True Crime Books

Recent archival research has partly superseded "OSS," but it remains a valuable survey of America's main undercover service in World War II. As a pioneering history, some facts inevitably have been supplemented and/or corrected, but the overall outline presented here is quite valid. The OSS collected intelligence and executed some useful operations, along with a few blunders (e.g. Allen Dulles's peace feelers to Nazi Germany, which outraged the USSR and briefly imperiled the alliance). But their efforts were largely peripheral to the major ground, air and sea campaigns. The book's main value now may be to suggest topics and raise questions for future research. It also contains a more subtle message in documenting the idealism and (often) progressive sympathies of citizen-soldiers dedicated to fighting Japanese and German tyrannies. Smith's 1972 publication reflected the backlash against the CIA and US militarism during the Vietnam War era. His vision of a clandestine outfit which actually promoted positive change, and respected expertise, offers hope in our current time of troubles. A CIA that routinely violates the Geneva Conventions with torture and kidnapping, and chickenhawk officials who pervert information-gathering in their rush to disaster overseas, are unworthy heirs of OSS veterans and the leaders of their time.

This work was the first genuinely scholarly work on the OSS. The author, an academician, wrote it way back when most OSS works were memoirs or compilations of tales of derring do or sensationalistic political acreeds concerning intelligence matters; although the still interesting memoirs and tales were fact based, those early books were based solely on memory and not on sound documentation. In addition many sensational critiques of intelligence agencies and the CIA msntioned some OSS activities. The date of 2005 given is that of the reprint, not the original 1972.
The former files of the OSS remained in use by the OSS's two successor agencies: the State Department's Intelligence Bureau (INR) and the War Department's Special Services Unit (SSU), which carried on the OSS's HUMINT clandestine operations. SSU in turn was folded in 1947 into the newly estabished CIA, which continued to use the classified OSS files and added to them. The former OSS files then continued in use for many years; in the eighties, the CIA finally weeded out sll the long since unecessary files concerning operational, organizational and procedural matters and sent them to the Nationsl Archives. Thia action resulted in a huge quantity of memoirs being written by veterans of OSS (c.f. Elizabeth MacIntosh's study of women in the OSS, "Sisterhood of Spies"), in technicals studies (c.f. John Brunner's "OSS Weapons" and in organizational histories (c.f. Yu's "OSS in China"). All of these and many similar recent studies I have reviewed on this site.
This pioneering work by Harris is necessarily sketchy due to lack of sources, being based on a few scattered memoirs and incomplete and undocumented popular publications and interviews, snd riddled with omissions and errors, has been overtaken by events.
The book is best looked at as a curiosity demonstrating the lack of public knowledge in its day, when CIA insiders remaining in the intelligence business were actively discouraged from publishing. Harris, having never been in the OSS, was not constrained by secrecy oaths from publishing what he could glean from no longer serving veterans and other sources.
Why this was reprinted is beyond me. There are enough copies to be found in the used book trade to satisfy the completist collector of OSS related works while to those who are doing current research, it is simply an obsolete curiousity.
Not all works published in the last fifty years are no longer of continuing validity; many first hand accounts and compilations of derring do tales are still valuble, for example "You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger". (c.f reviews on this site.)

FDR seemed to have a natural interest in spies. Before World War II started he had contacted William 'Wild Bill' Donovan and asked him to set up a foreign intelligence agency along the lines of what the British were doing. He formed just what FDR wanted and it was called the Office of Strategic Services, a non-descript name that could have meant anything. ==The OSS was a crazy agency that grew like crazy, eventually reaching some 10,000 people. All in all, the OSS provided some useful intelligence. They performed some useful operations during the war. They trained some very good people. This book will give you all the details. ==This whole concept was done over the intense opposition of J. Edgar Hoover who fought with every skill he had to prevent what he considered competition with the FBI. ==After FDR died, Truman and Donovan didn't get along all tht well. Truman shut down the OSS, but shortly thereafter realized that the Navy, the Army and the FBI along with all the others didn't play well together so he set up the CIA a few months later. ==Of course 9/11 taught us that none of them play well together now.

hell i didn't know there was one as big as the sixth family , as donnie brasco would say fughetaboutit. lol

This is a well written and brilliant book which comes from two accomplished, experienced journalists who are experts on the global history of organized crime and the Mafia. The amount of research and analysis that has gone into this book is amazing and it fully enjoys a 5 star review. The book is very detailed and can be dense at times to wade through the facts and absorb the international and national ramifications of this book. Hang in there and read it carefully, l sometimes read some chapters two or three times to grasp fully the international links of Mafia clans based in North America, South America and Europe.

A branch of the Sicilian mafia has planted cells in the North and South America that have been active since the 1940's and have slowly grown into powerful criminal cartels with links all over the world. In particular Canada which is the home of the Sixth Family with clever and powerful Vito Rizzutto as first among equals. Drugs are the main game for the Sixth Family, but according to this book they are also active in counterfeiting, stock fraud and was even involved in a bizarre search for some lost gold ingots in the Philippines that used to belong to ex President Marcos, l would not even be surprised if they even made a buck out of this book too.

The Bonanno mafia family from New York sent its feared enforcer Carmine Galante to Montreal in the 1950's to setup an offshoot of its own in that city. Galante succeeded so well that for years tribute flowed from Montreal to New York and that city was used to traffic drugs into the USA from the French connection and later Sicily. The Sixth Family bloomed in Montreal from the 1950's onward and gradually became the Montreal crime power in its own right as the New York influence dwindled away to nothing. This book also contains much information about the Bonanno crime family and its operations and how it tried to handle an influx of Sicilian born wise guys into its midst from the 1970's. Eventually there was much suspicion on both sides and some wiseguys ended up whacked. This is a great read for the true crime history buff

The Sixth Family by Lee Lamothe offers a detailed look at the infiltration of sicilians and drugs into the traditional New York families through Canada. Lamothe does an admirable job connecting the dots chronologically.

this book has it's interesting points but over all is very long and boring. i would have definately waited for the softcover and then only read it when I was out of other things to read.

This book covers much of the same territority as Crittle's "The Rise and Fall of Joey Massino" and although it's longer and contains more detail, it's harder to read, perhaps for that reason. Account of Vito Rizzuto's doings in Montreal, the book's subject, is reason for reading this book, but you might find it slow going, at times. Vito was convicted of murder in New York, after Canada gave him up. Seems like the FBI's game plan was and is to put all mob bosses in jail, no matter how long it takes.

This man's account of this part of his life is chilling. Well written. I felt as though I was suffering along with him and rejoiced with him on his release.

Journey Toward Justice, by Dennis Fritz.


Having previously read An Innocent Man by John Grisham and being a longtime supporter of The Innocence Project I started out reading Journey Toward Justice with interest, eager to hear Mr. Fritz's account of the case. I soon found myself reading this compelling piece of work on trains, buses, even elevators...it was nearly impossible to stop! Dennis tells his story with clarity of mind and awareness of purpose: he simply wants the world to share his experience of the nightmare it must be to be 100% innocent, wrongly convicted and sent off to rot in jail. This book is an American Classic that deserves to be read by millions. Oprah, are you listening?

Kevin McKiernan, Norway

This book is interesting and won't let you put it down. Following An Innocent Man, this tells Dennis Fritz's story. It's so sad, and one must think, how many innocent men are now serving time in Oklahoma's prisons?

Dennis Fritz's book is very insightful. He deserves much credit for not letting the prosecutor ruin his life. One character in his book is named Dennis Smith. He worked for the OSBI and contributed to the wrongful conviction of Williamson and Fritz. In the book, Dennis Smith, the corrupt cop, could just as likely be the DA of Custer County, Oklahoma. Is Dennis Smith really dead?
The prosecutor's name is Bill Peterson, which reminds people of Mike Nifong of Duke Lacrosse fame. You too Bill?

It is unfortunately true that many innocent people are convicted, sometimes by prosecutors who bend the law (often by hiding evidence) to gain those convictions.

There is significant documentation of such improper convictions, in a series by the Chicago Tribune, in a study by Columbia Law School, in the book "In Spite of Innocence," and in the marvelous work of Barry Scheck and his colleagues in the Innocence Project, and in "Journey to Justice" by Dennis Fritz.

It is a serious blemish on the American criminal justice system that too many prosecutors abuse their power, and get away with it.

My second novel, A Good Conviction, tells the story of a young man wrongfully convicted in a high profile Central Park murder, brought about by a prosecutor who knew the defendant was actually innocent and hid the exculpatory evidence that would have led to a not guilty verdict.

Several prosecutors and appeals attorneys helped me with the legal aspects of a Brady appeal in New York State, and all of them agreed that what I portrayed was both realistic and all too possible.

Readers have found it to be fast paced, exciting, and heartbreaking.

I'd be curious as to readers' opinion of whether a novel based on truth can be effective in drawing attention to the terrible wrongs done to so many people by prosecutors who abuse their power.

LEW WEINSTEIN

This is a Brilliant Book ,a must read for anyone who is interested on what we are doing CORRECT in the War ,she is a incredible Lady ,Totally dedicated ,Tenacious ,and while staying ever vigilant myself I can sleep a little better in the Knowledge that there are Patriot's out there like this ,it makes me Proud to be a American .

It is a good book. I love the way it is written, it may not be consistent from line to line, and may have some difficulties in readying it due to massive information but it compensate with a good thrilling read, a lot of emotion and opinions which worth thinking of.
You may want to look for further information than settle on this book for a source on the entire terrorist concept, but it is a good start and I find most of it to be pretty genuine. The method this book portrays is too realistic; as it happen to be that terrorist fund-raising cells operate very similar to what this book portrays.
Unfortunately this book writer's not revealed and it cost in credibility. But as far as content - it has a very good hold on realistic and real-life happens.

I heartily recommend.

Excellent work, this is definitely an eye opener for those who are unaware of the bureaucratic red tape and the way that our government operates.

I am torn between two possible versions of the story a) that it is an accurate rendition of the facts of one woman's activities ( perhaps with some significant "assistance" from those with an interest in her work) or b) the story is a composite of results of the work of a number of people and perhaps some offshore intelligence agencies. Given either of these two alternatives, my guess is that much of the factual content of the hunt is correct.

Only years later are Americans seeing video of the exhortations to violence that seem to be a part of the activities at many of the mosques. We have also seen the results of their activities in the US from the fund raising to the initial attack on the wtc to threats exposed subsequent to 9-11.

Other reviewers have proposed that the lack of convictions proves the information to be flawed. Such assertions do not reflect the extreme difficulty of prosecuting cases under US law where there is an ongoing need to investigate other and threat to those who participate in the investigation as sources. The amount of information required to be provided to criminal defendants compromises not only the content of current investigations but also and more importantly compromises sources, capabilities and methods. The problem with defense attorneys serving as the communications link between captured terrorists and those still free poses a huge threat.

What is disturbing about the book is the vast quantity of information available in the public domain or by walk-in which could have greatly assisted in the prevention of the attacks of 9-11. It is important to acknowledge that the FBI had been severely criticized for their prior investigation of religious organizations. Thus, the politically correct FBI of the 90's was hesitant to pursue many leads. As IC Smith details in his book Inside, the story of a career FBI agent, the agency suffered from a lack of principled, mission focused leadership during the lead up to 9-11. The DOJ supported not only the continued employment of a top FBI administrator (who had lied about events surrounding the Ruby Ridge rules of engagement but also destroyed evidence) but also his promotion. The very preventable disaster of 9-11 was affected by decades of mistakes in many agencies but none more critical than those resulting from the leadership cancer at FBI headquarters, where personal advancement was placed ahead of leadership and integrity.

Like so many other books on most any subject, this should not be taken as the single answer but rather a very valuable contribution of the knowledge base on the subject of terrorism.

Highly recommended.

I took on course on terrorism and this was one of the 13 books we read. I would say this in easily in the top 3. It's a great read and even if you're not specifically looking to research terrorism it is fun to read. Page turner is definitely one of the best words for this book.

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a week with Dr. Timothy Tyson as part of a Civil Rights Tour in Alabama with my public school district. Although I was "required" to read this BEFORE the tour, I did't pick it up until after I had returned home. Reading Tyson's words in print doesn't compare to listening to him in person, but the book is extremely powerful and eye opening to say the least. My parents were of the segregationist baby boom in Alabama and little mention of the civil rights movement was ever made to me during my childhood in the deep south. It is my opinion that most Americans are of the impression that it began with Brown v. Board and ended with the assassination of MLK. The book is only the beginning of an unearthing of long-buried truths about the struggle for racial equality and the unsung heroes who continue the fight.

Blood Done Sign My Name is a non-fiction work that combines the personal memoirs and research of Timothy Tyson, Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin. The most striking aspect of the novel is the description of Dickie Marrow's murder from the points of view of different citizens of Oxford. This unique feature makes the book appealing to many age groups. Teenage readers can relate to Tyson's personal anecdotes about growing up in rural Oxford, North Carolina. Even if younger audiences do not understand the symbolism behind the text, they can still enjoy the well-developed characters and eventful plot. Adult readers can gain insight into many themes concerning race and white supremacy. Tyson elegantly expresses the naiveté of children on the issue of morality and treatment of other races. This is best conveyed in the passage where young Tyson taunted a black child solely because his friend had started an insulting chime. The author describes that it was fear--not hatred--that bred the twisted idea of white supremacy. Parents can also connect with the decisions and actions of Vernon and Martha Tyson. The Tysons believed that their children should be exposed to many different opinions yet respect all races. The difference in perspectives in the work allows readers of all ages to enjoy and understand the truth behind the Civil Rights Movement.
The book contains a few minor flaws that diminish the lucidity of the text. The plot is rather erratic; from time to time, the events are not connected perfectly. This technique may be Tyson's personal style of writing, but it proves to be rather confusing at major points in the plot. For example, Tyson usually explains a personal memory of the murder and follows it with completely unrelated information about another character. These discontinuities in the plot make the book difficult to comprehend at first. Gradually, however, the reader gets acclimatized to this original form of writing. The gaps between personal stories build suspense and enable the reader to process a feasible prediction for the sequence of events. The novel also includes many extraneous details about minor characters that play an insignificant part in the plot. Tyson extensively describes his mother's childhood, even though his mother does not affect the sequence of events in any fashion. This extra information, however, does not detract from the book's overall theme. Though the story contains a few negligible weaknesses, Tyson maintains his overall claim and presents it in an interesting and distinctive manner.
Blood Done Sign My Name is an enthralling story that expresses the moral wrongs of racism. To call it a mere story does not do Tyson proper justice; it is more fitting to call the book a documentary. By citing several engrossing stories throughout the novel, Tyson maintains the reader's attention and successfully proves his thesis. Other than its occasional lack of continuity, Timothy Tyson has written a classic non-fiction work for readers of all ages.

I recommend this book not only to those of us who lived through the time but also to younger adults who care about racial issues in America. The author's personal account allows readers to experience recent history through his eyes. The book is informative and a very good read!

I finally got around to reading this memoir this summer and was in awe of the author's narrative gifts. This story reads like a novel and is full of plain human wisdom, an emotional openness combining humility and pride, wry humor, sharp political analysis, and a can't-put-it-down story line that comes to terms with America's number one cultural problem: racism. This is a book of local history that gets at the human condition, and a work of history that reads like great literature. I'm telling everyone I can to read it, and that includes whoever reads this. Don't pay attention to any of the so-called "corrections" made by some other reviewers here. This is a must-read historical work that shows an astute and perceptive ability to understand its widely varying participants' points of view and experiences, while not shrinking from the moral and historical obligation to draw judgments. There is only one word to use: *brilliant.* (I'm not one to use that lightly when talking about either autobiography or
history.)

Disclaimer: The writer of this review is a professional historian with a Ph.D., but one who has never met Timothy Tyson.

I read this book for a college course and found it shocking and heartbreaking. I grew up very close to where the event of the story take place. After I had finished the book I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Tyson. This is when I began to become suspicious. I also met the offspring of people involved in the story. They, along with many other residents of Oxford confirmed what I already suspected. Much of this story is COMPLETELY MADE UP! Some of the events did actually happen, but are blown WAAAAAY out of proportion, and the means by which Mr. Tyson acquired some of his information are very shady. So my verdict: as a piece of fiction I think it's a beautifully tragic piece of fictions. As a "true story" this novel loses all credibility and so does Mr. Tyson for any of his other work and he should be prosecuted for his slanderous words.

This is a book a real player, pimp, grifter, conman/conwoman, forger, prostitute or finess thief will really like and be able to identify with and is a must read. Now even a square with a open mind will enjoy this book. Of course the average trick, mark or chump will most likely hate on the book and even write a bad review just because it reminds them of their role in the Life which is a chump, mark, trick or vic and their part is to be fleeced for their money or to spend it on a prostitute. I have seen two bad reviews and I believe both of these reviewers fit into the lame/trick/vic category especially the one calling this book lame. White Folks breaks down the mentality of a Player/Pimp down from A to Z. He runs down the basics of the Pimp Game, the Confidence Game and the art of Forgery. It is not just a profession but a way of life and a lifestyle governed by rules, regulations and ethics. It is a honor to be a Player/Pimp in The Life and The Game! He also exposes the new generation of wanna-be thugs and dope dealers who try to claim fame to the Game but are just imposters who have no real Game and are just tricks and suckers who think using a gun or selling drugs is slick and most when arrested will snitch almost instantly. He has written a masterpiece book about "The Life and The Game"!!

my friend showed me this guy on youtube.com and said he wanted his book, but didn't have the cash. so I gave it to him on his birthday and he said it was great.

Bought this book because I saw the author on a judge show.

Book sucks.

Lame: So much lame, so little time. Okay, for all his talk, he drives into Canada with a primo ho and empty pockets. He has to beg another player for money. Huh? Lamer: His buddy, a certified player, claims his ho and he can score a quarter of a mil, cash, like snapping their fingers, but he works out of a basement, living on Salvation Army furniture. Lamest: White Folks is sued by his daughter on a TV court show for a few hundred in back rent. How lame is that? A player? I don't think so. Talks a good game, though.

I had to write a review out of sheer respect and give propers where they're do. My collection of "pimp & player" books encompass just about every title released and this book by far has the most substance, bar none. I felt like I was sitting down in the presence of a true player being schooled about the in's and out's of a variety of game while reading this book. I hope the author writes more because this is one of the best books in the genre to date. I highly recommend this book, it's worth more than what they're selling it for.

An excellent compendium of espionage gadgets up to and including the cold war. Many from the World War II era. Some history describing the more prominant practioners. Current gadgets as modified by current miniature electronics are not gone into as most of them are still classified. Excellent pictures and some proofreading goofs (none that serious).

100% recomend to learn about spy history

I was given this book as a gift and think the photographs in it are absolutely great! The text that accompanies all the photos is interesting, but I've noticed more than just a few spots in the book where the captions to the photos stops in mid-sentence. I still love the book and if those captions were complete; it would rate 5 stars.

This book was given to me as a Christmas gift this past year. As a writer of Spy Fiction ("The Malagasy Tortoise"), this book has given me a wonderful and exacting insight to the many gizmos and gadgets being used in the field of spying. From weapons to decoding devices "The Ultimate Spy" has it all. I recommend this book to anyone interested in anything clandestine or who is looking to expand their knowledge of the CIA, the FBI or the private sector of spying. This book is loaded with excellent photos of spy personalities, guns, secret hiding spots, good guys and bad guys -- everything is in here to make yourself a fantastic investigation. An exceptional book, one that I now keep right next to my computer.

This book is filled with excellent photos with great descriptions. The best historical book on spy hardware that I have ever seen. It does need to be re-proof read though... I noticed at least 3 spots where the text just ends in mid sentence which seemed really odd for a book of this caliber. It's just a minor irritation but otherwise it's a 5 star book.

I really enjoyed this book. Full of good information and entertaining to read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in this subject matter.

This was a fast read for me because of the subject. I was transfixed as each story was told. I only wish she'd recorded even more experiences. These tales will stay with me forever and I highly recommend this book.

This woman is quite adorable. I found myself surprised at how, even though I picked the book up because I like crime nonfiction, I found it wasn't really a story about crime work at all. Some of the stories were very amusing but the deeper understanding I carried away was what a funny life it is. I greatly enjoyed the story of her parent's reaction to her crime stories and them not wanting to visit her work. I enjoyed the stories about her getting quite a rude introduction to being a crime worker who isn't a police officer and I loved the story of her sneaking home to take care of her dogs and accidentally pressing the panic button that allowed the whole department to hear her dog cooing. If you are looking for a hardcore crime solving book then this might be a little soft for you. If you're looking for a story of how ridiculous the actuality of crime is through the eyes of a quirky young mom then this is probably right up your alley.

Dana Kollman is hilarious, and very to the point. True forensics is nothing like it is on TV. Please read this if you are considering! Stories can be somewhat nauseating, don't read during dinner like I did.

I LOVED every part of this book. It's fantastically written and incredibly entertaining from start to finish. She has a way with words and is an excellent story teller! She was also my Forensics Professor at Towson University, so I may be a bit biased but I still think that this is probably one of the most entertaining books I've read in a long time.

The information in this book blew me away! As an Amnesty International activist I have known about the hundreds of unsolved murders in Jaurez for a few years now and I have been under the impression that no one knew what was behind the femicides. This book makes it perfectly clear that powerful people on both sides of the border know what's going on and that many of those power brokers south of the border are directly responsible!

This book is especially commendable because of the attention and honor it pays to the families of the victims and the toll all of the trauma has taken on citizens of the border region.

A simplified version of this book's explanation of the Juaurez femicides is that the Columbian drug cartel forged an agreement with some of the most powerful people in Mexico that in exchange for money the Mexicans would grant the cartel and its allies total impunity in the state of Chihuahua. This grim agreement gave the power to kill kidnap, and torture to a mix of sadists, misogynists, serial killers and multi-millionaires.

The cartel recruited many of its operatives from the Mexican army when the Cold War ended which brings up another important point in this book... these operatives were trained to kidnap, torture, and kill leftists and other political dissidents and had no use for these awful skills when the Cold War ended (and with it Mexico's "Dirty War" against political dissidents). This made them ripe for recruitment by the cartels for whom they applied all of the same twisted techniques of their trade (like throwing people out of airplanes!)

The book also notes that the government was easily corrupted by the cartel largely because Mexico's political and justice institutions were so badly weakened by three decades of the Dirty War. This Dirty War was covertly encouraged and supported by the USA as part of it's Cold War strategy. It's a horrifying example of what the intelligence community refers to as 'blowback'.

The amount and specificity of information make this the best single source of information on this issue that I've encountered. Valdez names names and cites her sources to the extent that is possible. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to begin to understand this issue and especially to journalists, human rights activists and researchers who are working on this issue.

This book isn't for everyone. I contains graphic descriptions of victims horrific acts of violence. This is not done gratuitously as the victims' bodies have given forensics experts important clues that Valdez uses to unravel some of the mysteries. And some people might not take to the journalistic writing style of Valdez, a journalist for the El Paso Times, because it doesn't always flow the way a good novelist might tell a story. Some times information is thrown in for factual completeness that kind of breaks the rhythm of the narrative. for that reason I recommend this more for a person who wants to learn about the Jaurez femicides than for someone looking for an entertaining story.