Review: Cults by Max Cutler and Kevin Conley

Author: Max Cutler and Kevin Conley

Publisher: Gallery Books

Publication Date: July 2022

Cults prey on the very attributes that make us human: our desire to belong; to find a deeper meaning in life; to live everyday with divine purpose. Their existence creates a sense that any one of us, at any time, could step off the cliff’s edge and fall into that daunting abyss of manipulation and unhinged dedication to a misplaced cause. Perhaps it’s this mindset that keeps us so utterly obsessed and desperate to learn more, or it’s that the stories are so bizarre and unsettling that we are simply in awe of the mechanics that make these infamous groups tick.

The premier storytelling podcast studio Parcast has been focusing on unearthing these mechanics—the cult leaders and followers, and the world and culture that gave birth to both. Parcast’s work in analyzing dozens of case studies has revealed patterns: distinct ways that cult leaders from different generations resemble one another. What links the ten notorious figures profiled in Cults are as disturbing as they are stunning—from Manson to Applewhite, Koresh to Raël, the stories woven here are both spellbinding and disturbing.

Cults is more than just a compilation of grisly biographies, however. In these pages, Parcast’s founder Max Cutler and national bestselling author Kevin Conley look closely at the lives of some of the most disreputable cult figures and tell the stories of their rise to power and fall from grace, sanity, and decency. Beyond that, it is a study of humanity, an unflinching look at what happens when the most vulnerable recesses of the mind are manipulated and how the things we hold most sacred can be twisted into the lowest form of malevolence.

I'm a big fan of true crime, well who isn't?  I was really looking forward to reading Cults.  I haven't listened to the podcast, but I expect it's as well researched as this book.  The book is comprised of well known cults and some not so well known. at least by me.  

I did, for the most part, like the book.  It covers the well known cult leaders like Charles Manson, David Koresh, and Jim Jones. I have read a lot of material and watched a lot of documentaries on the well known cults so I didn't feel like I learned anything really new.  But the ones that I had not heard of were an interesting read.  I think this is a fairly good comprehensive summary of  each of the cults.  I felt like they did delve into the motivations of the leaders fairly well.  This is a book you could skip around fairly easily if you want to skip the cults you have heard about.  I would recommend it.

Review: The Doomsday Mother by John Glatt

Author: John Glatt
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: January 2022

In The Doomsday Mother, bestselling true crime author John Glatt tells the twisted tale of Lori Vallow, accused of having her two children murdered to start a new life with her new husband, doomsday prepper Chad Daybell.

At first, the residents of Kauai Beach Resort took little notice of their new neighbors. The glamorous blonde and her tall husband fit the image of the ritzy gated community. The couple seemed to keep to themselves—until the police knocked on their door with a search warrant. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had fled to Hawaii in the midst of being investigated for the disappearance of Lori’s children back in Idaho—Tylee and JJ—who hadn’t been seen alive in five months.

For years, Lori Vallow had lived a life of devotion to her children and her Mormon faith. But when her path crossed with Chad Daybell, a religious zealot who taught his followers how to prepare for the end-times, the tumultuous relationship transformed her into someone unrecognizable. As authorities searched for Lori’s children, they uncovered more suspicious deaths with links to both Lori and Chad, including the death of Lori’s third and fourth husbands, her brother, and Chad’s wife. In June 2020, the gruesome remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered on Chad’s property. In a shocking development, horrifying statements revealed that the couple’s fanatical beliefs had convinced them the children had become zombies.

Bestselling author and journalist John Glatt takes readers deeper into the devastating crimes of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell in an attempt to unravel the lethal relationship of this doomsday couple.

The Doomsday Mother is a recent true crime book that tells the real life story of two evil people and the lives that they have forever changed.  I hadn't really known a lot about this case excerpt through snippets from the news and a Dateline episode.  I'm a big fan of true crime, so I had high hopes for this one.  

I thought the author did a fairly good job of laying out all of the facts of the case.  I liked the amount of background that he gave us on both Lori and Chad.  Up until this book, I hadn't known much about either person and how they got to this point in their life.  Clearly they are both deeply disturbed people who deserve everything they have coming to them. This case is one of the saddest and most twisted ones that I have ever read about.  Because of the pandemic, justice for JJ and Tylee has been postponed.  Hopefully soon, this family can get some closure.   I listened to the audiobook and thought it was well executed.  I do recommend this one.

Review: A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

Author: Leslie Rule
Publisher: Citadel Press
Publication Date: April 2020

It was a bleak November in 2012 when Cari Lea Farver vanished from Omaha, Nebraska. Cari, thirty-seven, was a devoted mother, reliable employee, and loyal friend--not the type to shirk responsibilities, abandon her son, and run off on an adventure while her dying father took his last breaths. Yet, the many texts from her phone indicated she had done just that.

It appeared that Cari had dumped her new boyfriend, quit her job, and relinquished custody of her son to her mother--all by text. While Cari's boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, and her supervisor were bewildered by her abrupt disappearance, they accepted the texts at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, however, was alarmed and reported Cari missing. Police were skeptical of her claims that a cyber impostor had commandeered her daughter's phone and online identity.

While Nancy was afraid for Cari, Dave Kroupa was growing afraid of her, for he believed Cari was stalking him. Never seen or heard, the stalker was aware of his every move and seemed obsessed by his casual girlfriend, Shanna "Liz" Golyar, often calling her "a fat whore" in the twelve thousand emails and texts he received in a disturbing three-year deluge.

With mesmerizing detail and compelling narrative skill, Leslie Rule tracks every step of the heart-pounding path to long-awaited justice--from a sociopath's twisted past to the deadly deception and the high-tech forensics that condemned the killer to prison, where the tangled web of manipulations still draws trusting souls into danger. 

A Tangled Web involves a very convoluted true crime mystery.  I hadn't heard anything about this case before picking up this book.  It involves the disappearance of Cari Farver and her supposed stalking of her short time boyfriend Dave as well as Dave's side piece, Liz.  For a few years, Cari seemed to stalk and harass the two of them, but was never caught by the police.  Her mother was convinced she was not behind any of it and was in fact missing presumed dead.

Leslie Rule is the daughter of Ann Rule. I always enjoyed reading her books and am glad that her daughter has taken on the challenge of following in her mother's footsteps.  Leslie certainly inherited the art of telling a true crime story by making it entertaining and keeping the intrigue throughout.  I was hooked from the beginning and was actually never compelled to look up the case on line.  I just let the story unfold until the conclusion.  This is one of the most messed up, convoluted cases I have ever read about.  But Ms. Rule laid out the story in a way that made it easy to digest and to keep straight.  The detectives who ended up figuring it all out should be commended.  They are the true heroes of this case.  I highly recommend this one.

Blog Tour: Review & giveaway of Out of the Mouths of Serial Killers by Mary Brett

Join us for this tour from Mar 22 to Apr 2, 2021!

 
Book Details:

Book Title:  Out of the Mouths of Serial Killers by Mary Brett
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18 +),  350 pages
Genre:  True Crime
Publisher:  Wildblue Press
Release date:   Jan 19, 2020
Format available:  print, ebook, and audible
Content Rating:  R. VIOLENCE, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS

 

Book Description:

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF SERIAL KILLERS by author Mary Brett is as close as you will ever come to discovering the answer ... and in the killer’s own words! In this one-of-a-kind book, author Mary Brett corresponded with some of America’s most evil convicted serial killers and asked just one question: WHY? Their return letters give an insightful look into the dark mind of each killer. The reader also will be able to scrutinize direct quotes, unedited, from interrogation statements, trial testimony, media interviews, and parole hearing inquests 75 Serial Killers are included in the book, some only known to the unfortunate victims’ family, friends, and community, while others are the most infamous in the annals of serial killers. All bios feature the crime, the capture, the victims, and background facts. Crime scene photos, some graphic, are featured.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ WildBlue Press
Audible

 

My thoughts:

Out of the Mouths of Serial Killers is a non-fiction true crime book that is right up my alley.  I have always bee drawn to true crime especially serial killers.  The book is made up of stories of over 70 serial killers.  Some still alive and in prison and some no longer living.  The suthor sent a lett to several of them with one question.  'Why?"

I thought this book was interesting.  It's not really a book that I could just sit down  and read straight through.  I had to take breaks because of the content. It could get pretty intense at times.  In each section, there is information about what the killers did to their victims and personal information about each killer. She also includes statements or actual writings from each offender.  My favorite ones were when the killer actually wrote back to the author.  There were quite a few serial killers that I had never heard of, so I liked that I read some new content and not recycled information about some of the well known killers like Ted Bundy.  I think this book will be interesting to any true crime reader.  I do recommend it.

Meet the Author:
 

I have just finished my 4th book, OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF SERIAL KILLERS. I wrote to convicted serial killers asking just one question: Why? Their letters back to me formed the basis of what I hope is a fascinating read as well as a chilling look into the mindset of 75 psychopathic killers who walked among us. WildBlue Press is the Publisher and I thank them and their amazing staff for producing my book in both paperback and Kindle format. In presales, my book hit #1 on Kindle in VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY. I am a Virginia native, living in Florida. I hold a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

connect with the author: amazon

Tour Schedule:

Mar 22  - From the TBR Pile – book review / giveaway
Mar 22 - Stephanie Jane - book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 24 - Books for Books – book spotlight
Mar 25 – Pick A Good Book – book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 26 - Celticlady's Reviews – book spotlight / giveaway
Mar 26 – Reading is My Passion – book review
Mar 29 – Bound 4 Escape – book review / giveaway
Mar 30 – Sefina Hawke's Books – book spotlight
Mar 30 - Jazzy Book Reviews - book review / guest post / giveaway
Mar 31 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Mar 31 - Literary Flits - book review / giveaway
Apr 1 – Jessica Belmont – book review
Apr 1 - Leels Loves Books - book review / giveaway
Apr 2 - The World As I See It – book review / giveaway 

 

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Review: A Daughter's Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story by Jeremy Grimaldi

Author: Jeremy Grimaldi
Publisher: Dundurn
Publication Date: November 2016

From the outside looking in, Jennifer Pan seemed like a model daughter living a perfect life. The ideal child, the one her immigrant parents saw, was studying to become a pharmacist at the University of Toronto. But there was a dark, deceptive side to the angelic young woman.

In reality, Jennifer spent her days in the arms of her high school sweetheart, Daniel. In an attempt to lead the life she dreamed of, she would do almost anything: lie about her whereabouts, forge school documents, and invent fake jobs and a fictitious apartment. For many years she led this double life. But when her father discovered her web of lies, his ultimatum was severe. And so, too, was her revenge: a plan that culminated in cold-blooded murder. And it almost worked, except for one bad shot.

The story of Jennifer Pan is one of all-consuming love and devious betrayal that led to a cold-hearted plan hatched by a group of youths who thought they could pull off the perfect crime.

 A Daughter's Deadly Deception: The Jennifer Pan Story is about a woman who plots the murder of her parents to get out form under their thumb.. I have always found true crime novels fascinating and this book was definitely fascinating.  The book is in two parts.  The first half deals with the crime and the subsequent investigation into the murder and attempted murder of Pan's parents.  The second half of the book looks into Pan's life and the possible reasons for her decision to plot the murder of her parents.

The book was definitely engaging and well paced.  I never felt bored or  like I was reading a dry Wikipedia page.  I thought the author did an excellent job of laying out the facts of the case.  He included a few theories as to how Jennifer turned into the sociopath.  I thought the section on tiger parenting really fascinating. I never felt like the author was sympathetic to Jennifer or that he tried to excuse her actions.  My take? She was a master manipulator and liar who had no qualms about ruining people's lives for her own gain.  One of the other thing I appreciated about the book was the "Where are they now?" section at the end.  It saved me some time on Google.  I recommend this to any true crime enthusiast.

Blog Tour: Review and Excerpt of A Monter of All Time by JT Hunter

Genre: True Crime

Published by: RJ Parker Publishing
Publication Date: September 4th 2018
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 1987902521 (ISBN13: 9781987902525)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Ambitious, attractive, and full of potential, five young college students prepared for the new semester. They dreamed of beginning careers and starting families. They had a lifetime of experiences in front of them. But death came without warning in the dark of the night.

Brutally ending five promising lives, leaving behind three gruesome crime scenes, the Gainesville Ripper terrorized the University of Florida, casting an ominous shadow across a frightened college town.

What evil lurked inside him?

What demons drove him to kill?

I remember reading about these events back when I was a freshman in college.  I remember being pretty terrified at the time, even though I was miles away from Florida.  It brought home that we must all be vigilant about our safety.  A Monster of All Time is a well researched and well told true crime book that lays out the events of the horrific murders of five young women.  I will warn that there is a lot of graphic descriptions of the crime scenes, so if that is something that bothers you, just be aware.  I would recommend this to anyone who likes true crime novels.

Enjoy this excerpt:

Prologue 

January 1987 

Parchman, Mississippi 

The prisoner raged in his lonely cell. 

“When they let me out of here,” the prisoner swore to himself, “I’ll make them all pay.” 

Years of condemnation and contempt had taken its toll, breaking him down, eroding his spirit, destroying all sense of hope. Now only the anger remained. 

~~~~~ 

Cast into the bowels of Parchman Prison, the notorious Mississippi State Penitentiary, the prisoner had suffered daily torments during his confinement, each day falling deeper and deeper into despair. Raw sewage regularly seeped into his cell through the floor and flowed from a broken drain down the hall, flooding the cramped 8 x 10 feet concrete space with a revolting grey-brown liquid and an unrelenting stench. 

Kept in this torturous isolation, his besieged brain had betrayed him, replaying the grievous moments of his life, all of the humiliations and feelings of helplessness, every piercing word, and every raw, painful memory. It was a constant reminder that the world had always been a hurtful place of violence, animosity, and aversion, never one of empathy or understanding. 

Desperate to escape the unrelenting torment, he retreated ever deeper into the labyrinth of his own mind, creeping ever closer to madness. It was in that maze of insanity that he found himself. Or rather, something found him. 

In the bleak, all-encompassing darkness, something whispered his name. 

Faceless and formless, the voice seemed to emanate both from the impenetrable blackness surrounding him and from the shadowy depths of his own consciousness. The voice soothed and seduced him, its language both alien and familiar. It promised the strength to survive whatever nightmares awaited the remainder of his confinement. It offered the tools of revenge for his present condition, for all of the wrongs committed against him in the past, and for the scorn and mistreatment yet to come. Most of all, it promised the power to make others feel the suffering he had so long endured. 

Then a name imprinted itself into his brain, uttered from an unseen shape in the darkness, or muttered from the murky depths of memory. 

“Gemini,” an eerie voice proclaimed. “I am Gemini.” 

At that moment, an infernal compact was crafted, a devil’s contract offering redemption for the damned, a demonic covenant accepted regardless of the terms. Caring nothing for the consequences, the prisoner embraced the assurance of vengeance, pledging revenge for the countless injuries inflicted upon him. Just as a cold, uncaring world had robbed him of his humanity and stolen years of his life, he would take the lives of others in an equal and equitable proportion. A new sense of purpose washed over him, bringing with it a rebirth, a recognition of what he needed to do. 

And now he waited, marking the days with hidden malice, the bitter darkness of his cell matched only by the malevolence of his twisted, tainted soul. 

GIVEAWAY:

This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for JT Hunter. There will be two (2) giveaway winners. Each winner will receive one (1) Amazon Gift Card. The giveaway begins on July 1, 2019 and runs through August 2, 2019. Void where prohibited

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Author Bio: J.T. Hunter is an attorney with over fourteen years of experience practicing law, including criminal law and appeals, and he has significant training in criminal investigation techniques. He is also a college professor in Florida where his teaching interests focus on the intersection of criminal psychology, law, and literature. JT's bestselling true crime books include: ·  Devil in The Darkness: True Story of Serial Killer ISRAEL KEYES ·  The Country Boy Killer: The True Story of Serial Killer Cody Legebokoff ·  In Colder Blood: True Story of the Walker Family Murder as depicted in Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood ·  Deadly Deception: True Story of Tampa Serial Killer, Bobby Joe Long ·  Death Row Romeo: The True Story of Serial Killer Oscar Ray Bolin ·  The Vampire Next Door: True Story of the Vampire Rapist and Serial Killer Catch Up With J.T. Hunter On: jthunter.org, Goodreads, BookBub, & Facebook!

Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, The BTK Killer by Dr. Katherine Ramsland

Author: Dr. Katherine Ramsland
Publisher: University of New England Press/ ForeEdge
Date of publication: October 2016

In 1974, Dennis Lynn Rader stalked and murdered a family of four in Wichita, Kansas. Since adolescence, he had read about serial killers and imagined becoming one. Soon after killing the family, he murdered a young woman and then another, until he had ten victims. He named himself B.T.K. (bind, torture, kill) and wrote notes that terrorized the city. He remained on the loose for thirty years. No one who knew him guessed his dark secret. He nearly got away with his crimes, but in 2004, he began to play risky games with the police. He made a mistake. When he was arrested, Rader s family, friends, and coworkers were shocked to discover that B.T.K. had been among them, going to work, raising his children, and acting normal. 

This case stands out both for the brutal treatment of victims and for the ordinary public face that Rader, a church council president, had shown to the outside world. Through jailhouse visits, telephone calls, and written correspondence, Katherine Ramsland worked with Rader himself to analyze the layers of his psyche. Using his drawings, letters, interviews, and Rader s unique codes, she presents in meticulous detail the childhood roots and development of one man s motivation to stalk, torture, and kill. She reveals aspects of the dark motivations of this most famous of living serial killers that have never before been revealed. 

In this book Katherine Ramsland presents an intelligent, original, and rare glimpse into the making of a serial killer and the potential darkness that lives next door."

Everyone has heard of the BTK Killer who eluded authorities for decades.  When I saw this book, I was intrigued right off of the bat.  I used to read true crime novels all the time and could never understand what motivated a person to torture and kill another human being. 

I found this book hard to read in one sitting.  The rationale and reasons for his attacks were hard to stomach at times.  The story is told through the author's analysis and observations as well as from the killer himself.  Rader is pretty twisted. Some of his passages were a bit slow and I did find myself skimming them at times.  What I did find the most disturbing was the way his descriptions of the murders and attacks came across as cold and matter of fact.  I never felt emotion coming from him and that gave me chills.

I think true crime readers will enjoy this one.  I will admit that I found the Introduction to be a bt confusing.  I'm not sure I really understood the "code" that Rader used to communicate with the author.  But in reality, I'm not sure you really need that section to understand the rest of the book.

About the author:

Dr. Katherine Ramsland is director of the Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Program at DeSales University, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses on forensic psychology and extreme offenders. An in-demand expert who has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs including 20/20, The TODAY Show, NPR, and Coast to Coast AM, Dr. Ramsland writes a regular blog for Psychology Today, has published over 1,000 articles, stories, and reviews, and written 59 books, including The Mind of a Murdererand Psychopath. Dr. Ramsland regularly presents workshops to law enforcement, psychologists, coroners, judges, and attorneys, and has consulted for several television series, including CSI and Bones. In addition to Confession of a Serial Killer: The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, The BTK Killer this year, she published The Ripper Letter in July 2016, a supernatural murder mystery based on Jack the Ripper lore.

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

by:  Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi
published by:  Grand Central Publishing
publish date:  2008

In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14th century farmhouse had been the scene of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence.

The Monster of Florence tells the story of the investigation of a serial killer in Florence, Italy in the 1970's and 1980's.   The investigation was wildly unbelievable.  It was hard to believe that such an illogical prosecution could take place in modern times.  

I used to really enjoy true crime, but I guess I've grown out of it.  It's not so much my thing anymore.  This book was not badly written.  True crime just doesn't have the same flow as fiction writing.  However, I did find the mentions of Thomas Harris and his involvement in the courtroom proceeding interesting.   This case inspired his book Silence of the Lambs and his character Hannibal Lecter.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of true crime.  I would encourage fans of Douglas Preston to read it as well.  I thought it was very interesting to read a non-fiction book from such a great fiction writer.  

Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin by Ron Chepesiuk

Black Caesar: The Rise and Disappearance of Frank Matthews, Kingpin

by Ron Chepesiuk

Giveaway details: Want to win an ecopy of the book?  jsut leave a comment below with a valid e-mail to engter.  The giveaway will close 8/8. Good luck!

Book Details:

Genre:  True Crime Published by: Strategic Media Books Publication Date: June 1, 2013 Number of Pages: 210 ISBN: 098524401 // 978-0985244019 Purchase Links:

Synopsis:

In 1973, 29-year old Frank Matthews jumped bail and disappeared with 15-20 million and beautiful mistress and has never been seen again. The book chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of Frank Matthews, history's biggest African American drug dealer and one of history's biggest manhunts to apprehend him.

My thoughts:

When I was presented with this book for review, I was immediately intrigued. I wasn't disappointed.  The book was very interesting.  Even though not a lot of details are clear about Frank Matthews life and disappearance, the author did a great job of presenting a pretty good picture of how Frank became one of the largest drug runners in the US.  I thought the investigation and take down was pretty cool.  Even on a shoe string budget, the investigators involved were able to put together a pretty solid case.  They were also able to close down his operation. 

Frank Matthews was reported to be a generous man with money.  The thing that struck me about this whole situation was that not one person who was interview expressed regret that the money they took from Frank came from the sale of cocaine.  Even the children's tutor expressed regret that he was losing his job after Frank was arrested.  That had me shaking my head. 

 What happened to Frank Matthews?  I don't think we will ever know. The authorities have been searching for 40 years with no clues.  The author gives a pretty good argument that he is probably dead.  I'm inclined to agree.  Read the book and decide for yourself.

Read an excerpt:

Prologue

Jumping Bail

“Mr. Deary, am I going to get that life count they've been talking about?”

Frank Matthews

JULY 2, 1973—a typical hot, muggy day in New York City. Frank Matthews, alleged drug kingpin, is scheduled to appear in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York. He is already facing six charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy, but the new indictment will add charges and supersede the first one. On December 20, 1972, federal prosecutors swore out a warrant for Matthews’ arrest, accusing him of possessing 15 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated $3.6 million at street prices. About two weeks later, the authorities finally arrested Matthews in Las Vegas, one of his favorite haunts, as he prepared to leave the city and fly to Los Angeles for the Super Bowl VII game between the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. After being extradited from Las Vegas to New York City, Matthews had managed to secure bail despite the claim of the federal government that he is the U.S.’s biggest drug trafficker. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials who investigated the Matthews organization considered the bail of $325,000 a bad joke, and they worried that Matthews would skip town. After all, investigators had evidence that Matthews may be been quietly stashing $1 million a month for the past several months. So why, they wondered, would the drug kingpin be doing that unless he was preparing for his imminent flight? All Matthews had to do to meet the bond requirements was to report regularly to the U.S. Attorney’s office and stay within the jurisdiction of the Eastern District of New York. Being short of manpower, law enforcement had no way of keeping tabs on Matthews. The suspect’s attitude and demeanor reinforced the authorities concern. The charismatic and handsome Matthews swaggered into the federal courthouse and greeting everyone he met with a broad smile and a friendly nod, while flirting with the ladies. Law enforcement officials could only look on and marvel. “Frank looked and acted like the King of New York City,“ said Ray Deary, the Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District who had served in the Appeals Division since 1971. “He walked around our turf like he owned it.” Deary was right. Frank Matthews is no ordinary criminal. On the mean streets of the urban jungles of America Matthews’ exploits have earned him the moniker of “Black Caesar.” He is charismatic as well as dangerous and even his adversaries, the authorities, have a grudging respect for him. Matthews seemingly unconcern about the serious charges that could put him in jail for several decades baffled the authorities. They could not tail him, but they had received reports that Matthews has been conducting business with his associates even before securing bail. Sources within the West Street Detention Center, where Matthews had been detained after his arrest, observed that top lieutenants of his organization, as well as his lawyer, Gino Gallina, were visiting him frequently, and it seemed to the sources that Matthews was giving instructions and orders. After his release on bond, Black Caesar was seen in the company of several leading drug dealers and gamblers. Moreover, Matthews was in the constant company of Cheryl Denise Brown, a beautiful light skinned black woman who turned heads wherever she went. It should have been an embarrassment to the alleged drug kingpin since he had a common law wife, Barbara Hinton, and three kids waiting for him at home. But Hinton, herself an attractive woman, did not seem to be bothered or embarrassed by Matthews’ apparent public infidelity, even after the family was forced to leave their luxurious surroundings for a more modest apartment at 2785 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn. In better days, Matthews had used the Ocean Parkway apartment as a getaway and a place to stash his many paramours. In their effort to nail Matthews, prosecutors hauled Hinton before a grand jury, offering her immunity if she would cooperate with their case against her husband. Hinton refused, even though she faced a possible conspiracy charge herself. Then a few days before his scheduled court appearance, Matthews arrived in the Brooklyn federal court building with his lawyer, Gino Gallina when he bumped into Federal Prosecutor Raymond Deary as Deary was leaving a room. Matthews said to Deary, “Mr. Deary, am I gonna get that life count they been talking about?” Matthews was referring to part of section 848 of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970: “Any person who engages in a continuing criminal enterprise shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment which may not be less than 20 years and which may be up to life imprisonment.” The thought of Section 848 terrified many traffickers because they feared that, if convicted under the statue, they would spend the rest of their lives in prison. Deary looked at Matthews and said, “It’s very possible Frank….very possible.” Later, Deary said he was joking, but for Matthews, spending his life in jail was no joking matter. “Frank knew what the 848 could do to him,” recalled Liddy Jones, a former drug kingpin and an associate of Matthews. “No way was he going to spend the rest of his life in jail.” Inside the steamy courthouse on this sweltering July day in 1973, the electric fans whirred as the judge, federal prosecutors and the defense team waited patiently for Frank Matthews to appear. But he never did. Instead, he became a fugitive from justice. In the coming weeks, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the lead agency in the investigation of Frank Matthews, is confident they will apprehend the fugitive. After all, don’t law enforcement officials always get their man? The weeks turned into months and the months into years, and law enforcement did not catch him. The U.S. Marshal Service took over the hunt for Matthews from the DEA. There were alleged sightings of Matthews in more than 50 countries. Cheryl Brown, Matthews’ mistress disappeared the same time he did, and her whereabouts were just as mysterious. No informant stepped forward. No bodies were ever found. No fingerprints were discovered. No solid leads appeared. Nothing. With time, law enforcement moved on to other priorities. New generations of law enforcement officials replace the old guard and they knew little about Matthews. Periodically, Matthews’ story appeared briefly in the press and rekindled speculation. Is he alive or is he dead? The public wondered. But then the reports faded from public consciousness and people focused on other crime stories. What follows is the remarkable story of the legendary Frank Matthews, one of organized crime’s most original gangsters. It is the story of the biggest gangster mystery of all time. It is a story with an improbable beginning and a story with no conclusive ending.

Author Bio:

Ron Chepesiuk is an award-winning author and a publisher, screenwriter and documentary producer and director. He’s a two-time Fulbright Scholar to Bangladesh and Indonesia and a consultant to the History Channel’s Gangland TV series. His books include Sergeant Smack, Gangsters of Harlem, Gangsters of Miami, among others. He is also Executive Producer and co-host of the popular radio show Crime Beat (www.artistfirst.com/crimebeat.htm). For other books by Ron Chepesiuk go to www.strategicmediabooks.com.

Catch Up With Ron:

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Review: Psycho USA by Harold Schechter

by:  Harold Schechter
published by:  Ballentine Books
publish date:  August 7, 2012

In the horrifying annals of American crime, the infamous names of brutal killers such as Bundy, Dahmer, Gacy, and Berkowitz are writ large in the imaginations of a public both horrified and hypnotized by their monstrous, murderous acts. But for every celebrity psychopath who’s gotten ink for spilling blood, there’s a bevy of all-but-forgotten homicidal fiends studding the bloody margins of U.S. history.

I have a little bit of an obsession with serial killers.  Actually, it's not as bad as it used to be.  However, when I saw this book come up I knew it was right up my alley.

Psycho USA was very well organized.  For the most part it was arranged chronologically, but occasionally grouped killers by type.  The chronological order was pretty interesting.  It helped the reader to see how crimes changed (or didn't) over time or how they might be influenced by historical events. 

I've read several books by Harold Schechter and he is definitely well researched on the subject.  One little extra in this book were some of the broadsheet accounts and ballads that might have been sung about the murders.  I found those to be particularly interesting.

This is a great book for research purposes or just for morbid curiosity.  I definitely recommend it for those interested in true crime

Blog tour - Poisoned Love by Caitlin Rother

Author: Caitlin Rother
Publisher: Kensington
Date of Publication: 2011 (updated)



Case seen on Inside Edition, Good Morning America, and 48 Hours Accident, Suicide. . . Or Murder? On November 6, 2000, paramedics answered a call to find Kristin Rossum, 24, sobbing. Her husband, Greg de Villers, wasn't breathing and she claimed he had overdosed on drugs after learning she was leaving him. But family and friends who knew of Greg's distaste for drugs weren't buying Kristin's story--particularly the idea that he would take his own life. American Beauty
  The daughter of a well-to-do California family, Rossum was a brainy blonde beauty whose talent for toxicology had won her a post at the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office. But her sweet smile masked a dark side. She'd developed a taste for methamphetamine in high school, and six months after her marriage to Greg, she'd begun seeking secret trysts with other men. Toxic Passion At the time of her husband's death, Rossum was engaged in an illicit affair with her married boss. Investigators found that the Medical Examiner's Office was missing supplies of meth and fentanyl, the narcotic that had killed her husband. With each clue discovered, another piece of Rossum's "good girl" façade fell away. What the world would eventually see was the true face of a murderer--and the hand of justice. . . 16 Pages Of Shocking Photos
Even though I am not a big fan of non-fiction, I have always been a reader of true crime novels.  Poisoned Love explores the life of Kristin Rossum and the murder of her husband Greg.  A murder that she tried to make look like a suicide.  Ms. Rother provides an in-depth look into Kristin's past and her affair with her boss, Michael. I found the events leading up to her arrest and eventual conviction very interesting.   Originally published in 2006, this newer version provides updates into what has been going on over the past 5 years.  It is always interesting to find out where the key players are now and what they have been up to.
I think any fans of true crime will enjoy this one.  


About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored eight books, including her first novel, Naked Addiction, which comes out in January 2012. The others areDead Reckoning (Kensington, February 2011), Twisted Triangle (Wiley, 2009),Body Parts (Kensington, 2008), Deadly Devotion (Simon&Schuster/Pocket, July 2011), and NYT bestseller My Life, Deleted (HarperOne, October 2011). Her latest true crime project, Lost Girls(Kensington, July 2012), chronicles the rape and murder of two innocents, teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois, by sexual predator John Gardner. Rother, a Pulitzer-nominated investigative journalist with 270,000 copies of her books in print, has also been published in Cosmopolitan, the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and The Daily Beast. She has done dozens of TV and radio appearances as a crime expert on E!, the Oxygen Network; Greta Van Susteren’sOn the Record, Investigation Discovery, America at Night, American Radio Network, XM and numerous NPR/PBS affiliates. Rother also works as a book doctor/editorial consultant and teaches journalism and creative writing at University of California San Diego.
You can visit her website at  http://caitlinrother.com or visit her at Twitter atwww.twitter.com/caitlinrother or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caitlinrother.com.