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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Aug 7, 2022 (Updated Aug 7, 2022)  
True crime buffs, come read an excerpt from CODE OF SILENCE: INSIDE THE CASE THAT LED TO THE FIRST FEDERAL JUDGE TO BE IMPEACHED by Lise Olsen on my blog, and enter the giveaway for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book - three winners.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/08/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-code-of.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
Code of Silence tells the story of federal court employee Cathy McBroom, who had to flee her job as a case manager in Galveston, Texas, after enduring years of sexual harassment and assault by her boss-US District Judge Samuel Kent. Following a decade of firsthand reporting at the Houston Chronicle, investigative reporter Lise Olsen charts McBroom’s assault and the aftermath, when McBroom was thrust into the role of whistle-blower to denounce a federal judge.

What Olsen discovered by investigating McBroom’s story and other federal judicial misconduct matters nationwide was shocking. With the help of other federal judges, Kent was being protected by a secretive court system that has long tolerated or ignored complaints about corruption, sexism, and sexual misconduct-enabling him to remain in office for years. Other powerful judges accused of judicial misconduct were never investigated and remain in power or retired with full pay, such as US Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski and Kozinski’s mentee, Brett Kavanaugh.
     
TT
The Teacher (DS Imogen Grey, #1)
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
85 of 235
Book
The Teacher ( DS Imogen Grey 1)
By Katerina Diamond
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You think you know who to trust? You think you know the difference between good and evil? You’re wrong …

The body of the head teacher of an exclusive Devon school is found hanging from the rafters in the assembly hall.

Hours earlier he’d received a package, and only he could understand the silent message it conveyed. It meant the end.

As Exeter suffers a rising count of gruesome deaths, troubled DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles must solve the case and make their city safe again.

But as they’re drawn into a network of corruption, lies and exploitation, every step brings them closer to grim secrets hidden at the heart of their community.

And once they learn what’s motivating this killer, will they truly want to stop him?

I couldn’t put it down! I’ve never rooted for a killer or killers in any book as much as I have with this one! I was totally glued and so glad the ending did it justice. My only issue was the start I was totally confused at first but of course it all started making sense and it’s clear as soon as you hit a certain chapter who this killer is. But still a brilliant read!
  
Casting JonBenet (2017)
Casting JonBenet (2017)
2017 | Crime, Documentary
Beautifully shot but no way as good as other true crime documentaries
Netflix is an absolute master when it comes to true crime documentaries. However, unlike Making a Murderer and The Keepers, this is a standalone film and it does not explore the crime in detail. As a result it falls short in comparison to the others.

The film is about the notorious 1996 case of a six year old beauty pageant participant, JonBenet Ramsey, who was found dead in her own house even though her family said she had been kidnapped.

One of the most important things about this documentary in particular is the fact that it is completely in the perspective of random people who have no connection really with the crime itself. Instead by creating a fake film about this true crime, they reveal the actors' own perceptions and prejudices against the case and against the people involved.

It is also vital to notice while the other documentaries were created to raise awareness and educate the public about levels of corruption in society and institutions - this seemingly does nothing but instead actually is a bit of a mockery towards the young victim of this crime. The actors throw out wild theories instead, and so you know little about what actually happened.

On the upside it is shot absolutely beautifully, so it looks like an art film. A bit disappointing really.
  
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1)
Neal Shusterman | 2016 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.0 (22 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thou Shalt Kill
I don't even know where to start when it comes to this book, Scythe really isn't like any book I've ever read it really makes you think about which side would I want to be on. Also, the characters are all so amazing and each one of them plays a part in the story but what really makes this book something special is the world building.

Scythe takes place in a Utopian future ruled by an all knowing AI called the Thunderhead that pretty much runs the entire world and surprisingly hasn't gone all HAL on the world. This is also a future where everyone has not only achieved immortality but they can also turn back the clock and return back to their 20's if they so please, but to handle the growing population certain people are chosen to be Scythes or a type of Grim Reapers for an age of immortality that are treated like celebrities but also feared like gods.

The story follows two teens named Rowan and Citra who are chosen to train as future Scythes a job neither one of them want, which is actually supposed to be a kind of requirement to becoming a Scythe. Throughout their training, we are introduced to different Scythes and what it means to be legal murders and how even a perfect world corruption and evil still manages to take hold.
  
Throne of Fools (The Omaran Saga #2)
Throne of Fools (The Omaran Saga #2)
Adrian Cole | 1987 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The second book of the Omaran Saga, Throne of Fools, changes the tone a little from the first. Where that was fairly standard in structure of an obvious evil to overcome, this is more concerned with the political machinations of the island state of Goldenisle. Ottemar Remoon intends to take the throne but the corruption of the court is deep. The mysterious Orhung, who claims to have been created and carries a rod of enormous power, reveals that the darkness at the heart of Goldenisle may be a power beyond any reckoning.

To some extent this book does suffer from being a bridge between the rather self-contained first book and the rest of the Saga and so rates with me as the weakest of the series. But its still better than the strongest books of other series, helped by Cole's take on worlds and creatures, neatly sidestepping creations that might be construed as 'Tolkienesque'. And indeed the whole saga has a very much darker and more brooding tone than anything set in Middle Earth.

As a bridge between the first and subsequent books this works well, setting up the nature of the threat that must be tackled as well as cementing the characters, Wargallow, Ottermar and Sisipher in particular. The actual narrative is perhaps less engaging but perhaps should be viewed as the framework which holds together the necessary threads being woven for the end of the saga