Top crime stories from the Chesapeake Bay tidewater region include accounts of historical murders one hundred years ago. One such saga took place in Princess Anne, Maryland, when a mob of 5,000 overran a squad of State troopers and plucked an accused rapist from jail and lynched him on the lawn next door to the home of the Judge who had just made a passionate plea for the mob to go home. Follow the extensive back story on several homicides that went unsolved for years, as well as the infamous BBQ serial killer of Baltimore. Hushed up for years in his community, read the story of the political chicanery foisted by one politician who collapsed the entire 1900 census in Maryland. Decades later, the philandering politico was bludgeoned to death on his front step. MURDER: CHESAPEAKE is another fine book from Ken Rossignol. As a previous reviewer stated, many cases are "new," having happened in the last couple years. Those are good reads, but the chapters dealing with several long-forgotten and cold cases, Ken digs deep. For me, that's where this book stands out. Several closed cases from Southern Maryland, long-forgotten after being reported upon by the press, they're in MURDER: CHESAPEAKE. Cold cases? Never knew of a victim photo in the unsolved Caciola case. It's in MURDER: CHESAPEAKE. Ice cold cases? Almost 100 years ago, Joseph Henry Ching was found murdered on the streets on Leonardtown. I'd heard locals tell stories of the murder, but never as much (and another photo!) as is reported in MURDER: CHESAPEAKE.Each of the 44 chapters are "stand alone" stories - so it's a great book for reading during those in-between times while traveling, sitting at the doctors office, etc.For not a lot of money you get quite a lot of true crime stories. Recommended! - Greg Laxton "Murder Chesapeake" is, probably the most important personally touching book that I have ever reviewed. Allow me a moment to explain. First though, a disclosure. I have never met the author. I have, though, corresponded with him by email and twice by phone. I would even call him a friend, despite our diametrically opposing political views and allegiances. Readers of my reviews might recognize the name James McDonald, a frequent commenter to my reviews. McDonald would love Rossignol. Both men are men of principle. Ken Rossignol, though, is less hard-headed and a better journalist. Anyway, sometime during our discussions as he was researching stories for "Murder Chesapeake," I told him a bit about my high school friend, murdered 52 years ago. You'll see more of it in the below excerpt. Mind you, Rossignol's research was independently compiled by him and every point he noted rings true to my memory of the event. Roger Guindon was a friend of mine. Not real close, but almost as close as my friendship with former MLB catcher Terry (Bud) Bulling. [Bulling passed in 2014 BTW, while living in Salem, OR, just 15 miles from my home in Silverton, which, then, was unknown to me.] Thus, as my future is assuredly shorter in time than my past, you can appreciate how important this book is to me. Probably I am the last person in our school that Guindon ever spoke to, at school. That day was the last day of school before Christmas Vacation. I pray his murder is solved before I die. Now, the review. WRITING: Far more circumspect than, say, my review. The author has an easy style of verbiage that conveys the meaning without excessive description or flair. A bit more than, "just the facts," but simple. EDITING: I didn't notice any typos or grammar issues, but there may have been a few. Certainly not enough to review a star. What I did find of concern were formatting issues that resulted in paragraphs not being properly separated. At least when I read this using the Kindle App on my iPad. That's why I deducted a star. LANGUAGE: In only one instance did the author feel compelled to use the "eff-word." He did so to accurately quote the speaker. However, I would NOT refuse to buy this book due to that. The stories are simply too vital to pass on. EXCERPT "...SIMILAR CASE OF MURDER Roger Guindon Jr. Killed on the way to Work Perhaps while giving a ride to hitchhikers, Roger Guindon Jr., 16, of Los Angeles was found shot and killed on a street corner in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton, California. The news of the murder was distributed by United Press International and published in the Dec. 31, 1968 edition of Redlands Daily Facts. The victim was on his way to work at his part-time job at a Mcdonald's burger location in Long Beach when he was killed. The son of a Los Angeles Police Narcotics chief, the crime was followed closely. The Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram published a story on June 14, 1969, reporting that a witness, Diane Langley, was sought in the shooting, and the fear that her life could be in danger from two of the suspects who were still at large. Los Angeles Police Department Detective Sgt. Robert Johnson arrested..." BOTTOM