WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED
ON THE BOOK SHELF
By John M. Malecky April, 2025
When the Smoke Cleared
A Murder Mystery in Malden
By Bill Powers
Available from:
FSP Books
433 Main Street, Suite 2A
Hudson, MA 01749
1-800-522-8528
E-mail: support@fire-police-ems.com
Price: $15.99
This is a soft covered book measuring six inches by nine inches and has 394 pages. It is a true crime story told by the author who at the time it occurred (July, 2000) was the Commanding Officer of the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit. It is the story of an arson fire which took place in a community room of a condo complex in Malden, MA. The fire was set to hide a murder of a teenage girl who was lured into that room. In an effort to detract from the crime, her body was kidnapped to another state where she was buried in a shallow grave after being decapitated. Most of the book addresses the crime scene, the investigation, the finding of the remains, arrest and custody of the alleged murderer and the detailed case of prosecution. Most of the book takes the reader through the relentless quest to build the case beyond a reasonable doubt to convict the defendant. I must impress upon the reader that this book is an education about what it takes to plan, research and collect evidence to convince a jury to vote guilty. The prosecutor worked relentlessly to build this case with a host of witnesses to say the least. There are eight black and white photos supplied by the family of the girl and her siblings. If you are interested in law and order you will want to read this book. It is a story which brought her family together to a loving ending. The author has such an extensive bio that space would not permit all of it to be included here.
No information from the author.
