September 15, 2009
Series guest editor Toobin (staff writer, "The New Yorker"; "The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court") here brings together his selection of the year's best articles on crime and criminals, the eighth annual compilation. As editor, he maintains the high quality for which the series is known. The subjects are diverse: lighthearted stories of cons and shoplifters are interspersed with horrific political killings, domestic disputes turned deadly, and the grisly story of the trade in human body parts. The murders covered in these pieces are both famous (Robert A Hawkins, the Nebraska Christmas gunman) and obscure (the senseless murder of Thien Minh Ly by Gunner Lindberg), recent (hedge-fund manager Seth Tobias) and historical (JFK). Fascinating as the criminals are, the best articles are about the crime stoppers. In "Mr. Non-Lethal Weapons," Sid Heal examines the difficulty of stopping a criminal without using deadly force. And "American Murder Mystery" documents the depressing failure of one of the most celebrated urban antipoverty programs. VERDICT With consistently interesting content and beautiful writing, this collection will be devoured by fans of true crime and narrative nonfiction. Highly recommended.Deirdre Bray Root, Middletown P.L., OH
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