Lobster Boy

Fred Rosen researches the shocking true story behind the murder of Lobster Boy—and finds his own life at risk In his account of the sensational life and murder of Grady Stiles Jr., also known as the legendary carnival "freak" Lobster Boy, author Fred Rosen explains how Stiles's death was engineered by his wife, Mary Teresa, the carny known as the Electrified Girl. Rosen describes how Mary Teresa arranged for her husband's murder after years of physical and emotional abuse. The narrative is full of appearances from the couple's colorful acquaintances, including the World's Only Living Half Girl, Midget Man, and the Human Blockhead. During Mary Teresa's dramatic trial, Rosen becomes a character in his own book. When both he and the prosecution are threatened by Mary Teresa's daughter, who Rosen believes was a co-conspirator although she was never indicted, the writer risks his life in pursuit of the truth and the evidence that leads to Mary...
Views: 19

Confessions of a Serial Alibi

A story of murder and an unlikely alibi witness as featured in This American Life's hit podcast Serial.In 1999 Adnan Syed was arrested for murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. But at the same time he was accused of the crime, Asia McClain claims she saw Syed at the local library.When McClain hears of Syed's arrest, she wrote to him to let him know that she might be his alibi. In spite of the opportunity to have him proven innocent, Syed's attorney did not take any action. Later, his attorney was disbarred due to numerous health problems including multiple sclerosis. She died in 2004.Over a decade after Syed's arrest, This American Life's Sarah Koenig investigates the old case. Her interviews with McClain become the first subject of Koenig's hugely successful podcast Serial and the story became an international internet phenomenon.Determined to set the record straight and the truth free, McClain reaches out to Syed's new defense attorney and on November 6, 2015, the court...
Views: 19

If You Love Me

'You said I was the perfect boyfriend. If you can prove you really love me, perhaps I can be that way again.' This is the chilling true story of a woman trapped in a devastating relationship as she tries to prove her love – over and over again. Within days of spending their first evening together, Alice and Joe were talking about getting married and spending the rest of their lives with each other. Everything about Joe seemed perfect, and Alice was the happiest she'd ever been. Then one day Joe saw a message on her phone from an old love, and that changed everything. He ignored Alice's explanations and desperate pleas. And soon the violence and abuse began. As she attempted to prove to Joe that he really was her world, Alice gave up everything that mattered to her, including her family, her friends and her job. But still it wasn't enough. Then the 'challenges' started, and finally Alice dared to hope that this time, maybe this time, Joe might just believe she loved him ...
Views: 18

A Rock Fell on the Moon

In its heyday in the 1950s and '60s, the remote community of Elsa, 300 miles north of Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory, was the epicentre of one of the world's most lucrative silver mining operations—an enterprise that far surpassed the riches produced during the iconic Klondike gold rush. For twelve of those years, Gerald Priest was the chief assayer for United Keno Hill Mines (UKHM), the major player in the region. Priest was a clever man who could as easily carry the role of refined gentleman as he could rustic mountain man. As far as ten-year-old Alicia Priest was concerned, her father Gerry's life in Elsa was perfect: a home rich with music, books and pets where he never had to boil a kettle or wash a sock; a well paying job; a beautiful and affectionate wife; and two daughters who revered him as only little girls can. But as Alicia grows older, she realizes that perhaps her dad saw things differently, with four female dependents, an ailing wife who couldn't give...
Views: 17

Monster

Aileen Wuornos was executed in Florida, on the 9th of October, 2002 at the age of 46. She was the 10th woman to be sentenced to death in the USA since the death penalty resumed in 1976. Convicted for the murder of six men, in a two month period, Aileen claimed she acted in self defence however the investigation into these claims was poor and she later retracted her statement announcing to the Supreme Court, "I'm one who seriously hates human life and would kill again." All-too-often female prostitutes have been the victims of male serial killers - the killings of Aileen 'Lee' Wuornos were the inverse of this. She was a child prostitute, fleeing an abusive childhood at the hands of her grandparents, which led straight into a disastrous adulthood of difficult affairs with both men and women. Her metamorphosis from victim to attacker had brutal consequences: a stream of dead men. Following a renewed interest in this woman after the film "Monster", this is her story in her own words.
Views: 17

Your Life, but Sweeter

Your Life, but . . . is the only series that lets your true personality lead the way! In this book, you are the main character, so the narrator talks directly to you about everything that's happening. At the end of each chapter, you'll take a quick personality quiz, and the results will show you what you would do in that exact situation. Some roads lead to love, fame, and fortune, while others lead to embarrassment, arguments, and rejection. Along the way, you just might learn a little something about the kind of person you are and the kind of person you want to be.This is a pretty exciting day for your class--because you're taking a field trip to New York City! Your teachers have lined up an educational day of visiting museums and seeing the sights, but you've heard that one of your favorite celebs is in town, and you and your friends would like to do a little against-the-rules sightseeing of your own. Are you brave enough--or crazy enough!--to break free from...
Views: 16

My Heart is Yours

Samantha Marie Ramsden has three brothers. Craig, John and Matt. When tragedy strikes their family, Craig takes on the task of becoming his siblings legal guardian. It’s hard enough being someone’s guardian, but when you’ve only recently entered adulthood yourself it’s almost impossible to know where to draw the line between sibling and ‘parent’. This is made even harder on him when Sam starts t
Views: 16

The Devil in the Red Dress

Ireland has been gripped by the story of a housewife from County Clare who, when her millionaire partner refused to marry her, googled a hitman and arranged to have him killed.Over the course of almost two months, the story of Lyingeyes and Hire_hitman unfolded in a flurry of emails. The website, hitmanforhire.net might have looked amateurish and carried a disclaimer but it attracted serious interest.One person who was interested was Sharon Collins, the "devil in the red dress". Desperate to get her hands on a share of her partner's fortune, she took drastic action. She turned to Google to solve her problem. A Mexican marriage certificate was obtained but wasn't enough. On 8 August 2006, she contacted hitmanforhire.net and started to arrange the hit.This is one of the most bizarre stories to ever appear before an Irish court. Filled with intrigue, betrayal, sex, money and would-be murder, it has all the ingredients for a best-selling thriller...
Views: 16

Keiko's Pony Rescue

When Keiko's aunt invites her and her friends Madison, Jasmine, and Sofia to spend two weeks on her farm, the girls are thrilled. They can't wait to milk a cow and help take care of the farm animals, including a horse who's expecting a baby! But when the foal is born with a leg problem, the girls aren't sure how to help. Will the new foal be okay?
Views: 15