Book picks similar to
The Burn Farm by Michael Benson


true-crime
non-fiction
nonfiction
true-crime-murder

The Hospital: How I Survived the Secret Child Experiments at Aston Hall


Barbara O'Hare - 2017
    We were human toys. Just a piece of meat for someone to play with.'Barbara O'Hare was just 12 when she was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, Aston Hall, in 1971. From a troubled home, she'd hoped she would find sanctuary there. But within hours, Barbara was tied down, drugged with sodium amytal - a truth-telling drug - and then abused by its head physician, Dr Kenneth Milner.The terrifying drug experimentation and relentless abuse that lasted throughout her stay damaged her for life. But somehow, Barbara clung on to her inner strength and eventually found herself leading a campaign to demand answers for potentially hundreds of victims.A shocking account of how vulnerable children were preyed upon by the doctor entrusted with their care, and why it must never happen again.

A Need to Kill: Confessions of a Teen Murderer


Michael W. Cuneo - 2011
    One night, he waited until they were asleep…then entered the house with a knife. Alec burst into the master bedroom and stabbed Tom and Lisa Haines first. Then he attacked Kevin, who fought for his life. Meanwhile, at the end of the hall, Kevin’s sister Maggie awoke to the sound of violence—and was the only one who made it out alive. Clean-cut and academically gifted, Alec seemed to have no motives, no history of psychosis—and no remorse. Some believed he was a serial killer in the making, a soulless monster plagued by “demons.” Now, for the first time, acclaimed author Michael W. Cuneo shares the inside story—with shocking details of Alec’s confession to his father, disturbing messages to his classmates, and chilling excerpts from his diaries—and takes you inside the dark, troubled mind of this teenage killer.

Broken Faith: Inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, One of America's Most Dangerous Cults


Mitch Weiss - 2020
    In the eyes of her followers, she's a prophet--to disobey her means eternal damnation. It could also mean hours of physical abuse. The control she exerts is absolute: she decides what her followers study, where they work, whom they can marry--even when they can have sex.Broken Faith is the meticulously reported story of a singular female cult leader, a terrifying portrait of life inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the harrowing account of one family who escaped after two decades. Based on hundreds of interviews, secretly recorded conversations, and thousands of pages of documents. It's the story of an entire community's descent into darkness--and for some, the winding journey back to the light.

Perfect Husband: The True Story of the Trusting Bride Who Discovered Her Husband Was a Coldblooded Killer


Gary Provost - 1991
    As Lisa and Kosta Fotopoulos lay sleeping in their home, a burglar broke in and shot Lisa at point-blank range in the head. Miraculously, she survived to learn the sobering truth about her would-be assassin—and about her sociopathic husband's deadly agenda.

101 Things® to Do with a Dutch Oven


Vernon Winterton - 2006
    Recipes include the Mountain Man Breakfast, Sausage Spinach Wreath, Dutch Oven Stew with spicy Jalapeno Cheese Bread, Caramel Apple Cobbler, Stuffed Pork Roast, Cinnamon Rolls, Dutch Oven Pizza, Apricot Raspberry Glazed Cornish Hens, and White Chili.

The Walking Dead Chronicles


Paul Ruditis - 2011
    Featuring new interviews with series creator Robert Kirkman and executive producer Frank Darabont, as well as the cast and crew, the book also includes sidebars that serve as a detailed episode guide, reproducing excerpts from early drafts and final scripts, and revealing new direc­tions for the second season and beyond.Praise for the Walking Dead Chronicles:“Paul Ruditis provides an interesting and insightful look at both the comic book and TV series. . . . The text is filled with thoughtful commentary from the cast and crew, as well as an eye-catching assortment of production photos, set designs, storyboards, special-effects images, and reproductions of comic book artwork.” —School Library Journal

Where the Bodies Are Buried


Fannie Weinstein - 1998
    The piles of dismembered skeletons belonged to young men who has disappeared from the gay bars and cruising sites of this Midwest city.Their killer was Herb Baumeister, a beloved father and successful businessman who led a deadly double life. And until the day his son dug up a buried skull, Herb's pretty wife Julie never dreamed he was Indian's worst serial killer. She didn't know about the bizarre sexual encounters Herb held at the house when she went away with their kids...or about the brutal cravings that led him to kill.In this riveting account, two veteran journalists tell the uncensored story of Herb Baumeister--taking you into a psychopath's dark obsession to meet his victims, to witness the rituals of sex and death he forced his victims to perform, and to find out how this gruesome killing sprees finally--shockingly--came to an end...

Captive Hearts


Matt Shaw - 2018
    Her routine seems to be twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening. Other than that, he is left there with nothing but his own thoughts... Why is he there? What do they want with him? When can he go back to his own family? * * * * * Another day of the same routine. Get out of bed when she is told to do so. Get the other guest's breakfast from the kitchen area, where it is waiting for her, and take it down to him. Do not talk to him. Ensure that he is okay. Come back upstairs and - if deserving of a treat - get access to the television room for an hour of whatever is put on for her to watch. She knows why she is there. She hopes that - one day - she can be forgiven. She hopes that - one day - she will be freed. * * * * * A doting father, his life shouldn't have been like this. He didn't want to keep these people in his home. He wanted to grow old with his wife and daughter by his side but - things change. Things change and now he has changed. But doing this... Doing ALL of this... This is how he changes it back to what it was before the accident. This is how he fixes his life back to what it was. There's just one more piece of the puzzle to get and - then - the final part of his plan will be put into motion. Three characters, one storyline told through their eyes.

The Blood on My Hands: An Autobiography


Shannon O'Leary - 2016
    O'Leary grew up under the shadow of horrific domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse, and serial murder. Her story is one of courageous resilience in the face of unimaginable horrors.The responses of those whom O'Leary and her immediate family reach out to for help are almost as disturbing as the crimes of her violent father. Relatives are afraid to bring disgrace to the family's good name, nuns condemn the child's objections as disobedience and noncompliance, and laws at the time prevent the police from interfering unless someone is killed."The Blood on My Hands" is a heartbreaking-yet riveting-narrative of a childhood spent in pain and terror, betrayed by the people who are supposed to provide safety and understanding, and the strength and courage it takes, not just to survive and escape, but to flourish and thrive.

Cosmic Coupling: The Sextrology of Relationships


Stella Starsky - 2009
    With rich knowledge, expert wordsmithing, and signature wry humor, celebrity cosmic consultants Stella Starsky + Quinn Cox delve into the specific rules of attraction inherent in each bond and the perks and pitfalls particular to each partnership. Whether addressing enduring alliances or fleeting dalliances, Starsky + Cox don’t shy away from the juicier bits in profiling the romantic and sexual nature of each star-sign combination on the astrological block. Smart, sexy, and sophisticated, with a wink, Cosmic Coupling ­profiles couples in a threefold manner:•    Chemistry—describes the sparks, clashes, and underlying motivations of the couple’s mutual attraction •    Compatibility—depicts the relationship needs of each sign and explains how the pair best meshes•    Carnality—details the sexual dynamics of the bond, right on down to the nitty-grittyWith a profound understanding of astrology and human ­psychology, original insights drawn from ancient, literary, and pop archetypes, and a frankly intelligent, frequently funny delivery, Cosmic Coupling illuminates the dynamics of one’s (and others’) existing relationships and guides any singles seeking Mr. and/or Ms. Right, while giving the phrase “starry-eyed lovers” a whole, spicy new meaning.

F for Effort: More of the Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers


Richard Benson - 2012
    Featuring gems from elementary school ("two halves make a whale"), middle grades (Q: What does "germinate" mean? A: To become a German citizen), and high school (Q: Fossil fuels are usually associated with which major type of rock? A: Classic rock), these 250 examples of creative invention are sure to charm anyone who has had to bluff or blunder their way through a test.

Gumrah: 11 Short Teen Crime Stories


Ira Trivedi - 2016
    Ltd this book holds tales revolving around adolescent crime, deceit, treachery and bad judgement. In ‘Soulmate’, a case of sibling rivalry leads to disastrous consequences, while in ‘Heartbreak’, the dark side of the nicest of people is exposed. ‘Naaz’ reveals how cultural differences can sometimes lead to danger and ‘Double MMS’ shows a college girl’s stabs at popularity going horribly awry.Written by bestselling author Ira Trivedi, Gumrah: 11 Short Teen Crime Stories is a must-read, with every story revealing the consequences of wrong choices. Like the show, the message of the book, aimed especially at the younger generation, is: ‘Be aware, be prepared, be safe!’

Imponderables: The Solution to the Mysteries of Everyday Life


David Feldman - 1986
    Written in an informative and entertaining style and illustrated with drawings that are clearly to the point, "Imponderables" gets to the bottom of everyday life's mysteries, among them:Why is a mile 5,280 feet?Which fruits are in Juicy Fruit' gum?Why does an X stand for a kiss?Why don't cats like to swim?Why do other people hear our voices differently than we do?Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and almanacs don't have the answers --"Imponderables" does! And in answering such questions, it touches on an astonishing variety of subjects, including sports, science, history, politics, television, radio, and much more. No trivial pursuit, "Imponderables "takes a surprising, illuminating, and humorous look at ourselves and the world around us.

Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland


Amanda Berry - 2015
    . . . I’ve been kidnapped, and I’ve been missing for ten years.”   A horrifying story rapidly unfolded. Ariel Castro, a local school bus driver, had separately lured Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight to his home, where he kept them chained. In the decade that followed, the three were raped, psychologically abused, and threatened with death. Berry had a daughter—Jocelyn—by their captor.   Drawing upon their recollections and the diary kept by Amanda Berry, Berry and Gina DeJesus describe a tale of unimaginable torment, and Pulitzer Prize–winning Washington Post reporters Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan interweave the events within Castro’s house with original reporting on efforts to find the missing girls. The full story behind the headlines—including details never previously released on Castro’s life and motivations—Hope is a harrowing yet inspiring chronicle of two women whose courage, ingenuity, and resourcefulness ultimately delivered them back to their lives and families.

Gorilla and the Bird: A Memoir of Madness and a Mother's Love


Zack McDermott - 2017
    Every passerby was an actor; every car would magically stop for him; everything he saw was a cue from "The Producer" to help inspire the performance of a lifetime. After a manic spree around Manhattan, Zack, who is bipolar, was arrested on a subway platform and admitted to Bellevue Hospital. So begins the story of Zack's freefall into psychosis and his desperate, poignant, often darkly funny struggle to claw his way back to sanity. It's a journey that will take him from New York City back to his Kansas roots and to the one person who might be able to save him, his tough, big-hearted Midwestern mother, nicknamed the Bird, whose fierce and steadfast love is the light in Zack's dark world. Before his odyssey is over, Zack will be tackled by guards in mental wards, run naked through cornfields, receive secret messages from the TV, befriend a former Navy Seal and his talking stuffed monkey, and see the Virgin Mary in the whorls of his own back hair. But with the Bird's help, he just might have a shot at pulling through, starting over, and maybe even meeting a woman who can love him back, bipolar and all. Written with raw emotional power, humor, and tenderness, GORILLA AND THE BIRD is a bravely honest account of a young man's unraveling and the relationship that saves him.