The County Library discussion

Hello everyone,

This month's challenge is to read a nonfiction true crime book. Obviously, Ann Rule is one of the most prolific authors of true crime, so you can check out one of her books.

You may enjoy The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper, or The Sinners All Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne, or The Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case.

You can also read collections that are about lots of different crimes like Unspeakable Acts: True Tales of Crime, Murder, Deceit, and Obsession or True Crime II: More Tales of Murder & Mayhem.

There are some fun books in the juvenile nonfiction collection as well like Curious Cases: True Crime for Kids: Hijinks, Heists, Mysteries, and More, or The Story of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, or Daring Heists: Real Tales of Sensational Robberies and Robbers.

Good luck!

Well crumble bumble! I just barely finished Fatal Vision by Joe McGinniss, the story of Dr. Jeffrey McDonald who was convicted of having killed his pregnant wife and 5 and 2 year old daughters at Fort Bragg in 1970. Proclaiming his innocence to this day, there remains controversy over his conviction. But one of the most compelling aspects of the crime is each member of the family had a different blood type allowing a pretty detailed crime scene reconstruction, but never a hint of motive. If you are curious, you can read my review.

Another one is the book that was the first of the genre, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote for which Capote won a Pulitzer Prize. And for something a tad off beat for those who watched the Netflix limited series The Staircase, a look at the theory that an owl, and not her husband, killed Kathleen Peterson, Death by Talons: Did An Owl 'Murder' Kathleen Peterson? by Tiddy Smith. I've read several titles in this genre in the last two years so I think I will sit this one out. But maybe not .... I do enjoy true crime.

In the listing of books my friends read is The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlein. I have been fascinated by the Alex Murdaugh case from the point when news reported fears that he remains a target for the killer or killers of his son and wife. He was attacked at the side of the road when changing a tire and was shot by an assailant. The bullet only grazed the side of his head, not penetrating. Now he is serving time in South Carolina convicted of being the killer of his wife and son, the attack on the side of the road a ruse to deflect suspicion away from him. And it got weirder.

I’m going to listen to “Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions,” by John Grisham.

I read Code Over Country by Matthew A. Cole.

Monthly Challenges:
8/8 so far
8/10 year

Monthly Book Tally:
12/12 so far
12/14 year

I finished listening to “Framed,” by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey. Wow…so many people who were innocent, convicted of crimes. I’m sad that some police officers, detectives, lawyers and others lied to solve cases. I have only had positive experiences with police officers, so I DO trust them, and I think that most of the time, we CAN trust them. I trust quickly, in general, unless someone gives me a reason not to trust. Anyway, I love that they wanted to get their messages out about wrongful convictions. It was sad, though, to listen to these stories.

I just finished The Old Man and the Gun: And Other Tales of True Crime for this challenge.

I read Lady Killers: Deadly Women Throughout History.

I read The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripoer. This book is not just true crime. It’s true crimes. One, because of the five lives taken by Jack the Ripper and two, because the lives that Victorian working class women were forced to live.

Rachel, that was my alternate pick if Lady Killers didn't interest me.

I have finished The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty by Valerie Bauerlein ( Review )

Because True Crime is not my thing at all, I went the mild route and read a children's book-- What Do We Know About the Mystery of D. B. Cooper? by Kirsten Anderson. This would be an excellent book for elementary age kids.

Linda wrote: "Because True Crime is not my thing at all, I went the mild route and read a children's book-- [book:What Do We Know About the..."

True crime is really my thing and I thought seriously about reading this.

The Who Was books are generally pretty awesome. So, I'm a fan of that. I haven't read that one though, I bet it's interesting.

The month will be over in the blink of an eye. I'm doing this little ring-a-ding to get great minds deciding on our November reading repast before Halloween.

Debbie wrote: "The month will be over in the blink of an eye. I'm doing this little ring-a-ding to get great minds deciding on our November reading repast before Halloween."

And November's reading challenge is posted! If anyone wants to take a look at that. :D

Elizabeth, yay!

I am reading The Thefts of the Mona Lisa: On Stealing the World's Most Famous Painting by Noah Charney. But due to the arrival of another book I had on hold, I will not finish it by the end of October. I feel like it is kind of a timely read, discussing the security of the Louvre.

Only a couple more days to finish this challenge.

Did you guys see that the German company that made the moving stairs used in the Louvre heist is using a picture from the crime scene for online marketing?

So funny.

Elizabeth wrote: "Only a couple more days to finish this challenge.

Did you guys see that the German company that made the moving stairs used in the Louvre heist is using a picture from the crime scene for online ..."

Well, it is proof of portability, maneuverability, reliability, speed and quiet. In other words, ease of use.

Elizabeth, omgosh lol.

I read I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer.

Debbie wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Only a couple more days to finish this challenge.

Did you guys see that the German company that made the moving stairs used in the Louvre heist is using a picture from the crime..."

I know! And then I heard that the heist might be based on some children's novels. I'll link to the full Guardian article below, but this part is so interesting:

It has emerged that a very similar heist was outlined in one of the 52 volumes of a popular children’s book series beginning in the 1960s that stars Fantômette, a girl crime-fighter aged about 12 who is often described as France’s first female superhero.

In Appelez Fantômette (Call Fantômette), a character describes exactly how he would break into the Louvre, steal a diamond, and escape, all in a matter of minutes and without harming anyone.

“Listen to me,” the character, speaking in his prison cell, says. “All you have to do is place a ladder up against the wall and climb up to the first floor; indeed, there is only one floor. Then, you break a window-pane.

“You advance 10 metres, smash the display case with a hammer and bingo! You have your hands on the objet. Ah, if only I wasn’t locked up in here, I can assure you it would be done in a flash.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...

Last day to tell me what you read, so you'll be entered into the contest!