The Stocking Stranglings: Is Carlton Gary a Serial Killer or an Innocent Man? Author David Rose's new historic true crime book, The Big Eddy Club, has some shocking things to say about a serial killer who is now on death row in Georgia -- like, his fingerprints don't match.
This author's credentials, by the way, include the BBC and Vanity Fair.
In the 1970s, several older white women were cruelly murdered in the Columbus, Georgia area. Carlton Gary was sent to death row for the crimes.
Says the author: "I've gone and looked at all that evidence, and I can tell you all of it is deeply suspect."
Rose (after earlier finding his book the subject of a strange book review) was recently featured on the Tavis Smiley show. You can read the interview or download the podcast here. It's a great interview. The author details the case they had -- or didn't have -- against Gary, and tells eye-popping stories about the background of the judge assigned to hear the trial.
This is a fascinating story and I think we'll hear much more about this case.
Fred Rosen's Stories of Survivors There But For the Grace of God: Survivors of the 20th Century's Infamous Serial Killers was published a few days ago and has already been featured as an alternate selection by the Doubleday Book Club, Literary Guild, the Mystery Guild, and the Book-A-Month Club. There is so much interest in serial killers - BTK, Berkowitz, Bundy, Dahmer.
But author Fred Rosen took a different approach and interviewed people who through sheer ingenuity, strength, or luck were able to survive their encounters with these beasts. The stories include --
- Kevin Bright, who was shot and left for dead by BTK;
- Nita Neary, a sorority sister who narrowly escaped Ted Bundy;
- Lisa McVey, who talked a serial killer into letting her go;
- Tracy Edwards, who fought off Dahmer.
My Boss Was BTK This book ought to be a great survivor's story as well. Mary Capps worked for Dennis Rader for several years and describes his "erratic, intimidating" behavior -- he may have been plotting to kill her -- in her new book, My Boss was the BTK Killer; I was the Next Victim. Here's a link to the author's website. "I look back on certain incidents and wonder how close Dennis was to choking the crap out of me...."
Dracula's Castle for Sale If you've got $100+ million 
Actually you've been to the clifftop castle before - at least in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).
The government of Romania recently returned it to the family, who tried to unload it onto the locals.
Sounds like a handyman special. Look at all that gorgeous brick work... all that crumbling, gorgeous, bloodstained brick work.... not to mention Dracula didn't actually live there... maybe I'll hold out for Elizabeth Bathory's place.
A New World Record Those who like to blame guns for everything, take note: the body of the first known gunshot victim in the hemisphere has been discovered. Scientists in Peru found an Incan skull with a bullet hole to the back of the head courtesy a Spanish musket circa 1536.
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