DID SHE KILL HIM? : A TORRID TRUE STORY OF ADULTERY, ARSENIC, AND MURDER IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND
by Kate Colquhoun

In 1889, Florence Maybrick, a young American woman from Mobile, Alabama, stood trial for the alleged arsenic poisoning of her husband, James. He was a "rich" cotton broker from Liverpool and much older than her (twenty-four years).
The trial caused quite a sensation not only in England but around the world. It was all anybody could talk about and was on the front pages of every newspaper. The case broke the facade behind Victorian respectability and all their dirty laundry was exposed. Between finding out about debts, gambling, servants with loose lips, self-medication, hypochondria, and mutual infidelity, there was plenty of titillating information to read.
Did She Kill Him? grabs you from the first page and never stops. Kate Colquhoun has exceptional mastery in drawing you in from her descriptions of the characters with all their foibles and setting the stage for a stupendous tale. There's tension, suspense, and intrigue. The amount of detailed research that Colquhoun did is astounding, but it made everything cohesive. Her previous book Murder in the First-Class Carriage (reviewed in this blog) is just as good as this one, so it's obvious that Colquhoun is an expert at writing about Victorian murder mysteries.
If you're a true-crime addict, make sure to get this book. You won't be disappointed.
Very highly recommended.

THE NAZIS NEXT DOOR : HOW AMERICA BECAME A SAFE HAVEN FOR HITLER'S MEN
by Eric Lichtblau
 
There was a quota that only forty thousand people could be admitted to the United States after World War II. Visas were denied to Holocaust survivors. (Anti-semitism was still rearing its ugly head.) The ones that should have come were not allowed, and, ironically, the ones that should NEVER have been admitted, and came by the thousands, were Nazis. They had no trouble entering, labeling themselves as "war refugees." Many of them had help and protection from the U.S. government. The CIA used Hitler's collaborators to work as spies, scientists (Project Paperclip), and engineers, while shoving their horrendous, murderous deeds under the rug. They lived as American citizens unscathed until years later when the Justice Department decided to identify and prosecute them.
There have been many books written about Nazis who came to America. Most of them were boring to read and not very interesting. You can't say that about this particular book. The Nazis Next Door will blow your socks off. It's disturbing, compelling, makes you shake your head in disbelief, and is one fantastic read.
Author Eric Lichtblau is an investigative reporter and he did one heck of a job. Between 150 interviews and perusing 4500 pages of archival documents, intelligence reports, etc., he didn't miss a thing. The writing is superb and keeps you riveted.
If I had to rate this book, I would give it ten stars instead of the usual five.
Very highly recommended.

FETCH THE DEVIL : THE SIERRA DIABLO MURDERS AND NAZI ESPIONAGE IN AMERICA
by Clint Richmond

It's the largest unsolved crime in the Southwest. Sheriffs, the Texas Rangers, and federal agents have been baffled for decades not able to figure out how and why it happened.
Hazel and Nancy (her daughter) Frome were California socialites. They had traveled all over the world by themselves, unescorted by any man and were about to do it again. Both of them knew how to drive and bought a silver Packard.
They took off on a road trip in March 1938 from San Francisco heading towards the East Coast. Their car broke down in El Paso, Texas, so they decided to live it up by staying in a ritzy hotel and going to the border of Juarez, Mexico, to shop, dine, and drink. One week later, their battered bodies were found in the desert. They had been abducted, tortured, and shot execution style.
Chris Fox, the local sheriff, doggedly investigated this heinous murder for years. He was convinced that everything originated in California, because Hazel's husband was an executive at Atlas Powder Company (an explosives manufacturer) and they became involved in  World War II. Hazel liked to talk and was constantly bragging to strange men about what her husband did. At this period of time, Germany wanted to infiltrate American industry and sent spies over to try to get information that they then could use for themselves. German espionage was rampant in California, Texas, and Mexico. Did Hazel talk too much?
If you're a true crime fan, you will want to read this book. It took Clint Richmond fifteen years to dig through declassified files to construct a plausible story. From the beginning, he sets the tale up quite well and keeps you riveted. It's actually quite frightening to find out how many Nazi agents were on our soil and that President Roosevelt and his administration knew they were here.
Fox came the closest to solving the case, while being maligned constantly about it.
Fetch the Devil will definitely keep your interest up to the end, which is the most fascinating, since that is where Richmond presents his theory of the murders.
Highly recommended.

IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE : THE GRAND AND TERRIBLE POLAR VOYAGE OF THE USS JEANNETTE
by Hampton Sides

They should never have listened to that crackpot August Petermann. The most famous German cartographer in the world believed that there was an Open Polar Sea beyond the crippling ice where warm waters flowed into a fertile outcropping of land. Because of this ridiculous theory, George Washington De Long, a young U.S. Navy officer, decided to embark to the North Pole in 1879 on a ship named the USS Jeannette.
James Gordon Bennett, Jr., funded the entire expedition. He was eccentric and extremely wealthy, and owner of The New York Herald. Oh, how he loved sensationalism. (Previously, Bennett had sent his reporter Stanley to Africa and found Dr. Livingstone.) The country was obsessed with "Arctic fever" and writing about it would bring even more money into his newspaper.
In the summer of 1879, De Long sailed from San Francisco leaving his wife and young daughter behind. He commanded a group of thirty-two men. Off they went using maps with incorrect information where nobody knew what existed beyond the nether regions.
Eventually, while traveling north of the Bering Strait, the ship got stuck in pack ice and they became trapped. They all had to get off onto an ice cap. The Jeannette sank and there they were marooned with not too many supplies and not exactly close enough to get to Siberia, which was one thousand miles away. The explorers knew that they could not stay in this spot. Using three open boats, the men divided up and battled storms, the frozen sea, frostbite, starvation, while struggling to reach the coastline.
Just when you think there can't possibly be another book about polar exploration, we are offered up one heck of a story. Hampton Sides is a master writer and teller of tales. By using letters, journals, old and dusty documents, Sides was able to recreate the harrowing adventure and keep you riveted to your seat.
At a little more than 400 pages, it really doesn't seem that long, because you can't stop reading.
In the Kingdom of Ice is a spectacular piece of work.
Very highly recommended.

A SPY AMONG FRIENDS : KIM PHILBY AND THE GREAT BETRAYAL
by Ben Macintyre

Harold Adrian Russell Philby, otherwise known as "Kim" was considered the greatest spy in history.
Both his intellect and his charm made him a perfect recruit for MI6, which was one of the main secret services of Britain. In time, Philby would be appointed head of their counterintelligence against the Soviet Union.
Nicholas Elliott was Philby's best friend and fellow colleague in the spy trade. They learned how to do espionage together during World War II. The two of them belonged to the same clubs, drank a voluminous amount of alcohol, wore the same classy, tailored clothing, and shared every secret. Well, not exactly. Every word that Elliot openly shared, Philby was transmitting to Moscow. But, it wasn't just Elliott's words.
James Jesus Angleton (the head of CIA counterintelligence) was also a great friend of Philby's. They met thirty-seven times in secluded bars and restaurants and Angleton disclosed quite a bit of information that absolutely thrilled the Soviet bosses.
Thanks to both Angleton and Elliott, their words, (unbeknownst to them), killed thousands of operatives and destroyed the intelligence services of both the United States and Great Britain.
Some friend indeed.
Ben Macintyre has done it again. He is a master storyteller and has written quite a number of books dealing with spies, two of which have been reviewed in this blog: Agent Zigzag and Operation Mincemeat.
A Spy Among Friends is quite an eye-opener and virtually impossible to put down. Because of the MI5 (the files for MI6 were closed), Macintyre was able to retrieve plenty of information and research to write a spectacular book.
I could write numerous adjectives to describe the writing, but it's not necessary. Just read it. You will not be disappointed.
Very highly recommended.

50 CHILDREN : ONE ORDINARY AMERICAN COUPLE'S EXTRAORDINARY RESCUE MISSION INTO THE HEART OF NAZI GERMANY
by Steven Pressman

Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus never thought of themselves as heroes. What they did was a completely selfless act. In the spring of 1939, they went to Nazi Germany and Austria to save fifty Jewish children and bring them back to the United States. Many leaders of the Philadelphia Jewish community and organizations tried to dissuade them not to go. At that time, there was plenty of hostility in letting immigrants in, especially Jewish refugees. Both the public and the United States government were opposed to opening the doors for them. American immigration laws were very restrictive.
The Krauses went anyway and were successful in obtaining fifty visas.
Author and filmmaker Steven Pressman wrote the book based on Eleanor's private manuscript. (The Krauses were the maternal grandparents of Pressman's wife.) He also was able to interview at least a dozen of the surviving children, now adults.
50 Children is a well-told story and quite relevant. These children came without their parents and didn't know if they would ever see them again. The really sad and disturbing thing is that many more could have been saved if America hadn't been so xenophobic. Great Britain had the "Kindertransport" and saved 10,000 Jewish children. On the other hand, the United States only saved 1,000. Pretty pathetic. As one survivor said, "We all could get out. The problem was that we couldn't get in."
Besides reading the book, if you're interested in more information, you could watch the HBO documentary on YouTube that Pressman made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2D6e7zpyRw.
Recommended.

WONDROUS BEAUTY : THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ELIZABETH PATTERSON BONAPARTE
by Carol Berkin

A beautiful woman by the name of Elizabeth Patterson from Baltimore, Maryland, married Jerome Bonaparte in 1803. He was the youngest brother of Napoleon. She thought Jerome was a prince charming: dashing, handsome, and worldy. Their courtship was a whirlwind. Her father opposed the marriage but Elizabeth didn't care. She wanted to get out of the United States and leave it all behind. In her eyes, American society was too narrow and empty where women were tied to their children and always had to accommodate their husbands. Europe, on the other hand, was aristocratic, cultured, sophisticated, and would eagerly welcome someone like her who had such wit and intelligence.
In due time (about two years), Napoleon who was infuriated with the union, refused to allow Elizabeth to enter any European port, and threatened his brother that if he remained married to that American, he would forfeit all of his wealth and power. Jerome dumped her and was made king of Westphalia. The marriage was annulled and Elizabeth, who by that time was pregnant, went to England and gave birth there to her only child, a son. Eventually, she would return to Baltimore but not permanently. Elizabeth would become a self-made woman and would be quite well-off financially. The investments she made in both real estate and government bonds made her a millionaire. Elizabeth would return to Europe and be welcomed with open arms.
Wondrous Beauty is a very well-told story of a woman caught between two worlds. She really never finds true happiness in either one. Shunned by her father and abandoned by her husband, Elizabeth had to reinvent herself. And as she amassed her fortune, she never saw the contradictions. Elizabeth was constantly berating American men for their obsessive focus on making money, yet she was meticulous with her instructions for both real estate and financial agents for buying and selling and making the best transactions.
This is a slice of history that is pretty much unknown and fascinating to read about. What I find amusing, though, is the word "beauty" that is used throughout this book. On the cover, is a portrait of Elizabeth Patterson, with her son. Her hair is cut quite short and is very close to her head. I don't find her beautiful at all; in fact, she isn't even attractive. There's two other color paintings of her and it's the same thing. It's interesting to see what people considered beautiful in that time period.
Nonetheless, Carol Berkin has great research skills (she has written other books on women during the Civil War, Colonial America, and the American Revolution) and it shows here. It's most definitely a fascinating read.
Recommended.

THE ETERNAL NAZI : FROM MAUTHAUSEN TO CAIRO, THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF SS DOCTOR ARIBERT HEIM
by Nicholas Kulish and Souad Mekhennet

He became the world's most wanted Nazi war criminal. Yet, by the end of World War II, he was considered just small fry.
Aribert Heim was a physician, an SS doctor, but he didn't practice healing. Heim euthanized patients with injections of gasoline into their hearts. He would perform surgeries on healthy people at Mauthausen concentration camp. 
In the chaotic arena of the postwar, Heim was able to slip away and actually worked as a reputable doctor in Baden-Baden. He could have just stayed there with his family. But, that was not to be. Heim was alerted that he was going to be arrested and he fled.
A small number of Germans were not willing to ignore the past as the Allies (think Americans) were doing. They wanted to pursue justice and not let Nazi criminals go unpunished. A man by the name of Alfred Aedtner was one of these upstanding citizens. He was a police investigator and it soon became an obsession for him to find Heim. 
The Eternal Nazi is a terrific book. Just when you think there can't be any more sadistic Nazis, out comes another one. It took over five years for the authors to gather all their information from archives, libraries, interviews (Heim's relatives), and a dusty, old briefcase that had correspondence,  medical records, and other interesting ephemera.
It's definitely a suspenseful read and keeps you riveted. Not to be missed.
Very highly recommended. 

 

A CHILD OF CHRISTIAN BLOOD : MURDER AND CONSPIRACY IN TSARIST RUSSIA : THE BEILIS BLOOD LIBEL
by Edmund Levin

Near Kiev, which in 1911 was part of the Russian Empire,  a thirteen-year-old Christian boy was discovered in a cave stabbed to death. Four months after the murder, Mendel Beilis, a Jewish brick factory clerk and father of five, was arrested by the police in his home. Two years later, the trial took place and made headlines internationally. Beilis was charged not only with the murder, but with the Jewish ritual killing (blood libel) of a Christian child. There was no evidence linking him to the crime and his main accuser was a known criminal herself.
The prosecution team was backed by Tsar Nicholas II, whose government was corrupt and fading fast. The attorneys for the prosecution called in "expert witnesses," a laughable bunch of pathologists, a theologian, and a psychological profiler. Their incompetent and clumsy testimonies would bring them spiraling down. On the other hand, the defense team was brilliant and garnered support from people for Beilis, around the world, who realized how absurd the entire debacle was. 
Edmund Levin, who is a writer/producer for Good Morning America, first heard about the Beilis case from his Russian Jewish grandmother, but never wrote anything down. Years later, when the archives became available due to the fall of the Soviet Union, he went to Ukraine. The research he did to create such a masterpiece is phenomenal. His writing is superb and keeps you riveted.
With this book you have: true crime, history, meticulous details of all the characters involved, plus black-and-white photographs of the possible killers, the Beilis family, the defense team, the wacko witnesses for the prosecution, and other interesting pictures.
It's definitely a stupendous read and not to be missed.
Very highly recommended.

LITTLE DEMON IN THE CITY OF LIGHT : A TRUE STORY OF MURDER AND MESMERISM IN BELLE EPOQUE PARIS
by Steven Levingston

Could a person under the influence of hypnotism commit a crime against their will and then be considered guilty? This was a question towards the end of the nineteenth century that was debated heatedly by doctors, lawyers, investigators, and scientists. Mesmerism was quite the rage then in Paris.
In 1889, a married man (quite the womanizer) thinks he is going to have this lovely tryst with the young Gabrielle Gompard. Instead he is murdered by Gompard and her lover Michel Eyraud. They stuff the body in a trunk and dump it on the riverbank of Lyon.
When Gompard is eventually caught, she will claim that she was not responsible for the murder, that because of being hypnotized she didn't really know what she was doing.
The trial was an epic event. Tabloids spread the lascivious news all over the world for months on end. It would be the first time that hypnotism would be used as a means of defense for a murderer.
Little Demon in the City of Light is one terrific book. Author Steven Levingston has great attention to detail that immediately draws you in and doesn't let go. The writing is superb. He effortlessly weaves together everything: the characters, hypnotism, the time period into an extraordinary story.
Levingston is to be commended for the amount of research he did to produce a mesmerizing tale.
Very highly recommended.

BLOOD ROYAL : A TRUE TALE OF CRIME AND DETECTION IN MEDIEVAL PARIS
by Eric Jager

During the Middle Ages, you certainly did not want to be seen out at night for no undue reason. It wasn't allowed because there was a curfew. Homes and businesses had to be in total darkness. If you were to venture outside, though, you had to make sure that you were well-armed and in the company of others for unseen dangers could arise at any time.
One night, Louis, the Duke of Orleans was returning home after seeing the Queen and was viciously attacked. He had guards but they could not protect him as Louis only brought a few of them with him. It was an extremely bloody death that stunned Paris and all of France. Provost Guillaume de Tignonville (the chief of police) had to figure out who was behind this heinous crime. The more he investigated, the more shocking evidence he found. It was quite a conspiracy that would eventually turn the tide of relations between France and England into a civil war.
Who would have thought that a book about medieval times could be so fascinating? In lesser hands, it probably would have been quite boring. Eric Jager is a professor of medieval studies at UCLA and has written other books pertaining to this genre. He is a great storyteller and draws the reader in immediately. This is a great, historical tale of true crime.
Highly recommended.

DARK INVASION : 1915 : GERMANY'S SECRET WAR AND THE HUNT FOR THE FIRST TERRORIST CELL IN AMERICA
by Howard Blum

It is 1914 (three years before America entered World War I) and the United States is under attack. German saboteurs create these "accidents" where both munitions plants and cargo ships are exploding just about every day. To make things even crazier and just as scary, they throw in germ warfare.
New York Police Department Captain Tom Tunney is brought in to investigate. He is the head of the Bomb Squad and is determined to find these scoundrels and bring them to justice. Tunney assembles a group of detectives to hunt for the perpetrators. The more he digs, he realizes that this is not some small game but more intricate and dangerous than he expected.
Howard Blum has written a terrific book (it took him four years of research) that I actually did not want to end. It's riveting, exciting, and loaded with suspense. At the beginning of the book, Blum lists the cast of characters: the spies and the spycatchers. You think that you're not going to remember all of these names but as you get involved with the story, these people stick in your mind.
For those who love a good thriller that is a true story, you will definitely want to read Dark Invasion.
Very highly recommended.

BEETHOVEN : THE MAN REVEALED
by John Suchet

He is considered the greatest composer that ever lived. His symphonies, piano concertos, string quartets, and piano sonatas continue to enthrall people all over the world one hundred eighty-six years after his death. Though his music is familiar, not so his life. Until now.
Ludwig van Beethoven had a difficult childhood. His father, Johann, was a perpetual drunk (alcohol was a substance than ran freely in the Beethoven family). What saved Beethoven was his musical prowess. He began studying the piano at age seven and in no time was a prodigy. He started composing within a few years. Soon enough Beethoven's music was being hailed to great acclaim. 
Author John Suchet is a well-known authority on Beethoven. He is a classical radio host in Great Britain and certainly knows how to write a great biography.
To understand Beethoven's life, you have to listen to his music. That is his autobiography.
What a tremendous book. The details are fascinating especially how he came to write every one of his compositions. If you love Beethoven and want to learn more about what made him tick, this is a must read.
Very highly recommended.