Customer Reviews

Needle Work

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read true crime all the time and I really liked this one. I have read some of the author's other true crime books, including Deacon of Death and Lobster Boy. This one is just as good and in some ways, better.

The story is as old as time itself: a romantic triangle that turns foul. The twist, though, is these aren't good guys. These are clever drug dealers and murderers who are brought to ground by two dedicated and intelligent cops.

The courtroom scenes at the end where Carol testifies had me on the edge of my seat. A great read! I recommend this book highly.

There were some darkly crafty goings-on in the house in West Bloomfield Township, MI, just blocks from the Police Department. This is one of the most unsettling true-crime books I have read, expanding the horrific answer to the Shadow's question: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men (and women?)" This sadistic duo is right down there with Homolka/Bernardo. Carol mixes the unthinkable - sadistically torturing and murdering her best friend in the basement, with the mundane - going upstairs to wake up her young children and get them ready for the schoolbus.

Author Fred Rozen unfortunately imitates Ann Rule: He keeps telling the reader how "beautiful" and "handsome" the perpetrators are. Read of their deeds, look at their pictures, and judge for yourself.

This is one of the most poorly written true crime books I have read. Multiple errors..whether typo or not....are not acceptable in ANY book. It was poorly presented, poorly researched and just plain uninteresting. Why anyone would even care about these people enough to write about them is the first question. Low life druggies with no life behind or ahead of them. The only ones I felt sorry for were the kids. Having lived 6 years in Flint, I can say that Collier was just one of the most stupid of the many criminals who live there. The only one stupider was Giles and why Billiter hung with these people is beyond me. She actually seemed to have something going for her for a while. But even with this pathetic cast of characters I can say that any other good TC writer could have made this a better story to tell. To even put Rule's name in the same paragraph with Rosen is ridiculous. I will probably avoid all of his books if they are as bad as this one was.

I think this guy from nebaska who reviewed this book from Nebraska should stay in Nebraska! What kind of crime do they have in Nebraska anyway? This is an excellent, well researched, well written book about a romantic triangle that leads to double murder. The author's "attempt to revive the 1940's detective novel," as the Nebraska fellow states contemptuously is, I think, an attempt to revitalize what has become a boring genre in past years. True crime has become the doormat of genres because so many authors phone it in; Rosen doesn't. He gave me my money's worth. I was on the edge of my seat until the end.

Fred Rosen did a good job writing this book. It moves along nicely. I like that he keeps suprising you with new information thru out the book. If you like true crime you will like this book!!

This book came really fast and I was glad, the other reviews made it sound so good and it was. I had to read in like a week. Since it took place here in Michigan was even a better read. The book was never boring and I really liked it. I have read alot of Fred Rosen's books and I like all of them.

I was disappointed in this book, although it had the potential to be a good book, it was spoiled by the author's style of writing. To me, it's almost like he's trying to revive the 1940s detective story in the first few chapters. I especially disliked the use of phrases like "flashed the tin"--where the heck did that come from? It wrecks the author's credibility, makes him and the police look downright silly, makes light of the fact that a woman had died, and treats it all like it was a B movie or a cheap detective novel. Wait a minute, let me check...nope, it says "true crime" on the spine.... Though I must give credit where it's due, once you get past the first few chapters, it becomes more serious, realistic, and gets down to business.

I loved this book, It only took me a couple of days to read it..I just couldn't put this down!!! Thanks Mr Rosen!!!

Small-time drugs, stupid trailer trash. The only redeeming thing about this book is that the cops got their guy. There's no question that he'd be killing today.