Product Description

Certain criminal cases have a life of their own. Despite the passage of time they continue to hold the public imagination, either because of the personalities involved, the depravity of the crime, doubts over the outcome, or the fact that no one was ever caught. This work addresses eight great mysteries in the history of crime, including Jack the Ripper, the Boston Strangler and JonBenet Ramsey. The authors take a fresh look at the crimes and dismantle the conventional wisdom regarding the some of most notorious of crimes and rebuild them - with astonishing results.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #97200 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

factual and well researched
Mr. Douglas has done a wonderful job in putting together several cases which are one reason or another remain in the mind of the true crimes researcher. The cases included are "Jack the Ripper", Lizzie Borden, the Lindbergh kidnapping, the Zodiac killer (or killers), the JonBenet Ramsey murder, and a 30 page brief analysis of three interesting American cases (the Black Dahlia, Lawrencia Bemenek, and the Boston strangler).

Mr. Douglas, according to the blurb on the back of the book, claims to be "the foremost investigative analysts and criminal profiler is about time", unfortunately he is one of many to claim this accolade, some who deserve consideration that the title and others who blatantly do not. Mr. Douglas is not one of the worst, but as for his claim of being the "foremost" - there are many in the field, including people he has worked with, that would dispute his claim. The title of "foremost profiler" is not the only thing that Mr. Douglas claims - he also claims to have been the model for special agent Jack Crawford in the novel and movie "The Silence of the Lambs", he is not alone in this claim as several other FBI profilers have laid claim to this influential role.

That being said, this is a well-written crime history book. Mr. Douglas does not do what a lot of American profilers (and some UK profilers) do - he does not forget to apply the social standings at the time and place to the crime, in fact he gives us some of the facts and allows the reader to come to their own conclusions.

When I received this book I was initially disappointed (and discouraged from reading it) due to the fact that the main supporting quote was from novelist Patricia Cornwell. I have to admit that I was concerned that Ms Cornwell was only in support of the book because it back to her Sickert/Ripper claims. I was relieved to find out that it did not, although I certainly understand where she has got her current Druitt fetish from. I've said it before and I'll say it again Ms Cornwell should stick to fiction.

When compared to many other crime history books, because it sticks to the facts, this is one of the better ones.

Crime and John Douglas; a brilliant combination!
This book is amazing!
There are 6 cases told, explored and explained in clear detail from every point of view in the case, not just the authors.
The six cases are; Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden, The Lindenbergh Kidnapping, The Zodiac, American Dreams/ American Nightmares ( a section on several smaller but just as horrific cases in America) and the JonBenet Ramsey Murder.
There are pictures of crime scenes, houses, ransom notes and many other pieces of evidence from the crimes, like the ladder used in the Lindbergh Kidnapping!
All the information is explained clearly with several facts that I have never heard of before, and the police forces work (or scams) are revealed and the author gives his opinion on what should have been done.
The most interesting part is though, the way that the author can connect with how the criminal is thinking and why he/she is doing the things he/she did. This is a fantastic book that I would recommend to anyone who is the least (or the most) bit interested in crime! Enjoy!

The cases that haunt us by the wonderful John Douglas!
John Douglas is without a doubt one of the most amazing men I have ever read about (and I have read about a lot!). It is true that I have a crush on a man I have never met but this has not clouded my judgement about `The cases that haunt us’. This man recognises that in order to catch the people he does that there must be some element of them in him. His commitment to finding the truth and outing the offender/s is unparalleled. He is passionate about his subject, scary though it may be, and doesn’t go for soft or easy answers to any of the cases he reviews. He recognises the work that others have done in solving the cases and certainly goes by the adage `when you know better, you do better’. Each of the cases are amazing, disturbing and relatively unusual. In analysing each one he doesn’t take prisoners and writes directly and candidly, maybe a little bit too much for some stomachs.

If, like me, you have read some of the cases in great detail elsewhere you will still enjoy his take on them. It is particularly interesting to review the judgement by media angle that has permeated a lot of the cases. Some of the crimes are downright scary as they could happen any one of us, some of them are almost comforting (in a strange way) in that they probably wouldn’t happen to every one of us.

This book is a revelation and a must for all John Douglas fans. Anyone who has ever heard of any of the crimes contained in this book would equally enjoy it. It doesn’t make light reading, nor on the beach or by the pool reading (unless you are like me) but it is fascinating and insightful. A joy.