If you like to read about the grisly details of crime (usually murders), look no further than 364.1523 in the nonfiction shelves on the top level of the library. Stay informed without getting too close.
THE ART THIEF: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel (364.1628) is a case study of Stephane Breitweiser and his girlfriend, Anne-Catherine Kleinklaus, who worked as a lookout, while Breitweiser stole more than three hundred works of art from galleries across Europe. Unlike other art thieves who sold the items for profit, this pair stole art to enjoy it. They lived in the attic of Breitweiser’s family home, surrounded by valuable art. However, the thrill of the heist is hard to suppress and proved to be Breitweiser’s downfall. Details of the sensational trial, as well as color plates of a dozen stolen art pieces are included in the book.
BEHOLD THE MONSTER: Confronting America’s Most Prolific Serial Killer by Jillian Lauren (364.1523 LA) is a chilling bit of research into the infamous serial killer, Samuel Little, who was convicted for three murders. The author’s interviews with Little, over the course of four years, revealed 90 more murders which were left in “Cold Case” files throughout the country. The stories reveal a psychopath with a callous attitude who ended up dying in the California prison system. This book is easy to read, with very short chapters that are packed full of information.
GENEALOGY OF A MURDER: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night by Lisa Belkin (364.1523 BE) is a structured, timeline account of a murder that took place in 1960, involving a doctor, a prisoner, and a police officer. The author researched these men, who all grew up during the Great Depression, born of parents whose families immigrated from different countries to seek a better life in America around the turn of the century. If they all started off in similar circumstances, how did they end up on opposite sides of the law? The genealogy of four families shows how they crossed paths, resulting in murder. Of secondary interest is the presence of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, known for the bold 1924 killing of a 14 year-old cousin. An index and twenty pages of notes wrap up this detailed book.
I KNOW WHO YOU ARE: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter (364.1523 RA) tells of her journey from retired lawyer to genetic genealogist, building family trees from DNA databases in order to solve crimes. She was recruited by the FBI to help with cold cases, eventually solving the cases of a kidnapped child in Santa Cruz, CA, four dismembered bodies in New Hampshire, the Golden State serial killer, the Clearfield Rapist in Utah, an abducted boy in Kentucky, and Baby Boy Doe in Seattle. Readers will learn about the advances in DNA science and the expanding availability of genealogical information.
TANGLED VINES: Power, Privilege, and the Murdaugh Family by John Glatt (364.1523 GL) begins with the Murdaugh family’s colorful history in South Carolina from 1793 to present day. For the next 200 years, each patriarch added to the family’s wealth and political power, until Alec Murdaugh stole the money, tried to cover it up with murder, and brought down a southern dynasty. Murdaugh is the focal point for the remainder of the book, with insights into his adolescence, schooling, marriage, and career. His self-centered behavior and greed, along with a serious opioid addiction, resulted in millions of dollars of theft from personal injury settlements made to his clients. Even if you watched trial coverage on television, this book has more extensive and detailed information.
WHILE IDAHO SLEPT: The Hunt for Answers in the Murder of Four College Students by J. Reuben Appelman (364.1523 AP) clarifies the events of November 13, 2022 in Moscow, Idaho, home of the University of Idaho, where homicides are not that common. If you follow national news, some of this information will be familiar, but Appelman uses extensive research to add many more details. The local police had a difficult time investigating the crimes because there were four families involved, each impatiently wanting answers; and the interaction on social media was full of speculation rather than fact. When the evidence solidified and pointed to one suspect, detectives arrested Bryan Kohberger, a graduate student in criminology at nearby Washington State University, whose trial is ongoing.
By Lynette Suckow
Reference Librarian
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