Watching the Devil Dance

Description

The unbelievable true story of Canadas first known spree killer, told by a veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.In June 1966, Matthew Charles Lamb took his uncles shotgun and wandered down Ford Blvd in Windsor, Ontario. At the end of the bloody night, two teenagers lay dead, with multiple others injured after an unprovoked shooting spree. In his investigation into Lambs story, Will Toffan pieces together the troubled childhood and history of violence that culminated in the young mans dubious distinction as Canadas first known spree killerat which point the story becomes, the author writes too strange for fiction. Travelling from the border city streets, to the courtroom, to the Oak Ridge rehabilitation centre, and finally Rhodesia,Watching the Devil Danceis both a thrilling narrative about a shocking true crime and its bizarre aftermath and an insightful analysis of the 1960s criminal justice system.Praise forWatching the Devil DanceA vital addition to the Canadian true crime canon. Packed with agonizing moment after agonizing moment,Watching the Devil Dancetakes you from the bloodied sidewalks to the moan-filled hallways of Oak Ridge and places the Matthew Lamb case at the centre of a turning point in legal history, offering a peek into Canadian history rarely examined and highlighting the historic failings of the criminal justice system in our country. This is not just a regional crime story. It is a tragedy with national implications.Vanessa Brown, author ofThe Forest City Killer: A Serial Murderer, A Cold-Case Sleuth, and a Search for JusticeAn unusual tale marked by fascinating elements that are unique to the era in which his crimes occurred. [Toffans] book offers detailed insight into a type of criminal that would later become more prevalent: the mass murderer.Toronto StarAn impressive debut By any yardstick, this is an excellent true-crime book. Toffan develops context and provides understanding, especially of the law. He also renders a gripping account of the murders, without ever sensationalizing the violence he recounts.Winnipeg Free PressFascinating, measured, and compulsively readable,Watching the Devil Danceis essential true crime reading and a chilling indictment of the failings of the justice system.Open BookWith spectacular insight Toffan details the horrible tragedy of Lambs shooting spree, submerging the reader in that era and putting them right in the middle of the story. Toffan also gives us a very generous amount of background on Lamb which is essential in understanding the mind of a killer This is a must read for crime story lovers.The Horror Report