Rebecca Hill
What a read! I enjoyed this one and the tying of a case between Count Dracula and Sherlock Holmes.
With Dr. Watson and his wife, Mary, becoming vampires, there is a twist to this book, and I am interested to see if anything continues in future reads. But as this book continues, Mary goes into a darker mode, whereas Dr. Watson can continue much as before, with a few modifications to his daily diet.
There are some twists in this book that I do not feel I can share without giving away a spoiler, but this is worth a read! If you are a fan of Bram Stoker's Dracula, you will enjoy this deliciously chilling read!
Dive into the world of murder and mayhem with this fabulous book!
Harold Schechter takes you through a handful of cases, giving you as much information as possible, and drawing an account of the victims, the perpetrator, and the grisly facts surrounding each case. There were some cases that I was familiar with, and some that I was not, so it was the absolute perfect read!
This book will horrify and delight you in turn, as you are reading through cases of bygone eras, and learning about some of the criminal masterminds, or those that wanted to be criminal masterminds.
A fabulous and interesting read!
The use of the lie detector, or polygraph, has long been debated on the legitimacy of its findings. While there are many circumstances where one might be useful, there are very founded reasons as to why the results are not allowed to be admitted into a court of law.
The author takes the reader on a journey, keeping one enthralled until the last word. The invention of the lie detector, and the many different cases that it was used on during its inception was fascinating. There are many different cases presented, and the issues that those running the tests were finding.
I absolutely LOVED this read! It was fascinating. I have a better understanding of why the polygraph is not admitted into a court of law, but truly enjoyed the different cases that it was used on and the men that were responsible for the creation of the lie detector. It was interesting to hear how many began a career in which they had not initially thought about going into the police force, but their changes and many of the overhauls that they put into place are still used today.
If you think that this book is going to list 100 items from Tutankhamun's tomb, and just talk about those, you are mistaken! I wasn't sure what to really expect going into this book, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The author takes you on a journey, talking about the significance of items that were placed in the tomb, tying it back through the ages of Egyptian history. He also talks about some of the items that were left, and the significance they would have had to the boy king, such as toys from his childhood.
This was more than just items that were found in the tomb, but a thorough discussion on pieces that were used throughout the ages, what their functions were, and how they might be used in the afterlife.
I truly enjoyed this book, and was sad when it ended. The history is amazing, and the author has certainly done his research on putting together a book that is well worth taking the time to read.
The history of the Texas Rangers has long been one of a legacy. But they didn't always have the best reputations, and were not without scrapes and legal troubles.
This book follows Texas Ranger Company F, which was rather interesting on its own. There was a lot of history there, and many legal scrapes that the men found themselves in. I enjoyed the background that was given on each one, as much as was possible, and giving as much as they could without dropping anything that might be needed for drawing conclusions.
Overall, interesting book. There were a few places where I felt it bogged down a bit, but truly, it was enjoyable and kept me interested enough to keep reading and finish out the book. There were a few surprises in there, which I am not going to give away. Also, I found that some of the names were familiar to me from other areas of reading, or research that I had done for some of the courses that I am teaching.
Murder, intrigue, political plotting, and so much more - this book was fascinating! I could not put it down! I was hooked from the beginning, and rushed through it as quickly as I dared. This is the first book by this author I have read, but it won't be the last.
Perfection in every detail. This mystery is far from cozy, but is sure to delight the reader!
Throughout her life, Dixie Shanahan was dealt was rough hand. There were accusations of abuse from her stepfather, and then an abusive relationship with the man that would become her husband. There were warning signs from the beginning, that should have sent her running in the other direction, but she decided to stay.
In that decision, she signed up for decades of black eyes, screaming matches, bruises, and more. Neighbors finally called the cops, and her husband, Scott was arrested. She refused to press charges, leaving him free again. After a second arrest, he was again set free with minimal time served. The third time he was arrested, it should have sent him to prison for a long time, but Dixie again refused to proceed with the charges. He was once more set free, and Dixie made the journey back from Texas, where she had fled, to Iowa, where she moved back into the abusive relationship.
When Scott stopped showing up around familiar places, at first, nothing was thought about it. However, after some time had gone by, people began talking. Dixie told a few stories as to where he had gone to. No one really believed her, but very few people were actually searching for the volatile man. One person who wanted to know was the sheriff, and he refused to give up searching. It was not until months later, that the truth would be uncovered, and it shocked everyone.
This was one book that I was a bit conflicted on. There was a lot going on here, and there should be things that can be done without the victim having to come into court and facing an abuser. However, she refused to allow him to be punished under the law. When taking the law into one's own hands, it becomes much more than just self-defense.
Interesting read overall, and something that true crime junkies will enjoy.
Many are only familiar with the Texas Rangers from the show, “Walker Texas Ranger,” (admittedly, that is where I started years ago), but there was so much more to them than that!
This fabulous book will take you through some of the early histories of the Texas Rangers, and the men who helped develop and solidify the position throughout the state. As it starts out, we are going to see a lot of familiar names, especially for those who live or have lived in Texas. Stephan Austin is just one that you are going to read about early on, as the fight for Texas Independence from Mexico is underway, and how the idea for the Texas Rangers came about.
Leander McNelly is one that truly embodied the Texas Ranger spirit. He drove his men hard, but he was fair, and the men under him were entirely loyal to him to the end. While they had some exciting exploits, they were determined to uphold the law, and make Texas a safer place for those who lived there.
This amazing book will take you through the wilds of Texas, and bring a true sense of what justice was like on the frontier. While lawlessness was a problem for a while, the Texas Rangers quickly proved to be an effective form of justice, one which still endures today.
The USS Indianapolis was about to set sail on a voyage that would change the lives of everyone involved. Sent out toward certain coordinates, they initially dropped the needed items for the building of the atomic bomb, and then headed toward their final destination. They would never arrive.
Several days after not reporting on time, the alarm still had not been raised. The sailors were beginning to lose hope that they would ever be rescued.
With an accidental finding, the story broke, and the Navy did their best to keep it as quiet as possible. It would take more than 50 years for the full truth to come out.
This story was one of determination and survival. I absolutely enjoyed this book! Great for kids who are interested in history.
Serial killers are elusive, as many have a wide area in which they are hunting. When crossing state lines, it can become harder for different districts to connect the dots immediately. As young children were reported missing, no one suspected a serial killer, and it was not until one young lady managed to get away, that the entire case began coming together.
What a story! It was an interesting read, and some twists and turns that I was not expecting. A perfect weekend read!
This was a great overall of the Herod family and the many upheavals that marked their reign. While they held power granted by the Roman government, Herod the Great did much to expand and solidify his rule. His sons and those that followed were not as capable, leaving huge vacuums of power, and inviting revolts.
Highly enjoyed this read, and the fabulous documentation within. It was nice to have reference points to go back to, and mark.
During the excavations in the Valley of the Kings, there were tantalizing clues to the tomb of Tutankhamun, a king who previously was unknown. Additionally, other clues were found, in blocks that had been removed from temples, and reused for other building projects by later pharaohs.
When Howard Carter began digging in the Valley, he was certain that there were tombs that had not been located, and he spend years searching for them. Under the employ of Lord Carnarvon, they began working in the Valley, eventually locating a tomb that was virtually intact.
Throughout this book, Bob Brier takes us on the journey of the attempts to find Tutankhamun, the politics surrounding the opening of the tomb, and the different figures that were prevalent in the clearing of the tomb.
This was a fabulous read, and I was not ready for the book to end! I was hooked, unable to set it down. It was one of those “give me more” reads, that you look forward to. Dr. Brier has again brought a work that leaves you enthralled, waiting to see what is going to happen on the next page. While we are familiar with the many items that were found within the tomb, and the fabulous treasures it contained, there are many items that have never been properly documented, researched, or put out for viewing. There is so much more to this tomb than what we have already seen!
