A journalist’s twenty-year obsession with the Manson murders brings shocking revelations about the most infamous crimes in American history: carelessness from police, misconduct by prosecutors, and even potential surveillance by intelligence agents. What really happened in 1969?

If you want to get into true crime books then this book is probably one of the best choice to begin that journey with. Because the language here is very basic, its easy to understand because the author really is connecting the dots here. This book is interesting from beginning to end which a handful of the crime books fail to do that. And the author of this book really had done the proper work on his investigation and have shows us some hard evidence and not just half-evidence or his opinion and speculation about the case. Which I really appreciate. 

I wanted to read this book for a very long time because I’ve been interested in the Charles Manson and his cult for couple of years now and ill always thought that there were something more into it than what the book to Vincent Bugliosi were telling us. And this book is the answer if there is something more into Charles Manson, his cult, Helter Skelter, the 60s and CIA back in the day.

The writing style in this book is completely amazing, you can see that the author of this book really have a passion for this case and that he is really good at writing. The writing style felt like Stephen King and George R R Martin together wrote a nonfiction book about a crime case. And if you know me, you know that I don’t compare an author to Stephen King and George R R Martin unless the author really deserves it. And Tom O’Neil really deserves it, because he really didn’t an incredible job on this book. 

The author of this book really puts Charles Manson’s case in a brand new light. Which I thought wasn’t possible because this case was covered a million times before in every way possible. So when Tom O’Neil is presenting this case in a brand new light really had surprised me because it gives us new perspective on this case, new ideas about this case and makes us form new opinions about Charles Manson, his cult, The 1960s and CIA back in the day. And I’m all about that. 

The fact that the author of this book also points out some of the inconsistencies to Vincent Bugliosi’s book about this case and supported what he is saying with evidence makes me give the book extra points.

However what have annoyed me about this case is that almost the entire book seemed not like a true crime book but rather a journey to a man who was truly obsessed with this case for 20 years. Which really disappointed me when it came to that aspect of this book. 

Another problem which I have with this book is that Tom O’Neil gives us too many theories of what might be the truth. Every time a true crime book gives us too many theories really pisses me off because its almost like the author goes like “I don’t know, solve the case yourself”. 

The third things which really annoyed me here is the segment of this book where the authors was talking about then secret programs to CIA in the late 1960s. These parts really felt to me at least very boring and like the author really didn’t want to talk about them. And when the author was talking about these secret programs to CIA all I wanted was to throw the book in the trash because it was so goddamn boring. 

I give this book 3 / 5