Jeffrey Dahmer's Dirty Secret by Arthur Jay Harris

Do you remember 6 year old Adam Walsh's disappearance? The son of John Walsh who hosts America's Most wanted? This case was closed finally after many years with the investigators announcing that his killer was Otis Toole,a serial killer who confessed to the crime.If that sounds clear cut and simple,you are so so wrong.

This book Jeffrey Dahmer's Dirty Secret written by Arthur Jay Harris is a book on this writer's 13 year investigation into this crime.He was long convinced that Jeffrey Dahmer had committed this crime but chose not to publish until he had the other side of the story which would be the proof that the investigators had that this crime had indeed been committed by Otis Toole.Despite many attempts by reporters and others to have the police files released and made open to the public,this was only done recently after the police officially closed the case and announced Otis Toole the murderer of little Adam Walsh.

Arthur Jay Harris was convinced that in these same files would be information that the police investigators had missed which would point the finger at Jeffrey Dahmer instead.And it does but I will get into that further.First I want to mention this amazing thing which got this writer to start investigating Jeffrey Dahmer instead.Jeffrey Dahmer had murdered a boy who turned out to be the brother of another boy he had assaulted some years before which had ended up with him being sent to jail for that assault.When interrogated about whether he had known the two were brothers with the second attack his answer was "I just saw him,I didnt know him from Adam".A common term to use...

Back to the book,Arthur Jay Harris did finally find details in those same police files which further confirmed that Jeffrey Dahmer actually killed Adam Walsh.This is my own conclusion.This writer gives you all the facts about Otis Toole and on the other side proof against Jeffrey Dahmer.You have to reach your own conclusions but to me it was as clear as day.
The witnesses who came forward who had seen Dahmer,proof that he had been working in the area,the blue van sighted at the scene which he had access to,the fact that when Dahmer was caught for the other crimes his attorney had stated that he refused to be interrogated on crimes from states which had the death penalty (As Adam Walsh's home state).This book is absolutely full of interesting information most derived from this writer's own investigation.He followed up on so many leads,some not successful but quite a few which produced amazing results.This is a brilliant book on investigation and the amazing thing is it is written by the writer as it happens so the reader feels as if they are on that same journey.Because of this reading experience the writing does jump around a bit but it's really worth it because of how all the information eventually unravels into the amazing conclusion that Jeffrey Dahmer did kill Adam Walsh.

I haven't nearly covered all the details in case I spoil the book but I will add this for you to keep in mind in case you do decide to read the book.Most investigators have announced that Adam Walsh did not fit the profile of the victims of Jeffrey Dahmer as he was too young.Bear in mind that this would have been one of Dahmer's first crimes.The age difference between himself and Adam Walsh was smaller than in quite a few of his later crimes.And the fact that Otis Toole recanted then admitted guilt then recanted again and went on this way.Yes,no,yes,no..

I am left with one disturbing thought.Why the high resistance to seeing the facts and announcing that Jeffrey Dahmer could have killed Adam Walsh?Dahmer is dead,killed very soon after entering jail.Why the cover up?What is going on?

I would recommend reading this book with one bit of advice.There is so much information that you need to just go with the flow.Take it all in.Do not try and reach any conclusions till the end.See how you feel then and weigh it all up.It is a wonderfully researched book on investigation and an insight into what writers go through when they research and find out about certain information which has not yet been reported by the media.

To find out more about this book you can access Amazon

Here are some more book details:
Jeffrey Dahmer's Dirty Secret: The Unsolved Murder of Adam Walsh
Paperback: 354 pages
Publisher: BookSurge Publishing (July 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1439236275
ISBN-13: 978-1439236277

Invisible Darkness by Stephen Williams

This book Invisible Darkness by Stephen Williams is the true crime account of the case of Paul and Karla Bernardo and the couple's seemingly storybook marriage, which involved kidnapping, imprisonment, and the murder of high-school girls to satisfy their sexual cravings.

Rebecca requested this review so this one's for you but I hope everyone finds it useful.To my new readers who might not know this here are some tips on how I am going about this blogging thing.I started reading true crime books back in 2007 but only started blogging about them in February this year.So I review my new books as soon as I have read them but also in the meantime am trying to do reviews on old true crime books that I have read from as far back as 2007.This book is one of them.

I am also trying to think up a rating system which is going to be more based on preferences of true crime book readers.Some true crime readers prefer in depth investigations(for me sometimes,depends on true crime writer),some prefer a major portion of the book dedicated to the background and early childhood of the characters(that's me) while some might want more graphic details of the crime itself(not me)so basically my rating system would advise how much of the book is dedicated to each.I do not do reviews on books I did not enjoy(probably because I would then not finish reading it)so all my reviews are on books which I would advise on reading with extra information for the reader.

So to get back to my review of Invisible Darkness.This book contains graphic details of the crime and is not for the faint hearted.I distinctly remember being very very jittery while I was reading this book.What absolutely amazed me was the front picture of this couple on their wedding day where they look so much like a normal happy loving couple and then to read this book and find out how crazy people can feed and grow off each other's evil was mind numbing,at best.Despite those details Stephen Williams provides background and early childhood details which kept me clinging on for dear life.

Further in the book it comes out that all the crimes were video taped and to get descriptions of what was on the tape and having a well developed imagination I did not even need to actually see those videos to actually know what was in there.Plus the fact that the books contains photographs of the victims made it even easier for me to be an absolutely wreck by the time I finished reading this book.

The point is I enjoyed reading the book because Stephen Williams is an excellent writer and obviously his aim was to tell the story and those graphic details are absolutely necessary to tell the story of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka because their crimes are totally based on those details.My advice is to proceed with caution.Have a light hearted book ready to read immediately after you have read this book.I suggest Chicken Soup For The Soul because it will re instate your belief in people and the fact that (I believe) people are more good than bad.

I don't believe that Karla Homolka got the sentence she deserved because I don't believe in the defence theory of "he made me do it".To help you understand my thoughts on Karla Homolka I want to add that her younger sister was also a victim of this couple.At least Paul Bernardo got what he deserved.

This book is not an easy read because of the content but is worth reading for the insight it provides into the way this couples' minds worked and I believe their minds were totally in sync for the crimes they committed.

If you would like to find out more about this book then South African readers should access via Kalahari Books and if you want to see more reviews from other readers then the Amazon link which follows will provide that.
Invisible Darkness: The Strange Case Of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka

I read this book in November 2007 and it has 532 pages and it has 8 pages of photographs.

Into The Water by Diane Fanning

To authorities she spilled the shocking details of a night of horror. It was the lead they'd been desperate for in a multi-state manhunt for an elusive serial killer. Where the witness took them was to the last man anyone would have suspected.

Richard Marc Evonitz was beloved by friends and family. He was handsome, intelligent, and compassionate. Serving a spotless eight years in the U.S. Navy, he was a town hero who lived in harmony in an exclusive South Carolina neighborhood. The only ones who saw Evonitz's dark side were his victims. They were helpless teenage girls who, one by one, were subjected to his twisted sexual fantasies of kidnap, rape, and murder-until his double life came undone by the brave cunning of his last young victim. But as authorities and the media descended upon him, Evonitz had one more shocking surprise in store for everyone-a stunning final act of violence and reckoning that would turn a bright sunlit morning blood red.

I have now read six books written by Diane Fanning and I must say they were all impressive.This one “Into The Water” is about Marc Evonitz (his first name is actually Richard but because Richard was also his uncle’s name the family decided to call him by the name Marc right from the beginning)who raped and murdered three girls, two of which were sisters. He was caught when his fourth and last victim managed to escape and identified him to law enforcement. The book details how this child cleverly kept her wits about her and bid her time until she could make good her escape.Reading about this child’s story and who at such a young age managed to work out a strategy of escape was absolutely awe inspiring.

Diane Fanning starts the book with a chapter on the final actions of Marc Evonitz and then proceeds into the history of his parents,how they met and subsequently married. The books offers great insight into Marc’s childhood and possible reasons as to why he turned out the way he did. I love true crime writers who go into details about a criminal’s early life.By doing this they satisfy my need to try and get into the mind of the criminal and find possible explanations for his later criminal behavior.Unfortunately I have read horror stories of some people’s childhoods and those same people do not become serial killers. Marc Evonitz’s childhood was definitely not a fairytale and yet his sisters turned out okay. This boggles the mind. What specifically short circuited in his brain that he would end up doing these evil murderous deeds? I suppose we will never find the absolute agenda that leads to the creation of a serial killer so I will just have to carry on reading true crime stories in order to find answers and reach some conclusions which make sense to me.

This book was also interesting in that it overlapped over other crime news that were happening at the same time and Diane Fanning is excellent in bringing those details in and working them into the main story effortlessly.I as a reader, felt that I had a very good idea as to how the locals were feeling and had a lot of sympathy for the investigators and their immense workload at that time.

One thing I am not impressed with (and it is really trivial) is the title of “ Into The Water”. Tell me if I am wrong but to me “Into The Water” signifies fun as when we jump in and splash and so forth. This book title is so because the victims were either found in the water or near a bed of water. I might be finicky here but this title then obviously is referring to the serial killer throwing the bodies “into the water” .This is a bit too much for me. This title offended me because it turned a phrase that is usually enjoyable into a window where I now see these poor children being killed and thrown into the water.I think a title like A Watery Grave or Dead In The Water would have been more appropriate.I know both of these titles are taken already but I am not a writer so I am assuming a writer could come up with something more appropriate. By the way this is in no way Diane Fanning’s fault as writers are sometimes bullied into choosing different titles by their publishers. So there you have it. If I have to go by Diane Fanning’s brilliant writing and the way you can feel through her words that she truly cares for the victims and the families left behind,then I would say this title was not her choice.

To summarise,another great book by Diane Fanning.I do believe I have now read all of her true crime books.I am going to keep track of any of her future projects via her website so I can be first in line for her next book.

To access some more reviews on this book please use links below
Into The Water By Diane Fanning- Kalahari Books for South African readers
Or below for access via Amazon
Into the Water

I read this book in March 2009 and it has 244 pages(including acknowledgements and afterword) and 8 pages of photographs.

Country: United States of America
Format: Mass market paperback
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 9780312985264
Publication date: September 2008
Length: 172mm
Width: 107mm
Thickness: 18mm
Weight: 132g
Pages: 224
Illustrations: Illustrated

Suffer The Little Children by Barbara Davis

Jesse took cruelty and terror to new depths. He pitted victim against victim until his violence spiraled into a storm of murder. Only when one of his wives found the strength did the police get the evidence they needed to put him on death row.

I am at a loss for words about this book "Suffer The Little Children".I still find it hard to believe that someone like Jesse Cummings could be so cruel and depraved and so sick.He is at least off the steets but what is more terrifying is that the chances are very high that right now out on the streets is another Jesse Cummings performing depraved acts of cruelty against his family right now.Even more tragic is the fact that someone in the family,an adult, or a friend probably knows about this and has chosen to keep quiet.

This man,and I use this term sparingly,was a disgusting person of no conscience.I have chosen to ignore the fact that he was apparently brought up with cruelty himself.Only the very weak perpetuate evil acts that they suffered in their childhoods.How in heaven's name do grown adult women stand by and watch their children be tortured on a daily basis?This is beyond me.Like I said I am at a loss for words.

We all know that you cannot judge whether someone is a criminal or not by his looks but in this case this man looks like a criminal.I,for one, would never accept a ride from him.Cruelty is written all over his face.

Barbara Davis starts the book in the murderer's childhood and I love true crime books which are written in that style.The story flows effortlessly and is well structured taking you easily through the events leading finally,thank goodness,to the incarceration of this monster.I have this habit of reading the front page of a book to decide if it is going to be a good one and this one gets full marks for front page and it does end up being a brilliantly written book.

Unfortunately we do not all have the option of reading the front page of a book before purchasing especially if you order your books online.I personally guarantee that you will enjoy this book from beginning to end.

To find out more about this book via Kalahari Books-South Africa





I read this book in May 2007.It has 308 pages and 12 pages of pictures.The pictures are very relevant and one of them shows the pitiful little face of the murdered little girl.