Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels, and Replacements: Without Murder, Suicide, or Divorce

Amazon.com

A picture book this is not. Jan Weimer has created a rigorous tool and reference for anyone embarking upon a kitchen remodel--a tool to provoke inspiration, provide information, and produce invention. She tells the reader, "I believe hassles are avoidable if you do your homework, stay on top of the job and sever relationships as soon as you see they're not working." In the spirit of her very own words, Weimer then proceeds to convey the knowledge and foresight necessary to carry out such successful remodeling prerequisites, including everything from finding a designer to comparing cabinets, from lighting issues to dishwashers, and from icemakers to a sample contractor's contract. Again, it is not a glossy collection of other success stories, but rather a vehicle for creating your own.

Book Description

Whether you're planning a full-scale remodel or simply upgrading and replacing cabinets or appliances, making decisions on how to renovate your kitchen can become a nightmare. And, once you begin, the problems seem to multiply daily: The workmen show up three months late, the doors on the cabinets hang at an unintentional tilt, and though you love that stone countertop, you find yourself working in the shadows because no one really thought about proper lighting. Help is on the way.

Kitchen Redos will enable you to design kitchen layouts that let you move with ease, islands that do double duty as work and eating centers, cabinetry that looks beautiful and provides maximum, innovative storage, surfaces that shine with easy care and last a lifetime, and much, much more. Practical, inspiring, and hardworking, Kitchen Redos anticipates and instructs you on all the real-life issues that arise when designing and developing your dream kitchen.

Customer Reviews:

It's just average.......2006-07-08

If you're looking for the "best ever" kitchen book, look on. This one is just average. It's outdated and, unless you're a complete beginner in the remodeling game, won't tell you much you haven't already learned or thought of on your own. (Just for example: the author is clueless about butcher-block countertops, saying that they must be scrubbed with a wire brush every week. ??? I've had butcher block countertops, and neither I nor anyone I've ever known has been silly enough to use them as unfinished cutting boards. And do we really need to be told that countertops should be level and cleanable? Oh, darn, I was thinking about a wavy sod surface--I guess that's out.) "This Old House Kitchens," although far from new, is far more helpful. I was disappointed after the rave reviews here. I probably paid around $15 incl. shipping and it wasn't worth that much.

Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels, and Replacements.......2005-01-13

I've never written any book review before, but feel compelled to let others know how great this book is. I've looked through over thirty (30) books on kitchen projects-at libraries/in bookstores/from an architect- and found none I wished to own but this one. It's almost too thorough, as many of us just wish to read conclusions and then go on to the next project. This book covers ALL aspects of a kitchen project, including detailed reference/contact material at the end of the book. So don't waste your time reading anything else-- it's the only book on the topic I've actually purchased and I don't regret it for a minute.

Buy FIRST before any other kitchen books & specialty issues!.......2003-04-01

I recently completed a major addition to get the professional kitchen of my dreams. For almost a year prior to demolition, I studied just about every other "kitchen book" known to mankind, and saved hundreds of idea-pages from magazines, etc. Then I found Jan Weimer's book, and I so wish I had know about it so much earlier. This book is a must-read for anyone embarking on any type of kitchen renovations. Jan's writing is witty, relating the saga of all the foibles and pitfalls she encountered during her own renovations. But, more importantly, she provides a wealth of information on just about any possible aspect of kitchen overhauls, and far more informative than all the other publications I purchased combined. In retrospect, I would have saved lots of time and money if I had read this book first before starting this project.

Buy FIRST before any other kitchen books & specialty issues!.......2003-04-01

I recently completed a major addition to get the professional kitchen of my dreams. For almost a year prior to demolition, I studied just about every other "kitchen book" known to mankind, and saved hundreds of idea-pages from magazines, etc. Then I found Jan Weimer's book, and I so wish I had know about it so much earlier. This book is a must-read for anyone embarking on any type of kitchen renovations. Jan's writing is witty, relating the saga of all the foibles and pitfalls she encountered during her own renovations. But, more importantly, she provides a wealth of information on just about any possible aspect of kitchen overhauls. In retrospect, I would have saved lots of time and money if I had read this book first before even starting this project.

A must-have for anyone even contemplating kitchen work.......2002-05-26

Not a cookbook, but a really valuable guide for anyone who wants to build or remodel, Jan Weimer's "Kitchen Redos, Revamps, Remodels & Replacements" is a superior sourcebook. Not for nothing is this volume subtitled "Without Murder, Suicide, or Divorce." The problems inherent in letting strangers run rampant through your domain, charging fees left and right, have been known to harden even the most optimistic of homeowners.

Weimer does an admirable job of making the reader examine thoroughly his or her kitchen needs--and then divide them into "needs" and "wants." She can take a glimmer of an idea and give you the hard facts on how it would work on a day-to-day basis. She covers such neglected topics as contractual obligations of the contractors, kitchen lighting, countertop choices, and depth of storage cabinetry.

There is such an abundance of information herein that it would takeý-well, it would take a book to tell you all about it. And here is that book, highly recommended by yours truly, who has been through the kitchen design/house-building experience.

Killed by Clutter (Dell Mystery)
Average customer rating:

Really Reaching

charming cozy
Killed by Clutter (Dell Mystery)
Leslie Caine
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Murder Unfolds: A Stain-busting Mystery

ASIN: 0440335981
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

At first glance, decorator Erin Gilbert fell in love with the charming little bungalow on a quiet street in Crestview, Colorado. Until she stepped inside. There, eccentric widow Helen Walker has created a maze of bric-a-brac, papers, and just plain junk that she won’t throw out. Even worse: two bizarre deaths have convinced Helen she is being stalked by a serial killer–and that any one of her nosy friends and neighbors might be to blame.

Erin has been hired to bring the home back to life–and she’s not going to back down, even when her insufferable, irresistible competitor, Steve Sullivan, barges in. But it doesn’t take long for Erin to realize that there is a method to her client’s madness. A murderer does haunt this makeover. And somewhere in the clutter is at least one thing to die for.

Customer Reviews:

Really Reaching.......2007-04-14

The problem with so many cozies these days is that authors try to be innovative in the jobs they give their main characters, and they end up giving us characters whose involvement in murder makes no sense.

The book is best summed up by a line from the character of Steve, talking to the main character, Erin: "You were acting like a member of the family instead of their designer."

Erin is hired to declutter a house. In less than 12 hours, she's the homeowner's confidante, rushing to her aid at all hours, sticking her nose into family business that has nothing to do with her. She puts her livelihood on the line, as well as Steve's, without a second thought, and then defends herself when there really is no defense. The fact that Steve would even want to partner up with someone who has no concern for him and his business was completely unbelievable.

Also, the Gilbert and Sullivan thing has already been done by Selma Eichler -- that made it doubly annoying to me.

charming cozy .......2007-03-04

Colorado Interior decorator Erin Gilbert enjoys walking through a house that she is seeing for the first time and redesigning each room in her head. So when she first observes the outside home of Helen Walker, Erin is euphoric as the Crestview bungalow is a designer's delight. Euphoric as this seems, it is also a nice easy job though she knows she must show proper respect to the grieving owner. Then she steps inside; to her horror she concludes the cluttered home needs weapons of mass destruction as Helen and her recently deceased sister kept anything and everything. The surviving sibling refuses to toss out what is classic junk clutter.

Still Helen tries to organize, mess and pitch what is obviously worthless in terms of money or sentiment. The problem is Helen insists everything has sentimental value. Helen's neighbor Rachel and Erin's two friends Teddy and Kay support the surviving sister' frustrating Erin who may dump her so-called pals if they don't mind their business. However, these intrusions are irritants; the fourth invader causes colossal issues as that unknown visitor leaves behind murdered bodies amidst the clutter.

The fourth Domestic Bliss mystery (see DEATH BY INFERIOR DESIGN and MANOR OF DEATH) is a charming cozy especially when Erin is cleaning the house or furthering her relationaship rivalry with competitor Steve Sullivan. However, that is also the weakness of the story line as the homicides come across as just additional clutter to clean up when the heroine gets around to it. Still Leslie Caine provides a fun domestic tale starring a harassed heroine struggling with saving a house on the verge of being KILLED BY CLUTTER, something this reviewer can relate to.

Harriet Klausner

Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders

Average customer rating:

All My Life I Have Been Plagued by Fires
"Enquiring minds want to know" journalism
Well Done
This book has it all
A Great Read!

Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders
William R. Drennan
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0299222101

Book Description

The most pivotal and yet least understood event of Frank Lloyd Wright’s celebrated life involves the brutal murders in 1914 of seven adults and children dear to the architect and the destruction by fire of Taliesin, his landmark residence, near Spring Green, Wisconsin. Unaccountably, the details of that shocking crime have been largely ignored by Wright’s legion of biographersâa historical and cultural gap that is finally addressed in William Drennan’s exhaustively researched Death in a Prairie House: Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders.
In response to the scandal generated by his open affair with the proto-feminist and free love advocate Mamah Borthwick Cheney, Wright had begun to build Taliesin as a refuge and "love cottage" for himself and his mistress (both married at the time to others).
Conceived as the apotheosis of Wright’s prairie house style, the original Taliesin would stand in all its isolated glory for only a few months before the bloody slayings that rocked the nation and reduced the structure itself to a smoking hull.
Supplying both a gripping mystery story and an authoritative portrait of the artist as a young man, Drennan wades through the myths surrounding Wright and the massacre, casting fresh light on the formulation of Wright’s architectural ideology and the cataclysmic effects that the Taliesin murders exerted on the fabled architect and on his subsequent designs.

Customer Reviews:

All My Life I Have Been Plagued by Fires.......2007-09-29

Ever since I studied FLW as a freshman in architecture school, I wondered how he made it thru such a dark and difficult time. So when I found this book, I had to get it. I have always admired and actually enjoyed studying FLW designs and visiting his works. I had read that he was very arrogant but most of what I had read just glossed over his personal life and focused on his work.........which is ok. In fact when I can, I tend to use his design vocabulary in my designs. After reading this book I am truly sickened to discover how much of jerk and crook FLW truly was. How a father of six children could leave and not just leave but stay away from them for over a year? I am grateful that I did not know him as a person and that I cannot relate to his behavior at any level.

Given that, I have no idea how such a loser could be such an architectural genius? If it takes an ego of this magnitude to BE a genius, I am grateful that I am not one.

It appears that the author has researched the Taliesin murders in great depth. There are over 30 pages of footnotes! Drennan's analysis for me is sound. The only thing I could not agree with was that FLW's houses became fortifications after the Taliesin murders. If you read the book "Wright Space: Pattern and Meaning in Frank Lloyd Wright's Houses" you will find that all his houses were sanctuaries of refuge starting with the hidden entrance. That's one of the characteristics of what his clients loved about the houses, security and privacy. Did FLW look for ways to prevent fires after the murders........yes as all competent architects should, would and do.

It is clear that he got caught up in some bad karma. The Spring Green community hated him the most and believed that FLW committed the murders. Even the parts of Taliesin that were burnt (living quarters) versus the parts that remained untouched (design studio) reflected his life.

There is not much evidence to support racial hatred towards Julian Carlton, the alleged murderer and arsonist, but being so close to the time of the civil war, it seems likely that there was. I still don't understand why they let the wife go. She was found hiding dressed in her Sunday's best? She had answers that remained hidden.

No matter how much FLW deserved getting what was dished out to him, you can't help but pity the man when at the end of the book, one of his apprentices heard him walking the grounds of Taliesin in the dark repeating the following statement over and over, "All my life I have been plagued by fires, All my life I have been plagued by fires.............."

Fire is not a plague but a form of spiritual purification.

Brilliantly written. I had a very difficult time putting this book down.

"Enquiring minds want to know" journalism.......2007-05-14

Mixed view of this book. The author has dug deeply to unearth whatever facts are still out there about this tragedy. And, the story is compelling. However, I am bothered somewhat that recent books on Wright have focused soley on the sensational aspects of his life rather than the work which made him famous and which is still relevant today!

As for the content, I am not totally convinced by the timeline of events which he puts forth. However, he does convincingly demolish the long-standing, accepted version. That leaves some big questions which will probably never be answered. Finally, Bill (the author) has an irritating tendency to constantly refer to Frank Loyd Wright as "Frank". Bill needed a more competent editor.

Well Done.......2007-05-07

This is a fascinating book that is written in an interesting style The history of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders in particular are well documented. Well worth the purchase.

This book has it all.......2007-05-03

William Drennan blends brutal murder, sensational scandal, exhaustive research and thought-provoking theory in this important book. A clear style and a flair for the mot juste make this book both scholarly and page-turning.
At last, an author has had the courage, persistence and skill to delve into Wisconsin's crime of the 20th century. It's a wonder no writer previously tackled this topic, given that it involves a horrific killing that claimed the paramour of America's foremost architect, as well as his signature home design, Taliesin. We're all fortunate Drennan accepted the challenge.

A Great Read!.......2007-04-26

Meticulously researched and thoughtfully presented, Death in a Prairie House is also a great read. I recommend it.

The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed

Average customer rating:

Intense reading.
Stick to magazines, Ms. Forden
I love this book
Quality Product, Quality Book
A Passion for Fashion...

The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed
Sara G. Forden
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The House of Klein: Fashion, Controversy, and a Business Obsession

ASIN: 0060937750
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Amazon.com

A world-famous luxury brand, financial skullduggery, vicious family quarrels ending in a sensational murder: the Gucci story just couldn't be juicier, and former Women's Wear Daily correspondent Sara Gay Forden does full justice to its gossipy appeal. Guccio Gucci opened his first leather-goods store in Florence in 1921, but it was his son Aldo who expanded the company overseas and made products like the Gucci loafer and the Flora scarf international symbols of status and affluence. Aldo's sons, his brother Rodolfo, and Rodolfo's son Maurizio, all of whom also worked in the family business, didn't always appreciate Aldo's imperious ways, and corporate board meetings often ended with ashtrays and Gucci handbags flying. Things got so bad in the early 1980s that Aldo's renegade son Paolo made public financial documents that very nearly sent his father to jail for tax fraud. Even more lurid was the 1995 execution-style murder of Maurizio, followed by the conviction in 1998 of his ex-wife Patrizia for ordering the hit. Meanwhile, CEO Domenico De Sole and creative director Tom Ford were transforming Gucci from a family-run company into a modern corporation once again on the cutting edge of fashion and marketing. Forden makes the business story as dramatic as the Guccis' personal squabbles (and of course the two were often interconnected) in a highly entertaining family biography that doubles as a savvy business history. --Wendy Smith

Book Description

Did Patrizia Reggiani murder her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci, in 1995 because his spending was wildly out of control? Did she do it because her glamorous ex was preparing to marry his mistress, Paola Franchi? Or is there a possibility she didn't do it at all?

In this gripping account of the ascent, eventual collapse, and resurrection of the Gucci dynasty, Sara Gay Forden takes us behind the scenes of the trial and exposes the passions, the power, and the vulnerabilities of the greatest fashion family of our times.

Customer Reviews:

Intense reading........2007-10-01

This is a very interesting book about the Gucci family, but it at times delved too much into all the business and acquisitions. It got at times really complexed. Having said that, it was a really good and interesting book. It was almost as if the author didn't want the story to end. I am glad I read it.

Stick to magazines, Ms. Forden.......2007-07-03

Yes, the Gucci story is intriguing. And yes, Ms. Forden provides some historical facts. But remember, this is a book. It should be readable. Ms. Forden's constant and trivial inclusion of far too much 'stuff' is more annoying than enlightening.

This book could be condensed into 200 pages. Thoughtfully written and entertaining by someone other than Ms. Forden. It is a laborious task to tread through the boring an completely unnecessary details. Ms. Forden, no one cares about the work history of then-Head-of BergdorfGoodman.

Poorly written, this book is one long magazine article. Paragraph after paragraph of unnecessary filler. I suggest you find some other way to capture the history of the Gucci company.

I love this book.......2007-03-10

The subtitle said it all: "A sensational story of murder, madness, glamour and greed". The perfect combination for a successful novel that in reality has been real life. Read it!

Quality Product, Quality Book.......2007-01-16

I have inherited and purchased a few Gucci pieces, and have been so fond of the quality of their products that I thought I would read this book as a "light read." I was completely surprised by the first chapter that I just kept on turning the pages. It's anything but a light read, but a great read! This book really does have it all, including a tremendous education into the fashion empire. I also love the Italian detail and family disfunction. The author did a fantastic job of weaving the intimate details of a family, a business, and a family business. I have not lost an ounce of respect for the Gucci product, in fact I am more of a fan. Blood, sweat, and tears.

A Passion for Fashion..........2005-09-10

The House of Gucci reads like a soap opera in book form. Dramatic elements involving the fashion industry, business, and a dysfunctional family are deftly interwoven into a book that is impossible to put down. This novel is a perfect example of how power and greed can lead to the downward spiral of an outwardly- perfect family. Forden writes in a way that would keep any of a number of people riveted, including the fashionistas, the business- savvy,and those who are simply fond of the Italian culture. I have not hesitated in recommending this book to friends and family.

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))

Average customer rating:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age
Real Life Horror
No good ending here
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...

The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (Random House Large Print (Hardcover))
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Random House Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0739326732
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Amazon.com

John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham

20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham

Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.

Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.

Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.

Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.

Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.

Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.

Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.

Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.

Book Description

In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.
Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.
In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.
With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.
If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.

Customer Reviews:

Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30

I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.

Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29

"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.

No good ending here.......2007-09-27

I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.

Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.

Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26

This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!

Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18

... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.

I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.

As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.

Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.

A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.

Average customer rating:

Bone-Chilling and True!!!!!
Seriously Dysfunctional
Yet Another....What Ever Happened to These People?
NOT EASY TO FORGET
Secretively Good

House Of Secrets
Lowell Cauffiel
Manufacturer: Pinnacle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786011858

Amazon.com

"Eddie Lee Sexton is evil incarnate. Like Charles Manson, he exercised a cult-like mind control over others who did his dirty work. But unlike Manson, both Sexton's victims and his subjects were his very own flesh and blood." As strong as they are, these words from an assistant district attorney barely hint at the depravity hidden for years within the Sexton family. Strange notions about "Futuretrons" and hand markings that convey absolute power, revelations of incest and physical abuse, bodies buried in the camping area of a Florida state park-- House of Secrets has so many layers of weirdness that it will amaze even seasoned readers of true crime. Lowell Cauffiel has a talent for combining quotations from interviews and unembellished facts into prose that reads like a novel. Two people are dead, and the children who suffered the cruel fate of being born into the Sexton family may never completely heal from their injuries--but at least their story has been told.

Customer Reviews:

Bone-Chilling and True!!!!!.......2007-10-01

I still remember this book very well. Maybe because it is that I never read about a dysfunctional family like the Sextons. They are a large family. Both parents are involved in horrific acts of child abuse. The House of Secrets have children so terrified to misbehave and suffer the frightening and painful consequences. I think the crime of killing a family member who married into the family and became a father of a young son was bad enough. When his infant son was also murdered, it made me cringe with anger over such behavior. Family members are disposable but the author paints a very clear family portrait about their upbringings and backgrounds in West Virginia and their migration to Ohio to get work. It is clearly the family patriarch of these Sextons who rules with an iron fist and a dark hand to torture his children. His wife is no better. I don't blame their backgrounds because the Uncle is reasonable and consciousable regarding his brother's behavior. The Sexton parents are just horrible people who should have never had children. Now these children who are adults by now are completely damaged like war victims or concentration camp survivors. Nothing in life could further damage them anymore even a prison. This is one of the worst cases of child abuse that I have read about in recent history. Why it wasn't reported to the authorities, because the children were so terrified of the punishment later on including the rapes, the incest, the physical abuse, etc. that went on in that home. The house of secrets Sextons migrated to Florida where they were finally caught and brought to somewhat justice. I still remember reading about the young boy who married one of the Sexton girls who was supposedly already married in a sick way to her own father. He would be killed along with his son. I remember reading about them being buried properly in Ohio together. It was just a sad, horrific story of child abuse and a family that should have never been.

Seriously Dysfunctional.......2007-08-20

Whoa is all you need to say once you've started to get into this book. The crimes perpetrated by the mother & father of this family are so disturbing! I found this book to be so easy to read & so gripping. It's sad that it's a true crime story, but it does make for a seriously wild ride! Mr. Cauffiel is a great storyteller. He does not insult the average reader, he understands that not everyone is an investigative journalist or policeman. He writes in a very comprehensible style that is not dumbing down at all.

Yet Another....What Ever Happened to These People?.......2007-07-13

Here is another Cauffiel book that I recently re-read and am left wondering what ever happened to the children of the Sexton family, and little Dawn & Shasta, and how are they doing these days?

This story is highly disturbing yet I find myself re-reading it about once every year or so.

I would love to see a cable special with interviews from the family members and an update on how their lives have fared since everything happened. There is virtually NOTHING on the internet and, like Cauffiel's book on the Alan Canty case, unfortunately both cases happened before things like this were really-super-highly publicized. The Sexton case broke out in the 90's, but I don't remember it much....just...want...updates.....!

NOT EASY TO FORGET.......2007-02-20

I READ THIS BOOK ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO ANDI STILL REMEMBER IT. THE TITLE IS DEFINATELY HOW THIS STORY GOES! IT'S UNBELIEVABLE HOW ONE PERSON RULED OVER COMPLETELY ONE WHOLE FAMILY. I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS BOOK!!!

Secretively Good.......2006-12-04

This is a quite fascinating tale of a very evil man. It's not the greatest of true crime novels, but it certainly held my interest. But then again, I find horrible people to be the most fascinating people. Don't you? In any event, the murder itself is not the focus of this book, but the abuse doled out by Eddie is every bit as fascinating. If you need some light morbid reading in the airport, this is a good choice.

An Unmentionable Murder (Last Hurrah for the WWII Manor House Mystery)

Average customer rating:

About the Manor
Reprinted from the Nov 2006 "The Historical Novels Review"
Sad this is the last in the series...
Last Book in Series is Disappointing
Disappointing Ending for Manorhouse Series

An Unmentionable Murder (Last Hurrah for the WWII Manor House Mystery)
Kate Kingsbury
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0425211142

Customer Reviews:

About the Manor.......2007-05-11

Kate Kingsbury's books are a delight to read. They held my interest all the way through. I believe a key for their success as far as I'm concerned is that the author has passion which comes through in her books.

Reprinted from the Nov 2006 "The Historical Novels Review".......2006-11-25

This delightful cozy mystery, set in World War II rural England, is the latest in the author's Manor House series. Elizabeth Compton, lady of the village manor house, has a heavy burden of responsibility. Not only does she have the duty of running the great house under trying wartime conditions, but the residents of Sitting Marsh depend on her for everything from a cheerful visit to solving crimes. If that wasn't enough, her elderly butler goes missing, her American pilot friend is on a dangerous mission, and there's that thief that makes off with women's knickers from the village's clotheslines. Soon, a body is discovered....

This is great entertainment: charming, at times amusing, but with a dose of reality that is just enough to emotionally involve the reader. It also stands as a marvelous look into the lives of ordinary English villagers, thrust into a new reality by the intrusion of the war. However, lest one grow too nostalgic for those days, the author reprints the actual wartime recipe for Lord Woolton Pie, a most abominable concoction even by the standards of English cuisine.

Highly recommended for all mystery lovers.

Sad this is the last in the series..........2006-11-03

I always look forward to a new Manor House mystery and was so sorry to hear (via the other reviews) that this would be the last in the series. I finished the book last night and was very disappointed with the ending -- the series did not have a resolution. I did read the author's website today and found out she didn't know it would not be the last in the series until after this book went to print. She said she would have definitely changed the book had she known. She also lets you know what happens to all the characters.

Last Book in Series is Disappointing.......2006-08-28

Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh Compton has her hands full watching over the residents of Sitting Marsh, England, during World War II. She is worried about American Major Earl Monroe who, as a pilot, is fighting the war in the air. Elizabeth has other problems - her elderly butler, Martin, keeps disappearing for hours at a time and someone is stealing ladies knickers from clotheslines all over the village. Elizabeth soon has a bigger problem; a dead body is found when a munitions factory is torn down. Although the police and his widow insist that Clyde Morgan committed suicide, Elizabeth is convinced it was murder and decides to investigate. Little does she realize that someone will do anything to prevent Elizabeth from finding out the truth.

Although I've enjoyed the entire Manor House mystery series, I found "An Unmentionable Murder", the last book in the series, to be a bit of a disappointment. The mystery itself was fine, with a poignant twist at the end. But the book felt rushed, as Kate Kingsbury tried to tie everything up neatly at the end. The last chapter especially felt rushed, I would have liked a few more pages wrapping things up. The subplot about Martin's disappearance was somewhat amusing, if unbelievable. The explanation of who was stealing the knickers was also a bit disappointing. And Kingsbury failed to even mention the "three musketeers", a serious oversight since she had built up that particular mystery over the course of several books.

Fans of this series will want to read "An Unmentionable Murder" if only to find out what happens to Elizabeth and Earl at the end, but it's not one of the better books in the series.

Disappointing Ending for Manorhouse Series.......2006-08-17

I loved every one of the Manorhouse Series books and was sad to learn this wonderful series was ending. I had high hopes for the last book, but was sorely disappointed with the unbelievable ending. Some of the characters' endings are tied up too neatly to the point of not being believable, while other characters' fates are left hanging as the war is still going on. I was also disappointed that one of the characters was not reunited with a long-lost love as I thought she would be. This series ends with a whimper rather than a bang. :(

Murder in the House (Capital Crime Series , No 13)

Average customer rating:

What's the point?
Good Read As Usual, But Wait Awhile Before Reading Another
MARGARET IS TOO POLITICAL
Professional Killers in Washington, DC
Mindlessly entertaining formula book

Murder in the House (Capital Crime Series , No 13)
Margaret Truman
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0449001725
Release Date: 1998-06-28

Amazon.com

Congressman Paul Latham is about to be named secretary of state but dies beneath the Statue of Freedom before he can accept the honor. When his body is found, a 9-mm pistol clutched in his hand (is it suicide or murder?), rumors begin to fly, targeting Latham as no better than Warren Brazier's lackey and threatening the credibility of the administration's foreign policy. Brazier, a wealthy industrialist and potent political force (à la Ross Perot), is conducting questionable business with the Russian government (à la George Soros's evil twin), and nothing will stop him in his quest to snap up formerly state-owned industries at bargain prices--certainly not a trivial consideration such as trade legislation pending in the House Foreign Relations Committee.

When Mac Smith is asked to bring his legal expertise to a research mission in Moscow, he finds himself attempting to clear Latham's name--and getting closer and closer to some very dangerous individuals.

Margaret Truman is operating according to established parameters in Murder in the House, but fans will appreciate the relative skill with which she weaves together the themes of disturbing relationships on two continents: hard-line Communists with the Russian mafia on one hand, and politics with American big business on the other.

Readers may want to check out other entries in the Capital Crimes series--try Murder on Embassy Row, Murder at the National Gallery, or Murder in the CIA. --Kelly Flynn

Book Description

He died beneath the Statue of Freedom, clutching a 9-mm pistol in his hand. But as dawn rose, the politician would die again--in a hail of rumor and character assassination.

Now one man suspects the shattering truth: that the congressman's suicide was a carefully planned murder. In the heart of the free world, a furious struggle begins: to reclaim a man's innocence, expose a woman's lie, and stop a chilling conspiracy of murder that reaches halfway around the world. . . .

Customer Reviews:

What's the point?.......2006-02-17

The mystery is obvious and while the characters are engaging, very little happens besides the crime that sets off the novel. There is plenty of wading through verbose descriptions and conversation however. This book might be welcome as distraction but it is not a rewarding, informative or particularly pleasant read because it is hollow and devoid of meaning or even a challenging plot.

Good Read As Usual, But Wait Awhile Before Reading Another.......2005-05-28

Another of Truman's books that's hard to put down and keeps one guessing to the end. She definitely knows D.C., both inside and out.

However - It might be my age (G) but so many characters are included in her books I have difficulties keeping them all straight - still a good read though.

I'm also not too impressed with the way she starts many of her stories (this one included) with something/someone that has little or absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the story...but I still enjoyed the book.

My suggestion would be to make sure you space out the time between reading Truman's books. If two or more are read back to back, one can see how much alike most of her stories are...only a change in name, location, and "who-dunnit."

Just like each of my reviews of her "Murder In/At ..." books.

MARGARET IS TOO POLITICAL.......2005-03-14

I have read many of Margaret Truman's books and enjoyed some of them. This one is ok for light reading.......but don't believe we need her editorial on all the
Republicans in Washington. Adds nothing to the story by taking nasty little digs
at them. She would do well to stick to mystery in these books and if she has a
'beef' with the Republicans.......write a book about that. The two don't mix

Professional Killers in Washington, DC.......2003-10-06

This is the most interesting and exciting of the Margaret Truman mysteries that I have read. Congressman Paul Latham has been nominated by the President to be Secretary of State. Then, he is found lying dead beneath the Statue of Freedom, a pistol clutched in his hand. Rumors swirl about suicide because of impending disclosure of illegal activity with a billionaire supporter or sexual harrasment charges by a secretary. But the medical examiner finds that it is not suicide. It is murder. As suspects are eliminated, the FBI finds that hired killers, members of the Russian mafia, are loose in Washington. But for whom do they work? When suspicion turns to the man controlling the killers, the story becomes intense, as the suspect uses his hired killers to protect himself. All in all, it is a good story, and you get the usual, wonderful insight into Washington.

Mindlessly entertaining formula book.......2001-11-02

The most interesting thing about this book is that Truman really knows her Washington. Otherwise, this quick and easy read is standard formula fare. Her characters are mildly interesting, and this book plays on the Russian mafia as the evil ones. Good book to read at the beach.

Murder in the White House (Capital Crimes)

Average customer rating:

Murder in the White House
Murder in the White House (Capital Crimes
Moderately entertaining
baltazar rosiles review
Serious logical flaws hamper the story

Murder in the White House (Capital Crimes)
Margaret Truman
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Murder at the Library of Congress (Capital Crimes)

ASIN: 0345443799
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Book Description

In a town where the weapon of choice is usually a well-aimed rumor, the strangling of Secretary of State Lansard Blaine in the Lincoln Bedroom is a gruesome first. White House counsel Ron Fairbanks is ordered to investigate. There are persistent rumors that the Secretary was an accomplished womanizer with ties to a glamorous call girl. There is also troubling evidence of unofficial connections with international wheeler-dealers.

In death as in life, Blaine is a power to be reckoned with. For Fairbanks, who loves the President’s daughter, one point is soon clear: only a few highly placed insiders had access to the Lincoln Bedroom that fateful evening. And one of them was the president. . . .

Customer Reviews:

Murder in the White House.......2007-09-20

This was my first Margaret Truman book. I enjoyed it and really like her writing style. I agree with some other reviewers that the story was a little lacking but it was a very quick read and I will definately read more of this series as I understand it gets better.

Murder in the White House (Capital Crimes .......2007-03-26

Once I started reading I couldn't hardly put it down until I finished.

Moderately entertaining.......2004-04-27

The first book in Margaret Truman's Capital Crimes series is moderately entertaining, but no more. The Secretary of State is killed in the White House; the President appoints his inexperienced Junior Counsel to head up the investigation. There's a lot of talk, an action sequence, some more talk, another murder, some more talk, and then it all ends rather hurriedly.

The book's main strength is the way it hints that bigger, darker things are at stake. But it has no real sense of urgency or structure. For example: couldn't the investigators have made a list of all people who had access to the relevant part of the White House at the relevant time, and worked through them one by one? Instead, they seem to be poking around at random. You can never tell whether or not they're really making progress. Another example: the hero didn't vote for the President, has no investigative experience, and yet is put in charge of the investigation. This could be a fascinating hook to explore the President's mixed motivations and the hero's ambition, but it too goes nowhere. The characterization throughout is fairly flat, with only the central puzzle holding the reader's attention.

Oh, and... I guessed the murderer, and more or less the motive. Fun, and somewhat atmospheric just by virtue of its setting, but by no means great.

baltazar rosiles review.......2004-04-15

(...) Margaret Truman's book, Murder in the White House, merits three stars because this book gets the attention of the reader with great and pretty details, keeping the book interesting and emotionally. This book is about looking the responsible of the murder in the white house; in the way the book shows all the relations or romance that Blaine had before he pass away, and also the cost that Ron Fairbanks had to find the true of this accident. This incident provides dark pass of Blaine's life, Ron's consequences, the bribes to cancel the agreements, and secretes of the president's family. (...)Also, we will learn to say always the true to prevent consequences. I really recommend this novel to everybody who wants to increase their knowledge of the problems that happen to the biggest people of the society. I really learned a lot of this novel because I always thought that the biggest people do not suffer and we can see during this novel that everybody is human and everybody can make mistakes and feel the consequences of the mistakes

Serious logical flaws hamper the story.......2002-03-08

The premise of the book is an interesting one, the secretary of state is found professionally murdered in the White House and the circle of suspects includes the president. However, there are some substantial flaws in the book that seriously reduce the quality of the story. The major one is that the murdered secretary of state is found to have taken bribes and frequented prostitutes. Given that the timeframe is set after the Carter presidency, the premise that no one knew before his death is simply beyond belief. In the post Watergate environment, such misbehavior would have been like a wounded fish to a hungry shark of journalists.
Another major problem is that the secret service agents assigned to guard the president's daughter deliberately allow her to be placed in a dangerous situation. This is implausible, and making the most professional of officers into bumbling incompetents rarely makes a story stronger.
While the original murderer is not the one you may think, there is another murder committed as a cover up and the perpetrator of that crime is rather clear. I enjoyed the book, but found the weaknesses greater than the quality of the tale.

The Congressman Who Got Away With Murder

Average customer rating:

A fine book on Civil War General Dan Sickles!

The Congressman Who Got Away With Murder
Nat Brandt
Manufacturer: Syracuse University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Congresses, Senates, & Legislative Bodies | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of Daniel Edgar Sickles

ASIN: 0815602774

Customer Reviews:

A fine book on Civil War General Dan Sickles!.......2003-11-26

This now hard-to-find book is a fine short account of the life of the notorious Civil War politician/general, Daniel E. Sickles. It focuses more upon the trial in which Sickles was charged with murdering his wife's lover (hence the title!), but it is overall a fascinating account of the life of one of the most notorious figures in American history, a combination of flagwaving patriot/human rights activist and ambitious, corrupt, and amoral politician/criminal. Guaranteed to fascinate and

offend almost everyone!

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