BF Crime Books and Documentaries

[PVF]

This thread is basically for people who would like to recommend or ask what would be some good books and documentary's to read and watch.

I for one absolutely love reading crime books about serial killers and the mafia.

Here are a few I would recommend:
-Gaspipe: Confessions of a Mafia Boss by Philip Carlo
About former Mob boss Anthony Casso
-The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer by Philip Carlo
About hitman and serial killer Richard Kuklinski
- Mafia Dynasty by John H. Davis
About the rise and fall of the Gambino crime family

 

[Ed_Gein]

I recently read 'The Mob and Me' by John Partington. Who was head of the Witness Protection Program when it initially first started getting used in the USA. It doesn't really have great depth to it, it only really has a small snapshot of small stories of the different mobsters he protected when they decided to turn FBI informants, like Joe Barboza. It's ok for a small read over a day or 2, but probably better.

Also read, The First Family by Mike Dash. Brilliant read about some of the very first Mafia families in New York in the late 1800's. Sort of centres around Guiseppe "clutch hand" Morello, definitely a book that was hard to put down.

 

[bomberswarm2]

All the documentaries in the Crime Investigation Australia series are great, as well as the follow-on series, Australia: Families of Crime. They have The Backpacker Murders, The Bega Schoolgirls, Snowtown, The Granny Killer, Kimberly Killer, just to name a few. All worth a watch.

 

[Oct19]

Someone Else's Daughter by Julia Sheppard, about the Anita Cobby murder is a good read.

Also enjoyed some of Ann Rule's true crime books.

 

[rocker_oz33]

All the documentaries in the Crime Investigation Australia series are great, as well as the follow-on series, Australia: Families of Crime. They have The Backpacker Murders, The Bega Schoolgirls, Snowtown, The Granny Killer, Kimberly Killer, just to name a few. All worth a watch.

Second this.CIA is really good the reenactments are quiet brutal and seem true to what the victims were going though and quiet scary aswell.

 

[Kram]

'American greed' which is white collar crimes mostly about cons like Ponzi schemes. Also although it's a bit budget and over dramatised 'I (almost) got away with it', which shows criminals on the run.

 

[Predator35]

Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy by Jim Marrs. Fascinating read and the basis for the movie JFK.

The Men Who Killed Kennedy. 9 part doco on the assassination that is now permanetly withdrawn from the History Channel, available on Youtube though.

 

[Magpira]

Someone Else's Daughter byJulia Sheppard, about the Anita Cobby murder is a good read.

Also enjoyed some of Ann Rule's true crime books.

The Stranger Beside Me, her book on Ted Bundy was brilliant.

Discovery ID runs some really good crime series lately like I Was Murdered, Disappeared and Stalked. And naturally the Crime channel has some fascinating stories also.

 

[Mr Shankly]

The Stranger Beside Me, her book on Ted Bundy was brilliant.

Seconded. A classic.

The books by the first generation of FBI profilers, such as John Douglas and Robert Ressler, are pretty good, especially the early ones like Mindhunter and Whoever Fights Monsters.

If you prefer shorter stuff, try longform's crime section. Some truly brilliant articles there: http://longform.org/crime

The TV documentary series Most Evil is chilling, and you can watch the episodes on youtube.

 

[hirdy_is_champ]

Recently on SBS there was a series by filmaker Werner Herzog called On Death Row. There were only 4 episodes, and I think a couple of them are on youtube but I'm sure there's torrents available somewhere. Into the Abyss is also another good one from Herzog. I think I have to stop watching stuff like this though, as much as I find it interesting, its also rather disturbing.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Without doubt the most powerful piece of cinema I have ever, ever seen is 'Zachary: a letter to a son about his father'.

Watch with your significant other and wait for tears. They will come.

 

[muttley45]

would highly recommend "by reason of insanity" by shane stevens,fiction but based on some reality about thomas bishop,the most kick arse serial killer i have come across,this is the only book i have ever re-read,ever

 

[CLUBMEDhurst]

Doco - The Tall Man, The Thin Blue Line
Book - The Valachi Papers by Peter Maas, Public Enemies by Bryan Burrough ('tis a shame the film was shite)

 

[Snatch Adams]

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a memoir book by Chuck Barris who was best known to the world as the creator of many hit game shows while also being an undercover CIA agent who killed 30 people. Riviting reed, but for those who are the TL;DR types, the book was made into a movie of the same name.

 

[Sylvia Saint]

If you have Fox and like crime, then this channel is worth tuning into.

I have been watching Serial Killer Sunday quite a lot lately which is very good. What are some other good shows on the crime channel that you enjoy watching?

 

[flight23]

i wish they did more specials on all these doco channels, the ads kill me

 

[NSWCROW]

Thread begins and ends with THIS show.....




Kings Cross ER is good too

 

[CAS79]

If you have Fox and like crime, then this channel is worth tuning into.

I have been watching Serial Killer Sunday quite a lot lately which is very good. What are some other good shows on the crime channel that you enjoy watching?

Merged it in here. Think one thread on general TV crime Doco's is enough.

 

[Hard_to_Beat]

Underated book

http://www.amazon.com/Contract-Killer-Explosive-Notorious-Frankos/dp/1560250453

 

[Shell]

Awesome thread! Love true crime books, will be coming in here when I need recommendations for another book.

Ones I've read:
- "Forget you Had a Daughter": by Sandra Gregory. Could not put this one down- author agreed to smuggle heroin out of Bangkok, of course ended up being caught and served time at the "Bangkok Hilton". Funnily enough tho, she finally gets transferred to a UK prison and said that was worse! Did time along side the likes of Rosemary West.

Some child abuse cases- not for everyone, they are so difficult to get thru and you do end up in tears.
Have read the "Child Called It" series. Very sad. And "Damaged" (which is from the perspective of the foster carer), and also "The Little Prisoner" which documents a case of sexual abuse that last for a staggering 17 years.

- "One Day in September"; the story of the 1972 Munich Games Massacre. Havent read this in years, but remember it being a great book. Good doco too.

At the moment I am part of the way into "Deceived" by Sarah Smith. The crazy true story of some random nutcase who convinced 3 people they were wanted by the IRA. And hence got them to go on the run with him for years, cutting off all contact with their family and original friends.

Oh and I started one too on the Cromwell Murders (Fred and Rose West), but kinda lost interest and put it down.

Want to get the new James Buldger book too, the one written by his father.

 

[Shell]

Seconded. A classic.

The books by the first generation of FBI profilers, such as John Douglas and Robert Ressler, are pretty good, especially the early ones like Mindhunter and Whoever Fights Monsters.
.

I got that one.

I think John Douglas worked with the people who made "The Silence of the Lambs". To get all the FBI, etc stuff right? Iirc, he wasnt happy with the ending. There is no way a rookie/student would have been in that situation.

Love that movie. Too bad about its sequels, so shite.

 

[jellyroo]

Beyond Belief by Emlyn Williams, a semi-fictionalised account of the Moors murders, is a great read. Any Smiths fans will note a number of references - in fact the band's name apparently came from the main witnesses for the prosecution.
The "Paradise Lost" trilogy is although well worth watching, as is the recent "West of Memphis".

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Eavesdropping On Evil is one I've been after, Bandali Debs and Jason Roberts who murdered Sgt Gary Silk and Snr Constable Rodney Miller.

 

[bomberswarm2]

Second this.CIA is really good the reenactments are quiet brutal and seem true to what the victims were going though and quiet scary aswell.

Yep, can't watch them in a dark room

 

[Shell]

Someone Else's Daughter byJulia Sheppard, about the Anita Cobby murder is a good read.

.

Picked it up from the library today and am a few chapters in.

God they were a bunch of sick ****s. Sex with animals, going around raping women on trains and in pool halls and being "proud of it", other violence... and yeah like i said only up to chapter 4!!!!