Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: After finding herself living in poverty after one of her books was a failure, author Lee Israel found a second and lucrative career selling signed letters from Dorothy Parker, Louise Brooks and other celebrities. There was just one problem, most of those letters were forgeries. This autobiography tells Israel's story from her first sale to her arrest and conviction. Review: I was looking for another book in my library's online catalog when I came across Can You Ever Forgive Me? I will confess, I had no idea who Lee Israel was, nor had I heard about what she did. However, the book seemed interesting enough to give it a try. Overall, it ended up being a good read. I will confess, I had some doubts about an autobiography written by a convicted forger, mostly because I figured it would either just be an attempt to prove their innocence (or at least try to justify their crime) or would be nothing more than a way to profit off their crime. After reading it, the book felt ...

Synopsis: By 1921, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle was one of Hollywood's first big stars and recently signed a contract with Paramount worth millions of dollars. Separated from his wife and living the high life, he rented three rooms at the Hotel St. Francis and celebrated with his friends and other guests, including actress Virginia Rappe. Days later, Rappe was dead and Arbuckle, who had been alone with her for fifteen minutes in room 1219, faced murder charges. This book details Arbuckle and Rappe's lives and the Labor Day scandal that both impacted Arbuckle's career and Hollywood history. Review: As someone who loves classic movies and the Hollywood history surrounding them, I was familiar with the Fatty Arbuckle scandal that in some ways still impacts the movie industry today. So, when I came across Room 1219 at my local library, I decided to give it a try. It proved to be a good choice. The book does a great job of telling Arbuckle and Rappe's individual stor...

Synopsis: Sheryl Bradshaw, a struggling actress living in Los Angeles in 1978, agrees to appear on The Dating Game as a way to gain exposure. She nails the part, even going off script with her questions to three bachelors. However, unbeknownst to her, Bachelor 3 is Rodney Alcala, a photographer who has killed multiple women. The movie is based on a true story. Who's in it? The movie stars Anna Kendrick , Daniel Zovatto , Tony Hale , Nicolette Robinson and Pete Holmes. Review: My wife has recently gained an interest in true crime documentaries, so I figured a thriller based on a true story would be a good choice for movie night last night. However, while the descriptions sounded good, and I usually like Anna Kendrik films, Woman of the Hour just didn't do it for us. Simply put, this movie just wasn't what I was expecting it to be when I picked it out. Sometimes that turns out to be a good thing, but this happened to be one of those times when it wasn't. Let me start...

Synopsis: When 17-year-old prostitute Cindy Paulson accuses a prominent baker and family man, Robert Hansen, of kidnapping and raping her, the local authorities don't believe her story, especially when he provides a solid alibi. However, after meeting with her, Alaska State Trooper Jack Halcombe believes she escaped the clutches of a serial killer and pursues her lead. However, a reluctant district attorney and his key witness' lack of stability threaten to shut him down. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicolas Cage , Vanessa Hudgens , John Cusack , 50 Cent and Kurt Fuller . Review: My wife found this movie at the library a couple days ago and, while it sounded like something she would enjoy more than me, I did decide to watch it with her last night. Overall, I have to say I thought it was a good movie. Since this was based on a true story, there was some risk of the movie being a bit too predictable, especially since there was no mystery about who the killer was. Fortunat...

Synopsis: In 2004, after years of disputes with the residents and government of a small Colorado town over a piece of property he had purchased, master welder Marvin Heemeyer goes on a destructive rampage in a bulldozer he had heavily fortified. This documentary tells his story from the perspective of those who were there. Review: When I first came across this movie a couple weeks ago and read the description, I thought it was some B-rated action film from the 1980s and wasn't overly interested in it as a result. However, when I realized it was a documentary about a real-life event that happened not that long ago, I was intrigued enough to add it to my library. I finally had a chance to watch it this morning and I have to admit it was pretty darn interesting. I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with documentaries. I like them for the most part but do get frustrated when they tend to be a bit one-sided. This particular one, however, managed to tell Marvin's story while not...

Synopsis: In 1946, a serial killer terrorized the residents of Texarkana, a twin city along the Texas/Arkansas border, resulting in one of the largest manhunts in history and a media circus. This non-fiction book examines the murders and why nobody was ever convicted of the crimes. Review: I don't read true crime books very often, preferring fictional murder mysteries. However, even though I wasn't a huge fan of The Town That Dreaded Sundown , the movie did get me interested enough in the real murders to check out this book at our local library. After reading it, I have to admit I found it interesting. There are a couple things I found I really liked about this book. One of the main ones was the way the author did a great job explaining the details of the murders. The various slayings, ranging from attacks on lovers' lanes to a home invasion, combined with just how brutally the Phantom's victims were killed, made it understandable how the residents would live in fear u...

Synopsis: Sue Sharp and her family are spending time at a cabin in Keddie, California when they are terrorized by a group of masked invaders who break into their cabin in the middle of the night. The movie is based on a real-life 1981 unsolved murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Terri Dwyer , Brendee Green , Harriet Rees , Gareth Lawrence and Lee Bane. Review: I came across this film on VUDU last night and, since it looked halfway interesting, I decided to watch it with my wife. I had hoped, at minimum, it would be a good psychological thriller, especially since it was based on a real-life quadruple homicide. But, it wound up being a bit of a disappointment. I think the premise of the film is a good one. The Keddie murders, from what I've read of them, seemed pretty gruesome and had potential as an on-screen thriller/mystery. Unfortunately, I think the film just didn't quite execute this well enough. I think my biggest problem with this movie is it felt like ...

Synopsis: This true crime memoir tells about the author's childhood and, later, life in an Amish community and the abuse and sexual assault she was subjected to at the hands of people who were protected from criminal prosecution because of their religious beliefs. Review: This is probably the type of book I wouldn't even glance at under normal circumstances. And, quite frankly, the only reason I wound up checking it out from our local library was I couldn't find the book I wanted to get, was in a bit of a time crunch and it happened to be within easy reach as I walked toward the checkout counter. But, once I started reading this, I had a hard time putting it down. This book was a real eye opener for me because hearing about the abuse from the victim's perspective almost made me feel as though I was on the receiving end of it myself. The torture her and her sister went through at the hands of her mom and step father was pretty unnerving and, after reading she edi...