Top True Crime eBooks

Bound by Honor eBook by Bonanno, Bill

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

No one can tell the true story of the Mafia in America better than Bill Bonanno. He was there. He lived it.

Bill Bonanno was born into a world of respect, tradition, and honor. The son of legendary mafioso Joe Bonanno, Bill was a "made" member of the Mafia by the time he was in his early twenties. He was rumored to be the model for The Godfather's Michael Corleone, and was the subject of Gay Talese's best-selling Honor Thy Father.

Now retired, Bill is finally ready to give an eyewitness account of his life as a high-ranking captain in the Bonanno crime family, one of America's most powerful Mafia syndicates. He takes you inside the mob at its peak, when New York's Five Families -- Bonanno, Gambino, Colombo, Lucchese, and Genovese -- not only dominated local businesses, but also controlled national politics. For the first time, Bill Bonanno discloses the machinations behind his marriage to Rosalie Profaci (niece of the powerful don Joe Profaci), an event which cemented the alliance between the two Families with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal wedding. From the truth about the mysterious disappearance of his father to a startling disclosure about the mob's participation in the Kennedy assassination, Bill Bonanno lays bare the inner workings to his chaotic, violent, and surprisingly human world with unparalleled detail and insight.

Bound by Honor not only recounts Bill Bonanno's tumultuous life, but also is an engrossing chronicle of organized crime. Bonanno's story provides a remarkable glimpse into all of the intriguing personalities of the underworld of yesterday and today, from Bugsy Siegal to John Gotti.

This book is a must for readers of Mario Puzo, Gay Talese, Nicholas Pileggi, and others who have recorded the Mafia, but have never been at the eye of the storm in quite the same was as Bill Bonanno is in Bound by Honor.

Front photo: Bill and Joe Bonanno in

Assassination Vacation eBook by Vowell, Sarah

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

"Sarah Vowell exposes the glorious conundrums of American history and culture with wit, probity, and an irreverent sense of humor. With Assassination Vacation, she takes us on a road trip like no other -- a journey to the pit stops of American political murder and through the myriad ways they have been used for fun and profit, for political and cultural advantage. From Buffalo to Alaska, Washington to the Dry Tortugas, Vowell visits locations immortalized and influenced by the spilling of politically important blood, reporting as she goes with her trademark blend of wisecracking humor, remarkable honesty, and thought-provoking criticism. We learn about the jinx that was Robert Todd Lincoln (present at the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley) and witness the politicking that went into the making of the Lincoln Memorial. The resulting narrative is much more than an entertaining and informative travelogue -- it is the disturbing and fascinating story of how American death has been manipulated by popular culture, including literature, architecture, sculpture, and -- the author's favorite -- historical tourism. Though the themes of loss and violence are explored and we make detours to see how the Republican Party became the Republican Party, there are all kinds of lighter diversions along the way into the lives of the three presidents and their assassins, including mummies, show tunes, mean-spirited totem poles, and a nineteenth-century biblical sex cult. "

Catch Me If You Can eBook by Abagnale, Frank W.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters, and escape artists in history.  In his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks, all before he was twenty-one. Known by the police of twenty-six foreign countries and all fifty states as "The Skywayman," Abagnale lived a sumptuous life on the lam-until the law caught up with him.  Now recognized as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction international escapades, and ingenious escapes-including one from an airplane-make Catch Me If You Can an irresistible tale of deceit.

The uproarious, bestselling true story of the world's most sought-after con man currently in development as a DreamWorks feature film.

"I stole every nickel and blew it on fine threads, luxurious lodgings, fantastic foxes, and other sensual goodies.  I partied in every capital in Europe and basked on all the world's most famous beaches."

From the Trade Paperback edition.

ART OF THE STEAL, THE eBook by Abagnale, Frank W.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

The world-famous former con artist and bestselling author of Catch Me if You Can now reveals the mind-boggling tricks of the scam trade&#8212;with advice that has made him one of America's most sought-after fraud-prevention experts."I had as much knowledge as any man alive concerning the mechanics of forgery, check swindling, counterfeiting, and other similar crimes. Ever since I'd been released from prison, I'd often felt that if I directed this knowledge into the right channels, I could help people a great deal. Every time I went to the store and wrote a check, I would see two or three mistakes made on the part of the clerk or cashier, mistakes that a flimflam artist would take advantage of.... In a certain sense, I'm still a con artist. I'm just putting down a positive con these days, as opposed to the negative con I used in the past. I've merely redirected the talents I've always possessed. I've applied the same relentless attention to working on stopping fraud that I once applied to perpetuating fraud."In Catch Me if You Can, Frank W. Abagnale recounted his youthful career as a master imposter and forger. In The Art of the Steal, Abagnale tells the remarkable story of how he parlayed his knowledge of cons and scams into a successful career as a consultant on preventing financial foul play&#8212;while showing you how to identify and outsmart perpetrators of fraud.Technology may have made it easier to track down criminals, but cyberspace has spawned a skyrocketing number of ways to commit crime&#8212;much of it untraceable. Businesses are estimated to lose an unprecedented $400 billion a year from fraud of one sort or another. If we were able to do away with fraud for just two years, we'd erase the national debt and pay Social Security for the next one hundred years. However, Abagnale has discovered that punishment for committing fraud, much less recovery of stolen funds, seldom happens: Once you're a victim, you won't get your money back. Prevention is the best form of protection.Drawn from his twenty-five years of experience as an ingenious con artist (whose check scams alone mounted to more than $2 million in stolen funds), Abagnale's The Art of the Steal provides eye-opening stories of true scams, with tips on how they can be prevented. Abagnale takes you deep inside the world and mind of the con artist, showing you just how he pulled off his scams and what you can do to avoid becoming the next victim. You'll hear the stories of notorious swindles, like the mustard squirter trick and the "rock in the box" ploy, and meet the criminals like the famous Vickers Gang who perpetrated them. You'll find out why crooks wash checks and iron credit cards and why a thief brings glue with him to the ATM. And finally, you'll learn how to recognize a bogus check or a counterfeit bill, and why you shouldn't write your grocery list on a deposit slip.A revealing look inside the predatory criminal mind from a former master of the con, The Art of the Steal is the ultimate defense against even the craftiest crook.

Deadly Innocence eBook by Burnside, Scott

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

Karla and Paul seemed like the picture-perfect newlyweds, but were really a pair of vicious killers who abducted, sexually tortured and murdered innocent schoolgirls, videotaping their evil acts in suburban Niagara Falls. Billed as the crime of the century in Canada, this case has received a great deal of media coverage on both sides of the border. Includes eight pages of photos.

A Sudden Shot eBook by Kimball, Camille

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

Arizona never experienced a summer like this, as snipers Dale Hausner and Sam Dieteman took aim at anything--and everything--in their path. Phoenix was a city in terror as the deadly spree ultimately claimed 37 vicitims, people and pets--until one detective began to put the pieces together to nail the murderous duo.

A Poisoned Passion: A Young Mother, her War Hero Husband, and the Marriage that Ended in Murder eBook by Fanning, Diane

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

By the age of twenty-four, Air Force Staff Sergeant Mike Severance had already survived a series of missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. But his life back at home, in Texas, would prove a lot more dangerous' In the winter of 2005, Mike's wife, a veterinaria

Amazing True Stories of Execution Blunders eBook by Abbott, Geoffrey

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

The business of death can be seriously absurd, and nothing illustrates this better than these gruesome true tales. This gory compendium details the frankly ridiculous ways in which a number of ill-fated unfortunates met (or failed to meet) their maker at the hands of lamentably inept executioners. With black and white illustrations, this book brings together a mixture of bungled executions, strange last requests and classic one-liners from medieval times to the present day.

Conspiracy of Fools eBook by Eichenwald, Kurt

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

In 2000, when The Informant was published, few would&rsquo;ve imagined that a story about price fixing at Archer Daniels Midland could be as un&ndash;put&ndash;downable as the best crime fiction. Yet critics&mdash;and consumers&mdash;agreed: The New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald had taken the stuff of dry business reporting and turned it into an unparalleled page&ndash;turner. With Conspiracy of Fools, Eichenwald has done it again.Say the name &ldquo;Enron&rdquo; and most people believe they&rsquo;ve heard all about the story that imperiled a presidency, destroyed a marketplace, and changed Washington and Wall Street forever. But in the hands of Kurt Eichenwald, the players we think we know and the business practices we think have been exposed are transformed into entirely new&mdash;and entirely gripping&mdash;material. The cast includes but is not limited to George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul O&rsquo;Neill, Harvey Pitt, Colin Powell, Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alan Greenspan, Ken Lay, Andy Fastow, Jeff Skilling, Bill Clinton, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Eisner. Providing a you&ndash;are&ndash;there glimpse behind closed doors in the executive suites of the Enron Corporation, the Texas governor&rsquo;s mansion, the Justice Department, and even the Oval Office, Conspiracy of Fools is an all&ndash;true financial and political thriller of cinematic proportions.

Bodies We've Buried: Inside the National Forensic Academy, the World's Top CSI TrainingSchool eBook by Hallcox, Jarrett

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

Two National Forensic Science Institute administrators invite readers into what the Washington Post calls "the Harvard of hellish violence"-the only hands-on CSI school of its kind where students are trained in burial recovery with actual human remains. With exclusive access to a world normally off-limits to the public, this is the first book to go behind the scenes of the ten-week course that discloses the uncensored realities of burial exhumations and the fascinating art of forensic investigation.

Almost Home eBook by Echols, Damien

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

Almost Home is a message to you from a faraway place. It is a message from a 12-foot by 9-foot cell in a cinderblock building surrounded by coils of razor wire in the middle of a dirt field in Arkansas. It was written by a young man named Damien Echols and it chronicles his life and his experiences in a way that clearly illuminates him, not as a monster, but as a human being. For over 10 years Damien has been an inmate on death row for a crime he did not commit. He, along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley have become known as The West Memphis Three, and though the story of their arrest and conviction is widely known, most people don't know the real people behind the sound bites and the TV news segment clips. Damien has spent much of his time behind bars diligently maintaining his integrity and his sanity by writing.

Almost Home is the product of that self-discipline, and in it you will meet someone who has survived an ordeal many of us would find impossible to live through. There are a few who still believe that Damien is a devil-worshipping child killer, but as time passes and more facts rise to the surface, it becomes even more clear that he is the victim of a peculiar species of hysteria. Read this book and know the truth about him. It is an urgent message from death row; the whole story of who Damien Echols really is.

Are You There Alone?: The Unspeakable Crime of Andrea Yates eBook by O'Malley, Suzanne

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

"In the tradition of In Cold Blood, The Executioner's Song, and A Civil Action, Suzanne O'Malley exposes the human mystery of the most horrifying crime in recent history and the legal drama surrounding it. As a journalist, Suzanne O'Malley began covering the murders of Noah, John, Paul, Luke, and Mary Yates hours after their mother, Andrea Yates, drowned them in their suburban Houston home in June 2001. Over twenty-four months, O'Malley interviewed or witnessed the sworn testimony of more than a hundred participants in this drama, including Yates herself; her husband, Rusty Yates; their families; attorneys; the personnel of the Harris County district attorney's and sheriff's offices; medical staff; friends; acquaintances; and expert witnesses. O'Malley argues persuasively that under less extraordinary circumstances, a mentally ill woman would have been quietly offered a plea bargain and sent to an institution under court supervision. But on March 12, 2002, Andrea Yates was found guilty of the murders of three of her five children. She is currently serving a life sentence and will not be eligible for parole until 2041. O'Malley's exclusive personal communications with Andrea Yates and her interviews with Rusty Yates allow her to offer fully realized portrayals of people at the center of this horrifying case. In ""Are You There Alone?"" O'Malley makes a critical contribution to our understanding of mental health issues within the criminal justice system."

Cruel Games: A Brilliant Professor, A Loving Mother, A Brutal Murder eBook by Ciotta, Rose

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

University of Pennsylvania professor Rafael Robb was in a class of his own. An expert on game theory, his colleagues and students marveled over his brilliance. But his wife, Ellen, knew his dark, calculating side…and in December 2006, after years of alleged psychological abuse, she was finally ready to leave him. Her divorce papers were nearly in order and she was about to sign a lease on a new home—and a new life. Until she was found dead in the home she shared with Rafael and their daughter, Olivia.

Rafael claimed that Ellen was the victim of a fatal intrusion. Many of Ellen’s friends and family suspected that Rafael committed the crime. Now, a high-stakes showdown was about to begin between local investigators and one of academic world’s greatest masterminds. But the police had almost no evidence—and the professor had only one strategy: to win at all costs…

419 Scam eBook by Tive, Charles

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

The "419" scam is an aspect of transnational financial crime with a 'modus operandi' peculiar to the Nigerian swindler.

The most recurrent type of transnational "419" scam is the "advance fee fraud". It is usually introduced in the form of a business contract, a transfer of stolen money or money from over-invoiced contract, the purchase of crude oil from Nigeria at a relatively cheap rate, and transfer of money left by a deceased person (will scam). In all situations, the victim is eventually lured into an endless period of advance fee payment. The "black money" scam is almost as popular as the advance fee fraud and is sometimes, practiced in continuation of advance fee scam. The victim is introduced to a large sum of money that needs to be cleaned by a special liquid solution. The victim parts with money upon the supposition that the black money would be cleaned and given to him. The con man gets away with the victim's money leaving him with a bunch of worthless papers.

The 419 Scam business is not restricted to defrauding foreigners. There are two groups of con men in Nigeria: The local and the International "419ners". The local groups specialize in defrauding Nigerians while the more advanced International syndicates fish out victims from Europe, America, Asia and South Africa. The local ones eventually grow to international status after they have made enough money to acquire computers, facsimile and telephone lines and other gadgets necessary for the scam business.

"Tive's insight of the perpetrators behind the advance fee fraud coupled with his knowledge on the topic show that he is a true authority on the subject."- Ralph A. Gonzales, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Secret Service

"This book by Charles Tive is an excellent portrayal of the 419 scam, its operators, and its basic operations."-Gary M. Gibson, Regional Security Officer, U.S. Consulate Lagos.

".is a scholarly but readable summary of the history of and methods used by Nigerian scam / 419 operations."-The 419 Coalition, USA.

Ann Rule's Crime Files: Ann Rule's Crime Files Vol. 9 eBook by Rule, Ann

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 54:11:27 GMT

"The dark side of love is no fairy tale.... And while we may like to believe that crimes of the heart only victimize those who aren't careful, this page-turning collection of must-read accounts will convince you otherwise. America's #1 true-crime writer, Ann Rule reveals how lovers become predators, how sex and lust can push ordinary people to desperate acts, and how investigators and forensics experts work to unravel the most entangled crimes of passion. Extracting behind-the-scenes details, Rule makes these volatile relationships utterly real, and masterfully re-creates the ill-fated chains of events in such cases as the ex-Marine and martial arts master who seduced vulnerable women and then destroyed their lives...the killer whose calling card was a single bloodred rose...the faithless wife who manipulated and murdered without conscience...the blind date that set the stage for a killer's brutality...and more. In every case, the victim -- young and innocent or older and experienced -- unknowingly trusted a stranger with the sociopathic skill to hide their dark motives, until it was too late to escape a web of deadly lies, fatal promises, and homicidal possession. "