 The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Film and Television of Leslie Charteris' Robin Hood of Modern Crime, Simon Templar, 1928-1992 , my 1993 Edgar Award winner, may be getting a complete update through 2010! Yes, so much has happened with the famous Simon Templar that the publisher agrees that it is time to document our hero's adventures in print, radio television and film since the production of Simon Dutton TV movies, and the pre-production of the movie that wound up starring Val Kilmer, especially with a NEW Saint television pilot in the works produced by my old buddy Bill Macdonald, and potentially starring Dougray Scott as the Robin Hood of Modern Crime. The story of his adventures over the past several yaers in bringing this latest effort to the screen makes . The Devil's Candy: The Anatomy of a Hollywood Fiasco seem a celebration of everything good about Hollywood.
Mom Said Kill (Pinnacle True Crime) is my current book , but I'm working furiously on a new one entitled FATAL BEAUTY. I'm at 55,000 words of 100,000, and I promise that I'm using many of your favorite words, honest!
"...a sober, blood-splashed narrative about justice delayed, but not denied." - Ron Franscell, best selling author of The Darkest Night
If Ron Franscell praises this book, you KNOW it's good! We trust Ron, so we are THRILLED almost beyond human comprehension to have Marek Fuchs join us LIVE July 11th 2pm Pacific on TRUE CRIMES!
OR you can listen via Itunes by selecting "radio" then "Talk/Spoken Word" then scroll down to Outlaw Radio! In 1959, Olathe, Kansas was made famous by the murder of the Clutter family and Truman Capote's ground-breaking book on the crime, In Cold Blood. But fewer know that Olathe achieved notoriety again in 1982, when a member of Olathe's growing Evangelical Christian population, a gentle man named David Harmon, was bludgeoned to death while sleeping--the force of the blows crushing his face beyond recognition. Suspicion quickly fell on David's wife, Melinda, and his best friend, Mark, student body president of the local bible college. However, the long arms of the church defended the two and no charges were pressed. The case was declared as dead as David Harmon. Two decades later, two Olathe policemen revived the cold case making startling revelations that reopened old wounds and chasms within the Olathe community--revelations that rocked not only Olathe, but also the two well-heeled towns in which Melinda and Mark resided. David's former wife and friend were now living separate, successful, law-abiding lives. Melinda lived in suburban Ohio, a devoted wife and mother of two. Mark had become a Harvard MBA, a high-paid corporate mover, a family man, and a respected community member in a wealthy suburb of New York City. Some twenty years after the brutal murders, each received the dreaded knock of justice on the door. A Cold-blooded Business provides fascinating character studies of Melinda and Mark, killers who seemingly returned to normalcy after one blood-splattered night of violence. A fast-moving true crime narrative, A Cold-blooded Business is a chilling exploration into the darkest depths of the human psyche. Marek Fuchs was a stockbroker for Shearson Lehman Brothers and a money manager before becoming a journalist who wrote The New York Times' "County Lines" column for six years. He also did back-up beat coverage of The New York Knicks for the paper's Sports section for two seasons and covered other professional and collegiate sports. He contributed frequently to many of the Times' other sections, including National, Metro, Escapes, Real Estate, Arts & Leisure, Travel, Money & Business, Circuits and the Op-Ed Page. In addition, Fuchs writes and stars in "The Business Press Maven" video columns for TheStreet.com, on how business and finance are covered by the media. The videos are syndicated on Yahoo! Finance, where they are regularly the portal’s featured video. For his work on that column, he was named the nation's best critic of business journalism by the University of North Carolina's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He was also nominated as best online business columnist by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Fuchs was formerly editor-in-chief of Fertilemind.net, a financial website twice named "Best of the Web" by Forbes Magazine. His book A Cold-Blooded Business, (Skyhorse, distributed by W.W. Norton), based on a murder story he covered for The New York Times, was a Top 10 seller in the Murder book category on Amazon.com, and was called “riveting” by Kirkus Reviews. He also wrote a chapter for a book, Over the Hill and Between the Sheets (Springboard Press, a Warner Book). Fuchs speaks regularly on business and journalism issues at venues ranging from annual meetings of the Society of American Business Editors and Writer to National Public Radio. He teaches journalism at Manhattan College in New York City. Fuchs, who lives in a loud house with three children, is a volunteer firefighter. The highlight of his life prior to July 11th was being on Mickey Sherman's show. The highlight of Mickey's career was being on our show! This will be FUN.
 Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry "Ring
of Hell" is the true story of Chris Benoit's journey through the
destructive, dysfunctional, and bizarre pro wrestling industry, and the
catastrophic physical and mental breakdown that led to his grisly end.
In
June of 2007, the professional wrestling community was rocked by the
suicide of wrestler Chris Benoit, after murdering his wife and
seven-year-old son. In this wide-ranging expose, crime reporter
Randazzo demonstrates that, among professionals driven to incredible
levels of steroid, drug and alcohol abuse, Benoit was not unique.
Benoit spent years in Canada and Japan enduring training that bordered
on the medieval, eagerly employing steroids to achieve the industry's
standard physique. As his star rose, so did the injuries and the
chemicals; Benoit's signature move, a flying headbutt, was responsible
for countless concussions. Culminating in a 2001 spinal injury that
left him at risk of permanent paralysis, Benoit, like many other
wrestlers, treated himself with copious doses of painkillers before
returning to work for more punishment. Combined with a crumbling
marriage, Benoit's life became a perfect storm of mental and physical
anguish; unfortunately, Randazzo's broad biographical strokes (he saves
details for pivotal matches) and wide focus on the industry's evolution
make Benoit little more than a minor character in his own story.
Wrestling fans will savor the industry gossip, but those interested in
the how and why of Benoit's tragic murder-suicide will be disappointed. LISTEN TO LIVE INTERVIEWS WITH AUTHOR MATTHEW RANDAZZO and KENNLY GALLO SATURDAY JUNE 13th 2pm Pacific Time on TRUE CRIMES~
Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia is
the memoir of Kenny "Kenji" Gallo, one of the most unlikely and
controversial gangsters in the history of the American underworld. Born
to a Japanese-American family in ritzy Orange County, California, Kenny
was a bookish, hyperactive suburban kid who lived a double life as a
car-bombing, gun-toting international drug trafficker. "One of the top
cocaine smugglers on the West Coast" in the words of journalist Luke
Ford, Gallo led his own crime family, which was aligned with Pablo
Escobar's Medellín drug cartel, owned his own nightclub, produced porn
movies, and was arrested for the murder of his own best friend—all
before he could legally drink.  Breakshot: A Life in the 21st Century American Mafia
When the police cracked
down on his drug-trafficking empire, Gallo abandoned the cocaine trade
for life in the American Mafia as a jet-setting playboy gangster,
marrying porn star Tabitha Stevens, and making millions in
prostitution, credit fraud, "pump-and-dump" stock fraud, gambling,
extortion, and the porn business. As the protégé of Mafia legends like
John "Sonny" Franzese, Jerry Zimmerman, and Vincent "Jimmy" Caci, Gallo
quickly earned the reputation as one the smartest and most capable
young mobsters in America.
After over two daredevil decades as a violent gangster, Gallo
voluntarily made a deal with the F.B.I. to act as a wired-up,
undercover informant against New York's Colombo and Lucchese Mafia
Families in exchange for a fresh start in life. Given the codename
"Breakshot" by the FBI, Gallo risked his life to send some of the most
dangerous criminals in America to jail—in the process participating in
one botched Mafia hit, narrowly escaping a Mafia attempt on his own
life, and earning two contracts on his head. Breakshot includes
Gallo's redemption as a legitimate businessman and an enthusiastic
crime fighter who works to put Mafia bosses, capos, and soldiers in
jail and to solve the decades-old, cold- case murders of his friends
and enemies.
Mickey Sherman,"enemy to those who make him an enemy, friend to those who have no friend,."* author of"How Can You Defend Those People." should perhaps down a double dose of Ritalin, and wash it down with an Adderal and Provigil chaser before he subjects himself to the off-the-wall interrogations that have become the hallmark of TRUE CRIMES, hosted by Burl Barer and Don Woldman on Outlaw Radio
Sherman is a high-profile, colorful, and iconoclastic criminal defense attorney -- the best kind! The same qualities that have made Sherman so wildly successful before the bar and as a ubiquitous television commentator are on display in this account of why he wouldn’t trade his job for any other in the world and why it is that defense attorneys do what they do – defend the thoroughly guilty, the somewhat-guilty, and the innocent with the same passion and vigor. How Can You Defend Those People? is part memoir and part voyeuristic journey through the American criminal justice system; along the way the reader meets many of Mickey’s celebrity clients and is treated to inside accounts of their cases. Sherman’s winning style, self-deprecating humor, and his easy manner make it an eminently readable and enjoyable book.
I recently had Tony Napoli, author of this book on my radio show. You can hear my interview with him by going to http://outlawcrime.com
He was vastly entertaining, and the book is a real mind blower. Great stories, and this is the real deal.
As a true crime author, I interact with police departments on a regular basis. Because I am documenting their successful investigations, and portraying their homicide detectives as heroes, they are most cooperative. Every police department has diversity of personalities within their ranks. You find exemplary peace officers dedicated to protecting and serving their citizens. Sadly, you also find the few who see a police badge as a license to abuse power and those who bestowed that power (and responsibility) upon them. Good cops have nothing but disdain for the liars, theives and thugs who disgrace the uniform. Getting rid of bad cops, however, is not that easy. Sometimes the corruption is so ingrained and insidious that rooting it out is next to impossible. Other times, police reform efforts are encouragingly successful. The biggest corruption scandal in the history of the LAPD was the Rampart Scandal. There have been several excellent books about it that are available here on Amazon.com
The Rampart scandal began in September 1999 when Officer Rafael Perez pleaded guilty to charges that he had stolen three kilos of cocaine from LAPD evidence facilities.
In exchange for a five-year sentence, he promised to tell authorities about a case in 1996 in which he and his partner shot a young Javier Francisco Ovando then planted a gun on him to justify the shooting. Perez also pledged to identify other corrupt police.
The largest settlement, for $15 million, was paid in 2000 to Ovando, a member of the 18th Street gang whom the shooting left paralyzed. Attorney Gregory Yates, who won nearly $20 million in settlements for his clients in Rampart-related cases, said he was disappointed that none of the major lawsuits went to trial in front of a jury.
A trial, he said, "would have exposed how massive and widespread the corruption was."
He called the settlements part of the city attorney's strategy to "sweep this under the rug."
The city dragged the cases on for so long that many of his clients were "worn down" and simply settled to get the matters resolved, Yates said.
"The net result is the city got these settlements without letting the truth come out," he said. "That's the bottom line." "The Rampart scandal was a stain on our otherwise outstanding Police Department," City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo said, "I know I speak for all the city leaders and our fine police officers when I say that we are thankful to put this chapter behind us."
"The reality is, regardless of who the plaintiffs were, there was evidence of wrongdoing. That's what we had to recognize," said Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, chairwoman of the council's Public Safety Committee. "Civil rights are civil rights, and they apply to everyone across the board."
Councilman Jack Weiss said it was premature to "close the books" on the Rampart scandal.
"It doesn't mean that when the ink is dried on the last check that the department has been cured," he said, while adding that he was pleased at the litigation's resolution. Gregory Yates is our guest Saturday, March 28th 2pm Pacific Time on TRUE CRIMES. You may listen live via the listen live link at the show's site. If you miss it, we will have it up in our archives within the week after the broadcast.
 Body Parts (Pinnacle True Crime) has just hit the shelves, and is the best yet from Caitlin Rother. BODY PARTS is the true story of serial killer Wayne Adam Ford, a long-haul trucker who was convicted of killing four women -- and dismembering two of them -- in four California counties. He was sentenced in 2007 and is now sitting on Death Row in San Quentin state prison. Rother will offer a comprehensive look at the case, which took eight years to get to trial, and reveal new and exclusive details about Ford and his family.
The svelt and stylish Caitlin Rother joins Don Woldman and me this Saturday LIVE on TRUE CRIMES.
"As with all of her nonfiction, Caitlin Rother delivers page-turning excitement and blood curdling terror once again with BODY PARTS, yet her skill screeams loudest in covering the details of murder--sometimes the most ghastly crimes imaginable. Using a reporter's edge, novelist's eye, and a crime-scene investigator's nose for evidence, Rother's latest is all at once riveting, unbelievable, fast-paced, and sure to keep you up at night wondering how evil seems to top itself time and again." -- M. William Phelps.
Phelps, an accomplished true crime author himself, knows what he is talking about! In fact, I strongly suggest you invest in Phelps collection of best-selling true crime books.
by your absolute favorite author, Burl Barer!
 For almost a year, attorney Don Woldman and I have been doing a peculiar little radio show from Matt Alan's backyard in Encino, California. It is only an hour long, and broadcast live from a crazy 1876 Virginia City style bar that Matt constructed next to his swimming pool. Matt's been broadcasting his Outlaw Radio show for several years, featuring rock stars, movie stars, comics, politicians and all manner of wild people. Don has been on the show from the beginning; I joined Matt's regulars a couple years ago. When Matt offered me my own show, I asked Don to co-host a show focusing on True Crime. Much to our mutual delight, TRUE CRIMES on Outlaw Radio was nominated in the category BEST TRUE CRIME RADIO show for the In Cold Blog Detective Awards.We were both surprised and honored.
Yes, we do get fabulous guests, and Don is one of the best interviewers on the planet. As for me, I'm an old DJ from way back who loves live radio, and I write true crime books in addition to mysteries and thrillers.
Well, guess what. We won! Yes, TRUE CRIMES on Outlaw Radio USA won Best True Crime Radio Show. There is more to this award than bragging rights. The Detective Awards, created by brilliant true crime author Corey Mitchell, help raise awareness of, and appreciation for, the True Crime genre -- in print, radio, television and film. I am all in favor of boosting the image of true crime writers and reporters.
Trust me on this: writing true crime is not easy, and our efforts are often unappreciated. I know what goes into a true crime book for such publishers as Pinnacle (Kensington) or St. Martins. These are research intensive and emotionally draining.
There is nothing easy about true crime writing. What does "break my heart" is when a reviewer on Amazon pans a book by any true crime author (not just me) by saying, in effect, that all the author did was rehash police reports and trial transcripts. Those folks don't grasp that police reports and trial transcripts are comprised of thousand upon thousands of pages, and if there is more than one trial, or if the investigation is extensive, you are facing boxes and boxes of material that must be read in full, studied, analyzied and I could go on and on.
As with any other craft or accomplishment, we are supposed to make it "look effortless" and be entertaining. Sometimes we achieve our goal, sometimes we fall short, but I assure you, it is never effortless, and it is always hard hard work.
We do it for a variety of motives. I write true crime because I believe that these books can save lives, and in doing so, elevate the victim's death to sacrifice for the lives of others. While my current book, Mom Said Kill (Pinnacle True Crime) is garnering mixed reviews (5 stars and 1 stars!), Corry Mitchel's latest,  Pure Murder (Pinnacle True Crime) is a solid 5. He deserves those 5 stars because he managed to craft a fantastic book that grabs you and never lets you go. Corey has been a wonderful guest on TRUE CRIMES, and I'm sure we will have him on again if he can fit us into his schedule. In the meantime, Don and I are thrilled and delighted to have the Best True Crime Radio Show. Upcoming guests include True Crime guru Star LaBranche, Caitlin Rother Body Parts (Pinnacle True Crime) , and many more of your favorite authors. You can listen to past shows on the player at the show's website.
Oh, one last thing. MOM SAID KILL does have some five star and four star reviews on Amazon. You may love it; you may not, but for the price, books are still your best entertainment investment. For me, a book isn't finished until you read it. I am already writing my next true crime book. More hard work, but work I love.
I was recently delighted to receive a message from famed journalist Alan Emmins, author of the cult classic crime book,  Mop Men: Inside the World of Crime Scene Cleaners
I visited his blog, and his MySpace page, and WOW, was I impressed. It turns out that the rather famous Alan Emmins is on a world tour, currently in Denmark. However, due to the amazing invention of the telephone, Mr. Emmins has volunteered to actually make a transatlantic phone call to join Don Woldman and me on True Crimesthis Saturday, 2pm PST. You can listen live by clicking THIS at 2pm Pacific time this Saturday. Now I am REALLY impressed with this guy. In addition to talking about MOP MEN, he will share his experience of comparing homeless life on the streets of NYC with London. Yes, he emptied his pockets and lived broke on the streets in these two major cities, then wrote about his "Adventures."
Here is the scoop on Mop Men:
Mop Men: Inside the World of Crime Scene Cleaners
Neal Smither is making a killing. His business puts it plainly: "Crime Scene Cleaners: Homicides, Suicides and Accidental Death." Whenever a hotel guest decides to check out of life, the cops finish an investigation, or an accidental but bloody death is reported, Neal and the Crime Scene Cleaners are the ones picking up the pieces and mopping up the stains.
In 'Mop Men', journalist Alan Emmins follows Neal and his unlikely team to gory locations throughout California. He learns how the work is done–and how to make millions doing it. As Emmins rolls up his sleeves to get down with the gore, he takes us behind the scenes of this little-known aspect of society's most gruesome deaths. In the process, he examines not just the public fascination with murder but also how a man like Neal can make a living simply by praying for death.
Filled with eye-opening, gut-wrenching details of one of America's strangest jobs, Mop Men shows what life is like for the hugely successful and extremely eccentric Crime Scene Cleaners, the men who step in after CSI steps out.
It is New Year's Day, 2009. I am in Mill Creek, Washington at my son's apartment. What does a brilliant, award winning author such as I do on New Year's day?
Write. Write. Write.
I have no life.
This year I will finish my new true crime book, complete the new SAINT project, including a new Saint novel. If I promise you a new Saint novel, I'll have to make good on that promise. This is my way of manipulating the universe: make you promises that I am compelled to keep.
In the meantime, I encourage you all to invest your entertainment dollars in BOOKS. Not only mine, of course. Books are your best entertainment bargain -- you can enjoy them over and over again, share them, collect them, treasure them, read them aloud or silently. Books are one of life's blessings.
I write books in an attempt to provide your life with a blessing. The only source of joy I have left in my life is seeing you happy.
There are special audio books for the blind. Since my accident in 2008, I am half blind. Does this mean I can only listen to half the book,or does it mean I can only hear every other word?
Please advise.
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Bio
Burl Barer
Professional Biography
Burl Barer is a Edgar Award winning author and two-time Anthony Award nominee with extensive media, advertising, marketing, and public relations experience.
Garnering accolades for his creative contributions to radio, television, and print media, Barer’s career has been highlighted in The Hollywood Reporter, London Sunday Telegraph, New York Times, USA Today, Variety, Broadcasting, Electronic Media, and on ABC’s Good Morning America.
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