Review for 'The case of the vanishing blonde and other true crime stories' by Mark Bowden

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Atlantic monthly press and Grove Atlantic.

Available to preorder for ready for it's release date on the 9th July.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I would be interested in reading more books by him.

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing cover and blurb and the fact that it is a true crime novel.

This novel consists of an introduction and 6 true crime stories. The author of this book Mark Bowden was previously a reporter for the 'Philadelphia Inquirer'. One of the stories in this book "The Incident at Alpha Tau Omega,” is from the time when Mark worked as a reporter andit ran on the cover of the Inquirer’s Sunday magazine.

I liked the introduction as it was interesting to see where the author got his information from. However, it may have been better with slightly less information of the crimes featured in his book to give less of what is to come away.

Brilliant descriptions and very well in depth, especially considering they are true stories, shows how much research went into them.

I like that some of the cases are left open ended so readers can decide for themselves if they think the characters are guilty or not. It makes them very thought provoking.

I absolutely love Brennan's take no crud attitude and would be interested in reading more cases that he has worked on.

I'm sure I have seen something similar to 'the case of the vanishing blonde' on a CSI episode a few years ago.

Overall quite a quick read and interesting true crime novel with some thought provoking and open ended cars. It is obvious that the author has done alot of research and the book is very well written.

I would recommend this book to fans of true crime.

240 pages

£4.16 to purchase on kindle. I think this is a reasonable price for this book.

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Thank you to the author, Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of six true-crime stories from journalist Mark Bowden is a fascinating and chilling read. The author's skill is obvious, with writing that strikes the perfect balance between descriptive prose and clinical detail. All of the stories have been published previously, many in the magazine "Vanity Fair" - this explains why the PI Ken Brennan is introduced three times in three different stories. I loved this experience of true crime without the descent to the rock-bottom horrors of the genre, and would highly recommend.

3 stars
There is no new information here. Just long=form articles compiled and turned into a book. True Crime readers will probably be familiar with these crimes and details already. But it is a well-written and good enough book,

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

A collection of six true crime stories from journalist Mark Bowden.

By far the best and most interesting part of this collection are the three cases involving private detective Ken Brennan. They read like something that could have been written by your favorite crime novelist for his fictional series about a hotshot former DEA agent (and ex-cop) who has a mind for puzzles combined with the hard-nosed attitude of a New York cop.

The other three stories consist of a case study from the 1980's about members of a college fraternity involved in a sexual assault incident, a look at one case in an online police sting operation of the "To Catch a Predator" type, and a 20 year-old cold case murder that leads to an unexpected suspect. The first two are more in the category of a judge for yourself situation where the facts are presented from two different perspectives. The third is a more traditional police investigation.

Not sure this would appeal to true crime readers who like a more graphic serial killer kind of book but it's pretty interesting all the way around.

Warning: contains some strong language and adult situations.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this publication, in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was a quick read with 6 interesting stories. I believe I had only heard one of the stories before, so it was nice to read about new ones. I thought the stories had a nice length to them. They each gave a good amount of details and didn't leave so much out that I felt I needed to research the case myself after reading it. But they were short enough that I could read each story in one sitting.

This collection of long-form true-crime stories, from a master of the form, is marvelously engaging. The features focus primarily on cold cases, some languishing for years. All of them are solved by the inspired and dogged insights of gifted investigators, masters of crime scene reconstruction and forensic analysis. Three of the articles share a particularly brilliant tough-guy private eye, almost messianic in his drive to solve murderous riddles that have persisted for years. I will review this book in more detail in The Washington Independent Review of Books [http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com] after the publisher's h/c version hits the streets in mid-July.

This is a fascinating, and, in places, disturbing book written by award winning true crime author, Mark Bowden, which covers cases from his long and varied career spanning 36 years. It is clear this author knows how to get the most from his research and contacts so when he writes his narrative the reader can easily picture the crime scenes and subsequent investigations.

Although all six cases seem, at first glance, to be normal fare; murders, a rape allegation and online crime, none of them are as straightforward as the cops involved would wish and all but two were solved as cold cases. The rape and internet chapters are particularly concerning and although one took place in the early 1980's the other was, in comparison, reasonably recent. In the first instance the author doesn't pull any punches as to his opinion but I found my own reactions to the internet based case far more intense than Mark Bowden's and still wonder why.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime reconstructions; as these are very skillfully drawn by a master of his craft.

Six stories written in the true crimeg genre by Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down). I found these stories light and fluffy on the true crime side but on teaching about criminal investigation it was spot on. A quick read of a book and very well written.

Mr. Bowden’s name was familiar to me, not only for “Black Hawk Down“, the book about what happened to aArmy team whose copter force-landed in Somalia during a “ peace- keeping“ expedition some years ago. It was a very good book and so was the movie. I recall reading Mr. Bowden’s reportage as it appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I could not wait for the next episode to appear .
“ The case of the Vanishing Blonde” is a collection of Bowden’s true crime stories. I thought that the book would be an expansion of one of hthe more prominent crimes on which he reported, but the Blode case is one of many. The first two are sexual crimes. the gang rape of a co-Ed by seven (more or less) fraternity boys at Penn, the next, a truly distressing and distasteful foray into the dark grime of on line predators.. next came the Vanishing Blonde story, which was about the brutal murder of a prostitute by a serial - rapist murderer. Then follows a story about a murdered cop. The stories got more interesting as the book progresses, I think, but that is my opinion,

Lovers of true crime reporting should enjoy “ The Vanishing Blonde“ .good writing and incisive reporting all the hallmarks of the author’s career.
The digital advanced copy had some formatting errors of broken sentences and paragraphs that I doubt will be in the finished product. I thank the author , publisher and Net Galley for the free book and the opportunity to read it.

I love the chapter of The Case of the Vanishing Blond and it was a very fun book to read. It kept me on my toes with every page. The first chapter was intriguing but the lawsuit part wasn't. The second chapter was like going on a kid's roller coater; very even keeled before you hit one big bump, and then back to normal. It was an eye opener for sure, but there wasn't enough suspense. I needed more movement in the plot.
Overall, I would recommend this book to a friend if they are comfortable with the topic of the conflict. It made me uncomfortable and it is a sensitive topic regarding rape and online predators. There should be a warning posted with the book.

3.75 stars

The Case of the Vanishing Blonde: And Other True Crime Stories is a short story collection covering six true crime narratives. Every short story examines a different and interesting topic from manslaughter to corruption in justice systems. From the highly enticing introduction, we understand that Mark Bowden will do his best to deliver these stories in a faithful, approachable, and fun manner. He definitely doesn't disappoint.

Incident at Alpha Tau Omega: 4 stars
This first short story was a really solid start. I thought it was a great case to begin with because it showcased the best side of Bowden's writing and made you understand the format of the upcoming short stories very well. I loved how Bowden doesn't glamorise the crime, in this case rape, because I know that that is a pit-fall for many authors. The strongest aspect of this short story for me was that Bowden shows us that he expects his readers to really think for themselves in the cases. He does this through clearly showing us two distinct perspectives. In the end, he doesn't force his opinion on us, but rather leaves it very open ended for interpretation. This sets a great tone for everything moving forward.

why don't u tell me wht ur into: 3 stars
This story had a lot of potential but just ended up being average. I was hooked in the beginning but as things progressed, we started seeing the same things over and over to the point it became kind of boring. Don't get me wrong, I was still intrigued, but not at that level above 3 stars. The question posed by Bowden in this story is 'should we convict people if they have a high probability of committing a crime even if they haven't committed it yet?' Again I like that this is left open ended and the reader has to make a decision for themselves.

The Case of the Vanishing Blonde: 5 stars
The titular short story, although it was the shortest, was also the best one. We are introduced to Mr. Brennan, a PI who the reader will get well acquainted with later on in the book. This is the first short story that purely looks at the case chronologically alongside the detectives. Bowden spins the narrative in such a way that the readers can try and figure out the mystery for themselves. I was a huge fan of this one.

... A Million Years Ago: 3.5 stars
A solid beginning. Not so solid middle. The case itself I found to be very interesting and thought provoking. Also, you can find the interviews online! I was enthralled watching them, knowing what was going to happen. After a certain point, Bowden does start going in circles, like he did in "why don't u tell me wht ur into". I think that if we cut the 'going in circles' part and focused on how the murderer 'got away with it' and the general aftermath of the realisation of who did it, the story would have been much better.

The Body in Room 348": 3.75 stars
This one marks the second encounter of Mr. Brennan. I liked this one a lot. I thought the case was very mysterious and different than the others. I liked how questions about manslaughter and involuntarily hurting others are presented. Again we went in circles a tiny bit and my attention wasn't able to hold. Here we focused a lot on the medical side of things which is something that I find people don't really portray or pay attention to, and it is the aspect that I find very engrossing. I also liked how Bowden talks about fear and how that is a driving force in what we do and how we run our lives. Very thought provoking!

Who Killed Euhommie Bond?: 3 stars
This was a case that had a lot of potential but again just ended up being average. I feel like Bowden at this point just started focusing so much on Brennan, that he kind of left the story of the case behind at points. We get THREE descriptions of Brennan as this superhero-like detective type and by the end I was like "Ok. I get it, Brennan 4life but can we move onto the mystery?". I did like that Bowden really did put a human face to the tragedy. I think that overall this was a good case to end on because after so much tragedy that is depicted in the novel, it is good to remember that we shouldn't glamorise violence because behind all the newspaper headlines are real people with real emotions.

All in all, I do recommend this book! I think that true-crime aficionados will gobble it up!

I’ve been a fan of Mark Bowden’s wiring for years. Black Hawk Down, Killing Pablo, etc. I’m also a fan of the true crime genre, so I jumped at the chance to get a copy of The Case of the Vanishing Blonde from Grove Atlantic and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

The title is taken from a story written by Mr. Bowden in 2010 about a murder in Florida in 2005. In it, he recounts the story of a woman who, while living in the Airport Regency hotel, was raped, beaten, and left for dead. Her lawsuit against the hotel prompted the hotel’s private detective, Ken Brennan, to follow a hunch and track down the man responsible.

This and five other stories have been compiled into a book that will be enjoyed by fans of Bowden, true crime, or just good narrative nonfiction in general. My favorite was of the six was probably “The Incident at Alpha Tau Omega,” first published in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1983. As Bowden notes, back then “we reporters competed vigorously for the paper’s limited news hole. You learned fast that a good crime yarn was a shortcut to page one.” In the intro, he comments that back when this story of a gang rape at a frat house was first published, the predominant view of newsroom staff was that any woman “…foolish enough to attend a college frat party drunk and tripping on acid could more or less expect to be sexually assaulted.” In retrospect, Bowden is proud of how the story explored the moral gray areas in addition to the binary question of “rape vs. not rape.”

Might prompt some interesting book group discussions about the change in attitudes as well as the role of private investigations in criminal investigations. Four stars.

Fans of Mark Bowden will enjoy this walk down memory lane to his roots in short form true crime writing. The highlight of this six-story collection features three stories by one former police officer turn private investigator who manages the deft task of placating the former detectives and then helping to determine the perpetrator.

Bowden has been around a while and knows his craft. If you like crime stories (true or not) you'll probably dig this collection. There may be some triggers for some readers, as there are some touchy subjects included. These have good pacing, and some are complex but well told. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

Free ARC from Net Galley

Look, I am a huge fan of Bowden

Tet 68 was disappointing but this compilation is a portrait of a master of the craft

As he has gotten older he does let a few personal biases creep in but Junger and Bowden are two of the best of our time

Mr. Bowden if Ken Brennan is real, you owe us a book

I encourage you to read everything they have written

Thank you Netgally and Atlantic Monthly Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Overall I enjoyed the text, however there are a few notations I believe that need to be addressed.

One of the first things I noticed was his very biased view on entrapment in the chapter “why don’t u tell me wht ur into.” Understandably the topic of pedophiles and the hunting of children is enough to raise passionate debate, and if that was the author’s intent that’s fine. However if his intent was to debate the ethics of police luring child molesters with online actors, it shouldn’t be relegated to only one chapter and it shouldn’t be so biased as to leave the reader with only view. I will say though it was refreshing to see that the author showed he was invested in the story he was telling. Thoughout the book I was given the impression that he was bored and being forced to write essays before moving on to something fun. If the author isn’t invested, why should the reader be?
My second issue is the chapter about Stephanie Lazarus. This story has been done. There is actually an entire book devoted to the subject and I believe it was released not long ago. This case has also been featured on podcasts and true crime tv shows. Since the author didn’t provide any new details, I wonder why it was included at all.
I really did enjoy the cases that included the Ken Brennan. I thought these very intriguing, and kept me guessing right until the end about who/what killed the victim. I did find it was not necessary to keep introducing him with each new story. That coupled with the fact that it cited the Magazine and the date it was published in said magazine at the top of the chapter led me to believe the author threw past articles together without editing them for the format of a book.
Thank you again for this opportunity.

“The Case of the Vanishing Blonde and Other True Crime Stories”—Mark Bowden [4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️] First off, this is my first read by this author and I’m very excited to start reading his many other books! This book is a collection of six true-crime stories that Bowden has covered during his career, which were all complex and varied in nature. I’ll have to admit, I didn’t know about these cases until I began reading, and I found each to be quite interesting. The first story covers a fraternity gang rape of a girl at the University of Pennsylvania in 1983, which sparked much debate on the nature of consent when drinking and drugs are involved. It then covers stories involving online child sexual predators, and cold-case murders which were quite the mystery, that feature the notable private detective, Ken Brennan. Each of these short stories were fast-paced, well-written, and very intriguing, and if you’re a fan of true-crime, this is definitely a good book to read! *Thank you to @netgalley and @groveatlantic for providing a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!*

I enjoyed this book and love true life crime. I am studying forensic psychology, and live seeing how investigations can progress with further information. The stories were new to me, but very informative. I don’t normally read short stories, but enjoyed this.

I hadn't realised when I requested this book that I was already a fan - three of the articles collected together here were ones I'd read online before, when they were first published, and had enjoyed. I hadn't realised they were written by the same person ('The Case of the Vanishing Blonde', 'The Body in Room 348', 'A Million Years Ago'). They were still fascinating, well-researched and well-told puzzles when reread; I was surprised at how well the details had stuck with me, even though they were published a decade to ten years ago. The stories I hadn't come across ('The Incident at Alpha Tau Omega', 'why dont y tell me wht ur into', 'Who Killed Euhommie Bond') were also good, save perhaps 'The Incident at Alpha Tau Omega'. By far the earliest of all these pieces, published in the early 80s, I'm sure it was well ahead of its time - then. In 2020, much of its insights about consent are no longer fresh (or indeed up for debate), and I spent most of my time reading it tense, waiting for the victim blaming to get worse. It didn't - indeed, it lessened, having begun with a focus on the victim's wildness - but it never strongly comes to a conclusion. The overriding message seems to be that yes, the assault it details was probably indeed an assault; certainly it was experienced as such by the victim; but the men who committed it are treated with the sense that they couldn't, shouldn't have necessarily known better. Again, probably wildly groundbreaking at the time in its awareness of the grey areas of consent, that non-perfect victims are still victims, that 'no' is possible even after 'yes' has been given, but I think these things are established now, and if Bowden wrote on such a case today, his conclusions would be far firmer.

I've been catching up on my reading because I'm confined, like so many of us, to staying in. I've been reading lighter fare, however, a Bowden book, I couldn't pass up.
This will take your mind off of current events - however, if you're already feeling doomed or paranoid, I'm not sure this is the book for you.
Mr. Bowden is skillful at storytelling. There were some details I wish he wouldn't have been so precise with, though I understand why he was graphic.
A very compelling fast read.