Another Reissue St. Martin's Press continues to reissue some recent books, recasting them as classics. This month, it reissued Fatal Embrace: The Inside Story of the Thomas Capano/Ann Marie Fahey Murder Case by Chris Barrish. This is a guess, but I'd say that television reruns of the countless documentaries and movies about this case had readers asking for more. The Delaware News-Journal carried details about the reissue.
The Book Worm's Crime Picks The Quad-City Times of Iowa has a book reviewer on staff who is obviously a true crime junkie and who picked some interesting titles for a recap of the best of '06:
“Answering 911” by Caroline Burau — Burau, a veteran of a Minnesota 911 call center, writes about her experiences working in the hot seat … the calls she’d just as soon forget and the ones she’ll always remember. This is another of those books you really don’t want to end.
“Final Exits” by Michael Largo — A quirky, fun (but never morbid) look at the ways we die. This book is a trivia buff’s paradise and something you can buy for the person who claims he “never reads,” because he’ll read this.
“Every Contact Leaves a Trace” by Connie Fletcher — True crime, oral-history style. Fletcher interviewed dozens of forensic scientists about their favorite cases, the unsolved mysteries and the strange things that happened on the way to the morgue. This book is not for the faint-of-heart, but it’s un-put-down-able if you’re a true crime fan.
Paperback Swap on True Crime I've never tried a book swap -- most of my books have notes all over them, and they'd wag their finger at me -- but the site for Paperback Swap is doing a great job of cataloging the true crime genre. They've posted several hundred pithy summaries and ratings for true crime paperbacks.
Jami Floyd's Blog I am loving this Court TV anchor's blog, and not just because she is a Clews visitor. This month she's recommending we read Indefensible by South Bronx Public Defender David Feige. From the American Library Association review: "With a style that combines black comedy with the drama of a thriller, Feige provokes a debate about the shortcomings of our justice system and the overarching disregard for the underclass that is evident in that system."
An American Crime This film about the true torture-murder of a teenage girl debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and is getting a lot of buzz (see, e.g., the Fangoria review). Turns out there's another movie in the works about the same murder case due out later this year. "THE GIRL NEXT DOOR will likely be a more graphic portrayal, amping up the horror and savagery of the onscreen abuses," Fangoria says. I for one won't see either movie; there are many murder cases more worthy of study than this one, more profitable criticism to be had elsewhere; though granted they might not have the same grisly appeal. Pearson and Roughead would be appalled. It seems to me it skates close to the line between true crime and violent porn; but I'll say it again, everyone's tastes for and in true crime (or porn for that matter) are different.
The Staircase Murders The Lifetime cable network, which focuses on programming for female audiences, is making a movie about novelist Michael Peterson and the ending he wrote for Mrs. Peterson -- not to mention the other woman he knew who mysteriously died at the foot of a staircase. Treat Williams will play the murderer. The show will air in April. True crime author Aphrodite Jones, whose book A Perfect Husband was the basis for the movie, is co-producing the show.
The Bobby Kent Seven The Miami Herald has an update on one of the lead figures in the 1993 Heathers-style murder of a bully -- the "grisly tale of bored, middle class suburban teens turned Manson Family-style murderers." (Familiar to us because of the TV specials, and because true crime author Jim Schutze wrote a book on this called Bully - Does Anyone Deserve to Die?.)
Stupidest Court Ruling of the Year Don't you dare put a link on your blog to a ClearChannel site. Linking alone can get you in trouble. That's the ruling from an ignoramus who warms a circuit bench in Texas. Google's copyright attorney is one of many decrying the dumb. Via
Finally... Weird Pervert search of the week, and second place for Pervert search of the week
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