Needle Work

by Fred Rosen

On a snowy November day in 1997, in Flint, Michigan, police found the body of 45-year-old waitress Nancy Billiter. Her corpse had survived a botched attempt to burn it. An autopsy revealed that she'd been bound, beaten, sexually violated, and then injected with a lethal mixture of battery acid and heroin. Police suspected Nancy's friend Carol Giles, 26, and Giles' boyfriend, Tim Collier, who had often boasted of a murderous gangland past.

As the law's noose tightened around Giles and Collier, each fingered the other for the murder. Collier tried to hang another crime on Giles - the murder of her 500-pound, diabetic husband. But investigators soon learned the shocking truth: that the cold-blooded couple had killed Jessie Giles with a heroin-laced insulin 'hot shot', and that Nancy, who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, became the next to die. Convicted of the twisted murders, both killers are spending the rest of their lives behind bars.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction

303 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

American true crime author and former columnist for the Arts and Leisure Section of The New York Times.

Rosen's published works in the genre include Lobster Boy, There But For the Grace: Survivors of the 20th Century’s Infamous Serial Killers and When Satan Wore a Cross.

He is also the winner of Library Journal’s Best Reference Source 2005 award for The Historical Atlas of American Crime, and has written many other works of historical non-fiction including Cremation in America, Contract Warriors and Gold!.

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This incident occured in Flint, Michigan. A 45 year old waitress is found dead. Her body had survivied a botched attempt to burn it. The autopsy revealed she'd been bound, beaten, sexually violated and then injected with a lethal mixture of battery acid and heroin.

Unbelievable!!

[Chamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick read.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I have read much true crime. This one was smoothly written and told a great story.

[ღangღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big True Crime fan, this book had great detail and cool pics.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Karen Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most true crime novels the start of this one is the grotesque discovery of a dead body. The part that is most disgusting is beyond what was done to the victim( descriptive & horrific details) but the actual motive for why(I am not going to tell you, you will just have to read it for yourself).
This story is seriously about bad choices, drugs, a heinous crime and the willingness to sell each other out for the sake of each guilty person trying to save themselves from punishment.
Overall, all 3 key players (including the victim) were horrible people caught up in their horrific lives and dwindling down in life by repetitively bad choices.

[Mary Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!!

It was well written and kept my interest all the way through to the end! I can't even imagine being tortured that way, or torturing someone like that! They are both sick, and where they belong for the rest of their lives!! Would highly recommend this for any true crime library!

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read, and the pictures depicted put things in perspective. I would have liked more information about what life is like in prison for the murderers, but the last statement in the book was my favorite part. This couple was cruel, and the story wasn’t too caught up in details of court and was straight to the point. All in all, it wasn’t too bad.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very quick read.
Not bad writing of this true crime story.
I remember when this happened. The daughter attended school with my older son.
Sad and horrific.
I wasn’t looking for factual mistakes but I did find two.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Fred Rosen’s straightforward crime reporting. Would definitely read another!

[Marta Bare · Rating 3 out of 5]

These two were horrible people from start to finish. They are exactly where they need to be now.

[Coffeedog · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty awful book. Crimes committed because they were just bad people, real druggie lowlife criminals. Not a difficult crime to solve. Just a “eh” book. Makes you feel dirty for having read it.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that they could of convicted them sooner.

[Cindy Lou Poquette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite fascinating (and revolting) murder biography located in Michigan. Tangled lies and distorted people!

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I watched a documentary a while ago about Flint, Michigan. It was about the poverty, crime, and the water crisis. Some of the things they said about the city seemed so negative, but then as I came back to do write my thoughts on this book, I realized some of those things they said in that documentary must be pretty true. This book is about the murder of Nancy Billiter, who was found injected with battery acid and heroin and sexually assaulted. Police began working the case and traced the murder back to her friend and her boyfriend. That murderous duo had another secret as well. This book was a good read, but it really makes you wonder where in the world people come up with these ideas they have to get themselves into such trouble.

[Sae-chan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Drug kills, not only the users, but their friends too. I still want to know, though, what drove people, especially highly functioning people like Nancy, to resort to drugs. I still believe that as long as we can eliminate the demand of drugs, supply will die. But again, most probably I'm too naïve.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

it has been awhile for me to read true crime. I like the authors style and the pics were really gross. This was a great, quick read.

[-;'MrSz.MyRiAh';- · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about my cousin jimmy giles which was killed in this book by his wife..! read this book yall..!

[Shannun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the way this book was written. It definitely drew me in and had me wanting to know more.