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UNSOLVED DEATHS STRANGE DEATHS AND MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES

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224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

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468 people want to read

About the author

Charles Phillips

460 books23 followers
There is more than one author by this name on Goodreads

Charles Phillips (b. 1962) is an established writer of popular history, a contributor to Cassell's Dictionary of Modern Britain as well as to the Chronicle of Britain and several illustrated stories.

He has a keen interest in the mythology and history of the great Maya and Aztec civilizations and was a key writer on Time Life's Myth and Mankind series.
Phillips is a graduate of Oxford University, and holds an MA from the University of Westminster.

See also:
Charles Phillips, 1787-1859
Charles Phillips, Goodreads author, Historical Fiction
Charles Phillips, b.1948, American history

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5 stars
64 (16%)
4 stars
120 (31%)
3 stars
161 (41%)
2 stars
34 (8%)
1 star
8 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
694 reviews57 followers
January 25, 2020
Most of these were interesting, although some don’t seem very mysterious, and their inclusion is a bit of a stretch. Some of the people I was expecting to read about weren’t included at all, although I think they are probably featured in other books of this same series. It’s divided into sections by type of mystery (e.g. disappearance), and each section is chronological, which was wonderful. There are illustrations—portraits, photos of interest, and other pictures of the people involved. There is also plenty of background information, with pictures of vehicles and terrain, and maps, too, to help set the scene. This book also makes clear what is known and what is conjecture. It explores a few different theories for the different people involved, and it tells what evidence has led to those suppositions. In the hands of a lesser author, this fascinating and slightly morbid subject matter might be used only for its shock value; here, however, the book’s emphasis is exactly where it belongs: on the historical record, and the analysis of facts.
Profile Image for Laura.
826 reviews118 followers
May 10, 2021
An interesting look at many historical unsolved and mysterious deaths; ranging from political figures to film stars. There were some cases I was surprised to read about in here, and others I was surprised that they weren't included. Each case only covers up to three or four pages each, so not much detail is given. However, the cases are not too taxing to read and bring up many important questions about the respective person concerned. The writing is simplistic, without resulting to jargon. A worthwhile read.
Profile Image for Maya.
40 reviews
November 5, 2025
Read a few pages of this here and there, wasn’t as interesting as I thought it would be.
Profile Image for Uluwehi Hopkins.
63 reviews2 followers
December 25, 2019
This is a quick read with each case only 3 or 4 pages long, making it easy to digest in bite-sized pieces. The case summaries are well-written and consistent, showing good editing. The pictures complement the stories well, and the cases are framed in an intriguing manner that pulls the reader in. I finished the book in one sitting before gifting it to someone else. These stories could be used as conversation starters or debate material for classrooms.
Profile Image for Rachelle.
1,299 reviews13 followers
November 6, 2023
Beyond EBN 2023

From Nefertiti to Marilyn Monroe - Questions about their deaths and shatt some think may be hidden just out of sight.

I loved how they put this book together and explained what the thoughts were surrounding these deaths but asked for the reader's opinion and let the reader make up thier own mind about them.

I am reading this whole series of books, so my future reviews may be very short so I don't say the same things over and over.
Profile Image for eden.
3 reviews
January 6, 2024
I liked this book overall, but I wish more background information would have been given for each case. Only allotting two or three pages for a case with complicated histories and multiple characters was not sufficient enough to fully understand what happened. Also, some of the pictures and their respective captions could have definitely been omitted and replaced with more background knowledge or further explanations.
Profile Image for Heather Manheim.
Author 2 books15 followers
November 21, 2020
A decent read, not very deep, but kind of a guilty pleasure book. Goes over each unsolved death, many of which I had never heard of before. As I also read "Unsolved Crimes" from this series, I appreciated there was no cross over with the books, this one touches on different crimes. But, in every case, the stories are very truncated and don't give you a lot of info, they cram 40 stories in 208 pages, so about 5 pages per story, but with pictures and wide margins, the actual reading is probably closer to 2-3 pages per story. So, you're not going to get all in information about anything. It's all very pared down. And the last page for each story is dedicated to the "Strange Stories," which is like the conspiracy theory RE: that particular story, like was the CIA responsible for Marilyn Monroe's death.
Profile Image for Debbie Hagan.
196 reviews2 followers
December 30, 2024
Based on the title alone, I picked up this book, "Unsolved Deaths," for a dollar at a garage sale. It was like new...the spine not cracked and no page corners folded. Still, my expectations were rather low for such an odd book. To my surprise, the stories were quite compelling...strange, untimely deaths with a good amount of detail and accompanied by interesting, historic pictures. I'm happy to say, the book isn't gruesome or morbid, but offers insightful details about celebrities and/or famous people who have met untimely deaths. Overall, it's well-done and definitely a book that will appeal to those who are curious and have a slight penchant for dark stories.
Profile Image for Jess.
874 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2020
4.5 stars

Great book! It was incredibly interesting and a great read. Most of it I have devoured. Some were not as interesting to me personally, but it was still really good. It was written in n informative and captivating way that held my attention.

One of the more interesting aspects I found was Thomas Edison's alleged involvement in a murder. Not surprising to me in the least, to be honest. Also, the connections to JFK had my mind reeling. I want to get the rest if the books in this format and read them as well!!
Profile Image for Amber Martin.
393 reviews3 followers
October 25, 2022
I was gifted this from a friend who understands my love of true crime and mystery. It was an interesting read although definitely one to take your time with. It became a little tedious when I attempted to read it from beginning to end so I put it down and read just a few stories at a time. Some of the deaths included were incredibly fascinating and ones I hadn't actually heard of before, others were a reach with the conspiracy theories. Then again conspiracy theories usually are. I'd recommend for a unique read.
Profile Image for Amber Ray.
1,071 reviews
May 14, 2025
The topics were pretty much well chosen and interesting, but mostly the space given to them is insufficient.
There are several different kinds of unsolved deaths in this book--missing people, group deaths, possible murders, ect. I think splitting each chapter into separate books by topic would have been better. Then more of the same type of case could be included and/or more depth given to details.

This book is pretty much a true crime sampler. It's a bit too light to be satisfying, but it's a good guilty pleasure or "read on vacation" type of book.
Profile Image for Nicole.
46 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2025
An engaging read, perfect for daily light reading. It provides just enough detail to spark curiosity and prompt further research! I found myself wanting to read "just a few more pages" every time I planned to stop reading for the night, it was hard to stop. The images included with each case are a nice touch, and the strange stories sections are fun and thought-provoking. I plan on reading all the books on this series!
74 reviews
August 12, 2025
This book consists of very quick overviews of mysterious deaths and disappearances. It gives about 3 pages to each subject. It’s just enough to refresh your memory if you already knew about these events or to help you find an interesting subject for further reading or research. I like books like this one for waiting at the doctor’s office or for light reading when I don’t have time to get into my main book. This book did not disappoint.
Profile Image for Tom.
672 reviews12 followers
July 8, 2021
Interesting little book that has a lot of the well and lesser known mysteries surrounding disappearances and deaths. There are some of more wacky theories that are brought up involving aliens, Nazis etc. which are fun to read. Lots of historical cases here as well as covering mass disappearances and other mysterious goings on.
1,034 reviews6 followers
September 30, 2021
A colourful look at some unsolved and mysterious deaths through history.

This was an interesting look at theses cases. There's lots of pictures throughout which I enjoyed. The information isn't the most detailed but good if you don't want too much. The cases were we chosen and easily recognisable many well known. A good read.
Profile Image for Samantha.
1,890 reviews39 followers
March 28, 2019
This book was set up very much like an Unsolved Mysteries book that I read and enjoyed not too far back. This book had cases that I had heard of, but many that I had not. I liked the set-up of the book and the quick spurts of information along with the photos.
Profile Image for Rachel Kennedy.
157 reviews1 follower
July 8, 2019
Interesting stories are told in quick fashion (3 -4 pages each) regarding disappearances, unknown killers, accident/suicide/murder?, conspiracy killings, and group tragedies. Some I had heard of, some I had not. Either way, I found the information easily absorbed and fascinating.
Profile Image for Cheyenne Mayhall.
21 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2019
Pretty cool little book. Definitely captured my interests. Normally when I'm done reading a book, I donate it to my library, but this one is going to have to stay on my shelf for a bit because I'm selfish
Profile Image for Margret.
587 reviews27 followers
July 11, 2020
Great and amazing book! I got it from Barnes and Nobles and I can't resist reading it. It was incredibly interesting and very informative. It was well written and captivating. My favorites "Princes in the Tower", "Did Superman killed himself" and so many others.

I highly recommend it!!

359 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2020
This is a super interesting book and a great way to introduce many of these mysteries. I would have liked more detail, especially when it comes to the varying theories on what exactly happened. Though they do provide further reading sources, so I may have to go check those out.
1 review
May 31, 2021
Gave a great overview of a different deaths. I wish there had been some more detail with each story because it left me unsatisfied. It definitely makes you want to do some research of your own to fill in some of the holes left.
Profile Image for Matt.
621 reviews
October 26, 2022
Nicely payed out collection of mysterious deaths. Put into sections from unexplained, murder, suicide etc. Most are really interesting some are more fillers for the book. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Profile Image for Shannon Hargreaves.
159 reviews
November 8, 2023
Punchy, Informative and easy to read, if you want some fun trivia and interesting history I'd highly reccomend this book. Mysterious deaths and disappearances as well as a good few conspiracy theories all make for an interesting and easy read.
Profile Image for Snezana.
6 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2024
One of those books you can read with long breaks in between. Interesting but nothing goes in depth.
Good to read if you don't want to comit to longer book or havin a break. History and mistery in little chunks.
Profile Image for Sara G.
200 reviews10 followers
October 14, 2019
Interesting 3-5 page vignettes. Good jumping off point for research.
Profile Image for Liz Miller.
33 reviews1 follower
January 30, 2020
A fun and easy read to help you unwind after a long day of work.
Profile Image for Andi May.
117 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2020
3.5 stars. Interesting stories, I just wish there was more information on each. Plus, some of the English ones about royalty bored me to death.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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