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Books > Fiction > True stories
In 1980 in Toledo, Ohio--on one of the holiest days of the
church calendar--the body of a nun was discovered in the sacristy
of a hospital chapel. Seventy-one-year-old Sister Margaret Ann had
been strangled and stabbed, her corpse arranged in a shameful and
stomach-churning pose. But the police's most likely suspect was
inexplicably released and the investigation was quietly buried.
Despite damning evidence, Father Gerald Robinson went free.
Twenty-three years later the priest's name resurfaced in
connection with a bizarre case of satanic ritual and abuse. It
prompted investigators to exhume the remains of the slain nun in
search of the proof left behind that would indelibly mark Father
Robinson as Sister Margaret Ann's killer: the sign of the
Devil.
When Satan Wore a Cross is a shocking true story of official
cover-ups, madness, murder and lies--and of an unholy human monster
who disguised himself in holy garb.
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"
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Liar
(Hardcover)
Rebecca Grayson
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R824
Discovery Miles 8 240
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Ships in 18 - 22 working days
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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?"
"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."
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