Movie & True Crime Buff Books

Crimes, lawlessness, diabolical people, sinister plots and misdemeanors capture the headlines and the reader’s attention on a daily basis. Unsolved crimes span back centuries with cold case solvers still trying to find that one clue that will clinch the case and deduce who the culprit is or was. But even then, our theory is only conjecture, a hypothesis, a stab in the dark. Pun intended.

Some unsolved crimes never die. Who was Jack the Ripper? Who killed Elizabeth Short – dubbed the Black Dahlia murder? Where’s Jimmy Hoffa? Did Lizzie Borden really kill her father and stepmother with that ax? These crimes have been sensationalized for years but with no resolution. All these crimes and more, have been memorialized in The Crime Book.

The Crime Book

The Crime Book is a compendium on criminology and forensic science. It’s filled with the most scandalous and shocking crimes of Jack the Ripper to the notorious highway robberies and shenanigans of the flamboyant John Nevison, aka, Swift Nick to the bloodthirsty Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed.

The Crime Book is divided into eight nefarious chapters:

• Bandits, Robbers, and Arsonists
• Con Artists
• White Collar Crimes
• Organized Crime
• Kidnapping and Extortion
• Murder Cases
• Serial Killers
• Assassinations and Political Plots

Readers can take a tour down the darkest allies of criminal history and peruse the cases of more than 100 of the world’s most arrantly evil criminals. Pour over the profiles of the criminals, victims, and the detectives involved. Discover how master forgers deceived the world of art, literature and more. Learn how a charming impoverished peasant, Therese Daurignac – Humbert, swindled millions of francs from the French elite. Experience the treachery, revenge, and plunder of the pirates of the high seas, and so much more.

The stories are filled with informative details, colorful illustrations or full-color photos, innovative step-by-step concept diagrams, mug shots, clues to follow and outcomes that are both just or unjust. For those who love to follow crimes, this book is forthcoming with true facts and covers centuries of atrocities.

The Movie Book

The Movie Book features the best cinema and television motion pictures that have entertained us over the years. It describes, examines and pays homage and tribute to 100 of the best movies ever made throughout the world. It all started in 1902 when Parisian Georges Melies unveiled a series of short silent movies. They were a huge, instant success and the rest they say, is history. The book continues with how movies evolved from playful humorous skits to blockbusters with massive sensory overload. Who didn’t jump out of their seats when Jaws surfaced?

The Movie Book is divided into six sections:

• Visionaries 1902 – 1931
• A Golden Age in Black and White 1931 – 1949
• Fear and Wonder 1950 – 1959
• Rebel Rebel 1960 – 1974
• Angels and Monsters 1975 – 1991
• Small World 1992 – Present

Each timeline features the best of the best movies! Included are film stills and close-ups, original posters, timelines, information about the writer, director and actors, famous quotes, and cherished memorabilia.

As the decades pass, we are still entertained by the comic relief of Charlie Chapman, Buster Keaton, and Laurel and Hardy. Crude as these old clips are compared to the sophisticated releases of today, we never tire of them. I love the old horror and sci-fi flicks. They offer a soft scare and theatrical eeriness that wouldn’t get a flinch out of any viewer today, but they are still deemed treasured keepsakes.

While some movies have faded into obscurity, others have survived and thrived, like the Wizard of Oz. Although there were a few remakes of this musical adventure, none can surpass the original version with Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, and Ray Bolger. Gone With The Wind, Citizen Kane and Casablanca are more classic favorites. Love thrillers? Alfred Hitchcock will unnerve you with Vertigo. Or maybe you love comedies. Some Like it Hot with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis is a hilarious comedy about two musicians who dress in drag to escape the mob.

Or fast forward to modern movies that span space, fairy tales, fantasy, and virtual reality. Read about the dark and twisted tale, Pan’s Labyrinth. Ofelia must perform three tasks so she can rightfully take her place in the magical kingdom. The Movie Book is magical, sharing a variety of genres that will spark a film buff’s interest.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary books to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.