Rating: 
Summary: Spooky!
Review: After Lieth Von Stein was murdered and his wife Bonnie was attacked in their bedroom by knife and club wielding bandits on a hot summer evening in July 1988, the ensuing police investigation and courtroom drama would reveal that it was the bloody climax of a fantasy game which had begun several weeks earlier in the hallways of North Carolina State University. To the young men who partcipated in this game, it was not merely fiction or fantasy, but reality, as real as the three million dollars that they would have gained if both the Von Steins had perished in the attack. It was this game, along with the lure of that easy money, that was the catalyst behind Lieth Von Stein's brutal murder, turning what appeared to be a "routine" family murder into one of the most frightening and bizarre cases ever to appear before the American judicial system. Author Joe McGinniss draws us into this story with his precise, succinct narrative in much the same way as the participants were drawn into the deadly "Dungeons and Dragons" scenarios. This is a superb read and I highly recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a few sleepless nights!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Reviews/Comments
Review: I did not think much of this book. First, I found it quite interesting that Bonnie Von Stein had very similar injuries as Jeffrey MacDonald, and McGinnis thinks he's guilty and Bonnie isn't. It seems that McGinnis switches "sides" depending on payment. Also, Wade Smith, Bonnie Von Stein's attorney, brought McGinnis into this case. Smith was also involved to some degree with the MacDonald case. Secondly, McGinnis tells the tale solely from Bonnie Von Stein's point of view. He did not dig into anything that would point in her direction (and there is a lot!). Yet another change from the way he handled Fatal Vision. Lastly, when McGinnis discusses other parties involved, he does so from a stand point where one would believe he had actually spoken with these people. He did not. His book is nearly 100% based on what Bonnie said, what Bonnie did, how Bonnie reacted, ad naseum. A final note about some of the other reviews. 1- Upchurch did not get a retrial. Upchurch's death sentence was vacated on appeal under McKoy due to faulty jury instructions. He was granted a resentencing hearing. At that hearing he was resentenced, this time to life in prison. He will not be eligible for parole for about 40 years (2 life sentences - consecutive). 2 - There was never evidence that Upchurch was involved. Neither Henderson nor Pritchard could corroborate each others stories. The information they provided varied widely! There was not one single piece of physical evidence. The murderer was right handed. Upchurch is left handed. If this intrigues you, check out www.freejbupchurch.com! And also, stick to Bledsoe's Blood Games. A better read, a better understanding of the case and people involved, and a much better writing style!
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Reviews/Comments
Review: I did not think much of this book. First, I found it quite interesting that Bonnie Von Stein had very similar injuries as Jeffrey MacDonald, and McGinnis thinks he's guilty and Bonnie isn't. It seems that McGinnis switches "sides" depending on payment. Also, Wade Smith, Bonnie Von Stein's attorney, brought McGinnis into this case. Smith was also involved to some degree with the MacDonald case. Secondly, McGinnis tells the tale solely from Bonnie Von Stein's point of view. He did not dig into anything that would point in her direction (and there is a lot!). Yet another change from the way he handled Fatal Vision. Lastly, when McGinnis discusses other parties involved, he does so from a stand point where one would believe he had actually spoken with these people. He did not. His book is nearly 100% based on what Bonnie said, what Bonnie did, how Bonnie reacted, ad naseum. A final note about some of the other reviews. 1- Upchurch did not get a retrial. Upchurch's death sentence was vacated on appeal under McKoy due to faulty jury instructions. He was granted a resentencing hearing. At that hearing he was resentenced, this time to life in prison. He will not be eligible for parole for about 40 years (2 life sentences - consecutive). 2 - There was never evidence that Upchurch was involved. Neither Henderson nor Pritchard could corroborate each others stories. The information they provided varied widely! There was not one single piece of physical evidence. The murderer was right handed. Upchurch is left handed. If this intrigues you, check out www.freejbupchurch.com! And also, stick to Bledsoe's Blood Games. A better read, a better understanding of the case and people involved, and a much better writing style!
Rating:
Summary: A real thriller
Review: I don't usually comment on others' reviews, but I found a recent one not to be fair, in this case. McGinniss gave his usual, awesome description of this horrible murder, including detailed interviews with the investigators and especially Bonnie Von Stein and Chris Pritchard. A criticism was that it was one-sided. As a true crime author myself, I know that often the "other side" won't talk to the author, and I suspect this was the case here. In Bledsoe's "Blood Games," another excellent depiction of this awful crime, it's obvious Bledsoe had cooperation from the defendants' families -- and it might be looked upon as one-sided since he didn't have too much cooperation, it seems, with Bonnie. The two books together, both dramatically and frighteningly written, give readers a full picture of what went on in that case. I give both books 5 stars. This case has intrigued me since I saw the movie Cruel Doubt, and I was ecstatic that Bledsoe, another great true crime author, also wrote a book on the subject! One main reason that makes me think McGinniss wasn't able to get interviews with the defendants is the fact that his book doesn't mention "Bart" as the nickname for James Bartlett Upchurch III. How would anyone know that unless they'd interviewed the family? Sometimes it looks like, when people won't talk to us, that we just didn't bother to try to talk to them, but that's absolutely not true. I'm sure Mr. McGinniss tried and tried to get the defendants' and families' interviews. McGinniss is just one of the forefathers, it seems, of terrific true crime with awesome imagery -- which makes the reader picture the crime and people in their heads without a movie being necessary! Mr. Bledsoe also is a top true crime writer. Neither book detracts from the other. Both are sublime depictions of one of the most bloody crimes police have seen. My hat's off to both authors!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding - Well Written
Review: I read Joe McGinniss' Fatal Vision on Jan 5, 1985, and found it a well-done account. This book is just as good, and I found that I kept wanting to get back to reading it. It is very well-done, and a lawyer can read it without cringing, since the author handles the legal issues--fascinating ones so far as attorny-client relations go--intelligently. Anyone reading the book will want to read the opinion of the North Carolina Supreme Court which is State v. Upchurch, 421 S.E. 2d 577 (N.C. 1992). The book does not cover the retrial and I have found out how the retrial came out, but to tell you might be in the nature of a spoiler, so I won't.
Rating:
Summary: A riveting read
Review: I read Joe McGinniss' Fatal Vision on Jan 5, 1985, and found it a well-done account. This book is just as good, and I found that I kept wanting to get back to reading it. It is very well-done, and a lawyer can read it without cringing, since the author handles the legal issues--fascinating ones so far as attorny-client relations go--intelligently. Anyone reading the book will want to read the opinion of the North Carolina Supreme Court which is State v. Upchurch, 421 S.E. 2d 577 (N.C. 1992). The book does not cover the retrial and I have found out how the retrial came out, but to tell you might be in the nature of a spoiler, so I won't.
Rating: 
Summary: Great job with a difficult subject
Review: I thought McGinnis did an incredible job with some very, very touch subject matter. I read "Blood Games" as well, and while both had their advantages, "Cruel Doubt" was far and away the better book. Like other readers, I was shocked that Moog was convicted without physical evidence, and while I'm sure he was involved, I feel confident that others -- including Henderson and Pritchard -- were also involved. Unlike Bledsoe, McGinnis took the time after the trial to gauge those involved on what THEY thought really happened, and that is where the book really gets great. I, too, am hoping for another book on this crime.
Along those lines, does anyone know of a site or message board that addresses this particular crime? Thanks.
Rating:
Summary: Cruel Doubt
Review: Joe McGinnis' chillingly true story is about a son, (Chris Pritchard) convicted of murdering his stepfather (Lieth Von Stein) and his mother (Bonnie Von Stein) in their own bedroom for greed. Leith's parents and uncle had all died within a year and a half of each other. Lieth inherited close to $2 million. Chris who was a failing student at NC State University, was away at school when the murder happened. His sister Angela was asleep in the room across the hall from her parents. When the police arrived, they woke Angela up from a deep sleep. She did not hear anything. Lieth was killed and Bonnie was taken to the hospital where she stayed for 7 days. When Chris came home he went to visit his mother at the hospital. Neither Angela or Chris seemed to interested in what had happened. Hardly a tear was shed. A year and a half later the investigation led to Chris and his friends at NCSU. One of the friends admitted to the investigators what happened that night. This implicated Chris, himself (Henderson) and Moog. Even though all the information gathered never really had concrete evidence all three were convicted. Information given by the forensic doctor did not match up with the time of the attack that was given by Bonnie. None of the family, Bonnie, Chris and Angela showed emotions of remorse or loss. This unemotional family confused the investgation even after the conviction. To grasp the atmosphere surrounding this investgation that bring us through the medieval game of Dungeons and Dragons, drugs and greed you must read this book. I could not put it down. To see how they were finally going to convict them with out physical evidence was amazing. To have let them free because of lack of evidence would have been terrifying. I do not believe this case has been completely solved. I am waiting for Part II, the unabridged version.
Rating:
Summary: Cruel Doubt
Review: Joe McGinnis' chillingly true story is about a son, (Chris Pritchard) convicted of murdering his stepfather (Lieth Von Stein) and his mother (Bonnie Von Stein) in their own bedroom for greed. Leith's parents and uncle had all died within a year and a half of each other. Lieth inherited close to $2 million. Chris who was a failing student at NC State University, was away at school when the murder happened. His sister Angela was asleep in the room across the hall from her parents. When the police arrived, they woke Angela up from a deep sleep. She did not hear anything. Lieth was killed and Bonnie was taken to the hospital where she stayed for 7 days. When Chris came home he went to visit his mother at the hospital. Neither Angela or Chris seemed to interested in what had happened. Hardly a tear was shed. A year and a half later the investigation led to Chris and his friends at NCSU. One of the friends admitted to the investigators what happened that night. This implicated Chris, himself (Henderson) and Moog. Even though all the information gathered never really had concrete evidence all three were convicted. Information given by the forensic doctor did not match up with the time of the attack that was given by Bonnie. None of the family, Bonnie, Chris and Angela showed emotions of remorse or loss. This unemotional family confused the investgation even after the conviction. To grasp the atmosphere surrounding this investgation that bring us through the medieval game of Dungeons and Dragons, drugs and greed you must read this book. I could not put it down. To see how they were finally going to convict them with out physical evidence was amazing. To have let them free because of lack of evidence would have been terrifying. I do not believe this case has been completely solved. I am waiting for Part II, the unabridged version.
Rating:
Summary: The Best in Real Life Drama
Review: This book thrilled me and annoyed me at the same time. I was blown away by the family dynamics that led to the murder of the main character's husband. And the insane world of drugs and Dungeons and Dragons that her son (who the reader suspects is involved from the beginning) inhabits is a glimpse into a real person's dark side. But don't expect the story to end like a fictional murder mystery. You'll be left with many unanswered questions, unexplainable evidence, and a sinking suspicion that there's more to the story than what was revealed. But it's just this ambiguity that makes this such a compelling read.
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