True Crime and Police Stories
The true-crime lovers will absolutely want to dig into “ Rogue ’ s Gallery : The Birth of Modern Policing and Organized Crime in Gilded Age New York ” by John Oller . The title says it all .
A true crime lovers should pick up “ Death on Ocean Boulevard : Inside the Coronado Mansion Case ” by Caitlin Rother . Rebecca Azhau ’ s death was ruled a suicide . Rother shows that that might not be the case .
“ American Serial Killers : The Epidemic Years 1950-2000 ” by Peter Vronsky is an anthology of crime that ’ ll chill a true crime aficianado .
Mysteries
“ A Slow Fire Burning ” by Paula Hawkins is the tale of a nasty murder on a London houseboat , and the three women who had big , big reasons to want to see the victim dead .
For the reader who genuinely loves timeperiod mysteries , look for “ Dead Dead Girls : A Harlem Renaissance Mystery ” by Nekesa Afia . It ’ s Harlem , 1926 and young Black women are showing up dead all over the area . This is too close for comfort for Louise Lloyd , and so when she ’ s given an ultimatum — go to jail for a past transgression or help solve these murders — well , the choice is clear , isn ’ t it ? This is the first book in a planned series .
Memoir and Biography
For the fan of police procedurals and courtroom drama , “ Redeeming Justice ” by Jarrett Adams is a no-brainer gift . When he was just a teenager , an all-white jury convicted Adams of a crime he didn ’ t commit and they sent him to prison . Ten long years later , he was exonerated and released but not without help and a long fight to prove his innocence . He ’ s now an attorney and this is a must-read tale .
Teachers will love reading “ Matchsticks ” by Fred Engh . In 1961 , Engh was a husband and father living in Maryland when he was inspired by an interview he saw that made him want to become a Physical Education teacher . And so Engh , a white man , enrolled in Maryland State College , which was then an all-black , segregated school .
Readers who love historical biographies will devour “ Cleopatra : The Queen Who Challenged Rome and Conquered Eternity ” by Alberto Angela .
Pets and Animals
Love animals , wildlife , and working to save them , then “ The Wild World Handbook : Creatures ” by Andrea Debbink , illustrated by Asia Orlando , is a great book for you . This isn ’ t just about the animals or conservation efforts ; it also includes easy-to-do projects to help creatures in the wild , mini-biographies of people who fought for conservation and preservation , and short chapters on animals and why we should care about them . This book is perfect for readers 12-to-17 , but an adult who wants something light might likewise enjoy it .
The dog lover will really like “ The Forever Dog ” by Rodney Habib & Dr . Karen Shaw Becker with Kristin Loberg . It ’ s a book filled with ideas and science that ’ ll help that puppy parent keep their fur-kid around a whole lot longer .
Cullman magazine | SPRING 2022
53