{"title":"True Crime--Con Artists, Hoaxes \u0026 Deceptions","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"new-zealand-map","title":"New Zealand Map","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e- Waterproof - Tear-Resistant - Travel Map\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNational Geographic's New Zealand Adventure Map is an expertly researched, comprehensive map, designed to meet the needs of adventure travelers. With accurate and detailed information of the area, the map pinpoints hundreds of diverse and unique recreational, ecological, cultural, and historic destinations, including many lesser known ones. This information is not available in traditional road maps, such as areas for camping, surfing, skiing, playing golf and fishing, as well as airports and airfields, harbors, beaches, waterfalls and hot springs. In addition to this special content, the map also includes an index with the locations of cities and towns and a clearly marked road network complete with distances and designations for for roads and highways, as well as secondary routes for those seeking to travel off the beaten path. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe map covers the North and South Islands, Stewart Island and inset maps show many of the numerous outlying islands, including Chatham, Campbell, Antipodes, Kermadec and Auckland Islands. The North Island map includes Auckland, Bay of Islands, The Coromandel and Waitomo Caves, while the South Island map includes such popular destinations as Mount Cook National Park and the Southern Alps, Milford Sound, Abel Tasman National Park. 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And his storytelling reads like a crime novel. . . . A must-read.\"--Joe Navarro, FBI special agent (ret.) and author of the international bestseller \u003ci\u003eDangerous Personalities\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Some people play golf on the weekends,\" Johnathan Walton says. \"I hunt con artists.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCon artists are everywhere--your new boyfriend or girlfriend, your new neighbor or coworker, your new friend--and they don't out\u003ci\u003esmart\u003c\/i\u003e you; they out-\u003ci\u003efeel\u003c\/i\u003e you to get their hands on your money. In \u003ci\u003eAnatomy of a Con Artist\u003c\/i\u003e, Walton lays out \"the tells\" based on hundreds of real-life cases he's investigated, including: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eRed Flag #1--A Stranger Offering Help: \u003c\/b\u003e Someone new and overly helpful insinuates themselves into your life. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eRed Flag #3--Drama, Drama, Drama: \u003c\/b\u003e Constant dramatic \"emergencies\" to pull you in. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eRed Flag #8--Beak Wetting: \u003c\/b\u003e Faux generosity--gifts, money, or favors to bring your guard down. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter being scammed out of nearly $100,000 by a devious con artist, Walton was turned away by police. Infuriated and armed with the investigative skills he'd gained from years as a TV reporter, Walton launched his own investigation and built a compelling criminal case authorities could not ignore. Walton got his con artist charged, prosecuted, and convicted, then devoted his life to helping other victims do the same. This book packs in all he has learned. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSome con artists scheme for money, some for attention, some just for the thrill of lying. And if you think it can't happen to you, then you are exactly the kind of \"mark\" a professional con artist is looking for. 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She went to pawn shops, Las Vegas casinos, and a Mafia hangout--and discovered that beneath the glittering façade of Dallas debutante parties was a world of sex trafficking, illegal gambling, and political graft. When one of the leading suspects was found dead in highly unusual circumstances, the story darkened. High society crashed head-first into Mickey Spillane. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe odd psychological aspects of the \u003ci\u003eThe King of Diamonds\u003c\/i\u003e give us different kind of crime story. Detectives were stumped: Why did the thief break into houses when his targets were inside, increasing the risk of being captured? Why did he hide in their closets? Many times, he was so close he could hear their breathing as they slept. 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From skin-melting encounters in Brazil to a ghost that stalks the English countryside to a bell ringing deep in the Arizona wilderness, MrBallen's spine-chilling tales--four of which are exclusive to this graphic novel--span multiple centuries and expose bizarre, terrifying, and utterly unforgettable experiences of the unnatural world. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCompellingly creepy, deeply researched, and based on unsettling real events, \u003ci\u003eMrBallen Presents: Where Nightmares Live \u003c\/i\u003eproves that sometimes our deepest fears are about the things we cannot see. In collaboration with \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling graphic novelist Robert Venditti and acclaimed comic book artist Andrea Mutti, this is Allen's most frightening collection yet. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWelcome. 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The house doesn't \u003ci\u003ealways\u003c\/i\u003e win.\u003cdiv style=\"display:none\"\u003eISBN-10: 1668080893\u003cbr\u003eISBN-13: 9781668080894\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: Chellel, Kit\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Atria Books\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Atria Books","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover (Apr 2026)","offer_id":46080918487237,"sku":"9781668080894","price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6414\/2533\/files\/9781668080894.jpg?v=1776041671"},{"product_id":"the-man-who-stole-the-gods-a-true-story-of-war-obsession-and-a-global-art-conspiracy","title":"The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom the Killing Fields of Cambodia to the gilded halls of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, a tale of stolen treasures and the battle to reclaim a nation's soul.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAmidst the chaos of Cambodia's brutal genocide, a new crime wave emerged--one that would sweep across borders and entangle the world's most prestigious art institutions. Priceless treasures of the ancient Khmer Empire, the civilization that produced Angkor Wat, vanished from sacred temples, looted by smugglers and trafficked into the hands of elite collectors. At the center of it all was a man named Douglas Latchford. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eKnown later as \"Dynamite Doug\" for the ruthless methods used to extract statues from temple ruins, Latchford orchestrated one of history's most audacious cultural heists. From dusty Cambodian villages to the glittering auction houses of London and New York and institutions like the Met, he played a double game--presenting himself as an expert on Khmer art while secretly flooding the market with stolen antiquities. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Man Who Stole the Gods\u003c\/i\u003e, award-winning journalist Matthew Campbell unravels the gripping story of Latchford's criminal enterprise, and a global conspiracy of greed and collusion--one that involves some of the world's most powerful museums and collectors. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA masterful blend of true crime, history, and investigative journalism, \u003ci\u003eThe Man Who Stole the Gods\u003c\/i\u003e is the definitive account of one man's greed, an industry's complicity, and the fight to expose the truth and restore stolen treasures to their rightful home.\u003cdiv style=\"display:none\"\u003eISBN-10: 0593716000\u003cbr\u003eISBN-13: 9780593716007\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: Campbell, Matthew\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Portfolio\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Portfolio","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover (Jun 2026)","offer_id":46099796623557,"sku":"9780593716007","price":33.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6414\/2533\/files\/9780593716007.jpg?v=1776644837"},{"product_id":"zodiactually-the-real-story-of-a-fake-serial-killer","title":"Zodiactually: The Real Story of a Fake Serial Killer","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho was the Zodiac Killer?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A sadistic murderer who claimed thirty-seven victims? A master manipulator who taunted the police with cryptic letters and mind-bending ciphers.? Or a shadowy figure who terrorized California--and the nation--with an almost supernatural ability to evade capture?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn an era when nearly 80% of homicides were solved, how could this killer escape justice? And more than half a century later, why does his identity remain one of history's greatest mysteries? What if the shocking truth is this: the Zodiac Killer... never existed?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eZodiactually, \u003c\/em\u003e former police officer Eddie McNamara peels back decades of myth and sensationalism to expose the chilling truths behind one of the world's most infamous cases. Through painstaking research of original police files, deep dives into newspaper archives, and analysis of thousands of pages of court records, McNamara delivers a groundbreaking revelation: the Zodiac Killer wasn't a single, unstoppable predator but an urban legend amplified by the media and public imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eZodiactually\u003c\/em\u003e unveils the hidden truths and forgotten stories surrounding the murders that captivated the world--and the fear that turned them into legend. This groundbreaking book will challenge everything you think you know about the Zodiac and force you to confront how myth, media, and hysteria shape history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eEddie McNamara is the author of the crime novel \u003cem\u003eBrooklyn Hardcore\u003c\/em\u003e, the vegetarian cookbook \u003cem\u003eToss Your Own Salad\u003c\/em\u003e, and the short story collection \u003cem\u003eTwo Fare Zone.\u003c\/em\u003e In a former life, he was a 9\/11 first responder, police officer, and a columnist for \u003cem\u003ePenthouse \u003c\/em\u003emagazine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"What if the reason his identity remains a mystery until today is that the Zodiac was a hippie-era media boogeyman and not a real person?\" The answer lies in a later question and answer: \"But who benefits from a serial killer who can't be caught? So, so many people.\" This is about the assholes who profited. A welcome salve to the true-crime scars wrought by Helter Skelter.\u003cbr\u003eFrom the first chapter -- \"Everything You Know About the Sixties is Bullshit,\" McNamara signals we are in for an honest trip through the past. Today, . we are fed bullshit from every side; 'news, ' 'authorities, ' 'social media, ' on and on, every one of them with their own ulterior motives, usually following his assessment, \"It's not conspiracy, it's commerce.\" Eddie McNamara tells the story of the 'Zodiac Killer, ' clears up a whole lot of bullshit, and tells us how we got to this synthetic, mercenary society we find ourselves mired in today.\" -- Theodore Van Alst, Jr., author of The El and Never Whistle At Night.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Eddie McNamara takes us on a journey back to the 1960's. He challenges a lot of commonly held beliefs about the Zodiac Killer mystery. Eddie is always skeptical, but it provides some well needed skepticism in one of America's most famous unsolved mysteries.\" -- Ned DeHan, Black Box Online Radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"display:none\"\u003eISBN-10: 1627311726\u003cbr\u003eISBN-13: 9781627311724\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: McNamara, Eddie\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Feral House\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Feral House","offers":[{"title":"Paperback (Mar 2026)","offer_id":46099861340357,"sku":"9781627311724","price":26.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6414\/2533\/files\/9781627311724.jpg?v=1776645979"},{"product_id":"ghosts-of-iron-mountain-the-hoax-of-the-century-its-enduring-impact-and-what-it-reveals-about-america-today","title":"Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax of the Century, Its Enduring Impact, and What It Reveals about America Today","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Spellbinding.\" --Rick Perlstein\u003c\/b\u003e * \u003cb\u003e\"A clever, fast-paced read of dazzling originality.\" --William I. Hitchcock\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"An excellent new book, both important and unsettling\" (\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e), \u003ci\u003eGhosts of Iron\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eMountain \u003c\/i\u003eunravels the astounding origins and far-reaching impacts of a monumental late 1960s hoax, perpetrated by cultural icons including Victor Navasky and E.L. Doctorow--a must-read for anyone curious about the surprising connections between John F. Kennedy, Oliver Stone, Timothy McVeigh, Alex Jones, and Donald Trump.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eExplore the intricate web of America's conspiracy culture with this investigative masterpiece that unearths the roots of our era's most potent myths. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 1966, amid unrest over the Vietnam War and the alarming growth of the military-industrial complex, little-known writer Leonard Lewin was approached by a group of ingenious satirists on the Left to concoct a document that would pretend to ratify everyone's fears that the government was deceiving the public. Devoting more than a year to the project, Lewin constructed a fiction (passed off as the honest truth) that a government-run Study Group had been charged with examining the \"cost of peace,\" setting its first meetings in the very real Iron Mountain nuclear bunker in upstate New York (which lent the resulting book, \u003ci\u003eReport from Iron Mountain\u003c\/i\u003e, its name). In Lewin's telling, this gathering of the nation's academic elite concluded that suspending war would be \u003ci\u003edisastrous\u003c\/i\u003e, forcing all sorts of bizarre measures to compensate.\u003cbr\u003e Lewin didn't realize it at the time, but he'd created a narrative that fed the interests of both ends of the political spectrum--by promoting the idea that the government uses centralized power for evil. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhat fascinates about Phil Tinline's revelation-filled recreation of that ingenious hoax is seeing how it explodes into America's consciousness, dominates media reports, and sends government officials scrambling. And then, how Lewin's fabrication is adopted by a seemingly endless string of extremist organizations which view it as supporting their ideology. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn this riveting--and, at times, chilling--tale is an unsettling warning about how, in contemporary times, a deception may no longer be considered a hoax if it can be used to recruit followers to a cause.\u003cdiv style=\"display:none\"\u003eISBN-10: 1668050501\u003cbr\u003eISBN-13: 9781668050507\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: Tinline, Phil, Bird, Kai\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Scribner Book Company\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Scribner Book Company","offers":[{"title":"Paperback (Mar 2026)","offer_id":46291817201861,"sku":"9781668050507","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0708\/6414\/2533\/files\/9781668050507.jpg?v=1780113128"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.inveni.store\/collections\/true-crime-con-artists-hoaxes-deceptions.oembed","provider":"Inveni","version":"1.0","type":"link"}