A Good Month For Murder: The Inside Story Of A Homicide Squad

by Del Quentin Wilber

In a true crime cross between James Ellroy and David Simon's The Wire, A Good Month for Murder follows twelve homicides, three police-involved shootings and the furious hunt for an especially brutal killer in Washington D.C.

After gaining unparalleled access to the homicide unit in Prince George's County, which borders the nation's capital, bestselling author Del Quentin Wilber begins shadowing the talented, often quirky detectives who get the call when a body falls. After a quiet couple of months, all hell breaks loose: suddenly every detective in the squad is scrambling to solve one shooting and stabbing after another. Meanwhile, the entire unit is obsessed with a stone-cold 'red ball', a high-profile case involving a seventeen-year-old honour student attacked by a gunman who kicked down the door to her house and shot her in her bed. This is the inside story of how a team of detectives carry out their almost impossible job.

Murder is the police investigator's ultimate crucible: to solve a killing, a detective must speak for the dead. More than any recent book, A Good Month for Murder shows what it takes to succeed when the stakes couldn't possibly be higher.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Mystery, Audiobook, Journalism, Adult

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

Del Quentin Wilber is the New York Times-bestselling author of Rawhide Down, an account of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. An award-winning reporter who previously worked for The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, Bloomberg News , he now covers the justice department for The Los Angeles Times.
His next book, A Good Month For Murder, will be published in June.
He lives in suburban Maryland.

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1991 David Simon’s massive book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets came out, a vastly detailed account of one Baltimore homicide bureau’s year of murder. It might be the greatest true crime book of all time, that’s an argument we could have. That book led to a mini-industry – the brilliant tv show Homicide: Life on the Street ran from 1993 to 1999 and then came the better known The Wire which ran from 2002 to 2008. Both these also set in Baltimore. But I digress.

A Good Month for Murder is like Son of Homicide, a 250 page account of one single month an the life of another homicide bureau, this one in Prince George’s County, Maryland, which is right next to Washington DC. True crime fans will not need me to tell them they will love this. The only reason why true crime fans haven’t already read it is because they haven’t heard of it yet. That was my excuse.

I will quote one sad snippet - it’s a cold rainy February and two teenagers have been shot in a parking lot. At first, the cops think these two victims are 14 years old, which would make it a "red ball" murder.

Reilly glances over to the gathering of commanders and officers at the other end of the parking lot. As the lieutenant and his detectives watch, the group breaks up and Assistant Chief Davis speed-walks back to his car. It’s obvious to Reilly and the others that Davis, too, has just learned that the night’s victims are 18, not 14. In the cold calculus of red ball murders, a slain adult high school student is not nearly as tragic as a dead fourteen-year-old, and thus it does not require such a high-ranking commander at the scene.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a true crime fan, so A Good Month for Murder could mean a few things, but it wasn't what I expected. Rather than focus on the murders, it's a look at those investigating the murders. It's not all cut and dry for these men and women. This is their job day in and day out, plus it's only a month! A great read.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitive garbage that really just makes a bunch of white men look like the misogynistic racist pigs they are.

However, I think the author got really lucky with this story and does have a compelling writing style.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was all a little too quick? A lot of detectives, a lot of murders, and not very many pages to develop everything. (To be honest, I really couldn't keep track of the investigators at all.) It is a nice, competent book, but not in the category of David Simon.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling read for anyone interested in the life of a homicide cop and/or how homicide investigations are handled. This is not CSI or Law and Order, where homicides are solved quickly and suspects almost always confess at the end. The cases we read about here are real and messy, giving us a clear understanding of how difficult a homicide detective's job can be.

In a time when we're seeing lots of negative press coverage about cops, this book offers us insight into some of the more dedicated cops on the force. We see the toll the job takes on them, both emotionally and physically. We also see how difficult it can be for them to have any sort of personal life, when their work is almost always time-sensitive and murders don't stop occurring simply because they're busy.

The content here is brutally honest. The author doesn't try to make the cops look better or worse. He shows us things as they happen, the way they happen. At times this made me sympathize with the detectives, and at times it made me uncomfortable. For instance, some of the interrogations were brutal. While I knew this intellectually, reading an actual account brings the reality into sharp focus. I'm not talking about physical brutality, but emotional and psychological. It's easy to understand how and why people confess to crimes they did not commit, and that is a disturbing fact. But, at the same time, I also saw, perhaps for the first time, why the detectives sometimes push harder than they should. They are frustrated, angry, desperate to get a killer off the streets and provide answers to a grieving family.

Despite the dark content, the writing style makes this an easy read. The narrative is engaging, with no interference from the author. It's like we're right there as everything happens. We're provided with details along the way, such as little quirks a detective might have, which help bring the people involved to life.

This book does not go beyond the scope of the daily trials and tribulations of the Prince George's County homicide detectives. If you're looking for a book that explores social factors and digs deep into the sociological and psychological issues of crime, this is not that book. But if you're looking to better understand the truth of solving a homicide, this is definitely that book.

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent telling of the trials the incredibly dedicated police detectives of the Prince George's County Sheriffs Department experienced during just one month of time, February of 2013, a time of multiple murders. Anyone who finds themselves second guessing the actions of all police based on the misdeeds of a few should give this book a read. The efforts and hard work of these men and women in solving very difficult cases is noteworthy. All the time exacting a personal toll on each of them, and their families. At first I was a bit put off by the frenetic pace and timing of the book, but came to understand that it was an accurate depiction of the events. In real life, the murders do not conveniently come spaced out one at a time, and able to be solved by the end of a one hour TV drama. This was a hard book to put down!

[Jacki York · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read but I was puzzled by what felt like an abrupt ending.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I really admired Wilber's first book Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan - which is a very thorough account of the events on March 30, 1981 - I checked for any other works by the author.

Wilber's follow-up, A Good Month for Murder, is equally outstanding. This time he rides shotgun with the homicide detectives in Prince George's County, Maryland (which borders Washington D.C., and has a diverse population of just under one million) as they contend with the particularly violent month of February 2013. The squad investigates twelve murders along with other on-going and troublesome cases from the prior year.

I think this work deserves complimentary comparison to David Simon's tour de force Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets (hands down one of my absolute favorite books of all time), and it was nice that Wilber even mentions / pays tribute to the obvious influence in his epilogue.

There is humor (the veteran detective tricking his rookie partner into thinking a female forensic investigator was formerly an exotic dancer . . . even more humorous because the forensic investigator plays along with the gag), there is tragedy (a young man is gunned down on a sidewalk in a robbery concerning new sneakers), there is good, dedicated police work by the eclectic investigators of the PGCPD. The 'job' is rarely pretty or easy - there are some damned depressing scenes - but these folks do it with a certain grace.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was the best nf crime book I've read for a while

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Journalist and crime reporter Del Quentin Wilber spent February, 2013, following the Prince George's County, Maryland, homicide squad, and the result is this compelling insider's view of the activities of an urban department, which involves "tons of tedious police work." The emphasis is on the people involved--detectives, victims, survivors, and perpetrators--and we get lots of biographical background. But there's also the scene of crime forensic detail, the endless bureaucracy and documentation, and the conversations with suspects, families and more. The pacing is relentless and filled with the day-by-day details; characterizations are vivid and authentic; the story line is immersive with a "you are there" feel; there's a strong sense of place; and the tone is sobering. Johnny Heller reads it in a matter of fact style, and his voice will remind listeners of old-time radio crime dramas. Informative, immersive, authentic.

[Beth Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was reading this book, I found myself quite confused because of all the different murders, all in varying states of being investigated. I thought that I might not be rating the book very highly until I realized that this confusion gave me a more realistic picture of what a homicide squad does than any perfectly organized book would do. I could almost feel the tension and frustration of the different squad members. Realistically, also, not every murder is solved. It isn't a television show, but real, messy life. I appreciate more what these dedicated people do now, the hours they put in and the sacrifices they make. I believe that the author, in the end, did an excellent job of portraying a month in a homicide squad.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complete 180 from my usual cozy mystery. This has the fast-paced, in-depth feel of journalistic writing due to the author's years as a newspaper reporter and it really does make you feel like you're right there on the scene of the crime or in the interrogation 'box' with the detectives. The author points out that it was a physical impossibility to be with every detective on every case but I wish he'd included more time with the female detectives in his coverage. Other than the one minor complaint, this is hands down a winner.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accounting of one month in the homicide unit in Prince George's County Maryland. Gives a taste of the work involved, the frustrations and successes from real life investigations. A slice of Feb 2013 and the crimes going on then. Interesting

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have and should have been much better. There’s nothing here that even attempts to explain these murders, to understand why they have happened. It is simply a voyeuristic look at a month with a homicide squad. I do not think it is accurate to call this true crime, because it is much more about the detectives than the victims and suspects. The writing was not great; not terrible, but very cavalier about it all.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as good as the fictional homicide detective adventures!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fabulous entry to the true crime genre. Rather than focusing on a specific crime, this book focuses on several teams of homicide detectives in Prince George County, Maryland. All of the cases are ones that occurred in the month of February 2013. For people who enjoy some of the shows on Discovery ID and A&E, like and The Detectives and The First 48, then this book is for you.

The front of the book provides a map of the area that is covered by the homicide squads in question and maps where each individual was murdered and their name and age. Prince George County is located in Maryland very close to the Washington D.C. Line. The chapters initially introduce the date, time and which detectives are assigned to the case.

From there, the facts of the case unfold. In a very few instances, the case is already underway but there were developments in February 2013 that prompted a greater focus on a case that may have gone somewhat cold. There are a few details provided about the detectives private lives and how they became involved in having a career in law enforcement and how many years they have worked as an officer and in the homicide squad specifically.

The victim is then identified and the process of investigating the murder begins. From surveying the initial crime scene, witness interviews, forensic tech collections, notifying the family of the victim all the way through tracking down suspects, narrowing the field and then honing in on the actual perpetrator.

An easily solved murder is called a “smoker”. A high profile case is called a “redball express.” High profile cases are those defined by being particularly heinous in nature or involving a vulnerable member of the public – the elderly, the very young, perhaps having fame or notoriety on the part of the victim or the murderer or any case that the media chooses to focus on in a sensational manner.

There are certain things that become noticeable right away about the homicide unit. One is that it is populated by very eccentric and quirky personalities. Another is the dearth of women
in the unit. There are only two or three female detectives and they get very little focus in the book. The humor expressed by the detectives is very much in the gallows humor vein and is used as a coping mechanism by those who spend long hours immersed in the unpleasant business of murder. An interesting thing the author did was not to pull punches – if a detective was annoying, obnoxious or narcissistic, that was shown rather than painting a picture of these cops as being overly heroic or idealizing them.

Included in the stories as well, were a cop shooting which is investigated by the homicide detectives as murder; a case where they were called in to investigate deaths that occurred during the course of a house fire and a stabbing that walks a very fine line between involuntary manslaughter and self-defense. In other words, there are times when murder is not murder and vice versa. As for solving every case within the first forty eight hours....well, unless it is a smoker, not so much.

I would recommend this book whole heartedly and give it a very strong four stars. There is one thing that I would like to draw attention to, more for the sake of the editorial and publishing staff and on behalf of readers. This does not occur too often in the book but it occurs enough to be noticeable to me as a reader and therefore it will be noticeable to other readers.

There is an over-reliance on machinery to pick up spelling and grammatical errors. For the most part, it works. What doesn't work however is when a word is spelled correctly but it is the incorrect word – for example, past for passed. Computer aided editing cannot discern context either. People need to be brought back into the copy reading and editing realm. As books become more and more expensive, it becomes harder for readers to accept the dip in quality control of the printed word.

The correct use and context is extremely important to readers. While we have progressed as a society in our use of machines in an effort to save money in business, it is important to remember that readers are why books are written. If the errors become noticeable to readers, they begin to impact the reading experience and it becomes detrimental to sales of books and it may deter readers from picking up books by that author or publishing house in the future.

A small thing but the one thing that affected my overall enjoyment of what is otherwise a very strong book and a great read. This one is a keeper!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher accidentally sent me an ARC of this book (I had won another from them, which they later sent as well). I am not generally a fan of crime/ true crime and would probably not have picked this up on my own, but the synopsis caught my interest when I took a look at it. Wilber followed Prince Georges County homicide for several months and produced an insightful look at their work during the month of February 2013. It was a very interesting read and put into perspective what life as a homicide detective is like. Pacing was good and I only occasionally had to look back to remember who someone was within the department; Wilber usually provided enough context to remind me without having to flip back. Before I started it I was worried it might be a bit anxiety inducing or too gruesome at points, but that was not the case. Once I started it however, it was tough to put down. The detectives themselves have to keep an emotional detachment from the victims, and that perspective made it easier to read, as well as sad at points because of the toll the job can still take on them. There was a lot of focus on procedure and while there was crime scene detail related, it was in a very professional, documentation style manner - not sensationalized or overly-focused on. I would definitely recommend this to someone interested in non-fiction in general whether or not they have a particular interest in crime stories.

[Dianeparente62gmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveway, and I couldn't be more pleased. Written by a prize-winning newspaper reporter who was embedded in the Prince Georges County (MD) homicide unit, the book focuses on February, 2013. As it turns out, this was indeed a good month for murder in the Washington, DC suburbs with 12 homicides and 3 police-involved shootings.

The author focuses on the department's five murder squads made up of widely differing personalities which adds to the appeal of the book by making it more than a chronicle of crime but one which observes the impact the crimes have on individual detectives. It is in this up close and personal account that the book has its greatest merit as the author shows the exhausting hours and tension involved in solving crimes. This book should be required reading for critics of the police for you leave this book thinking that it is a largely thankless job in which officers sacrifice personal comfort and relationships in order to bring justice to murder victims.

The book also provides a disturbing insight into the people who commit murders, so many drug and gang-related as well as an apparent byproduct of poverty It was encouraging to note that the Prince Georges Police were trying to be proactive in the Sisyphean task of preventing crime.

[Les Gehman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides the reader with a view into the inner workings of a police homicide department during a very busy and stressful month in Prince George's County, Maryland. Wilber does a great job of taking the reader into the lives and minds of the detectives frantically working to solve the 12 murders that occurred in February, along with other previous murder cases. Once started, this book is almost impossible to put down as the action never stops. Even before starting the book, it was obvious that this was going to be a fast-paced adventure as the map on the first page shows the locations of each of the February murders that would be investigated throughout the book. I really wish that more illustrations were provided, such as photos and diagrams of the scenes and of the individuals involved. Also, I found it unfortunate that the book seemed to mostly focus on a case from the previous August, and that the case remains unsolved. The book did seem to end abruptly at the end of February and then a short Epilogue was used to tie up as many of the loose ends as possible.

I received this book from the publisher as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering one month of a busy homicide department in Maryland, this book gives a great portrayal of what goes on behind the news stories that we see. It covers not only the brutality and randomness of homicide but the impact on the community and especially the detectives who are doing their best to solve the crimes and keep their humanity while being mired in the worst it has to offer. At 263 pages it definitely cannot go into high detail on the 12 homicides that took place, but it definitely shows the frantic pace of the job and the varied personalities of the detectives. This is a good companion book to "Homicide: A Year On the Killing Streets" (which is acknowledged by the author as an influence) but that book is 672 pages so "A Good Month For Murder" might be a better place to start. Either way, if you enjoyed one of these two, definitely read the other.

This review was based on an advanced reader's edition.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this through the Goodreads Giveaway program. It will be the first book that I've read by this author.

This was so good!
The fast pace was almost exhausting (physically and mentally) as you became mired in the investigations alongside the detectives.
The complexity of working on multiple cases at the same time, keeping track of the suspects and clues, while overcoming fear, hate and the interworking of a large homicide department were intricately laid out over a few months time.
Personal agendas and relationships are intermingled with various agencies, all while trying to reassure family members that you hadn't forgotten or given up, as the press and 'suits' look over your shoulder.
If nothing else, you'll develop a deep respect for law enforcement and the 'battle' they're engaged in, as they work to protect your safety.

[Kevin Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

**** I won this as a Giveaway Book on GOODREADS ****
If you are a fan of Ed McBain's 87th PRECINCT novels, you could find no better read than this. The people that are part of the Homicide Unit in Prince George's County have a hard and thankless job. Mr. Del Quentin Wilber brings you to their real world from the first page of the Prologue until the last page in the Epilogue. You can feel the frustration when they feel they are close but then it slips through their fingers with a misspoken word or the closing of a door. I could not put this down. Thank You for bringing me a glimpse of their world.

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this in exhcange for a review.
First let me say thank you. I usually do not remember to say this but in this case i really mean it.
If you like true crime and I do, this is the book for you. Excellent book that follows the members of Prince Charles County, Va for the month of February 2013. Excellent following of police work as they attempt to settle a large amount of murders that month. You really are inside the police department and on the cases.
I recommend this writer for true grit , no frills reporting.

[Bamboozlepig · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into the world of the homicide division in Prince George county. Wilber followed the detectives for just one month as they covered new homicides and worked old ones. A few spots were on the dry side, but it was fascinating to see how they methodically worked each case and tried to develop suspects. It was also interesting to see the different personalities of each detective and how they coped with the scenes they worked. This kind of true crime writing is right up my alley, so it was an enjoyable read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid book from beginning to end. The author doesn't try to do anything fancy (I read the kindle version and didn't highlight a single item of text). He selected interesting cases and told us just enough about the detectives to create a basic connection but not so much that it got in the way of the stories. There are no super heroes or uber villains.

This book is more akin to an episode of Law & Order than Homicide. More story driven than character driven. More straight line than quirky.

I'll never remember the particulars of the book but I'll always know I liked it.

[BMR, LCSW · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this uncorrected proof in a Goodreads Giveaway.

Non-fiction that reads like a TV cop procedural show, but faster and much more interesting.

Wilber followed different groups of detectives over the course of one month in Prince George County, MD. They never sleep, their bodies are worn down, and they treat most of the people they encounter with respect. The interviews of suspects "in the box" were the most interesting parts of the book.

For fans of mystery and true crime novels.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey! I really liked this book! An honest, well researched documentary about the everyday, day to day, week to week, workings of a Homicide Unit. No hyperbole, no superheros...just reality. I recommend this book to all who are looking for reality in crime. Good read!

[Tehila · Rating 5 out of 5]

As advertised, I could not put this book down. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was not disappointed. This is not a procedural, nor a “who-dunnit” in the classic sense. Mr Wilber’s writing put me in the position of the proverbial “fly on the wall” watching the various teams work their cases.

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes.

[Cindy Skiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually love "True Crime" but this was extremely well written and moved along at a nice pace. Living in the DC Metro Area, I was familiar with PG County. It was interesting to read about the police in the county and their dedication to solving all of the "Unnatural" deaths. I definitely recommend this book.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book chronicling the the homicide unit of Prince George counties in suburban Washington DC. The book mixes the difficulties of working murders under political pressure, with the human side of the officers involved. It's a true account of one month in their lives. I read this book in two sittings, and recommend it in a big way.