I just finished Erased by Marilee Strong which was pretty good but sort of a retelling of a bunch of true crime. It does make many good points about the various "marital"/significant other murders commited  and how easy it can be to make it seem like an "accident" or a staged murder scene.   Now I'm onto Women Who Love Men Who Kill. Anyone else read that one? It's an old one--from 1990 i think.

Erased made a lot of references to a very old true crime story calld An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser which was originally published in 1925.  An old movie was based on it too--A Place in the Sun with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift. I saw it a long time ago and it was really good. . Anyway, i have that book and will get to it someday!  

  Jody

Finishing up The Stranger Beside Me, by Ann Rule, about Ted Bundy. It's pretty good.

The Stranger Beside Me is the first Ann Rule book I had ever read, and I still think that was one of her best books and one of the best true crime books I've ever read. I'm now reading Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer by Harold Schechter. It's riveting.

 Jody 

I think I am going to begin Safe Harbor: A Murder in Nantucket by Brian McDonald. I 'm trying to fit in as much true crime as possible before Friday. My book group starts reading The Historian that day.

 Jody

Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall was a very interesting book.  Not really true crime but they did make a 14 year old girl get married and she wrote the story of her life and how she got Warren Jeffs put in prison.

I'm reading "Pure Murder" right now.  It's pretty good.  I finished "The Texas 7" about a week ago.  Another good one.

I'm reading 'The Monster of Florence' Douglas Preston.

Hey Lena..I just listened to the Monster of Florence...reading it would have been hard for me because of  the Italian names.  I thought it was ok but not great.  Did you like it??

I'm part way through it so  the jurys still out on it lol. Not what I was thinking, but I really like Douglas Preston & Lincoln Childs work.

I'm very interested in your discussion about the Monster of Florence. My friend is going to mail it to me. I was really excited to read it. Hopefully I won't be disappointed.

 jody

Just finished Safe Harbor: A Murder in Nantucket by Brian McDonald.  I liked it alot. 

 jody 

Kirstin, Bitter Harvest was such a fascinating book! How are you liking it?

 jody  

I felt the Monster of Florence was more of a memoir/true crime book.  Preston is one of the main characters.  I downloaded an audio copy from my library and I'm glad I did because of all the Italian names.  I thought it was ok but not great.

Jody, I liked it very much! Unfortunately it was only the abridged version and I'd prefered an unabridged one. As far as I could figure there are only abridged versions of Ann Rule's books available. :-(

The intro really got to me and I have it memorized because Rule described the aftermath on crimescenes in such lovely words.

I'll read the Monster of Florence pretty soon. No problems with the Italian names though.

I just set up a true crime book club group and am trying to build up the member ship. If anyone is interested in joining please go to http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20996128805

I have read many true crime books. The club is a place where I hope that we all can discuss books we have read.

My latest book was A Decent Into Hell by Kathryn Casey. It was a very good read and a very moving story. It makes one think about how drugs are getting such a hold on people and ruining so many lives.

Hope to get to know you all in the group.

Thanks,

Sandy

Judgement Ridge by Dick Lehr and Mitchell Zuckoff. I'm up to 130 pages and havent been able to put it down.

I'm addicted to reading (especially true crime) and here's a couple of the BEST ones I've read recently.

Sleeping with the Devil - Suzanne Finstad    (I'd had this on my shelf a couple years, and felt like kicking my butt that it took me so long to read!)

House of Secrets - Lowell Cauffiel       (sick, sick family - but very intriguing read)

In Broad Daylight - Harry MacLean      (incredible story - one of the all time best I've read)

Tacoma Confidential - Paul LaRosa   (great author - I'm reading all his books now)

Love's Blood - Clark Howard                (book has been out awhile, but don't pass it up!  Excellent read)

And I'm always on the lookout for more books to add to my list(s), so hope to see more recommendations.

Enjoy!

Dixie

I'm reading A Deadly Game by Catherine Crier.  It's about Scott Peterson.  It's pretty good.  Ann Rule is the best, tho.

I just finished Gang Mom by Fred Rosen.  It was okay but found it hard to follow the whole story...kept getting confused as to how the mom fit into the whole story.  Also wondered why her husband was not mentioned very often...did he not know what was going on around him???  Left me with alot of questions about him.

Descent into Hell was a very good book. I just posted it if anyone is interested.

but a couple I have liked were; "A Safe Harbor" by Brian MacDonald, and "Pointing from the Grave" by Samantha Weinberg.

Y'all might like "The Restless Sleep" by Stacy Horn -- tales from the NYC Cold Case Squad (some solved, some not).

THIS BOOK IS A PAGE-TURNER, FOR SURE.  IT'S A TRUE STORY OF MARRAIAGE TO A PSYCHOPATH.  IT WAS JUST RELEASED IN 2008.  I JUST POSTED IT ON MY SITE IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED.

I'm currently reading " Bitter Almonds" by Gregg Olsen. So far it's really good!