Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making

Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making
Author: John Curran
Publisher: Harper
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011-11-22
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780062065421

As he did in the Edgar®-nominated and Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards–winning Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks, Christie expert and archivist John Curran once again examines the unpublished notebooks of the world's bestselling author to explore the techniques she used to surprise and entertain generations of readers. Drawing on Christie's personal papers and letters, he reveals how more than twenty of her novels, as well as stage scripts, short stories, and some more personal items, evolved. Here are wonderful gems, including Christie's essay on her famous detective, Hercule Poirot, written for a British national newspaper in the 1930s; a previously unseen version of a "Miss Marple" short story; and a courtroom chapter from her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was edited out of the published version in 1920; plus an insightful, well-reasoned analysis of her final unfinished novel, based on the author's notes and Curran's own deep knowledge of Christie and her work. A must-read for every Christie aficionado, Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making is a fascinating look into the mind and craft of one of the world's most prolific and beloved authors.

Making Murder

Making Murder
Author: Philip L. Simpson
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 372
Release: 2009-12-30
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0313356254

Thomas Harris created the iconic fictional murderer and sociopath, Hannibal Lecter. This book explores and analyzes the characters, artistry, and cultural impact of Harris's novels—four of which are centered on the terrifying villain of the iconic film, The Silence of the Lambs. Making Murder takes readers deep into the work of Thomas Harris and his iconic creation, Hannibal Lecter—one of modern fiction's most unforgettable characters. A former crime reporter, Harris's exhaustive research techniques have included extensive time with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit studying actual serial killers. Like no other available volume, the book explores the dark heart within Harris's novels—the unflinching look at evil that makes them so much more than just "good reads." Making Murder looks at all five of Harris's novels, starting with the suspenseful terrorist thriller, Black Sunday, then moving through the quartet of books in which Hannibal Lecter gradually moves from malevolent presiding spirit to unsettling, recognizably human protagonist. Author Philip Simpson looks at the critical response each book received and explores the works themselves in terms of story, characters, writing style, allusions and symbols, and themes. An introductory chapter provides insights into the author's life, publishing history, and significant cultural impact.

The Will To Kill

The Will To Kill
Author: James Alan Fox
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Total Pages: 386
Release: 2018-03-22
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1506365973

The Will to Kill: Making Sense of Senseless Murder is an academic, yet engrossing, exploration of extraordinary and seemingly inexplicable cases of homicide - not to sensationalize them, but because these are the cases that inform public opinion and policy.

Murder Made in Italy

Murder Made in Italy
Author: Ellen Nerenberg
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 401
Release: 2012-03-29
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0253223091

Looking at media coverage of three very prominent murder cases, Murder Made in Italy explores the cultural issues raised by the murders and how they reflect developments in Italian civil society over the past 20 years. Providing detailed descriptions of each murder, investigation, and court case, Ellen Nerenberg addresses the perception of lawlessness in Italy, the country's geography of crime, and the generalized fear for public safety among the Italian population. Nerenberg examines the fictional and nonfictional representations of these crimes through the lenses of moral panic, media spectacle, true crime writing, and the abject body. The worldwide publicity given the recent case of Amanda Knox, the American student tried for murder in a Perugia court, once more drew attention to crime and punishment in Italy and is the subject of the epilogue.

Avery

Avery
Author: Ken Kratz
Publisher: BenBella Books, Inc.
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2017-02-21
Genre: True Crime
ISBN: 1944648011

It's time to set the record straight about Steven Avery. The Netflix series Making a Murderer was a runaway hit, with over 19 million US viewers in the first 35 days. The series left many with the opinion that Steven Avery, a man falsely imprisoned for almost 20 years on a previous, unrelated assault charge, had been framed by a corrupt police force and district attorney's office for the murder of a young photographer. Viewers were outraged, and hundreds of thousands demanded a pardon for Avery. The chief villain of the series? Ken Kratz, the special prosecutor who headed the investigation and trial. Kratz's later misdeeds—prescription drug abuse and sexual harassment—only cemented belief in his corruption. This book tells you what Making a Murderer didn't. While indignation at the injustice of his first imprisonment makes it tempting to believe in his innocence, Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong and the evidence shared inside—examined thoroughly and dispassionately—prove that, in this case, the criminal justice system worked just as it should. With Avery, Ken Kratz puts doubts about Steven Avery's guilt to rest. In this exclu- sive insider's look into the controversial case, Kratz lets the evidence tell the story, sharing details and insights unknown to the public. He reveals the facts Making a Murderer conveniently left out and then candidly addresses the aftermath—openly discussing, for the first time, his own struggle with addiction that led him to lose everything. Avery systematically erases the uncertainties introduced by the Netflix series, confirming, once and for all, that Steven Avery is guilty of the murder of Teresa Halbach.

The Murder of Time: Making and Unmasking a Sleeper

The Murder of Time: Making and Unmasking a Sleeper
Author: Matthew Pauly
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2016-07-26
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0978196139

A non-fiction autobiography that delivers an action narrative of MK-ULTRA mind-control black op experiments and weapons tests in North America by military, para-military and intelligence in the last decade. The relationship of this R&D to present day 'terror events' is explored. "An unforgettable account of an unwitting Canadian's forced recruitment into the bizarre world of cross-border black ops... Do read MURDER OF TIME, recommend it to everyone you know - not just because it's the strangest and most terrifying book to come out in Canada this year -- but most of all because it's all TRUE." - Ann Diamond, editor and author of two books on surviving CIA MK-ULTRA Subproject 68 at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal "None of Matthew Pauly's tormentors are cartoonish; on the contrary, they are human, all-too-human... in a couple of cases, even admirably so... This is a very good book, and ought to be an instant classic of its genre." - Brian Taylor

Thomas Becket

Thomas Becket
Author: Lloyd De Beer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2021-06
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780714128382

Marking the 850th anniversary of his dramatic murder, this major exhibition and book presents Becket's tumultuous journey from a merchant's son to Archbishop of Canterbury, and from a revered saint in death to a 'traitor' in the eyes of Henry VIII over 350 years later. The assassination of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170 changed the course of history. Becket was one of the most powerful figures of his time, serving as royal Chancellor and later as Archbishop of Canterbury. Initially a close friend of King Henry II, the two men became engaged in a bitter dispute that culminated in Becket's shocking murder by knights with close ties to the king. Becket was quickly canonized a saint by the Pope and his shrine at Canterbury became a major center of European pilgrimage. Becket's international popularity endured for centuries until Henry VIII attempted to eradicate his cult as part of his reforms of the Church in England. Featuring an incredible array of objects associated with Becket, including medieval stained glass, manuscripts, jewellery and sacred reliquaries, Thomas Becket: murder and the making of a saint explores his dramatic life, death and legacy. This unique and fascinating story reveals the political and religious landscape of medieval Europe, demonstrating the formation and endurance of his cult. In death, Becket remained a figure of opposition to power and came to be seen as a defender of rights of the Church. An extraordinary number of miracles were recorded in the immediate aftermath of his death, leading to his rapid canonization and the development of his cult. Images of Becket are found across Latin Christendom, from Germany and Spain, to Italy and Norway and Becket's shrine at Canterbury Cathedral became one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Europe. A dedicated section will delve deeper into the Miracle Window of stained glass from Canterbury Cathedral. Here, new research from Professor Rachel Koopmans (York University, Toronto) examines the creative complexity of the windows, shedding light on the recent discoveries that led to the re-evaluation of some of the panels which were previously thought to be modern replacements.

The Michigan Murders

The Michigan Murders
Author: Edward Keyes
Publisher: Open Road Media
Total Pages: 302
Release: 2016-04-19
Genre: True Crime
ISBN: 1504025598

Edgar Award Finalist: The true story of a serial killer who terrorized a midwestern town in the era of free love—by the coauthor of The French Connection. In 1967, during the time of peace, free love, and hitchhiking, nineteen-year-old Mary Terese Fleszar was last seen alive walking home to her apartment in Ypsilanti, Michigan. One month later, her naked body—stabbed over thirty times and missing both feet and a forearm—was discovered, partially buried, on an abandoned farm. A year later, the body of twenty-year-old Joan Schell was found, similarly violated. Southeastern Michigan was terrorized by something it had never experienced before: a serial killer. Over the next two years, five more bodies were uncovered around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. All the victims were tortured and mutilated. All were female students. After multiple failed investigations, a chance sighting finally led to a suspect. On the surface, John Norman Collins was an all-American boy—a fraternity member studying elementary education at Eastern Michigan University. But Collins wasn’t all that he seemed. His female friends described him as aggressive and short tempered. And in August 1970, Collins, the “Ypsilanti Ripper,” was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole. Written by the coauthor of The French Connection, The Michigan Murders delivers a harrowing depiction of the savage murders that tormented a small midwestern town.

Murder by the Book

Murder by the Book
Author: Claire Harman
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2020-02-04
Genre: True Crime
ISBN: 0525436154

Early on the morning of May 6, 1840, the elderly Lord William Russell was found in his London house with his throat so deeply cut that his head was nearly severed. The crime soon had everyone, including Queen Victoria, feverishly speculating about motives and methods. But when the prime suspect claimed to have been inspired by a sensational crime novel, it sent shock waves through literary London and drew both Dickens and Thackeray into the fray. Could a novel really lead someone to kill? In Murder by the Book, Claire Harman blends a riveting true-crime whodunit with a fascinating account of the rise of the popular novel and the early battle for its soul among the most famous writers of the day.

The Book of Murder

The Book of Murder
Author: Guillermo Martinez
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2009-07-28
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0143115804

A chilling new tale of literary intrigue from the author of the international sensation The Oxford Murders When Guillermo Martínez 's novel The Oxford Murders was first published in the United States, The New York Times Book Review called it "a scholarly whodunit [for] anyone who loves a good mystery." Now Martínez returns with a worthy followup: the mesmerizing The Book of Murder. A young writer finds himself unexpectedly tangled up in the story of Luciana, his former assistant and Kloster, bestselling author and rival. What he discovers about the deaths surrounding Luciana will make him question everything he had always believed-and taken for granted-about chance and calculation, cause and effect.