--- product_id: 30737926 title: "The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation" brand: "dennis l. breowilliam j. martinbill kunkle" price: "€ 61.75" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/30737926-the-crime-of-the-century-richard-speck-and-the-murders store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation **Brand:** dennis l. breowilliam j. martinbill kunkle **Price:** € 61.75 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation by dennis l. breowilliam j. martinbill kunkle - **How much does it cost?** € 61.75 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/30737926-the-crime-of-the-century-richard-speck-and-the-murders) ## Best For - dennis l. breowilliam j. martinbill kunkle enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted dennis l. breowilliam j. martinbill kunkle brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation ## Images ![The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck and the Murders That Shocked a Nation - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xZyV8zuoL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars The Best True Crime Book I've Read Since "Helter Skelter" *by C***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2023* The murder of the eight student nurses happened when I was about to enter junior high school, and the last summer before my father was transferred with his job out of the Chicago area. I remember our suburban neighborhood being skittish in the days following the murders before Speck was apprehended. Throughout the years I've heard speculation about why and how the victims could have been so passive and "allow" themselves to be murdered. This book lays those cruel "blame the victim" speculations to rest, and shows us their humanity and bravery in the final moments of their lives. The one thing that got to me the most was the happy portrait of Cora's, the sole survivor, life in the years since the murders of her comrades; the smiling family portraits of her, her husband, children and grandchildren. And then Dennis Bros and Bill Martin reminds us that there were eight other women who never had the chance at living their lives. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Fine book about a horrific crime, and the investigation that followed. Not much about the eight young women who were killed. *by M***R on Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017* This is an excellent book, and a first-class collaboration between Dennis Breo and William J. Martin. Mr. Martin was the Assistant State's Attorney who prosecuted the case, and one of the things I found refreshing is that in contrast to Vincent Bugliosi's "Helter Skelter," which is another great book about a horrific crime, Mr. Martin is written about in the third person, so there is none of the "I spoke to..." and so on.One of my disappointments in reading this book, and on re-reading it more recently, is that we gain very little knowledge of the eight women who were murdered. There is a lot of information about the murder (whose name I will not mention) and,a decent amount of information concerning Corazon, the only survivor of that night of terror who hid under a bed, and who was instrumental in the conviction of the killer.Fortunately, on the 50th anniversary of the crime, the Chicago Tribune ran a great story with recently discovered photos, and which fleshed out who Nina, Mary Ann, Gloria, Patricia, Pamela, Suzanne, Valentina and Merlita were as young women pursuing nursing careers in the mid-1960's. The brother of Nina Schmale, and family and friends of the other nurses who lost their lives have started a Facebook page, Our Nurses Memorial Association. Please check it out if you want to know more about these young student nurses. They deserve to be remembered. Their murderer has had enough attention. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars "The Crime of the Century:" certainly one of the best true crime books I've read in many years. *by M***S on Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2016* It was one of the most horrific crimes of the twentieth century in America. In the middle of the night of July 13-14, 1966 – exactly fifty years ago this month – a drifter with a pockmarked face, a gun, and a knife broke into a townhouse in Chicago and brutally murdered the eight student nurses who lived there. For over four hours, Richard Speck systematically bound, stabbed, and strangled to death each of the innocent young women, one-by-one. He raped his final victim, and then departed, leaving behind him a bloody scene of devastation – and, unknown to him, one surviving eyewitness.“The Crime of the Century,” authored by Dennis L. Breo and William J. Martin, is an excellent non-fiction account of this shocking crime and its aftermath. Dennis Breo is a journalist and author of five previous books. William Martin, currently a Chicago-area criminal defense attorney, was the lead prosecutor of Richard Speck. Together, they tell a fast-paced, often chilling, and always fascinating story of how Richard Speck murdered the eight student nurses, and of how the Chicago police were able to quickly track him down and arrest him two days later.Most of “The Crime of the Century” deals with the efforts made by the State Attorney’s office to convict Richard Speck of the charges brought against him. Although the evidence against Speck was strong, it was no “slam-dunk;” Assistant State Attorney Martin and his capable team of assistant prosecutors and detectives had a lot of work to do to get the conviction they wanted. That included protecting the one student nurse who survived Speck’s attack and witnessed what happened. Opposing Martin and his team were the best lawyers in the Public Defender’s office. Among them was the formidable Gerald Getty, considered one of the most capable criminal defense lawyers in Illinois.“The Crime of the Century” is certainly one of the best true crime books I’ve read in many years. It was originally published in 1993, and was updated in 2016 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the murders. Throughout the book, Breo and Martin provide precise and accurate accounts of the crime and the investigation that followed, and they do so while showing great sensitivity to the victims of this vicious crime and their families.I found “The Crime of the Century” a most compelling read… so much so that it was nearly impossible for me to put down. I finished reading this 576-page book in less than two days.Highly recommended. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/30737926-the-crime-of-the-century-richard-speck-and-the-murders](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/30737926-the-crime-of-the-century-richard-speck-and-the-murders) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-09-28*