dec 2019:

BRAD PITT AND LEO (LITERALLY) TORCHING THE CIELO DRIVE MURDERERS IS THE MOST SATISFYING THING I'VE EVER SEEN.

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Excellent, fascinating story that pulled me in and kept me until the very end. ( )

I read this book when I was much younger then I am now but I doubt I'd feel any different. An amazing job putting this all together. It scared the hell out of me back then and It scares the hell out of me even now thinking about it! Not for the queasy! ( )

This true crime classic has been on my to read list for awhile and I am glad that I finally got around to reading it. I had seen television documentaries of Manson and his family years ago. It was interesting to say the least, but watching them gave me worst nightmares than a horror fiction book. With that being said, I had some weird dreams reading this true crime novel and I would try not to read it at night as somehow or other the evil that I was reading went with me into my subconscious. Thankfully this kindle version did not have pictures as the author had edited them out to protect the victims families.

The murders committed by the Family/Manson were the most vicious and barbaric killings I have ever read. I didn't realize either that it seemed to take law enforcement a long time to figure out who committed the murders, but in an era (1969) where DNA/forensic science didn't even exist, it doesn't surprise me that they were not able to find out who did it so easily. Also VICAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) didn't exist either which if it had been around in 1969, Manson and his family would have been tracked down sooner.

Charles Manson was the worst of the worst kind of criminal and just seeing pictures of him, you can see the fruit loop craziness emanating towards you. He thought that the Beatles white album had hidden messages in their songs and that he was to obey them by killing people. His followers which were considered his family worshipped the ground he walked on and that anything he said they were to obey him immediately.

The author gives a very detailed account of the crimes that Manson and the Family committed and everything that law enforcement had to endure to bring this lunatic to justice. In my opinion, Manson sat on death row way too long and they should have sent him to the electric chair long time ago. Other known killers (Bundy, Ridgeway, etc.) did not sit on death row for a long time like Manson did, but thankfully he is no longer in this world. Giving this book four stars! ( )

dry, but interesting. ( )