Trials of the Century: A Decade-by-Decade Look at Ten of Americas Most Sensational Crimes

"Riveting accounts of the ten most-fascinating trials of the twentieth century will keep pages turning compulsively."

--JOSEPH WAMBAUGH, bestselling author of The Onion Field

"For trial junkies--and who isn't?--these riveting accounts of ten 'trials of the century, ' one from each decade, are a must-read. The stories tell us as much about the history of each decade as they do about the trials themselves."

--ALAN DERSHOWITZ, author of Taking the Stand: My Life in the Law

"In Trials of the Century, authors Mark J. Phillips and Aryn Z. Phillips (father/daughter) unite their obvious skills as attorney and sociologist respectively as they present eleven of the nation's most-infamous criminal trials. Each of these trials in its own day and time was labeled by the press as 'the trial of the century.' The individual case studies are fascinating, but of greater value is how the authors reveal the hyperbolic role the press played in influencing the verdict in each of these cases, the media often attempting to replace the actual seated jurors by making sensational demands for 'front-page justice.' An informative and mesmerizing read. I highly recommend it."
--Steve Hodel, New York Times-bestselling true-crime author of Black Dahlia Avenger

"A fascinating look at twentieth-century America through ten murder trials that feature a colorful cast from a full cross section of society, from heiresses and celebrities to drifters, dropouts, and a bestselling author. Mark J. Phillips and Aryn Z. Phillips excel in putting these crimes in their cultural and social contexts, using them as a storm gauge for how America, its people, and the public's obsessions have changed across the decades."
--Ross King, author of the New York Times-bestseller Brunelleschi's Dome

"A fascinating, quick read.... I would definitely recommend Trials of the Century to anyone who is interested in high-profile crimes of the last century. It is also a thoughtful book that gives us insight into both the people involved in the cases and the workings of our criminal justice system. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
--Laurie Levenson, professor of law, Loyola Law School

"An engrossing history of some of the most-notorious murder trials of the twentieth century. Expertly researched and vividly recounted, Trials of the Century provides insight into society's fascination with not only ten infamous violent crimes but also the sensationalized criminal trials that followed."
--Trevor W. Morrison, dean, New York University School of Law