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Rating: 
Summary: Tremendous Pacing....
Review:
Easily one of the top true crime books I have ever read. Corwin has an eye for detail but doesn't get bogged down in minutia or wordiness. The pacing of the investigations lead to many, "ok, I'll read one more chapter then quit" episodes. The detectives' sense of humor and dark view of the underbelly of society is genuine and genuinely funny. Even the best fiction does not grab my attention like Corwin did. This work is on par with David Simon's "Homicide." Simply put, a must read.
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Summary: A real police procedural
Review: Even if you aren't a fan of the police procedural novel, in which every detail of police work is explained, this true-life piece of reporting may prove engrossing because it reveals what really goes on in murder investigations. The author gets into what makes good detectives good and also what makes them different from one another. Although the members of the special homicide unit may dress pretty much alike on the job, they are widely divergent in their personal tastes and backgrounds. It's easy to consider the LA police force as an homogeneous group, but this book reminds us that no two people are alike. And it gives a good picture of the elements that make up a successful investigation.
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Summary: Better Than Fiction In So Many Ways!
Review: I live in the Los Angeles area and enjoy the mysteries of Michael Connolly, Robert Crais, and Paul Bishop, all set in or around the LAPD. This was a fascinating counterpoint to these mysteries, filling in details in some places and starkly illuminating reality like a Maglite at midnight.
The book follows about half of the complement of Homicide Special, one of three units comprising LAPD's Robbery Homicide division. (Rape and Robbery are the other two parts.) I found it a fascinating look inside some otherwise pretty closed doors. RHD is the ultimate promotion for some LAPD detective-3s, who would otherwise have to become supervising homicide detectives in one of LAPD's stations. It's considered an elite unit, and the fiction writers sometimes make the tension between RHD and some of the outlying homicide units a plot element. That aspect wasn't really addressed in this book, but one hardly notices against the compelling twists of the stories.
But even an elite unit has to put up with delays and shortages in the LAPD...schizophrenic heating and cooling in Parker Center (LAPD HQ)...delays and occasional inconsistent results from the Scientific Investigation Division, of O.J. trial notoriety...and uncooperative or missing witnesses.
One element of the book not touched on so far in the reviews are the pictures of the homicide detectives. Only one is smiling, and he retired at the end of the book. This is serious business, treated seriously.
Another part of the story, woven among the six murders covered in depth, is how the LAPD came to be the way it is - from early corruption, through the paramilitary but relatively clean 1950s, to the politically harassed department of the 1990s. This fills in the backdrop of the disparate backgrounds of the homicide detectives.
Of the six murders, one resulted in a conviction, another in a guilty plea, and two were starting or in trial. Two remain unsolved, although one was a cold case nearly forty years old. (This is covered in an epilogue to the paperback edition, and I'm not sure if it is in any of the hardback printings.)
What is there to criticise about this book? Not very much. I think readers outside Southern California might have benefited from a map. The biggest loss, though, is that the book is only 385 pages long (in paperback). I wanted more, more, more. Of course, rape, robbery, and homicide are the wine, women, and song of mystery fans, and this book is a banquet in those terms.
I have the feeling that this is the way it really is. Highly recommended. Just plan on reading it on a weekend...it's hard to put down, and you *will* be up past your bedtime.
OCTOBER 2004 UPDATE: One of the six cases was the murder of Robert Blake's wife Bonnie, for which Blake is currently standing trial. The defense lawyer has asked that the charge be dismissed because the presence of this book's author during a search violated Mr. Blake's constitutional rights. I can't see it, myself, but this book has suddenly been put in the limelight here in Southern California as a result. I recommend it even more now.
Rating:
Summary: A Gripping, True to Life (and Death) Read
Review: I started "Homicide Special" yesterday afternoon, and literally could not do anything else until I finished it several hours later. I hated for it to end. A reader gets an honest feel for the rhythm of detective work, and realizes how months of work can be undone by a careless mistake (even one made decades ago in a long dormant case) or by a clerk who inadvertently destroys old evidence.
The author is scrupulously fair to the police and gives a realistic snapshot of contemporary Los Angeles with its international mix of cultures. Several of these bizarre cases prove the old saw that truth IS stranger than fiction. Corwin is one of the best at putting you at the scene without calling attention to himself. I'd recommend this to anyone interested in police work -- or good journalism.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent chronicle of a unique LAPD unit.
Review: I will always find Los Angeles fascinating, and anything written about it is bound to be enjoyable to me. However, I had a very, very hard time putting this book down--not for its descriptions of Los Angeles and little vignettes of history as much as its ability to draw and keep you in its storyline. The events are all real--only a few names were changed to protect those most likely less than innocent. The backgrounds of the detectives are as fascinating as the suspects they chase.
The book's greatest strength is how it lays out many of the unpleasant truths encountered in the course of the story. The thoughts and actions of the detectives are laid out plainly for examination, even though some of the things revealed are quite damaging when taken on their own. It very plainly attacks LAPD brass, the cult of celebrity, and many persistent turf wars the LAPD is only now reaching a level of truce on.
If you're a fan of detective shows or gritty LA drama--put aside a few hours of your life before you finish a whole chapter of this book!
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Summary: If This Guy Writes More, I'll Read It!
Review: Miles Corwin has an exceptional way with words, stories, and characters. This book is one of the best treats I've picked up in a while. I'm starting to wonder what my family is going to do until I finish it, because I haven't been able to put it down. Utterly fascinating, and never a dull moment. This is beats the pants off of any episode - or season, for that matter - of C.S.I. You won't be disappointed!
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Summary: If This Guy Writes More, I'll Read It!
Review: Miles Corwin has an exceptional way with words, stories, and characters. This book is one of the best treats I've picked up in a while. I'm starting to wonder what my family is going to do until I finish it, because I haven't been able to put it down. Utterly fascinating, and never a dull moment. This is beats the pants off of any episode - or season, for that matter - of C.S.I. You won't be disappointed!
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Summary: exemplary journalism
Review: Those interested in crime and punishment often have to settle for second-rate true crime books pasted together from newspaper articles. This book, by contrast, is a model of expert journalism and compelling writing. Mr. Corwin is an observer of great sensitivity and transports the reader to crime scenes, interview rooms and crime labs. Tough, authentic, absorbing.
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Summary: Read this book and you'll be inside the LAPD!!
Review: Would you like to be a "fly on the wall" inside a homicide investigation? This is an incredibly intriguing book that allows the reader to become familiar with all aspects of the LAPD Homicide Special division and the "ins and outs" of homicide investigation. It chronicles several real homicide investigations from start to finish, allowing the reader to identify with the investigators and the victims. (Some are even famous) The history of the LAPD, occasionally shady but never boring, is also narrated. Throughout the book the reader learns about everything from crime scene investigations to interrogation methods. This book is excellent. If you have even the slightest interest in police work, you really should read this book. It reads like fiction- detectives you root for, victims your heart bleeds for, and bad guys that get busted.
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