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Books > Fiction > True stories
The Number One bestselling memoir from Ireland's former state
pathologist In 1997, Dr Marie Cassidy arrived in Dublin from
Glasgow. There to discuss a possible deputy state pathologist post
with Professor John Harbison, instead she was whisked by police
escort to a Grangegorman murder scene. There was no turning back.
She became Ireland's State Pathologist from 2004 until 2018, her
image synonymous with breaking news of high-profile cases - a
trusted figure in turbulent times. Here, with the scalpel-like
precision and calm authority of her trade, Marie shares her
remarkable personal journey from working-class Scotland into the
world of forensic pathology, describing in candid detail the
intricate processes central to solving modern crime. She recounts
her work following the tragic deaths of Rachel O'Reilly, Siobhan
Kearney, Robert Holohan, Tom O'Gorman and others - along with the
Stardust exhumations and lesser known cases from her long career -
outlining the subtle methods by which pathology and the justice
system meet. Beyond the Tape is a unique behind-the-scenes journey
into the mysteries of unexplained and sudden death - by turns
poignant, stark and deeply compelling.
Prisons, an integral part of society, generally are not familiar to
most people. Length of sentence and treatment by others in the
prisons vary widely. The immediate "Man-in-charge" of each prison
unit is the warden, who has some flexibility within TDCJ
guidelines. Warden Dr. Keith Price gained a reputation for turning
around some chaotic prison units. He knows from experience that at
best, prisons are very difficult places for people, whether they
are behind the bars or in front of them. "People that wind up in
prison, inmates, generally are society's rejects," Price said.
"They've been unable to do the things other people do to make life
a success, whether it's because of an abusive parent, addiction to
some substance, stupidity, being unable to read or write, they've
been failures and have chosen alternate means, that is crime."
Price also knows officers have a challenging life, "The
correctional officer, has to deal with people so maladjusted that
society says they can't live amongst them anymore. It's conflict
day after day, hour after hour and it really takes a toll, from
broken marriages to financial problems to substance abuse. It's
continual." The Texas Prison System was named "one of the best" in
the country by a leading penology expert. However, shortly after
that, a Federal Judge took control of the entire Texas Department
of Corrections for "unconstitutional treatment" of inmates. TDC
denied and resisted many of the reforms the judge ordered. The
result was chaos. Too few guards, rampant gangs, gang wars and
overcrowding were the norm for several years. The court kept
control 20 years and finally the prison system adapted to the new
(and constitutional) ways of operating. At the same time Texas
prison population doubled, and more than doubled, again. During
that time, 19-year-old Rickie Smith began a 10-year sentence in TDC
on a drug charge. He joined the gang wars, in the Aryan Brotherhood
and then made his own personal war with prison officers. He could
have been released in a few short years, but, in 3 separate trials
juries added 3 ninety-nine-year sentences for him to serve. Trial
transcripts have many references in testimonies to how dangerous
Rickie Smith is--even calling him "the most violent inmate" in TDC.
REAL PRISON / REAL FREEDOM is a biography of Rickie Smith and how
his life intersects with the woes of the prison system and with
Warden Keith Price. Naturally, he wanted out, knowing that
realistically it will never happen. Officials told him he'll never
get out. Then came the impossible that shocked everyone, especially
Rickie.
A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington
Post bestseller. #1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen's
shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters
determined to survive their mother's house of horrors. After more
than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the
word mom, it claws like an eagle's talons, triggering memories that
have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years,
behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington,
their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable
abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all,
Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far
less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn
into their mother's dark and perverse web, the sisters found the
strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that
culminated in multiple murders. Harrowing and heartrending, If You
Tell is a survivor's story of absolute evil-and the freedom and
justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for.
Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the
darkness that made them the resilient women they are today-loving,
loved, and moving on.
This book attempts to establish a more holistic approach to the
rehabilitation of war-injured civilians, one that adjusts to the
patients' long-term needs. Kovacic not only offers an insight into
the daily realities of patients during and after rehabilitation,
but seeks to develop a new way to perceive, respect and involve
them in health care. Based on comprehensive interviews with
patients and MSF staff, as well as extended field observations,
Reconstructing lives follows Syrian and Iraqi war-injured civilians
in their journey to recovery. From their improvised medical
treatment in their home countries, to the MSF-run hospital in Amman
Jordan, to their return home, Kovacic explores how individuals
attempt to pick up the pieces of their previous lives, add new
elements from their treatment and travel experiences, and finally
establish a new reconstructed reality. The book explores how the
interaction between MSF staff and their patients contributes to the
immense task of healing that awaits victims of war. The reader
visits the intimate medical and domestic spaces that usually remain
closed to the outside observer, spaces rich with human contact,
perceptions, emotions, conflicts and reconciliations. -- .
'No matter how bad things are, Molloy tells those afflicted by
neglect, there is always hope. And with hope, there is the
possibility to heal and to build a new and better kind of life'
Lancashire Evening Post Following on from her previous bestselling
books, Hackney Child and Tainted Love, written under the name Hope
Daniels, which told the stories of kids in children's homes who
fought against the odds in their struggle to survive, Jenny
Molloy's book Neglected gives harrowing accounts of what happens
when children fall in love with the wrong people, and how the role
of social workers in their lives can bring them back to an
understanding of what love really means. Readers will be introduced
to several brave and inspirational children: Jemma, taken into care
after her father tried to kill her; Angelika, abandoned by her
mother, ending up in a criminal gang; Emma, whose life spiralled
out of control after her mother's sudden death. Neglected explores
these stories and more, ultimately aiming to answer the question:
how can the circle of neglect be broken? Praise for Hope Daniels'
other books 'Raw and absorbing' Grazia 'Refreshingly honest ... It
will touch your heart' UK Fostering
Rickie Smith's crimes got him 10 years in Texas Prisons. He joined
Aryan Brotherhood and gang wars, then added war with guards. He
became known as "the most violent man in the prisons" and juries
added 3 ninety-nine-year sentences. Rage and hatred controlled his
life--more than prison. Then what seemed impossible shocked
everyone, most of all Rickie.
In Food and Feast in Premodern Outlaw Tales editors Melissa Ridley
Elmes and Kristin Bovaird-Abbo gather eleven original studies
examining scenes of food and feasting in premodern outlaw texts
ranging from the tenth through the seventeenth centuries and
forward to their cinematic adaptations. Along with fresh insights
into the popular Robin Hood legend, these essays investigate the
intersections of outlawry, food studies, and feasting in Old
English, Middle English, and French outlaw narratives,
Anglo-Scottish border ballads, early modern ballads and dramatic
works, and cinematic medievalism. The range of critical and
disciplinary approaches employed, including history, literary
studies, cultural studies, food studies, gender studies, and film
studies, highlights the inherently interdisciplinary nature of
outlaw narratives. The overall volume offers an example of the ways
in which examining a subject through interdisciplinary,
cross-geographic and cross-temporal lenses can yield fresh
insights; places canonic and well-known works in conversation with
lesser-known texts to showcase the dynamic nature and cultural
influence and impact of premodern outlaw tales; and presents an
introductory foray into the intersection of literary and food
studies in premodern contexts which will be of value and interest
to specialists and a general audience, alike.
Some years ago Edward Cole, a West Indian living in London,
discovered an extraordinary natural limestone landscape on land he
had bought in Trelawny, Jamaica, to build a house. Ever since the
discovery he has worked tirelessly to expose and display the
stones, created by nature millions of years ago and since buried by
earth, trees and bushes, in order to allow them to be seen by the
public. There are few if any other places in the world where you
can see such a rich array of examples of nature's work in carving
rock formations from limestone. They have now been used to create
an artful range of displays as the basis of the Limestone Garden.
This book is designed to inspire the reader and to reach a wider
geological audience.
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.
There's an old saying in the news business: if it bleeds, it leads.
The nightly California news and other media outlets are filled with
stories of crime, killing, and sorrow. Within these pages
rediscover 46 of the most notorious murders and shocking crimes
committed by women in the state of California between 1850 and
1950. Examine the accounts of such notorious murderesses as the
Black Widow, Louise Peete; Tiger Woman, Clara Phillips; the
Duchess, Juanita Spinelli; and many more. Written in chronological
sequence and enhanced by 50 photographs, each entry provides a
concise overview of the crime, background information, and final
dispositions. At one point these California crimes horrified the
collective imaginations of the stateand nationbut many have faded
away from our historical consciousness. Theyre back. This book is
an indispensable reference tool for anyone interested in California
history and crime.
The fateful days and weeks surrounding 6 June 1944 have been
extensively documented in histories of the Second World War, but
less attention has been paid to the tremendous impact of these
events on the populations nearby. The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy
tells the inspiring yet heartbreaking story of ordinary people who
did extraordinary things in defense of liberty and freedom. On
D-Day, when transport planes dropped paratroopers from the 82nd and
101st Airborne Divisions hopelessly off-target into marshy waters
in northwestern France, the 900 villagers of Graignes welcomed them
with open arms. These villagers - predominantly women - provided
food, gathered intelligence, and navigated the floods to retrieve
the paratroopers' equipment at great risk to themselves. When the
attack by German forces on 11 June forced the overwhelmed
paratroopers to withdraw, many made it to safety thanks to the help
and resistance of the villagers. In this moving book, historian
Stephen G. Rabe, son of one of the paratroopers, meticulously
documents the forgotten lives of those who participated in this
integral part of D-Day history.
From the bestselling author of the Thrown Away Children series
comes another heartbreaking story of life in foster care. Louise
has trouble on her hands from the first moment that 5-year-old
Billy Blackthorn comes to stay. He is one of more than 20 children
taken into care from a single family, and erupts into the Allen
household with a volatility that is frightening and disturbing in
equal measure. It is only as Louise begins to uncover the secrets
of Billy's dark past that she begins to understand what made his
family 'untouchable'. 'Britain's top foster carer' The Sun 'A
shining light' Emily Finch, BBC
"I am just an ordinary mum, yet I would go to the ends of the earth
to get justice for my daughter. If I can change the way people are
treated, then Jodey will not have died in vain. I now feel that
this was her destiny; to change the lives of millions of others."
While Jodey Whiting was stuck in hospital battling pneumonia over
Christmas, a letter dropped on her doormat from the Department of
Work and Pensions, asking her to attend an assessment. It was a
letter she never saw. Despite suffering from major health problems
and needing daily care, the powers-that-be callously halted benefit
payments for the mum-of-nine. While waiting for her appeal, and
with no money coming in, Jodey killed herself, aged just 42.
Another DWP letter pronouncing her 'fit to work' was sent to her
home three days after her tragic death. A Mother's Job is the story
of how Jodey's mum Joy Dove, 67, took on the system - and won
justice for her daughter. A former cleaner and shop-worker, she is
intimidated by nothing and nobody. Joy reveals how she struggled to
raise her family, as a single mother, living on the now notorious:
'Benefits Street' estate in Stockton-on-Tees. Of how Jodey, her
middle daughter, developed problems including curvature of the
spine, a brain cyst, and bipolar and personality disorders and how,
as her health deteriorated, Joy became her unofficial carer,
visiting several times a day. Jodey left farewell notes following
her suicide, warning that her youngest son, Cory, a twin, was
particularly vulnerable. Tragically, her premonition was realised
when, unable to cope with his grief, he died from a drug overdose,
aged 19, in May 2020. Joy felt that the DWP had stolen two members
from her family. An inquiry after Jodey's death found the DWP had
failed to follow its own safeguarding practice. It issued an
apology and compensation. The case was discussed in Parliament
where the Prime Minister labelled it 'appalling.' Joy launched
'Justice For Jodey' which aims to hold the DWP to account and to
prevent other tragedies. She met other grieving families and her
campaign saw her take centre stage at the Labour Party conference
and argue her case in the High Court.
'A truly astonishing murder mystery - this is proper journalism'
Jeremy Clarkson Following a long investigation by the world-famous
Sunday Times Insight team, David Collins tells the truly unique
story of a string of murder-suicides in north-west England and
poses the terrifying question: are they the work of a serial killer
who has been operating undetected since the mid-nineties? In 1996
and 1999, two elderly couples died in the small town of Wilmslow,
Cheshire. In each case the husband was blamed for turning berserk
and killing his wife using a horrifying level of violence. The
police failed to make a link between the deaths - despite the
similarities. That might have been the end of the matter. But when
two coroner's officers began to piece together the evidence, it
revealed a pattern which may prove the existence of a sadistic
attacker known as 'the silver killer'. Using interviews with dozens
of witnesses, including police investigators, forensic and crime
scene experts, coroner's officers and family members, the author
pieces together the clues in an attempt to solve the mystery of
what really happened. A gripping true-crime investigation, the book
reveals how suspicions were aroused and set investigators on a new
trail to uncover the truth. Collins, whose reporting helped the
police to convict the serial killer Levi Bellfield of killing Milly
Dowler, has written a brilliant account of a crime that nearly went
undiscovered which is sure to become a classic of the genre.
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