Product Description

Marilyn Monroe's death in August 1962, apparently a suicide, shocked the world. The coroner's report stated that her death was due to a massive overdose of Nembutal capsules. But what about the discrepancies between the official report and the eyewitness accounts and memories of the people who were there at the scene of her death-friends, her housekeeping staff, police officers, and doctors? And what about the forensic evidence that disappeared between the time of her death and the coroner's report being issued? Looking back at thousands of documents, many never before published, and interviewing dozens of sources, Smith argues strongly for a startling new version of events, as he paints a portrait of her day-to-day world toward the end of her life. The case he makes so convincingly is based not only on the documents and on complete forensic evidence, but also on the secret, confidential tapes Monroe made for her psychiatrist in the days leading up to her death-tapes that reveal a woman in charge of her life and her fate, a woman looking forward to a busy, bright future. Here, in her own words from the transcripts of the tapes, are the most secret thoughts of Marilyn Monroe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #864809 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 328 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Smith (Vendetta: The Kennedys) insists that Marilyn Monroe's 1962 death was murder and goes to great lengths to prove it. Many prominent figures in the investigation believed she was killed, though few went on record. From the forensic evidence suggesting she was drugged via enema to the massive discrepancies in the official reports, Smith meticulously builds his case. He sifts through thousands of documents, interviews and never-before-revealed confidential tapes Monroe made days before her death. Two suspects emerge: Robert and John F. Kennedy, and the CIA. Monroe had affairs with RFK and JFK, and Smith believes those liaisons led to her death. Learning she was prepared to "blow the whole damn thing wide open" (though it's unclear whether Monroe meant the affairs or the CIA/Mafia attempt to assassinate Castro), RFK came calling. Many believe he was the last official to see her alive. What's less known is that her house was bugged by the FBI and CIA. Smith contends the CIA, angered by the Bay of Pigs debacle, struck back against the Kennedys via Monroe. Smith's research is intriguing, but his reasoning specious. If the CIA wanted to implicate the Kennedys in murder, why make it look like suicide? And why is the family off the hook? This book's evident desire to exonerate them colors its thesis. Photos.
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Customer Reviews

Blows Away Many Other Books With Its Clear and Comprehensive Take on the Case for Murder in the Death of Marilyn
After researching and reading many, many books attempting to explain the extremely complex and perplexing events surrounding the death of Marilyn, Matthew Smith's book presents a very detailed and well researched account weaving together the many threads in Marilyn's life with sobering logic. The book takes the reader on a journey through Marilyn's personal and business relationships, as well as the motives of those who sought to use her toward their own ends. It reads like a terrific mystery novel and like the pieces of a puzzle, comes to a unique and logical conclusion as to "who did it".

The only piece missing is the newest evidence, which came after the publication of this book, of the release of the secret CIA file on Marilyn Monroe. This new information through, only strengthens Mr. Smith's case that rogue agents of the CIA had a hand in her murder, as to publically embarrass the Kennedy brothers and force their resignations from public office (many other authors place the Kennedys as the main orchestrators of her death - a claim that never factually made sense). When one looks at the convergence of political struggles during the early 1960's and the many players including J. Edgar Hoover, Sam Giancana, Jimmy Hoffa, the Kennedy's, the CIA, the military industrial complex, etc., Mr Smith's logical conclusion makes the most sense.

Unfortunately, for Marilyn, she inadvertently got herself personally caught up the biggest political mess of the last 75 years and paid for it with her life. Because the perpetrators failed to nail the Kennedy's for her murder because of an amazing public relations campaign from 20th Century Fox studios buying the Kennedy's time to cover their behinds, it ultimately backfired on the Kennedy's and they all ended up dead as well. So if Marilyn had somehow lived, American history would be dramatically different.

Bravo, Mr. Smith on your crusade to get to the truth of Marilyn's murder.

Matter of Opinion
Alot of things in this book corresponded with what I had previously read but I dont think it is all true. If you want to read a real biography of Monroe look elsewhere. One thing I can say about this book is it kept you interested in everyway and was not boring. At the time of reading it it was one of my favroites, now not so much but I still think it deserves 5 stars however it is not as good or accurate as many other Marilyn who-dun-it books.

An attempt to cash in
I have read many books about the life and the death of Marilyn Monroe, so when this "revealing" new book came out, I wanted to see what it had to say. What I found was trashy, questionable material. I was wary right away, after reading the Acknowledgements section, where the author gives a large amount of thanks and credit to two people who appear as sources in many Marilyn bios, both of whom have been completely discredited by other (more believable) biographers. They barely even knew the woman, and have spent the years since her death trying to cash in on her memory. The fact that the author relied on these people told me that the material in the book was going to be questionable at best. After reading the entire book, I was left feeling very sad that Marilyn has been exploited yet again. If you want to read a real biography of Marilyn Monroe, I recommend "Marilyn Monroe: The Biography" by Donald Spoto.