DS Book Reviews

Change Of Plans

I’m going to make the book reviews part of Dead Silence. You’ll be able to find all the reviews and book related posts over there!

H.H. Holmes

H.H. Holmes is a famous serial killer who lived in Chicago. Once again he was one that proved looks can be deceiving. If you looked at him, you saw a well respected man who dressed well and was self made. What was hidden inside of him and his “castle” is something that would frighten anyone.

Depraved: The Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes: Herman Mudgett, born in New Hampshire in 1860, purportedly achieved worldwide notoriety as the serial killer Dr. H. H. Holmes. He certainly made an impression in Chicago, where he built a “castle” filled with soundproof rooms, stairways that went nowhere and chutes leading to huge vats in the basement. How many women died there is unknown. Ironically, a case of insurance fraud that was no fraud at all resulted in Holmes’s arrest, conviction and hanging. He had talked his aide, Ben Pitezel, into getting an insurance policy on his own life, assuring Pitezel that they could render a cadaver unidentifiable, pass it off as Pitezel and collect $10,000. Then he killed Pitezel and, subsequently, three of his five children. Schechter ( Deviant ) has done a masterful job of reconstructing Holmes’s killing spree and detailing the detective work that led to his apprehension.

Devil’s Disciple: The Deadly Dr. H.H. Holmes: Some say he was Jack the Ripper, but Herman W. Mudgett, alias Dr. H. H. Holmes, was far too busy piling up corpses on this side of the Atlantic to have ever traveled abroad. The basement of his infamous Chicago “Castle” boasted a crematory, lime pits, acid vats, and torture devices. Also in the basement was his “human elasticizer,” a basic torture rack that he believed could be employed to create a race of giants.  Holmes’ final confession began with these words: “Yes, I was born with the devil in me.

The Beast of Chicago: In this graphic novel series, Geary covers some of history’s most famous murders in meticulously researched, beautifully drawn volumes. This one takes on H.H. Holmes, one of America’s first serial killers, whose “murder castle” shocked and stunned the era. It’s 1886, and Holmes arrives in Chicago, a seemingly clean and enterprising young man but actually a murderous con artist with a spectacular ability to talk people into trusting him.

How To Add To Your Collection

One easy and sometimes cheap way to add books to your collection is Ebay. Many times you can find lots or groups of True Crime books. I’ve seen lots as small as 4 or 5 books and some having as many as 24 or more. Of course in many of these cases the books are used but many sellers include pictures of the books and pretty good descriptions of the conditions of the books. Many sellers include small paragraphs about the books as well.

Ebay auctions are a great way to add new books to your collection without breaking the bank. If you bought most of the books new from the book store, they could easily start at $6.99 and go up, depending on the book and if it’s a hardback or softback. If you win an auction of 24 books for under $24, you’re not even paying a $1 a book. Of course you do have to do some math to make sure you’re not going over a budget or getting ripped off.

What are you waiting for? Go check out Ebay!

Review: Safe Harbor: A Murder In Nantucket

Finally! Our first review. Remember, we’re not professionals and the more reviews we do, the better and longer they will become.

Safe Harbor : A Murder in Nantucket
Author: Brian McDonald
Published 2006
Review By: Imnotannie
 
One of the first True Crime books I have read, Safe Harbor: A Murder in Nantucket by Brian McDonald was very interesting. Although I felt the book became a little sluggish during parts, I would recommend reading it.
 
Safe Harbor is about the murder of Elizabeth Lochtefeld, a successful 44-year-old woman, in 2004. She was killed by Thomas E. Toolan III, a 37-year-old well-bred man with a severe alcohol problem.
 
The beginning of the book tells the story of the short rocky relationship that Elizabeth and Thomas had, then leads up to the murder at her rental house in Nantucket where Thomas stabbed her repeatedly with a 4 inch knife while she struggled for her life.
 
The part of the book that includes the murder stops abruptly and the author, Brian McDonald, takes the reader back to the lives of the murderer and victim.
 
Elizabeth had the ideal family upbringing and became a very successful businesswoman and world traveler, however, she wasn’t very successful in her love life.
 
Thomas also had a very charmed upbringing close to New York City, but he always saw himself as a bad boy. He began drinking as early as 13, and would do horrendous and stupid pranks. Apparently his family would help him to get out of any sticky situations. Although he worked some high paying jobs with well-known companies - his employment always seemed to end poorly. There are several years where the author couldn’t confirm how Thomas had money, and he spent a lot of time at a NYC bar called the Dublin House.
 
After taking us through the better part of the book, the author concludes by further explaining the day of the murder and what happened to Elizabeth. Brian McDonald also speaks about his research for the book and the assistance he received from Elizabeth Lochefeld’s loving family.
 
The middle part of the book that took a little longer for me to go through seemed to become a little too romanticized for me at points. The author did a very good job setting the scene for both Elizabeth and Thomas, however, I felt there were a few portions that could have been excluded without upsetting the main storyline.
 
Thank you for reading my 1st book review, I look forward to any suggestions you may have as I continue to post reviews on this website! 

Serial Killer Reference Books

Here are a few different reference type books about serial killers. Most include information and stories about various serial killers, unsolved crimes and more.

The Serial Killer Files: The Who, What, Where, How, and Why of the World’s Most Terrifying Murderers :  Hollywood’s make-believe maniacs like Jason, Freddy, and Hannibal Lecter can’t hold a candle to real life monsters like John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and scores of others who have terrorized, tortured, and terminated their way across civilization throughout the ages.
Rigorously researched and packed with the most terrifying, up-to-date information, this innovative and highly compelling compendium covers every aspect of multiple murderers—from psychology to cinema, fetishism to fan clubs, “trophies” to trading cards. (I own this book and highly recommend it. It’s my “go to” when I’m writing new posts for Dead Silence. It’s a great peice to have in any serial killer/true crime book collection.)

Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters :  In this unique book, Peter Vronsky documents the psychological, investigative, and cultural aspects of serial murder, beginning with its first recorded instance in Ancient Rome, through fifteenth-century France, up to such notorious contemporary cases as cannibal/necrophile Ed Kemper, Henry Lee Lucas, Ted Bundy, and the emergence of what he classifies as the “serial rampage killer” such as Andrew Cunanan.

The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers :  The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers is a lighthearted but reasonably tasteful collection of information about serial killers, by a respected historian of crime (Harold Schechter) and the author of Human Monsters (David Everitt). It includes individual entries devoted to the most famous killers from all over the world, and amusing sections devoted to such topics as black widows, bluebeards, killer couples, Lustmord, Nazi buffs, power tools, pyromania, and trophies. There are also useful tips for further ventures into art, movies, books, zines, music, and tourist attractions devoted to serial killers.

Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters :  From history’s earliest recorded cases of homicidal females to Irma Grese, the Nazi Beast of Belsen, from Britain’s notorious child-slayer Myra Hindley to ‘Honeymoon Killer’ Martha Beck, from the sensational murder-spree of Aileen Wournos, to cult killers, homicidal missionaries, and the sexy femme fatale, Vronsky challenges the ordinary standards of good and evil and defies the accepted perceptions of gender role and identity.

All information above came from Amazon.com.

Our 2nd Reviewer

Great Pig is a college student from Southern California. She enjoys reading books, her favorite genre being true crime. She has been reading these types of books since she was a child, the more gruesome, the better. She also enjoys going to concerts, playing guitar, and working out. She loves all type of music, especially punk and classic rock. Favorite bands include Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Clash. Her favorite TV shows are Lost, Six Feet Under, Sex and the City, and Dexter, and loves just about anything on VH1 Classics and Court TV. She also enjoys reading biographies, astronomy, and history books!

It looks like I have much in common with this reviewer, from her “more gruesome the better” to “Dexter.” I’m sure she’ll supply us with some awesome reviews.

Ted Bundy Books

Here are a few different books on serial killer Ted Bundy. Some you may have heard of, others maybe new! If you’d like to submit a review on any of the books below, just let me know!

Ted Bundy : Conversations with a Killer: Michaud and Aynesworth spent weeks interviewing Bundy before he was put to death in Florida. Bundy’s story was detailed by the duo in their chilling volume The Only Living Witness (Classics Returns, LJ 11/1/99). The best portion of that title was the excerpts from those interviews. Originally released in 1989, the book contains the full transcripts from those conversations. Without ever admitting that he performed any of these acts (he maintained his innocence until hours before his execution), Bundy offers a matter-of-fact, third-person account of how “someone” performing kidnappings, rapes, and murders might go about it and how that person might act under these circumstances.

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule: Rule met Bundy at a local crisis counseling center. Sharing long nights helping those who felt that suicide was the only option, they developed a friendship. She believed that she knew the handsome psychology major about to attend law school; however, she only knew a part of the man. Bundy was also a cold-blooded serial killer. This story follows Rule as she at first denies that the Bundy she knew could have committed these murders, and then the realization that he was ruthless, dangerous, and evil. Lorelei King is a phenomenal reader; her vocal characterizations never seem forced and fit seamlessly into the narration. Listeners will be spellbound and anxiously awaiting the next twist, when they are not double-locking their windows and doors. A wonderful tape that will find a home in all true crime collections.

Defending the Devil: My Story As Ted Bundy’s Last Lawyer by Polly Nelson: Bundy, who admitted to at least 30 murders and was executed in Florida in 1989, was one of America’s most publicized serial killers, which perhaps explains the publication of this rather tedious account of the legal maneuvering that preceded his death. Nelson, an inexperienced associate of a Washington firm specializing in corporate law, accepted the case without knowing what it might entail. Yet she came to believe, as she notes twice in the first two chapters, “I was born to represent Ted Bundy.” She went to work on the litigation in 1985, six years after Bundy had been convicted, drafting and/or presenting numerous appeals to various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. But while the legal wrangling may interest lawyers, lay readers will not find it absorbing. The only material of general interest is Nelson’s portrait of her client: she found him ingratiating but not especially bright, and adjudged him incompetent in legal matters, contrary to his own view.

Ted Bundy: The FBI Files: Ted Bundy: The FBI Files contains the actual original and declassified criminal investigation files related to Theodore (Ted) Bundy who was wanted for questioning in as many as 36 murders in Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Florida and Washington. In June 1977, the FBI initiated a fugitive investigation when Ted Bundy escaped from a Colorado courthouse where he was on trial for murder. He was recaptured but escaped again, in December 1977, from the Garfield County Jail in Colorado. He was placed on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list and was subsequently arrested, using an alias, by the local authorities in Florida for a stolen car violation in February 1978. In 1979, he was sentenced to death and ultimately executed for the murder of two Florida State University sorority sisters. This publication is being published and made available now for the first time in a paperback book edition for those interested in the history of the life of Ted Bundy and also for those who enjoy reading about serial killers.

All information above came from Amazon.com

Our 1st Reviewer!

Her information has been added to the “Reviewers” page.  She’ll be going by the name Imnotannie. Here are a few of the books she hopes to review soon:

1. Kiss me, kill me: and other true cases
2. Green river, running red
3. Worth more dead: and other true cases
4. No regrets: and other true cases
5. Too late to say goodbye: a true story of murder

All the books above are by Ann Rule. She hopes to get started ASAP! I can’t wait to start posting some reviews. Let’s give her a warm welcome.

Lot Of 10 TC Books - Ebay

Every once in awhile I plan on posting various True Crime book auctions from Ebay. Purchasing lots on Ebay is a great way to save some money and add to your collection.

At the moment you can find a lot of 10 True Crime books that include The End of the Dream by Ann Rule, Perfect The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy and Shadows of Evil by Carlton Smith.

The auction ends on December 28th and at the moment has no bids. The starting price is $9.95 or you can Buy It Now at the price of $19.95. Shipping cost is $7.95.

Be sure to check out the auction to see the other books included!

Reviews Coming Soon!

As of right now I have three people interested in writing reviews for the blog. One reviewer has already picked out a book and has resevered a few more at the library!

If you’d like to be a reviewer or have a book to suggest, just let me know! I’d like to have around five reviewers just incase something happens. You never know when life is going to happen and it’s always good to have back ups.