The sentencing or closing section was the least enticing.

There was some court jargon that was dull at times, but all in all, it was mostly exhilarating to be a part of one of the biggest and longest trials to date.

The trial section was also captivating, but could have been a little shorter. He rambled, he digressed, he repeated himself, but there was something hypnotic about the whole performance. He became all these, and more, the metamorphosis often occurring mid sentence…. Manson’s following, his impact as a leader, and his hypnotic effect on people was intriguing. It was also really surprising to read how Manson was convinced of The Beatles White Album hidden messages, and based most of his beliefs and obsessions on that fact, especially the song Helter Skelter. I loved the way the clues were slowly brought about, the suspects, interviews, speculations of the sequence of the crimes etc, reminded me of a great mystery novel or detective show, and then I was shocked all over again when I remembered it was real. Reading about detectives whom disregarded clues or overlooked obvious details was infuriating, especially since they could have avoided several deaths. This post contains affiliate links, as we are part of the Amazon Services LCC Associate Program and others, which may earn us a small commission, at no additional cost to you. *Disclosure: We only recommend books which we love and would read ourselves. Having the perspective of someone who has a credible opinion and was up close and personal, the defense lawyer, is even more chilling and surprising. I thought I knew what to expect having seen tv shows or movies, but I didn’t know the half of it.

Even though most of us are at least aware of the general event, reading in detail the horrific crime, attitude of the killers and cult mentality is shocking to say the least. The book slowly brings us the facts in a calm, collected, interesting way and filled with shocking information. Helter Skelter: the true story of the Manson murders by Vincent Bugliosi, was just the opposite. Helter Skelter Whether we are talking about disorderly haste or confusion, a Beatles song, or a true crime non-fiction book, the term itself always gives off a feeling that something incredibly chaotic is imminent.

Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi