The history of criminal offense in Pennsylvania is documented in this book, beginning with a general survey of crime in the state and then focusing on its headline cases.

Serial killer H.H. Holmes built his murder castle in Chicago, but he met the hangman in Philadelphia. Al Capone served his first prison sentence here. The real-life killers who inspired HBO’s Boardwalk Empire lived and died here. America’s first bank robbery was pulled off here in 1798. The country’s first kidnapping for ransom came off without a hitch in 1874. A South Philadelphia man hatched the largest mass murder plot in U.S. history in the 1930s. His partners in crime were unhappy housewives. Catholics and Protestants aimed cannon at each other in city streets in 1844. Civil rights hero Octavius V. Catto was gunned down on South Street in 1871. Take a walk with us through city history. Would you pass Eastern State Penitentiary on April 3, 1945, just as famed bank robber Willie Sutton popped out of an escape tunnel in broad daylight? Or you might have been one of the invited guests at H.H. Holmes’ hanging at Moyamensing Prison on a gray morning in May 1896. It still ranks as one of the most bizarre executions in city history. Or, if you walked down Washington Lane on July 1, 1874, would you have been alert enough to stop the two men who lured little blond Charley Ross away with candy? You might have stopped America’s first kidnapping for ransom, the one that gave rise to the admonition, “Never take candy from a stranger.” The case inspired the Leopold and Loeb kidnapping. Then there was the bank robber whose funeral drew thousands of spectators and the burglary defendant so alluring that conversation would stop whenever she entered the courtroom. Mix in murderous maids, bumbling burglars, and unflinching local heroes and you have True Crime Philadelphia.

Two gripping accounts of true crime and its devastating aftermath from an Edgar Award winner hailed as “a writer of poetic gifts” (Los Angeles Times Book Review). Blood Echoes: In May 1973, three men escaped from a Maryland prison—and went on to commit one of the most horrific murders in American history, slaughtering six members of the Alday family in Donalsonville, Georgia. Their depredations were followed by a trial that only continued the nightmare for those whose loved ones were murdered. Based on court documents, police records, and interviews with the surviving family members, this is a chilling look at a kind of blind, inhuman evil rarely seen in our world. “[A] scorching indictment of the legal and court systems.” —Publishers Weekly Early Graves: Alvin and Judith Ann Neelley were perfect for each other; both shared twisted urges the other could appreciate. At first playing pranks and committing vandalism, their sick ambitions grew, until they targeted thirteen-year-old Lisa Ann Millican—whose brutalized corpse was found three days later. And she was only the first to die. Drawing on police records and extensive interviews, Thomas H. Cook recounts the killing spree of Alvin and Judith, who at nineteen became the youngest woman ever sentenced to death row. “Strong writing . . .enhances the book’s grisly appeal.” —Publishers Weekly

The history of criminal offense in New Jersey is documented in this book, beginning with a general survey of crime in the state and then focusing on its headline cases, including the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, the John List killings, the mob activities that inspired The Sopranos, and the murder that led to Megan's Law.

Read 27 chilling ghost stories, from two paranormal investigators, about reportedly true encounters with the supernatural in Pennsylvania. The ghost of a notorious gangster roams the halls of Eastern State Penitentiary. Echoed cries from the past emanate from the long-ago home of a famous figure in US history. Pennsylvania is among the most haunted states in America. This collection of ghost stories presents the creepiest, most surprising tales of the Keystone State! Authors Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler are active paranormal investigators with a shared fascination for things that go bump in the night. The professional writers spent countless hours combing the region for the strangest and scariest run-ins with the unexplained. Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 27 terrifying tales. They’re based on reportedly true accounts, proving that Pennsylvania is the setting for some of the most compelling ghostly tales ever told. The short stories are ideal for quick reading, and they are sure to captivate anyone who enjoys a good scare. Share them with friends around a campfire, or try them alone at home—if you dare.

Includes Lee Shelton's murder of Billy Lyons, the kidnapping of millionaire Robert Greenlease's son, and many more.

The incredible real-life cases behind TV's hit crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, including photos. The crimes, the suspects, the trials—as they really went down. True Stories of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit focuses on twenty-five of the scandalous true crimes that real detectives have grappled with—the facts behind the fictionalized stories on the phenomenally popular TV show. Beyond the actual crimes, the entire criminal process is covered: from investigation and arrest to trial and verdict. This book reveals in-depth accounts of some of the most monstrous offenses recreated on the hit series, including the gripping story of a teenage love triangle that led to the murder of a young girl and the deadly confrontation between the FBI and David Koresh's cult that made national headlines. Stopping these criminals is only the beginning. Confronting the deep psychological scars left on their victims is the real challenge. This collection offers fans of the show and those interested in crime-solving techniques a glimpse of the real stories and real people behind some of the most notable, notorious, and gut wrenching cases of sexually-based crimes in recent history.

From the early days of piracy to twentieth-century mob massacres, the state has been plagued with some of the worst crimes in history. This book begins with a general overview of crime in the state and then focuses on its headline stories.

Politics in Kelayres turned deadly on November 5, 1934. When Republican boss "Big Joe" Bruno sensed his grip on Pennsylvania's anthracite coal region slipping away with the night's election, he and a few family members opened fire on a peaceful Democratic parade passing Bruno's home. The carnage was shocking--five men gunned down and nearly two dozen other victims wounded but alive. Convicted and sentenced to the Schuylkill County Prison, Bruno quickly escaped, allegedly with help from the guard. It took authorities eight months to put him back behind bars. Author Stephanie Hoover delves into this true story of politics, murder and deceit.