Michael Benson Books in Order

This reference book profiles more than 1,400 people connected to the deaths of John F. Kennedy, J. D. Tippit and Lee Harvey Oswald. Biographical entries, testimony, evidence and cross-references guide readers through the participants and competing theories surrounding the case.

Michael Benson surveys celebrated and controversial winning teams from the history of sport. The book revisits groups remembered for their victories, presenting an introduction to the successful teams and reputations that have become part of sporting history.

Benson explores the spectacle of monster trucks through photographs and a look at the vehicles behind the performances. Trucks including First Blood, Bounty Hunter and Liquidator illustrate the oversized machines and personalities that attract their audiences.

This account revisits notable crashes and collisions from automobile racing history, beginning in 1909. It introduces incidents remembered for their severity and place within the sport, following the subject across successive periods of racing competition.

This illustrated survey celebrates American muscle cars, including Corvettes, Cobras, Mustangs and Firebirds. Benson examines the performance machines associated with the 1950s and 1960s, tracing the appeal of powerful engines and distinctive automotive design.

Michael Benson introduces women who established careers in the historically male-dominated world of automobile racing. Profiles of drivers including Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James and Shawna Robinson trace their participation and achievements within the sport.

This biography follows Dale Earnhardt’s racing career, focusing on his achievements in stock-car competition. It introduces the driver through the success that culminated in his 1994 Winston Cup championship and his place in the sport.

An introductory guide to bowling brings together explanations of the game’s rules, practical skills and playing techniques. Michael Benson also discusses strategy, providing readers with a starting point for understanding the sport and developing their approach to it.

This biography introduces Cuban-born singer and composer Gloria Estefan through her life and work as an entertainer. It follows the artist associated with recordings including Conga, Turn the Beat Around and Reach, presenting an account of her musical career.

Michael Benson explains casino craps through its rules, betting options and probabilities. Examples of players’ approaches accompany discussion of money management, tournament play and deciding when to stop, with charts and a glossary supporting the practical guidance.

This biography introduces cyclist Lance Armstrong through the sporting achievements and illness recovery for which he became known. It focuses on his repeated Tour de France victories and experience surviving cancer, presenting the account available at its original publication.

This illustrated guide follows the development of military aircraft through successive conflicts, from First World War machines to stealth bombers. It examines warplanes used by the United States, its allies and its enemies within a historical overview of military aviation.

A sports biography of Hank Aaron centers on his career in Major League Baseball and the home-run record for which he became famous. It introduces the player who surpassed Babe Ruth’s longstanding mark and secured his place in baseball history.

This biography introduces Ronald Reagan, the fortieth president of the United States, through an account of his life and time in office. It focuses on the political leader whose presidency extended across the years from 1981 to 1989.

Benson introduces young readers to the United States Marine Corps and the work its members perform. The book explains combat responsibilities and the protection of naval vessels and military facilities, offering an overview of the service’s role.

This sports biography follows Wayne Gretzky’s hockey career and the record-setting achievements that earned him his celebrated reputation. Written during his time with the New York Rangers, it introduces the player widely known as The Great One.

This biography follows William Howard Taft, the twenty-seventh president of the United States. It introduces his life and public career, including the distinction of serving as both president and chief justice of the nation’s Supreme Court.

This sports biography profiles Althea Gibson’s life and tennis career, including her success as a two-time Wimbledon champion. Part of a series focused on careers, it presents her achievements within an account of her development as an athlete.

Michael Benson investigates the histories, rituals and claims surrounding organizations ranging from the Freemasons and Knights Templar to Skull and Bones. His account explores secrecy in elite, religious and civic groups, including allegations about their influence and hidden purposes.

This biography introduces stock-car driver Jeff Gordon through an account of his life and professional career. It focuses on the achievements that made him a prominent figure in NASCAR, presenting his development within the world of competitive racing.

This biography traces Malcolm X’s life from his years in Harlem through imprisonment and conversion to the Nation of Islam. It follows his work as a minister, break with the organization and the assassination that ended his public career.

This introduction to the United States Coast Guard examines its history, recruitment, training and everyday work. It describes responsibilities including coastal security, search and rescue, interdiction of illegal shipments and assistance during war or natural disaster.

The murder of Tabatha Bryant initially appears to be an intruder’s attack until a drug investigation produces a confession. Michael Benson follows the evidence linking her husband, her half-brother and a paid killing that shattered an affluent New York household.

Private investigator Vinny Parco shares cases involving unfaithful partners and explains how he approaches suspected affairs. Coauthored with Michael Benson, the guide discusses warning signs, hiring an investigator and gathering information when a relationship may involve deception.

This reference profiles the players and coaches who represented the New York Knicks from the team’s beginning in 1946. Entries combine career statistics and biographical information, including details of college basketball, professional appearances and life outside the league.

After college student Mark Fisher is killed following a night out in New York, investigators encounter a community reluctant to cooperate. This account follows the investigation into his final hours, the men accused and the case that eventually reached court.

A plot to kill a Long Island health-club owner ends with the death of his look-alike business partner. Michael Benson and Robert Mladinich follow the conspiracy involving the intended victim’s estranged wife, her new partner and a consequential mistaken identity.

Michael Benson revisits memorable successes and painful failures from New York Giants history. The book examines players, coaches and pivotal moments, tracing the franchise through championship achievements, dramatic comebacks and losses that tested the loyalty of its supporters.

This introduction examines confidence schemes used to obtain money through deception, tracing their history and recurring methods. It also considers how individuals and police respond to fraud, with guidance on recognizing warning signs before becoming a victim.

Michael Benson examines the illegal drug trade by following how prohibited substances are produced, transported and sold. The book also introduces methods used by police internationally to investigate and combat the criminal networks involved in that trade.

Mike Caracciolo brings his outspoken Kid from Brooklyn persona to a collection of new rants and stories with Michael Benson. Political complaints, consumer frustrations and memories of his old neighborhood receive the same deliberately abrasive and comic treatment.

Michael Benson examines the 2007 home invasion that killed three members of the Petit family in Cheshire, Connecticut. The account follows the victims, perpetrators and community response, alongside questions about parole and the system that failed to prevent the crime.

This introduction examines organized crime as a challenge for law enforcement and describes how police respond to it. Michael Benson surveys tactics used to identify criminal organizations, combat their activities and prevent further offenses within the communities they affect.

This guide explains crimes committed through positions of professional or social trust. Michael Benson introduces common forms of white-collar offending, examining how people exploit the authority, access or advantages provided by their jobs to carry out illegal acts.

Sheila LaBarre drew vulnerable men to her isolated New Hampshire farmhouse, where abuse escalated into murder. Michael Benson investigates her manipulation, recorded interrogations and claims of divine authority, tracing the case that exposed the killings and destruction of victims’ remains.

This account investigates identical twins Robert and Stephen Spahalski, whose separate acts of violence left multiple victims. Drawing on interviews and confessions, Michael Benson examines Robert’s life, the crimes he admitted and the questions that remained for investigators.

When investigators question an apparent antifreeze suicide, evidence points toward the dead man’s wife, Stacey Castor. Her subsequent attempt to implicate her daughter leads to further discoveries, including suspicions surrounding an earlier marriage and another death.

Michael Benson argues that the United Nations has betrayed its peacekeeping mission and threatens American interests. His political critique connects the organization’s history, funding and policies with allegations of anti-American influence, presenting a deliberately confrontational view of international governance.

The abduction and murder of young Florida mother Denise Amber Lee exposes failures in the emergency-response system despite multiple calls for help. Michael Benson follows the perpetrator, investigation and consequences of the case for Lee’s family and public policy.

Stephen Stanko’s outwardly ordinary appearance concealed a capacity for violence that culminated in attacks on people close to him. Michael Benson follows the crimes, ensuing manhunt and court proceedings, examining the contrast between the killer’s public demeanor and actions.

A rivalry over a young man in Florida ends in a fatal stabbing and a murder trial. Michael Benson follows Sarah Ludemann, Rachel Wade and the relationships surrounding them, tracing the conflict from escalating jealousy to its irreversible consequences.

Gallery owner Joyce Wishart is murdered by a disturbed drifter, leaving Sarasota’s arts community terrified. Drawing on the convicted killer’s account, Michael Benson follows the attack, the ensuing search and the history behind a life spiraling toward violence.

Returning to his childhood hometown, Michael Benson investigates the unsolved 1966 murders of two girls he knew. Working with a victim’s mother and a private investigator, he revisits evidence and pursues new leads in a case that transformed the community.

Michael Benson examines the Grateful Dead’s place in American culture, tracing the band from San Francisco’s counterculture through decades of performances and devoted audiences. He considers how its music, communal experiences and unconventional identity created a lasting cultural movement.

Two convicted killers escape a maximum-security prison in upstate New York, triggering a three-week manhunt. Michael Benson reconstructs their planning, the prison employee who helped them and the institutional failures that allowed their flight to become a national emergency.

Horse trainer and harness driver Larry Rolla recounts a career shaped by racing, organized crime and personal struggles. His experiences reveal a world where professional success and mob connections brought opportunity, corruption and consequences that threatened to overwhelm his life.

This biography traces Carmine Persico’s rise from Brooklyn street gangs to leadership of the Colombo crime family. Insider accounts explore the violence, rivalries and criminal organization that sustained his influence, even as lengthy prison sentences kept him behind bars.

Michael Benson and investigator Donald Tubman revisit the murders of three Rochester girls whose matching first and last initials terrified the community. Their account examines the crimes, the atmosphere of fear and the questions surrounding cases that remained unresolved.

Retired New York police intelligence sergeant Christopher Strom brings investigative and interrogation skills to a counterinsurgency team in Iraq. His account follows dangerous missions while examining how corruption, military bureaucracy and political priorities complicated the team’s work.

Michael Benson and private investigator Donald Tubman examine a collection of troubling murder cases, including unsolved deaths and disappearances. Their accounts revisit victims, investigative questions and developments in cases connected to Rochester and other communities.

This biography follows Albert Anastasia from his arrival in America to his rise as a powerful organized-crime figure. Insider accounts examine Murder, Inc., his reputation for violence and the rivalries that shaped his place within the developing American Mafia.

Six historical true-crime accounts explore murders connected to Monroe County and the area surrounding Michael Benson’s childhood home. The collection examines varied victims, circumstances and perpetrators, drawing together cases that reveal a darker side of familiar local places.

Michael Benson reexamines the Zodiac murders through the theory that more than one person may have been involved. Comparing victims, methods, coded letters and other crimes, he considers connections that challenge the familiar account of a single unidentified killer.

In 1977, two inexperienced young men leave upstate New York for the San Francisco Bay area, treating their journey as a search for America. Their encounters complicate their idealism as the country they discover falls short of the dream they imagined.

This account follows Carmine DiBiase from petty crime to notoriety as a Mafia killer. Examining his violence, prosecutions and return to the streets, it explores his connection to the assassination of Joey Gallo and the organized-crime conflicts surrounding it.

An illustrated collection surveys notable crimes from Rochester and the surrounding area, including serial murders, family killings and disappearances. Michael Benson revisits cases such as those involving Arthur Shawcross and Bucky Phillips, placing them within the region’s darker history.

Set against New York City’s financial crisis and pervasive violence, this account revisits the Son of Sam shootings. Interviews and examination of the attacks explore how fear spread through the city and shaped the lives of those who felt threatened.

As Nazi organizations gained followers in prewar America, Jewish gangsters organized violent resistance against their rallies and activities. This history follows figures such as Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel while examining an unusual alliance against the spread of fascism.

This biography traces Carmine Galante’s path from New York street crime to a powerful role in international heroin trafficking. His ambitions, brutality and rivalries reveal the forces that shaped both his rise within the Mafia and the threats gathering around him.

Russian immigrant brothers Nicholas and Joseph Schenck rose from operating movie theaters to shaping Hollywood’s major studios. Their story follows the business alliances, political maneuvering, scandals and personal relationships behind an influential entertainment empire.

Frank DiMatteo and Michael Benson trace organized crime in Brooklyn’s Red Hook, where control of the waterfront brought money and power. Gang rivalries, violence and personal recollections reveal how successive criminal groups shaped the neighborhood over more than a century.

Gianni Russo recounts experiences linking Hollywood, Las Vegas and organized crime, drawing on relationships with prominent entertainers and mob figures. His personal stories and controversial claims explore the secrets he says accompanied life between the film industry and the underworld.

This biography follows Carlo Gambino from his arrival in America to leadership of one of its most powerful Mafia families. Frank DiMatteo’s personal recollections accompany an account of the alliances, violence and calculated ambition behind Gambino’s rise.

When Nazi sympathizers sought influence in Hollywood, Jewish studio leaders financed a secret effort to resist them. This history follows undercover investigators, sabotage threats and the struggle to prevent the American film industry from becoming a vehicle for fascist propaganda.

Michael Benson revisits Arthur Shawcross’s televised 1990 murder trial in Rochester, where an insanity defense met conflicting psychiatric testimony. The account explores the courtroom proceedings and the public attention surrounding a case involving multiple killings of women.

This historical reference catalogues North American baseball grounds from the sport’s origins through 1988. Entries organized by community record locations, teams, dimensions, attendance and architectural details, with photographs, drawings and anecdotes documenting venues ranging from makeshift fields to major stadiums.

Benson surveys the development of convertible cars, from early luxury vehicles to later sports cars and modern designs. Photographs and explanatory material explore the changing styles and engineering behind motoring with the roof down.

This introduction to the United States Army explores its history, organization and everyday work. Young readers learn about soldiers and officers, military operations and modern weapons while considering how the different parts of the service function.