Humans are a species that classifies. We arrange the flow of the things and events that we see and experience, place them into categories, and erect boundaries around those categories. Among the boundaries that we erect are those that we put around groups of "other" human beings. The evil side of human classification of other human beings is that we sometimes create false categories of other people, as is often the case in racial, ethnic, and religious stereotypes. This unmindful creation of empty categories of human characteristics is what happened during two periods crucial to the construction of race in America. This is racism. The United States is in a period of deep cultural flux and conflict, much of it seen through the lens of race. This book proposes that the everyday actions of ordinary people, in the context of extreme political and cultural polarization, distort the criminal justice system and betray the lofty ideals expressed in American founding documents and centuries of Anglo-American articulations of basic human rights. These everyday actions range across a spectrum from the armed intervention of private citizens in the forms of individual action, neighborhood watches, and citizen's arrests, to the expectations imposed on law enforcement, in particular, and the criminal justice system in general.

Engendered Death: Pennsylvania Women Who Kill is an historical and interdisciplinary study of women who kill in Pennsylvania from the 18th century to the present. It is not an examination of what motivates women to kill, although the reader may deduce that from the case studies included. Instead, it is an examination of how society perceives women who kill and how the gender-lens is applied to them throughout the legal process in the media and in the courtroom. What makes this work particularly unique is its combination of both scholarly analysis and narrative case studies. As such, it will appeal to both the scholar and the reader of true-crime non-fiction. If we are to recognize the complex variables at play in all criminal offenses, we will need to understand that the laws of a community, its social values, its politics, economics, and even geography play a factor in what laws are enforced and against whom they are enforced. The decision to define and label certain behaviors and certain people was based on social, political, and economic considerations of each community. Thus, the commission of murder by a woman in Arizona may have a variety of factors associated with it that are not present in the case of a woman who murdered her husband in Maine. This study, in part because of the volume of cases and in part to limit the variables affecting the cases, has limited its scope of women killers to the state of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is the ideal state to study because of its long and stable legal and political traditions, its historically diverse population, and the large number of newspapers that will help us gauge the public's view of women and women who kill. By limiting our scope to one state, we know that the legal definitions are fairly consistent for all of the women during a certain period and we can more easily identify the shifts in social values regarding women, homicide, and so forth.

In the waning days of World War I, William K. Dean was brutally murdered, his body hog-tied and dumped in a rainwater cistern on his farm in the quiet town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Suspicion quickly fell on Dean's wife, an invalid in the early stages of dementia. Her friends, outraged at the accusations, pointed instead to a former tenant of Dean's, whom many suspected of being a German spy. Others believed that Dean's best friend, a politically powerful banker and judge, was involved. Deep Water is based on extensive research into the Dean murder, including thousands of pages of FBI documents, Grand Jury testimonies, newspaper accounts, private correspondence, and the archives of the Jaffrey Historical Society.

*A must-read for all True Crime fans* Why are Scotland Yard murder detectives considered among the finest in the world? And why is so little known about how they truly work? ? Take a look at what lies behind that success with someone who knows. DI Steven Keogh spent over half of his 30-year police career as a Scotland Yard detective, helping to hunt down terrorists and some of the worst murderers in London. Step inside the mind of an investigator in a never-before-seen look into what it takes to catch killers and bring them to justice. In a journey from crime scene to trial, you will witness the emotional highs and lows of cracking real-life murder cases and discover why people kill, while debunking the myths that surround this detective work. Are you ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about the world of murder investigations?

Despite advances in DNA testing, forensics, and the investigative skills used by police, hundreds of crimes remain unsolved across Canada. With every passing day trails grow colder and decades can pass before a new lead or witness comes forward if one comes forward.

In Unsolved, Robert J. Hoshowsky examines twelve crimes that continue to haunt us. Some cases are well-known, while others have virtually disappeared from the public eye. All of the cases remain open, and many are being re-examined by police using the latest tools and technology. Hoshowsky takes the reader through all aspects of the crimes and how police are trying to solve them using three-dimensional facial reconstructions, DNA testing, age-enhanced drawings, original crime scene photos, and more.

None of the individuals profiled in Unsolved deserved their fate, but their stories deserve to be told and their killers need to be brought to justice.

In the late 1600s, Louis XIV assigns Nicolas de la Reynie to bring order to the city of Paris after the brutal deaths of two magistrates. Reynie, pragmatic yet fearless, tackles the dirty and terrifying streets only to discover a tightly knit network of witches, poisoners and priests whose reach extends all the way to Versailles. As the chief investigates a growing number of deaths at court, he learns that no one is safe from their deadly love potions and "inheritance stews"-not even the Sun King himself. Based on court transcripts and Reynie's compulsive note-taking, Holly Tucker's riveting true crime narrative makes the characters breathe on the page as she follows the police chief into the dark labyrinths of crime-ridden Paris, the glorious halls of royal palaces, secret courtrooms and torture chambers in a tale of deception and murder that reads like fiction.

Drawing on media reports, interviews and court records, award-winning true crime author and criminologist Judith A. Yates recounts the stories of women bank robbers in the U.S., from the time of the Revolutionary War to the present. Ranging from sensational to poignant to comical, the heists of frontier outlaws, gun molls, insurrectionists, housewives, grandmas and young mothers "literally robbing for Pampers" are narrated as part of the social history of women in America.

On June 24, 2012, Dr. Shane Truman Todd, a young American engineer, was found hanging in his Singapore apartment, just a week before his scheduled return to the United States. Although Shane had repeatedly expressed apprehension about his work with a Chinese company and fear his life was being threatened, authorities immediately ruled his death a suicide. His family initially didn't know what to believe. However, upon arriving in Singapore, they realized the evidence suggested not suicide, but murder. Shane's family later discovered that what they thought was a computer speaker was actually an external hard drive with thousands of files from Shane's computer. The information in those files transformed this story from a tragic suicide to an international saga of mystery, deceit, and cover-up, involving three countries. "Hard Drive: A Families Fight against Three Countries" is the captivating story of Shane's mysterious death and his family's grueling battle to reveal the truth against powerful forces that have sought to conceal, destroy, or discredit evidence indicating homicide. This story, which is told from the unique perspective of Shane's mother, Mary, recounts the family's painful, arduous, and unwavering endeavor to reveal the truth about what happened to Shane Todd in Singapore

Squirt Saves the Day tells a tale of friendship, heroism, and self discovery as Squirt, a lovable stinkbug, is confronted by bullies at his new school. In overcoming rejection he learns that the best way to deal with problems is head on. By doing what must be done, he gains the respect and admiration of the whole school. The book is full of colorful illustrations that will win children's hearts and teach them that, if a little stinkbug can conquer his fears, so can they.

James Tillman was stretched out on his basement couch, relaxing after a long day of work at the car wash, the smell of sweet onions and simmering steak filling the air of his modest apartment in the projects of Hartford, Conn. His mother, a bible perched nearby, was softly singing a hymn when she was shaken by the thundering sound of pounding on the front door. It wasn't a knock; it was an act of sheer force. In an instant, the police burst in, lifted James out of his home and shoved him into prison, arresting him for the brutal rape of a young corporate executive. For over 18 years, James professed his innocence, through the investigation, trial, appeals, and to anyone who would listen. Finally, after a series of extraordinary events, the Connecticut Innocence Project took up James' case, eventually winning his freedom---the first person to be exonerated in the state through the use of DNA. This is an inspirational story about the power of conviction: the wrongful conviction that sent James Tillman to prison for over 18 years, and the power of his own conviction that helped him persevere, offer a transformational forgiveness and earn a redemption that is so valued he remarkably calls his experience in prison, "a gift." "The Power of Conviction" is for people who are facing tough times. You will understand that you're not alone, that things can be brutally bad and we can react poorly at times, but where there is love, there is always hope. How did James Tillman endure 18 years of hell in prison? What specific lessons can you learn about the transformational power of forgiveness, love and conviction? When faced with your own challenges in life, what will you choose?

This thrilling story memorializes one of the most dangerous-and successful-series of undercover operations conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Written by the special agent who took these operations from disrupting small time fencing schemes to infiltrating major criminal organizations, this book is the first story of these secretive operations. During the operation's run from 2006 to 2014, Lou Valoze's fictitious businesses allowed his team of undercover agents to take thousands of weapons out of circulation and millions of dollars of drugs off the street. Through these covert "storefront" operations, the author developed a unique investigative blueprint for removing guns from the hands of violent felons and drug dealers. This book also explores the dark reality of living a double life and how it becomes difficult to tell the difference between the good guys and bad guys.

When an eleven year old James Renner fell in love with Amy Mihaljevic, the missing girl seen on posters all over his neighbourhood, it was the beginning of a lifelong obsession with true crime. That obsession leads James to a successful career as an investigative journalist. It also gave him PTSD. In 2011, James began researching the strange disappearance of Maura Murray, a UMass student who went missing after wrecking her car in rural New Hampshire in 2004. Over the course of his investigation, he uncovers numerous important and shocking new clues about what may have happened to Maura, but also finds himself in increasingly dangerous situations with little regard for his own wellbeing. As his quest to find Maura deepens, the case starts taking a toll on his personal life, which begins to spiral out of control. The result is an absorbing dual investigation of the complicated story of the All- American girl who went missing and James' own equally complicated true crime addiction. James Renner's True Crime Addict is the story of his spellbinding investigation of the missing person's case of Maura Murray, which has taken on a life of its own for armchair sleuths across the web. In the spirit of David Fincher's Zodiac, it is a fascinating look at a case that has eluded authorities and one man's obsessive quest for the answers.

Evidence is clear: public mass killings are becoming more common and deadly over time. Though the chances of being harmed or killed in a mass shooting are slim, each incident affects the public's sense of safety and how we go about our daily lives. There are many myths and falsehoods concerning mass murderers. As a result, the public lacks reliable knowledge about the reasons behind mass killings, preventing the development of comprehensive strategies to mitigate the violence. Written by a mental health therapist with thirty years of research experience in criminal psychology, this book clarifies the realities of mass killings. Synthesizing cutting-edge research on psychological profiling, it provides a foundation for understanding the "pathway to violence" identified in the personal histories of many mass murderers. Drawing from criminology, neuroscience and developmental and social psychology, the author makes the case that we are all are capable of creating a safer society.

The 1980s were a time of notorious serial killers--Jeffrey Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, Samuel Little--and these are the deadliest of all. Uncover the facts about their crimes, along with the advances in forensics that helped lead to their capture. The 1980s were the apex of a time that is sometimes known as the "Golden Age of the Serial Killer." These murderers and their nicknames--The Night Stalker, The BTK (i.e., "bind, torture, kill") Killer, The Butcher Baker, The Golden State Killer--became part of the era's zeitgeist. This fifth book in the Profiles in Crime series features the most notable murderers of the decade. Some are infamous, including Jeffrey Dahmer, the Cannibal Killer who consumed his victims' remains, and Aileen Wuornos, whose seven confirmed murders in a single year helped establish the presence of women in the annals of serial killers. Others, less well known but equally deadly, include Dorothea Puente, who ran a care home in Sacramento and preyed on the elderly, and Robert Christian Hansen, who over more than a decade killed at least 17 women around Anchorage, Alaska.