Five firefighters took off running for cover behind the fire engine and the other gold/black trailer, a few closed their eyes as they ran blindly into the darkness with flames chasing behind them saying one prayer that seems to come to mind at a time like this.... "Our Father Who..."

Principally an abridgement of the transcript of the trial as published in: The Sacco-Vanzetti case. 2nd ed. Mamaroneck, N.Y.: P. P. Appel, 1969; followed by a collection of remarks over the past 80 years about the trial and its significance.

On May 5, 1993, second-graders Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore disappeared from their West Memphis, Arkansas, homes. The following afternoon, their nude, beaten, and bound bodies were discovered in a drainage ditch less than a mile away.

After a troublesome confession, three local teenagers, later dubbed the "West Memphis Three," were arrested, tried, and convicted in early 1994. Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley received life sentences, while ringleader Damien Echols went to death row. Three years later, the documentary film "Paradise Lost" premiered on HBO, and the effect on viewers was dramatic. Many became skeptical of the verdicts and also felt one of the fathers of the victims was a better suspect-John Mark Byers.

In "Untying the Knot," author Greg Day tells the true story of John Mark Byers and the about-face he made to free the men convicted of the crime. Day exposes the propaganda campaign used to convince a gullible public that Byers was complicit in the deaths of his wife and son. Based on court transcripts and hours of personal interviews, "Untying the Knot" explores all the case evidence while interweaving dialogues and statements. It traces the life of Byers from his roots in rural Arkansas, to his son's murder and the death of his wife, to his ultimate imprisonment in 1999. It reveals a man redeemed by prison and whose change of heart changed his life.

"Day has captured the essence of a towering personality engulfed by an impossible situation. John Mark Byers is an immensely complex character, and Untying the Knot pulls no punches in revealing the man in all his seeming contradictions."

-John Douglas, "Mindhunter"

July 8, 1932, 11 PM. East Austin, an African-American district in Jim Crow Texas. Sixty-year-old Charles Johnson is driving home from Bible study when a car full of young white men swerves in front of him. A brief altercation ensues. Convinced that his life is threatened, Johnson fires his pistol and drives away. Johnson's shot kills the unarmed, eighteen-year-old son of Albert Allison, a prominent cotton landlord, influential in politics, and an advocate for racial justice. Although devastated, Allison personally thwarts a lynch mob and then insists that Austin's courts treat Johnson fairly. Nonetheless, Allison expects fairness to execute his son's killer. Johnson himself expects to be lynched, either by the mob or by the court. "To Defy the Monster" shows how the confluence of unique cultural and historical factors determines Johnson's fate and why Allison orders his family never to speak of the matter.

THE NEW EDITION OF THE TRUE CRIME CLASSIC The Inside Story of Serial Killer Ted Bundy Ann Rule was a writer working on the biggest story of her life, tracking down a brutal mass-murderer. Little did she know that the young man who was her close friend was the savage slayer she was hunting . . . TED BUNDY was everyone's picture of a natural 'winner' - handsome, charming, brilliant in law school, successful with women, on the verge of a dazzling career. Fast-forward to 24 January 1989, Ted Bundy is executed. He had confessed to taking the lives of at least thirty-five young women, coast to coast. This is his story: the story of his magnetic power, his unholy compulsion, his demonic double life and his string of helpless victims. It was written by a woman who thought she knew Ted Bundy, until she began to put all the evidence together and the whole terrifying picture emerged . . . As recommended by the hosts of the podcast My Favourite Murder. Fascinating further reading for viewers of the Netflix documentary Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.

"Peter and I stared at each other, digesting the shocking news. What was this misguided loose cannon of a prosecutor doing? Would he really take the risk of ruining our lives without any evidence of a crime? The answer was obviously yes.The thought of being arrested! The very idea pierced my heart. My mind raced at hyper speed. I had never committed a single criminal act. I was a wife, a mother, and a hard-working professional in the field of real estate development. After many years of faithful service, my bosses, Peter Durkee and Jack Wood, made me an equity partner in Durkee Development Group, a developer of golf course communities in Naples. Now I was being accused of being a partner in crime, a corrupt individual, an influence peddler, who had sought to bring illegal pressure on government authorities with respect to a golf course development called Colisseum Golf.My life had just spun totally out of control."

In this story based on true events, author Nelson Rodriguez explores the effects of an online game called Mobster on its players. Rodriguez examines how people interact with others when they are involved-or even obsessed-with online gaming, delving into the relationships that are built through the game-sometimes with others who live a completely different part of the world For Sam, the game Mobster became an extremely personal and real experience; he began acting out his crimes in real life, without giving any thought to the law or the lines that he was crossing. To "win," he did everything in his power, regardless of the consequence-making bribes and intimidating anyone he perceived was in his way. But would he take to ultimate step and actually kill someone? Mark was committed to his job as a police officer, and so he never imagined that one day he would have to engage in the very acts that he had sworn to fight. It seemed that destiny had a different path for him-a life he never imagined for himself. Despite their strong personal relationships, once these players get caught up in the game, all that matters to them is the game-and everything they cared about before is in jeopardy.

During her career, Julie Grace worked for several political icons, including Paul Simon, Alan Dixon, Joseph Kennedy, Walter Mondale, and Jimmy Carter. In 1991, she accepted a job with "TIME" magazine, where she specialized in social issues and was touted as one of "TIME"'s best human drama reporters.

Although Julie appeared to have a solid career, her world began to crumble when the stresses of her job became more than she could handle. In order to cope, she turned to alcohol. Eventually her addiction cost her the job. It was then that she sought help in an alcohol rehabilitation program. There, she met George Thompson, and they soon developed an extremely close relationship.

Unfortunately, the relationship was rocky and George physically abused Julie on numerous occasions. Tragically, on May 20, 2003, the abuse ended when Julie died three days after one of their abusive encounters. George initially confessed to her murder but when his case went to trial, he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter rather than first degree homicide.

Ruth Grace, Julie's mother, was shocked. She blamed the Illinois judicial system for miscarriage of justice. Now, with the help of author Nancy Hoff man, she examines her daughter's case in detail. Read the witnesses testimonies and judge for yourself-"Was Justice Served?"

Shortlisted for the 2022 Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award. ***A Waterstones Best Books of 2022 pick*** A Financial Times, The Times and The Economist Book of the Year 'Gripping... A startling tale of fraud and impunity. ' The Economist 'I read it in one sitting, and I know it'll stay with me for a long time.' Oliver Bullough, Sunday Times bestselling author of Moneyland Inside the corrupt and secret business of global shipping, the explosive true story of a notorious international fraud and murder In July 2011, the oil tanker Brillante Virtuoso was drifting through the treacherous Gulf of Aden when a crew of pirates attacked and set her ablaze in a devastating explosion. But when David Mockett, a maritime surveyor working for Lloyd's of London, inspected the damaged vessel, he was left with more questions than answers. Soon after his inspection, he was murdered. Dead in the Water is a shocking expose of the criminal inner-workings of international shipping, an old-world industry at the backbone of our global economy. Through first-hand accounts of those who lived the hijacking - from members of the ship's crew and witnesses to the attacks, to the ex-London detectives turned private investigators seeking to solve Mockett's murder - award-winning reporters Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellel piece together the astounding truth behind one of the most brazen financial frauds in history.

Jump aboard and travel along on this unsettling journey through trials, convictions, incarcerations and finally that point of no return. Partner with a desperate father as he decides to take revenge on the person he holds responsible for a series of crimes that tear his life apart.

Compare your actions to those of this man and see how they affect you. What would you do? As I put this together I tried to figure what I would do and I must admit I was shocked at my reaction at times. Whatever your final decision I am sure you will have as many questions at the end as you did in the beginning.

The strange situation that I found myself in was how willing I was to accept this mans solution. I guess we all see things through our own filter and in many cases we are able to justify even the unsavory acts if they are couched in the right set of circumstances.

Good reading.