In the summer of 1969, in Los Angeles, a series of brutal, seemingly random murders captured headlines across America. A famous actress (and her unborn child), an heiress to a coffee fortune, a supermarket owner and his wife were among the seven victims. A thin trail of circumstances eventually tied the Tate-LeBianca murders to Charles Manson, a would-be pop singer of small talent living in the … the desert with his “family” of devoted young women and men. What was his hold over them? And what was the motivation behind such savagery? In the public imagination, over time, the case assumed the proportions of myth. The murders marked the end of the sixties and became an immediate symbol of the dark underside of that era.Vincent Bugliosi was the prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, and this book is his enthralling account of how he built his case from what a defense attorney dismissed as only “two fingerprints and Vince Bugliosi.” The meticulous detective work with which the story begins, the prosecutor’s view of a complex murder trial, the reconstruction of the philosophy Manson inculcated in his fervent followers…these elements make for a true crime classic. Helter Skelter is not merely a spellbinding murder case and courtroom drama but also, in the words of The New Republic, a “social document of rare importance.”
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I lived very close to where these murders occurred, I can remember being quite frightened, extra cautious over home security. The murders and then the trial were endless horror stories for Los Angeles. I can still shiver with remembrance.
Just read this again, after having seen Once Upon A Time In . . . Hollywood. This really is a classic, a truly compelling look at a horrific crime.
The prosecutor of Charles Manson writes this story about the real murders the Manson clan committed. It is a truly terrifying real story of the Manson murders told by a person with intimate knowledge of the crimes with all evidence.
I enjoyed reading this book. It gives you a lot of unknown facts and knowledge about these horrible crimes and the people who committed them. If you are into real life crime, this is a must read.
I actually read this book years ago when I was a teenager, but if I live to be 100, I’ll never forget it. While it has been out many years, it’s not dated at all. This book tells the story of the Tate/La Bianco murders by the Manson family that occurred in 1969 when I was just a little kid. The crimes are as heinous and unbelievable now, as they …
This is a scary book knowing that something like this could happen to ANYBODY! They just happened to be in the wrong house at the wrong time.
This is the behind the headlines story of the Manson family written by the prosecuter who put Charles Manson in prison. A freighting commentary on the power of mind control.
Frightening account of Charles Manson, a psychopath who charmed others to do his evil deeds. Also, it is a piece of history and the dark side of the hippie and drug culture of the late 1960s.
Have read this multiple times and I get new insight each time I read it. A must if you have any interest in the Manson Family and the Tate-La Bianca murders.
Fact filled….written by the man who prosecuted Mason and put all of the in prison.
This had been on my “must read” list for a while and I am glad I finally did. A really great insider’s perspective into a famous moment in American history. Less psychoanalysis of a criminal than a clear view into the mind and process of the prosecutor. Not what I expected but not disappointed for one second.
The first and still one of the very best true crime books I’ve ever read. All the info about the crimes, the people and the trials from the inside. Very well written. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in true crime, cults, legalese, criminal psychology and on and on. Really informative without being sensational.
Scared the hell out of me
The scariest book I ever read.
This is the best of the many books written about Charles Manson and his followers. Written by the District Attorney on Manson and the Family’s trials.
I read Helter Skelter many years ago when I was only 17 years old. In the late 1970’s. I did know much about Manson and his “family” so this was an eye opener for me. I remember being quite frightened after reading the book while home alone during night time. I remember one night, thinking “I need to quit reading this at night.” I was having …
Vincent Bugliosi’s seminal treatment of the subject matter in his book, Helter Skelter, was, and is, a true classic murder novel. He takes the reader on a fast-paced, fascinating journey into the mind of a twisted personality, one; Charles Manson. Bugliosi masterfully leads the legally uninitiated into the twists and turns of what it takes to …
All true. Non fiction. Mean bunch of no morals people. How could anyone live a life like this.
There was never any doubt that Manson and his cult were guilty of a heinous crime.
In-depth look at a brutal psychopath that was a soicopath. Very scary.