Combining rich historical detail and a harrowing, pulse-pounding narrative, Close to Shore brilliantly re-creates the summer of 1916, when a rogue Great White shark attacked swimmers along the New Jersey shore, triggering mass hysteria and launching the most extensive shark hunt in history.

During the summer before the United States entered World War I, when ocean swimming was just becoming popular and luxurious Jersey Shore resorts were thriving as a chic playland for an opulent yet still innocent era's new leisure class, Americans were abruptly introduced to the terror of sharks. In July 1916 a lone Great White left its usual deep-ocean habitat and headed in the direction of the New Jersey shoreline. There, near the towns of Beach Haven and Spring Lake-and, incredibly, a farming community eleven miles inland-the most ferocious and unpredictable of predators began a deadly rampage: the first shark attacks on swimmers in U.S. history.

For Americans celebrating an astoundingly prosperous epoch much like our own, fueled by the wizardry of revolutionary inventions, the arrival of this violent predator symbolized the limits of mankind's power against nature.

Interweaving a vivid portrait of the era and meticulously drawn characters with chilling accounts of the shark's five attacks and the frenzied hunt that ensued, Michael Capuzzo has created a nonfiction historical thriller with the texture of Ragtime and the tension of Jaws. From the unnerving inevitability of the first attack on the esteemed son of a prosperous Philadelphia physician to the spine-tingling moment when a farm boy swimming in Matawan Creek feels the sandpaper-like skin of the passing shark, Close to Shore is an undeniably gripping saga.

Heightening the drama are stories of the resulting panic in the citizenry, press and politicians, and of colorful personalities such as Herman Oelrichs, a flamboyant millionaire who made a bet that a shark was no match for a man (and set out to prove it); Museum of Natural History ichthyologist John Treadwell Nichols, faced with the challenge of stopping a mythic sea creature about which little was known; and, most memorable, the rogue Great White itself moving through a world that couldn't conceive of either its destructive power or its moral right to destroy.

Scrupulously researched and superbly written, Close to Shore brings to life a breathtaking, pivotal moment in American history. Masterfully written and suffused with fascinating period detail and insights into the science and behavior of sharks, Close to Shore recounts a breathtaking, pivotal moment in American history with startling immediacy.

Thrilling, true crime tales from the Vidocq Society - a team of the world's finest forensic investigators whose monthly lunches lead to justice in ice-cold murders.
Three of the greatest detectives in the world were heartsick over the growing tide of unsolved murders. Good friends and sometime rivals William Fleisher, Frank Bender, and Richard Walter decided one day over lunch that something had to be done, and pledged themselves to a grand quest for justice.
"The Murder Room" draws the reader into a chilling, darkly humorous, awe-inspiring world as the three partners travel far from their Victorian dining room to hunt ruthless killers, among them the grisly murderer of a millionaire's son, a serial killer who carves off faces, and a child killer enjoying fifty years of freedom and dark fantasy.
Acclaimed bestselling author Michael Capuzzo brings true crime realistically and vividly to life in this account of a group of passionate men and women, inspired by their own wounded hearts to make a stand for truth, goodness, and justice in a world gone mad.

In this delightful and heartwarming book, America's premier pet columnist, Michael Capuzzo, presents remarkable true stories celebrating the powerful and nurturing bond between people and their dogs.  Drawn from history and literature as well as from dog lovers--both famous and not so famous--from all walks of life all over the world, here are unforgettable tales of hope, heroism, and healing that capture the unflagging nobility of our oldest, dearest, and truly best animal friend.  Inside you'll meet:

Angus, the Labrador retriever who died while his master, a stained-glass artist, was working on the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.--so his master memorialized Angus by working his beloved pet's name into the National Cathedral's stained glass and into cathedral windows up and down the eastern seaboard.

Patches, the collie-malamute of Tacoma, Washington, who rescued his owner from the icy waters of Lake Spanaway, jumping in three times and towing him twenty feet to safety.

Bobby, the young mutt so devoted to his master, he lay on his master's grave for over a decade, until his own death.

Brownie the stray--adopted by an entire street of merchants, he was nobody's dog and everybody's dog, living happily and independently for fifteen years.  His headstone in Daytona Beach says it all: "Brownie 1939-1954.  A good dog."  

Woodie, the stubby little collie-mix who leaped down an eighty-foot cliff, crushing her hip, and remained at the side of her unconscious owner until help arrived.

Inspiring, poignant, filled with laughter and tears, and always entertaining, Our Best Friends is a book whose deeply moving stories will touch your heart and lift your spirits even as they offer you the opportunity to develop a greater appreciation for and understanding of your own best friend.  


From the Hardcover edition.

In this captivating and heartwarming book, America's premier pet columnist, Michael Capuzzo, shares astonishing true tales celebrating the unique and unbreakable relationship between people and their cats. Drawn from history and literature as well as from cat lovers--both famous and not so famous-- from all walks of life all over the world, here are unforgettable tales that take us behind the cool, independent facade of the cat to reveal the sweet, sensitive, devoted creature within. Here are just a few of the cats guaranteed to catch your heart:
Priscilla, who meowed at her apartment door for two days. Finally her owners thought to check on their elderly neighbor and discovered that she had broken her hip and was unable to move.
Pearl and Skittles, the Keystone Cats, who watched over their household with total vigilance. Any problem--a clogged drain in the kitchen, a stereo left on at night--and they sounded the alarm, waking everyone in the house.
Murry, the cat who became the constant companion and protector of a young boy suffering from cystic fibrosis. His devotion was so great that when the boy's health began to fail, Murry seemed to lose his own will to live.
Nicholas, who every day fed the family pit bull; he jumped up on the kitchen table, grabbed a dog bone, and dropped it down to his pal. Later each day, as if to repay Nicholas, the pit bull happily licked the cat's head for ten minutes.
Subway, the beautiful orange tabby who not only survived being shot with a shotgun, but later, apparently killed in an accident, jumped out of the box he was to be buried in and frolicked among the guests at his own funeral.
In "Cat Caught My Heart" you will see cats in all their glory--their unique personalities, their irrepressible spirits, their gentle souls. You'll laugh at their antics, weep at their passing, and thank the heavens that these remarkable creatures are part of our lives.

"From the Hardcover edition."