Mind Games: The Assassination of John Lennon

by David Whelan

On the 8th of December 1980, music icon and peace activist John Lennon was assassinated just inside the entrance to the Dakota Apartments, his New York home. This was the first high-profile celebrity murder in history. The world was in shock. Mark Chapman, the man accused and later convicted of the crime, surprisingly had stayed at the scene and started to read a novel.

In Spring 2020, TV producer and writer David Whelan, concerned at the dozens of anomalies he found in the case, commenced a three-year long investigation into the assassination of John Lennon. Whelan gained exclusive access to the notebooks and paperwork of the NYPD's lead detective on the case, as well as interviewing everyone who was connected to the Dakota workers, Lennon insiders and employees, NYPD cops and detectives, and the medics who tried to save John Lennon in the Roosevelt Hospital Emergency Room. All gave new and highly revealing testimony.

Whelan’s thorough investigation will reveal overwhelming evidence which proves that Mark Chapman was not the cold and calculated killer we were told he was. Whelan’s investigation explosively reveals that nefarious actors and hidden organisations conspired to assassinate John Lennon, and to set up Mark Chapman as the fall guy for one of the world’s most infamous and shocking crimes.

Revised and Updated June 2026

Genres: Nonfiction

432 pages, Paperback

Published December 4, 2023

Reviews

[Hamish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Certainly fascinating, especially the forensic crime scene parts. Lost me a little in the back end of the book, which felt like a lot of rehashing of what we'd already been told, with a lot of really vague statements we were just meant to take as fact. Could do with a little more understanding that memories are very unreliable things, too.

[Chet · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I'm not one to subscribe to conspiracy theories; in fact, all prior talk about Lennon being assassinated, instead of murdered, was nothing more than noise to me. After listening to a Podcast with David Whelan, I bought his book, and I have to say he does bring up some interesting theories.
Was Lennon shot in the back or the chest ? Why was the NYPD so quick to close this case and arrest Chapman as the murderer ? Why was their no police investigation at the Dakota ? Bullet casings ? What about the bullet holes in the vestibule window ? Was mind control involved ?
Interesting read -- all I can say is go in with an open mind.

[3PCats · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding research from David Whelan. We’ve been fed so many lies about what really happened on December 8th, 1980. This is the closest we’ll ever get to knowing how it very likely went down. I hope the author continues to research and write more books, about Lennon and others.