February 5, 2015

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells and Orphan Black

IDM.HGWellsFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 1896
Type: Fiction
Pages: 160
Read: 2/5
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

Orphan Black is one of those series I got totally hooked on. The synopsis on IMDb: A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her. The woman who look just like her is a clone. All of the clones are played by Tatiana Maslany, their names are: Sarah Manning; Alison Hendrix; Cosima Niehaus; Beth Childs (suicide victim); Katja Obinger (shot by Helena); and Helena (has the same birth mother as Sarah). Sarah is kind of the main character. It is a fascinating series. I binge watch because I can’t remember what night its on. Season two is done and I don’t know if there will be a season three, I hope so because so many questions were raised by Season two, which I want to list here but that will produce many more spoilers. Anyway at the end of Season two, we meet the originator of the cloning program, he gives a book to Kira, one of the last scenes Kira climbs into bed with Cosima and asks her to read this book to her, “It’s about a man who makes monsters.” She says this rather gleefully, Cosima looks at the book, “The Island of Dr Moreau”.

So I had to read the book. I mean wouldn’t you? I had an idea of what the book was about, I had either seen a movie or heard about a movie. Like is always the case when I write about a book considered a classic, I have a hard time writing a review. The story starts with the nephew of Edward Prendick telling about his Uncle being lost at sea and found and then later when he died, his nephew found among his papers this account of what happened. This is was a common literary ploy in this time period.

The ship Mr. Prendick was sailing on sank, he escaped on a life raft with two other, who died or killed each other, and he almost died of exposure but was saved, then set adrift again, then saved again. His savior is a man named Montgomery and he has the most unusual attendant, and he is Dr. Moreau’s assistant. Once on the island Prendick is kept in the dark, is stalked by then meets some of the ‘inhabitants’, jumps to the wrong conclusion (which I thought was rather stupid considering what he heard and saw), then is straightened out, then tragedy strikes and he has to survive until he has to escape.

This is a science fiction horror story, the thought crosses my mind that this book exemplifies the saying: Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. The terror that Prendick experiences is conveyed very well by the sparse words and matter of fact of way it’s told. The ethical questions posed by this novel do not detract from a very fine read.

Posted by on February 5, 2015 in 2015, Acquisitions, Classic Literature, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novel, Science Fiction and tagged , , , , , , .

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January 29, 2015

Evil at the Front Door by Ron Franscell

Notorious Louisiana
LouisianaFormat: eBook, Kindle
Pub. Date: 2006
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 300
Read: 1/29/2015
Rating: Really liked it ♥♡♥

This is a compilation of cases in Louisiana, a short read, there are only 4 cases, the earliest one is 1927 and the last is 2002. There isn’t a ton of detail, but each accounts contains a brief history of the perpetrators, the crimes committed and if there was an investigation and trail, the bare details of these. My only complaint is that the book is too short! I would have liked more. However if you want a quick read that packs a punch, this selection of cases will satisfy you.

Posted by on January 29, 2015 in 2015, Acquisitions, Historical True Crime, Non-Fiction, True Crime and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

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January 26, 2015

Illustrated True Crime by Nick Yapp

True Stories of the World’s Infamous Murderers, Thieves, and Con Artists
TrueCrimeFormat: Hardbound
Pub. Date: 2006
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 303
Read: 1/26/2015
Rating: Really liked it ♥♡

This is a big picture book. Not the type you would give a child, some of these pictures would give some adults nightmares, it has pictures of murdered people, including children and murderers. It has chapters on: Outlaws and Anarchists, Mobster and Monsters, Serial Killers, Assassination, and Kidnappings. Each crime or criminal get a page or two and there are a ton of pictures in it.

The first chapter contains the headings: The Wild West, with accounts of Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and the Earp brothers to name a few. This book includes criminals from all over the world. Mexico bandits, the attack on the Olympics in Munich, Germany, the Great Train Robber in England, mass shootings in Russia, Scotland and Australia. The book also covers white collar crime, Enron, Kerviel, and Madoff. Possible miscarriages of justice. One account that fascinated me was “Murder Inc.”, Assassins for hire, Dial an 800 number and get rid of someone. Mass murders are also included: Johnstown; Luby’s Cafeteria; Waco; the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building; the Unabomber; 9/11; Beslan Middle School Number One; Michael Ryan; Dunblane primary school; Martin Bryant; Columbine; Virginia Tech; Joketa School in Finland; and Albertville School.

The accounts are very concisely written, if you are looking for detailed descriptions of motive and life history and trials, this book does not have them. It does has tons of pictures rendered in exquisite detail.

Posted by on January 26, 2015 in 2015, Acquisitions, Historical True Crime, History, Non-Fiction, True Crime and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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January 22, 2015

Edgar Allan Poe Awards

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.

Posted by on January 22, 2015 in 2015, Historical True Crime, History, Memoir, Mystery, Non-Fiction, True Crime and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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January 17, 2015

Broadchurch by Erin Kelly

BroadchurchFormat: eBook-3M Cloud Library
Pub. Date: 2014
Type: Fiction ~ Library Book
Pages: 448
Read: 1/17/2015
Rating: Liked it ♥

This book is an “adaptation of the hit television show Broadchurch” which I started watching on a friends Netflix account, got hooked (hint: it has David Tennant in it) and then couldn’t watch it for a while. I asked my nephew to find it for me and he did, but due to server issues I wasn’t able to watch it. I requested it from the library which is when I noticed there was a book Broadchurch.

The book follows the story line of the TV series almost exactly. The author fleshes out the characters, lets you know their thoughts and feelings, in a sense, expands on the story. In another review, someone stated this was not her story, I would say her handling of it made it her story. She does an admirable job of keeping the reader engaged.

Who killed Danny Latimer? Alec Hardy, an experienced investigator new to the area suspects everyone. Ellie Miller, who has lived in Broadchurch her whole life can’t believe anyone there could have harmed Danny. The fact that Hardy was given a promotion promised to Miller plus knowing his last case blew up spectacularly, puts the two at odds.

Woven around the mystery is the revealing of peoples secrets, the intrusion of the press and how grief affects people. Hardy and Miller have to keep the peace while trying to solve a crime that seems to putting everyone against their friends. Innocent people are hurt while the guilty one is apparently going free. When the guilty party is finally identified, that puts more shockwaves and rifts through the community.

A very interesting read.

Posted by on January 17, 2015 in Fiction, Novel and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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January 13, 2015

Saville’s Spinney by Mike Sheridan

True Story of the Colwick Murders of 1844
SavillesSpinneyFormat: eBook-Kindle
Pub. Date: 2014
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 243
Read: 1/13/2015
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

On May 22, 1844 a man named John Swinscoe discovered the bodies of three children all with their throats cut. The parish constable William Parr was notified, after viewing the bodies he began a search for the murder weapon and found a fourth body, this was a woman, she was later identified as the mother of the three children.

This was a troublesome time in the region, times were hard financially and many working men felt they were being dealt with unfairly. This lead to a strike and the police were worried about possible mob action. In the midst of this was a bloody and sensational murder. The husband was a suspect from the very beginning. He ended up being convicted and executed, but that is not the end of the story, there is more tragedy to follow.

It’s possible that William Saville did not murder his children and wife although all the facts seem to point to that. It was impossible to properly investigate the crime scene as it was overrun by ‘spectators’. Some people just wanted to stand on the scene of a murder, some believed the relics from a murder could serve as a talisman against evil. Many people held fast to old superstitions. One such superstition was that hangman’s rope could cure skin blemishes. For this reason a hangman would sell inch long pieces of the rope.

For obvious reasons Mr. Sheridan could not interview anyone directly connected with this account. Also many of the original documents had ‘disappeared’. He made extensive use of the newspapers and there is much in here directly quoted from them. He has also used ‘editorial license’ to recreate some events, although he has not created any characters. Everyone mentioned was alive at one point.

This is definitely not one of those true crime books that reads like a novel. It is also not just a dry recitation of facts. Mr. Sheridan has done his best, through research into the time period to flesh out the events and breathe some life into the story. He states in the introduction: “My aim has been to take the reader right back to 1844, to immerse them in the controversy, the judgements and the terrible events that occurred as if they were there.” By directly quoting from the newspapers, relating surrounding events, I feel he has done just that.

For more information about Mike Sheridan and the writing of this book check out his blog, click here.

Posted by on January 13, 2015 in Acquisitions, Historical True Crime, History and tagged , , , , , , , , .

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December 21, 2014

In Broad Daylight by Harry N. MacLean

141221.BroadDaylightFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 1988
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime
Pages: 416
Read: 12/21/2014
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

On July 10, 1981, as the residents of Skidmore, Missouri watched, Ken McElroy was shot to death. When the police interviewed the witness, their statements were more or less identical,

“Where were you when he was shot?”

“Standing in front of the tavern.”

“Did you see anything?”

“No, I didn’t see a thing. I heard something, a couple of shots and then I hit the ground. There were more shots and, by the time I got up, it was all over.”

There were forty-five witnesses to the shooting and none of them saw anything. Of course that was impossible, most of them knew who shot McElroy.

In a news report about the killing, the announcer reported the Ken was “the most hated and feared man in Nodaway County.” Even the police and at least one judge were afraid of him. He had a history, he robbed, raped, burned (as in committed arson), and shot the citizens of Skidmore, Missouri. If anyone pressed charges, while waiting to go to trial, his lawyer would delay the trail as long as possible and McElroy would terrorize the witnesses. In one case, the bedroom window of a witness faced the road. He and his wife would wake to find a bright light flashing around the walls. When the husband would peek out the window, he say McElroy’s car parked on the road. As a result of these tactics, many times witnesses changed their stories or simply disappeared. Often the victims trying to get justice felt isolated because everyone was too afraid of McEroy to support them.

With all this it is easy to see how the townspeople felt the only way they could get justice was to take matters into their own hands. And so they did. The media called the shooting a vigilante killing which the town objected to, and in the strictest sense of the word it wasn’t, but still …… there is no denying the fact that some people made themselves judge, jury and executioner.

MacLean interviewed the people of Skidmore, he also consulted interviews that were taken right after the shooting, by a person who was not law enforcement. We get the full life story of Ken McElroy, MacLean also takes us through the year so we get a feel for the type of community it was. He also explains the idiosyncrasies of Missouri law, which is another reason people may have felt McElroy was getting away with his crimes. The fear and inaction of some people may have also fueled the towns peoples frustration and while you may not agree with their actions, you can certainly understand it.

One person I felt sorry for, which some may not understand or agree with was McElroy’s wife Trena. I feel she is another of Ken’s victims, her actions after he was killed are understandable and can be explained.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to true crime fans.

Posted by on December 21, 2014 in Non-Fiction, True Crime and tagged , , , , , , , , , .

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December 15, 2014

Broome Street Bar

Broome Street Bar
363 W Broadway
New York, NY 10013
b/t Grand St & Leonard St in SoHo

The other night I was running errands, getting a going away gift for a co-worker and getting stuff for a trip upstate and wanted food. I looked up Ramen on Yelp and found the address, only to discover it was a store, not a restaurant. Across the street I saw a sign “Broome Steet Bar”, I walked in hoping to find they served food.

The veggie-burger I got was served in a pita. I ordered the veggie-burger because it was the cheapest burger on the menu. It came with dill pickles, tomato and onion but no mayo or spread, with a choice of salad or chips on the side. I got a McGovern’s Oatmeal Stout to wash down the burger and for desert hot cider with rum. The cider came with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice dotted with cloves. It’s those little touches that make getting drinks out nice.

This is a nice ‘throw-back’ place, as my friend Melissa would say. The drink specials are written the walls in colored chalk along with the dessert options. I noticed “Captain Lawrence” was spelled incorrectly. The food was as advertised the service was good. I sat at a table for a change and noticed all the tables were being cared for equally. It deserves a second visit.

Posted by on December 15, 2014 in Manhattan and tagged , , , , .

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November 22, 2014

The Kennedy Detail by Gerald Blaine

JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence co-author Clint Hill
141122.KennedyDetailFormat: Hardcover
Pub. Date: 2010
Type: non-Fiction ~ Library Book
Pages: 401
Read: 11/17/2014
Rating: Liked it ♥♥

Fifty-one years ago President Kennedy was assassinated. For many years the Secret Service have maintained their silence about that day. Their job was to protect the president, and they had failed. Their feelings of loss and failure had to be buried because they still had a job to do, they had to protect the new president. Since most of what happened in their job was confidential they couldn’t even talk to family members about their feelings.

There is much controversy concerning the assassination of John Kennedy. Was it conspiracy? Was there more than one shooter? Did Oswald even fire a shot? Just this week there is a show about a mafia hit man who confessed to shooting John Kennedy from the ‘grassy knoll’. These theories are briefly mentioned along with the belief that the Dallas police got the right guy, but the focus of this book is the Secret Service agents, the men who had to be “Worthy of Trust and Confidence”.

With the personal accounts of other agents, made possible because of the extensive records they were required to keep and most of the agents saved we learn many intimate details about the president, first lady and agents. The agents had to adjust to fit the new personality of the presidents. Eisenhower was a former military man who treated the Secret Service agents as if they were soldiers standing post. He didn’t take unnecessary risks and ran things with military precision. Kennedy was completely different. He was the youngest man elected president, he had a wife and young children. He was popular and loved interacting with people. Which caused many security headaches for the Secret Service.

These facts are all brought out in great detail in this book. Along with many personal details witnessed only by Secret Service agents such as Kennedy’s last words to his young son when leaving Washington and why the President and First Lady were in a convertible on the motorcade. Overall I was impressed at how the Agents balanced being considerate of people’s feelings while never losing sight of their responsibilities and maintaining their professionalism.

It also helps us to understand the great stress they were under, how they had to adjust instantly from protecting Kennedy to protecting Johnson. How they had to keep secret everything they witnessed while on the job, and how the agents had to work so closely as a team. Also the extreme feeling of guilt they carried with them after the assassination, even the agents who weren’t in the motorcade felt some sense of guilt.

If you are a conspiracy theorist you will probably not like this book, if you are interested in the life and death of JFK, or want to learn about the inner workings of the presidency and the secret service, this is the book for you.

Posted by on November 22, 2014 in Biography, Historical True Crime, History, Memoir, Non-Fiction and tagged , , , , , .

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November 12, 2014

About SPOILERS

I’ve been known to say that I don’t worry about spoilers. I will even read the last page of a book sometimes. That was until I read a spoiler that I wasn’t expecting. So I guess I should say, I don’t mind a spoiler if I know it’s coming or am looking for one.

That being said, I know there are people who HATE spoilers. I therefore always try to not put any in my reviews. But sometimes, like if I’ve read a series, it’s unavoidable, therefore if I write a review with a spoiler in it, major or minor, I always write spoiler warnings. Sometimes I will write a second review without the spoilers. The reason for that is sometimes I feel I can’t write a good review without including some detail that might be considered a spoiler.

Something else I do, so people won’t accidentally stumble upon a review with spoilers is password protect the blog post with the spoiler review. If you come upon any of these and want to read it, the password is in the tags.

Happy reading.

Posted by on November 12, 2014 in Miscellanea and tagged , , .

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