True Crime Books

I loved reading this book! I felt it was very detailed and informative on expressing the activities and mentalities of females who are involved in the gang lifestyle. I highly recommend this book!!

There is nothing insightful in this book.Gini Sikes basically tells the stories of a few women who made bad choices and then blamed everyone but themselves for the outcomes of those choices.The book bogs down only a quarter of the way through it and never recovers.It is monotonous and tough to get to the end.I would probably rather listen to a scratched Wham CD or eat a huge bowl of brussel sprouts than have to read this again.Save your money.

eight ball chicks, was a great book. it tells you how it really is out there. in the places where there is no other choice, where you don't have time to be a kid, and where there's nothing but bad around you. gini sikes does what she set out to do. to study, learn, and let the world know about these girls and what they're all about in these gangs. although there was much more that could have been said, and many more gangs to see it was nicely written no doubt. these were just a few of the girls, but there are many more, with different stories, all leading them down the same path. it's showing you, where these women come from, why they do what they do. in most cases there's no other way. if they could all have that nice house, with both parents, and a nice safe community, i'm sure they would take it, but when all you have is a barrio full of drugs, and guns, with nobody who gives a damn, there really isn't much hope. you got to be strong, emotionally to survive these places. no doubt there's some who do it for the thrill and what not, but they all end up the same. another banger behind bars or shot down somewhere. all my respect to this book and to those people who really have no choice. there's a whole lot more trouble out there that some turn a blind eye to and wish not to see, but this book is an "in your face" kind of book and i love it for that.

I agree with Amazon's review of 8 Ball Chicks. I don't think Gini Sikes had anything particularly insightful to say, but I give it the max rating because these women's stories are CRAZY (i.e. really entertaining to read, especially for people who love to read about how messed up the world is). Whoever you are, this book is worth reading.

When I first heard of the book I heard it on TV and said to myself that the title meant the name of a girl gang and the whole book would be about that gang. I was wrong and do wonder why it has this title if it has nothing to do with "8ball Chicks".

Gini is very insightful on the research she made on these different race gang ladies and their gang life. I like the book but think she needed to include more on the gang culture of women out here and there.

All these writers write about gangs in California, Texas, Illinois. Yet, there are few compared to these states but there are more of us gangbangers out here in the other states. Such as the east coast; Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland. Some writers are careful in not stereotyping their novels but I personally dont judge them because most of them time it is about stereotypical stories.

I wish I can write my own books and let people know what more there is out there. The behind the scenes of behind the scenes of what people already know. The ganglife of us women, culture, pride, heritage, family, and mi vida loka.

Good book anyways.

Paul Williams writes about the life of Martin "the General" Cahill in a way that almost makes Cahill lovable, a late-20th century Robin Hood almost, yet is able to balance this image (that Cahill himself tried to propagate) with the fact that he was a career criminal, even to the point that he would report regularly to receive the dole while making millions illegally. Williams writes of what is known that Cahill did, what Cahill was accused of doing, what Cahill said that he did and was, and what Dubliners said that he did and was. Williams was a reporter throughout the career of the General, and so presents a journalistic tale of Martin Cahill's life that is really a captivating read.

i highly recommend the book.the author gives us a rare insight into not only his most succesful hiests($-wise).he describes cahill lesser known crimes also which provides the motive & method,being that the most enjoyable aspect is not the climax of a hiest but it's the PROCESS from start(PLANNING)to the finish (GETTING AWAY & UNPENATRABLE ALIBI).cahill is unconventualable in all aspects of his life,marriage,lifestyle,work(M.O.),etc. which keeps the law from anticipating his next move.the police incomptency is what made cahill a CRIMINAL MASTERMIND.funny,intriuing,inciteful are just a few descriptions that make the book enjoyable.

The General was a great read. It did Martin Cahill justice which is the only time he probably got any. Williams showed us the Cahill that only those close to him saw. A real eye opener. Thank you, Mr. Williams.

Martin Cahill, a/k/a "The General," was perhaps Ireland's most notorious gangster, a genius criminal who stole millions (in artwork, jewelry and cash) right out from under the noses of the Garda S?och?na(Irish Police.)

Paul Williams, quite adeptly, tells the humorous but ultimately tragic tale of a remorseless thief with a penchant for rather unorthodox sexual activity (he lived and fathered children with both his wife and her sister.) Like the best (or worst) gangsters and criminals memorialized in books and movies, The General's daring, outrageous behavior and wit made him a charming and sometimes even sympathetic subject. But, Williams walks the line between glorifying Cahill and showing him for what he really was, a thief whose sins caught up with him.

I have seen the movie and i think it's great but reading the book was totally different. In the book you get to see the two sides of the notorious Martin Cahill. Some people thought he was the modern robbinhood, and others a dangerous criminal. Paul Williams brilliantly gives you the inside story in it's true form, excellent book.

Oh dear. This guy has read about 27 too many Russian novels.

The author sifted through a sea of jumbled information about one of the craftiest characters in the long history of espionage, and produced, well, another sea of jumbled information. After three paragraphs in any chapter, it's not clear what or whom he's talking about -- or even why.

Less detail and more careful analysis and supposition would have been MOST helpful, thank you.

I'm about to stop reading, give up, and stick with the TV series.

Richard Spence's research is astounding in its depth. Although this is in some ways a very "scholarly" work and demands effort on the part of the reader, it's worth it. It's obvious that no easy or pat answers to the mystery of Sidney Reilly are possible....and any book that pretends otherwise is just another red herring being dangled before the gullible.

It is obvious that Richard Spence is a diligent researcher and he did a great deal of homework for this book. The result is an exhaustive (and exhausting) compilation of Sidney Reilly's activities and associations over the course of his career. Unfortunately this wealth of information is not really drawn into any themes or any kind of coherent narrative. Some of the "Reilly myths" are convincingly de-bunked, but there's not much on offer here to replace them. This might be a helpful work for the history scholar looking for names, dates, and places associated with Sidney Reilly but it isn't much fun for the armchair history buff.

In the end, Sidney Reilly has the last laugh. He spent a lifetime covering his tracks, weaving a trail of deception and misinformation intended to obscure every aspect of his personal history and career. Spence takes on the noble task of trying to sift through the voluminous, vague, and usually contradictory material about this character. Unfortunately, almost nothing can be said with certainty about Reilly. We are unsure of his real name, place of birth, parentage, marriages...and those are just the biographical details. His work was obviously and carefully kept clouded. The author assembles as much data as one will probably ever find on this subject. He tries to be objective. However, the end result is a compilation of information mixed with supposition and conjecture. Yet, it is doubtful if anyone could have done more than Spence given the nature of the subject. In the end, we are not even sure if Reilly died as legend holds or if he lived on in mystery. No one will ever accurately chronicle the life of this remarkable enigma wrapped in a riddle...and that is exactly how Sidney Reilly wanted things to be.

I bought this after watching the BBC miniseries on Sidney Reilly. Spence has produced a very scholarly book written in a friendly tone. While I still view the Ace of Spies (the series, not the man) with affection and admiration, this book demonstrates that Reilly's life was much more complex than the BBC series made out. While not wanting to give too much away, I'll just say, watch the series, then read the book.

I really enjoy Fleeman's book. This book is just "ok". I think if you have an interest in bodybuilding this book would be more interesting.
The author focuses to much on the sport then on the victim herself.

I'm almost done with this book...it's not as bad as some people say. But having known Craig & Kelly for the past 10 years, I do laugh at some of the glossed over details in the book. The wild lifestyle was mentioned only to be "rumored", however many close friends knew that it was true.

I guess the author could have dug alot deeper and went farther afield to get additional information. He seemed to stick to the same characters from which to gather his information. A few were Craig & Kelly's enemies...some were indifferent and some were well-meaning but clueless and coming more from the "fan" viewpoint.
It is true however that many of their longtime friends lost touch, especially as they sunk deeper into partying and drugs and "alternative" activities.

One thing not mentioned was that Craig & Kelly offered Weekend Training Getaway Packages for sale at their home ...the person who bought this type of package would get to train with them at their house, hang out with Craig & Kelly...get to use the pool and "private" jacuzzi...and hopefully something more would happen...that was Craig's big idea.

Craig & Kelly did end up living a troubled life mostly due to Craig. In my own opinion Craig was and is a psychopath. Before Kelly met Craig she was a dynamic, talented, warm and loving individual. Her friends miss and care about her very much. Kelly's mother passed away recently, many say due to the horrible stress from this case.

All I can say is that when Kelly met Craig and they got married, all of us who knew them both, and knew the type of person Craig was understood that nothing good would come of the marriage...but we never envisioned anything like this.

Most importantly, drugs and wild lifestyles lead to tragedy and my heart truly goes out to Melissa James and her entire group of friends and family and it was very nice of the author to include some very lovely pics of Melissa in the book as tribute.

This book is not one of the author's best works. It is mediocre at best to describe it. It does reveal a world of bodybuilding that I have never been much of a fan about. This book describes bodybuilders, Craig Titus, and Kelly Ryan, who appeared like the ideal couple, in love and devoted to each other. They are guilty of murdering young Melissa James who was employed and lived with them in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Sadly, Melissa's dreams were crushed by her killers' cruelty. They cared more about the jaguar than they did about Melissa James. The author could have shown more pictures featuring Craig and Kelly. The only photo of them together is pretty vague. Melissa had her problems but she was going home and for whatever reason, Craig and Kelly couldn't let her go or lose. They hate losing. The book is an easy read for me but it's not that interesting unless you are in the sports scene.

I wanted to give this book three stars but since everyone else is so hostile toward it, I'm adding another star because it's not as bad as the other reviews say.

Yes, KILLER BODIES is about an ongoing murder trial that hasn't hit the courtroom yet. At this time, Titus and Ryan aren't scheduled to go to trial until April of 2008, so this book is definitely not the definitive answer on this case.

It is rushed but doesn't feel as sloppy as other books (certainly not as slapdash and hurried as the first book on the Titus-Ryan murder, FIRE IN THE DESERT, a hasty publication that can't even decide on a common margin for each page--but good photos though!). The only mistake that jumped out at me in KILLER BODIES was that Kelly's car is identified as a Corvette in the photo pages instead of a Jaguar (have you ever tried to put a dead body in the trunk of a Corvette?). The photo section is the lamest aspect since Titus and Ryan, bodybuilding and fitness stars who appeared on dozens of magazine covers, are shown in only one photo.

The writing itself is lean and fast-moving, for the most part. I know some of the people in the book personally, so I might be looking at this in a completely different light than others.

I hope anyone reading this book isn't expecting the final word on this sad drama. It's only a competently written overview of the case with modest glimpses into the characters, no more, no less.

As it is, it's not as bad as the other reviews are saying but you'll need to wait until judgment falls before reading anything more conclusive.

I CANNOT believe that St. Martin's published this as a true crime! This latest publication by Michael Fleeman served more as a quick printed biography about two of bodybuilding's famed members than it was about the alleged murder of Melissa James.

The book begins with the finding of Kelly Ryan's burning jaguar in the desert and the finding of a body in the trunk. The next few pages are dedicated to the autopsy findings (which proved nothing more than James had high amounts of drugs in her system and "some" evidence of what could be strangulation) and then the reader must go through 150+ pages of Fleeman relaying the story of Craig Titus' and Kelly Ryan's life as bodybuilders. There is NO mention of Melissa James during these pages.

Once the reader FINALLY returns to story of the "scandal" as promised on the cover, the information is nothing more than "he said, she said" dribble; with fellow bodybuilder friends providing "evidence" for the police.

And, sadly enough, the book is rushed to publication before the trial. As it stands, Titus and Ryan remain in jail awaiting trial. A quick search on Google shows that, to date, the trial is set for October 18, 2007.

Don't waste your money on this one; at least not until the updated version is released that actually provides a finale. Even then, I'd only recommend reading it if you're really into bodybuilding as that it the majority topic of the book.

When Mr. Egger tries to validate the investigation of Henry Lee Lucas and terms him one of the most brutal serial killers, he is a fool. He was given access to the Texas Rangers' investigation of Lucas, which has been refuted by solid media reporting, an attorney general's investigation and the governor of Texas (who commuted Lucas' death sentence). If Eggers was as good a reporter as promoter, this might be worth something. And he never even met Bundy.

As a researcher, writer and student of serial murder, I believe that Dr. Egger's work is important for three reasons. #1- He writes for the average person who wants to know more about serial murder. He attempts to dispel some of the myths about these people. He gives the average interested person a standard to judge media coverage and the facts in a more informed way. #2- He writes for the person in the criminal justice system whose job it is to deal with the Killers Among Us. His observations and suggestions are helpful and succinct. #3- Dr. Egger is one of the few "experts" in this field who is a voice for the victims and encourages and demands that we do not forget the many victims who have died at the hands of a serial killer.
Dr. Egger was the first person in the world to deal with the investigation of serial murder as a PhD student. His understanding of this phenomenon is enormous.
This book is used in universities throughout the world to introduce students to serial murder and to critically look at this field beyond the pop culture symbolism that it is usually looked upon. This second edition showcases three student contributors. Dr. Egger's motives are to inform, educate, and contribute to apprehending these killers as he said in his PhD dissertation, "so that lives can be saved."
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an accurate overview of the subject.

This study of serial murder has been acclaimed as both scientifically sound and reliable. Dr. Egger puts down numerous myths that have confused and bedeviled the study of serial killers for decades. A noted authority, a strong academic voice on the subject of criminology. A fine work. Includes studies of John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, the Hillside Stranglers and Henry Lee Lucas. Dr. Egger spent more than 50 hours with Lucas who managed to fool everyone in authority by retracting his early confessions. The damning factor about Lucas is that teenage girls are no longer disappearing from the highways of South Texas like they did for the past 30 years.

I love this book (and the movie that closely followed the book). It is
just about what I'd figured it out, too. It could not have been a simple
"accident" because too much evidence disappeared, bungled investigations,
etc. She had a pretty miserable existence during and after her marriage
ended, afraid for her life and pursued constantly. Such a sad ending for
such a truly beautiful woman who rightly should have been Queen one day.
May she have peace now, that she didn't have in real life.

When i finished reading this book i was entirely conviced that Princess Diana was murdered. All the facts add up and nobody can deny that her death took some heavy weight off some people's shoulders.
The way the author presents all the evidence was amazing to me because i always thought that the theory of Princess Diana assassination was just that, a theory, but now i know that they're really lots of facts backing up that theory.
This book is very interesting and i highly recommend it.

I probably own every book ever published about Princess Diana (before, during and after her death) and found this book to contain many things I had never read before. Mr. Botham brings up theories that I discussed with my late fiance, a Brit, but was afraid to talk about in public. Since Graham lived and worked in London, and ran in 'certain circles' he knew a great deal more than I did about her untimely death. There were things he simply refused to discuss, even with me. A couple of these verboten items are in the book.

I was stunned to read that Princess Anne lost her virginity to Camilla's ex-husband, Mr. Parker-Bowles. Of course Camilla was not married at that time, but the fact that the Parker-Bowles's were involved with both brother and sister Royals seems a bit, well, incestuous.

While he mentions that the French driver who died in the crash (Henri Paul) was suspected of working with foreign intelligence, he does not mention what many other books do of his working with Israeli intelligence. Botham does note that Diana's romance with Dodi (an Egyptian) was of great concern to the Israeli government at the time. Henri Paul seems to have had his hands in all the pies. And we see what greed gets you. Dead.

This book is either very accurate and frightening, or it is chock full of lies, and should be regarded as fiction. When I was reading it I could not help but wish my fiance were still here to read it with me. He would have thoroughly enjoyed it. Diana's death was not a surprise to me at all. I knew it was only a matter of time before she left the stage. I can't believe it has been ten years since she died. My heart still aches for her sons. Time will never heal their loss. I just hope that before he dies, Mr. Al-Fayed gets some sense of justice and a sense of finality. He is not the crackpot he is made out to be. Whether he is rich, powerful, famous, liked or disliked, he is a father. He does have deep feelings. After all these years, he still doesn't have answers. It all seems so sad on so many levels.

Very well written. A lot of research went into this book. I truly believe there was a cover up in the death of Princess Diana and it will probably never be brought to light. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

YES, I most defintley believe that there was a cover up and consiprisy in Princess Diana's death. I believe without a doubt that she was murdered. Diana was more loved and popular than the Royal family, she was in love with a muslim and maybe pregnant. She was the peoples Princess, therefore she had more love and power than the Queen and Prince
Also she had information ( hidden ) that was removed, never to be found, by the Royal family, this information would have greatly embarressed and brought Prince Charles and his family down, The Royal family where afraid of all her information, this is absolutely a FACT, so how can this be ingnored ?

She was everything the Royal family could never be, Loving, Kind , and Giving, loving her sons enough that against the Queens wishes, Diana gave birth in the hospital, that was a firt for the Royal family. I have researched and read about this for 10 years now, and she was indeed murdered.

I found Ablow's writing of this book informative and extremely educational. I have read many of his books of fiction, but, between this one and the one I read of his that shared quite a bit of his notes on his first years of psychiatric medicine I realize the author's vast knowledge and ability to 'educate'.

It gives a true account of who Scott Peterson really is. It helps to understand a person like Scott Peterson

The first book I read by Keith Ablow was Psychopath- and I couldn't put it down. As I read this book on Scott Peterson-so many questions were answered. Dr. Ablow gives examples, and explains in full detail from birth to prison how Scott Peterson became the person he was.

As a psychologist there were so many questions I had about Peterson's past life with his family- now I know about his controlling, manipulative mother, his spineless dad. Amazing.

A must read.

Keith Ablow describes Scott Peterson as a man who was already dead. A man who had a three generation bloodline of childhood loss and abandonment. He was a complete sociopath who viewed life as a vision of death. This is why he killed Laci and Connor. This is one of the most interesting books and explanations on the actions of Scott Peterson that I have ever read. I highly recommend this book. It so clearly explains in detail his thought process, his childhood fears and adandonment issues, his addiction to sex and to Amber Frey and his flippant attitude about the killings and how he will be released someday, that is was all just a big misunderstanding. Please read this book! Keith Ablow is brilliant and explains this story in such engrossing detail.

I have read all the books out on the Peterson case as well as having paid close attention to the news at it unfolded on national TV. I realize Keith Ablow, M.D. is an expert and very respected so I weigh my words carefully as I am simply a lay person, a medical transcriptionist for fifteen years who has typed a lot of psychiatric histories and have read true crime for years now. I do believe Dr. Ablow is on the mark with the family history and how Scott Peterson got to the point of looking like a solid human being but in actuality being as empty and void as a hollow chocolate Easter rabbit. Appearances of deception. I agree, this is a must read for anyone who followed the case. I think my mixed feelings come from the way Dr. Ablow presented his thoughts...I am at a loss quite honestly as to how to explain what I mean...I am believing other avid readers will understand after reading the book why it is difficult for me to explain. I think some of the way he presented his thoughts/findings/beliefs were odd. Again, I'm sorry I can't be more specific. Dr. Ablow talked numerous times about the pasted on SMILE, the plastic smile of Scott Peterson. What is strange here is the fact that just prior to reading Dr. Ablow's book I read the book by Laci's mother - and the cover has Laci and her mother on it smiling the same extremely wide...EXTREMELY WIDE...what I call "plastic, beauty pagent" type of smile that hurts my face muscles just looking at the picture. Every photograph of Laci has the same smile and her mother speaks in the book of her daughter ALWAYS SMILING. No one smiles ALL THE TIME, and if they do, there's something going on not being addressed. My heart aches for Laci, Connor and her family - please know I am not speaking of this for deliberate negativity, and Lord knows no one on earth deserves what she went through / what her family is going through every day of the remainder of their lives. I am only trying to understand why Dr. Ablow doesn't make a connection with Laci / smile - perpetual - as he does with Scott - smile - perpetual yet a sign of "hallowness and nonperson".
I beieve Scott Peterson definitely is insane. I believe Laci had many, many of her own issues - like so many of us do - and sad to say, her own personality and smile masked to her family - to the world perhaps - much of the reality that was going on in her own life. So often it is said "If it looks too good to be true, then for sure it is."
Like Laci's mom said - there always is divorce...then again, fairy tales do not end in divorce. They should not end in murder, either. I strongly urge anyone interested in this case to read Dr. Ablow's book, make your own judgment and please know I submitted my review with a genuine effort to express how the book left me feeling.

The real story doesn't begin until the middle of the book.
It told me what I thought I wanted to know, but now I'm disgusted by the same.

This book grabs your attention and holds on to the end. It's like the City Confidential t.v. program, Mr. Olsen has the knack of painting the whole picture not just focusing on the crime. I was just introduced to Mr. Olsen and I am looking forward to reading more of his work.

Dean Corll... a John Wayne Gacy before there was a John Wayne Gacy. Corll was a homosexual loner who had no friends other than the many male children who clammored around him for handouts of free candy and a chance to shoot a few games of pool and listen to the stereo at Corll's apartment. When young boys began disappearing at an alarming rate from the poor and lower middle class section of Houston known as The Heights, the police were, at best, indifferent. Many of the boys who disappeared had histories that argued against impulsivity and running away, but this did not appear to concern local authorities.

Corll brainwashed, abused, and bribed two teenaged boys, David Brooks and Wayne Henley, for a period of 3 years... promising money and material goods each time they procured other teenage boys for his amusement and murderous fantasies. The deaths of 27 boys would have gone long undiscovered had Corll not been shot in the head by Henley, who only then contacted the police and told of the horrors he had witnessed. (Thank God for modern day Amber Alerts! Given that many of the missing boys were held hostage and tortured for 2-3 days before being murdered, the Ambert Alert system that is now an integral part of child abduction cases could have saved the life of at least one child and may have spared Houston a 3 year reign of continuing terror.)

While the story itself is well researched and well written, I did experience some disappointments. As other readers have mentioned, there are no photographs. (Although there IS an excellent photograph of Jack Olsen on the back cover.) Photographs of even some of the missing and murdered boys, and a photograph of the now infamous "boat shed," where 18 bodies were unearthed, would have added considerable interest.

I was born in Texas and have lived in various parts of Texas almost my entire adult life, including very near Houston. I can say that the "language" used by the author, purportedly to add interest and realism to the many conversations and comments in the book was nothing short of outrageous. (For example, "I was rill skeered!") True, many people who reside in Texas do have accents, but I have NEVER lived anywhere or known anyone who spoke like this. Not only did this inclusion of the cultural "language" force me to re-read and decipher words and entire sentences, it added nothing to the book... except perhaps the impression that all Texans are uneducated, ignorant, and one shallow step from the banjo-playing hillbillies who terrorized a white water rafting crew in "Deliverance."

While the book suggests that David Brooks and Wayne Henley were incarcerated for their participation in procuring other victims for Corll and their assistance in burying some of the bodies, the book DOES NOT reference a trial or applied sentences for the boys. How does a True Crime book written by an experienced True Crime author not include such basic information? Does anyone know what happened to these two boys?

I struggled with whether to rate this book a 3 Star Book or a 4 Star Book. While the story was certainly interesting and, as the parent of 3 young children, terrifying on a primal level, there were obvious problems that detracted from the reading experience. I do not regret reading THE MAN WITH CANDY, but there are better True Crime books to explore.

Jack Olsen has crafted a well-written non-fiction book about the heart rending loss of almost 30 pre-teen and teen-aged boys from one of Houston's suburbs and their subsequent torture and murder at the hands of one of America's most evil human monsters.

The book was written about the time of the murders: in the 1970's. This fact makes it all the more engaging since the reader is given a unique view of what Houston was like at the time of the murders: 1971 through 1974.

So many true crime books of this nature seem to be thrown together in a very hasty manner in an effort to cash in on the interest that occurs at the time of and just after such serial killers operate. They tell us just the facts that can be gleaned from news sources and court documents. The books are cold and the reader never really relates to the very real human loss that occured. Mr. Olsen's book is not that type of book.

We get a bit of history on not only Houston but the suburb where the murderers - Dean Corll and Elmer Wayne Henley - procured just about all of their victims. Most true crime writers don't really interview families of victims and create a "real" book. Olsen has done this.

Reading about a murderer's motis operandi and reading about the horrors of murders themselves is something that just about all the hack true crime writers give us. Olsen's presentation is different - more like Capote's with In Cold Blood. He makes the crimes real and personal because he introduces us to each of the boys' families and loved ones. We learn about the boys as real people, not just names and victim numbers.

This isn't a book about a murderer and his protege as it could have been. This is a book about the loss of life delivered unto a decent hard-working community just outside of Houston. As many of the families of the victims of Dean Corll and Elmer Wayne Henley have said over the years - Corll and Henley are remembered but their victims have been forgotten. Olsen makes up for this disparity.

Certainly you get the gory details, but since you've first learned about the victims and their unique lives, you feel more connected to them.

If I had one complaint, it would be that there is not one picture of the boys who were murdered (the cover has three, but they are unidentified). There isn't a need for post mortem photos or even pictures of the murderers, but it would be more emotionally engaging had there been pictures of the boys themselves. However, due to the finances of the families of some of the boys, it is entirely possible that there simply were no photos of the boys as they looked at the time of their death.

Although one of the most heinous of serial killings to ever take place in the U.S., as with most things, time allows people to forget...These boys should not be forgotten...Read this book and remember them.

First off, the book itself was in very excellent condition. The books content is a very somber and hideous account of one of the most tragic and horrifying murders of young kids this country has ever seen. From 1971 to 1973 many young teen-agers met the end of their lives in very torturistic ways. Any-way, This case was not widely reported back then. By todays standards of media reporting; this case would have been front page news for literaly 6 months or more. Never a more sinister serial killer than this guy, Dean Corll.(The sickest of the sick) for sure. Lanc B.

Stephen Knott starts this fast paced book by recounting the myth that covert operations in America began with the Cold War, and searches for the truth or falsity of this belief. Then Knott recounts the history of covert operations in America, beginning during the Revolutionary war with George Washington. Knott points out how the founding fathers understood the value of secrecy and espionage run by the executive branch to maintain secrecy and deniability.

Knott explains how Washington created a contingency fund to pay for spies and secret diplomacy. Jefferson bribed Indians to gain territory and started to overthrow the Pasha of the Barbary pirates. Madison planned covert operations to gain Spanish Florida, to gain land, stop Indian attacks, and get Spain out of North America. Then Knott describes the efforts of Joel Poinsett for President Madison in Argentina and Chile where he tried to incite independence from Spain, and cut down the influence of the British. Eventually Poinsett worked in Mexico on behalf of President Monroe. Andrew Jackson sent Robert Anthony to Mexico to try and get Texas, to help protect New Orleans. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln supported covert efforts throughout Europe and Canada supporting the Union through propaganda in newspapers.

Knott concludes the book by showing how during the nineteen-seventies, congressmen wanted to control covert operations and set up a congressional oversight in the belief that this is what the founding fathers would have wanted. But, as we have seen, the founding fathers believed in covert operations with no congressional oversight, because even then congress could not keep a secret. Knott's book is full of surprising anecdotes detailing the use of covert operations by the founding fathers.