The Mystery Writers of America have announced the finalists for the 2015 Edgars, the complete list is here. As a true crime reader, I am mainly interested in the books in the category “Fact Crime”. Yes I know I said I wasn’t buying any new TC books, but whats a book lover to do? Let all these new books feel unloved? Here’s the list and my thoughts on them.
Fact crime
“Kitty Genovese: The Murder, the Bystanders, the Crime that Changed America” by Kevin Cook I remember this crime, I should say I remember hearing about it, murdered while all her neighbors heard her cries for help. The bystander effect. The summary promises that this is the truth about Kitty, the neighborhood, and her killer. I put this on my must read list.
“The Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefeller’s Tragic Quest for Primitive Art” by Carl Hoffman The rumor was he was eaten, his family denied it. Once again we are promised the never before told truth. I put this on my TBR but didn’t list it as must read.
“The Other Side: A Memoir” by Lacy M. Johnson First person account of a woman held captive by a murderous ex. He planned to kill her, she planned to escape. It’s not high on my list, but I might read it just because there are so many fiction accounts floating around these days.
“Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood” by William Mann A book about the murder of William Desmond Taylor, the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, that promises us not only the truth about the case but to solve it. I’m always skeptical about these claims. I might read this because I have a fascination, some say unhealthy, with Hollywood and movie stars.
“The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder that Shook the Nation” by Harold Schechter Just say yes to anything by Harold Schechter, seriously, the man is amazing.
If you hear weeping, it’s just my checkbook.
city girl drinking craft beer 