The Annals of Unsolved Crime – Edward Jay Epstein
The Annals of Unsolved Crime – Edward Jay Epstein
Synopsis
One of America’s most acclaimed investigative journalists re-investigates some of the most notorious and mysterious crimes of the last 200 years
The beloved head of the UN dies in a tragic plane crash . . . witnesses unearthed years later suggest it wasn’t an accident. Theories behind the mysterious death of Marilyn Monroe change yearly, and some believe Jack the Ripper was a member of the royal family. History books say Hitler burned down the Reichstag—but did he? And who really organized the conspiracy to kill Abraham Lincoln?
Acclaimed investigative journalist Edward Jay Epstein cut his teeth on one of the most notorious murder mysteries of the 20th century in his first book, Inquest: The Warren Commission and the Establishment of Truth, one of the first books on the assassination and an instant bestseller. His conclusion? The Commission left open too many questions.
He examines those questions here, as well as some of the most famous “unsolved” or mysterious crimes of all time, coming to some startling conclusions. His method in each investigation is simple: outline what is known and unknown, and show the plausible theories of a case. Where more than one theory exists, he shows the evidence for and against each. And when something remains to be proved, he says as much.
In The Annals of Unsolved Crime, Epstein re-visits his most famous investigations and adds dozens of new cases. From the Lindbergh kidnapping to the JonBenet Ramsey murder case, from the Black Dahlia murder to anthrax attacks on America, from the vanishing of Jimmy Hoffa to the case of Amanda Knox—Epstein considers three dozen high-profile crimes and their tangled histories and again proves himself one of our most penetrating journalists.
My Thoughts
This book was incredibly informative! I’ve read my fair share about the more popular of the unsolved crimes – JonBenet Ramsey, the Black Dahlia, Jack the Ripper – but I found the section on state crimes the most interesting. The lengths some of them went to to create cover-ups, or even just frame other international agencies is remarkable. And terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
This book is incredibly well-researched, which is always something I look out for when reading true crime. The author is also not afraid to flat out admit when he just doesn’t have a bloody clue what happened. Try as he might to piece the available evidence together, sometimes you just have to admit when you’re stumped.
It was great to read about cases I’d never even heard of – which is often why I enjoy these types of anthologies. Reading about these cases also made me much more aware of the goings on in international relations, which have always fascinated me.
This book has given me my fair share of homework to do in order to gain a complete understanding of some of these cases. Homework I am more than happy to do!! I will definitely be seeking out more from this author. I liked his style, and I especially enjoyed how he presented his information.
