northernrflxn
07-07-2006, 01:14 PM
There are often questions about available resources from people interested in learning more about this case.
There are quite a few books, and gathering and reading them all might seem a bit excessive. However this is truly a tragic and complex case and each book brings something different to the table. In case it helps, I wanted to give some brief information about each one:
Karla's Web
Early work that was more of a sociological study than a 'true crime' work. Large passages were blacked out due to the publication ban, and many of the most salacious details later made available turned out to be false products of the early rumour mill preceding Paul's trial. Hard to find.
A Marriage Made for Murder
A 1995 book that never really caught. Hard to find.
Lethal Marriage
Also published in 1995, this book is still widely available. It was written by veteran Toronto Star crime reporter Nick Pron, who still works for the Star and remains on the Homolka story. IMO, it's main value is in the inclusion of virtually verbatim transcripts of the terrible assaults that allow readers to assess for themselves the comparative roles of Bernardo and Homolka. It is a straight forward, easy to follow chronological telling of the events, but it has been rightly criticized in some circles as having an editorial bent towards Homolka's side of the story.
Deadly Innocence
Another 1995 book. Written by Scott Burnside and Alain Cairns, reporters for the Toronto Sun (a tabloid comparable to the New York Post]. Like Lethal Marriage, the authors attended the trials. I find this book quite interesting as it was based on extensive interviews with friends of Bernardo and Homolka, many who had known them separately and together throughout most of their lives. This book is written as the primary sources lived these events: without knowing about them as they occurred. The reader has to wait until the extensive trial coverage toward the end of the book to learn about the involvement of Homolka and Bernardo. Slightly harder to find in bookstores, but available online and well worth it. If you only read one, this is the one I'd recommend.
Invisible Darkness
Stephen Williams' first book on the case, published in 1997. A very in-depth study of these crimes with a strong bias towards the facts as related by the Bernardo defence. This book is highly prejudicial toward Homolka and while it should be read, it really should not be read in isolation without other sources of information to judge the reasonableness of its conclusions. Stephen Williams managed to manoeuver himself into being almost universally despised for his approaches and tactics. He was not only highly critical of not only Homolka, but the police and justice officials as well.
Karla: A Pact With the Devil
Stephen Williams' second book on the case, published in 2001. This was an extended critical look at the police and the justice system and a peek at Homolka's life behind bars. It featured the work product of a fairly lengthy correspondence with Homolka herself and access to a number of psychiatric assessments. The fundamental premise of the book is that while in his opinion Homolka got a deal she didn't deserve through police bungling, she was an exemplary detainee who should have been released on her statutory release date. Instead, Corrections Canada caved into political pressure and unjustly detained her to the expiration of her sentence in July 2005. An important book for those who want to understand the public, media and political climate in which Homolka's story has unfolded over the years.
The Galligan Report
The Galligan Report was commissioned in the wake of the public perception that the deal with Homolka did not adequately address her true role in the terrible crimes. It concluded that while it is distasteful to deal with an accomplice, the deal offered to Homolka was necessary and just. It concluded also that the later discovery of the videotapes and a review of the content did not indicate that Homolka had perpetrated a fraud on the government. It also states, though this is disputed in some circles, that Homolka would not have gotten the deal had the tapes been discovered earlier. This is primarily because the tapes served at witness to the assault and confinement of the victims, not because the tapes indicated that Homolka had not been largely truthful and complete in her admissions to the police. Available online.
The Campbell Report
A report commissioned to assess the quality of the police investigations into the Scarborough Rapes and the Niagara region murders. It was ultimately very critical of the police and the investigations.
Homolka's Post Release Interview with Radio Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bernardo/homolka_interview.html
Includes a full transcript and video from the first half of the 40 minute interview.
There are a great number of online resources as well, though a lot of caution should be used in employing them as primary sources of information.
There are quite a few books, and gathering and reading them all might seem a bit excessive. However this is truly a tragic and complex case and each book brings something different to the table. In case it helps, I wanted to give some brief information about each one:
Karla's Web
Early work that was more of a sociological study than a 'true crime' work. Large passages were blacked out due to the publication ban, and many of the most salacious details later made available turned out to be false products of the early rumour mill preceding Paul's trial. Hard to find.
A Marriage Made for Murder
A 1995 book that never really caught. Hard to find.
Lethal Marriage
Also published in 1995, this book is still widely available. It was written by veteran Toronto Star crime reporter Nick Pron, who still works for the Star and remains on the Homolka story. IMO, it's main value is in the inclusion of virtually verbatim transcripts of the terrible assaults that allow readers to assess for themselves the comparative roles of Bernardo and Homolka. It is a straight forward, easy to follow chronological telling of the events, but it has been rightly criticized in some circles as having an editorial bent towards Homolka's side of the story.
Deadly Innocence
Another 1995 book. Written by Scott Burnside and Alain Cairns, reporters for the Toronto Sun (a tabloid comparable to the New York Post]. Like Lethal Marriage, the authors attended the trials. I find this book quite interesting as it was based on extensive interviews with friends of Bernardo and Homolka, many who had known them separately and together throughout most of their lives. This book is written as the primary sources lived these events: without knowing about them as they occurred. The reader has to wait until the extensive trial coverage toward the end of the book to learn about the involvement of Homolka and Bernardo. Slightly harder to find in bookstores, but available online and well worth it. If you only read one, this is the one I'd recommend.
Invisible Darkness
Stephen Williams' first book on the case, published in 1997. A very in-depth study of these crimes with a strong bias towards the facts as related by the Bernardo defence. This book is highly prejudicial toward Homolka and while it should be read, it really should not be read in isolation without other sources of information to judge the reasonableness of its conclusions. Stephen Williams managed to manoeuver himself into being almost universally despised for his approaches and tactics. He was not only highly critical of not only Homolka, but the police and justice officials as well.
Karla: A Pact With the Devil
Stephen Williams' second book on the case, published in 2001. This was an extended critical look at the police and the justice system and a peek at Homolka's life behind bars. It featured the work product of a fairly lengthy correspondence with Homolka herself and access to a number of psychiatric assessments. The fundamental premise of the book is that while in his opinion Homolka got a deal she didn't deserve through police bungling, she was an exemplary detainee who should have been released on her statutory release date. Instead, Corrections Canada caved into political pressure and unjustly detained her to the expiration of her sentence in July 2005. An important book for those who want to understand the public, media and political climate in which Homolka's story has unfolded over the years.
The Galligan Report
The Galligan Report was commissioned in the wake of the public perception that the deal with Homolka did not adequately address her true role in the terrible crimes. It concluded that while it is distasteful to deal with an accomplice, the deal offered to Homolka was necessary and just. It concluded also that the later discovery of the videotapes and a review of the content did not indicate that Homolka had perpetrated a fraud on the government. It also states, though this is disputed in some circles, that Homolka would not have gotten the deal had the tapes been discovered earlier. This is primarily because the tapes served at witness to the assault and confinement of the victims, not because the tapes indicated that Homolka had not been largely truthful and complete in her admissions to the police. Available online.
The Campbell Report
A report commissioned to assess the quality of the police investigations into the Scarborough Rapes and the Niagara region murders. It was ultimately very critical of the police and the investigations.
Homolka's Post Release Interview with Radio Canada
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bernardo/homolka_interview.html
Includes a full transcript and video from the first half of the 40 minute interview.
There are a great number of online resources as well, though a lot of caution should be used in employing them as primary sources of information.