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Hit List: An In-Depth Investigation into the Mysterious Deaths of Witnesses to the JFK Assassination
Richard Belzer and David Wayne are back to set the record straight after Dead Wrong; this time they’re going to uncover the truth about the many witness deaths tied to the JFK assassination. For decades, government pundits have dismissed these “coincidental” deaths, even regarding them as “myths” as “urban legends.”
Like most people, Richard and David were initially unsure about what to make of these ‘coincidences’. After all, events don’t “consult the odds” prior to happening; they simply happen. Then someone comes along later and figures out what the odds of it happening were. Some of the deaths seemed purely coincidental; heart attacks, hunting accidents. Others clearly seemed noteworthy; witnesses who did seem to know something and did seem to die mysteriously.
Hit List is a fair examination of the evidence of each case, leading to (necessarily) different conclusions. The findings were absolutely staggering; as some cases were clearly linked to a “clean-up operation” after the murder of President Kennedy, while others were the result of ‘other forces’. The impeccable research and writing of Richard Belzer and David Wayne show that if the government is trying to hide anything, they’re the duo who will uncover it.
100 b/w photographs
Like most people, Richard and David were initially unsure about what to make of these ‘coincidences’. After all, events don’t “consult the odds” prior to happening; they simply happen. Then someone comes along later and figures out what the odds of it happening were. Some of the deaths seemed purely coincidental; heart attacks, hunting accidents. Others clearly seemed noteworthy; witnesses who did seem to know something and did seem to die mysteriously.
Hit List is a fair examination of the evidence of each case, leading to (necessarily) different conclusions. The findings were absolutely staggering; as some cases were clearly linked to a “clean-up operation” after the murder of President Kennedy, while others were the result of ‘other forces’. The impeccable research and writing of Richard Belzer and David Wayne show that if the government is trying to hide anything, they’re the duo who will uncover it.
100 b/w photographs
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2013
391 people are currently reading
1107 people want to read
About the author
Richard Belzer
18 books68 followersRichard Jay Belzer was an actor, a stand-up comedian, and author. He is best known for his role as Detective John Munch on Homicide: Life on the Street and Law and Order: SVU.
Belzer authored four books, the last two of which were a crime fiction series co-written with Michael Black that featured Belzer as the mystery-solving protagonist. I’m Not a Cop, the first of the two, was published in 2008, followed by the sequel, I’m Not a Psychic, in 2009. Belzer penned UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe in 2000, and co-authored How to Be a Standup Comic in 1988 with “Borat” director and writer, Larry Charles, and Catch a Rising Star owner Rick Newman.
Belzer authored four books, the last two of which were a crime fiction series co-written with Michael Black that featured Belzer as the mystery-solving protagonist. I’m Not a Cop, the first of the two, was published in 2008, followed by the sequel, I’m Not a Psychic, in 2009. Belzer penned UFOs, JFK and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe in 2000, and co-authored How to Be a Standup Comic in 1988 with “Borat” director and writer, Larry Charles, and Catch a Rising Star owner Rick Newman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
October 24, 2013
It's hard to tell how much credence one can assign to a book that claims that a large number of people who had inside knowledge of a particular historical event died early under suspicious circumstances. After all, everyone associated with the assassination of Lincoln is now dead, and some of them prematurely and forcefully. It is only natural that with the passing of time everyone associated with Kennedy's demise will go the way of the dodo as well. Having said that, let me now declare that if only half of the details presented as fact in this book can be borne out, one can only conclude that some very sinister forces conspired to do away with a popular president and then commenced to tidy up loose ends by way of a series of murders.
Belzer and Wayne present some convincing arguments to support their conspiracy theories. The book was interesting enough, but presented in a familiar,conversational (almost hectoring) point form style which had a tendency to become repetitive. They are trying to impart a lot of information here, so they provide what essentially is a condensed version of events with reference to source materials in the footnotes. This tends to break the flow of thought from the text. I would have preferred a thicker book with a fleshed-out narrative and less reliance on the footnotes.
Even allowing for the inevitable witness deaths resulting from natural causes, the authors make a very strong case for the existence of a group of conspirators being involved in the JFK assassination. They seem to be warning anyone who will listen that the USA is in danger of becoming a neo-fascist state run by the military-industrial complex. If you read the book with an open mind, it will be hard for you to escape the same conclusion.
Belzer and Wayne present some convincing arguments to support their conspiracy theories. The book was interesting enough, but presented in a familiar,conversational (almost hectoring) point form style which had a tendency to become repetitive. They are trying to impart a lot of information here, so they provide what essentially is a condensed version of events with reference to source materials in the footnotes. This tends to break the flow of thought from the text. I would have preferred a thicker book with a fleshed-out narrative and less reliance on the footnotes.
Even allowing for the inevitable witness deaths resulting from natural causes, the authors make a very strong case for the existence of a group of conspirators being involved in the JFK assassination. They seem to be warning anyone who will listen that the USA is in danger of becoming a neo-fascist state run by the military-industrial complex. If you read the book with an open mind, it will be hard for you to escape the same conclusion.
March 2, 2015
Years ago, in what was probably the first Kennedy assassination book that I ever read, They've Killed the President, I remember being freaked out by one chapter devoted to "Strange Deaths." Hangings, shootings, convenient illnesses, and one karate chop to the neck of reporter stepping out of a shower. Belzer has taken that list, and expanded the histories of these various deaths. Many of them are just as disturbing as they first appeared to me many years ago. There are probably a third of these you can dispense with because they are just too far removed from the Kennedy assassination to be credible. But even then, you do notice an incredible cluster of deaths in 1964, the year following the assassination. Especially so for anyone having contact with Jack Ruby and his club (where, supposedly, Oswald and officer J.D. Tippet hung out). And Tippet is, appropriately, the first strange death of the book. The timeline for his death doesn't fit Oswald's movements, Tippet was patrolling well beyond his patrol area, and "Oswald," after the shooting, conveniently left his wallet at the scene -- with an alias ID. The other Oswald, the real one, would have his wallet on him when captured. Such a rabbit hole to fall down!
I thought about giving this one an extra "guilty pleasure" star due to its cheesy tabloid packaging and gossipy style, but in the end I just felt there were too many names on Belzer's list, and that the extra baggage took away from the truly creepy real ones. I still recommend the book, but just quickly skip the padding.
I thought about giving this one an extra "guilty pleasure" star due to its cheesy tabloid packaging and gossipy style, but in the end I just felt there were too many names on Belzer's list, and that the extra baggage took away from the truly creepy real ones. I still recommend the book, but just quickly skip the padding.
June 18, 2013
Did the mob kill JFK? Did the CIA ask the mob to do it? Was it the Russians? You won't get the answer to any of these questions after reading "Hit List" but you'll see a pattern of deception, cover-up, and audacity; the likes of which we've never seen in world history.
You'll walk away knowing that Oswald couldn't have done it alone. My jaw was open through most of this book because the evidence for a conspiracy is so overwhelming. How do dozens of key witnesses to JFK's assassination suddenly wind up dead just days before they're set to testify in front of Congress? Authorities would have you believe it was suicide as in the case of one mob boss would who tied weights to himself then jumped off a bridge and THEN shot himself. Suicide?
If you're fascinated by the JFK assassination then you're going to love this book.
You'll walk away knowing that Oswald couldn't have done it alone. My jaw was open through most of this book because the evidence for a conspiracy is so overwhelming. How do dozens of key witnesses to JFK's assassination suddenly wind up dead just days before they're set to testify in front of Congress? Authorities would have you believe it was suicide as in the case of one mob boss would who tied weights to himself then jumped off a bridge and THEN shot himself. Suicide?
If you're fascinated by the JFK assassination then you're going to love this book.
November 13, 2019
This is a readable reference book documenting the untimely deaths of people with knowledge, or peripheral knowledge, of the JFK assignation. Involvement can be as thick as Lee Harvey Oswald’s or as tentative as the only two reporters to have visited Ruby’s apartment on the day of Oswald’s shooting who were dead within a year. (One was killed in the Long Beach Police Station by an officer playing with his gun and the other by a burglar.)
The authors note the already high proportionate number of witness deaths rises before an upcoming trial or committee hearing. Jack Ruby, himself died as his trial venue changed from Dallas to where he would be able to talk more freely. There is a whole chapter devoted to the 6 top FBI officials who died within a 6 month period prior to their scheduled testimony. Not even Sam Giancana, or his hit man, Chuck Nocoletti, both murdered before their scheduled to testimony before the House Committee on Assassinations, escaped.
There are other profiles of suspicious deaths of members of anti-Castro groups and cold warriors that may have bearing. The strangest of these was singer Jim Reeves, and the most peripheral Dr. Mary Sherman. The high profile “suicides” of Dorothy Kilgallen and the daughter of Irv Kupcinet served to put a chill on the press. Mary Pinchot Meyer had to be taken out for many reasons, and if we believe. E. Howard Hunt’s deathbed testimony, one reason could be that she had intuitive knowledge of her ex-husband’s deep involvement of the Dallas operation.
There is information on Lyndon Johnson’s decisions on security in Dallas, the secret cancer lab in New Orleans, and quite a bit of documentation that Oswald and Ruby were long time associates. 14 bullets were fired at Bobby Kennedy and Sirhan’s gun had only 8. J. Edgar Hoover was not immune from the cover up dragnet.
It’s about time someone has put this together and for this I give the book 5 stars. Technically, though, it is a 3 star book. The text does not flow. There are repeated sentences. Not all pronouns have clear antecedents and some people are referenced before they are introduced. The bullet layout is helpful, but the black print on the gray squares is murder on the eyes.
I note that 1) both authors live outside the US 2) the book is published by a small press and 3) it has not been widely reviewed This says to me that, after all these years, this is still a dangerous subject.
It is now time for a book like this on the members of the Warren Commission.
The authors note the already high proportionate number of witness deaths rises before an upcoming trial or committee hearing. Jack Ruby, himself died as his trial venue changed from Dallas to where he would be able to talk more freely. There is a whole chapter devoted to the 6 top FBI officials who died within a 6 month period prior to their scheduled testimony. Not even Sam Giancana, or his hit man, Chuck Nocoletti, both murdered before their scheduled to testimony before the House Committee on Assassinations, escaped.
There are other profiles of suspicious deaths of members of anti-Castro groups and cold warriors that may have bearing. The strangest of these was singer Jim Reeves, and the most peripheral Dr. Mary Sherman. The high profile “suicides” of Dorothy Kilgallen and the daughter of Irv Kupcinet served to put a chill on the press. Mary Pinchot Meyer had to be taken out for many reasons, and if we believe. E. Howard Hunt’s deathbed testimony, one reason could be that she had intuitive knowledge of her ex-husband’s deep involvement of the Dallas operation.
There is information on Lyndon Johnson’s decisions on security in Dallas, the secret cancer lab in New Orleans, and quite a bit of documentation that Oswald and Ruby were long time associates. 14 bullets were fired at Bobby Kennedy and Sirhan’s gun had only 8. J. Edgar Hoover was not immune from the cover up dragnet.
It’s about time someone has put this together and for this I give the book 5 stars. Technically, though, it is a 3 star book. The text does not flow. There are repeated sentences. Not all pronouns have clear antecedents and some people are referenced before they are introduced. The bullet layout is helpful, but the black print on the gray squares is murder on the eyes.
I note that 1) both authors live outside the US 2) the book is published by a small press and 3) it has not been widely reviewed This says to me that, after all these years, this is still a dangerous subject.
It is now time for a book like this on the members of the Warren Commission.
March 11, 2014
Very intriguing topic, terrible book. It read like a middle schoolers diary "So it's all too coincidental...," "clearly," "my, my, my..." Most chapters were written like a set of cliffs notes with some bullet points, small body of text (what I suppose the author thinks is analysis), ending with a repetitive conclusions/recap section. I had high hopes for the book after reading a few books on the Kennedy assassination. Anyone using the word "clearly" as much as Belzer, simply hasn't proved the point he's trying to illustrate. I know this review is harsh, but I truly wanted to like the book. So much so that I purchased it from ibooks when historically I'm a big fan of the library. Fortunately, the author references a number of other excellent books on the assassination so it was not a total waste.
November 8, 2023
Each section reads like a scrapbook or an encyclopedia entry, so there is lots of repetition. Not recommended to attempt to read straight through, but to dip into for an introduction to one of the topics.
In desperate need of an editor. For example, one whole section refers to "rouge" elements here and "rogue" elements there. Who are these rouge elements and what makes rosy cheeks so dangerous?
However, while surveying the list of people who have been silenced, I had a bit of an epiphany. It now seems clear who killed JFK: a combination of CIA/anti-Castro elements (who were top secret at the time) and their Mafia enablers/assassins. Of course, who exactly was pulling the strings is still a matter of debate.
And Oswald? Yeah, he was the patsy. Supposed to have been killed during his arrest. But wasn't, so Jack Ruby had to take one for the team.
In desperate need of an editor. For example, one whole section refers to "rouge" elements here and "rogue" elements there. Who are these rouge elements and what makes rosy cheeks so dangerous?
However, while surveying the list of people who have been silenced, I had a bit of an epiphany. It now seems clear who killed JFK: a combination of CIA/anti-Castro elements (who were top secret at the time) and their Mafia enablers/assassins. Of course, who exactly was pulling the strings is still a matter of debate.
And Oswald? Yeah, he was the patsy. Supposed to have been killed during his arrest. But wasn't, so Jack Ruby had to take one for the team.
February 24, 2014
Whatever people may say about my being well-connected and having access to a lot of odd information, I would like to state categorically that I know nothing at all about the JFK assassination.
June 30, 2013
As the authors write in their Conclusion, "Even veteran investigators in the JFK research community have been reticent and leery about the claims of too many convenient or coincidental deaths." Not me! It's Murder Incorporated. 'Hit List' from Belzer and Wayne is a 2013 publication containing fifty cases into mysterious deaths of witnesses to the JFK assassination.
Most of these cases I am quite familiar with and firmly believe that the official explanations are simply untrue. A cover-up under the guise of 'national security'.
Although each case is a brief overview, the book as a whole is quite detailed and well researched. The Notes that are inserted into the text provide many pointers for further reading. I only found a couple of very minor errors in the information given. Perhaps my only real criticism is that many parts of the text are often repeated in each chapter.
So, on the whole, 'Hit List' should provide interest to the casual reader, as well as the seasoned researcher. I did learn of quite a few intriguing mysteries, not least concerning the country singer Jim Reeves which was completely new to me. Like any 'Top 50' list, we can all question why such and such was not included. Mine is JFK Jr., or Roger Craig. As they say...the list goes on.
Most of these cases I am quite familiar with and firmly believe that the official explanations are simply untrue. A cover-up under the guise of 'national security'.
Although each case is a brief overview, the book as a whole is quite detailed and well researched. The Notes that are inserted into the text provide many pointers for further reading. I only found a couple of very minor errors in the information given. Perhaps my only real criticism is that many parts of the text are often repeated in each chapter.
So, on the whole, 'Hit List' should provide interest to the casual reader, as well as the seasoned researcher. I did learn of quite a few intriguing mysteries, not least concerning the country singer Jim Reeves which was completely new to me. Like any 'Top 50' list, we can all question why such and such was not included. Mine is JFK Jr., or Roger Craig. As they say...the list goes on.
January 16, 2019
This book reviews the deaths of fifty persons apparently connected to the assassination of JFK on a case by case basis. The authors conclude that some are, and some aren't, so connected; that some deaths were as officially reported, that others weren't. The dead range from politicians (JFK, RFK, Carlos Socarras etc.), to Mobsters (Giancana, Roselli, Hoffa etc.), to principals (Oswald, Tippit, Ruby, Mohrenschildt etc.), to a miscellany of bureaucrats, journalists, spooks, soldiers and ordinary folk who may have known too much to please the conspirators. These conspirators themselves appear, in the authors' view, to be the common combination of right wingers, mobsters, rogue spies and Cubans, with LBJ rather mysteriously hovering in the background.
The arrangement of this book is reminiscent of a magazine--or reference book intended for youngsters--made up of short articles, divided into subsections. There's a lot of repetition. Unlike a magazine, there are a lot (865) of footnotes, many of them referring to websites. This is objectionable in my view in that websites come and go as printed sources do not. Although some such reference may be unavoidable, printed sources should be given priority.
The arrangement of this book is reminiscent of a magazine--or reference book intended for youngsters--made up of short articles, divided into subsections. There's a lot of repetition. Unlike a magazine, there are a lot (865) of footnotes, many of them referring to websites. This is objectionable in my view in that websites come and go as printed sources do not. Although some such reference may be unavoidable, printed sources should be given priority.
May 14, 2023
The premise of this book is interesting for anyone who has followed the JFK Assassination. It details the mysterious and unexplained deaths of seeming innocent bystanders or loosely associated people who knew either Kennedy, Ruby or Oswald.
I definitely gives you something to think on. However this book, which I purchased for <$2 on sale is horribly formatted for Kindle. There are spelling, editing errors and two separate chapters are all titled Lieutenant Commander William B Pitzer but one is Gary Powers and the other is Robert F Kennedy while Lieutenant Commander William B Pitzer isn't given a chapter.
as that the book was published in 2013 I can't believe that this is an uploading error.
I definitely gives you something to think on. However this book, which I purchased for <$2 on sale is horribly formatted for Kindle. There are spelling, editing errors and two separate chapters are all titled Lieutenant Commander William B Pitzer but one is Gary Powers and the other is Robert F Kennedy while Lieutenant Commander William B Pitzer isn't given a chapter.
as that the book was published in 2013 I can't believe that this is an uploading error.
December 2, 2020
The good:
- a chronological list of (a few of) the mysterious murders, probable murders, likely murders, suicides and the occasional innocent death of those with knowledge of parts of the inside story of the deep state's (let's say) assasination of JFK.
- really fills in some background for those with already some knowledge of this crime. If you are one of the one-in-a-thousand who know who J. D. Tippets was, this book is for you.
- very disciplined, very fair.
- opens up some new (to me) avenues. While anyone worth talking to can already discuss the long term relationship between Jack Rubenstien and Lee Oswald, this book talks about them (most likely) working on the same medical research project. Yup.
The bad:
- repeating the same text, the same info, verbatium, over and over. Very weird. I think that the authors want to make each segment complete in itself, so info related to two or three items gets repeated - in full - two or three times.
- possibly could do with at least one other organising system beyond chronology. For example, the allocation of people and their deaths into CIA, Mafia, non-mafia underworld, and political is not done.
Would have been 5-stars, minus one for the very annoying repeats.
- a chronological list of (a few of) the mysterious murders, probable murders, likely murders, suicides and the occasional innocent death of those with knowledge of parts of the inside story of the deep state's (let's say) assasination of JFK.
- really fills in some background for those with already some knowledge of this crime. If you are one of the one-in-a-thousand who know who J. D. Tippets was, this book is for you.
- very disciplined, very fair.
- opens up some new (to me) avenues. While anyone worth talking to can already discuss the long term relationship between Jack Rubenstien and Lee Oswald, this book talks about them (most likely) working on the same medical research project. Yup.
The bad:
- repeating the same text, the same info, verbatium, over and over. Very weird. I think that the authors want to make each segment complete in itself, so info related to two or three items gets repeated - in full - two or three times.
- possibly could do with at least one other organising system beyond chronology. For example, the allocation of people and their deaths into CIA, Mafia, non-mafia underworld, and political is not done.
Would have been 5-stars, minus one for the very annoying repeats.
February 25, 2015
This book is very uneven. It is basically a discussion of the (sometimes) mysterious deaths that surrounded individuals close to the Kennedy Assassination. Basically, the authors contend that there was indeed a conspiracy and that those who knew something had to be silenced.
The mixed up concoction of theories and points of view never seem to gel. Was Oswald trying to save the president? Was he really working for the Mob. The Russians. Cuba. Lyndon Baines Johnson. The authors put forward all of these notions to varying degrees. Some of the explanations for the deaths support one theory over another. None of it is really clear.
Sometimes there proof is simply an assertion of a statement they have labeled as fact. This is often a trait in other's work that they label as shoddy.
Now, having said all of this...there does seem to be something here. If you sift the wheat here, you end up with enough product to bake some bread. It stretches all ideas of logic to think that none of the chronicled deaths are connected.
Another issue I take with this is that they have included deaths that they openly state are not involved. This seems disingenuous.
I would like to see more of this material handled in a more academic manner with less of an axe to grind.
The mixed up concoction of theories and points of view never seem to gel. Was Oswald trying to save the president? Was he really working for the Mob. The Russians. Cuba. Lyndon Baines Johnson. The authors put forward all of these notions to varying degrees. Some of the explanations for the deaths support one theory over another. None of it is really clear.
Sometimes there proof is simply an assertion of a statement they have labeled as fact. This is often a trait in other's work that they label as shoddy.
Now, having said all of this...there does seem to be something here. If you sift the wheat here, you end up with enough product to bake some bread. It stretches all ideas of logic to think that none of the chronicled deaths are connected.
Another issue I take with this is that they have included deaths that they openly state are not involved. This seems disingenuous.
I would like to see more of this material handled in a more academic manner with less of an axe to grind.
June 29, 2025
This is really an encyclopedia of sorts—an extensive list of individuals connected to the JFK assassination who later died under suspicious circumstances. It’s not necessarily meant to be read cover to cover (though I did), and perhaps it’s better suited for dipping into as a reference work.
The content remains largely at surface level. Few entries delve deep into the evidence or context behind each case. That said, the sheer number of deaths outlined is staggering and hard to ignore. Unfortunately, the book is marred by serious flaws. The writing is repetitive, even sloppy at times, and reads more like the work of an amateur than a seasoned investigator. This lack of polish undermines the book’s credibility, which is particularly damaging when dealing with such a controversial and historically sensitive topic. Those already skeptical of conspiracy theories may find it easy to dismiss the book outright, which is a shame, because the questions it raises are valid and worth exploring.
Hit List succeeded in one key area: it piqued my curiosity. I came away with a list of names and stories I had never encountered before—many of which warrant further investigation. For that reason alone, I give it three stars. It’s a flawed resource, but an intriguing one. Just be prepared to do your own follow-up research.
The content remains largely at surface level. Few entries delve deep into the evidence or context behind each case. That said, the sheer number of deaths outlined is staggering and hard to ignore. Unfortunately, the book is marred by serious flaws. The writing is repetitive, even sloppy at times, and reads more like the work of an amateur than a seasoned investigator. This lack of polish undermines the book’s credibility, which is particularly damaging when dealing with such a controversial and historically sensitive topic. Those already skeptical of conspiracy theories may find it easy to dismiss the book outright, which is a shame, because the questions it raises are valid and worth exploring.
Hit List succeeded in one key area: it piqued my curiosity. I came away with a list of names and stories I had never encountered before—many of which warrant further investigation. For that reason alone, I give it three stars. It’s a flawed resource, but an intriguing one. Just be prepared to do your own follow-up research.
November 16, 2024
Jim Garrison (in the 1960s!!) - "[w]e in America are in great danger of slowly evolving into a proto-fascist state. It will be a different kind of fascist state from the one of the Germans evolved; theirs grew out of depression and promised bread and work, while ours, curiously enough, seems to be emerging from prosperity... it's based on power and on the inability to put human goals and human conscience above the dictates of the state... we've seen the creation of an arrogant, swollen bureaucratic complex totally unfettered by the checks and balances of the Constitution...
[A] new Orwellian world where the citizen exists for the state and where raw power justifies any and every immoral act... I've come to realize that in Washington, deceiving and manipulating the public are viewed by some as the natural prerogatives of office."
[A] new Orwellian world where the citizen exists for the state and where raw power justifies any and every immoral act... I've come to realize that in Washington, deceiving and manipulating the public are viewed by some as the natural prerogatives of office."
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January 27, 2024Oh the Belz....
September 19, 2019
This book is one of the best I’ve read on the Kennedy assassination. Well done. Everything in order as it happened. Brought back many memories . Kudos Richard !!!!
May 25, 2017
Excellent!
March 17, 2018
I read this book because it dealt with an aspect of a tragic and momentous event of my childhood (the assassination of President John F. Kennedy) that I had read little about. Specifically, it dealt with the extremely high number of witnesses and other persons of interest to the assassination and its investigation who died mysteriously in the years immediately following that event. Unfortunately, the book's format and writing style detracted greatly from the book's message and coherence and resulted in a great amount of redundancy. Additionally, although the book was heavily footnoted, most of the footnotes referred to secondary sources. Unfortunately, the result is that the book is less than convincing in its arguments.
August 11, 2013
Learned a lot.. they reached some interesting conclusions... sometimes their logic was a little off .. ie, this individual was so stable, so he Couldn't kill himself. Or the crazy coroner who broke corpses necks would not have broken the one in the book because she was so famous (ummm... diagnose an already crazy person??). Everyone knows people are unpredictable, so these are not solid conclusions. However, most of that was kept to a minimum and a lot of weird patterns came out. Now I want to read a book about LBJ!!!
May 6, 2014
one of the worse books I have ever read! It is one of the few books I refuse to finish. I admit going into to it with trepidation but when the author can't even keep the facts straight I am done. Don't tell me someone died at 2 am and the tell me 3 pages later they were on the phone and fine at 2:20
April 23, 2013
They have investigated the deaths of numerous people, somehow attached to the Kennedy Assassination. The theory they expouse in the chapter on Karyn Kupcinet, actress and daughter of Irv Kupcinet of Chicago, is my theory and I am acknowledged in the book. Kathleen Collins
August 27, 2019
This is a fascinating, if slightly chaotic, read on the aftermath of the JFK assassination. The book documents a cluster of deaths of key figures and alleged witnesses to the assassination and how they suddenly started dying of alleged accidents, illness and apparent suicide.
The clear conclusion from the book (and this is something I had suspected previously) is that the President was killed by the Mob who wanted to get to the Kennedy family, primarily Bobby who was tireless in his role as Attorney General in cracking down on Mob activities. There's also an element of anti-Castro forces, which is where Oswald comes in. He comes across as a patsy, having been framed for the killing and also that of the murder of a police officer on the same day. The evidence here is compelling.
It's easy to say that conspiracists make too much of random events that fit the narrative (and I am generally sceptical) but the sheer number of unexplained deaths and their obvious convenience make you think there is something to the conspiracy claims.
The extent of cover up that seems to have taken place is extraordinary. For example, one victim (a senior CIA officer) was found at the bottom of the ocean with a bullet in his head and weights tied around him. The official verdict was suicide, the explanation being that he tied the weights around himself, jumped off a boat and shot himself in the head in mid-air. Hmm.
There is also the mathematic improbability of 6 key witnesses dying in a 6 month period before they were to give evidence to a senate committee on assassinations in the 1970s. They were FBI experts in forensics and other areas of specialisation and they all died in "accidents" or just suddenly.
It's definitely worth a read if you have any interest in this subject, even though the writing has a tabloid style, with lots of sentences like "get a load of this one, folks" and "you're never gonna believe this" and several mentions of "something rotten in Denmark". If you can tolerate this slightly "icky" writing method, it is certainly food for thought.
The clear conclusion from the book (and this is something I had suspected previously) is that the President was killed by the Mob who wanted to get to the Kennedy family, primarily Bobby who was tireless in his role as Attorney General in cracking down on Mob activities. There's also an element of anti-Castro forces, which is where Oswald comes in. He comes across as a patsy, having been framed for the killing and also that of the murder of a police officer on the same day. The evidence here is compelling.
It's easy to say that conspiracists make too much of random events that fit the narrative (and I am generally sceptical) but the sheer number of unexplained deaths and their obvious convenience make you think there is something to the conspiracy claims.
The extent of cover up that seems to have taken place is extraordinary. For example, one victim (a senior CIA officer) was found at the bottom of the ocean with a bullet in his head and weights tied around him. The official verdict was suicide, the explanation being that he tied the weights around himself, jumped off a boat and shot himself in the head in mid-air. Hmm.
There is also the mathematic improbability of 6 key witnesses dying in a 6 month period before they were to give evidence to a senate committee on assassinations in the 1970s. They were FBI experts in forensics and other areas of specialisation and they all died in "accidents" or just suddenly.
It's definitely worth a read if you have any interest in this subject, even though the writing has a tabloid style, with lots of sentences like "get a load of this one, folks" and "you're never gonna believe this" and several mentions of "something rotten in Denmark". If you can tolerate this slightly "icky" writing method, it is certainly food for thought.
February 17, 2020
Hit List by Richard Belzer (of Law & Order fame) is a book about an important subject, namely the mysterious deaths of many people directly or indirectly involved in the JFK assassination. If you know your history, you have heard of many of these people. However, there are many you have likely never heard of as well. The odds of so many people connected to one event in history meeting untimely and unnatural deaths are astronomically high, so much so that it boggles the mind. The authors admit that some of the deaths, while odd, were probably not related to the JFK assassination. But there is evidence that many others were related. The details are chilling and really unbelievably sinister.
It is a really interesting book. However, the style of writing is unorganized, very informal (in a sort of sensationalized way), and the logic in some places is flawed. The various fonts, use of bold and italics, and shaded pages is just plain odd and doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose other than trying to further sensationalize the topic. To me, this way of sort of artificially drawing attention to the shocking facts of these cases actually works against the book, and takes away from the otherwise powerful message.
Many of the facts are out there about the JFK assassination, the aftermath, and how many people were silenced because of what they knew. It is a shocking crime and the cover up is probably even more shocking. I don't know what lessons we have learned since then, if anything it seems we haven't learned at all. Those that work to counter the forces of money and power in the USA are up against massive forces that will stop at nothing to hold onto that power.
It is a really interesting book. However, the style of writing is unorganized, very informal (in a sort of sensationalized way), and the logic in some places is flawed. The various fonts, use of bold and italics, and shaded pages is just plain odd and doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose other than trying to further sensationalize the topic. To me, this way of sort of artificially drawing attention to the shocking facts of these cases actually works against the book, and takes away from the otherwise powerful message.
Many of the facts are out there about the JFK assassination, the aftermath, and how many people were silenced because of what they knew. It is a shocking crime and the cover up is probably even more shocking. I don't know what lessons we have learned since then, if anything it seems we haven't learned at all. Those that work to counter the forces of money and power in the USA are up against massive forces that will stop at nothing to hold onto that power.
May 2, 2019
Richard Belzer and David Wayne investigate the tremendous amount of “coincidental” deaths of people tied to the JFK assassination.
After providing an overview of the entire argument, a separate chapter is then devoted to each person’s death. After each overview, a timeline is presented. A conclusion is then presented and then evidentiary evidence. I was impressed by the evidence cited after each chapter. Sometimes it became a bit over-the-top with the gossipy style and the comments after examples that represented a “There! See?!? We are right. That supports the argument.”
I did find the subject interesting, and a lot of research was done on the deaths. There were connections that I never knew about. For example, we find out that Officer J.D. Tippit regularly hung out at the nightclub owned by Jack Ruby and may have known Lee Harvey Oswald. (I went back to cite what page that was on, and then I couldn’t find it. After reading the book, I felt paranoid and wondered if that part was eliminated. ) At the end of the book there is a nice case-by-case summary of the fifty deaths that were reviewed in the book. This was a very interesting book, and it gives one lots of things to think about.
After providing an overview of the entire argument, a separate chapter is then devoted to each person’s death. After each overview, a timeline is presented. A conclusion is then presented and then evidentiary evidence. I was impressed by the evidence cited after each chapter. Sometimes it became a bit over-the-top with the gossipy style and the comments after examples that represented a “There! See?!? We are right. That supports the argument.”
I did find the subject interesting, and a lot of research was done on the deaths. There were connections that I never knew about. For example, we find out that Officer J.D. Tippit regularly hung out at the nightclub owned by Jack Ruby and may have known Lee Harvey Oswald. (I went back to cite what page that was on, and then I couldn’t find it. After reading the book, I felt paranoid and wondered if that part was eliminated. ) At the end of the book there is a nice case-by-case summary of the fifty deaths that were reviewed in the book. This was a very interesting book, and it gives one lots of things to think about.
March 30, 2020
I went into this book with an open mind. I read The Road to Dallas earlier this year, so some of the names and ideas were familiar to me. Which helped because the JFK conspiracy world is chock full of names and different organizations. One of the best aspects of this book was that it inspired me to research different deaths that were covered. Mainly because I don’t believe the authors addressed all or most of the most relevant questions. Without all the knowledge available, it’s difficult to decide if the victims’ deaths were related to JFK.
I also found the style of writing to be very repetitive. I understand that it was written to a layman or someone new to the investigation but the style of writing became tedious. The authors also relied on second sources and forum posts to footnote. And relied on a few sources that are surrounded by controversy. That was explained, which is disappointing. Knowing why they regard the sources as legitimate would be interesting to know.
I didn’t love this book and I don’t think it’s a good first book for anyone delving into the JFK assassination, but I really can’t recommend another book in its place.
I also found the style of writing to be very repetitive. I understand that it was written to a layman or someone new to the investigation but the style of writing became tedious. The authors also relied on second sources and forum posts to footnote. And relied on a few sources that are surrounded by controversy. That was explained, which is disappointing. Knowing why they regard the sources as legitimate would be interesting to know.
I didn’t love this book and I don’t think it’s a good first book for anyone delving into the JFK assassination, but I really can’t recommend another book in its place.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2025
Interesting and Informative
Interesting and informative. Worth reading.
An interesting synopsis of many of these so called coincidental deaths of people with some connection to John F Kennedy’s death or the CIA or the covert anti-Castro movement or other groups. Many of these deaths have triggered conspiracy theory’s while others, while incredibly interesting, are more likely normal deaths. Taken by them selves, many of these deaths don’t seem suspicious. Taken in context with their background or their connection to the assassination or the different groups make them enlightening and perhaps helps better understand what happened on that day. As an example, in 1977 the House Select Committee on Assassination had subpoenaed people with special knowledge to testify. In 1977 alone, nine of these people, including 6 FBI Agents/Specialists mysteriously died shortly before they could testify before the committee. It defies statistical probability. FYI: The House Select Committee concluded there is a high probability of a conspiracy and acoustical evidence suggested a 2nd gunman.
Interesting and informative. Worth reading.
An interesting synopsis of many of these so called coincidental deaths of people with some connection to John F Kennedy’s death or the CIA or the covert anti-Castro movement or other groups. Many of these deaths have triggered conspiracy theory’s while others, while incredibly interesting, are more likely normal deaths. Taken by them selves, many of these deaths don’t seem suspicious. Taken in context with their background or their connection to the assassination or the different groups make them enlightening and perhaps helps better understand what happened on that day. As an example, in 1977 the House Select Committee on Assassination had subpoenaed people with special knowledge to testify. In 1977 alone, nine of these people, including 6 FBI Agents/Specialists mysteriously died shortly before they could testify before the committee. It defies statistical probability. FYI: The House Select Committee concluded there is a high probability of a conspiracy and acoustical evidence suggested a 2nd gunman.
October 7, 2014
presenting a way of grasping the crime and corruption otherwise hidden by secrecy
As one who remarked to a clerk at the Bridgeport Superior Court as I was pursuing civil cases pro se against lawyers at the Pullman and Comley law firm for theft of medical films of mine meant for an operation on my neck that there was a greater likelihood of a meteor hitting the courthouse than the many incidents and nexuses of crime and corruption I was experiencing and investigating were coincidence. Thus when I read somewhere that co-authors Richard Belzer (the comedian) and David Wayne (a researcher and writer) were taking the same frame of mind in their book surveying the deaths of many individuals connected to the JFK assassination, I was naturally interested.
Belzer and Wayne write, "One can call it coincidence if one so chooses. But as we covered mathematically in the Introduction, there comes a point where coincidence occurs so frequently that it actually becomes numerically prohibitive." What the authors mean is that it is impossible in a physical universe such as we live in. Mathematicians and statisticians the authors consulted gave the odds of death of the number of individuals the authors included were 1 in 167 trillion, or 1 in 167, 145, 910, 421, 722 to be exact. I don't know that the odds were that low in my experiences at the Bridgeport Superior Court. But there comes a point well short of 1 chance in more than 167 trillion when one senses, then suspects, then realizes, then verifies, and finally becomes certain that things are not what they have been painted to appear.
The authors make their point beyond any argument even though some of the 50 cases they review have faulty, though not necessary undermining logic and conclusions or connections to the assassination seem forced in others. Critics of review of the deaths as well as similar cases of questionable events or evidence are nearly always ones who profess to believe in the Oswald lone-gunman theory and correspondingly want to debunk any lines of investigation outside of this which they regard as feeding into conspiracy theories. But even if the impartial reader puts aside several or a number of the 50 cases in this book, the reader is still left with great odds for much going on apart from the lone-gunman conclusion of the Warren Commission Report.
There's no doubt that much was going on. What was going on could be seen, I suppose, as a conspiracy with respect to the assassination or at least a conspiracy in its investigation and Warren Commission conclusions. It may not be a conspiracy at all however, but a regular aspect of activity by varied government individuals and government agencies and individuals and groups they work with. Many of the cases of this book as well as similar cases, connections, incidents, etc., bring to light plotting against Castro by government agencies and related groups, antipathy against Kennedy in government circles and by certain wealthy individuals, CIA machinations, and other stances and activities which would have been going on whether Kennedy was assassinated or not. The assassination of Kennedy, as momentous as it is generally regarded and with the changes it brought with Johnson becoming president, may have been simply a facet of such activities—a moment of them—and not a conspiracy or plan to assassinate Kennedy per se. For example, when a gangster has a rival killed, this is not a conspiracy, but a regular aspect of the activity of the business.
After my eye-opening experiences of the crime and corruption at the Bridgeport Superior Court conducing to crime and corruption at the Pullman and Comley law firm, I have come to the position that probability is in the current circumstances the only way to begin to get to a comprehension and realization of the presence, dimensions, perpetrators, and damage of the crime and corruption occurring regularly and routinely throughout government and certain professions such as law, finance, and law-enforcement. The networks are too tightly woven, there are too many corruptible individuals, whistleblowers are too often abandoned, bureaucracies are too incestuous, convoluted, and impenetrable, and work in government especially at regulatory agencies is too often regarded as a credential which is a steppingstone to eventual lucrative work in the private sector rather than oversight of an industry. In short, secrecy is inherent and reflexive, and once a crime or corruption is suspected and if there is one, begins to be exposed, defensive, protective activities often including witness intimidation, calumny, and threats, automatically come into play, in most cases metastasizing to the point where individuals working to hold the criminal and corrupt individuals accountable become overwhelmed and the public becomes mystified. Strategies for disguising the crime and corruption and for defending individuals and agencies against exposures and remedies of it have become as much a part of government and certain professions as appearing—and I mean appearing—to be fulfilling their supposed purposes, their raison d'etre.
Probability is a weak response to the levels, extent, persistence, and harms of the crime and corruption in centers of political, economic, and professional influence there is today. It is a best distant thunder, little more than echoes, to the ones who are the sources and perpetrators of the crimes and corruption. Especially, the mathematical and scientific principle of probability takes time for accumulation and analysis; and then more time for relevant, effective forms of pertinent action and application of them. Nonetheless, despite little relationship to accountability and only the faint beginnings of a program of action, probability—the recourse the public has been reduced to under the circumstances of onerous, debilitating, destructive crime and corruption—is movement above—from—ignorance and passivity and utter subjugation and helplessness—and so the public wants to make the best of it.
As one who remarked to a clerk at the Bridgeport Superior Court as I was pursuing civil cases pro se against lawyers at the Pullman and Comley law firm for theft of medical films of mine meant for an operation on my neck that there was a greater likelihood of a meteor hitting the courthouse than the many incidents and nexuses of crime and corruption I was experiencing and investigating were coincidence. Thus when I read somewhere that co-authors Richard Belzer (the comedian) and David Wayne (a researcher and writer) were taking the same frame of mind in their book surveying the deaths of many individuals connected to the JFK assassination, I was naturally interested.
Belzer and Wayne write, "One can call it coincidence if one so chooses. But as we covered mathematically in the Introduction, there comes a point where coincidence occurs so frequently that it actually becomes numerically prohibitive." What the authors mean is that it is impossible in a physical universe such as we live in. Mathematicians and statisticians the authors consulted gave the odds of death of the number of individuals the authors included were 1 in 167 trillion, or 1 in 167, 145, 910, 421, 722 to be exact. I don't know that the odds were that low in my experiences at the Bridgeport Superior Court. But there comes a point well short of 1 chance in more than 167 trillion when one senses, then suspects, then realizes, then verifies, and finally becomes certain that things are not what they have been painted to appear.
The authors make their point beyond any argument even though some of the 50 cases they review have faulty, though not necessary undermining logic and conclusions or connections to the assassination seem forced in others. Critics of review of the deaths as well as similar cases of questionable events or evidence are nearly always ones who profess to believe in the Oswald lone-gunman theory and correspondingly want to debunk any lines of investigation outside of this which they regard as feeding into conspiracy theories. But even if the impartial reader puts aside several or a number of the 50 cases in this book, the reader is still left with great odds for much going on apart from the lone-gunman conclusion of the Warren Commission Report.
There's no doubt that much was going on. What was going on could be seen, I suppose, as a conspiracy with respect to the assassination or at least a conspiracy in its investigation and Warren Commission conclusions. It may not be a conspiracy at all however, but a regular aspect of activity by varied government individuals and government agencies and individuals and groups they work with. Many of the cases of this book as well as similar cases, connections, incidents, etc., bring to light plotting against Castro by government agencies and related groups, antipathy against Kennedy in government circles and by certain wealthy individuals, CIA machinations, and other stances and activities which would have been going on whether Kennedy was assassinated or not. The assassination of Kennedy, as momentous as it is generally regarded and with the changes it brought with Johnson becoming president, may have been simply a facet of such activities—a moment of them—and not a conspiracy or plan to assassinate Kennedy per se. For example, when a gangster has a rival killed, this is not a conspiracy, but a regular aspect of the activity of the business.
After my eye-opening experiences of the crime and corruption at the Bridgeport Superior Court conducing to crime and corruption at the Pullman and Comley law firm, I have come to the position that probability is in the current circumstances the only way to begin to get to a comprehension and realization of the presence, dimensions, perpetrators, and damage of the crime and corruption occurring regularly and routinely throughout government and certain professions such as law, finance, and law-enforcement. The networks are too tightly woven, there are too many corruptible individuals, whistleblowers are too often abandoned, bureaucracies are too incestuous, convoluted, and impenetrable, and work in government especially at regulatory agencies is too often regarded as a credential which is a steppingstone to eventual lucrative work in the private sector rather than oversight of an industry. In short, secrecy is inherent and reflexive, and once a crime or corruption is suspected and if there is one, begins to be exposed, defensive, protective activities often including witness intimidation, calumny, and threats, automatically come into play, in most cases metastasizing to the point where individuals working to hold the criminal and corrupt individuals accountable become overwhelmed and the public becomes mystified. Strategies for disguising the crime and corruption and for defending individuals and agencies against exposures and remedies of it have become as much a part of government and certain professions as appearing—and I mean appearing—to be fulfilling their supposed purposes, their raison d'etre.
Probability is a weak response to the levels, extent, persistence, and harms of the crime and corruption in centers of political, economic, and professional influence there is today. It is a best distant thunder, little more than echoes, to the ones who are the sources and perpetrators of the crimes and corruption. Especially, the mathematical and scientific principle of probability takes time for accumulation and analysis; and then more time for relevant, effective forms of pertinent action and application of them. Nonetheless, despite little relationship to accountability and only the faint beginnings of a program of action, probability—the recourse the public has been reduced to under the circumstances of onerous, debilitating, destructive crime and corruption—is movement above—from—ignorance and passivity and utter subjugation and helplessness—and so the public wants to make the best of it.
July 26, 2017
As with pretty much everyone who was alive on November 22, 1963, I remember exactly where I was when President Kennedy was murdered, in Mrs. Brown's 4th grade classroom at San Jose Elementary School in Pomona, California. As I look back on my life, this was a seminal moment at which I believe my doubts/mistrust of authority/government began. I've studied a lot about the Kennedy assassination over the years, have never believed Oswald fired the shots that killed the president, or if he did, that others were also involved and firing shots. I haven't read any such books in many years, as there is nothing more to change my mind. But this one was recommended, so I picked it up at the library. It confirms what I've already believed, in a conspiracy to kill and a conspiracy to cover up the plot, including silencing witnesses. If you're interested in why there are people like me who believe in the conspiracy without any doubt or hesitation, this book will help you understand why.
January 28, 2019
I am a fan of Richard Belzer's TV work. He presents himself as intelligent and thoughtful. He must be a great actor. To begin with, the conversational style in which the book is written is tedious and detracts from the very limited credibility of the information. As is common in these conspiracy theory books (no matter the topic, ex: UFOs), the author is part of a mutual admiration society of other amateur sleuths who think that if they pile on enough citations of each others work, their's will somehow rise to the level of credible. Unfortunately, citing someone else's unsubstantiated supposition doesn't make your unsubstantiated supposition any more credible. This is unfortunate because the sheer volume of legitimately suspicious deaths surrounding the JFK assassination should give Americans pause. So I tend to agree with Belzer's conclusions (many/most) unfortunately his writing style and scholarship is so poor that I found no credible support for my beliefs.
December 16, 2022
Facinating
I expected this book to be a rehash of several books that list mysterious deaths of people related the the JFK assassination weather they were operatives, or via their knowledge of events.
But this was not the case. Yes, several names were repeated because they were major players, but there were a lot of names I never before tied to the event.
The book was heavily citated at the end of each chapter and provided
calculation of of all these deaths being impossible within the normal mean range.
The book was written in an easy to read style; and mentioned a lot of key books and documents that back up the premise.
As grisly as the topic of this book is, beyond that it was very informative and interesting.
I expected this book to be a rehash of several books that list mysterious deaths of people related the the JFK assassination weather they were operatives, or via their knowledge of events.
But this was not the case. Yes, several names were repeated because they were major players, but there were a lot of names I never before tied to the event.
The book was heavily citated at the end of each chapter and provided
calculation of of all these deaths being impossible within the normal mean range.
The book was written in an easy to read style; and mentioned a lot of key books and documents that back up the premise.
As grisly as the topic of this book is, beyond that it was very informative and interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews