Book picks similar to
Briar Patch: The Murder That Would Not Die by Donald Grady Shomette
true-crime
fictionalized-true-crime
short
The Ghost: The Murder of Police Chief Greg Adams and the Hunt for His Killer
Maureen Boyle - 2021
Christmas was coming to Saxonburg, Pennsylvania—a quaint borough of just 1,300—in three short weeks. The winter air was crisp. Colored lights sparkled on houses. He was only a block and a half from the Police Department, and this was just an average traffic stop.Until it wasn’t.The devoted husband and father of two little boys was about to meet any law enforcement officer’s nightmare. Moments later, he would lay dying in a pool of his own blood on that white winter snow, while his killer vanished like an apparition into thin air.Despite his many aliases, the true identity of the murderer was quickly found. The killer himself, was not. As State Police and FBI investigators peeled back the twisted layers of low-level mobster Donald Webb’s life, the path to the killer would wind through decades … toward a shocking conclusion. After all, secrets can only be kept for so long.
Daddy Knows Best: A Raw, Uncut True Story
Matt Gable - 2011
Thereafter, he was his worst enemy. A tough-as-nails father who firmly enforces his old-fashioned ways, a mother who has little or no say, and a son with a penchant for getting into misadventures. The boy tries to convince his parents that something is wrong with him, and he is really physically ill. He suffers three years of humiliation, agony, and punishment from the school and his father. The school principal, gave him swats, detention and isolation, where he spent all day locked up in an empty storage room. His emotionally unstable father spanked him ferociously. The boy was also whipped shirtless with his shorts on leaving him with welts all over his body from head to toe. He suffered other cruel punishments as well. The school and his parents misjudge him almost costing him his life. The parents get a divorce. The mother and brothers moved back to Wisconsin from Texas. They found themselves in an all-black housing project, being the only whites there for almost four years. He grows up quick and learns that life isn't as simple as black and white. When he turns 18, he decides to move back to Texas to seek vengeance from his father in a small country town with his father and his new mother. He hasn't seen or talked to his father in almost four years. Things fall apart fast. The young man and his younger brother end up out on the streets being homeless for two months and encounters unpredictable adventures. A raw, uncut true story.
Sold in Secret: A mother’s desperate search to find the men who trafficked and killed her daughter
Karen Downes - 2018
Because I would never, ever know peace again.' Charlene Downes was 14 when she went missing in Blackpool's seedy underbelly. Once a happy-go-lucky schoolgirl, she had become a truant - hanging out with the wrong crowd by the takeaway shops and pier. But Charlene's mum, Karen, always knew her typical teenage daughter would come home.Until one day she didn't.Karen has been searching for 15 years, campaigning for the truth of what happened to her daughter. To this day, Karen and her family have no body, no convictions and no answers. Arrests were made and a murder trial took place, but no one has ever been brought to justice.On the 15th anniversary of Charlene's disappearance, Karen shares this heartbreaking account of every parent's worst nightmare.
Dear Daddy: The child abuse true story that will break your heart (Child Abuse True Stories)
Emily Summers - 2015
They captivate us with their forbidden mystery and promises of excitement. Yet once inside us, they become toxic; compelling us to infect others, who in turn want nothing more than to be bitten. It's a vicious cycle that ensures nothing remains secret forever. The only way to protect yourself from their destructive energies is to simply turn the other way when offered one. To resist the lure of the forbidden fruit. But sometimes, something just happens to you - or you just happen to witness something - that forces one upon you; like an uninvited guest that arrives without warning, and leaves only under great duress. Unfortunately, I have been burdened by such a secret for over twenty years. You see, my childhood was stolen from me in broad daylight, right under my nose, by a cunning thief who dazzled me with his charms, only to run away with my innocence forever. It was the perfect crime, and at the time I was the perfect victim. But thankfully, I was able to pick up the pieces of my life and gradually go on to live quite normally. In fact, I even forgot all about my childhood trauma. Or so I thought. Because it was during a recent chance encounter with my old teenage diary that I realized my demons had never truly left me. They had only been lurking in the shadows all along as I busied myself with other things. I suppose I learned the hard way that a secret kept in darkness only grows in potency. But there is one way to diffuse a secret. To take away all of its power. And that is to make it public. For no vampire can survive in the cold light of day. So it is at the behest of my wonderfully supportive husband that I have decided to lay bare the ghosts of my childhood in this book, in the hope that in doing so, I'll finally be able to lay them to rest forever. It's been a long, hard journey for me to get to this point. And I thank you, dear reader, for playing your part in my recovery. Emily WARNING: This book is based upon a true story of child abuse, and as such contains passages that some readers may find disturbing.
What Happened to Mary Faye Hunter?: A Novel Based on a True Story
Brad Golson Glenda Yarbrough - 2019
"Why"
Marie Beech - 2014
This is the first time that I have told the whole story of the abuse I suffered at the hands of my alcoholic step father.
The Real Top Boys: The True Story of London's Deadliest Street Gangs
Wensley Clarkson - 2020
Love Her to Death: The True Story of a Millionaire Businessman, His Gorgeous Wife, and the Divorce That Ended in Murder
John Glatt - 2012
A Reno millionaire, Mack was ordered by the court to pay his wife $10,000 a month in alimony. Instead, he stabbed her in the garage while their daughter watched TV upstairs.A JUDGE: TARGETED The only person Mack hated more than his wife was the family court judge who presided over their divorce. So, after killing his wife, he loaded his gun and went after the judge... and headed for Mexico with a stash of concealed weapons.A KILLER: WANTED So began an international manhunt for a rage-filled fugitive—featured on “America’s Most Wanted”—that eventually ended in Mack’s capture. In a dramatic trial, the public would learn shocking details of the swinging lifestyle that ended his marriage, the ugly divorce that fueled his anger, and the final straw that triggered his bloody spree.
Marrying the Hangman: A True Story of Privilege, Marriage and Murder
Sheila Weller - 1992
A riveting true-crime story, and a searing indictment of our legal system's approach to the family. 8-page photo insert.
Blood Frenzy
Robert Scott - 2010
. . Frankie Cochran knew her boyfriend, David Gerard, was possessive, controlling, and prone to violent rages. When she tried to break up with him, Gerard threatened her with a hammer. One week later, he used it to club her in the head. Again. And again. Then he stabbed her in the throat--and left her for dead. . .And A Sharp Knife. . . Miraculously, Frankie survived--but cops began to suspect Gerard of other vicious crimes. One of his previous girlfriends had died in a house fire, along with her children and her mother. A local prostitute's brutalized body was found in a pool of blood. But it was the unsolved murder of another woman--repeatedly run over on a country road--that finally exposed Gerard as a rage-driven monster out of control. . .To Unleash His Rage Justice finally caught up with Gerard. Hounded by the tireless efforts of detectives and incriminated by DNA evidence as well as up-to-date forensics that matched the tire marks at a crime scene to Gerard's car, one of the Pacific Northwest's most dangerous killers was finally locked behind bars. With 16 pages of shocking photos!
The Life and Trial of Lizzie Borden: The History of 19th Century America’s Most Famous Murder Case
Charles River Editors - 2015
I have answered so many questions and I am so confused I don't know one thing from another. I am telling you just as nearly as I know.” – Lizzie Borden “I knew there was an old axe down cellar; that is all I knew.” – Lizzie Borden “Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” Like so many others, this ditty and similar ones sacrificed accuracy in the name of rhyme and rhythm, as Abby and Andrew Borden were not hit 81 times but “only” 29. Of course, that still proved to be more than enough to kill both of them and propel their daughter, Elizabeth, into infamy. Today, cases are often referred to as the trial of the century, but few could lay claim in the 19th century like Lizzie Borden’s in the wake of her parents’ murders. After all, the story included the grisly axe murders of wealthy socialites and a young daughter as the prime suspect. As Trey Wyatt, author of The Life, Legend, and Mystery of Lizzie Borden, put it, “Women were held to strict standards and genteel women were pampered, while at the same time they were expected to behave within a strict code of conduct. In 1892, Fall River, Massachusetts wealthy society ladies were not guilty of murder, and if they did kill someone, it would not be with an axe.” When questioned, Lizzie gave contradictory accounts to the police, which ultimately helped lead to her arrest and trial, but supporters claimed it may have been the effects of morphine that she had a prescription to take. Much like subsequent famous murder cases, such as the O.J. Simpson case or Leopold & Loeb, Lizzie Borden’s trial garnered national attention unlike just about anything that had come before. The case sparked Americans’ interest in legal proceedings, and as with Simpson, even an acquittal didn’t take the spotlight off the Borden case, which has been depicted in all forms of media ever since. Lizzie became a pariah among contemporaries who believed she’d escaped justice, and she remains the prime suspect, but the unsolved nature of the case has allowed other writers to advance other theories and point at other suspects. The Life and Trial of Lizzie Borden: The History of 19th Century America’s Most Famous Murder Case looks at the personal background of the Borden family and the shocking true crime that captivated America at the end of the 19th century. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Lizzie Borden like never before, in no time at all.
Beautiful: The Epitome of a BBW
Tyanna - 2017
Being a plus sized woman hadn’t always been an easy task, but with the help of the one person she loves dearly, Blu has learned to love all of her. Despite the childish standards of what society has deemed to be beautiful, she has overcome her fears, conquered the world, and taken claim of success in all its glory. However, there’s still something missing in her life: love and companionship. One day, when she least expects it, cupid shoots her with his bow, and she bumps into the fine Mr. LaMir. He’s a hood dude through and through and is different from anyone she’s ever dated, but that’s what makes him special. The attraction between the two is undeniable, and Blu soon finds herself falling head over heels for him. However, there’s one problem: he has a baby mama from hell, and she’s willing to fight Blu tooth and nail to keep him! Thirty-two-year-old LaMir Wallace isn’t your typical hoodlum. When he hustles, he hustles with purpose, and that is to get out of the hood. The streets are the last place he wants to be, and he only uses them until he finds his way out. Now, LaMir is young, successful, and rich with a whole lot to offer a good woman. However, he’s stuck with the mother of his child, who doesn’t appreciate him, and feels like she’s owed the world. The only thing keeping the two together is their child, but is he willing to give up his happiness by staying in a relationship that is eating away at his soul? When Blu Stevens and LaMir Wallace cross paths, they both see and feel something in each other that they’ve never felt before. However, with LaMir knowing his situation, he desperately tries to shake those feelings for Blu, but he can’t, and Blu feels the same about him. Life isn’t always peaches and cream, and each relationship comes with their own set of problems. Will the two’s love be enough to conquer all, or will the trials and tribulations be too much to bare? You’ll see in this wonderful tale of Beautiful: The Epitome Of A BBW.
One Christmas aboard the Grand Islander
Amie Denman - 2017
His life runs on a neat, orderly schedule until he re-unites with Allison Worthy. She was just a kid when Thurman left for life on the high seas. Now, she’s a vivacious and beautiful woman who threatens to turn his world upside-down. And the worst thing is…he has to work with her. Allison, cruise director on the ship’s maiden voyage, takes one look at grown up Thurman Swain and swoons. He’s become exactly what she’s looking for in a man, except he might be a little too concerned about what others think. The intimate confines of a ship at sea soon brew a romance between the captain and the cruise director. They conduct a clandestine love affair until Allison wants to bring their love out into the bright southern sun. When former lovers meet again on a holiday cruise, are they ready to face their past and their future... Murphy Gilbert has few regrets. His family owns a luxurious small cruise ship line, and he’s on the maiden voyage of the newest ship doing what he loves. As the company photographer and digital media specialist, the Christmas cruise on the Grand Islander should be just the right combination of work and play. However, as the ship leaves Charleston, he discovers a woman from his past on board. Losing her is one of his few regrets, but resisting her on a two-week cruise may be wonderfully impossible. After graduating from college with an art degree, Cecelia took off to Europe to study with the masters. She left behind her best friend Murphy, but not before a passionate but unwise fling with him the week before graduation. Now four years later, her work takes her aboard the Grand Islander and into the path of the dark-eyed man she hasn’t been able to forget. Letting herself fall for him means revealing a secret that will hurt them both, and Cecelia must risk everything before New Year’s Eve.
The Sand Dollar Inn: Complete Series Collection
Hazel Taylor - 2020
Her husband had just passed leaving her with just their family Bed and Breakfast, The Sand Dollar Inn. After the difficult recent death of her husband, she had finally thought her worst days were behind her.Her children being grown, each day she continued to stay busy running and managing her Bed and Breakfast, located near the beautiful Manatee Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The beauty of the area had helped ease her mind and keep her thoughts from diving too deep.Disaster strikes when her lawyer notifies her of the massive amount of debt that her late husband had accrued during their marriage. At risk of losing the Bed and Breakfast and the only thing keeping her afloat, Nina must figure out how to repay the debt.As ideas begin to come into place, an adventure begins. Nina discovers secrets held by her late father during his world travels. Hidden treasure that could be the answer to her biggest problems.Along the way, Nina and her grown children discover the thrill of adventure as help begins to come from some of the most unexpected places.An adventure she could have never anticipated.Dive in and come visit the beautiful South Florida coast and The Sand Dollar Inn. Tag along in Nina’s adventure and meet all the new characters The Sand Dollar Inn and Manatee Bay attracts!
A Little Philly Project Chick: A Thug Love Standalone
Yona - 2019
And is also one of the best African American Urban Fiction books available. And now it’s here for your reading satisfaction. In this standalone you’ll take an unforgettable ride with the national bestselling author Yona Pearson, another great storyteller under Cole Hart Signature. Her writing is smooth and she know's how to make her characters come to life. **Warning** This is not your typical Urban romance, dope boy, thug love, or kingpin savage book. Heart pounding. Edge of your seat. Women's Fiction. Street literature. On everything I love, I hate living in this rundown Philly project. My mama doesn’t know how to handle her responsibilities. My daddy has been gone my whole life. My baby daddy stays playing games like he’s not my son’s father. He really needs to grow up though. Me personally, I want to do something with my life because I can’t continue to live like this. Seems like the more I try, the harder it seems to get. Now don't get me wrong, I'm a hood chick at heart and I don't mind the thugs and the dope boys trying to holla at me. But I’m not trying to become a product of anybody's environment. It’s like a living hell growing up in the streets of Philadelphia. And I am searching high and low for a way out. I can promise the moment I get a chance to make it, I am taking off and never looking back. Seriously, just because you're brought into this world poor don't mean you have to die poor. My love life is non-existent… that was until Ace, a old friend of mines back into it. Everything that comes with him screams to leave him alone. However, I could never do no such thing. It’s like my body grows weak every time I am close to him. The way my heart beats at the sight of him is crazy, like goose bumps crazy and butterflies in my stomach crazy. If you're a woman you know what I'm talking about. He always seems to have me feeling things I never knew existed. He gives me a high I didn’t want to come down from. I thought everything was all good until the unthinkable happens, leaving me stuck wondering what was next.