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FROM THE HEART
Nov. 26th, 2007 04:41 pm"In reading this story I got to thinking of Brian Jones as a beautiful Lonesome Dove, bleeding from the inside and not knowing how to get the help and unquestioning love he so badly needed."
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CONNECT THE DOTS....., September 4, 2007 I usually enjoy a good old fashioned murder mystery and decided upon this story for my next unsolved whodunit. I wasn't interested in the history of the Rolling Stones or their music per se but found the idea, that one of their own had been possibly murdered at the behest of some of their own, intriguing to say the least.
Any reader interested in true crime will find the lady author's last 3 chapters plus 3 part epilogue very enlightening; somewhat reminiscent of Agatha Christie. As I read her results, I began to do research myself into each aspect of the crime that was brought up. Amazingly I found there is much evidence out there if one takes the time to actually look for it in press releases, actual testimony plus word-of-mouth tales swapped as to what actually happened to Mr. Jones at the time of his death and shortly thereafter.
It is mind-boggling that British authorities did not and still have not seriously investigated what was flagrantly a murder for hire. I located old magazine articles (and some fairly new) that corroborate a majority of what Ms. Shepherd attests to in her book. I found interesting also the fact that fans of Brian Jones have so viciously attacked her regarding claims of his not-so-well hidden sexual preference and drug use. All that pales in comparison to the fact he was obviously murdered in a most heinous manner by those laughingly hired to protect him!
I cannot understand why more focus isn't placed on what the meat `n potatoes of this book actually is: proof positive that Brian was purposely done away with and afterwards his prized possessions either callously burned in a bonfire (which again British authorities apparently turned a blind eye into investigating) or hauled off by both his band mates and his killers. That's where the reader needs to focus and not on who kissed whom, male or female, or whether Brian was still heavily imbibing drugs and alcohol at the time of his drowning.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy connecting the dots and seeing for themselves that the murder of Brian Jones remains mainly a major unrecognized and overlooked cold case crime. For anyone who likes to see justice served we should ban together and demand a complete, honest investigation into this killing.
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STEWED & KEEFED, August 31, 2007 The honeymoon between Sir Mick and Keith apparently is at its end. Fragile nerves and high tensions have reached their peak and Keef is lashing out indiscriminately. His latest target is once again Brian Jones-the 63 year old Stone finds the band's former leader easy prey since the dead are hardly ever known to fight back. He believes he'll have a better chance of winning the battle of words against a ghost rather than take Mick on full force.
Oddly the open wound growing between Mick and Keith comes at a time when the author of Straight from the Heart is ready to announce the release of Brian's audiotapes. Word is she's finally received permission from the "keeper of the flame" for all these many years-who's mainly led a reclusive lifestyle since Brian's murder.
As part of the British rock scene during the late Sixties to early Seventies, I'd heard rumors flying that Brian had a hidden stash of tapes he'd recorded. We all figured they were only of music he'd put together during his stay at Cotchford. Now it appears that not only music was being composed while he lived the life of a solitary man, but that he had recorded his memoirs. Quite a feat for someone whom the Stones insisted was too incapacitated due to drugs and drinking to play guitar.
In my humble opinion I believe the author did a gargantuan job in re-enacting Brian's life in such an authentic and often tongue-in-cheek manner.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
CONNECT THE DOTS....., 
Any reader interested in true crime will find the lady author's last 3 chapters plus 3 part epilogue very enlightening; somewhat reminiscent of Agatha Christie. As I read her results, I began to do research myself into each aspect of the crime that was brought up. Amazingly I found there is much evidence out there if one takes the time to actually look for it in press releases, actual testimony plus word-of-mouth tales swapped as to what actually happened to Mr. Jones at the time of his death and shortly thereafter.
It is mind-boggling that British authorities did not and still have not seriously investigated what was flagrantly a murder for hire. I located old magazine articles (and some fairly new) that corroborate a majority of what Ms. Shepherd attests to in her book. I found interesting also the fact that fans of Brian Jones have so viciously attacked her regarding claims of his not-so-well hidden sexual preference and drug use. All that pales in comparison to the fact he was obviously murdered in a most heinous manner by those laughingly hired to protect him!
I cannot understand why more focus isn't placed on what the meat `n potatoes of this book actually is: proof positive that Brian was purposely done away with and afterwards his prized possessions either callously burned in a bonfire (which again British authorities apparently turned a blind eye into investigating) or hauled off by both his band mates and his killers. That's where the reader needs to focus and not on who kissed whom, male or female, or whether Brian was still heavily imbibing drugs and alcohol at the time of his drowning.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy connecting the dots and seeing for themselves that the murder of Brian Jones remains mainly a major unrecognized and overlooked cold case crime. For anyone who likes to see justice served we should ban together and demand a complete, honest investigation into this killing.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
STEWED & KEEFED, Oddly the open wound growing between Mick and Keith comes at a time when the author of Straight from the Heart is ready to announce the release of Brian's audiotapes. Word is she's finally received permission from the "keeper of the flame" for all these many years-who's mainly led a reclusive lifestyle since Brian's murder.
As part of the British rock scene during the late Sixties to early Seventies, I'd heard rumors flying that Brian had a hidden stash of tapes he'd recorded. We all figured they were only of music he'd put together during his stay at Cotchford. Now it appears that not only music was being composed while he lived the life of a solitary man, but that he had recorded his memoirs. Quite a feat for someone whom the Stones insisted was too incapacitated due to drugs and drinking to play guitar.
In my humble opinion I believe the author did a gargantuan job in re-enacting Brian's life in such an authentic and often tongue-in-cheek manner.
