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Monsters of Death Row: America's Dead Men and Women Walking
From the cells of Death Row come the chilling, true-life accounts of the most heinous, cruel and depraved killers of modern times. At the time of writing, there are 3,702 inmates on Death Row across the USA, many of who have caused their victims to consciously suffer agonising physical pain and tortuous mental anguish before death. These are not normal human beings; they have carried out serial murder, mass-murder, spree killing, necrophilia, and dismemberment of bodies - both dead and alive. In these pages are to be found fiends who have stabbed, hacked, set fire to, and even filleted their victims. So meet the ‘dead men and women walking’ in the most terrifying true crime read ever.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2003
7 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Berry-Dee
75 books346 followersChris was a former Royal Marine intelligence officer. He is now a criminologist who has interviewed over 30 serial killers.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 14, 2014
This has been one of my favourite books that I have not even finished. This is a book which has little chapters. or just a paragraph about the various killers. What they did, who they murdered, which jail they are in if they are still alive and what was their punishment.
I really like sometimes reading a few pages. Yes mine needs updating but I think it is a little jewel.
(Maybe because this was and still is the first book of this kind.
Eta Mine has a different cover. It has the cover of the kindle version which I like more than the one that is showing now on GR.
I really like sometimes reading a few pages. Yes mine needs updating but I think it is a little jewel.
(Maybe because this was and still is the first book of this kind.
Eta Mine has a different cover. It has the cover of the kindle version which I like more than the one that is showing now on GR.
August 17, 2024
A lot of potential, but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired.
The writing quality is only so-so, at times verging into hyperbolic, blog-type, don't-trust-your-readers-to-be-able-to-know-horrible-monsters-without-you-telling talk.
Also, the book is riddled with very basic factual errors; as just one example, serial killer Roy Norris is consistently referred to as Ray Norris.
In many entries, the details of the crimes are scant, sometimes to the extent that victims are not even identified. This is not due to lack of available info; I was able to find such information readily with good old Google. Surely the author, who is no novice crime-writer, could have done the same?
I did like that in a few cases, the author pointed out (with supporting evidence) that the death sentence was possibly ill-advised or disproportionate, and in the final entry, Tommy Zeigler, he is emphatic (and to my mind, justifiably so) that the man on Florida's death row is the wrong one. And he even includes contact info if anyone has a tip to solve that case of multiple murder and attempted murder.
I really like the A-to-Z format as well, and this is true about books on almost any subject. I fell in love with encyclopedias at a very early age.
The cases span several states, most notably Texas, Arizona and Kentucky. The time range is generally from the 1990s on, though there are some 1980s cases, and one oddball from the 1930s. Here is another area where some help from a seasoned editor could have helped to either broaden or narrow the scope of the entries.
In summary, good for a start, but my Lord, don't use this as a primary source for your next term paper, because if so you'll look like a clown.
The writing quality is only so-so, at times verging into hyperbolic, blog-type, don't-trust-your-readers-to-be-able-to-know-horrible-monsters-without-you-telling talk.
Also, the book is riddled with very basic factual errors; as just one example, serial killer Roy Norris is consistently referred to as Ray Norris.
In many entries, the details of the crimes are scant, sometimes to the extent that victims are not even identified. This is not due to lack of available info; I was able to find such information readily with good old Google. Surely the author, who is no novice crime-writer, could have done the same?
I did like that in a few cases, the author pointed out (with supporting evidence) that the death sentence was possibly ill-advised or disproportionate, and in the final entry, Tommy Zeigler, he is emphatic (and to my mind, justifiably so) that the man on Florida's death row is the wrong one. And he even includes contact info if anyone has a tip to solve that case of multiple murder and attempted murder.
I really like the A-to-Z format as well, and this is true about books on almost any subject. I fell in love with encyclopedias at a very early age.
The cases span several states, most notably Texas, Arizona and Kentucky. The time range is generally from the 1990s on, though there are some 1980s cases, and one oddball from the 1930s. Here is another area where some help from a seasoned editor could have helped to either broaden or narrow the scope of the entries.
In summary, good for a start, but my Lord, don't use this as a primary source for your next term paper, because if so you'll look like a clown.
September 8, 2018
This book is a dry read. It lists the details of inmates on death row. Unlike what another review here on GoodReads indicates, there is no story, not at all. If you want to read beyond the god-awful life of a retarded victim, screw you that's sick, that's sad. Stop.
The book begins with the first death penalty in the USA. After telling the reader about that execution of a thief (harsher than Sharia) the various US executions are listed; gas, electric, injection, hanging, firing squad. Details are given.
Finishing the introduction & first chapter, it was at this point I thought maybe it would be moral & philosophical about the death penalty. Putting forward his own philosophy & measuring it with the morals of various screeds. It was clearly not going to be a dramatic retelling, but maybe there would be an argument for the authors preferred law & punishment, I was wrong. Maybe there would be discussion of justice from the victim's perspective, from the community perspective, from some abstract point. I was wrong. No Old Testament eye-for-an-eye, no New Testament turn-the-other-cheek, nope. Nothing a bit more fanciful. The timing of the executions I suppose is a weak argument for certain methods, but only if one assumes the executioner should not stoop to the level of the criminals. So torturing torturers sinks the level / corrupts the soul of all involved, whereas a quick death is merciful (to the principle of Equality). But hey, that's just me.
The book begins with the first death penalty in the USA. After telling the reader about that execution of a thief (harsher than Sharia) the various US executions are listed; gas, electric, injection, hanging, firing squad. Details are given.
Finishing the introduction & first chapter, it was at this point I thought maybe it would be moral & philosophical about the death penalty. Putting forward his own philosophy & measuring it with the morals of various screeds. It was clearly not going to be a dramatic retelling, but maybe there would be an argument for the authors preferred law & punishment, I was wrong. Maybe there would be discussion of justice from the victim's perspective, from the community perspective, from some abstract point. I was wrong. No Old Testament eye-for-an-eye, no New Testament turn-the-other-cheek, nope. Nothing a bit more fanciful. The timing of the executions I suppose is a weak argument for certain methods, but only if one assumes the executioner should not stoop to the level of the criminals. So torturing torturers sinks the level / corrupts the soul of all involved, whereas a quick death is merciful (to the principle of Equality). But hey, that's just me.
February 24, 2021
my nana was in this book
January 17, 2016
Reading this book is like being punched in the forehead over and over. Each mini-bio of a Death Row offender gets you right between the eyes with the horrible features of the crime that led to the ultimate penalty. There is no setup, social history, character development or legal maneuvering included to slow the stories down.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews