Books about UM cases: got any more suggestions? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

The Third Man · 05-21-2012, 02:35 PM

A while back my wife bought a book for me called The Last Circle of Hell by Cheri Seymour about the Danny Casolaro/INSLAW case. I don't think I've ever seen the book mentioned here--once I'm through reading it again I'd like to start a thread on it. In a nutshell, saying that the UM segment skimmed through the Casolaro case is like saying looking at the list of US presidents is skimming through American history: Seymour draws in almost dozens of seemingly-unrelated cases of government corruption, drug and weapons trafficking, corporate malfeasance, mysterious deaths, undercover activities, theft of intellectual property, US espionage on NATO allies, Israeli espionage on the US, and much much more into the Casolaro case. It would make for an unbelievable spy novel...except at least part of it is real.

My wonderful wife also found a book called "Getting Away With Murder" by two retired Chicago crime writers. This book is like a gold mine of UM cases--in fact, there are so many cases which later appeared on UM in this book, I am absolutely positive one of their researchers must have owned it. Ralph Probst is in there, Julie Cross, that alderman who was shot in the lobby of a hall which was holding a fundraiser, a bunch of other people I can't remember off the top of my head...I'm going to need to start a thread on that one too.

What other books are out there which detail UM cases?

Zlatko · 05-21-2012, 02:50 PM

I recommend two books on the Cindy James case. The first one is "The Deaths of Cindy James" by Neal Hall. The second book is "Who Killed Cindy James" by Ian Mulgrew. Both books provide interesting insights into the case.

crystaldawn · 05-22-2012, 10:16 AM

Here's an old thread with a lot of suggestions for books based on UM cases:

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...s+reading+list

The Third Man · 05-22-2012, 04:40 PM

Wow...I'm stunned I didn't see that thread during my first time here. The first post is about My Dark Places by James Ellroy. Not only do I have that book, I have a signed copy that Mr. Ellroy gladly addressed to me when I met him several years ago. He's one of my favorite authors and that book is one of my most prized possessions.

Someone else in the thread asked if anyone had read The Black Dahlia by Ellroy. I have to say the book is really a thematic treatment of the case: anyone looking for information on the actual case itself is probably going to be disappointed by that, but it is still one of his best novels. The movie adaptation STUNK, and I know Ellroy was really furious about how his work was eviscerated in the screenplay. He said during the lecture I attended that the only screenplay from his writing that he liked was L.A. Confidential, because the screenwriter actually talked to him about it. But I digress--The Black Dahlia is a great book, but not in the way a factual treatment might be great.

Great suggestions in that thread, crystaldawn! I do have one of the books at home--The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes, which is a good one. I must look out for the book about Franklin Delano Floyd...that dude always creeped me out.

My wife tygre has the books Mindhunter and The Cases that Haunt Us by John Douglas, which are also mentioned in the thread...I don't think I've read them. There are a bunch of books on the Green River Killer written before and after Ridgway was caught which she's got, too. I'll have to check that when I get home.

Kane · 05-23-2012, 08:47 AM

I have never read it, but there's a book titled Breaking Blue, by Timothy Egan. It focuses on the 1935 murder of George Conniff, a Spokane police officer who was fatally shot by thieves at a creamery. As noted in the UM segment (which first aired during the 1989-90 season), the gun used in the crime was found in a river in 1989, and there was evidence linking another officer to the murder.

RobinW · 05-23-2012, 09:47 AM

There was a new book about missing people released several months ago called "I'm Missing" and it actually has the Tara Calico photo on the cover:
http://www.amazon.com/Im-Missing-Ple...7780542&sr=1-2

Man, I can imagine getting a lot of weird, awkward looks when buying this at a bookstore!

05-21-2012, 02:35 PM	#1
The Third Man Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 92	Books about UM cases: got any more suggestions? A while back my wife bought a book for me called The Last Circle of Hell by Cheri Seymour about the Danny Casolaro/INSLAW case. I don't think I've ever seen the book mentioned here--once I'm through reading it again I'd like to start a thread on it. In a nutshell, saying that the UM segment skimmed through the Casolaro case is like saying looking at the list of US presidents is skimming through American history: Seymour draws in almost dozens of seemingly-unrelated cases of government corruption, drug and weapons trafficking, corporate malfeasance, mysterious deaths, undercover activities, theft of intellectual property, US espionage on NATO allies, Israeli espionage on the US, and much much more into the Casolaro case. It would make for an unbelievable spy novel...except at least part of it is real. My wonderful wife also found a book called "Getting Away With Murder" by two retired Chicago crime writers. This book is like a gold mine of UM cases--in fact, there are so many cases which later appeared on UM in this book, I am absolutely positive one of their researchers must have owned it. Ralph Probst is in there, Julie Cross, that alderman who was shot in the lobby of a hall which was holding a fundraiser, a bunch of other people I can't remember off the top of my head...I'm going to need to start a thread on that one too. What other books are out there which detail UM cases?

05-21-2012, 02:50 PM	#2
Zlatko Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 04, 2008 Location: Nowhereland Posts: 367	I recommend two books on the Cindy James case. The first one is "The Deaths of Cindy James" by Neal Hall. The second book is "Who Killed Cindy James" by Ian Mulgrew. Both books provide interesting insights into the case.

05-22-2012, 10:16 AM	#3
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Here's an old thread with a lot of suggestions for books based on UM cases: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...s+reading+list

05-22-2012, 04:40 PM	#4
The Third Man Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 21, 2007 Posts: 92	Wow...I'm stunned I didn't see that thread during my first time here. The first post is about My Dark Places by James Ellroy. Not only do I have that book, I have a signed copy that Mr. Ellroy gladly addressed to me when I met him several years ago. He's one of my favorite authors and that book is one of my most prized possessions. Someone else in the thread asked if anyone had read The Black Dahlia by Ellroy. I have to say the book is really a thematic treatment of the case: anyone looking for information on the actual case itself is probably going to be disappointed by that, but it is still one of his best novels. The movie adaptation STUNK, and I know Ellroy was really furious about how his work was eviscerated in the screenplay. He said during the lecture I attended that the only screenplay from his writing that he liked was L.A. Confidential, because the screenwriter actually talked to him about it. But I digress--The Black Dahlia is a great book, but not in the way a factual treatment might be great. Great suggestions in that thread, crystaldawn! I do have one of the books at home--The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes, which is a good one. I must look out for the book about Franklin Delano Floyd...that dude always creeped me out. My wife tygre has the books Mindhunter and The Cases that Haunt Us by John Douglas, which are also mentioned in the thread...I don't think I've read them. There are a bunch of books on the Green River Killer written before and after Ridgway was caught which she's got, too. I'll have to check that when I get home.

05-23-2012, 08:47 AM	#5
Kane Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 07, 2001 Location: MA, United States Posts: 3,367	I have never read it, but there's a book titled Breaking Blue, by Timothy Egan. It focuses on the 1935 murder of George Conniff, a Spokane police officer who was fatally shot by thieves at a creamery. As noted in the UM segment (which first aired during the 1989-90 season), the gun used in the crime was found in a river in 1989, and there was evidence linking another officer to the murder.

05-23-2012, 09:47 AM	#6
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	There was a new book about missing people released several months ago called "I'm Missing" and it actually has the Tara Calico photo on the cover: http://www.amazon.com/Im-Missing-Ple...7780542&sr=1-2 Man, I can imagine getting a lot of weird, awkward looks when buying this at a bookstore!