Dixie Shanahan had a terribly troubled and abusive marriage in the sleepy little town of Defiance, Iowa. Then one summer day in 2002, Dixie’s mean and wicked husband was gone. Some of the local residents presumed that Scott packed his bags and left town. But others were skeptical. After all, Scott’s brown Ford pick-up truck was still parked in his driveway. The disappearance mystified Defiance for more than a year. Then in late October, 2003, the truth emerged … or did it? "In Dixie’s Last Stand, journalist John Ferak gives us an impeccably researched and well-written account of the Dixie Shanahan case. The Iowa woman killed her husband after enduring years of abuse. Ferak weaves a gripping narrative while exploring important topics such as battered wife syndrome and mandatory sentencing laws. Highly recommended." — Robert Sberna, author of HOUSE OF HORRORS, the shocking true story of Anthony Sowell. "A well-written, and gripping depiction of ‘battered wife syndrome’. … This fascinating story will leave you asking yourself one question: Was the punishment that Dixie received in her case justified? Highly recommended for all true crime readers." — RJ Parker, bestselling true crime author and publisher at RJ Parker Publishing Inc. From the author: DIXIE’S LAST STAND: WAS IT MURDER OR SELF-DEFENSE? presents a number of interesting dilemmas for America’s criminal justice system. Do these get-tough-on-crime mandatory prison sentencing laws that tend to treat all violent crimes in a cookie-cutter fashion need to be abolished? And what’s the fine line between self-defense and intentional, premeditated murder in a case that involves repeated instances of domestic violence? Under that scenario, should it be OK for the spouse who feels trapped and threatened in a horribly abusive and rocky marriage to go ahead and kill her lousy, no-good husband? On the other spectrum, what if the facts of the death scene were pretty black and white. What if the domestic violence victim was not being beaten or threatened at that particular time? What if the woman just killed her abusive husband during the night while he comfortably slept? If those were the cold, hard facts, should the woman be thrown in prison and treated like any other hardened, cold-blooded killer who takes up space in one of our country’s many maximum security prisons?

Dixie's Last Stand: Was It Murder or Self-Defense?

Biographies & Memoirs

Ferak, John

Community & Culture

WildBlue Press

When they met, Jessica O'Grady was a tall, starry-eyed Omaha, Nebraska co-ed in search of Mr. Right, Christopher Edwards was a deceitful and darkened soul. In May of 2006, Jessica's mystifying disappearance and a blood-soaked mattress turned into Nebraska's biggest news story. Enter Douglas County Sheriff's CSI stalwart Dave Kofoed, driven to solve high-profile murders and in this case would lead to questions surrounding the forensic evidence used against Edwards. "The case of Jessica O'Grady's disappearance remains controversial. ... A compelling account of a strange case." - Peter Vronsky, bestselling author of Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters "Compelling ... a memorable true story." - RJ Parker, bestselling true crime author and publisher

Body of Proof: Tainted Evidence In The Murder of Jessica O'Grady?

True Crime

Six Times More Explosive Than 'Making A Murderer'! "John Ferak has carved his necessary true-crime niche with another fascinating exploration of unalloyed evil in overlooked places, and a dysfunctional judicial system. A chilling piece of journalism."—Ron Franscell, author of THE DARKEST NIGHT and MORGUE: A LIFE IN DEATH From The Bestselling Author of BODY OF PROOF and DIXIE'S LAST STAND Everyone felt the same way: small-town Nebraska widow Helen Wilson didn’t have an ounce of meanness inside her body. Then on February 5, 1985, one of the coldest nights on record, the unthinkable happened. The sixty-eight-year-old resident was murdered inside her second-floor apartment, but why? Local residents were floored. What type of monster would target a vulnerable widow to fulfill his homicidal sexual fantasies? The crime scene was eerily ritualistic. The trail of evidence turned frustratingly cold until an astonishing breakthrough occurred four years later. A torn scrap of money recovered at the crime scene became the presumed smoking gun that helped solve the hideous crime. The news of six arrests was absolutely stunning to the locals in this easy-going, blue-collar community of 12,000 residents. But why were six loosely connected misfits who lived as far away as Alabama, Colorado and North Carolina being linked to the rape and murder of a beloved Nebraska widow? As they sat in jail, the constant threat of Nebraska’s barbaric electric chair scared the daylights out of these troubled souls, except for one of them. Joseph White remained defiant in his fight to prove his innocence. It didn’t matter. All six of the condemned were convicted of murder and sent away to prison for the ghastly crime. The town moved on, convinced that justice was served. For more than twenty-five years, the Beatrice 6 rotted in prison, until the unthinkable occurred in 2008. Now, the red state in America’s Heartland faced a real quandary that could only mean one thing: Nebraska had a colossal FAILURE OF JUSTICE on its hands. In his latest thrilling true crime book, bestselling and award-winning author John Ferak explores the murder, investigation, trial, conviction and eventual exoneration--the largest such ever in the United States--of the Beatrice 6.

Failure of Justice: A Brutal Murder, An Obsessed Cop, Six Wrongful Convictions

“Whatever you thought you believed about this infamous case, get ready to change your mind or be more convinced than ever. … Fascinating.”—New York Times bestselling author Steve Jackson In 2016-17, while working for the USA TODAY NETWORK’s Wisconsin Investigative Team, author John Ferak wrote dozens of articles examining the murder case again Steven Avery, who had already beat one wrongful conviction only to be charged with the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2005. The case became the wildly successful Netflix “Making A Murderer” documentary. In WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery, Ferak lays out in exacting detail the post-conviction strategy of Kathleen Zellner, the high-profile, high-octane lawyer, to free Avery. To write this book, Zellner, perhaps America’s most successful wrongful conviction attorney, gave Ferak unique access to the exhaustive pro bono efforts she and her small suburban Chicago law firm dedicated for a man she believes to be a victim of an unscrupulous justice system in Manitowoc County.

WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery

New From The Bestselling Author Of WRECKING CREW! During the early morning hours of July 17, 1983, fatigue became a factor for the young couple from central Illinois who spent their day under the hot sun at Marriott's Great America amusement park north of Chicago. On their drive home, the tired teenagers pulled to the shoulder of Interstate 55 to get a restful sleep. As the teens slept inside their car under the moon and the stars, a dangerous force of evil lurked in the shadows, parking directly behind them. The summer of 1983 was like no other for Joliet, Ill., a hard-working, rough-and-tough blue-collar industrial city an hour's drive southwest of Chicago. This was one of the hottest summers on record for Joliet, and an elusive serial-killing madman kept piling up the body count as he showed no signs of being caught. One overnight killing spree claimed five victims, including members of the Will County Sheriff's Office. The following month brought more bloodshed: a quadruple murder inside a small Joliet shop best known for its pottery classes. The plague of senseless violence sparked the controversial New York City-based Guardian Angels to mobilize foot patrols in Joliet, generating more unwanted news media attention for the community. Even the National Enquirer produced its own sensational piece, labeling Joliet "Terror Town, U.S.A." Residents shuddered with horror. Determined detectives worked in overdrive, trying to find an overlooked clue or two. Finally, when an arrest seemed to come out of nowhere, area citizens breathed a sigh of relief. Authorities linked the so-called stone-cold killing machine to a chilling count of 14 homicides, plus three women who miraculously survived their agonizing encounters. But with multiple murder trials on the horizon, it remained anyone's guess whether Milton Johnson, whose family nicknamed him "Big'un," short for "Big One," was guilty of mass murder and if so, would he die by means of lethal injection at the Illinois Department of Corrections?

TERROR TOWN, USA: The Untold Story of Joliet's Notorious Serial Killer

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Thrillers & Suspense

Updated 5th Anniversary Edition Including Exclusive Interview with Steve Avery In 2016-17, while working for the USA TODAY NETWORK's Wisconsin Investigative Team, author John Ferak wrote dozens of articles examining the murder case against Steven Avery, who had already beaten one wrongful conviction only to be charged again with the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2005. This case captured global attention through the Netflix documentary "Making A Murderer." In this anniversary edition of WRECKING CREW: Demolishing the Case Against Steven Avery, Ferak not only lays out in meticulous detail the post-conviction strategy of Kathleen Zellner, the high-profile, high-octane lawyer fighting to free Avery but also includes a new "Five Years Later" section. This update provides fresh insights and developments in Avery's ongoing legal battle. Additionally, this special edition features an exclusive epilogue: a November 2023 interview with Steven Avery. For this book, Zellner, arguably America's most successful wrongful conviction attorney, granted Ferak unprecedented access to the exhaustive pro bono efforts she and her small suburban Chicago law firm have invested in a man she believes to be wrongfully ensnared by Manitowoc County's unscrupulous justice system. This anniversary edition offers new revelations and a comprehensive look at a case that continues to stir public debate and demand justice.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ferak, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Ferak, John

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ferak, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Dixie's Last Stand: Was It Murder or Self-Defense?

Body of Proof: Tainted Evidence In The Murder of Jessica O'Grady?

Failure of Justice: A Brutal Murder, An Obsessed Cop, Six Wrongful Convictions

WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery

TERROR TOWN, USA: The Untold Story of Joliet's Notorious Serial Killer

WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery

WRECKING CREW: Demolishing The Case Against Steven Avery