What's The Difference Between A Serial Killer And A Spree Killer?

Serial killers:

A serial killer is a person who over some period of time murdered at least three people. Some will say at least two. Quite often, it's more than three people. In many cases, the murders took place over a period of months or years. Examples are men like Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer and Henry Lee Lucas. Many times serial killers and their crimes are connected to rapes or sexual fantasies.

Spree Killers:

A spree killer usually murders his victim all within the same day or within a couple of days. Quite often, spree killers are set off by emotional triggers. Around 1997, a man named Andrew Cunanan murdered about five people within a couple of days, traveling from state to state. One of his final victims was a man named Gianni Versace, of the famous Versace family. Andrew Cunanan eventually took his own life in Florida. He's a good example of a spree killer.

Another example would be 19 year old Robert Hawkins of Nebraska. He murdered at least eight people at the Von Maur store in Omaha, Nebrasa in December of 2007, after getting fired from a McDonald's restaurant.

Premeditated Murder:

Premeditated murder is not only taking a life by another human being, but the major element that constitutes or completes the crime is a planned and methodical organization of the crime. In other words, a person is aware of what he is doing, plans the crime, and executes the plan.

Manslaughter:

Manslaughter is murder by another human being as well, but the major element or difference is what many states call " heat of passion". Heat of passion usually means the perpetrator is operating on complete emotion. It means they were incapable of using reason to understand neither the crime nor the repercussions of the penalties. In many instances, manslaughter is committed between people that know one another well.

This author submits professional articles to Ezine Articles. His articles informs citizens about how to handle different situations when confronted by the police. He is a former award winning police officer. Mr. Davis is an authorize speaker to young police recruits in Louisiana. He is also a master in wilderness survival. He studied criminal law at Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In addition, Mr. Davis has been a featured guest on many television shows detailing how to detect rogue police officers as well as a defense against such officers. This author is also working with Authors Stephen Peach, the award winning ex swat officer of California, and Mike Madigan. These two authors have also dedicated their lives to exposing rogue cops. Mr. Davis will be at Barnes and Noble, CitiPlace Ct., in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at a book signing on April 14, 2007, from 1:00pm - 2:00pm. The author is single and resides in Louisiana.

Forensic Dentistry

The field of forensic dentistry involves the evaluation of dental information for the use in identifying human remains and for legal evidence in the justice system. Dental forensics is an important part of crime scene investigations, wars, accidents, disaster situations, and other events including when identification techniques for legal matters are needed. Forensic dentists have two different tasks: to identify the dead by their teeth and to determine who (or what) did the biting when bite marks are found.

DNA found in saliva, blood, or human tissue is unique for each individual. But teeth and bite marks from teeth can identify an individual as well. This is because the arrangement and condition of an individual's teeth are unique, including:


Missing teeth
Height or shape of teeth and roots
Problems with teeth, such as chips or cracks
Restorations of teeth, such as fillings, crowns, bridges, or dentures

Identification Of Human Remains

Identification of people deceased is one of the most important aspects of dental forensics. There is no database of teeth that corresponds with databases of fingerprints or DNA, so dental records are how forensic dentists identify the dead. Forensic dentists often examine x-rays, photographs, dental charts, bleaching trays, and other dental records as part of the investigation.

Forensic dentist were vital to helping with the 9-11 identifications in New York. Also after Hurricane Katrina, forensic dentists worked around the clock identifying victims by electronically comparing digital x-rays, photographs and charts to dental records.

A number of years ago, the sheriff department used my dental x-rays and records of a male patient to identify a deceased man who was decomposed beyond visual identification. Five years prior, I had made a fixed bridge of his upper front six teeth. The x-rays of the bridge provided a positive identification of the body.

Tooth enamel (the outer layer of teeth) is harder than any other substance in the human body, which is why teeth remain long after all other parts have decayed. [Tooth enamel is the second hardest material in nature after diamonds. Dentists use diamond-coated burs to drill through enamel.] Victims of fires are often identified by their teeth, which can withstand temperatures of more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,093 degrees Celsius). Teeth that have been through especially intense heat are very fragile and may shrink, but they can be preserved with lacquer and used for identification as long as they are handled very carefully. Dental work, such as a partial or gold crown, will be distorted by fire but can still aid in identification.

Paul Revere - the First Forensic Dentist

Paul Revere is well known as a famous American during the Revolutionary War. He alerted the American patriots that the Redcoats [British soldiers] were advancing toward Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts with his midnight ride, shouting 'the British are coming'. But Paul Revere was also the first forensic dentist in the United States, identifying fallen revolutionary soldiers. As a dentist and a blacksmith during the 1760s and 1770s, Paul Revere made a bridge out of silver wire and pieces of hippo tusk for his friend, Dr. Joseph Warren, who was another one of the famous "Sons of Liberty." During one of the preliminary battles of the Revolutionary War, Dr. Warren was killed, stripped, and buried at Breed's Hill (near Bunker Hill), outside the Boston area. In 1776, the patriots wanted to give Dr. Warren a hero's burial. Even though Dr. Warren's body had been buried in an unmarked grave, Paul Revere was able to identify the body from the dental bridge he had created. At that moment the science of dental forensics was born.

Bite Marks

Forensic dentist use bite marks on a victim to provide important clues to the victim's assailant. A young lady jogger was killed by a mountain lion while jogging alone in the California foothills. After tracking and killing a mountain lion in the nearby vicinity, forensic dentists were able to identify that it was the culprit by the canine tooth impressions.

If Ted Bundy hadn't been a biter, it's possible he never would have been convicted of his crimes. In January 1978, a manhunt was underway for Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in the history of the United States. Bundy had escaped from custody. On January 15, 1978, he went into the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University. He bludgeoned four students with a club and strangled them. Lisa Levy and Margaret Bowman were killed. Bundy also sexually assaulted Levy and bit her, leaving clear bite marks. Bundy was recaptured in February 1978 and eventually went on trial for the murders that he committed in the Chi Omega house. The bite mark was the only piece of physical evidence that he left at the scene. Investigators took plaster casts of Bundy's teeth, which showed that his teeth were unevenly aligned and that several of them were chipped. A forensic dentist was able to show that these casts matched with photographs of the bite mark from the body of Lisa Levy. This evidence was instrumental in his conviction. If Bundy hadn't bitten Lisa Levy while assaulting her, he may not have been found guilty.

Although popular television shows may make forensic science look easy and fun, it is actually an exacting, focused and demanding discipline. We can thank Paul Revere for starting the field of dental forensics with simple identification and thank dedicated forensic dentists for continuing and improving this important field.

ENJOY LIFE AND KEEP SMILING!

George Malkemus has had a family Rohnert Park dentist office for over 25 years. When looking for a family or cosmetic dentist, research the dentist you are looking to have work on your teeth. Find a dentist with the experience and staff to make your smile look spectacular! Enjoy life and keep on smiling - Dr. George Malkemus.

How to Avoid Being a Victim of a Serial Killer, Rapist, and Kidnapper

Jeffrey Dahmer. Ed Gein. Ted Bundy. "The Killer Clown". "The Zodiac Killer". These names conjure up fear and a shiver up the spine. Fascinating, yet horrible and disturbing. When you read about these guys, the first things that pop up in your head are questions like "why" and "how" did he murder his victims? Then the question comes up of "How do I avoid these kinds of people?".

According to FBI studies, most serial killers and sexual serial killers use some type of vehicle to aide in their attempts to kidnap/murder someone. They also almost always have a "sales pitch". Ted Bundy would wear a cast and ask young women to help him bring books to his car. Jeffrey Dahmer would buy men drinks (which were drugged) and offered to let them sleep at his place. "The Killer Clown" Gacy would offer young people employment, and ask them to meet up at a private location to discuss the job. He also performed shows as a clown to gain peoples trust and get closer to them.

Additional FBI studies show that in almost all cases where a person was forced into a car by a serial killer or kidnapper, they were either severely abused, raped, and more than likely to be killed. This is an important gem of knowledge. This goes to show that compliance isn't always the best way. If you are held up and asked for money by a thief who is armed, often times giving them a few bucks will turn him away. But, in the case of a kidnapper or serial killer, bargaining and complying with his demands will most likely not convince him to let you go. You should only use bargaining as a means of distraction to set-up for an attack and escape.

If you are ever asked to get in the trunk or the car itself by someone who is a stranger, someone who seems very violent, or even if you simply have a bad feeling, it would be in your best interest not to comply. If possible, it is best to turn around and run. If you are being held up by a gun, knife, or simply being physically pushed into the car, you should do whatever is possible to escape. Fighting a rapist, serial-killer, or kidnapper will give you a much better chance of survival than simply agreeing to his demands. In fact, by complying with him, you are doing exactly what he wants you to do! You are making his conquest that much easier. Thieves who break into homes have one thing in common with kidnappers and serial killers, and that would be "time management". If their operation is taking too long, they may very well choose to abort their plans and escape. The longer a criminal takes with his public crime, the greater the chance is that he will be seen or caught.

By fighting for your life, you may cause the criminal to get nervous and flee. In the case of "Tracy Edwards" ( Jeffrey Dahmers last attempted murder victim), Edwards was able to escape because he fought. Dahmer (a kidnaper, man eater, rapist, torturer) lured this man in his house and forced him into his bedroom. Dahmer attempted to handcuff him, but was having trouble because Edwards resisted. Dahmer then left Edwards in his bedroom (which was filled with the smell of rotting corpses) to retrieve a butchers knife. Edwards then punched Dahmer in the face, kicked him in the stomach and ran out of the apartment and flagged down an officer. If Edwards complied and did what his attacker asked of him, he would have been yet another corpse to add to his collection.

So should we always fight attackers if we are in a dangerous situation? Absolutely not! If you are simply being "held up" for a robbery, just comply and give him money or valuables. You should only fight if you have a very strong feeling that if you don't fight, you could die. If you were in a hostage situation, and the terrorist had already killed numerous captives in the room with you, then you have a reason to believe that he may kill you too. So, if he were to approach you, fighting would be a good idea. On the other hand, if you were in a hostage situation (perhaps in a bank), and the terrorist had only made threats, but not killed anyone, then it would be best not to fight and to avoid escalating the situation. When to fight, and when NOT to fight can be tricky. You really have to trust your instincts.

Lets assume that you are being held up with a gun, and the attacker asks you to get into the trunk or passenger seat. Do you really think that he is going to drive you down the street and then let you get out? Why would he let you go when you saw his face? Why would a kidnapper or killer ask you to get in the car with them? Always assess the situation and act on your instinct. Here is another scenario. Lets say you are a young woman who works the night shift. And you are walking to your car, and then you are suddenly held up by knife point. The man says, "walk in that alley over there, and take off all your clothes." At this point, the woman has two options. She can comply or choose not too. If she chooses to comply, she is 99.9% likely to be raped and a high possibility of being killed. Even if she were to beg and plea, the attacker is thankful that the woman complied and made his job easier. Now lets take her other option.

She could also choose not to comply and choose to fight back. There is a good chance the attacker could stab her and she will die anyway. Hopefully, the woman will be able to defend herself, push back the attacker, and make a run for it. If you believe you are going to die anyways, isn't it much more honorable and smarter to go down with a fight? I would think so.

This scenario is very realistic and happens everyday. This scenario also shows why learning some basic self-defense can go a long way. Just by learning some key techniques, you can increase your chance for survival anywhere from 10 to 50%, depending on how much you train, and how you skilled you are at using them. But lets be realistic here. By learning self-defense, whether you increase your chances of survival by 1% or 100%, anything is better than nothing. Learning self-protection techniques doesn't mean you have to become a hardcore martial artist or fighter. Anyone can learn basic survival tactics. And EVERYONE can benefit from these tactics.

Lastly, how can we avoid the situation all together? Here I will comprise a list of tips that will hopefully help out law-abiding citizens to stay safe.

1. Never agree to follow someone to a secluded place or get in the car with someone. I don't care what their excuse is.....DON'T DO IT! If you do choose to help a stranded motorist or someone who asks for assistance, make sure there are a lot of witnesses around, the area is open and well-lit, and if possible grab a friend to accompany you. You always have the right to refuse someone's request. Do not worry about seeming rude or selfish. Your life is more important. On the other hand, you shouldn't be in a constant state of fear and never helping anyone in need. What I am saying is that you should choose who you assist with a careful eye and a healthy skeptical instinct. If you observe and listen to your instinct, you can usually tell when someone is in dyer need or they may have hidden motives.

(Real life example: During my 7th grade year in school, I was walking home one day because I had missed the bus. On the way home, a group of 4 young adults (possibly early high schoolers or late teens) approached me for help. They said that a girl was being raped and they needed help. So, I ran alongside them and they led me to the back side of a church and held me up. They flashed a gun, asked for my money and then they ran. I later learned that one of my classmates had suffered the same fate. He was approached, and the boys had claimed that someone was trying to kill their dog and they needed help saving it. He was also robbed as I was. Eventually the boys were caught by local school officials when they were exposing themselves to female students in public.

This story just goes to show you how common sense and asking yourself questions is the key to survival. When I was approached by the young men, I was asking myself, "why do four guys need help stopping one man?" It didn't seem logical, but I ignored my instinct and paid for it. I learned my lesson as a young man, and have learned many more lessons since then. Learn from my mistake and don't be a victim.)

2. Be skeptical of obsessive chatter. Lets say a guy in a business suit walks up to you and asks for directions for the nearest gas station. Then you gladly assist the man and give him directions. He then replies with a strong "thank you". But, before you can walk off, he starts talking to you about irrelevant things. He starts to chatter about how he ran out of gas, his hopes, dreams, fears, and maybe he even asks you to follow him to a near by establishment to "hang out". This is a clear signal of one or several things. He is either a lame guy trying to pick you up on a date/ or con you into giving him money or he is possibly trying to kidnap and/or possibly commit a violent act against you. If a pedestrian asks for directions, and receives direction from you, he has no right to ask you personal questions about your life, family or any other additional requests. Who does he think he is? He doesn't even know you! If this guy is indeed someone just trying to pick you up on a date, and you choose to give him a chance, exchange numbers and agree to meet up at a VERY public place at a later date. Also have a friend come and pick you up after the date is over, or have someone escort you to your car after the date. Do not go home with someone you barely know.

3. Do not be routine. Lets say everyday you go for a jog down the same road at 12:30 pm sharp seven days a week. And on that street lives a sex offender. He may be looking out of his window everyday at 12:30 checking you out, learning your route, and eventually may become obsessed with you. Then, before you know it, you have a maniac cutting you off around the corner trying to grab you. This scenario may sound extreme but it is quite possible. Criminals like people who walk with no confidence, very predictable, and are oblivious to their surroundings.

4. Always carry a weapon. Whether its pepper spray, mace, a self-defense key chain, a stick, or even a simple ink pen. Be sure to keep them in a place where you can quickly get a hold of them and use it.

5. Try to let people know where and when you are going somewhere and about how long you will be there. If your wife/husband says that they will be gone for 5 minutes and "be right back", but have failed to return after 3 hours of waiting, and they have not responded to many attempts to reach them by cell-phone, there may be a problem. There is a chance however, that maybe they got side-tracked, and lack courtesy in telling you that they went somewhere else, but do not count on it this. It is better to be safe than sorry. Always assume that a small chance of danger may be present. In kidnap cases, the first 24 hours are crucial. Each day afterward significantly lowers the chance of the missing person being found.

6. Scan the area ahead. If you are walking down a street and see a single person or large group of teenagers/men who seem questionable ( rugged appearance, wearing hoods, sagging pants, etc...) take an alternate route. If you do not have time to take another street, and you suddenly stumble upon a person or group of questionable strangers, simply move to the opposite side of the street, walk tall/confident, look straight ahead and avoid eye-contact. Keep your awareness high and ignore any rude remarks they may say. I know it is quite tempting to curse back at a group of people who yell obscene things at you, (believe me, I would love to knock their lights out!), but it will most likely not be worth it in the end.

7. Always carry a cell phone. Common sense. It can be used to call the police or even used as a make-shift weapon.

8. Do not talk on the phone if you are alone, walking, and in a highly populated area. Your awareness will be much lower than normal.

9. Always carry at least one valuable item with you. If you are held up by a mugger and don't have any valuables to offer, he may think you are testing him and being a "smart ass", he may become angered and try to hit you, shoot you, or get more violent. Most thieves just want to quickly obtain a valuable item and get away. Make that happen by having something valuable to quickly give him. Perhaps just by carrying a 10 or 20$ bill with you.

10. Use common sense. Do not walk or hang out in bad areas. Do not hang around people with criminally minded friends, etc. Common sense is the most important of all things. And we often suppress our common sense because we don't want to seem "rude" or we are just too lazy to take alternate routes in life. We would much rather walk through a rough neighborhood to get to our destination 3 minutes faster instead of taking the slightly longer and safer street. You don't have to live a life of paranoia or in fear of constant attack, but it is in your benefit to always have a slight awareness for danger ahead.

There are many tips about being street-safe but these are among some of the most basic ones I can think of. Hopefully they will serve you well. Remember to ALWAYS adhere to these principles and do not be sporadic. Consistency is key!

About the Author: Randy Stroud is based in Nashville Tennessee, and teaches self-defense, seminars and martial arts to the public. He is an outspoken citizen on being open to all ideas, martial arts, personal safety, and improving mental, physical, and spiritual health. For questions, business propositions, or to schedule a class/seminar, he can be contacted at Randyds5@yahoo.com.

"To be an artist, is to simply express one's self."

Ted Bundy - An American Psycho and Famous Serial Killer

He was born in November of 1946 as Theodore Robert Cowell and during his life he used several aliases. Some knew him as Chris Hagen or Richard Burton or even Ken Misner.

When he died in the electric chair in January of 1989, America knew him as Ted Bundy and he was the one of the most famous serial killers of the twentieth century.

Authorities believe his killing spree lasted roughly four year from 1974 to 1978, although Bundy himself said that his first was in 1972. They believe he killed anywhere between 30 and 100 people. He confessed to 30 murders while on death row.

Ted Bundy was born and raised by a single mother, Louise, and the identity of his father is pure speculation. Ted and his mother lived with her parents in Philadelphia for the first four years of his life. Bundy grew up thinking his mother was his sister and his grandparents were his parents. At the age of four Ted and Louise moved to Tacoma Washington and Louise soon married Johnnie Culpepper Bundy.

Bundy was a very good student and active as a youth in the First Methodist Church of Tacoma, Washington. However, he was shy and and not very sociable with others. He received a scholarship out of high school and graduated from the University of Washington.

While in captivity, Bundy told authorities that there was an entity within him that has always been fascinated with sex and violence. All of his victims were white female, middle class. All were bludgeoned and then strangled. Once he got started in Washington state he was killing at a rate of about one per month.

The first known victim was Joni Lenz in January, 1974. She survived the ordeal but brain damage prevented her from being any help in capturing Bundy. In February, Lynda Ann Healy was killed by Bundy. On March 12, 1974, in Olympia, Bundy kidnapped and murdered Donna Gail Manson. A month later, Susan Rancourt disappeared and her disappearance has been attributed to Bundy. In May it was Brenda Ball and in June, Georgeann Hawkins. Finally, Bundy's Washington killing spree concluded on July 14, 1974, with the abduction of both Janice Ott and Denise Naslund.

And then the Washington killings stopped!

Bundy moved to Utah to attend the University of Utah law school and picked up the pace of his murders killing three Salt Lake City women in October of 1974.

In 1975 Bundy killed a few women in and around the ski resort areas of Colorado. He was arrested for suspected burglary and subsequently escaped. Whether he killed during the next two years is not really known but in January and February of 1978 he killed three women in Florida using the same modus operandi and was finally captured for good.

Theodore Robert (Cowell) Bundy was put to death by electric chair at the maximum-security prison near the remote Town of Raiford, Florida on January 24, 1989 and will go down in history as nothing but a famous serial killer.

Kiss Me, Kill Me by Ann Rule - True Crime Book Review

This book has ten true crime stories included. Kiss Me, Kill Me is the longest story with 128 pages and is about a young pregnant mother who gets killed in her home. The other stories "The Postman Only Killed Once", What's Love Got To Do With It? ", "Old Flames Can Burn", The Lonely Hearts Killer", The Captive Bride", "Bad Blind Date", The Highway Accident", You Kill Me...Or I'll Kill You" and "Where Is Julie? " are shorter stories and average about 25 pages each. The common thread in each of these stories and probably why Ann Rule used them all for this crime file is they are all crimes against women and involved a certain element of trust by the victims for the killer.

Suffice to say all Ann Rule books are brilliant. Her ability to take you into the lives of the victim before they get murdered evokes an emotional response as you feel you already know these people by the time they get murdered.

I enjoy the true crime files but feel a little let down by the shorter stories as most of them seem to have the potential to be a full book on their own. Ann Rule has made the comment that she gets asked to write so many books about certain people and criminal acts and really does not have the time to write all of them. The true crime files is her way of writing about as many stories as she can. She mostly chooses stories which are close to her heart as in "Kiss Me, Kill Me" she is a personal friend of the victim's uncle.

I think the True Crime Files are perfect for readers who enjoy true crime stories but do not really like reading big books. In that way Ann Rule has made sure that all her types of readers are satisfied. For me any Ann Rule book is wonderful and I just wish she would write more books. I always wonder when I read a true crime story that I do not enjoy, if Ann Rule would have written it differently and made it a good book. I personally think so. . .

To sum up, I prefer full length stories but I still read the crime files as I will read anything written by Ann Rule.

This is my personal review on Kiss Me, Kill Me written by Ann Rule but I would suggest accessing the opinions of other readers of true crime stories before making an online purchase of a true crime book.

For more information on true crime books, reviews on these books, a wish list and a swop corner for readers of true crime stories come browse though http://truecrimebookreviews.blogspot.com

Partners in Evil by Steve Jackson - A True Crime Book

In April 1997, pretty 22 year old Jacine Gielinksi stopped her car at a Colorado Springs red light. She has no idea that she was being followed and within minutes, Jacine would become the victim of a pair of twisted friends whose obsession with ultra-violent pornography inspired them to abduct, then brutally rape, torture, and mutilate the helpless woman. George Woldt was a fast talking liar and a well dressed ladies man. The deeply religious Salmon could not get a date to save his life. But Salmon worshipped Woldt, and the two of them formed a deadly combination.

I really enjoyed this book. It is excellently written and begins with the life story first and allows you to really know the characters. I have found out that when you feel you really know the people involved that the emotions evoked upon reading further really allows you to enter their world and live with them for as long as you are reading the book. In this book you get to know the victim Jacine and her family and meet a great lady in the form of her Mom and really realise the power of the maternal instinct. Steve Jackson writes really well and you also get to know the monsters and while you are with them you will feel uncomfortable but thank goodness we never have to meet those monsters in real life hopefully.

My passion for true crime books is derived from the fact that I want to know what makes these monsters tick and to prepare me should I ever be in a deadly situation. This book will leave you totally confused because the religious Salmon is not someone I would ever have thought capable of these terrible acts. But what it has taught me is that people who are very easily influenced and appear to lack confidence can be as deadly if they encounter an evil person who uses their influence to instigate evil in people of weak character.

This is a book you cannot put down but also cannot wait to end so that you can put it far away from you. These evil guys were just too much for me. Such senseless crime just because they were bored.

The web is an excellent spot to find out about other true crime stories and the books written about them.

To find out about other true crime books you might be interested in please come browse though http://truecrimebookreviews.blogspot.com

Through the Window by Diane Fanning - A True Crime Book Review

This is the true story of Tommy Lynn Sells, who is considered to be one of the worst serial killers in history.One of his victims, Krystal Surles, a ten year old girl, survived his attack on her and eventually led authorities to the arrest of 35 year old Tommy Lynn Sells. This young victim watched initially as he killed her best friend and then tried to kill her by slashing her wind pipe.

Prepare yourself for a totally surreal experience. I have no idea if the title of the book "Through The Window" is because the killer entered though a window in order to kill the little girl's friend and then try and kill her or because the entire time you are reading this book you get the feeling that you are watching the events unfold through a window.

I consider myself to be quite versed on the happenings of the crime world but I could not believe that I have NEVER heard of this serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells. We have all heard of Jeffrey Dahmer and of course Ted Bundy. Jeffrey Damher and Ted Bundy had a specific modus operandi and "reason behind their madness". Tommy Lynn Sells in my opinion is the ultimate serial killer. He just killed for no rhyme or reason. Completely without emotion even to the final confession. He lived as he saw fit by his own rules with no regard to the consequences and completely and utterly remorseless. This man cannot even be described as an animal as animals have instincts. He has none of the qualities that would classify him as a human or a live breathing being of this earth.

Never mind that I felt I was watching through a window the worst thing is I felt he was watching the events unfold as well standing next to me at the window while his physical body committed the murderous acts. This book is not for the faint hearted. I just want to mention one killing spree so you can make up your mind if you can handle this book.He comes upon a small family. He kills the father. Then the little boy. As he is trying to kill the mother she goes into labour. He stops and watches the child being born.Then he kills the baby and then the mother. All for no other reason other than he could.

This books details all his criminal acts which he confessed to but the idea is there were so many that even he has forgotten about some. Diane Fanning wrote this book so brilliantly that any reader will be sucked into the events and as the book progresses you enter a self preservation mode where your mind numbs to the murderous acts and you are absolutely a zombie at the end of this book. It is a brilliant brilliantly written book for the out of body experience that it offers. I highly recommend this book.

I suggest accessing the web for the opinions of other readers of true crime stories before making the final decision to purchase a book online.

For more information on true crime books, reviews on these books, a wish list and a swop corner for readers of true crime stories come browse through http://truecrimebookreviews.blogspot.com.

The Birth of The American Detective Story

It has been said that the American detective story began sometime in the later nineteenth century. Many critics give credit to an author named Anna Katherine Green for starting this American version of what was already an interest in Europe. Shortly after the budding of what we call the beginning of American detective stories, the realization was that even the first American detective story was influenced in some way by Europe. Whether it was influenced by one of the earlier novels such as Collins, or even by one of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tales, it is uncertain, but it was almost surely derived from Europe. The plots and themes all point to the European influence and rules.

It was later largely realized that the most significant difference between the American version and the English version is the language. The American crime story is much more harsh and blunt. The language that an American crime story entails is various and is much like the blend in our current society whereas the language in a classic English derived crime story is more upper class English and not as corrupt with obscenities or just plain old regular American dialogue. American crime stories blend perfectly the everyday speech that is commonly heard in this vast melting pot of different cultures and heritages

These pulp fiction stories were truly the first real stories that can be called American in almost every sense. The corruption of the social life in America and the prohibition that was ongoing in larger cities spurred a sort of revolution. This disgruntlement had to show its face somewhere and pulp fiction stories became the method of choice for many writers. The Black Mask was one such pulp magazine publication that actually lasted for quite some time before finally being killed off sometime in the nineteen fifties.

Pulp magazine stories gave way to the hard - boiled detective stories around the nineteen twenties. This type of story focused on the tough guy detective. They were stories of gangsters and the like. They were definitely no comparison to Sherlock Holmes, who despite his cleverness, was not perceived as being much of a tough guy.

Book publications of American detective fiction appeared in the late twenties and the early thirties made this action more popular among writers and publishers alike. Even though these stories that were made into books had most likely already appeared in pulp magazine publications somewhere along the line, the writer had to be one of the best available. It was not common to allow someone who was not one of the best in the field to be published, therefore, only the top pulp writers were offered such a special achievement. Others were simply not good enough, by publishing quality standards, to spend the time and money on.

Books opened the door to television and the detective program was born. This type of show offered a short story that was acted out on live television. Most of these were badly acted and had poor characters but they were able to evolve over the years into something much more desirable to watch. With some of the current crop being actually quite good.

Chris Haycock is an information publisher, and a real fanatic about early detective fiction. Having amassed a large collection of early detective/mystery novels. A particular favourite is Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. For more information, and details of an offer not to be missed why not go now to http://www.sherlockandwatson.com

Why People Love Crime Series

It seems that all television offers today is reality TV and crime series, but what is the reason for this? Both are extremely popular and have an incredibly large fan base, but what is the real appeal of these sorts of shows? When it comes to crime series in particular, there are a few different reasons believed to explain their overall popularity.

Why We Love Them

Crime series such as Crime Story and Wiseguy have reached heights of incredible popularity, and there are several reasons thought to be behind this. The most major is that people are interested in general by crime and how crimes are solved, and so shows such as CSI, for instance, which give us a detailed account of the steps that are taken to catch the bad guys really get our interest.

Not only that but they also include the audience as a part of the show, as throughout the duration of the show there are various hints and clues which are given that the audience can attempt to use themselves in order to piece the puzzle together.

Controversy

Although crime series are generally loved by all, there has been some controversy surrounding them, especially recently. For one there has been much debate on whether or not these crime series are playing a role in the increased rate of violence in the real world. It is thought by some experts that because more people are watching violence and crime in these sorts of shows that they are carrying this violence into their own life.

Research on the effects of not only violence in television but in the media in general has been conducted extensively over the past few years in particular, and whether or not exposure to media violence causes increased levels of aggression and violence in young people is really the question of media effects research these days.

Some researchers believe that it is the psychological effects of media violence that end up causing this aggressive type of behavior, while others focus on the ways in which media violence primes or cues pre-existing aggressive thoughts and thus could really not be avoided. There have been various studies and cases conducted on this issue, and yet even with all this controversy surrounding them, crime and other violent programs continue to be incredibly popular worldwide.

This issue is definitely one which should continue to be researched, because if by reducing the violence and crime shown in media we can decrease the amount of violence and crime in the real world, then there is obviously a real goal to work towards here.

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