Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History Summary and Reviews

Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History
by Gary M. Lavergne

Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History
Our Price: $37.81
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Gary M. Lavergne
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-11-19
ISBN: 0312981252
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: St. Martin's True Crime

Book Reviews of Bad Boy: The True Story of Kenneth Allen McDuff, the Most Notorious Serial Killer in Texas History

Book Review: A powerful argument against parole
Summary: 4 Stars

"Bad Boy" is a compelling case against the idea anyone who commits a violent crime should ever be given a second chance. There are probably people who would be an excellent example of someone given a second chance turning their life around and becoming a positive member of society: Kenneth Allen McDuff was not that person. Every time he was given an opportunity (& it's amazing how many he got) he committed more heinous crimes. Lavergne convincingly suggests McDuff is one of the primary political reasons Texas got really tough on criminals & greatly expanded its prison system. Strengths of the book, which is well above-average true crime but no "In Cold Blood" or "The Executioner's Song," include the portrayal of McDuff's parents, that it documents sources & includes an index, & some well-chosen quotes from other sources, especially one about sociopathy: "Antisocial personality disorder is the current name for what in the past has been known as sociopathy, psychopathy, moral insanity, or in pre-psychiatric days, evil." Why do publishers continue to undermine the genre with tabloid tactics like, "With 8 pages of harrowing photographs" when, in fact, there isn't a photo in the book that could be described as even mildly disturbing? Other than that quibble, this is solid true crime with an above-average research effort behind it.

Murder & Mayhem Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Murder & Mayhem Books
The Soul of a Cop ImageThe Soul of a Cop
by Paul Ragonese, Berry Stainback
St Martins Mass Market Paper; Published: 1992-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.90
Who Named the Knife: A True Story of Murder and Memory ImageWho Named the Knife: A True Story of Murder and Memory
by Linda Spalding
Anchor; Published: 2008-10-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.82
Price in other shops: $14.95
Murder, Inc.: The Story Of The Syndicate ImageMurder, Inc.: The Story Of The Syndicate
by Burton B. Turkus, Sid Feder
Da Capo Press; Published: 2003-07-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.14
Price in other shops: $23.50
Protecting Your Life, Home, and Property: A Cop Shows You How ImageProtecting Your Life, Home, and Property: A Cop Shows You How
by Robert L. Snow
Plenum Pr; Published: 1995-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.47
Price in other shops: $15.95
Victims: THE LDS CHURCH AND THE MARK HOFMANN CASE ImageVictims: THE LDS CHURCH AND THE MARK HOFMANN CASE
by Richard E. Turley
University of Illinois Press; Published: 1992-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.58
Price in other shops: $31.95
The Serpent's Tooth ImageThe Serpent's Tooth
by Christopher P. Andersen
Harpercollins; Published: 1987-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.01
Price in other shops: $16.95
American Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps ImageAmerican Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps
by Philip Weiss
Harper; Published: 2004-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $1.39
Price in other shops: $25.95
The Invention of Murder ImageThe Invention of Murder
by Judith Flanders
Harper; Published: 2011; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.85
The Enforcer: Johnny "Pops" Papalia: A Life and Death in the Mafia ImageThe Enforcer: Johnny "Pops" Papalia: A Life and Death in the Mafia
HarperCollins Publishers; Paperback; Book
Best price: $159.82
Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution ImageLincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Execution
by James L. Swanson, Daniel Weinberg
William Morrow; Published: 2006-10-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.13
Price in other shops: $39.95
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
The Stranger Beside Me ImageThe Stranger Beside Me
by Ann Rule
Pocket Books; Published: 2008-12-30; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.41
Price in other shops: $7.99
Don't Look Behind You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #15 ImageDon't Look Behind You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #15
by Ann Rule
Pocket Books; Published: 2011-11-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops: $7.99
Blood Bath ImageBlood Bath
by Susan D. Mustafa, Tony Clayton, Sue Israel
Pinnacle; Published: 2009-08-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.87
Price in other shops: $6.99
Die For Me: The Terrifying True Story of the Charles Ng & Leonard Lake Torture Muders ImageDie For Me: The Terrifying True Story of the Charles Ng & Leonard Lake Torture Muders
by Don Lasseter
Pinnacle; Published: 2000-05-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Night Stalker (Pinnacle True Crime) ImageThe Night Stalker (Pinnacle True Crime)
by Philip Carlo
Pinnacle; Published: 2006-05-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.03
Price in other shops: $6.99
I Would Find a Girl Walking ImageI Would Find a Girl Walking
by Kathy Kelly, Diana Montane
Berkley; Published: 2011-04-05; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.32
Price in other shops: $7.99
Evil Eyes ImageEvil Eyes
by Corey Mitchell
Pinnacle; Published: 2006-04-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.98
Careless Whispers (St. Martin's True Crime Library) ImageCareless Whispers (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
by Carlton Stowers
St. Martin's True Crime; Published: 2001-01-15; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $39.95
Through the Window: The Terrifying True Story of Cross-Country Killer Tommy Lynn Sells ImageThrough the Window: The Terrifying True Story of Cross-Country Killer Tommy Lynn Sells
by Diane Fanning
St. Martin's True Crime; Published: 2003-04-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.23
Price in other shops: $6.99
Bad Boy from Rosebud: The Murderous Life of Kenneth Allen McDuff ImageBad Boy from Rosebud: The Murderous Life of Kenneth Allen McDuff
by Gary M. Lavergne
Univ of North Texas Pr; Published: 1999-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $235.62