Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy [Paperback]

Jim Marrs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 22, 1993 | ISBN-10: 0881846481 | ISBN-13: 978-0881846485 | Edition: First Trade Paper Edition

The big daddy of the conspiracy books on the JFK assassination, and one that can't be taken lightly. A sheer tour de force that may be the final word until 2039--when government files on the case can be unlocked.--Kirkus Reviews

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Twenty-five years after the event, assassination books continue to appear. Marrs, a Dallas-area journalist who teaches a college course on the event, has, however, produced a special one. Its nearly 600 pages are jammed with detail on every aspect of the shooting, the investigations, the suspicions that fell on the Mafia, the FBI, the CIA, anti-Castro Cubans--all the usual suspects. For its comprehensiveness alone, this would be the one book for anyone seeking a really thorough examination of the assassination (but it sorely needs an index). Marrs is sensible and straightforward, giving every side of disputed questions, though it is clear that for him, as for most thoughtful people, the Warren Commission's picture of Oswald as a lone assassin doesn't work. The author talked to witnesses never officially interviewed, even offers never-before-seen pictures (though these contain nothing very startling). His conclusion: Kennedy made so many enemies in business, the military, the right wing, the mob, that his death became inevitable. He sees no Washington-based assassination plot, simply a willingness at the highest level (specifically Lyndon Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover) to relax protective vigilance enough to allow the deed to be done.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

We have witnessed the publication of myriad works which purport to explain the events surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy, such as Anthony Summers's Conspiracy ( LJ 6/15/80). Although most of these accounts suggest that Kennedy's death was the product of a conspiracy, they offer different interpretations as to who conceived and perpetrated this heinous crime. Dallas journalist Marrs brings together under one cover diverse theories and facts advanced in many of these works. He points to the inconsistencies and unexplained elements embodied in the official versions as to what transpired in Dallas before, during, and after the President's death. He does not, however, provide a novel theory that would answer some of the vexing questions raised in a reconsideration of the assassination. Appropriate for those with a special interest in the topic.
- Gary L. Malecha, Weber State Coll., Ogden, Ut.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books; First Trade Paper Edition edition (January 22, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881846481
• ISBN-13: 978-0881846485
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.8 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > History > World > Revolutionary
  • #76 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences > Criminology

More About the Author

Jim Marrs is an award-winning journalist and author. After graduating from the University of North Texas with a degree in journalism, Marrs worked for and owned several Texas newspapers before becoming an independent journalist/author. Marrs is the author of the New York Times bestsellers, Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy, the basis for the Oliver Stone film JFK, and Rule by Secrecy. His in-depth overview of the UFO phenomenon, Alien Agenda, is the best-selling non-fiction book on UFOs in the world, having been translated into several foreign languages. He is a frequent guest on several nationwide radio talk-show programs and television programs.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

132 of 140 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable intro to JFK assassination facts and theories November 25, 2003

By Daniel Jolley HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Jim Marrs' Crossfire: The Plot That Killed Kennedy, published in 1989, still offers, in my opinion, the best introduction to the JFK assassination newbie. It was not the first book on the subject I read, but I wish it would have been. The book I picked up first dove deep into some very specific aspects of the case, and a pretty comprehensive overview of the assassination and the theories offered as to the truth about it would have made my initial plunge much easier. Not only does Marrs seek to bring together and distill the bulk of information out there, he does so in an orderly and systematic fashion. Part One looks at the assassination itself: the motorcade route and security, the movements of JFK and John Connolly at the time they were hit, the accounts of all manner of witnesses in and around Dealey Plaza, a detailed look at activity in and around the Texas School Book Depository as well as the Grassy Knoll, etc. In Part Two, he pontificates on the motives and means of all of the most likely culprits behind the murder: Lee Harvey Oswald, the Soviet Union, pro-Castro as well as anti-Castro Cuban exiles, the Mafia, the CIA, the FBI, big business (especially oil), right-wing extremists, and the military. In Part Three, he examines all manner of evidence with a critical eye. The chaotic aftermath of the shooting offers up much food for thought in terms of unusual sightings and events, not the least of which is the murder of Officer Tippet and the movements of Lee Harvey Oswald from the time of the assassination to his capture in a local movie theatre. Jack Ruby's history and links to organized crime are threshed out, revealing many intriguing possibilities about the possible extent of Ruby's role in events.... Marrs then attacks the basic foundations of the Warren Commission analysis, going into a good bit of detail about the probably forgery of incriminating photographs of Oswald, revealing unforgivably sloppy breakdowns in the chain of evidence, easily explaining how the bullet that miraculously appeared essentially intact on a stretcher in Dallas could not possibly have done all the damage the Warren Commission's "magic bullet" officially did. From there, he explores Jim Garrison's case against Clay Shaw for conspiring to kill the president and goes on to summarize the workings and findings of the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979. Only at the conclusion of the book does he express in a straightforward manner his own theory as to what happened.

Crossfire just offers one important piece of information after another, easily preparing the way for the reader to pursue a more detailed study of the assassination. Marrs is not totally objective at all times, yet he does touch upon just about every important facet of what is a most complicated case. The number of coincidences and links between different suspect groups is nothing short of incredible, and you really need to have an understanding of how, for example, the CIA and Mafia were linked together in efforts to kill Castro, how Oswald's possible role in intelligence plays into different scenarios, etc., in order to come to terms with all of the theories out there. The medical evidence in this case is amazingly frustrating and controversial, and one can get lost without an understanding of the differences in the testimony of employees of Parkland Hospital in Dallas and the findings of the undeniably unprofessional and sloppy (not to mention illegal) autopsy. Marrs isn't afraid to summarize the most controversial of opinions, which can help the assassination novice look out for potential landmines in his/her further reading.

In his concluding chapter, Marrs finally offers what he believes is a possible scenario to explain all of the facts he has attempted to address in the main body of the book. He in no way presents these ideas as facts or probabilities. He goes farther than some Warren Commission critics go, pointing fingers of potential culpability at a significant number of different groups somehow coming together to eliminate a man each group had reasons for opposing; he clearly sees the assassination in terms of a coup d'etat with some level of complicity (be it passive or active) at the highest levels of government. Many, including myself, find this to be a little far-fetched, but Marrs' personal theory does not get in the way of all the facts he presents throughout the book. Anyone who accepts the official story of the tragedy without question will naturally find fault with Marrs for his differing conclusions, but those willing to examine the case with an open mind will find much food for thought in this remarkable book. There are no footnotes to be found here, but Marrs lists a significant number of sources alongside a selected reading list. Basically, this book prepares you for a more detailed look at all of the evidence, making this an invaluable introductory guidebook to the tangled world of JFK assassination theorizing. Read more ›

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opener! October 2, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Mr. Marrs presents a very indepth study of the circumstances & events surrounding the death of JFK. It is well written and intriguing. Any intelligent, educated, open minded person has to conclude that the truth as told by the government & the Warren Commission is NOT the truth at all. It is very hard to say what exactly happened. We the public will never know the entire truth. But if you read this book with an open mind (that is important) you must conclude that there is definitely more to it & our government is guilty of lying to its people along with many other crimes.

47 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars After reading this book, I had to have it in my library. July 29, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I first read this book over a year ago and recently bought my own copy. The wealth of detail, the multitude of witnesses who saw something but were not questioned or were intimidated by the questioners, the endless connections and cross connections of the FBI, CIA, the Mob, military intelligence and the so, so obvious questions that should have been asked by investigators and the Warren commission that not only were not asked, but they turned away those who had answers.... all these and more make it so obvious that there was a conspiracy and a coverup! Mr Marrs does an excellent job of presenting a tremendous amount of information. If this subject intrigues you at all, I promise you.... you won't be disappointed in it's content. You will alternately be amazed, angry and frightened as well at the inescapable conclusions you can not avoid about our government, leaders and our national security... as well as our own personal security. It is chilling! I remember the events! of those days and nothing in this book contradicts any thing which I heard and observed at the time and it corroborates a number of things which I was sure I remembered noticing during the aftermath of the asassination. I believe this book to be factual and accurate as much as any could be written by someone was not a part of the conspiracy. Only the conspiritors and those who did the coverup can know more!

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Conspiracies Galore March 9, 2001

By Nancy A. Fox

Format:Paperback

In this book, Jim Marrs tries to present the many theories about the assassination of President Kennedy, no matter how realistic or laughable. The book tries to cover its topic exhaustively, and gives you an idea of the full gamut of theories about the J.F.K. assassination.

Probably the best statement to make about the book is what the author wrote at the beginning of his Preface: "Do not trust this book. In fact, when it comes to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, don't trust any one source or even the basic evidence and testimony..."

Mr. Marrs begins the book by giving a wide variety of witness statements. Some of it is contradictory, some of it is very thoughtful, and some of it is plain ludicrous. While I found this section interesting, I found the fact that he gave equal weight to statements made shortly after the event as he did statements that weren't made until years - sometimes decades - after the assassination.

The second part of the book outlines the possible suspects for the crime - giving their means, motives and opportunities. This was my favorite part of the book. Not only did he list the possible subjects (Oswald, USSR, Cuba, Mob, CIA, FBI, LBJ, Nixon, etc.) but he gave a brief history of the person or organization. I found it extremely fascinating to learn about the history of the FBI and J. Edgar Hoover, the formation of the Secret Service, how their powers evolved, etc. If I were reviewing the book on this section alone, it probably would have received 5 stars.

The third section of the book discusses consequences and occurences after the assassination. These include the Warren Commission, Ruby killing Oswald, the irregularities around the autopsy records, the Garrison investigation, etc.... This section was interesting and did create a lot of questions.

The final section outlines the author, Jim Marrs, hypothesis about what really happened in Dealey Plaza that fateful day. As I'm sure Mr. Marrs realized, this section is sure to cause a lot of arguments.

All in all, Mr. Marrs has created a very interesting and fairly well written book about the Kennedy assassination. He definitely is in the camp of the conspiracy theorists, but then most people who would read this book are probably also in that camp. I do have 2 significant problems with the book: 1) I don't feel that his conclusions presented at the end of the book are supported by the evidence that he provides within the book. 2) I don't agree with his reasoning for not footnoting within the text. Mr. Marrs states (in the introduction to the sources and notes section at the back of the book) that he did not want to footnote within the text, because he thought it would impede upon the flow of ideas. I did not find this statement until I was almost done with the book. I was very frustrated because there were a number of things that he mentioned in the book that I would like to have looked up the original source - unfortunately, it is very difficult to go back and find the items that I wanted to look up.

If you are interested in the J.F.K. assassination, you will probably enjoy this book. However, keep in mind the author's own warning about trusting this book alone! Read more ›