Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

The Crate: A Story of War, a Murder, and Justice by Deborah Levison is a true crime story that started with the discovery of a crate under the crawl spaces of a cottage owned by the Vadas family in July 2010. In the first part of the book, Levison tells how she received the news from her older brother, Dr. Peter Vadas. She reflects on her family's move from Canada to the U.S., her memories of the close-knit community of Hungarian Jews in Toronto, and how her parents bought land and built a cozy cottage in Muskoka, Ontario. In the second part of The Crate, readers are told more about Levison’s parents surviving the Nazi brutality in WWII, while unraveling the gruesome murder, the identity of the victim, and the man responsible for it.

The narrative shifts back and forth between the old memories, her childhood, her parents’ past, and the murder investigation, including how the family coped with it. The tangential style of the narrative might slightly disrupt the pace for some readers, but it always returns to the subject matter at hand with clear prose. It’s not hard to understand Levison’s nostalgic connection to the cottage. All the thoughts, care and hard work that had been put into the cottage, the summer memories of family spending time there together are instantly defiled by a gruesome act. The Crate－albeit combined with fond and poignant memories of the Vadas family－is a true crime story with disturbing details. It’s a tough topic to contemplate and a grim reminder of the worst of humanity.

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Murder Never Dies: Crime and Corruption in the Friendly City by George T. Sidiropolis is a compilation of true short stories about Wheeling, WV. Mr. Sidiropolis uncovers and reveals a shocking truth about the years of crime in Wheeling; the corruption that tainted the city, earning it the name of Little Chicago. The book details the lives of the people, innocents whose lives were changed forever, people who were left to fend for themselves in a culture of open bribery and decadence that opened the door to an unending cycle of crime, bringing Wheeling into disrepute and changing the face of it forever.

Murder Never Dies: Crime and Corruption in the Friendly City by George T. Sidiropolis made for an interesting read. The true crime genre has always fascinated me and this book, made up of lots of smaller stories, was well worth the read. Each story contributes to the larger picture, the whole story about Wheeling in West Virginia, and it was written in a way that draws you in. The descriptive nature of the book kept me hooked until the very end, but I feel that this is not the end of the story, that there is more to come out. The real truth is never as tame as the story the authorities want to portray, and this uncovers some pretty shocking details about the area and the rise of corruption and crime that changed Wheeling for good. I think that any fan of the true crime genre will enjoy this, along with anyone who likes any type of murder or mystery story.

Reviewed by Carine Engelbrecht for Readers' Favorite

The saying goes that clothing maketh the man, but all too often, clothing serves as armor and disguise, hiding the pain and heartbreak of derailed human lives. Jo Dibblee knows all about hiding. As Frock Off: Living Undisguised chronicles, some of her earliest lessons in life revolved around hiding her dysfunctional family's doings from the outside world and protecting her flawed and damaged parents from the interference of social workers. At times, an 'earth angel' offers a respite from the tension. At times, hurtful family secrets are uncovered. With grim determination and an occasional lucky break, she is able to turn her life around.

Frock off: Living Undisguised is ultimately a well-written and uplifting tale of survival - both physical and emotional - against great adversity and against all odds. The book graphically illustrates exactly what potential dangers are faced by youth at risk, (especially when parents are incapable of providing adequate support) as well as the potential for damage that is realized when society turns a blind eye. I liked the honesty and introspection with which the author tackles her own past. I enjoyed her voice and her fighting spirit - people who have faced a struggle or two in their lives make worthier role models than overachievers born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths. I think this book can serve as great inspiration for anyone who strives to turn a damaged life around. It could also provide greater insight into the dynamics of dysfunctional families. Jo Dibblee should be praised for sharing her past with such courage and integrity.

Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite

Cary Allen Stone’s Through a Mother's Eyes: A True Crime Story is the true story of Julie, a mother who murdered her child. Stone did not write this story to gain sympathy for Julie or for people to hate Julie. Stone wrote this book so people can maybe understand what was going through Julie’s mind when she committed the crime.

Stone has an interesting writing style for writing true crime. She states only the facts, tells the backstory of the murderer, and gives the murderer a chance to explain why they did what they did. By Stone writing the book like this, it gives the reader a chance to ask themselves what they would have done if they were in Julie’s situation.

Through a Mother's Eyes: A True Crime Story is not an easy read. After reading this I can say I do not like Julie, but I can kind of see why she did what she did. However, there is still no excuse for her to murder her child. I believe her upbringing had a lot to do with why she murdered her child. This is why I believe that other people hold blame as to what was done to her son Charley. I was surprised that Chuck tried to help Julie after she murdered Charley.

I thought that this was a well written book, although after finishing it I was left with a deep sadness for Charley. The way Julie murdered him was brutal in my eyes and I had a hard time getting thoughts of it out of my head. This book is not for everyone. If you like reading true crime then you might enjoy this book.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In an absolutely great entry in the genre of true crime, In the Company of Evil: Thirty Years of California Crime, 1950-1980 by Michael Thomas Barry is a fantastic composite of some of the most notorious and interesting cases in California in the time period. In truly chilling detail, the book provides readers with a glimpse into the lives and crimes of those ranging from serial killers to Satan worshippers, to brutal rapists and more. Some of the more fascinating cases include 'The Real House on Haunted Hill,' 'The Sex Club Slaying' and 'The Lonely Hearts Killer,' and their recounting may bring back the sense of terror that the communities they victimized felt at the time that these vicious criminals were active.

I found In the Company of Evil to be a simply fascinating read. Author Michael Thomas Barry has done a fantastic job in interweaving true facts from cases, personal histories of both victims and perpetrators, as well as photographs to make the stories come alive on the page. I also appreciated the fact that while some of the stories I knew or remembered, others were less publicized and known, making for new discoveries in the world of crime. Any reader who enjoys true crime, history, and especially history from the state of California will love In the Company of Evil: Thirty Years of California Crime, 1950-1980. I highly recommend this book. I certainly hope that author Michael Thomas Barry is already working on his next book in this same vein. I, for one, will certainly be keeping an eye out for his next work!

Reviewed by Viga Boland for Readers' Favorite

Not The Body by Shirlie K. Plomer is almost too unbelievable to be true crime or memoir. Several times I checked the category under which it was listed to be sure I hadn’t made a mistake: surely it was fiction. But no, no mistake. Not The Body is actually a memoir of true crime…unbelievable, riveting, alarming and shrouded in mystery…not just about the crime itself, but about whose memoir this is. It’s not Shirlie K. Plomer’s. Or, put it another way, that’s what the author would have us believe. Don’t you just love a mystery? Not The Body is certainly that. The story is the untold and deeply hidden events of a true crime shared with Shirlie K. Plomer by a popular and very wealthy female author who lived to be 108 years old. Go ahead. Google famous female authors who lived that long and see if you can find her. I already did and can’t. So one comes away from Not The Body even more curious about the goodies and the baddies in this memoir.

According to Shirlie K. Plomer, this famous author, who goes by a pen name of Madeline Cruise in the book, asked Shirlie to write Not The Body, but swore her to secrecy. Set in Australia, which happens to be Shirlie K. Plomer’s homeland, Madeline Cruise is in her eighties when a bedraggled beggar appears at her front door. Madeline, a generous, loving woman, feels compelled to give him some food and clean him up, and when she does, she realizes to her shock that this beggar is her long estranged son. Overjoyed at being reunited with him, what happens after he reveals that he has just been released from solitary confinement for the murder of his wife and children 15 years earlier has the reader holding their breath and rapidly turning pages.

The reason for all the hush-hush around the true identity of Madeline Cruise is to protect her family and the families of 15 victims of kidnapping, horrendous sexual abuse, and depravity in the highest levels of society and the police force. In Not The Body, the reader will learn about the ultimate and clever capture of the real monster behind the supposed murder of Madeline’s family, for which her son was wrongly convicted. Without disclosing too much, I can tell you that this Madeline Cruise, whoever she was, was one amazing and very strong woman whose love for her son and determination to get to the truth saved so many others from what would have been certain death. And what a character she is! Shirlie K. Plomer has a done a great job in capturing her indomitable spirit, her sense of humour, and her deeply spiritual side. The only frustration I feel with Not The Body is not knowing the real identity of Madeline Cruise…which is exactly what she wanted.

Prepare to be shocked, even nauseated at times with what you will read. I guarantee you will come away, as I did, more curious than ever about who, what, when, where and why!

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Inadmissible is a coming of age memoir written by Tamer Elsayed. Tamer was a teen when his father abandoned his family, and his mother decided that Tamer should go to the United States as she wouldn't be able to pay for his schooling in Egypt. Tamer had won awards for his excellence in high school, including being one of the top 10 students in the nation in his senior year. After the flurry of television appearances and an all-expenses paid trip to Europe, sponsored by The Republic, an Egyptian newspaper, he began preparing for his trip to the US. The original plan was for him to live with Mike, his mother's cousin, who was living in California, but that plan changed precipitously when Mike separated from his wife and brought his family back to Egypt. One cousin, Moe, returned to the US and offered to host Tamer. His visa was approved for six months for the purpose of seeing Disneyland before beginning school the next fall. Once in the states, essentially on his own and with no means of support or way to earn a living, the young scholar now faced his biggest challenges yet -- to make money for rent and to send home to his mother, and to find a way to go to college.

Tamer Elsayed's coming of age memoir, Inadmissible, is a remarkable and compelling story. The author's writing style is precise, yet conversational and painstakingly honest, as he shares the facts of his early years in the United States, including the naive and momentary lapse of judgment which resulted in his imprisonment and a criminal record that still haunts his personal and professional life. I was transported by his efforts to keep afloat in a new and alien culture and the details of his struggles for housing and employment, all the while sending the money that he didn't have to his mother. I loved reading about his educational experiences at California Polytechnic University and graduate studies at Caltech. Elsayed discusses his studies and research in a manner that's easily understood by non-engineers, and his accounts of his Ph.D. examinations and the defense of his doctoral thesis were riveting and suspenseful. Inadmissible is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite

Murder is a Family Affair by Donalie Beltran describes a family that begs the question - can evil be inherited? The Tuxhorn family takes us to Illinois in the mid 1850s, where Charles was a boy with a hard heart and a lovely face. Evil is then set in motion by Charles’ grandfather and the younger man carries on the family’s violent tendency for destruction. The Pinkertons end up looking for him when he disappears following a rash of gruesome murders. Is he truly gone or is something worse coming next?

This book really brings to mind the old school of thought - is evil inherent in people, is it learned or is it maybe a mixture of both? What is scary is that this is based on a real story and really, if you look into the pasts of some of the other evil men of the world, you can find similarly based stories, maybe not as twisted but close. Donalie Beltran has done a fantastic job of writing this and laying it out in a tale that is both gripping and terrifying, all in the same book. I found myself biting my lip often when I was reading this book and to me that is the sign of reading something good. I can say I have not read of a family or a story as twisted and truly evil as Charles and his family, bringing a whole new definition to the phrase “screwed-up family.” They truly prove there is evil in the world. With that said, this is a good book and an interesting read, one I would recommend.

Reviewed by Roy T. James for Readers' Favorite

Hero to Zero by Zach Fortier is the story of cops, officers who were outstanding in his or her own way. Every single one went from being considered an exceptional cop, respected by their peers, to being a criminal and publicly humiliated. All were handed their walking papers and asked not to return. This book traces the highs and lows of twenty-three unique co-workers of the author such as: the never swearing poster boy for wholesome goodness, Tucker; smart cop Ray Fossum who landed up with drugs; Lance Edwards who happened to come in as the new chief and was hell-bent on making his mark on the department’s culture; the nice officer who was arrested for murdering his wife, Roy Grey; and their exciting careers. The book depicts how many of them met their end in Alcoholics Anonymous, some dismissed in disgrace, disbarred, or spent their last days as a convicted felon, or were relieved of their enviable positions.

Hero to Zero by Zach Fortier is a gripping story, well told and captivating. With almost all the heroes evoking sympathy in abundance, this book has the potential to hold the reader glued to it, eager to finish it in one go. Easy on language and with an interesting narrative, this book also opens one's eyes to the ‘undocumented’ risks of the profession of being a cop, especially when we observe that every hero, before going to zero, was a valuable member of the community. It would have been helpful if the opening pages also showed the contents of the book, greatly assisting search, cross references and selection, inherent parts of relishing a book.

Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite

I found Frustrated Witness!: The Real Untold Story of the Adam Walsh Case by Willis Morgan absolutely fascinating. I used to love watching America’s Most Wanted and was surprised when John Walsh, the host’s own son, was murdered. Since I was young at the time, I did not follow the case and did not know much about it. However, I have followed Jeffrey Dahmer and stories about him. Morgan has done an amazing job of filling the book with actual facts, details, and information pertaining to the death of Adam Walsh.

In Frustrated Witness, Morgan gives evidence that it is possible that Jeffrey Dahmer was involved in the murder of Adam Walsh. At first I was skeptical and thought it could be a coincidence that Dahmer was involved since he was living in Florida at the time. Reading the book has since changed my mind and I do believe that Dahmer was involved. The main thing I enjoyed about this book was that Morgan wrote about Dahmer’s life. I never knew that Dahmer served in the army. The way that Morgan told witnesses and victims' personal stories, with their approval, made the book hard to put down for me. The pictures that Morgan included of the victims and Dahmer made the story and his opinion of Dahmer more believable. I also liked that Morgan put in actual photos of the case files. The attention to detail in this book was truly astounding.

Overall, I thought Morgan did an amazing job of presenting evidence that Dahmer could be involved in the death of Adam Walsh. He has made me a believer. I highly recommend Frustrated Witness to anyone who enjoys reading about true crime.