An Hour to Kill: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Justice in a Small Southern Town (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
by Dale Hudson, Billy Hills
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Mass Market Paperback (01 March, 2001)
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Reviews (118)

You Will Not Put This One Down!!!Great Sad Story!
Boy, of all my latest reads this one has to be my favorite. its an engageing story about a close christian friend of the girl he murders all while fooling those around him.the nice guy we all want our daughters to meet someday!he comforted the dead girls mother and was even a pall bearer at the funeral. this is a sick guy in the state of South Carolina just went beserk for no reason 1 nite andPOOR crystal todd became his victim. i hope this guy rots in hell. he's pure evil if i ever saw.. maybe"your" next door neighbor. makes you stand up and take notice of all the people around you and wonder which one is a psycho in disguise.

you wont put it down
YOU WONT PUT THIS ONE DOWN, IF YOU LOVE TRUE CRIME YOU WILL LOVE THIS ONE. ITS ABOUT A NINETEEN YEAR OLD BOY, WHO VIOLENTLY KILLS A YOUNG TEENAGE GIRL, THAT HE HAD BEEN FRIENDS WITH HER AND HER FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS. HE HAS A HOUR BEFORE HE HAS TO BE HOME, SO HE DECIDES TO TAKE THE LONG WAY,AND HE MEETS UP SOMEHOW WITH CRYSTAL TODD . IT ALL STARTS FROM THERE. NOT TOO LONG AFTER, HER MUTILATED BODY IS FOUND. ALTHOUGH KEN REGISTER WAS WELL LIKED AND A CHURCHGOER, YOU FIND OUT THAT HE HAD A QUESTIONABLE PAST, THAT MIGHT LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE HE WAS A KILLER IN THE MAKING.IF NOT CONVICTED, I WONDER HOW MANY MORE WOULD OF FACED THE SAME HORROR CRYSTAL HAD.THANK GOODNESS FOR THE PERSISTANCE OF CRYSTALS MOTHER 'BONNIE FAYE' AND DETECTIVES DEDICATION TO SOLVE THIS HORRIBLE CRIME.

Strangely written
Out of respect for the deceased and the importance of the topic matter, I gave the book 3 stars.I don't recall the television coverage of the crime as it unfolded on TV.A few months ago one of A & E's true crime programs ("City Confidential", if I recall correctly) carried this story.The book doesn't adequately cover the persons involved nor the events, in my opinion.If you're able to catch the A & E presentation on television, by all means watch it; it provides a more rounded-out view of all that transpired and the parties involved.

This truly chilling story should be read by all.

Yes, the trial was covered.
Yes, the horrible fate of Crystal Todd was adequately outlined.
Yes, the authors were objective -- especially as the representations of the families involved (victim's and perpetrator's) are concerned.

But I have some criticisms as well:

1.The only photo of the victim is a marred portrait taken from a distance, on her headstone.
2.We are suddenly thrust into the "here and now" lives of these teenagers, with very little background information -- especially as regards their lifelong affiliation and friendship with one another (refer to A & E television program).
3.Large professional-quality photos of Mickey and Jane Spillane are included in the photos section, with captions as to their presence at the trial -- yet within the text pertaining to the trial they aren't mentioned.Ken, Mrs. Register and Mrs. Todd appeared on Sally Jesse Raphael and the authors cover that episode rather well...yet no photos from the confrontation on the show are reproduced.This doesn't make sense.
4. In the A & E television crime program, photos from earlier in the lives of Crystal and Ken are shown -- including a photo of them in a swimming pool together; both bathing-suit clad and she's sitting on his shoulders.I was surprised that this photo WASN'T in the book -- and, again, that only 1 poor-quality photo of the victim (you really can't even see what she looked like in life) is present in the book.As mentioned previously, I'm perplexed that little information about the years of their lives *prior to* the crime (especially as related to one another, or separately) is given.
5.Little is made in the book of Ken having viewed a couple of "snuff films" during the height of his pornography obsession.

There is one lingering doubt, however.I feel I must give Mrs. Register the benefit of the doubt (she seems an honest lady):If indeed she was telling the truth about Ken's appearance when he arrived home on the night of the murder, how could he have been so clean and non-disheveled?Given the extreme brutality of Crystal's gruesome murder, if he did indeed commit this crime how could he have avoided being hit by blood spraying, or not have sustained scratch marks, abrasions and perhaps a few bruises during the horrific struggle Crystal put up?Odd.

Read the book.But also try and catch the A & E television program pertaining to Crystal's murder.Rest in peace, sweetheart.I'm truly sorry for what happened to you.
... Read more

Isbn: 0312978359
Sales Rank: 143533
Subjects:  1. Murder - General    2. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    3. True Crime   

Small Sacrifices: A True Story of Passion and Murder
by Ann Rule
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Mass Market Paperback (01 July, 1988)
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Reviews (74)

Ann Rule's very best
This is my favorite Ann Rule book.The story is very disturbing but RIVETING.I highly recommend it.

Great Book
I really enjoyed reading this book, I had a hard time putting it down. IT was very sad what the three children went through from the day they were born.Ann Rule does a wonderful job telling this story.It's unbelivable how bad the system is, she escaped from jail and they could not find her for days. I would recommend this book to anyone.

"Hungry Like a Wolf" aka tragedy
I have read Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule several times and every time I finish the book I, as many people I'm sure, was left wondering what would push a mother so far that she shoots her children?!?!The doctors and nurses, investigators, prosecutorsand definatly Christy Downs are the heros in this case. Without their persistance, determination and courage, Diane would never have been brought to justice. She has been in prison a long time and I hope thats where she stays because she doesn't deserve her freedom. Ann Rule did some excellent research for this book and it shows! I bought the book because it sounded interesting and it has become my favorite. I have seen the mini series as well! Highly recomend this book/movie to anyone who likes true crime. A definate page turning thriller and despite its 400 plus pages,you will read right through it like there are only 100!! Enjoy and thank you Ann Rule for writing such an awesome book! ... Read more

Isbn: 0451166604
Sales Rank: 3065
Subjects:  1. Murder - General    2. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    3. True Crime   

Whoever Fights Monsters : My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
by Robert K. Ressler, Thomas Schachtman
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Mass Market Paperback (15 March, 1993)
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Editorial Review

This book is an overview of the career of the FBI man who nearly single-handedly created the system for personality profiling of violent offenders. If there's a big-time multiple murderer from about 1950 until now who hasn't been interviewed by Robert Ressler, he probably refused the honor. Indispensable reading for serial killer mavens, and better written than John Douglas and Mark Olshaker's Mindhunter, this book is packed with fascinating details from dozens of cases: The killer John Joubert, for example, started his life of cruelty as a kid one day when he was riding his bike with a sharpened pencil in his hand. He rode up next to a little girl who was walking, and stabbed her in the back with the pencil. Ouch! ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Ashamed of our serial killers? Ressler reminds us
For those of you who are not big fans of serial killers and the people who catch them (or at least won't admit it publicly), Bob Ressler is the guy who invented the term "Serial Killer" and helped usher in a new understanding of repeat criminals and why they do what they do.The citizens of the U.S. owe a lot to Bob.So does Thomas Harris, who interviewed him extensively for Manhunter and Silence of the Lambs.

Alas, truth is stranger than fiction, and the tales Ressler tells are positively awful.There' just one problem: we've heard all of this before.

Where?That'd be "Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit," by John E. Douglas, a man I can only assume was Ressler's protégé. It's a bit murky as to their relationship (the two reference each other, but not often).The parallels are unmistakable-it's interesting to read the opinions of two different people interviewing the same serial killer.

For example, Douglas has a bit of a creepy admiration for Ed Kemper.Kemper had a diabolical mind that he put to good use, such that eventually he figured out why he was killing women: because he hated his mother.So Kemper did what every good serial killer would do in such a situation...he killed her too.His murders "finished," Kemper called the police and gave himself up.

That little story is from Douglas' point of view.It almost makes Kemper out to be a sympathetic figure.A six-foot tall, 300 pound sympathetic figure, but sympathetic nonetheless.

Ressler is not so kind.Ressler interviews Kemper alone at one point.Having finished the interview, Ressler rings for the guard...but nobody comes.Sensing his discomfort, Kemper explains how he could probably screw Ressler's head off with his bare hands and nobody would be able to do anything about it.Kemper goes on to explain how he has nothing to lose and how, by killing an FBI agent, he'd get quite a bit of "prison cred."Fortunately, Ressler keeps a cool head (and keeps his head) by playing the little mind game right back at the massive serial killer until the guards escort him out.

"You know I was only kidding, right?" says Kemper, putting a hand on Ressler's shoulder.

Whoever Fights Monsters is a lot like that.It simultaneously takes on tough subjects, summarizes them from a clinical perspective, and then reminds you-sometimes quite sternly-that these people are murderers.Where Douglas tends to talk about himself and the heavy toll that dealing with serial killers took on his own personal psyche, Ressler is much more detached and observant.Douglas advocates the death penalty, Ressler does not.Douglas embraces the glory and publicity of being a trailblazer in his field, Ressler worries about the depersonalization of the victims and the celebrity-status of the killers themselves.Who's right?

There are no right answers here.Of the two books, Douglas' is more entertaining because he chooses to be more dramatic. The two books track each other very closely, such that if you've read one, you probably don't need to read the other one. Unlike Douglas' book, Ressler admits when he makes mistakes.He also goes into more detail as to the method and process of profiling, which is why I originally bought both books. But it's simply not as exciting a read.

Nevertheless, Ressler's tale is an important one: serial killers are mistakes.They're the results of terrible human failings and something to be ashamed off, not celebrated.In that respect, Ressler's story is a more socially responsible (if not as thrilling) examination of the worst humanity has to offer.

Good addition to a True Crime Library
This book is very intriguing and has some good insights.

Truely a great writer and experienced criminologist, Ressler again gives us an amazing journey into the criminal mind. Highly recommended.

If only Mr Ressler would know that we are more interested in his insight and information then in his ego. Yes, with greatness comes ego, but he should save it for a autobiography (which I am sure would be 1199 pages thick!)

If you filter through his ego, you will discover a valuable addition to your collection

I save almost every book, this one I threw away.
We all like hearing scary stories about monsters.This book provides a few of them.Because of its pulp horror novel quality it has some redeaming value.The negatives make it not only a bad read, but make me wish that I had not read it. 1) The author spends a lot of time tooting his own horn. This is fine, but you grow weary of it after a few chapters.It wouldn't be so annoying but because of the way he writes comes off as if he is trying too hard to make it sound like NOT bragging.Because of this I grew very aware of it, like when your tounge won't stop worrying at a new tooth-filling. 2) It grows very predictable.We get it!Serial killers are psychos who fit into patterns and act out fantasies. It isn't a surprise anymore once we learned this early in the book. 3) Ressler brags about his profile helping to send 4-5 Chicago teenagers to prison for a a grusome murder/rape.A decade after this book went to press DNA evidence and discovery of the real killers proved that these kids had been railroaded--unequivocally innocent.Ooops!This incredibly gross injustice wouldn't seem so terrible if Ressler didn't come off as such a judgemental, I-told-you-so-ing, J. Edgar Hoover loving cop's cop. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312950446
Subjects:  1. Forensic Science    2. General    3. Homicide    4. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    5. Serial murders    6. True Crime    7. United States    8. True Crime / Murder   

I : The Creation of a Serial Killer
by Jack Olsen
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Hardcover (20 August, 2002)
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Reviews (25)

Apologia of a Serial Killer
I don't mean Apology, I mean Apologia, a formal, written explanation of actions.In this case the Happyface Killer tries to explain how he became a serial killer because of 1) his family; 2) society; 3) women and 4) alcohol. This list is not exclusive nor in any specific order.I was rather tired of his self serving whining after the first chapter and it would have been better if there had been some balancing exposition from Mr. Olsen-- a writer I generally respect.

This is certainly an antidote to the Hannibal Lector myth of the superior serial killer.Jesperson is a remarkably banal sort of killer-- focused on sex and money.Probably the most queasy making part of his story involves his claims of being a doting father intertwined with graphic scenes of brutality.

Definitely recommended for those who want to romanticize the breed.

Through the eyes of a Killer
Jack Olsen's book "I" takes the reader into the maddening world of a serial killer. Keith Hunter Jesperson, known as the Happy Face Killer, was responsible for the death of eight women over a span of several years in the early 1990s. With "I" the reader gets into Jesperson's head and sees the world of killer, from Taunja Bennet to his last murder.
By writing this book from a first person stance, Olsen's allows Jesperson to take the drivers seat in this narrative. All the killer's thoughts, feelings and visceral reactions are recorded in a very straight forward manner. Olsen shows Keith Hunter Jesperson for what he really is through his own web of words: an aggressive serial killer. The background information on Jesperson is provided in third person, and it fills in any questions about Keith Jesperson's past. With insight from his father and siblings, we can follow the path of a killer from childhood to incarceration.
My only complaint is that the efforts of the police and their criminal investigation is left out of the book. But, that wasn't the intent of this novel, it was to get us into a killers head, and in that respect Olsen succeeds.

Stunning!
I have amassed quite a collection of true crime books in my life.Aside from Helter Skelter, this may be my favorite true crime book.Aided by a very forthcoming killer, Jack Olsen displays a wealth of knowledge on his subject. While I found the brevity of chapter to be discouraging, the contend creates an exceptional product.While some authors in this genre continually repeat themselves, Olsen tells a seamless story with a continual supply of fresh information.

Keith Hunter Jesperson is the "Happy Face Killer".He earns this name through his washroom stall vandalism and letter writing signature.Jesperson's killing spree involves eight women.In the case of his first murder, others went to jail for his crime.His final death toll could have been larger if he had not killed his "fiance".The story is unique because the killer is a truck driver.This facet of the story gives unique insight into the life of a truck driver.The murders are spread through a large area with victims that a largely prostitutes.Jesperson places much of the blame for his murders on his father.The childhood stories depict his father as a manipulative, abusive alcoholic.Even from the stories in the present, his father seems this way.If the stories he describes are true, his father does hold some responsibility for his son's crimes.

True crime fans must add this book to their collection.The stories are detailed and give insight into the acts of a serial killer which have never been seen before. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312241984
Sales Rank: 101484
Subjects:  1. 1955-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Case studies    7. Criminals & Outlaws    8. Homicide    9. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    10. Jesperson, Keith Hunter,    11. Reference    12. Serial murderers    13. West (U.S.)    14. Jesperson, Keith Hunter    15. True Crime / General   

Rope Burns
by Robert Scott
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Mass Market Paperback (01 September, 2001)
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Reviews (1)

Incredible Detail!
Robert Scott is a master in taking the finest of details and spinning them into a fascinating and easy to follow storyline.I found the Prologue somewhat off putting but fortunately stayed with it and soon became entranced and horrified at the same time with the telling of the multitude of horrific crimes commited by this demonic duo.I have lived in the areas mentioned in this book and even know some of the officials involved.It was very, very strange to be able to picture most of the places mentioned in the book and to know I had either seen or been to some of the places mentioned.It made the book all that more real for me.I came away from reading it with a new found awareness that is both disturbing and enlightening for me.NO ONE IS SAFE from having this happen to them.It is such a ramdom crime of violence.There are things you can do to reduce your chances of being a victim but Fate plays such a big hand in life, for good or for evil.I will be more vigilant for myself and warn people I care about.This book has made a difference in my life. ... Read more

Isbn: 0786011955
Sales Rank: 254680
Subjects:  1. Murder - General    2. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    3. True Crime   

The Gift of Fear
by GAVIN DE BECKER
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Paperback (11 May, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive. The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.

People don't just "snap" and become violent, says de Becker, whose clients include federal government agencies, celebrities, police departments, and shelters for battered women. "There is a process as observable, and often as predictable, as water coming to a boil." Learning to predict violence is the cornerstone to preventing it. De Becker is a master of the psychology of violence, and his advice may save your life. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (185)

A Must Read for those who want to be more Safety Savvy
Gavin de Becker empowers readers with his extensive knowledge and research on violent behavior like no one else. His detailed work can teach anyone that violence does not just happen randomly.But how there are clues in every unsafe situation with strangers, stalkers, or threatening people we can pick up on.

This is a must read for anyone who is frustrated on what to do about violence and wants to 'stack the deck' in their favor when it comes to the ultimate protection of themselves and their loved-ones in today's society.

Could Save Your Life....
Just being aware of the slightest sign, or that uneasy feeling while talking to someone could be the one that is warning your that you are in danger. This book tells you how to recognize these signs. We all have that ability. It's not a book to read for enjoyment, infact its just the opposite. Read it, learn from it,
recommend it to others, you never know when you might end up in a situation where your intuition and awareness could save your life.

Brilliant
De Becker teaches you to trust your intuition, your gift of fear...Sounds obvious?Apparently not...A great book! ... Read more

Isbn: 0440226198
Subjects:  1. General    2. Personal & Practical Guides    3. Personal Growth - General    4. Psychology    5. Safety    6. Self-Help    7. Self-Help / General    8. Stalking    9. Crime    10. Domestic Violence    11. Violent crimes    12. Fear   

The Search for the Green River Killer
by Carlton Smith
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Mass Market Paperback (01 March, 1991)
list price: $7.99
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Reviews (25)

Good overview ofthe GRK case
Overall, I thought this was a good overview of the Green River killer case.I had not paid much attention to it, but when Ridgway was caught and sentenced in Nov, 2003, it really got my attention.The book by Smith and Guillen portrays the police who chased the killer for so many years, and also explains some of the mistakes they made, partly because they had never had to deal with a situation of this magnitude before.It is a very interesting book.However, I did find lots of typos in the copy I had, which was paperback.The person who checked for errors did not do a good job.No book should be released with typos in it today.Some of the victims' names were misspelled. For instance, Shawnda Leea Summers' first name was spelled Shawanda.These are mistakes that should not have been made. According to Dave Reichert's new book it was Shawnda.

Pretty darn good
I've always been facinated by true crime stories.And this was the first book I picked up.In the past getting me to read was a task, and I just never cared much about reading.Therefore getting through a 200 page book took me months.I bought this book in an airport on my way to Las Vegas.It grabbed me in the airport waiting for a plane, I couldn't put it down.In fact I ended up reading for hours on my trip in Vegas instead of gambling (might have saved me a few bucks).Regardless, I finished this book in about 4-5 days.It's over 500 pages long so I even impressed myself.

I agree the politics gets a little too much at times, and it gets a little repetitive, but it does tell the story of "the search" for the Green River Killer.What makes this book even better now is that the killer has been caught and the book has been updated with more details.There were times late a night reading this book where I felt like someone was in the room with me, and that felt freaky.Obviously nobody was, but it's just the feeling I got that scared me pretty good.

Needless to say, I thought it was a great book to read.It's a tragedy that so many people died and that the police were so screwed up on this, but could I have done a better job?I doubt it, hind-sight is always 20-20.If you like good stories about true crime or serial killers, this one will get to you.Not many killed more than he did and even more rare is how long he was loose in today's times.

Reinhart and Kranske have my blessings for all that they went through over the years, and the toll it must have taken on their families as well as all the others that were involved.And to know they were so close but just didn't know is disturbing.

Buy this book, you won't regret it.You might find the police politics interesting as I did, or you might skip over a few paragraphs and get back to the discoveries, either way you shouldn't be disappointed.

too many details about City Hall politics
Too much exhaustive detail about police politics, task force conflicts etc.On and on about the mayor, commissioner blah blah blah. Not enough forensics.If I like a book I finish it in a couple days.This one took months-- it was like something I dreaded on my nightstand. ... Read more

Isbn: 0451402391
Sales Rank: 233739
Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Green River Region    3. Murder    4. Murder - General    5. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    6. Serial murders    7. Sociology    8. Washington (State)   

Armed and Dangerous : Memoirs of a Chicago Policewoman (Illinois)
by Gina Gallo
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (06 April, 2002)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $5.98
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Reviews (26)

This is the best police book I've read to date
I'm going to be a police recruit in the NYPD in the upcoming months, and wanted to know more about this line of work..Armed & Dangerous would be the book to read.This book is for anyone wanting to be a cop, marrying a cop or the friend of a cop...Gina pulls no punches.She is gritty, raw and honest in her writing, which a lot of other police novels lack.I'm currently reading another police novel now, and its so hard to get into it.Gina raises the bar on all other novels..if you never pick up another true crime novel, read this one!!

By Gina Gallo - with no one else.
Riveting, disquieting, amazingly well written. I had to check the cover a couple of times to make sure it wasn't written "with Joe Shcmow." Ms. Gallo names names and leaves out no details about how she managed to function, survive, succeed, and retain personal dignitywithin a most wretched hive of scum and villany.

A Disturbing Look at Society
This was an interesting book, however I would have liked to see a little more of the positive side of being a policewoman.There had to be something positive about the job, or she wouldn't have been a policewoman for so many years.
Having a policeman for a friend, I did appreciate some of the insights into how they may feel different from "civilians".
It's a very sad tale of how many people live and how instead of the police being encouraged become discouraged.
I struggled with how to rate this book, because it's discouraging and haunting, with no upside I wanted to rate it a 3, but Gina does a good job of writing and relating her experience, so I rated it a 4. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312878907
Sales Rank: 36293
Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Gender & the Law    3. General    4. Law    5. Political Freedom & Security - Law Enforcement    6. Regional Subjects - Midwest    7. True Crime    8. Law / Gender & the Law   

Best Business Crime Writing of the Year
by James Surowiecki (Editor)
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 November, 2002)
list price: $12.00 -- our price: $9.00
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Reviews (2)

A little dated, but still valuable...
Although it's a bit dated (the stories are from 2002), I decided to read Best Business Crime Writing Of The Year edited By James Surowiecki.Definitely a good read for those looking to make sense of an ugly period of corporate America.

The book is a compilation of various columns and articles from publications over the year 2002, and they all deal with the criminal aspect of businesses like Enron, WorldCom, Tyco, and others.As most of the articles are "feature length", there's a solid level of coverage on each story, so you don't feel like you're just getting a taste of the real story.The chapters are grouped by section, so you get stories about the main players, the accountants and auditors who were supposed to be watching the store, and some analysis about how the companies imploded.

Even though the material is a couple years old, it doesn't suffer much with the lag time.In fact, it's sort of interesting to see how things have progressed since the story was written.I think the parts that are most valuable and will continue to be are the biographies of the CEOs who led the companies to their demise.Definitely worth reading, especially if you were involved in any way with these fiascoes.

should be read by all public accountants and investors
This book will help to breed healthy skepticism.2002 was a defining year for modern business crimes, or at least reported business crimes, and this book provides a succinct and clear review of the highflying companies, the colorful players, their notorious crimes, and the pertinent issues.I finally understand how Enron schemed and ImClone conned.The editor has selected some of the best reports of each crime, crimes where greed and vice, instead of virtue, were rewarded, and he has brought each story up to date with unfolding news. In Part One, Surowiecki selected stories about the corporate hucksters, conmen, CEOs, visionaries, and villains, from the Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Forbes, The New York Times, The LA Times, The WSJ, and even The Edmonton Journal.The stories illuminate the events at Enron, WorldCom, ImClone, CriticalPath, Quest, Tyco, and Adelphia.The Edmonton Journal's story on WorldCom's Bernie Ebbers is among the best I read.No Mississippi paper would touch that profile.You might never read a business press puff piece about a CEO, or trust a devoutly religious or visionary CEO the same way again.In Part Two, the stories focus on "Who Watches the Watchmen?"Stories from The New Yorker, The New York Times, BW, USBanker, and The WSJ highlight the SEC and NY Attorney General Elliot Spitzer, and the corruptions of Wall Street analysts, "independent knowers," and at the self regulating Big Five accounting firms, especially Andersen Worldwide.The profile of Jack Grubman, a disgraced telecom analyst who lacked objectivity is a delight to read. In Part Three, the selected stories concern "What Went Wrong, and How Do We Fix It?"Stories from the WSJ, Business 2.0, Slate, Bloomberg, Fortune, The Weekly Standard, and The Atlantic Monthly investigate whether corruption is an always a byproduct of bull market bubbles, whether stock options lead to the rewarding of bad behavior, and whether greedy investors themselves are to blame for what befalls them. ... Read more

Isbn: 1400033713
Sales Rank: 391737
Subjects:  1. Commercial crimes    2. General    3. Journalism, Commercial    4. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    5. True Crime    6. United States    7. White collar crimes    8. True Crime / General   

Dead Reckoning: The New Science of Catching Killers
by Michael Baden, Marion Roach
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (04 September, 2002)
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Reviews (41)

If you love a good book, You will love this one!
Fasten your seatbelts. Get ready for the exciting trip into the world of a medical examiner, who is known for having a part in the investigation of some of the country's most recent and most publicized criminal cases. There is nothing better than reading an excellent book, capable of sending chills down your spine. In this informational, attention-grabbing paper-back, Dr. Michael Baden walks us science lovers through various crime scenes and popular crime cases, throwing us readers into a frenzy as we try to speculate the truth. With the help of Baden's colleagues, this book gives an amazingly interesting insight into crime scene investigation and "the new science of catching killers".

As part of our human nature, there is some part of us that finds the death of a human somewhat intriguing. Especially me, a freshman in college, hoping to one day become a forensic pathologist myself, the readers' mind is almost over stimulated with the cracking open of this piece of work. I could barely wait to turn the page to absorb the interesting facts reiterating the importance of blood stain patterns and even bugs to the determination of time of death or even the solving of a crime case.

I must admit, this grisly text is almost guaranteed to churn the stomachs of the weak and frighten away even the average medically-curious individual. Dr. Baden seamlessly depicts images of corpses and their appearance after the decomposition process has begun. He is not ashamed to throw at you the monstrous illustration of a single head apart from its being.

Even for those readers that have no prior interest in forensics, this book is capable of quickly persuading the minds of the vulnerable. Things that one may have once found horrid and gruesome may now be the motivation to read on. This book is an open door that provides the reader an enormous opportunity to explore a completely new world in medicine.

For those that are even slightly intrigued by the disgusting but amazingly tempting tone of this book, it is a must-read. But beware; the journey might be a rough one. Be sure you are wearing your seatbelts.

GREAT INFORMATION
I AM STUDYING TO BECOME A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST AND I FOUND THIS BOOK FULL OF GREAT INFORMATION.I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN ONCE I PICKED IT UP.I AM AMAZED STILL AT HOW THE SMALLEST THINGS CAN MAKE OR BREAK A CASE.MICHAEL BADEN IS ONE OF THE BEST FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS AND IT SHOWS THAT IN HIS NEWEST BOOK.

Absolutely riveting, from start to finish!!!
For anyone considering the field of forensic pathology, or if you're just curious, this book is thorough and detailed, while maintaining a fast pace.Baden and Roach don't underestimate the intelligence of the layreader, but also don't get bogged down in medical-speak.Although Baden sometimes seems to lose focus from topic to topic, his digressions are always fascinating and educational. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684852713
Sales Rank: 29970
Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Forensic Science    3. Murder - General    4. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    5. True Crime    6. Medical / General