Customer Reviews

Masquerade: A True Story of Seduction, Compulsion, and Murder

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

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Masquerade is the best true-crime book about Detroit that I've ever read, and I've read most of them.

Cauffiel weaves a riveting account of one of the most bizarre murders in this city's recent history, naming names, pinpointing locations, and painting a vivid portrait of Motown's seamy underbelly and drug culture.

Gripping and gritty, and very well executed.

A "TRUE" true crime story leaves a lasting impression on the reader, Lowell Cauffiel's MASQUERADE does just that. Through extensive knowledge of the facts and a gift for storytelling Mr. Cauffiel unravels the bizarre life of Dr. Al Canty. Growing up I lived on the same block as Dr. Canty in Grosse Pointe Park. I am also familiar with the neighborhoods of Detroit where Dr. Al Miller played his games and can tell you Mr. Cauffiel's descriptions of these is right on the mark. I now know what went on in the quite house on the corner. BEWARE!!! After reading this book you will wonder what your doctor does after-hours!!!

At the time of this crime I lived in a suburb outside of Detroit. I watched this puzzle unfold from the murder of Dr. Alan Cnaty to the release of Dawn from prison. I have read this book many times over the years, searching for clues as to why John & Dawn turned to drugs, prostitution and murder. Most perplexing to me was how the "Doc" could live two seperate lives for so long. The author puts the reader in Detroit, in the house on the streets, looking in a window to the place and times of this horrendous crime. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good true crime book.

This book was very well written, I felt like I knew the people in it. I wonder whatever happened to Dawn and the others. At times I felt so sad for the Doctors wife and Dawn's family. I recommend this book highly.

We native Detroiters may be biased in the case of Masquerade...no matter. The vicarious thrill the reader experiences seeing the respected Dr. Canty in the underbelly of Detroit street life as Dr. Al Miller is intriguing...his fate is riveting. The psychological elements of well developed characters and juxtaposition of "book smarts" with "street smarts" make a stark and sadly tawdry tale that keeps the reader involved. Add to this mix the truthfulness of the story and the chill runs even deeper

A must read- interesting story- why would a Doctor end up with the likes of this pair is amazing.

Its sad to know there are such manipulative,sick people on this earth.I can only hope that Dawn eventually got her life straightened out,but I somehow doubt it.Another non-stop masterpiece by Lowell Cauffiel.Currently out of print,but you can find it used.

This was an excellent book and I haven't read it in about 20 years. I last read the book when I was in my 20s and I want to see if I have a different perspective as a middle aged man.

I was a patient of Alan Canty for about 2 years in the early 1980s when I was a young man. From my experience with him, I believe he was an excellent psychologist and a good man. He did an excellent job of counseling my girlfriend and me through some difficult periods in the early years of our relationship. Like most people, he wasn't one-dimensional and he had some demons and baggage. As the other reviewer mentioned (and his review was excellent), Dr. Canty, like a lot of very successful people, believed that he was a "fraud". In my opinion, he wasn't a "fraud". I believe he just had more than one side to his personality. Not only did he have very low self-esteem, but I feel that he found people who grew up on the other side of the tracks to be fascinating. His curiosity, his addictive nature, and his low self-esteem all came together as the perfect storm and did him in in the summer of 1985.

His wife Jan gave me a test in 1982 to determine what would be a good career for me, so I knew her as well. She was very nice and I hope that much of her pain from this tragedy has gone away over the years. I also hope that over time she was able to forgive him. When you forgive someone you set yourself free. I could tell Alan Canty loved Jan a great deal by the way he spoke about her. He didn't love Dawn Spens, but rather he was addicted to her. He was as addicted to her as he was to his thermos of coffee.

Dr. Canty obviously made some very bad decisions soon after I stopped being his patient and he paid an enormous price for those decisions. In spite of everything, he was a good man.