going on behind the endless stream of missing women stories that have dominated the news since the disappearance of Laci Peterson.The author presents a completely original theory about a disguised form of domestic homicide - eraser killing - and the strange and complex psychology of otherwise normal men driven to erase the women, and sometimes children, they claim to love from their lives. Erased reexamines the Peterson case and explores more than 50 others fascinating and notorious killings that fit this new psychological and criminal profile and exposes how easy it can be to get away with murder.

I will be honest and say that this was not the type of book which once I started reading I could not put down.It is just not that type of book.I put it down many times and yet I would keep coming back to read some more.It read a bit like a text book and I remember the days when I was still studying where the first time you read a text book it makes no sense,the second time with bits of note taking,it starts to take form and then finally everything falls into place and makes absolute sense(hopefully just before you take the actual written test/exam).I obviously only read this book once as I read for entertainment.I have however set it aside for a 2nd time read as I really do want to understand this crime of eraser killing.

Just see the table of contents I am going to include here:
Introduction: A Crime Without a Name.
PART ONE: ERASER KILLING: THE HISTORY AND PSYCHOLOGY OF A NEW CRIMINAL PROFILE.
1. Out of the Shadows.
2. The Dark Triad.
3. The Real American Tragedy.
PART TWO: GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER.
4. The Lady-Killer.
5. Disappearing Acts.
6. Hiding in Plain Sight.
7. Pregnant and Vulnerable: When a Child is Seen as a Threat.
PART THREE: A PSYCHOLOGICAL AUTOPSY OF A CLASSIC ERASER KILLING.
8. A Watery Grave.
9. Keeping Secrets.
10. Too Good to Be True.
11. Seeds of a Plan.
12. A Collision Course.
13. Sex, Lies, and Audiotape.
Conclusion: Fixing a Broken System.Bibliographical Sources.
About the Author.
Index.

I have read similar books to this and one of them is Base Instincts:What Makes Killers Kill which is written by a neurologist and what I liked about this book is the clear direction each chapter has and a short brief description at the beginning of each chapter which lets you know which direction this specific chapter is taking.This book did not have any of that.I was flailing most of the time,considering if I should start taking notes and then put them together so they make sense to me and then I thought,no,this should be the way the book should have been written in the first place.Another negative was the use of the words "eraser killing" and "eraser killer".So many times I thought I was getting hypnotized.In fact I am dreading come January when I go buy stationery for the kids for the new school year and getting to the part where I ask for an "eraser" and end up in a deep trance.Ok enough of the negative stuff.

Now for the good.I have easily read every book on the Laci Rocha (Peterson) killing and yet this book has so much more information on this case.Stuff which never came out in all those other books.Interesting things that those writers should have really included(if they even knew about it).There were parts of this book which moved so fast and was so incredibly interesting and then just as suddenly,we would enter a slow part and I would be tortured again.But I would hang in there because I knew what goes up must come down and go up again?i hoped.And it did.I would recommend reading this book because it provides a completely original viewpoint/insight into this act of eraser killing which is the "motiveless" killing of wives (usually pregnant) by their husbands who for the most part have been wonderful husbands.I especially decided to get this book because Base Instincts deals with killers on death row and Dr Jonathan Pincus expressly states that his studies do not cover men who kill their wives for no apparent reason.This book Erased promised information and explanations on this type of killing.This book also provides information on different cases where this type of crime occurs and this was extremely insightful as I had had no idea of the frequency of this type of crime.I really do wish the writing and information provided had been more structured maybe taking ordinary people like me into account.I believe it contains all the information needed or required just not laid out properly.

So bearing the above in mind,I do recommend reading the book and if you would like to take on this reading challenge then South African readers should access a copy of this book via Kalahari Books and for more reviews then access via the Amazon link below.
Erased: Missing Women, Murdered Wives
To prove to you all that I really mean this I have already ordered another book by Marilee Strong titled A Bright Red Scream which is about the aftereffects of childhood abuse and trauma.I will be more prepared for this style of writing.Sometimes you just have to get used to a certain way of writing before you can truly enjoy a book.So I have not given up yet but feel more prepared for Marilee Strong's next book.Watch out for that review.
Here are some more book details:

Country: United States of America
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: JOSSEY-BASS
ISBN: 9780787996390
Publication date: March 2008
Pages: 352
Illustrations: Illustrated

My Question:
If a pregnant woman is murdered should the killer be convicted for one or two murders?Should the length of time she is pregnant be taken into account,as in more than 6 months pregnant or some other rule?I have some ideas but I will post along with your comments!

Deadly Mistress by Michael Fleeman

West Coast doctor Kenneth Stahl would do anything to free himself from his wife Carolyn. Then Adriana Vasco,Kenneth' s former receptionist and mistress of nine years,obliged by introducing him to ex-con Dennis Earl Godley. The deal was set. Godley would murder Carolyn for thirty-thousand dollars. On the day after her 44th birthday, the trusting victim was lured to a lonely stretch of road. The deadly rendezvous took a shocking turn. Not only was Carolyn gunned down with a .357 Magnum, but Kenneth would also be killed. The hit man' s getaway driver was the other woman, Adriana Vasco. In a sensational trial, a tangled web of lies, sex, and betrayal unfolded as Adriana and Dennis turned against each other...

This story on its own should convince you to not even consider a life of crime.What happened to Kenneth Stahl was in my opinion,deserving,but should also prove to be a deterrent to people who might have the same idea.This saying comes to mind "Lie down with dogs and you will get fleas." Sorry to Oprah and Suzanne because I know their dogs don't have fleas!!

This book also brings forth the amazing skills of investigators and how through their knowledge and expertise are able to track down killers and bring them to justice.You have to remember that in this case the husband and wife were shot.How the investigators came to unearth the truth that the husband was also involved is investigative skills at its best.

Michael Fleeman is a good writer and this book certainly attests to that.I just have one complaint.Referring to other crimes which were not well publicised when referring to an area does not really add reader value.I think there is value when you mention a criminal that we all know but when we don't,this information just falls under "filler" details.Unless of course you give some details on the crime itself and the crime actually has a strange twist to it.Mentioning that so-and-so killed so-and-so on this stretch of road is just not that interesting.Just my opinion,use it don't use it!

What amazed me about this true crime story is that the couple were so well established career wise.The husband was a doctor and an anesthisiologist and the wife was an optometrist.I always assume when I see couples like that that they must be normal as they are both well educated.I assume that having had the determination to study for 5+ years that they must be outstanding responsible citizens.Well,it appears that it does not really matter how high your IQ is,the need for love,and acquiring it either though money or sex,seems to be at the very base of our existence and likely to be a reason for murder for centuries to come.Some things just never change and despite evolving from apes we have yet to evolve (or at least bring under control) the need for love or versions of love which can best be described as "tainted" or "warped".

I enjoyed reading this book and although it was about the all too familiar husband kills wife I was intrigued by the fact that he also ended up shot so I wanted to find out how this happened and how it came out into the open.Michael Fleeman provides that in an easy to understand and follow writing style.

If you would like to find out more about this book then South African readers can access via Kalahari Books and for more reviews then access via the Amazon link below
Deadly Mistress: A True Story of Marriage, Betrayal and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
I read this book in June 2007 and has the usual 8 pages of photographs.

Here are some more book details:

Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime Classics
ISBN: 9780312937409
Publication date: November 2005
Pages: 291
Illustrations: Illustrated

My Question:
Seeing as Kenneth Stahl actually arranged to have his wife killed but also ended up getting killed in the process,do you think he deserved it?And if your answer is an immediate and resounding NO,no one deserves to die,then what about the fact that if he had survived he would have been prosecuted and given the death penalty,does he then deserve to die?

Death In Texas by Carlton Smith

Robert and Doris Angleton seemed to have the perfect life. Until she was coldly murdered in her own home, shot thirteen times in the head, chest, and abdomen...
Suddenly the ideal husband seemed anything but perfect: he was jailed, accused of hiring his older brother, Roger, to kill his wife for money,possibly as much as $2 million. However, without the crucial eyewitness testimony of Roger,who soon committed suicide in a Houston jail cell,the case against Robert rested entirely on circumstantial evidence. But the facts raise more questions than answers...

* Doris Angleton,deeply involved in a secret love affair,had asked her husband for a divorce, which might have exposed him as a tax-skipping millionaire bookie and favored police informant...
* Extensive handwritten and typewritten notes, coupled with a secretly taped conversation between Roger and another man outlining the murder, were found in a briefcase Roger Angleton was carrying when he was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, it was later concluded that the second voice on the tape was not Robert's...
* Also in Roger's briefcase: $64,000 in cash, along with a money wrapper with Robert's fingerprint on it...
* Ultimately Roger confessed to the murder in his suicide note, exonerating his brother of any guilt...
A Texas jury came to one conclusion. (editorial review)

Carlton Smith was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting in 1988, and for the true crime readers who enjoy books that delve deeply into the investigation process Carlton Smith always delivers.This book did not have much background information on the main characters so in my case I was disappointed.

The investigation is detailed as and when the actual investigators would have found out about each certain fact.Due to this I got an insight as to how confusing investigative work actually is and how you ned to keep the facts in order in your own mind to avoid getting sidetracked by details which might be irrelevant.Carlton Smith does go one step further by helping to keep the details clear by emphasising on the importance of each.But this was a really complicated crime and his work was cut out for him from the get go.

This book is only available on Kindle now but I have the "real" book version.This review is part of my mission to review all my "old" books in the month of June and get that out of the way so I can concentrate on "new" and current books that I am reading.

I prefer true crime books that give a reasonable amount of attention to all the main categories of a true crime and this book was full of the investigation and very little background(which I enjoy) so it does not rate highly in my eyes.


Here is the link if you would like to read some more reviews on this book
Death in Texas: A True Story of Marriage, Money, and Murder

I read this book in November 2007 and it does have the 8 pages of photographs.I was also horrified that they would include a photo of the dead victim.How that happened I have no idea.It is not a gory photo at all but I really would have liked to have been warned first.

Here are some more book details
Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime (October 4, 2005)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B000V6XNCU
and here is the ISBN code which I got off my original order from back in 2007
ISBN 9780312970758

My Question:
Do you feel more sympathy for husbands that kill wives who were going to leave them as in a crime of passion as opposed to husbands who kill their wives for money?

Bitter Almonds by Gregg Olsen

Stella Maudine Nickell's small-time world was one of big-time dreams. In 1986, her biggest one came true when her husband died during a seizure, making her the beneficiary of a $175,000,plus insurance payoff,until authorities discovered Bruce Nickell's headache capsules had been laced with cyanide. In an attempt to cover her tracks, Stella did the unconscionable. She saw to it that a stranger would also become a random casualty of cyanide-tainted painkillers. But Stella's cunning plan came undone when her daughter Cynthia notified federal agents. And troubling questions lingered like the secret of bitter almonds... What would turn a gregarious barfly like Stella into a cold-hearted killer overnight? Why would Cynthia, a mirror image of her mother, turn on her own flesh and blood? Did Cynthia reveal everything she knew about the crimes?

It is a known fact that when performing an autopsy on a person who has died from cyanide poisoning the body releases a strong smell of almonds.Hence this title "Bitter Almonds".This did not happen with the victim Bruce Nickell as an autopsy was never performed on him.It was believed and accepted that he had died from heart complications.The story outlined at the back of this book is slightly misleading as it implies that Stella Nickell,in order to cover her tracks,then laced painkillers in a drugstore with cyanide so that another random person would die as well.The truth is the reason she did this was because the insurance on her husband's life had a double indemnity for accidental death.Her greed was her own undoing.By poisoning another person or person(s)(she didn't care) then her husband's death would be seen as an accidental death and not a natural death via health complications.Stella Nickell had essentially gotten away with murder initially. The investigation then carried out into the cyanide laced painkillers is what unearthed her deadly plan which led to her subsequent incarceration.

This true crime story has many sub plots as the other woman who ended up dead from the other cyanide laced painkillers had a history of her own and this is covered in the book.The book is filled with twists and turns as the investigation reveals many potential suspects at first including people in this woman's life one of which was investigated thoroughly.In fact he seemed to be a dead ringer for the crime.At this stage I was left wondering how many innocent people are actually in jail nowadays for crimes they did not commit.Some people are really so unclucky that certain crimes can lead right back to them,even though they are completely innocent.

This is a very thick book with 568 pages but the story is really complicated and you need to keep your wits about you to stay on top of this story.Even though we know that Stella Nickell was the actual murderer,the details included in this well written story does lead the reader down the exact paths that I imagine the investigators were led.The book does leave a few questions still unanswered mainly,was Stella Nickell's daughter actually involved in the poisoning?What made her decide to turn her mother in? Did they have a falling out as to what reward Stella would give her for helping?This book was interactive as I was able to come to my own conclusions and any other reader would be able to do so as well.But the point is we would just have our own thoughts.Nothing is ever proven for sure.

For readers interested in finding out more about this true crime book then South African readers should access via Kalahari Books and for more reviews then see the link below
Bitter Almonds : The True Story of Mothers, Daughters, and the Seattle Cyanide Murders

Here are some more book details:
Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime Classics
ISBN: 9780312982003
Publication date: August 2006
Pages: 576

I read this book in November 2007 and it has 8 pages of photographs.It was an entertaining read but you might have to skim though parts of the book as Gregg Olsen sometimes includes details which are just plain boring and slightly unnecessary and let me stick my neck out by saying "irrelevant".

My Question
Would you immediately report a family member if you knew they had committed a crime or would you ask questions first and then hope someone else reports the crime?