Secrets Can Be Murder: What America's Most Sensational Crimes Tell Us about Ourselves

This is a book of case studies about crime, motivating factors, behavior, and family dynamics. The author does her homework on the psychological aspects of interpersonal relationships and social interaction. She looks at American values, the media, and double standards. Read it to find out more about childhood issues, parenting styles, deviance, and the secrets of what goes on behind closed doors. The truth is not pleasant. I think Valez-Mitchell has some important things to say and I respect her research.

This book was an unexpected surprise...I thought it would be another compilation of headlining true crime cases from a Court TV reporter's perspective, and instead it was a psychological journey into the background of the cases and participants. Some reviewers opined that Velez-Mitchell blames the victims/victims' families (as in the case of the Laci Peterson case and exploring the triangulation of Laci, her mother Sharon, and Scott), but I disagree. Ms. Mitchell takes pains to explain that she is not blaming the victims or families for the violence perpetrated against them, rather she is is searching for an explanation for the crimes, what may have led up to the crimes from a family systems and relational perspective. Instead simply claiming that a crime occurred because of an evil or insane perpetrator, she actually delves into the family secrets behind well-publicized cases and provides insight into how intergenerational family secrets can create havoc generations later~hence the title. Ms. Mitchell examines well-known cases, (such as the aforementioned Laci Peterson murder)Phil Spector, as well as some of the highly publicized teacher-student rape cases. I highly recommend to true crime fans and people interested in exploring crime from a family systems perspective.

This book and some details are just too much for me to absorb like "modern day movies" with too much gruesome detail but Jane Velez-Mitchell is just reporting the truth rather than providing mega-bucks hollywood slock aka "entertainment". This book is crucial to be read and for our law makers to make changes nationwide to better protect women from abuse and murder. What is clear are these murderers where giving off plenty of signals or even had criminal records that were neon signs. I hope her book brings change to people's awareness, safety and the "the system" which does not protect the victims. Velez-Mitchell points out that "economic abuse" plays a role in the abuse of women and it can be found at all socio-economic levels. Her point about the how women can be the harshest judges of fellow women blaming them for their own rapes and murders is right on. "Why was she out so late?" "What was she wearing?". I hope this book raises awareness and brings national changes in our legal system, in protecting women and children and state of the art technological warning systems to alert communities of the movements of repeat offenders that our on the outside and we need to ask ourselves how and why the legal system continues to set free people that are so violent. Why is so much hostility and rage towards women accepted in this culture. Read this book and find out Velez-Mithcell's answers and the sad truths about why so many women stay home in what I call "good girl prison" but as she points out men do not stay home because they are not afraid of being harmed. Read this book and I hope Jane Velez-Mitchell "Secrets can be Murder" helps to bring change and prevent unacceptable hostility and rage towards women that is very much accepted in America to successful reforms to protect the innocent and successfully prosecute the guilty. Jane Velez-Mitchell ends on a spiritual uplifting note and she has a list of important resources and she urges readers to get involved! Read this book!

I am a true crime story/psychology enthusiast and I have seen the author Jane Velez-Mitchell on t.v. many times.(Nancy Grace, Larry King, etc.) As an author, she really has the talent to keep the reader captivated in every detail of each crime and the possible psychological explanations for them. She did an outstanding job on this truly "can't put it down" type book. Bravo!

This was a very interesting book to read and holds your attention but it seemed to me as if Ms. Valez-Mitchell was blaming the victims, their families, everyone but the perpetrator of the horrific crimes studied.