And the Sea Will Tell

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Summary: Reads like a great movie script.
Review: This book is facinating from start to finish.The first part introduced the people and their way of life.The second part in great detail, the trial.Some times I thought Mr. Bugliosi was a bit thick on the self praise. Humble he is not. I would question why if his client was innocent she had to lie ( the picture of the boat).This book shows what the right lawyer with sharp legal tactics can do. It is a look into todays legal system. I wonder if Mr. Bugliosi had been Buck,s lawyer who would be sitting in jail now. For fans of true crime a must read.

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Summary: A good read...
Review: This book is such a good who-dun-it, you almost forget it really happened. Mr. Bugliosi even gets a starring role in his own book. The story was riviting. By the end, I wasn't really sure what had happened to the "murdered" couple or who really did the deed. I thought Bugiosi did a wonderful job of pointing out that in a criminal trial, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. They didn't do it in this case. Bugliosi (of course, as told by himself) did a masterful job with this case. If someone I knew ever needs a good criminal defense attorney, I hope they can get Bugliosi!

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Summary: Thrilling real-life murder mystery
Review: This was an outstanding,well-written true crime mystery. I had to force myself late at night to put the book down and stop reading. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime stories, you won't find anything better.

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Summary: An excellent book, a flawed perspective
Review: I felt that this book was an excellent and colorful presentation of the events surrounding the double murder. I also thought this an excellent chronicle as regards the actual involvement of Bugliosi and his fellow counsel in the murder trial itself. I was less impressed, however, by his blanket acceptance of his client's explanation of events and his subsequent conclusion that they indicated her innocence. I must conclude therefore that his explanation, which was successfully offered in court regarding his client's innocence or guilt. is similarly flawed. "And the Sea Will Tell" is an excellent chronicle of how even the most brilliant and professional of attorneys can be infatuated by a beautiful and charming client into ignoring crucial evidence and manufacturing an nonsensical alternate theory of the crime. If such a defense had been presented to any of Vincent Bugliosi's prosecutions, I have no doubt that he would have torn it apart as an obvious and t! otally unbelievable fairy tale. The objectivity and ice cold analysis to be found in "Helter Skelter" is totally lacking in this book, and it is fascinating to compare the two works and observe how, in "And the Sea Will Tell", Bugliosi discards every shred of legal acumen in his pursuit of "justice" for his client. "And the Sea Will Tell" is more than just a fascinating look at a fascinating and horrifying crime, extremely well written. It is also, and perhaps more importantly, a fascinating look at how the legal system can be abused by a brilliant advocate manipulated by a beautiful and totally deceitful client. The non-attorney reader will be angered and horrified by Bugliosi's glee at the success of legal stratagems which resulted in the suppression of key evidence indicating his client's knowing participation in the crimes. This book is a fascinating portrayal of the difference between the attorney's point of view of the concep! t of justice for his client (the client must be acquitted n! o matter what the evidence indicates), and the general public's view (people who commit murder should be legally convicted of that crime). Bugliosi's insistence on ignoring every contrary opinion in evaluating the facts of the case, including those of his fellow counsel, is fascinatingly recounted, and will chill the reader, and also probably sadden him or her."And the Sea Will Tell" will, to the careful reader, reveal more than the details and disposition of a horrible and indefensible tragedy. It will also reveal the power of the attorney in our society to do irreversible evil when he or she is seduced into utilizing their talents in the defense of evil.

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Summary: An absolutely "can't put it down" book!
Review: This true-crime story is very different in that it takes place on an island far from civilization. It's inhabited by no more than a handful of people at any one time. The author keeps you turning the pages in anticipation! A great read, and a fascinating story having to do with new love and marriage.

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Summary: Best true crime book since Helter Skelter.
Review: If it wasn't for one of Bugliosi's other books ("Helter Skelter") this would be the best true crime book I ever read. The first half of the book reads like fiction: murder mystery on the high seas. The second half of the book primarily concerns the criminal trial of Bugliosi's client: Jennifer Jenkins, who is either an innocent victim or the murderer of two people on Palmyra Island (along with her shady boyfriend Buck Walker). The courtroom drama is well told. I particularly enjoyed the author's account of how he confronted the judge in his chambers and his methods for preparing the case for trial. Outstanding book by one of the most pursuasive writers alive. Also read his book "Outrage" about the prosecutorial blunders in the Simpson trial.

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Summary: Bugliosi is awesome!
Review: The book makes a great read as a crime story. One can only hope there are lawyers around who are reading this book and following Bugliosi's example. As for the crime itself, generally speaking I was convinced of Buck's guilt and Jennifer's innocense. However I did find it puzzling that Buck would have the patience to hang around and participate in the search for his victims for two or three days. Since several other boats had dropped in during their stay at Palmyra another unexpected visitor was a definite possibility. It would have been very difficult to explain the presence of the two ships without stating that the couple had disappeared. This in turn would have made it difficult for Buck to leave with the ship of the murdered couple. Yet Jennifer states she had no idea Buck was involved. So we have the murderer patiently spending days searching for his victims instead of fleeing immediately with his prize. This detail could been further explored. Even in retrospect Jennifer never notes any untoward haste in Buck?

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Summary: A True Murder Mystery Showing The Mechanics Of A Real Trial
Review: This story is very intreguing due to the opposing nature of the couples, the mystery of the accused, and the remoteness of the crime. I found the beginning of the book to be a little dry and difficult to get enthusiatic; however, after the crime, it became gripping, and I found my self unable to put it down. The trial and presentation of the evidence was astounding. However, the author's use of footnotes caused it to be disjointed and difficult to read. If he had written these facts into the story, I feel it would have been much more enjoyable. Still, I recommend this book and can't wait for the TV-miniseries.

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Summary: Excellent true crime book
Review: Bugliosi is an excellent author who gives his readers an understanding of why the law allows (or does not allow) certain things. The first part of this book reads like a fiction novel; telling the story of the Palmyra murders. The second half is more about the trials of Buck Walker and Jennifer Jenkins. It reads a little dryer than the first half, however Bugliosi is not afraid to speak his mind. If you enjoyed Helter Skelter, you will love this book. However, I would love to find a map of the Pacific Ocean showing the location of Palmyra. I wish one would have been included with the other maps in this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Book
Review: I thought this was a considerably good book. Only two negative things I have to say is the well to long Robinson Caruso setup (it was about 150 pages) and I don't completely agree with some of the conclusions in the book. Other than that it was a fantastic insite in the preping and executing of a criminal trial. Mr. Bugliosi is very up front with his opinions, very refreshing. He works hard to show us the behind the scenes going on of a TRUE murder trial. From plea bargining over evidence, to what is discussed in the judge's chambers. All around a great book.