The other day our group, Pamela asked whther people watch or read true crime. Most people didn't saying they wanted to keep it out of their minds as much as possible. And yet, all over the media, true crime is everywhere. Vicious cases bring out strong emotions in people. The latest local big trial here is the Hughley UVA Lacrosse murder. And Casey Anthony is (and still will be) talked about for years to come.
Why so many people interested in true crime stories? This morning on the train, I read a true crime short by Kathryn Casey called Blues and Bad Blood. In my case, I can say part is the fascination with the pyschology of it. Trying to understand. It is its own puzzle or mystery. I also watch a lot of shows on the ID channel. One very interesting new show is Dark Minds featuring crime writer M William Phelps who tries to udnerstand and solve cases with the help of profiler John Kelly and an incarcerated serial killer they call "13". Another show I really find interesting is Stolen Voices, Buried Secrets, that tells the facts from the victims' voice. And the victims need to have a voice. Maybe that is part of the fascination people have -- this could happen to someone we know.
And TV does reflect our fascination with True crime in the amount of shows like CSI and Criminal Minds about those who catch these criminals. The thing about fiction is it can be neatly wrapped up which is something you often can't say about true crime. And the same is true of mystery fiction. Which was another comment that was made several times during our group thread on the topic. And its true. Real life is not neat. We are horrified by crime (as well we should be) and we experience relief when criminals are convicted and anger when they "get away with it". Of course we do. We need to feel safe. For our friends and families to feel safe. But then there are those of us who want to read it, watch it, and try and understand it.
Terri
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I agree with you 100% as I watch these shows (just last night I watched Sins & Secrets) to try to understand the why and the one I watched last night really chilled me. The man who killed three women and one man did it because he wanted to know what it felt like to kill. To this day we we've gotten no other reason out of him and honestly at first they thought he had help or was covering for some but he wasn't. He looked like the boy next door and was in fact a a law abiding citizen UNTIL he wasn't and while I love a tidy mystery ending this just fasinated me because he was orginally asked by the detective if he knew where the man next door had disappeared to and he said "Yes I will take you and show you where he is" he did and the thing is after he got them there is when he told them he had murdered him. He said it like he was ordering off the menu. They take him in and they get the rest of the story. he was calm and he saved everyone a trial by waviering the trial and signed a confession that he was gulity. He was a smart man and his parents lived next door to the B&B and I might mention he got four life sentences. He had killed the three women because he felt the B&B owner might put together that the last time she saw the missing he was with this man. Then the daughter shows up with her best friend the next morning and he shoots them and takes the bodies out back etc....all very bone chilling bone also interesting.
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If you ever watch The Ice Man Confessions (I think thats the title) it sends shivers down your spine at how coldly evil he talks about his crimes. Dennis Rader (BTK) also sounded horrid in his confessions
ReplyDeleteTerri
Yes the BKT Killer I've read up on as ever since Jack The Ripper I have an interest in True Crime. Now not as much as you but I have been watching these new shows and ID does have some great ones. I hate that these killers, serial killers and murderers are out there but I think it keeps me alert to watch these shows. I won't overlook reality because it makes me uncomfortable. I've lived in the city more than once and I don't like being caught off guard. I think these shows are important to let people know this information. We now have the technolgy to save lives. Amber Alerts and detectives that don't give up, DNA etc we have come a long ways in my lifetime. I feel all informations helps to catch a killer or save a life.
ReplyDeletePam
America's Most wanted has led to the capture of 1175 people - that's amazing
ReplyDeleteTerri
I love John Walsh and yes Terri, you are right 1,175 is just what I am talking about these shows are amazing. I also might add that I started tuning in to watch them because I am writing a detective mystery and it's set in New Orleans this meant I wanted to do research on all types of real life detectives. I also was hoping to find more about killers in NOLA and maybe something on voodoo etc...anyway I started watching and got hooked on some of these new shows. it sure didn't help with voodoo but I take notes on what some of the detectives say and how they investigate. It may be fiction but I want the book grounded in a certain amount of reality. Yes I still write and read cozy, traditional, chick lit and other types of mysteries. such as legal thrillers. I don't think it's a waste of space adn time to have these shows on the air.
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