Customer Reviews:
Classic but poor style and lack of objectivity.......2007-09-27
This book is not just a history of the mob but is part of that history, as Tukus was a prosecutor of the first big cases against the mob. As a prosecutor of the criminals Tukus is hardly objective in his views of them, their lives and so forth. Their horrific deeds speak for themselves but he feels the need to condemn them often, as if preaching to the jury. The stlye is overwhelmed by the 50s journalistic background of the co-author, and I like others find it annoying in its excess of adjectives.
Nevertheless, if you want to know the subject, this is a must read. And with all its flaws, it is still really fun.
The Canary That Couldn't Fly.......2007-09-14
Turkus did a ton in uncovering this layer of the inner workings of the mob. The Syndicate was a real threat that, when organized, was dangerous for anyone involved, which was anyone they wanted to involve themselves with. Introducing the Brownsville gang was a great backdrop to laying the foundation to the National Syndicate.
Interesting, though, is that Turkus uncovered so much, and yet when Valachi sang more than a decade later it turned out that Turkus had missed a completely different organized crime with much more secrecy involved around it. This makes sense, in a way, since most of the men testifying and being put away were unable to be "made" men and thus not privy to the inner workings of the real mafia that held the power.
Otherwise a great telling of the Syndication and the 7 executions that resulted from the Canary that couldn't fly. Seeing Lepke go down was amazing, and you can truly see the power of an Anastasia at work when Reles mysteriously jumped/fell out a sixth story window.
A little curious though. Turkus made a big deal about Anastasia's role in Marinzano's death, that he had an Ace of Diamonds in his hand, and yet the cover of the books has a dead man with an Ace of Spades. Is this Maranzano or another death? And if so why the striking similarities? I would have liked to have had these questions answered.
All in all, I would recommend. Read before or in conjunction with The Valachi Papers.
5 stars.
A fine collection of crime stories.......2007-06-22
Burton Turkus (1903-1982) was assistant district attorney for Kings County, New York (Brooklyn) in the early 1940's, and successfully prosecuted a number of members of Murder,Inc., sending seven of them to the electric chair. This is the chronicle of his efforts to try to bring down this organization of professional killers. I would have liked this book even more if a section of photos of the main characters had been included, but there aren't any. This is an interesting story, well told and, as the expression goes, it has the added advantage of being true. Readers need to bear in mind that the book was written in 1951 and some of the figures, like Anastasia, were still alive at the time. Later scholarship has disproven some of Turkus' theories about the mob organizations, but that still doesn't detract from the entertainment value of this book.
Good reading........2007-04-21
Glad that I did not live in that era!!A good account of men's cruelty.
One of the first.......2007-01-29
Very interesting in that the style of writing reminds one of gangster movies of the period. Definitely a classic of the genre that has stood the test of time.
Book Description
A tough kid with a heart of gold, Al "Bummy" Davis grew up in the streets of Brownsville, New York on the fringes of the Jewish mob during the 20's and 30's-thanks to his older brother, a feared racketeer. But as much as he resisted the underworld of Murder, Inc. by becoming a championship fighter and a Brownsville hero, he never did escape the Jewish Mob's shadow. Though he repeatedly stood up to mob kingpins, Bummy suffered a spectacular fall from grace as a result of a smear campaign by the press. Ron Ross' Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc. is not just about one Jewish boxer, his meteoric rise to fame, and victimization by the press. Bummy's life was intertwined with the Great Depression, the survival of the Brooklyn Jewish immigrant population during Prohibition, and the inevitable offshoot of Prohibition-Murder Inc., one of American history's most notorious band of killers. Ron Ross portrays an important historical time period, an enigmatic Jewish subculture, and the surprising juxtaposition of a generation of Jews and their talent for boxing.Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc. features a cast of colorful villains whom you'll love to hate, a boxing legend who was the unwitting pawn of fate, and the human drama of the boxing world. With his vivid, street-smart Damon Runyonesque writing style, Ron Ross redeems a tragic hero who fought the pull of one of the most brutal groups of killers to grace the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
A refresher for a 89 year old.......2007-08-16
The authur Ron Ross is at his best. I could not stop reading amd I recommended the book to all my sons.I lived in East New york during those days.Fascinating.
Harry Keller
Classic factional story about the Mob and a boxer.......2007-05-07
Fantastic account of the life and career of Al 'Bummy' Davis, during the time of Mob rule in New York. Fascinating look into the ways and troubles of immigrant communities and their exploitation by gangsters.
Whether you are looking for a boxing or mafia book, this will do the job.
A Must Read.......2007-03-30
For anyone who loves a good story, written with wit, humor, and style, this book is for you. I couldn't put it down, and found something to chuckle about or a phrase to admire or an ironic comment I loved at least once on each page. I finished the book today (March 29, 2007)and did something I never did before (and I am 80 year's old). I noted from the book jacket that the author divides his time between Oceanside, LI and Boca Raton, Fl, and even though it is 4 years since the book was written and the author's name is a relatively common one, I called information for his Boca Raton number and took a chance that it was the right Ron Ross. I left a message that if this Ron Ross was an author, would he please call me, and I left my number. A few hours later I received a call from Mr. Ross and we had a delightful conversation for 10 minutes or so. For me to have taken the time to locate Mr. Ross and call him is an example that actions speak louder than words. Believe my action and go out and buy, read, enjoy, and love the book. It's cheap enough, and you'll thank me, and more so, will thank Ron Ross.
Ed Gold
A Masterpiece About One Tough Jew.......2005-10-14
Ron Ross masterfully recreates the world of the "Brownsville Bum"-which is how WC Heinz referred to Albert Davidoff in his
well known sports story.Ross takes Bummy-who Ring Magazine rated 54th of boxing's 100 best lb. for lb. punchers of all time-to
the next level,in quite possibly the best "factional novel" ever
written-at least about boxing,gangsters and Brownsville,Brooklyn
in a world that dramatically changed in 1945,when Bummy's life ended trying to prevent a bar holdup with his fists.And Davis
also didn't take any crap from Murder Incorporated either;Ross
beautifully recreates the scene in which the leaders of Murder
Inc. drive up to Davis after a fight they lost money on-and Davis drops his gym bag,ready to kayo all of them in the street;this showdown finally gave people the courage to testify against Murder Incorporated in court.The final bar showdown-if this gets to the movies-could be the best final showdown in movie history;I'm looking forward to it.
A Terrific Read; Americana at its Best.......2004-06-23
An enjoyable and engrossing examination of a unique confluence of time, place, and people ... Eastern European Jewish immigrants, their first-generation-American children, the Great Depression, Brownsville NY, and the crime Syndicate born of Prohibition.
Ron Ross recreates a world of candy stores, pushcart vendors, tenement apartments, petty thugs, corner gyms, notorious gangsters, and the struggle for life and dignity admist poverty, crime, and prejudice. Vivid, colorful, and often humorous, it's also grim, unblinking, and heart rending.
A great book for students of Jewish-American history, for boxing enthusiasts, for organized crime buffs, and for those who simply appreciate a great story.
Customer Reviews:
A Brilliant Compilation of Short Stories.......2007-05-26
Harlan Coben's short story "Entrapped" is about a woman whose husband goes missing. When she arrives home from the police station, she finds an imposter husband waiting for her and the charade begins.
All of the stories are filled with common elements that make for a great mystery; secrets, deceit, love, lust, drama and of course the most important ingredient, murder. Readers will find at least one of their favorite writer's works and be able to sample several new writers as well.
R. L. Stine tells a tale of a murdering best friend who's left with his victim's "talking" dog. The dog witnessed the whole murder. That, combined with paranoia and guilt, makes for a well written and very imaginative story.
A few of the writers that readers will look forward to include Lee Childs, Ridley Pearson, R.L Stine, Laura Lippman and P.J Parrish.
This is a Book You'll Lend to Others Yes, But You Won't Part With Owning Until Your Death!.......2007-03-26
Anthologies of short stories by different authors are usually a collection of a few gems, a few all right stories and a few fillers. Death Do Us Part is a collection where all but two are great reads, they are not all masterpieces granted, but there are more than the usual number of those as well. I was interested in this book just to read Coben's story Entrapped as I had not read it before when it was first published in 1997, and its pretty hard to come across Mary Higgins Clark's Mystery Magazine let alone that edition to read it anyway. Coben is not the only great author here, so many others have written great tales and the other authors are all freshly published as well. Like all great short story collections, Death Do Us Part gives the reader a chance to sample authors they've heard of but never read before as well as introduces to them lesser known authors to add to their lists of future reads to track down. There's also a brief and very helpful summary of each author at the end of the collection, so those looking know where to begin.
In reviewing what the stories within are about I'll start first with my favourite ones (undoubtedly your list would start differently). My list starts with the editor and Coben's story Entrapped. A wife reports her husband missing to police only to discover he is at home. Only the person at home does not look or sound like her husband but he is the same guy the police show her that is in the photograph she gave them. Is she going insane? Could he really be her husband after all?
Wifey a story by normally child and young adult author R. L. Stine proves to the world that he can write sensational stories for any market. Wifey is the nickname Jake a neighbour of Frank the owner has given Frank's dog Ruby since they behave like a married couple and are never apart. Jake hates dogs, but is ecstatic that his neighbour entrusted him to inherit the beast as it showed to the world what Frank thought of their friendship. Ruby though makes Lassie look like Forrest Gump and will stop at nothing to avenge her master's murder.
Till Death Do Us Part, Tim Maleeny. The title story of this collection is the great tale about the sixtieth anniversary of a feud between an old couple who do not believe in divorce. They are both extremely intelligent and every year play the "fair play", dinner game of trying to poison the other through each others dishes.
Lee Child's Safe Enough has a guy from the city taking up work on houses in the country where notices a beautiful women. He stalks her and discovers she has a violent husband When the husband disappears he is the only one who can prove the wife was not around the murder scene when it happened but obviously he can't supply this news to the police to prove her innocence as they will want to know why he was stalking her.
The Home Front by Charles Ardai is set in America while World War II rages on in Europe. Too old to go to war Ray Harper is a government agent who catches petrol retailers selling rationed fuel on the black market. One such arrest is Rick Kelly who is killed in Harper's car as Harper was giving Kelly a lecture about how his actions are helping Hitler and why isn't he over there anyway etc instead of watching the road. Sacked by the government and with injuries Harper is down on his luck and one the streets. Luckily he comes across a kind woman who offers him food and board if he helps her run her garage.
The Last Flight by Bredan DuBois has a man booking a joy flight in the type of plane he flew in the war over the ocean to scatter his wife's ashes and obtain closure.
A Few Small Repairs by Jeff Abbott has a hospital ridden father who is dying a slow painful death asking a son he had disowned to help him end his life.
Blarney by Steve Hockensmith is the tale of a few drinks at the pub by a group of writers after a conference where they run into one of the only non boring speakers. This old Irishman offers to teach them what it is to be a writer if they buy him a pint.
The Masseuse by Tim Wohlforth is the story of a man whose dream comes true when his masseuse offers to cook and pleasure him in exchange for food and board and a bit of spending money while she studies for a new career.
Homecoming by the mother and son team pseudonym Charles Todd, has a wife of a guy fighting in Europe during World War I discovering an intruder in her house, however even though she knows he's there can never seem to find him so wonders if stress is making her go insane.
Part Light, Part Memory is an African slave girl's story of her thirst for vengeance when her father was hung for looking at the American master's wife.
Queeny by Ridley Pearson is the tale of a guy whose wife attracts the attention of a man while running in the park which she tells him about. The wife soon disappears.
One True Love by Laura Lippman is the story of a high class prostitute who is recognised and blackmailed by a parent her son runs into while playing sport.
The Cold, Hard Truth by Rick McMahon is the tale of a rural police office recounting the story of how he first met death row prisoner Jesse Brashear and the cold hard truth that good people can do bad things.
Cyberdatedotcom (note Amazon ridiculously keeps replacing the actual title with [...] so that's as close as I can put) by Tom Savage is the chat room transcript from a dating website where two under aged kids take a liking to each other.
Pushed or Was Fell by Jay Brandon has Walt a loner, meeting a girl, quickly marrying and setting out on cruise ship honeymoon then realising he doesn't love with devastating consequences.
One Shot by P.J. Parrish has Stuart returning to visit his old home which is now for sale and reliving the traumatic changing event of his life.
Heat Lightning, William Krueger although readable is one of the lesser quality contributions to this collection. A story of a guy who is having an affair while his wife lies in a coma in the bedroom upstairs.
Chellini's Solution was the only story I don't really think is worth reading, it's about an Italian guy whose enemies gloat as they tell him his wife is cheating on him and of course the actions he takes afterwards.
This is a great collection of short stories and one you'll want to keep forever. Not as good as this but still a good recent collection of similar stories to these I've read is Dangerous Women, edited by Otto Penzler.
Fantastic.......2006-11-14
To sum the book up in one word that would be it, Fantastic!! This is such a wonderful collections of stories. Each story different from the other but all keeping the same themes. My favorites were Safe Enough, Home Front, Till Death Do Us Part and Entrapped. However all were fantastic. I recommend that you get this book, you will not be disappointed.
Nineteen great mystery stories.......2006-09-24
This anthology of 19 truly great mystery stories is presented by the Mystery Writers of America (a fine association of not only authors, but readers too!) is edited by Harlan Coben. It is as perfect as an anthology can be.
Each of the nineteen stories is from an established writer. Most have won or been repeatedly nominated for various awards. No warmed-over, previously published material here: all nineteen stories are original. Nor are there excerpts of the writer's novels: this stuff is fresh and new. Coben wisely doesn't present the author bios until after all the stories and much to credit of editor and authors alike, the bios aren't pure puffery and hyperbole.
I can't tell you what my favorite was, because all nineteen stories are terrific. Jeff Abbott, author of "Panic" and "Fear", two fine thrillers, sets up a tense father-son-wife story. R. L. Stine provides something of a "shaggy dog" story that involves love in a strange way. Harlen Coben presents a story of a very crafty wife. Tim Wohlforth contributes a gem about a man's ideal relationship that leads to an unfortunate bit of snooping. All nineteen stories are simply great reads.
Oh - and if you didn't guess already, all nineteen stories are true to the cover blurb: they involve love, lust and murder.
Good stuff. Not to be missed.
Jerry
Human nature gone bad at its best.......2006-09-22
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (09/06)
"Mystery Writers of America Presents Death Do Us Part: New Stories about Love, Lust and Murder" is a must read for anyone who loves stories about mystery, misery and murder. Harlan Coben, the editor, brought together some of today's best mystery writers to create this book of 19 short stories, including one of his own "Entrapped". As Coben tells us in the introduction, most of these stories are going to end badly for at least one person, maybe more. The commonalities of the stories end there.
"Queeny", written by Ridley Pearson, is a story about a famous mystery writer whose wife is brutally murdered and he is mistakenly forced to stand trial for it. After what has happened, no matter what the outcome, and I won't tell you what it is, no one can win. Then there is the City electrician in "Safe Enough" by Lee Child, who moves to the country to be with a woman who is suspected of killing her husband, but did she really?
A few war stories come into play, the most poignant one being "Home Coming" by Charles Todd, a story about an English woman who becomes frightened of her home because it feels like someone has invaded it while her husband is away fighting in the war. AND, the most chilling story of all is Cyberdate.com by Tom Savage, which is about two teenage kids (are they really who they say they are?) who meet on the internet and the boy finally convinces the girl to meet in person. How many of us live with that worry about our children doing exactly the same thing? Revenge is even thrown into the mix with stories like "The Last Flight" by Brendan DuBois.
My two personal favorite stories were "Till Death Do Us Part" by Tim Maleeny and "Wifey" by R.L. Shine. "Till Death Do Us Part" is a about a chemist and botanist celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary by each preparing a meal for the other. What is on the menu turns out to be the surprise. "Wifey" is a dog who witnesses the brutal murder of her master and is forced to live with the murderer afterwards. Wifey does not take this lying down.
Other contributors to this collection of great stories are Charles Ardai, Bonnie Hearn Hill, Steve Hockensmith, William Kent Krueger, Rick McMahan, P.J. Parrish, Tim Wohlforth, Jeff Abbott, Jim Fusilli, Laura Lippman and Jay Brandon. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. The short stories make it great for reading before bed, taking to the beach, or if you have small children and frequent small slots of time to read.
Book Description
If American crime had a golden age, it was between 1920 and 1940—the roller-coaster years when a rural nation became urbanized and the nineteenth century finally gave away to the twentieth. The same forces that reshaped society also changed the face of crime, and soon the Progressive movement that battled urban decay led to the unintended consequences of increased police and political corruption, drunkenness transformed from a working-class vice to middle-class rebellion, and organized crime was established nationally.
The Complete Public Enemy Almanac is the ultimate reference book for the gangster era, with many unique features:
• A highly original and revisionist history of the period, covering the entire nation
• A unique, unmatched collection of gangster and outlaw biographies
• Hundreds of illustrations and period photographs
• A full, first-ever crime chronology of the period
• Dozens of short features on everything from the shift from local to federalized law enforcement to the history of body armor and goofy schemes to deal with "motorized bandits"
• The origins and meanings of such terms as the "one-way ride," "X marks the spot," "the real McCoy," "G-Man," "Public Enemy," and many more
• Innovative lists, including the Chicago Crime Commission's "body count" of gang-style murders during the period
• New light on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the Kansas City Massacre, the deliberate killing of Pretty Boy Floyd, the mysterious death of Baby Face Nelson, and other events
• An exhaustive bibliography (including numerous short reviews) of every true-crime book published about gangsters and outlaws of the twenties and thirties
Meticulously documented, lavishly detailed, exhaustively researched, and written with an eye for the turths that have remained largely hidden, The Complete Public Enemy Almanac provides a reliable source of information about the violent and lawless era of the twenties and thirties.
Customer Reviews:
Must have for crime buffs or researchers.......2007-10-08
Helmer and Mattix have delivered a fun format for such a massive delivery of entertaining information. As I flip through the pages, I feel this book is almost interactive in design-- photos followed by short stories and an on-going chronology of national events interspersed with important definitions and short bios of key players. More than an exhaustive reference work, this book is a one-volume library and definitely a must-have for anyone interested in crime history. Excellent gift idea, too, and a surprising value for the money.
An essential reference work.......2007-10-05
Authors William J. Helmer and Rick Mattix have produced an extensive and truly essential reference work on the Gangster Era (1920-1940). The book breaks down criminal and law enforcement history into its various component parts, dealing with characters and events through the use of individual biographical essays and sprawling, detailed chronologies. Every serious outlaw of the period - from Accardo, through Capone, Dillinger and McGurn, to Abner "Longie" Zwillman - is represented.
At the same time, the work ties elements together and probes more deeply into causes and effects through an impressive collection of articles on topics such as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the Castellammarese War, criminal use of the Tommygun, the evolution of investigative techniques, early efforts toward bulletproofing...
The Almanac is amply illustrated with photos and other images, many of which have not been available before. And a treasure of information awaits those who dig to the back of the book. There will be found a collection of gangster quotes, including the last words of Dutch Schultz; gang membership lists; and a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of Gangster Era books, which itself is worth the price of admission.
Casual presentation and a laid-back writing style provide comfortable cover for this work of genuine scholarship but may be misinterpreted on a quick glance as a lack of professionalism. Design elements surely would have benefited from closer attention. However, the few superficial negatives do not detract in any substantial way from the authors' achievement.
The Complete Public Enemy Almanac is a must-have for crime historians and a useful and informative guide for the True Crime reader.
Countless hours of research.......2007-08-23
Reviewed by Kathleen Dowdell for Reader Views (8/07)
This beautifully-bound, 889-page, hardcopy book is a must have for any person interested in true-crime. Chock full of gangster and outlaw events of the 1920s to 1940s era, the authors have succeeded in presenting in chronological order, many little known facts that occurred in what they call the golden age of crime. The book may be a little daunting with its dialogue and graphic pictures, but it gives the reader a true sense of how life in America really was in those days and is an example of good stories often ignored because of the negative connotation they portray.
Each of the seven chapters is filled with nuggets of factual information that has been researched and documented by the authors. Besides just telling about the events that took place during this era, the authors provide in-depth information about the evolution of official police departments, passage of amendments, inception of cooperative crime control, and the development of criminal identification in crime detection laboratories in Chicago. Throughout the book, events occur in chronological order giving the reader a sense of order, enabling an easy transition from one event to the next.
An entire chapter is devoted to "quotable quotes." You can read about Al Capone's colorful remark about prohibition in which he says "When I sell liquor, they call it bootlegging. When my patrons serve it on silver trays on Lake Shore Drive, they call it hospitality," and "You can get much farther with a smile, a kind word, and a gun than you can with a smile and a kind word." One chapter's focus is on mobsters and outlaws and explains the difference between consensual crime and violent crime. Included in this chapter are short biographies of gangsters and outlaws who achieved notoriety.
It is apparent that countless hours of research went into gathering and documenting all of the information found in this book. This book could never be read in one sitting, nor would you want to rush through the meticulously scribed information. To aid in taking your research even further, the authors provide nearly 60-pages of bibliographical resources. That in itself is an added treat.
I would recommend "The Complete Public Enemy Almanac" for any historical researcher who needs accurate facts and information on how crime has influenced politics and culture. In addition, the book is filled with newspaper headlines, cartoons, pictures, and biographies about the golden age of crime. This would make a great bedside book on a dark, stormy night.
The Bible of the 1930s Outlaws and Gangsters.......2007-08-15
When I bought this book I dove right in. It reads like a timline of all the Public Enimies and their crimes. I have not put the book down since I bought it. Bill Helmer and Rick Mattix are the top dogs in the world of 1930s crime and it shows in the book. I have to say that this is the best book that I have purchased in a long time. Any fan of Alvin Karpis,John Dillinger,Lester Gillis, Aurthur Floyd, Bonnie and Clyde and Al Capone, this book is a must have. Whenever a fact is in doubt I grab my "Bible" and look it up. The best book on the subject ever.
Very impressive scholarship.......2007-07-30
This book impressively manages to break new ground in a well-tilled field by offering previously unpublished stories and photos from the gangster era, 1920-1940. The standards are all here, of course, in skillful prose -- Baby Face Nelson, the Purple Gang, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. What I'm looking for first and foremost are accurate facts, and this book has impressed many true crime scholars on that score.
The authors, both familiar and respected names in the gangster genre, manage to come up with previously unpublished photos that nobody's seen in decades, such as a "new" photo of Scarface. And I was fascinated by their take on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, the murders that spelled the death knell for Prohibition. Most impressive is the book's 58-page annotated bibliography of gangster literature, the most comprehensive I have ever seen in the true crime genre.
To my delight, the authors also rammed the back roads collecting stories of dozens of forgotten gangsters, such as Rocco Perri -- Canada's Capone. Few crime encyclopedias pass my rigorous test -- to go beyond the well-known and well-worn stories and into the lesser-known but often just as absorbing tales of minor-league criminals, the development of crime labs, and the revolution in crime control. This is an excellent, well researched, reliable encyclopedia.
Laura James
Book Description
A crime writer who thought he could handle anything confronts the worst of everything. Violent and unattended deaths...suicide...forensics...viral pathology...crime scene myths...The stories behind Aftermath, Inc. are stranger than fiction, and utterly human and compelling.
Like most people, true-crime writer Gil Reavill had never actually experienced a fresh crime scene. That is, until he met Tim Reifsteck and Chris Wilson, owners of Aftermath, Inc., a company in the new field of "bioremediation." In the mid-80s, when a sea change occurred in the way biohazard clean-up was handled, no one in traditional cleaning or janitorial services would come within ten feet of a blood-spattered crime scene. Into this void stepped lifelong friends Tim and Chris, who filled a desperate need by founding their company. For the guys of Aftermath, no crime scene is too bloody to clean.
Aftermath, Inc. traces their history, introducing their clients and employees, and the cops, coroners, and detectives they encounter in their work. Gil goes on scene and works side by side with the Aftermath technicians. He tells the stories that led up to some of Aftermath's most grisly clean-up jobs, taking us on a journey through the suburban Midwest where the company is based, home to some of the quietest, calmest, most ordinary blocks in the world, which hide much darker undercurrents beneath.
The issues that the Aftermath crew members face on a daily basis range from the mundane (What's the best way to suppress the urge to regurgitate?) to the lofty (How does being exposed to death on a daily basis alter one's personal philosophy?). Reavill approaches his task with respect and compassion, taking as his mantra a line from the Roman poet Terence-- "Nothing human is foreign to me."
Customer Reviews:
Self-Absorbed Puff Piece for Aftermath, Inc........2007-09-08
What you do expect it will be like to clean up after a crime scene where there's been a horrible amount of death, gunfire, and tear gas used? You'll see some pretty ghastly remnants, right? You'll be nauseated, right? You'll need to protect yourself from harm, right? You'll have to throw most everything away in some appropriate way, right? You'll think a lot more about mortality, right? Okay, you already know most of what you'll learn by reading this book. But if you want more details, the book will provide them for many kill sites.
If you are also fascinated by what it's like if someone dies and isn't discovered for months, you'll add new knowledge of what will happen to the surroundings and how hard it will be to remove the leftovers.
Why do people do this kind of work? The owners make a lot of money. The work pays well for the independent contractors they hire, when they can get work. Some people enjoy helping grieving families during such difficult times. Are some of them ghouls? Probably, but the book doesn't address that point. What did you expect to find out?
What the industry like? The book doesn't really look into that except to point out that some insurance companies will insist that ordinary cleaners be used who may not get out all of the remains.
Mr. Reavill seems to have been overwhelmed by his experience and bonded with those who took him into the horror scenes. Neither reaction is surprising, but it doesn't make for such a great book.
I hope someone will write a better book on the subject. I'm sure there will be a lot of interest.
Gross and engrossing.......2007-09-01
I first heard about this book on NBC's "The Today Show." It piqued my interest, as I had seen a documentary about this type of business a while ago. I have a morbid interest in this kind of thing and thought it would be an interesting read. I wasn't disappointed.
The book is written in an entertaining and even humorous manner, which is appreciated given its "grave" subject matter. The book provides graphic details about cases that the Aftermath techs have had to clean up, everything from shotgun suicides, to bleed-outs from diseases, to a guy who was chopped up in a jet engine. It is surprising to read in just how many weird and gruesome ways human beings can depart this Earth.
The Aftermath guys rarely see the bodies, but clean up what's left of them. If reading about body fluids, maggots, the process of decomposition, and the stench of decay is interesting to you, then this book provides details galore. It also gives a kind of sad commentary on the savage nature of humanity as it details grisly murders perpetrated by relatives against each other - son against parents and siblings, mother against children - and of course stranger upon stranger as well. Not only murders but unfortunate accidents and plain old deaths from natural causes are covered in the book.
Death is "the last taboo" and this book covers the topic unabashedly. It is really a fascinating read, written in a conversational style that is easy to read. It is a book for those who are interested in the physical process of death. There is nothing spiritual about it, though the cases are handled with the utmost respect in a dignified and business-like manner.
Glib, Yes, But Highly Entertaining!.......2007-08-25
While I really enjoyed this book, I'm curious about the author's claim on the back jacket that he collaborated on the New York Times' bestseller "Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith." While there was a co-author on this book, written by Smith's husband, it wasn't Reavill. That aside, I think Reavill is excellent when he's writing straight journalistic accounts of murders and crime scenes. I don't think he does as well when he regresses to a blog-style of writing that is best left on the internet. I fear that such writing only degrades real journalism. It can be incorporated, but not in the bloggy style Reavill does. That's when the book falters. Otherwise, really fun facts and stories.
Not Particularly Impressive. .......2007-07-17
Shows an almost complete lack of empathy. Lacks significant detail or research on a lot of points, and comes across as self-interested far more than focused on the story of either the company or the job they do. I would not like this guy to turn up at my death or that of anyone I knew, although the company he describes seems both reliable, professional and sensitive, probably worth overlooking this guy's callousness. Reading this made me feel a little bit grimy. I think the word for this book would be disreputable.
There were bits that were good, but on the whole it's neither well-written nor compassionate. I'm actually sorry I read it and would not recommend it. It's not particularly gross, although I definitely would not recommend it to anyone squeamish. "Gross" requires some feeling, some emotion; the most I got from this book was a mild sense of distaste for the book itself.
Fanatsy Land.......2007-07-08
I'm asking myself if the writer was paid by AFTERMATH to write this book. The writer admits to Federal laws being violated relating to his training, or lack of. The writer also leads you to believe that AFTERMATH started the crimes scene cleaing business. It's unfortunate the writer didn't do some junior high fact finding. Crime scene cleaning as an industry was started in Arizona in 1985, fourteen years before AFTERMATH even heard of it! As a writer Gil Reavill needs to revaluate his bias as a professional writer.
Book Description
Alex Bennett led a double life. She was known the world over as the highly successful founder of a toy software company. But she was also the head of the infamous Murder, Inc. A situation she didn't want but felt an obligation to fulfill until she met the lovely Patty Darcy and suddenly she wanted to just be the head of Toy Software. Now she had something to fight for. Will the love of the sweet woman help her get out from under the weight of family obligations? Will she be able to share a life with this good woman?
Customer Reviews:
Needs Work is an Understatement.......2007-06-23
I wish I had thoroughly read the reviews before purchasing this book. I have never submitted a review before but this book was so poorly written and edited that I hope I can prevent others from wasting their money.
Needs some work.......2006-09-20
Good things...it was an easy read and I like the Chapter type set.
Editing is crucial in order to hold a reader's attention. I almost wanted to get my red pen out and start making changes, but I always sharing my books, so I held off. The constant mental stops for editing are my personal problem.
I thought Patty had gotten a new cat. At the beginning it's name was Mandy and then it switched to Fluffy. Continuity of plot line and characters is also good to have...you won't loose the reader.
You know...I'd never let Alex Bennett get away with her condescending attitude treating Patty like she had no mind of her own and wasn't capable of doing anything. Granted we all look for a sugar mama, but I think a lesbian must draw the line.
I did enjoy it.
Wonderful story.......2006-08-15
I think this is a sweet loving story. I thought the book moved well and had a great heart. Patty and Alex are really great charachters. I cried my eyes out when I read the scene where Patty is shown by Alex in black and white her whole secret life and then Alex sits in her room waiting for Patty to leave knowing she would be alone. I think it is a very interesting take I read many stories like this but this one really touched my heart. Alex reveals her heart and Patty shows her strength, It is really a great read.
Horrible editing.......2006-08-14
My heart goes out to this writer on her first effort. Perhaps with some good, professional editing, this book could have been made into a good story, and even been readable. I didn't get through the first paragraph on the first page before I counted 3 editing errors, and they continue throughout the book. If that's not bad enough, the story is disjointed, there is no background on either of the main characters to clue you in on how they got to where they are, and the story is far from believable. Come on, an executive who runs a toy software company AND a contract for hire organization?
I would suggest that the writer find a new publisher and gain some new direction in her craft before making another attempt. I sense that she is earnest in her desire to write a good book, but needs much better guidance than she got on this one.
I love this story.......2006-06-17
I loved this book. It was a sweet and gentle romance as well as a twisty thriller. I love the main charachters. Alex and Patty are just too wonderful. Alex is really interesting to me. I find her transformation quiet and special. A really well done book. Perfect for summer
Average customer rating:
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Aperture 149: Dark Days: Mystery, Murder, Mayhem (Aperture)
Aperture Foundation Inc. Staff
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0893816981 |
Book Description
Aperture 149
Dark Days: Mystery, Murder, Mayhem
Fall 1997
Photographers:
Michael Ackerman, Kenneth Anger, Marc Asnin, Jerry Berndt, Christian Boltanski, Ken Botto, James Casebere, Bruce Charlesworth, Larry Clark, Stephen Frailey, Jean Genet, Jim Goldberg, William N. Jennings, Anselm Kiefer, Andrew Lichtenstein, Ken Light, Richard Misrach, Cristina Salvador, Lucas Samaras, Chuck Samuels, Andres Serrano, Stephen Shames, Cindy Sherman, Jeffrey Silverthorne, Gerald Slota, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Andy Uzzle, Max Waldman, Jeff Wall, Andy Warhol, Joel-Peter Witkin
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