Books by OJ Modjeska

OJ's books are all available from her amazon author page here. 

Gone: Catastrophe in Paradise

A mass of European and American tourists descend on an idyllic tropical island for the holiday of a lifetime. Within hours, hundreds are dead.

What happened? This is the true story of one of history's most tragic and shocking disasters, in which aviation, terrorism, a sudden change in weather and plain old bad luck made for a ruinous mix.

Discover the mind-boggling facts of this catastrophe in this compelling, action-packed and haunting tale of the human condition that will have you turning the pages to the very end.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "Brings to light an accident that many in the aviation field are aware of, but most average people have no knowledge of. Excellent read."

★★★★★ - "A vivid reportage about an eerie tragedy related to the greatest disaster in airline history."

★★★★★ - "I commend Modjeska for writing about this accident, for reflecting on its meaning, and for helping us as readers to consider all the coincidences that had to align for this accident to occur. An amazing, highly recommended read."

A City Owned: Murder by Increments Book 1

One after another, they appear by the sides of suburban roads and freeways – the naked, strangled bodies of women who have been raped, tortured and left for dead.

Police begin to suspect that their target is a rogue operator who has emerged from their own ranks. And then, all hell breaks loose in Los Angeles.

An arrest in the strangling murders of two co-eds across state lines finally leads to a break in the case, but the suspect is someone, or something, the investigators could have ever expected.

None of them are prepared for the dark journey through the mazes of the human mind it will take to unlock the door to justice.

From the author of the bestselling “Gone: Catastrophe in Paradise”, “A City Owned” is the true story of the worst case of serial sex homicide in American history.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "Anyone who finds true crime stories worthwhile will be riveted by A City Owned. Even people familiar with the case will find this book a revelation as they will learn new facts about the cases."

★★★★★ - "If you are a Law and Order fan (such as me), you believe in justice and you enjoy a bit of history and psychiatric knowledge, this book is for you. Well-written, entertaining and real."

Killing Cousins: Murder by Increments Book 2

After an investigation spanning nearly two years, Los Angeles investigators come up empty in the case of a terrifying serial sex killer.

But then, a seemingly unrelated arrest is made across state lines. In book two of Murder by Increments, we journey deeper into the life and mind of the suspect at the center of the case: one of the most confounding and mysterious serial killers in American history.

Killing Cousins documents the shocking story of an abusive childhood that created a monster, and the suspect’s possible involvement in a separate string of killings of teenagers in Rochester, New York.

Was this man truly a multiple personality, or a cunning sociopath enacting a daring hoax against the criminal justice system? By the end, you will be able to make up your own mind.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "The author did an excellent job of putting it all together. Would recommend this for anyone who loves a great thriller."

★★★★★ - "Anyone interested in murder, gender and the justice system will get so much admittedly horrifying insight from these two books. Both are outstanding."

★★★★★ - "OJ Modjeska writes the stories of the victims as artfully as any good character drama novelist; each one comes alive on the page. These are not just names, and the book is far from being just a list of heinous crimes. True crime at its best."

Happy Land: A Lover's Revenge

The scene was paralyzing. We stood there, numb. No one spoke. There were 69 bodies spread about the 24x50 foot area. They all could have been sleeping.

In the small hours of the annual Punta Carnivale celebrations held by Central American communities of the West Bronx, residents witness flames and smoke coming from a popular nightspot known as Happy Land. Fire and rescue personnel arrive at the scene within three minutes, only to find all 87 party-goers trapped inside already dead. The victims have died at an unfathomable speed, succumbing to suffocation and the effects of lethal gases before the flames could even reach them.

Detectives soon realize that the disaster, epic and tragic in proportions, is no accident. The fire has been deliberately lit by an arsonist, the man responsible for what is to be the worst mass murder in American history.

Happy Land – A Lover’s Revenge untangles the shocking story behind one of the worst fires in New York history. Exploring in detail a tragedy little remembered today, but rich with contemporary meaning, the story provides an unnerving snapshot of the possible consequences of societal indifference to violence against women and the plight of the most vulnerable in our communities.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "When it comes to non-fiction, I would say that this one has surprised me a lot...I felt I was in that tragic event."

★★★★★ - "A captivating historical read...Modjeska writes with an engaging style that will capture your attention"

Ace in the Hole: The Bad Romance between a Legendary Killer and a Hollywood Playwright

A glamorous and talented Hollywood actress and playwright approaches one of America’s most notorious incarcerated serial killers to complete interviews and research for her new play. Hoping to leverage the murderer’s fame to her own advantage, our protagonist dreams of creating the next Hollywood horror hit, but her plans go awry when she underestimates the charisma and manipulative charms of her subject behind bars. Love turns into madness as he puts her devotion to the ultimate test… and invites her to act out the plot of her play in the real world.

“Ace in the Hole”, from the author of the bestselling “Gone: Catastrophe in Paradise”, is a novelette telling the true story of one of the most bizarre and little-known episodes in American true crime history.

Praise from readers:

★★★★★ - "The story may be grizzly but the manner in which this adept criminologist historian relates her version is both arresting and fascinating – a strange Hollywood style ‘romance’ that went very wrong."

★★★★★ - "A true crime story that will shake you all the way to your soul...take this journey of discovery as we see the life of Veronica Compton play out on the pages of this emotional twisted ride down a horrible trail. Check this one out folks. It will keep you up at night."

★★★★★ -  "A fascinating look at a horrific time in American history, featuring two very disturbed individuals."