Books I've read in 2020

One man's searing account of life inside the world's most notorious prison, from desperation to redemptionEach day we saw the outside world in all its splendor, and each day that view served as a reminder that we had wasted and ruined our lives. Jim Quillen, AZ586—a runaway, problem child, and petty thief—was jailed several times before his 20th birthday. In August 1942, after escaping from San Quentin, he was arrested on the run and sentenced to 45 years in prison, and later transferred to Alcatraz. This is the true story of life inside America's most notorious prison—from terrifying times in solitary confinement to daily encounters with "the Birdman," and what really happened during the desperate and deadly 1946 escape attempt.

On February 9th 1983 Dennis Nilsen was arrested at his Muswell Hill home, after human remains had been identified as the cause of blocked drains. Within days he had confessed to fifteen gruesome murders over a period of four years. His victims, all young homosexual men, had never been reported missing. Brian Masters, with Nilsen's full cooperation, has produced a unique study of a serial killer's mind, revealing the disturbing psychology of a mass murderer.

As the UK's top forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd has spent a lifetime uncovering the secrets of the dead. When death is sudden or unexplained, it falls to Shepherd to establish the cause. Each post-mortem is a detective story in its own right - and Shepherd has performed over 23,000 of them. Through his skill, dedication and insight, Dr Shepherd solves the puzzle to answer our most pressing question: how did this person die?From serial killer to natural disaster, 'perfect murder' to freak accident, Shepherd takes nothing for granted in pursuit of truth. And while he's been involved in some of the most high-profile cases of recent times, it's often the less well known encounters that prove the most perplexing, intriguing and even bizarre. In or out of the public eye, his evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads.But a life in death, bearing witness to some of humanity's darkest corners, exacts a price and Shepherd doesn't flinch from counting the cost to him and his family.

IN 12 YEARS, MICHELLE LYONS WITNESSED NEARLY 300 EXECUTIONS.First as a reporter and then as a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Michelle was a frequent visitor to Huntsville's Walls Unit, where she recorded and relayed the final moments of death row inmates' lives before they were put to death by the state.Michelle was in the death chamber as some of the United States' most notorious criminals, including serial killers, child murderers and rapists, spoke their last words on earth, while a cocktail of lethal drugs surged through their veins.Michelle supported the death penalty, before misgivings began to set in as the executions mounted. During her time in the prison system, and together with her dear friend and colleague, Larry Fitzgerald, she came to know and like some of the condemned men and women she saw die. She began to query the arbitrary nature of the death penalty and ask the question: do executions make victims of all of us?An incredibly powerful and unique look at the complex story of capital punishment, as told by those whose lives have been shaped by it, Death Row: The Final Minutes is an important take on crime and punishment at a fascinating point in America's political history.

The highly anticipated sequel to I'm a Therapist, and My Patient is Going to be the Next School ShooterI've counseled the most chilling criminals... A young inmate who fell in love with a pedophile. A man who intentionally infected strangers with HIV. A patient with an extremely unusual addiction. A sociopath who wanted to have a conscience. A conspiracy theorist who harassed victims of a terrorist attack.And the patient who still haunts my dreams: A boy sold into human trafficking.In these files, you'll learn about the the psychology behind the world's most dangerous criminals.But you'll also learn about me -- and the worst thing I've ever done.

\ 'Enthralling and terrifying in equal amounts. A chilling glimpse into a world unseen by so many and perhaps for very good reasons. Kerry guides us gently, but firmly, through her incredible world of miscreants, monsters and the misunderstood. Both unforgettable and unputdownable.' PROFESSOR DAME SUE BLACK, Britain's leading forensic anthropologist and author of the Sunday Times bestseller All That Remains \ For those of us who play by the rule book, few things are more fascinating and rankling than those who choose to tear it apart. Some of the stories I tell here are heart-breaking, others enraging and some plain weird but what connects them is the insight they give us into the human condition.Kerry Daynes has worked with some of the most complex and challenging criminals in prisons and secure hospitals as well as the victims of crime. A large part of her day job is spent delving into the psyche of convicted men and women to try to understand what lies behind their actions and how to set them on the path to becoming law-abiding citizens. Welcome to the life of a forensic psychologist. No two days are the same. The people you work with are wildly unpredictable, sometimes frightening and often deeply frustrating. Drawing on her case files from the frontline, The Dark Side of the Mind offers readers an unforgettable insight into the psychological causes of some of the most extreme forms of human behaviour, and what the treatment and incarceration of those who transgress says about society.

In 1994 fledgling journalist Louis Theroux was given a one-off gig on Michael Moore's TV Nation, presenting a segment on apocalyptic religious sects. Gawky, socially awkward and totally unqualified, his first reaction to this exciting opportunity was panic. But he'd always been drawn to off-beat characters, so maybe his enthusiasm would carry the day. Or, you know, maybe it wouldn't...In Gotta Get Theroux This, Louis takes the reader on a joyous journey through his life and unexpectedly successful career. Nervously accepting the BBC's offer of his own series, he went on to create an award-winning documentary style that has seen him immersed in worlds as diverse as racist US militias and secretive pro-wrestlers, the violent gangs of Johannesburg and extreme drinkers in London.Arguably his biggest challenge was corralling celebrities in his When Louis Met series, with Jimmy Savile proving most elusive. Blindsided when the revelations about Savile came to light, Louis was to reflect again on the nature of evil he had spent decades uncovering.Filled with wry observation, larger-than-life characters, and self-deprecating humour, this is Louis at his insightful and honest best.

Light spilled from the windows of White House Farm and inside a dog whimpered as Essex Police approached on 7 August 1985. When they entered they found the bodies of Nevill and June Bamber, their daughter Sheila and her two young sons. It looked as if Sheila had shot them all before turning the gun on herself.As the media destroyed Sheila's reputation, horrified relatives became suspicious of her brother Jeremy's behaviour. Had he committed the murders in order to inherit from his wealthy parents? Dramatic new evidence suggested he had, and he was convicted the following year. He has always protested his innocence.Drawing on extensive new research, including correspondence with Jeremy Bamber. Carol Ann Lee describes the years of rising tension in the family that culminated in the murders, and takes us through the twists and turns of the investigation and trial. Scrupulously fair, 'The Murders at White House Farm' is an absorbing portrait of a family, a time and a place, and a gripping account of one of Britain's most notorious crimes.NB: There is a strap-line on the cover, 'Jeremy Barber and the killing of his family. The definitive investigation', but this does not appear on the title page so the book is catalogues as is printed there.

Dr Amanda Brown has treated inmates in the UK’s most infamous prisons – first in young offenders’ institutions, then at the notorious Wormwood Scrubs and finally at Europe’s largest women-only prison in Europe, Bronzefield. From miraculous pregnancies to dirty protests, and from violent attacks on prisoners to heartbreaking acts of self-harm, she has witnessed it all. In this memoir, Amanda reveals the stories, the patients and the cases that have shaped a career helping those most of us would rather forget.

Christie Watson spent twenty years as a nurse, and in this intimate, poignant, and remarkably powerful book, she opens the doors of the hospital and shares its secrets. She takes us by her side down hospital corridors to visit the wards and meet her unforgettable patients.In the neonatal unit, premature babies fight for their lives, hovering at the very edge of survival, like tiny Emmanuel, wrapped up in a sandwich bag. On the cancer wards, the nurses administer chemotherapy and, long after the medicine stops working, something more important--which Watson learns to recognize when her own father is dying of cancer. In the pediatric intensive care unit, the nurses wash the hair of a little girl to remove the smell of smoke from the house fire. The emergency room is overcrowded as ever, with waves of alcohol and drug addicted patients as well as patients like Betty, a widow suffering chest pain, frail and alone. And the stories of the geriatric ward--Gladys and older patients like her--show the plight of the most vulnerable members of our society.

Belinda Blinked 6 continues the story of erotic travel; of sexual examination; of totally forgettable characters… and espionage not encountered since the Cold War. Add a pinch of family betrayal… yes family; long forgotten relatives and stab in the back work colleagues you encounter what many Sales Directors have experienced personally in the past.Once again Rocky Flintstone, the self-published author who put the 'rot' in Erotica, presents his 6th book of the Belinda Blinked series.Belinda Blumenthal, searching for a new role in Steeles Pots and Pans, has found herself once again in deep water… so deep it may drown her. But never one to just hide in a corner and give up, Blumenthal comes out of her ringside corner fighting. All this and without the assistance of her trusted lover and friend, James Spooner lately of MI6. However, can she still rely on the mysterious Duchess and potentially the Confidential Order of Cookware Knights?Her nemesis, Herr Wolfgang Bisch, the slippery owner of Bisch Herstellung of East Berlin, has made an all out push to bring Blumenthal fully within his clutches… will he succeed? Can even Belinda survive this unsurmountable series of events. In this mad world of backstabbing, serious espionage and missing blueprints, can the new Steeles Pots and Pans executive team survive for long and where does the mysterious symbol BBB lead too? Critics have acknowledged that many answers lie in this book so continue your journey with the sexiest salesgirl in modern history... Belinda Blumenthal.

Everybody leaves a markIn Traces, Professor Patricia Wiltshire will take you on a journey through the fascinating edgeland where nature and crime are intertwined.She'll take you searching for bodies of loved ones - through woodlands, along hedgerows, field-edges, and through plantations - solving time since death, and disposal of remains, from ditches to living rooms. She will give you glimpses of her own history: her loves, her losses, and the narrow little valley in Wales where she first woke up to the wonders of the natural world. Pat will show you how her work with a microscope reveals tell-tale traces of the world around us, and how these have taken suspects of the darkest criminal activities to court.From flowers, fungi, tree trunks to car pedals, walking boots, carpets, and corpses' hair, Traces is a fascinating, unique, and utterly compelling book on life, death, and one's indelible link with nature.

From legendary FBI profiler John Douglas and Mark Olshaker -- authors of the nonfiction international bestsellers Mindhunter, Journey into Darkness, and Obsession -- comes an unprecedented, insightful look at the root of all crime.Every crime is a mystery story with a motive at its heart. With the brilliant insight he brought to his renowned work inside the FBI's elite serial-crime unit, John Douglas pieces together motives behind violent sociopathic behavior. He not only takes us into the darkest recesses of the minds of arsonists, hijackers, bombers, poisoners, assassins, serial killers, and mass murderers, but also the seemingly ordinary people who suddenly kill their families or go on a rampage in the workplace.Douglas identifies the antisocial personality, showing surprising similarities and differences among various types of deadly offenders. He also tracks the progressive escalation of those criminals' sociopathic behavior. His analysis of such diverse killers as Lee Harvey Oswald, Theodore Kaczynski, and Timothy McVeigh is gripping, but more importantly, helps us learn how to anticipate potential violent behavior before it's too late.

Villanelle (a codename, of course) is one of the world's most skilled assassins. A catlike psychopath whose love for the creature comforts of her luxurious lifestyle is second only to her love of the game, she specializes in murdering the world's richest and most powerful. But when she murders an influential Russian politician, she draws a relentless foe to her tail. Eve Polastri (not a codename) is a former MI6 operative hired by the national security services for a singular task: to find and capture or kill the assassin responsible, and those who have aided her. Eve, whose quiet and otherwise unextraordinary life belies her quick wit and keen intellect, accepts the mission. The ensuing chase will lead them on a trail around the world, intersecting with corrupt governments and powerful criminal organizations, all leading towards a final confrontation from which neither will emerge unscathed. Codename Villanelle is a sleek, fast-paced international thriller from an exciting new voice in fiction.

Pasjonująca historia ujęcia Leviego Bellfielda, jednego z najbardziej osławionych brytyjskich seryjnych zabójców ostatnich pięćdziesięciu lat.21 marca 2002 roku o godzinie 15.07 Milly Dowler po raz ostatni wyszła ze szkoły w Surrey. Niecałą godzinę później została porwana i zamordowana w najokrutniejszy możliwy sposób. Mimo rozpoczętych natychmiast poszukiwań, minęły miesiące nim odnaleziono jej ciało.W ciągu następnych dwóch lat w wyniku napaści o brutalności, którą trudno opisać, zginęły kolejne dwie młode kobiety: Marsha McDonnell oraz Amélie Delagrange.Choć w przypadku trzech morderstw może się to wydać dziwne, śledczy dysponowali znikomą ilością tropów i wkrótce zaczęło im brakować pomysłów oraz opcji – do chwili, aż w sprawę morderstwa Amélie Delagrange włączony został nadkomisarz Colin Sutton. Nie tylko dostrzegł on związek między trzema przypadkami, ale także presja, pod jaką się znalazł, kierując ściganiem seryjnego zabójcy okazała się dla niego na tyle inspirująca, że choć sprawa nieraz wydawała się beznadziejna, w końcu doprowadził mordercę przed oblicze sprawiedliwości.Opowieść Colina Suttona, będąca równocześnie chwytającym za gardło dokumentem procedur policyjnych, jak i spojrzeniem na życie człowieka przepełnionego złem, ujawnia kulisy pojmania skrajnie agresywnego mordercy, zanim ponownie uderzy.NA PODSTAWIE KSIĄŻKI POWSTAŁ BESTSELLEROWY MINISERIAL TELEWIZYJNY OBŁAWA. MANHUNT

Christopher Berry-Dee writes a companion volume that delves even deeper into the savage world of psychopaths and their hideous crimes. This time, however, he combines sections on killers whom he has known, interviewed or corresponded with, with studies of psychopathic serial killers from the past, including Peter Kürten, the 'Düsseldorf Monster', John Christie, responsible for the killings at 10 Rillington Place; and Neville Heath, a ladykiller in every sense of the word.

Schoolteacher Barbara Covett has led a solitary life until Sheba Hart, the new art teacher at St. George's, befriends her. But even as their relationship develops, so too does another: Sheba has begun an illicit affair with an underage male student. When the scandal turns into a media circus, Barbara decides to write an account in her friend's defense—and ends up revealing not only Sheba's secrets, but also her own.

Professor David Wilson has spent his professional life working with violent men - especially men who have committed murder. Aged twenty-nine he became, at that time, the UK's youngest ever prison Governor in charge of a jail and his career since then has seen him sat across a table with all sorts of killers: sometimes in a tense interview; sometimes sharing a cup of tea (or something a little stronger); sometimes looking them in the eye to tell them that they are a psychopath.Some of these men became David's friends; others would still love to kill him.My Life with Murderers tells the story of David's journey from idealistic prison governor to expert criminologist and professor. With experience unlike any other, David's story is a fascinating and compelling study of human nature