Mystery Crime Books

Things are getting crazily out of control.

Both of the cops Walker and Pilgrim have secrets that make them most definitely not the sort of person that should now be working in their area of enforcing the law that they have been involved with for so long.

Some superpowered escalation to be found in this volume.


3.5 out of 5

I own every Powers TPB, but this one is my favorite. I love them all, but this one held my interest more than the others because the story is just so well-executed. The surprises that come to fruition in this volume provide possible foreshadowing for issues to come!

I own every Powers trade, and rate Secret Identity way towards the top. I don't want to give too much away, because Bendis does some great plot work, but the supernatural nature of the murders in this collection are a great touch. Powers has been a traditional true-crime book (WKRG?), sci-fi/fantasy (Forever, Cosmic), and now horror. I'm a pretty discriminating reader, and I truly love what Bendis and Oeming do with Powers. If you haven't bought a comic trade in a while, and love horror or police stories, do yourself a big hairy favor and get Secret Identity. Your brain will thank you, the only way it knows how: by releasing a gushing flood of endorphins.

After a few weeks I can't really remember what it was exactly about. It was interested at the time but I didn't love it. I was just ok.

This book was phenomenal, and highly reccommended to to readers over the age of thirteen for some adult themes in the book. Hooper kept me guessing til the very end, and I enjoyed the supernatural theme that held throughout the entire book.

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This is another one of the series of "Evil" books by Kay Hooper. This book draws you into the world of the paranormal, delivers mystery, and a bit of romance. I certainly didn't guess who the culprit was, and I'm usually good at doing so. Highly recommend her books. Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

I read this book and it was kind of interesting, however the more I read the more it seemed as if this author was having difficulty putting a real plot together. Instead of giving the reader clues to the killer's identity and having the characters solve the mystery, she just endowed her characters with more and more super powers to give them the ability to get to the next situation. The psychic angle was kind of fun for a bit but it got to the point of being silly. Also, the book was 392 pages long and close to 200 of those pages probably dealt with Nell explaining to Max why it wasn't his fault she left town and why they couldn't be together. That became tiresome. Also "Nell chose her words carefully" was used soooo many times. Okay, I got the point. Shelby and Justin seemed to be a story line that had some potential, but nothing ever developed as far as importance to the plot was concerned. They got together as a couple. Great, but once Shelby took the picture with the aura looming over Nell, the rest of her time in the book was just filing pages. And what kind of a sheriff's office was Ethan running? Undercover FBI agents get hired as deputies using faked backgrounds from police offcers who are off duty and private investigators get hired without the sheriff knowing they are private investigators hired to investigate him. How convenient. And do they really hire deputies with just a paper application, not an extensive background check, no face to face interviews, no verification of identity and without some kind of training in the ways of the local department for more than say an hour or so? There was also the sense of impending danger. I guess in the last few pages, Nell was in a dangerous situation but at no time did any of the main characters seem to actually be in danger. In fact, the identity of the killer is kept a total secret until right up to the very end of the book and there is not a single clue in the book that points to his identity. In fact, the killer turns out to be a very minor character in the plot who is hardly mentioned in the first 300 pages. I was very disapointed in this book, yet I did kind of enjoy the writing and I believe I will read more by this author. This is the first book I have read by Kay Hooper. I was hoping for more of a Tami Hoag or Lisa Gardner type work here but, sorry to say, this is absolutely not a thriller.

This is the 7th Kay Hooper book I have read. I enjoyed this book as much as any of the others.

I want to like these books, but in all honesty, find them to be only intermittently entertaining. They're not BAD, for me they are just slow and the occasional factual mistake a little irritating. Another reviewer remarked that nowadays CeCe would not have had to go to Sweden for a sex change operation. A factual error that I found relates to rabies shots for people who have been bitten by potential rabid animals -- no, they are not administered in the stomach these days, they go in the arm like other shots. These are small mistakes, I know, but the pulled me out of the story. Also, I don't "get" Sarah Booth's fixation on Coleman the sheriff; it feels much less compelling than her other romantic options.

Tough, modern Southern woman, Sarah Booth Delaney doesn't let her hearbreak over Sheriff Coleman Peters slow her down as she sets out to find the murderer of a faith healer's handicapped child. Setting aside her own problems, Sarah Booth and her assistant, Tinkie (and friends) travel to the Big Easy to unravel the murder mystery. Set in the cool autumn months of late October, its a refreshing, easy read for a hot summer day!

Please, Carolyn, let us know what you think about religion. I didn't quite get it in this book. Also, please give us your take on morality. Having your main character hop from bed to bed while really lusting after a married man whose wife is supposedly pregnant (I don't believe it for a moment.) My guess is that will be revealed in some later book as a ploy to get the husband to stick with her instead of running off with Sarah Booth.

The ex-slave ghost is insulting and annoying. The incest in the book is beyond belief. The idea that a U.S. senator could be married to a transsexual and the public not know about it is ridiculous.

There is no mystery to this series. Worse yet, the main character falls into the answer and does very little to figure out the crime. Seems like the writer wants a vehicle to explore sexuality rather than to be a mystery writer.

Want to read some good mystery series with a strong female character? Try Erlene Fowler's Benni series. Want a funny mystery series with likeable and believable characters? Try Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series.

I bought this series (through Bones to Pick) on the strength of the first two books - it has gone downhill. I will read the next book (as I already purchased it) but no more after. I just can't like the characters with the exception of Tinkie. I'll guess that the author will eventually destroy her character too. It certainly looks like her marriage will be gone - the author is painting her husband Oscar with a black brush starting in this book.

Carolyn Haines once again takes her readers on yet another ride through the wonderful Mississippi Delta and shows us there is more to being a dectective than solving a "who done it." Sarah Booth's colorful entourage of friends, CeCe and Tinkie assist Sarah as she searches the French Quarter of New Orleans for the murderer of a spiritual healer's handicapped child. In addition to solvng other people's problems Sarah has to deal with her own stress and desire in the form of Sheriff Coleman Peters (her unrequited love interest) and Hamilton Garrett (the man who just won't stay in Zinnia).
A great story with lots of twists and turns. I can't wait for the next mystery in Sarah Booth Delaney's life. Will she go with Hamilton Garrett or will she stay in Zinnia? Will Coleman finally come to his senses? Whatever the outcome, it's always a comfort to know that Sarah Booth will route out the badguy and save the day!

I've been a huge fan of Carolyn Haines since the beginning of this delightful series, but I'm starting to lose patience with her main character. Part of it may be because I knew the "who-dun-it" and "why" fairly early on in this book, and therefore I needed the main characters to keep me interested. Also, the lack of the author's usual humor allowed me to see more of the main character's weaknesses, which may have tainted my opinion. Sarah Booth Delaney is a good friend and a good detective, but she also is a miserable woman wallowing in the past. She keeps her history wrapped around her like a cloak to avoid doing anything productive with her life. She might as well go lie down in the family plot and get it over with; the past is where she is most comfortable.

Still, one sour experience will not stop me from anticipating the next Mississippi Delta novel.

Another great example of the lesson I've learned when exploring thriller writers: always go back to their first books, those early works upon which their reputations were built...Hunter, Burke, Connelly,Deaver,Ross MacDonald,the list goes on. Here Mr. Deaver shows a ferociously understated intelligence in his grasp of character-especially those perversions of character which make this novel read at moments like a fictionalized psychology text from hell....ain't it great??? And, as I said, understated and believable every step of the way. Especially believable are the procedural aspects of small town law enforcement and their inexperience when confronted with atrocities beyond their ken, and the wonderfully wicked views of the dark side of academia. Also a pitch perfect characterization of a decent person of mediocre intelligence, without resort to parody or patronization...not an easy task. Very High recommendation.

This was a very good book. The begining was a little slow, but when it picked up I couldn't put it down. Jeffery has you mistrusting all of the characters. Jeffery has done it again!

I don't know how people get it into their heads that early Deaver books are not as good as his later ones. ALL of his early books are of an incredibly high class, equally as good as his more recent. They are slightly different, in tone perhaps, but the quality remains the same.

This is an idea book...there is so much of interest going on at once. It is the kind of book i adore...the kind with a central core plot, but one with many other subplots (usually to do with simple events in the lives of the characters) all orbiting around that core-plot, but never really touching it. It makes the books rather realistic, and such a feast for the reader. So much is happening, just like real life. (For another brilliant example of this, check out "Cry Wolf" by Tami Hoag, which is one of my favourite books of all time.)

Deaver's writing is very good, and his characters are great. Very human. He gets into everyones head, and shows us inside, so incredibly well that it looks remarkably easy. I have not met an author who actually can get inside his characters heads so well, and make whats in there seem so simple and ration, especially in the heads of his killers.

The plot is good...interesting, exciting, twisting. There are some nice subtle twists, although they are not quite as pronounced or as shocking as in some of his other novels. Indeed, the identity of the killer is discovered in the final 100 ish pages, and there is no real surprise about their identity from then on. (Which, having found out so early, you would expect there to be.)

If anything, this book is perhaps a bit too long. But not much...

This is not Deaver's book, but that doesnt really clarify matters at all. As all of his books are exemplary, and much better than most authors working today. (Hence the fact that it still garners a five star rating.) However, it may not be quite as good as such classics as "A Maiden's Grave" or "The Empty Chair" it is still a hig class, enjoyable read. If you are new to Deaver, this is probably good place to start and ease yourself into the water.

This is a fascinating and intriguing novel with more than one plot twist and surprise! If you are a Deaver fan, I'm sure you'll love this story.
Bill Corde is a deputy in a small midwestern town, New Lebanon. When the murder of a college student, Jennie Gebben, is discovered. Detective Corde is placed in charge of the investigation. Sheriff Ribbon and one of his deputies, Slocum are convinced that this is a cult killing, and that it is connected to a previous murder of another college student, Susan Biagotti. However, Bill Corde is not convinced of this, and continues to pursue the case in his own manner.
Tied in with the murder are two mysterious teenage boy's who call themselves Jano and and Phathar, characters from a science fiction movie that they are obsessed with. As the story continues, the reader wonders if these teenager's are serial killers, or perhaps just troubled youth's.
Detective Corde not only faces the puzzle of Jennie Gebbens murder, and difficulties he faces in the sheriff's department, in his family life he is dealing with a nine year old, learning disabled daughter who is a possible target of the killer, and living in a fantasy world, a teenage son who becomes a suspect in the murder, and a wife who is less than happy with their marriage.
This is an intriguing and fascinating mystery. The characters are well stuctured and believable. Everything is wrapped up and explained by the conclusion of the novel. The reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because I would have liked to know what happened to several of the characters shortly after the mystery was solved. It's a pet-peeve of mine.

This is one of Deaver's earlier works. I'll echo most of the other reviewers and say that this isn't his best. It is, however, still a very strong story. Deaver's weakest is still as good or better than most writer's best.

This is a strong plot, but there are fewer twists than Deaver has become known for. The characters are also very good. He makes you cheer for Corde and wonder how his coworkers can be so stupid.

Again, it's not his best, but you still won't be disappointed by it.

I always enjoy Nevada Barr's novels. Once again Anna Pigeon finds herself in another dangerous situation, this one inside a vast underground cavern with some very tight spots. Great suspense!

Out of 5 or 6, this book strains less credibility than any of the other Anna Pigeon books I've read. Having visited Carlsbad, I could imagine the surrounding terrain, and the other world deep underground from the author's prose. Her descriptions of the caverns were excellent and the mystery more intense than most, especially the method of death for one of the victims. I admit, it was the 1st one of her books that I figured out why the murders were happening before hands, but I still didn't figure out the who done it until it was revealed deep in the bowels of the earth. The ending was quite abrupt, but that was in keeping with the entire book. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this one.

Nevada Barr's BLIND DESCENT, the 6th Anna Pigeon mystery is not for the claustrophobic. New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns is one of the most beautiful and mysterious of the National Park System. I'm not a spelunker, but have managed to find myself in several along with my camera. Tight spaces don't particularly bother me, but I've watched people freeze even in a mock up of a cave in a natural history museum. If you're one of those ease back in your best chair and let Nevada's vivid prose give you a vicarious experience. BLIND DESCENT is well worth the trip and her masterful plotting, red herrings, and convoluted paths to the exciting conclusion might cure your fear of closed places.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Though I have read and enjoyed every Anna Pigeon mystery that preceded this book, this was by far my favorite. This is because Barr's skills grow with each novel and with each new mystery, her gifts as a writer begin to flower more and more.

One of the great rewards of serial fiction is watching a character grow and develop over the course of several novels. This leads to a depth that's not possible with stand-alone novels. It also presents a greater challenge to an author, a test that Barr is passing with flying colors. I've always found Anna to be a likable character but the more I get to know her, the more I like her. I have a vested interest in her and when she does something stupid, when she's in danger, I truly care what happens to her.

An enormous part of the appeal of this novel has to do with its setting. Anyone who has ever visited a cave and been treated to even a minute stretch of time in its absolute darkness will feel the same willies I felt while reading the cave passages. Even those who have never visited will be able to feel it and will relate to Anna's claustrophobia. The cold, calculating villain of the novel has nothing on the setting, on the cave that seems equal parts source of wonder and nightmare.

My only gripe with this novel was its end and that is what kept me from rating this one five stars. The ending was too abrupt for me and left me feeling like perhaps some of my pages were missing. Still, this is a pretty minor fault in a novel that is well worth reading, especially for those who enjoy a taut, well-written mystery with a cast of interesting, well-drawn characters.

Blind Descent is my introduction to the Anna Pigeon series, and a very satisfactory one it has turned out to be. My first impression of author Barr as a writer is a favorable one. She's literate (I know, all published authors are supposed to be literate, but that's not the case), intelligent, and excels at description, dialogue, and creating palpable ambience. Anna is an attractive heroine, but while her personality is finely drawn, other characters aren't as deep. As for plot, Blind comes across as an adventure that requires courage, with a mystery thrown in to stimulate curiosity. Having visited other caves (as a tourist), I was struck by the immediacy and precision of Barr's ability to capture the qualities of utter darkness, other-worldliness, and isolation.

I haven't granted Blind Descent with a fifth star because Anna comes across as dogged and determined but makes some stupid decisions and choices. Her bravery and daring I can buy, but it's too hard to accept that someone with her training and knowledge would not be willing to seek out the proper parties for professional assistance in uncovering crimes.
That aside, Blind Darkness is a well-written, original, and most enjoyable novel.

This is a good book for my 4th grade son. It is hard to find books on his reading level that hold his interest. The narator of the story is Hank the cowdog (also self proclaimed head of ranch security). The chapters are only 3 or 4 pages and give my son a sense of accomplishment for being able to read a couple of chapters each night.
Hank also has a few pronuciation problems, allowing the young reader to identify correct pronunciation and grammer. The stories are interesting and funny and have really improved my son's interest in reading as well as his grades in reading and language skills.

I love all the Hank books, and this is a great one for the Christmas season. These books are hilarious and more important to the young reader, fun to read. I'd also check the rest of the series.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

Hank is a simple story, probably good for 8-12 year olds, but it is quite well done. The author does not glorify Hank. He shows his strengh and weaknesses in a well balanced way so that we see Hank's arrogance, stupidity, good-heartedness, "dog-heartedness," his judgement and misjudgements of the world, all coming together in a nice, sweet story.

I particularly like the humor in the book. A couple of examples:

1. Hank is mindful of his hygiene. He takes baths regularly in the septic tank.

2. When Hank goes exploring and needs a place to spend the night, he says,

"I started looking for a place to hole up. In my travels and research I've discovered that one of the best places to hole up for the night is in a hole, so I started hunting for a hole."

It was a funny book.When Hank goes to his sister's house he gets into a fight with a cat.It was a funny book.

Hank The Cowdog it's a dogs life is a funny book. Drover
tells Hank it's the end of the world
but when Hank gets the calendar he finds
out that it's not the end of the world
it's really the end of the clearance sale
so he was tricked by a cat. I give
Hank the Cowdog five stars

Hank The Cowdog it's a dogs life is a funny book. Drover
tells Hank it's the end of the world
but when Hank gets the calendar he finds
out that it's not the end of the world
it's really the end of the clearance sale
so he was tricked by a cat. I give
Hank the Cowdog five stars

This 12th volume of the long running AMELIA PEABODY series finds the family of noted Egyptologist Radcliffe Emerson, his wife, the outspoken Amelia Peabody Emerson, their son Ramses and adopted daughter Nefret once again back in Egypt for another winter of digging. The world situation seems to be conspiring to keep them from their beloved tombs this winter season of 1914-15. War is raging in Europe, two nephews are in the trenches fighting, the husband of a niece is imprisoned as a suspect alien as Egypt is tossed like a pawn between the Ottoman and British Empires. Closer to home Ramses is shunned by the British community for his refusal to join the army although Amelia begins to suspect that all is not as it seems.

Fans of this series will take particular delight as the romance between Ramses and Nefret is finally resolved and will also at long last learn the identity of the 'Master Criminal' who has been lurking in the shadows since the beginning (THE CROCODILE ON THE SANDBANK). Those who are unfamiliar with this series would be much better served to begin at the beginning.

This is a comic/cozy mystery series where the personalities of the characters and the on-going stories of their lives is the main attraction here rather than the 'mystery'. Most readers will be far ahead of Amelia and Emerson on the trail of clues but the trip will be hilarious and leave the reader wondering what this group will get into next.

Amelia Peabody Series: NOT set in ancient Egypt. The author holds a PH.D in Egyptianology, and her love of the subject shines through her entire huge series. If you don't want to start at the beginning of this huge series read: 1. Seeing a Large Cat
2.The Ape Who Guards the Balance 3. The Falcon at the Portal 4.He Shall Thunder in the Sky. These four CAN stand alone. They are set in the late 1890's-early 1900's ,exciting reads, about a family of Egyptianologists who are searching for lost tombs at the time when many of them, and other artifacts, were being discovered. Each story is also a mystery, and a good one.

This book answered many questions from previous books such as Sethos's idenity and how long will it take for Nefret and Ramses to get together. It was such a relief after the heartwrenching events of The falcon at the Portal. Amelia is as fascinating and hilarious as ever. I am glad that I startes at the begininning of the series because it is wonderful to see all the characters grow. My only worry is that Amelia and Emerson are getting old!!

This Amelia Peabody book was the best (and most satisfactory) so far! Usually, I find I get annoyed with the switching of Amelia/Emerson storyline and Ramses/Nefret storyline, however in this book it was a perfect blend.
The relationship between Ramses and Nefret is wonderful, if slightly awkward (which, considering "Falcon at the Portal," is to be expected). Also, this book included many on everyone's favorite (and not so favorite) characters. And of course, Amelia is truly amazing.
For those who were disappointed at "Falcon's" disapppointing end, He Shall Thunder in the Sky is your cure.

I too am an Amelia Peabody fan. I absolutely love this series, and this book is a great addition to it. In it we finally get some very outstanding questions answered, and we also get some unresolved issues resolved. But the thing that I enjoyed the most about this particular book is that we get a closer look at Emerson! Yes, Amelia and all her troupe are also there, thank heavans, but getting a closer look at Emerson finally is an added bonus. We actually see a little of him as a young man and we get an understanding of how he became the man he did. Reading these books is such a deligbt, and the characters seem like old friends! And there is lots of heart-stopping action to keep you turning the pages. This book is set at the beginning of the First World War, and we also get a bit of an insight of some of the dangerous games carried out on the Egyptian front. I hope that future books will embellish on this a little. I certainly can't wait to read the next book.

Agatha Raisin had had many dreams in her life - to get out of the Birmingham slum she had grown up in, to be a success in the London PR business, to move to a cottage in the Cotswolds, to find her true love and to celebrate a perfect, traditional Christmas. Overall she had been able to achieve most of her dreams, only the last two have alluded her. To that end she has decided to start planning her prefect Christmas party in early October with her once (and hopefully future husband, James Lacey) heading the guest list.

While not making plans for her perfect party Agatha has kept busy with her detective agency, so busy in fact that she had to hire a new employee, the young, pretty Toni who reminded Agatha in many ways of her own horrific family life. Soon Agatha found herself dealing in her own special way with dysfunctional families on all sides, both Toni's and her client's.

As always in this series the real attraction is not the mystery but the private lives of Agatha and her ever expanding circle of friends. While Agatha might be hot on the trail of her dead client's murderer the readers are more interested in finding out if Agatha will have her perfect Christmas or reunite with the elusive James. Fans of this series will delight in this latest addition, but those looking for a serious hardcore puzzler will be disappointed. Those unfamiliar with the series but fans of the cozy genre will probably want to start at the beginning, AGATHA RAISIN AND THE QUICHE OF DEATH and work their way through all eighteen (and still growing) in this series.

I loved this book! Agatha was in top form in "Kissing Christmas Goodbye". I really liked the new character of Toni and hope that she plays a part in the next book as well. Without giving anything away, I will say that the ending was great and I was happy to see Sir Charles and Roy do something nice for Agatha for a change.

I have always found Agatha Raisin entertaining, however, her ridiculous inability to break free from James Lacey and her imagination of her self as she might have been at 20 both get a brilliant clean out in this novel.

And not before time. They were probably the most irritating aspects of this female sleuth.

What a delight to find that she has gained her emotional freedom and a maturity.

Her inward battles with the youth and success of Toni are another great aspect of this work. At last there is another strong female character to provide balance and objectivity in what sometimes threatened to be a self consuming series.

Both these elements and the continual surprises so welcome from M C Beaton, make this an excellent read.

More power to the new Agatha and I await her further evolution.

I just love the Agatha Raisin books; they are perfect for reading in a night or so, curled up and ready to get into a good story.

What I think I like best about these books are the characters. They're flawed and very likeable, *because* they're flawed! Agatha's tough and obviously gets on better with guys than girls as most of her good friends are guys but under the toughness she's vulnerable and scared about growing old...like me!!

Highly recommended.

M.C. Beaton, and her star character Agatha Raisin, never fails to enthrall and amuse. This one, again was a good relaxing treat, with enough mystery to keep you on your toes. I buy my hard back copies of her work from Amazon, because they have an earlier release date than the UK.

To my excitement, I recently found a pristine copy of the original hardcover edition of this book. I am a huge fan of Bugliosi's other work in "Helter Skelter" and "And the Sea Will Tell". This book is less known, but does not lack the sensationalism of the cases in Bugliosi's other books. Until the end of the book, it is well paced and creates suspense in the reader's mind. Bugliosi's decision to included his entire closing argument as the last 1/3 of the book drastically slow the pace.

Allan Palliko's crimes included attempted murder against his first wife, murdering a lover's husband, and murdering his second wife. While the first murder seems clear, the seemingly impossible time frame makes the second murder likely to have been committed by another. Yet when the deaths create income for Palliko, some eyebrows are raised. Could the prosecution gain a conviction despite a lack of physical evidence? The circumstantial evidence and motive of insurance money seem to point in the direction of Palliko's responsibility. Yet the unpredictability of a "jury of your peers" makes the reader wonder if the unlikely conviction is possible.

The book is slowed to a crawl when Bugliosi decided to include his entire closing argument. While the argument was well done, Bugliosi could have better summarized it for the purposes of this book. With the exception of this flaw, "Till Death Us Do Part" is another outstanding read by Vincent Bugliosi.

Absolutely wonderful! I first read it in 1978, and have reread it at least a dozen times. (Something I rarely do) Well-written and constructed, and just as riveting as Helter Skelter. Five stars for Mr. Bugliosi!!

I've read everything Bugliosi has published that I'm aware of, and find him to be the very best non-fiction law/crime writer out there who I have encountered. He was also apparently a very good and thorough attorney, at least to hear him tell it. This story, like his Manson book, concerns a highly publicized trial on which he was the prosecuting attorney. In Hitchcockian fashion a man had been killed by an unknown stranger while the wife was 200 miles away with a perfect alibi. Insurance claims were modest and eventually paid, and probably nothing would have come of it had not one of the dismissed suspects suddenly become a widower himself, and the 21 year old missus hardly died of old age. Lots of courtroom drama, detective work, and personality studies ensue. Very hard to put down once you pick it up. Compelling without ever being gory, and informative without being pedantic. Very well written and a very unique story.

I just started reading this book and so far I haven't been able to put it down just like all his rest so he has not disappointed me there. I just read And The Sea Will Tell and that was a fabulous book also. The dealer I got this book from was great, I got the book in record time. I would recommend reading this book if you enjoy true crime and legal stuff

Neither did I, but if you enjoy seeing someone squirm as he gets caught lying under cross examination, you'll like this. The crimes are sickening. Mr. Bugliosi includes a big helping of law for the layman --very interesting stuff! The murderers were actually prosecuted on circumstantial evidence.