This read like a fast paced court room thriller, as Wendy Joseph QC takes the reader through several different court roomNB: I don't rate non fiction.
This read like a fast paced court room thriller, as Wendy Joseph QC takes the reader through several different court room trials while eloquently explaining the sometimes surprising results of the law, while above all trying to ensure every trial is fair. We go from gang related dangerous driving to domestic abuse cases, to child neglect and familial homicide. Joseph manages to make every case accessible while guiding the reader with a practiced hand through the complexities of the language used in court and how the barristers for each side can turn evidence and manipulate the truth to get the result they want. I was absolutely engrossed throughout, and really enjoyed the added moral dilemmas that a judge goes through to have a sentence fit the crime.
Well worth a read if you're interested in the UK judicial system and have no real idea of what goes into presenting a case. As someone who's only attended the Crown Court once, in the public gallery, I found this very easy to follow....more
And just like that I'm done with my current true crime binge because I'm starting to have nightmares and it's negI don't rate biographies and memoirs.
And just like that I'm done with my current true crime binge because I'm starting to have nightmares and it's negatively effecting my mental health. How these FBI agents dealt with these disgusting individuals day in, day out is beyond me.
If you're interested in the BTK murders, and can get over Douglas's ego, this does a good job at examining how and why Dennis Radar managed to evade capture for over 30 years. Just bare in mind it's extremely graphic in nature, as Douglas recounts Radar's attacks and kills in explicit detail. Radar was an avid journal writer, meaning there was a lot of material to draw on and this is one anxiety filled nightmare to another, with no pause for breath in between as the reader is drawn into Radar's thought process and stalking.
I'm off to go hug my kids extra tight and maybe read some romance....more
I found this to be an insightful look into an obsession that can take over your life. Paul Holes let the Golden SI don't rate biographies and memoirs.
I found this to be an insightful look into an obsession that can take over your life. Paul Holes let the Golden State Killer invade every aspect of his life as he tried to uncover the man who commited so many atrocious crimes, and evaded capture for nearly 50 years. In many respects I can see a lot of my own personality in Paul. We're both introverted, logical thinkers with a generalised anxiety disorder. The need to hyper fixate and try to find an answer for everything is incredibly relatable. It's our way of coping with the world, and trying to rationalise our emotions and thoughts that can't otherwise be expressed. It just happens that Paul Holes obsession is cold cases.
A good look at the Golden State Killer through the lens of someone with a criminological background. Read alongside Michelle McNamara's book on the same topic to gain a good rounded look at the crimes. ...more
Quick review: informative, quick read. It was interesting to see cases from the forensics side, and how certain cases have helped shape and evolve forQuick review: informative, quick read. It was interesting to see cases from the forensics side, and how certain cases have helped shape and evolve forensic science. It's often painstakingly slow and methodical work for a single piece of evidence that can crack a case wide open. I'll admit I was less fond of the chapters on terrorism and poisoning, but that's a personal preference. ...more
What started as an interesting examination into the early use of the internet for sexual predators and potentially one of the first serial killers to What started as an interesting examination into the early use of the internet for sexual predators and potentially one of the first serial killers to utilise the web for nefarious purposes quickly devolves into a meandering walk around the dark web, other types of sexual predators and Southern life. There's too much 'stuff' here and it bogs down the facts surrounding the case. I also didn't really like the presentation of the case itself. It goes into great detail about John Robinson's white collar crimes, charming and metting these women online adn then in person, and the escalation up to murder, but this then gets all rehashed again when the investigating team start to put all the puzzles into place. Unfortunately this meant I missed details about the victims because there's a lot fo text to get through between JOhn meeting them, and the eventual discovery of their bodies.
It was interesting, if you can stomach the subject matter and wade through all the unneccesary sidetracks, if only to see the evolution and early explosion of the internet in the early nineties, but not one of Douglas' better books....more
Surprisingly well put together look into some of the true crime, urban legends and paranormal stories that inspired some of the most well known horrorSurprisingly well put together look into some of the true crime, urban legends and paranormal stories that inspired some of the most well known horror movies. In particular I liked the chapters on Jaws, The Conjuring and The Exorcist - the latter two genuinely managed to creep me out. As someone who doesn't really watch horror movies it was also nice to get a bit of insight into the various inspirations behind the stories and also discover some new information. Movies are really just another modern form of passing on folk stories after all....more
I found this quite repetitive and although there appears to be a lot of detail and backstory, there's no references to back uI don't rate non fiction.
I found this quite repetitive and although there appears to be a lot of detail and backstory, there's no references to back up the facts. At times I also felt very uncomfortable with the way this was written. It's almost voyeuristic at times, with the author profiting off this family's horrors in a way that isn't positive or constructive. If you want to hear the Turpin siblings story, I'd recommend the ABC documentary that actually talks to Jordan and has footage from the night she makes the very brave decision to escape and save her brothers and sisters. It's harrowing. ...more
At this point I've committed to reading all of John Douglas' books, but honestly I could just have read Mindhunter and been done because he repeats hiAt this point I've committed to reading all of John Douglas' books, but honestly I could just have read Mindhunter and been done because he repeats himself that much. I already knew about the Shari Smith case because of Mindhunter, and the particularly malicious way the killer phoned the victim's family after the event to taunt and control them. And to read about his behaviour on apprehension and at trial was despicable. But I didn't need a rehash of it in a separate book. Just read Mindhunter instead, it's far better.
And don't even get me started on Douglas' obsession with describing how attractive the victim and her sister are. His overall views of women are very.... dated in my opinion....more
Of all the true crime books I've read about the BSU, it's illuminating that I've never read from a woman's perspective. The 70s and 80s within the FBIOf all the true crime books I've read about the BSU, it's illuminating that I've never read from a woman's perspective. The 70s and 80s within the FBI was a heavily white, male dominated space and that left them vulnerable to forgetting the female perspective. Ann Burgess not only held her own with these extroverted, very self assured men, but also managed to really make a difference within the structure of the FBI and how they profile and catch serial killers.
The opening few chapters were particularly interesting, as Ann goes into detail about how she came to work within the BSU and how she felt an immediate connection to the female victims, who often came to be overshadowed by their perpetrators. On top of this, her writing style is incredibly down to earth, taking out a lot of the bravado of Douglas while keeping the text informative and educational. This is easily one of the best true crime books I've read in recent years, and I only wish more women in the field would write about their experiences. ...more
A pretty concise account of the capture and trial of Levi Bellfield, a particularly vile individual who assaulted and murdered a number of young womenA pretty concise account of the capture and trial of Levi Bellfield, a particularly vile individual who assaulted and murdered a number of young women in the UK. At times thus did feel a bit bogged down in police jargon and the thankless boring tasks needed to bring Levi to justice (there's a lot of data collection and CCTV footage to watch) and although it was useful to see how the investigating officers were thinking outside the box to obtain evidence, it did get a bit dull after a while.
I guess I was expecting something a bit more flashy, a bit more 'American' with detailed behavioural analysis. Clearly I've read too much John Douglas and his extroverted techniques and constant self promotion. Instead we just get the odd bit of police 'banter' that just left me cringing. However, overall I thought it was interesting to see some of the tireless work and thought process behind catching a killer in the UK. ...more
Having never listened to the podcast of the same name by these authors, I had no real idea of what to expect from this book going in to it beyond theiHaving never listened to the podcast of the same name by these authors, I had no real idea of what to expect from this book going in to it beyond their take on what makes a killer. And that's pretty much what I got.
As someone who watches and reads a fair bit of true crime, I didn't get anything new here. I had heard of most of the cases and the information, although presented in an easy to read way, does sometimes come off as a bit dry at times - especially in the beginning. It also doesn't really delve that deep, giving only one or two examples of killers that support their information. It's a bit superficial. However, that said I really enjoyed the chapter on bigotry, and the information about sex workers, racial minorities and trans individuals. The high murder rate of black trans women in the USA is appalling, and incredibly under reported, and I really liked that they're represented here. It was also refreshing to see this sort of stuff discussed and analysed from a female perspective in general, as most popular true crime books I've read have been predominantly from a male gaze.
I think perhaps this would have worked better if I'd listened to it audibly, as I can see that the authors do try to inject some personality and charisma into their text, but it doesn't really come across on the page. I might try the podcast though, where the authors probably have more time and text to really go into detail about different cases.
A little lacklustre, this could have done with an extra 200 pages of information to really get the point across....more
What makes a bomber tick? Why do arsonists love flames? What makes an assassin decide to mass kill? These are the questions John Douglas tackles, amonWhat makes a bomber tick? Why do arsonists love flames? What makes an assassin decide to mass kill? These are the questions John Douglas tackles, among others, within the pages of The Anatomy of Motive. Does he succeed? Hmm. Maybe.
This had been my least favourite of all Douglas's books that I've read, and I think I can pinpoint two main reasons for this. One is that the information is really outdated, and uses a lot of 'old fashioned' terminology and old cases that although informative, feel a bit out of the loop. This was written before 9/11 and the Columbine high school shorting massacre for example, and the chapters on mass shootings and bombers really felt as though they were missing the insight that Douglas could have brought to the duscussion of these events. Even some addendums might have helped.
The other main issue I had was that Douglas moves away from discussing his specialist subjects (other than himself) of sexually motivated crimes and serial killers for most of the book. Instead the main focus is on the different types of mass and spree killers he has encountered, and why they choose this type of murder over any other, and I just didn't find the topic as interesting.
Some glimmers of interesting information, but I think this was just a bit too outdated. Watch some good true crime YouTubers instead....more
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