I seem to recall a more recent novel in which the events of the book bore an unsettling resemblance to a real life murder closely involving the author. This was only a few years ago and I don't recall how the subsequent investigation turned out.
James
----- Original Message -----
From: Patrick King
To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 21:31
Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: They won't have Parker to kick around anymore...
Speaking of talented murderers, many years ago, I read a book called A REASONABLE DOUBT, by a man named Edgar Smith. Smith murdered a 15-year-old girl named Vickie Zielinski in Ramsey, NJ around 1957. The book almost mirrors this crime and it is chilling. His novel brought him to the attention of Conservative pundit, William F. Buckley, who actually helped get him released from Death Row. Smith wrote several non-fiction books about Death Row and what he had to do to get a new trial. I believe there's little doubt that Smith did, in fact, murder Vickie Zielinski, but he played the system in such a way that he is a free man today. Never wrote another novel under his own name as far as I know, however. A REASONABLE DOUBT is an extremely disturbing if you can find it. Anyone know if Smith is writing under a pseudonym? He is a very good writer and it's hard to believe he's somewhere delivering pizza if he could be churning out crime stories.
Patrick King
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