In Plain Sight


Book Description

JUDGE. JURY. EXECUTIONER. On a cold January morning, the killer executed Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse in broad daylight. Eight shots fired a block from the Kaufman County Courthouse. Two months later, a massacre. The day before Easter, the couple slept. Bunnies, eggs, a flower centerpiece gracing the table. Death rang their doorbell and filled the air with the rat-a-tat-tat of an assault weapon discharging round after round into their bodies. Eric Williams and his wife, Kim, celebrated the murders with grilled steaks. Their crimes covered front pages around the world, many saying the killer placed a target square on the back of law enforcement. Williams planned to exact revenge on all those who had wronged him, one at a time. Throughout the spring of 2013, Williams sowed terror through a small Texas town, and a quest for vengeance turned to deadly obsession. His intention? To keep killing, until someone found a way to stop him.




Shattered


Book Description

“Kathryn Casey is one of the best true crime writers today.” —Ann Rule With true crime classics like Descent into Hell and Die My Love, author Kathryn Casey has peered into the darkest corners of the Lone Star State, shedding a fascinating, chilling light on a series of notorious Texas murders. In Shattered, she explores in riveting detail an infamous Houston area crime: the brutal slaying of a young mother and her unborn child by the person closest to them. Bestselling author Carlton Stowers numbers Kathryn Casey “among the elite of true crime writers,” and Shattered—a shocking true story of blood, rage, and betrayal—will only enhance her reputation as one of the best of the best.




Evil Beside Her


Book Description

Sleeping with a monster At first, Linda Bergstrom's marriage to her husband James was idyllic. They were young and in love; he was about to enter the Navy and she was eager to start a family. But it wasn't long before the dream exploded. James became abusive and violent, prone to sudden bursts of anger, long silences, and unexplained disappearances. But Linda vowed to hold on, despite the pain and fear . . . and her disturbing suspicions about her husband's secret life. Then, not long after their move to Houston, Texas, she made a terrifying discovery: James's hidden cache containing duct tape, a ski mask, and handcuffs. No longer could Linda Bergstrom deny the hideous truth. The man she lived with, the man she married for love, was a dangerous psychopath. And there was no escape and nowhere to run. Because no one—not her friends, the Navy, or the police—would believe her.




Summary of Kathryn Casey's In Plain Sight


Book Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The eyes are said to be windows into the soul, but is there any way to truly look inside a heart. Eric Williams’s upbringing seemed normal. He had a wide smile, and his parents taught him the importance of civic duty. But they also had a strong sense of civic duty. #2 Eric was a nerd in school, and he had a computer given to him by his father at age seven. He was always one of the smart kids, into technology. His people skills weren’t what he was known for. #3 Eric was extremely smart, and was often seen as aloof by his peers. Yet, he had a happy childhood. He was in the math and science teams at school, and was extremely loyal to his friends. #4 Eric was a very quiet and reserved young man, but when he was with his friends, he would be the life of the party. He was always good at strategic thinking, and he enjoyed wearing uniforms and taking part in organizations with lofty goals.




She Wanted It All


Book Description

Trophy wife Celeste Beard wasn't satisfied with a luxurious lifestyle and her rich Austin media mogul husband's devotion -- so she took his life! The wife: She wanted everything, but her husband stood in the way. The lesbian lover: A love-struck, middle-aged woman with a history of mental illness, she would do anything to set Celeste free. The beauty salon receptionist: Celeste hired her to tie up the loose ends ... in a second conspiracy to commit murder.




Possessed


Book Description

A WALKING NIGHTMARE—IN SIZE-NINE STILETTOS . . . The officer responding to a 911 call at one of Houston’s hippest high-rises expected the worst. After all, domestic violence situations can be unpredictable. But nothing could’ve prepared him for what he found: a beautiful woman drenched in blood . . . an older man lying dead on the floor . . . and a cobalt blue suede stiletto with tufts of white hair stuck to its five-and-a-half-inch heel. With her stunning looks, magnetic personality, and erratic behavior, Ana Trujillo had a notorious reputation on the downtown Houston scene. She spoke often of occult powers, though few knew how deeply she believed such boasts. Stefan Andersson was a gentle soul, a Swedish transplant with a good career and trusted friends, who was desperate to find someone special. Theirs is a story of obsession, madness, and tragedy. Because once Stefan fell head over heels for Ana, he was under her control—and he didn’t have a chance in hell.




Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation


Book Description

The second edition of Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation offers managers, analysts, consultants, and educators in government, nonprofit, and private institutions a valuable resource that outlines efficient and economical methods for assessing program results and identifying ways to improve program performance. The Handbook has been thoroughly revised. Many new chapters have been prepared for this edition, including chapters on logic modeling and on evaluation applications for small nonprofit organizations. The Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation is a comprehensive resource on evaluation, covering both in-depth program evaluations and performance monitoring. It presents evaluation methods that will be useful at all levels of government and in nonprofit organizations.




Book Review Digest


Book Description




Reading and Writing Instruction for Second- and Third-Grade Classrooms in a PLC at Work®


Book Description

Fully prepare students to begin the pivotal transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Written for individual teachers and collaborative teams, this resource outlines how to craft instruction to ensure every learner masters literacy expectations in second and third grade. Readers will gain a wealth of strategies and practices for designing standards-aligned instruction, developing quality assessment, providing timely interventions, and more. Use this resource to address specific literacy challenges found within the second- and third-grade band: Understand the role professional learning communities (PLCs) play in literacy development. Learn how teams of teachers can maximize their collective strengths to make profound impacts on student literacy and reading comprehension. Obtain instructional strategies and tools, such as the pre-unit protocol (PREP), for unpacking and clarifying literacy standards. Observe how to collaboratively score quality assessments as a team and conduct effective data inquiry and analysis. Study the powerful impact literacy has on student engagement and inclusivity in grades two and three. Contents: Introduction: Every Teacher Is a Literacy Teacher Chapter 1: Establish Clarity About Student Learning Expectations Chapter 2: Examine Assessment Options for Literacy Chapter 3: Create a Learning Progression to Guide Instruction and Assessment Chapter 4: Develop Collective Understanding of Learning Expectations Chapter 5: Respond to Data to Ensure All Students Learn Chapter 6: Differentiate Instruction With Gradual Release of Responsibility Chapter 7: Plan High-Quality Literacy Instruction Chapter 8: Select Appropriate Instructional Strategies Chapter 9: Consider Equity in Literacy Epilogue Appendix A: List of Figures and Tables Appendix B: Templates and Tools Appendix C: Process for Prioritizing Standards Appendix D: Essential Understandings and Guiding Questions References and Resources Index




Privacy in the Digital Age


Book Description

A collection of expert essays examines the privacy rights that have been lost in the post-9/11 era—giving students and others the knowledge they need to take back their constitutional protections. This timely two-volume collection shares information every citizen should have, tackling the erosion of privacy rights engendered by the ability of digital technology to intercept, mine, and store personal data, most often without the knowledge of those being monitored. Examining its subject through the lens of Fourth Amendment rights, the work focuses on technological advances that now gather personal data on an unprecedented scale, whether by monitoring social media, tracking cell phones, or using thermal imaging to watch people's movement. It also examines the possible impact of the widespread gathering of such data by law enforcement and security agencies and by private corporations such as Google. Organized by hot-button topics confronting U.S. citizens in the post-9/11 era, the work reviews the original intent of the Fourth Amendment and then traces the development and erosion of interpretations of that amendment in the 21st century. Topical essays offer a comprehensive treatment and understanding of current Fourth Amendment issues, including those that have been brought before the courts and those relative to the continuing governmental and societal emphasis on security and public safety since the Columbine shootings in 1999 and the events of September 11, 2001.