Rating: 
Summary: clear , though sensational, vision
Review: a compelling, stirring account of a megalomaniac gone awry. And I mean the subject - not the author. The author comes across as very believable in that he started out an avid supporter of the defendant and then, after a methodical review of the case and the subject's bizarre behavior, forms the intelligent opinion that MacDonald was the maniacal, homicidal one who did in fact kill his family.I know the author is sensational and has aroused much controversy with several of his books; but I think he got this one dead right! Follow up with your own independent reviews of other sources and I think you, too, shall be convinced that this was one doctor not to be trusted!
Rating: 
Summary: Gripping
Review: FATAL VISION provides a gripping account of the 1970 MacDonald murders. Did Army doctor Jeff MacDonald murder his wife and daughters (as much evidence suggests), or was he beaten unconscious by late-night intruders who committed this brutal crime? When the case finally went to trial after nine years of legal wrangling, Dr. MacDonald hired author Joe McGinnis to cover what doctor hoped would be his acquittal - but the jury (and separately, McGinnis) concluded that he was guilty. McGinnis then wrote this page-turning account of the crime, investigations, six-week trial, legal maneuvers, plus additional facts the jury never saw. The author concludes with a shaky psychological conviction based on MacDonald's arrogant, self-absorbed personality. Seemingly more persuasive is evidence suggesting MacDonald abused a dangerous amphetamine for weeks leading up to the crime. Whatever your take, this compelling true-crime drama leaves many convinced of MacDonald's guilt, but others harboring enough doubt to stimulate debate. MacDonald's supporters attack this book as inaccurate and unfair. They point to investigative errors, [substance abuser] Helena Stoeckley, and disturbing claims of suppressed evidence from a book of similar title (FATAL JUSTICE) that requests a new trial. But MacDonald secretly flunked two polygraphs in 1970 - after refusing an army polygraph to clear his name - and the absence of blood, splinters, and pajama fibers in the suspiciously tidy living room appear to refute MacDonald's claim that he battled several intruders in there. FATAL VISION doesn't prove MacDonald guilty, but it's a compelling read.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping
Review: FATAL VISION provides a gripping account of the 1970 MacDonald murders. Did Army doctor Jeff MacDonald murder his wife and daughters (as much evidence suggests), or was he beaten unconscious by late-night intruders who committed this brutal crime? When the case finally went to trial after nine years of legal wrangling, Dr. MacDonald hired author Joe McGinnis to cover what doctor hoped would be his acquittal - but the jury (and separately, McGinnis) concluded that he was guilty. McGinnis then wrote this page-turning account of the crime, investigations, six-week trial, legal maneuvers, plus additional facts the jury never saw. The author concludes with a shaky psychological conviction based on MacDonald's arrogant, self-absorbed personality. Seemingly more persuasive is evidence suggesting MacDonald abused a dangerous amphetamine for weeks leading up to the crime. Whatever your take, this compelling true-crime drama leaves many convinced of MacDonald's guilt, but others harboring enough doubt to stimulate debate. MacDonald's supporters attack this book as inaccurate and unfair. They point to investigative errors, [substance abuser] Helena Stoeckley, and disturbing claims of suppressed evidence from a book of similar title (FATAL JUSTICE) that requests a new trial. But MacDonald secretly flunked two polygraphs in 1970 - after refusing an army polygraph to clear his name - and the absence of blood, splinters, and pajama fibers in the suspiciously tidy living room appear to refute MacDonald's claim that he battled several intruders in there. FATAL VISION doesn't prove MacDonald guilty, but it's a compelling read.
Rating:
Summary: This is the definitive novel of true crime
Review: I first read Fatal Vision in 1990 and, like many others, developed a mini-obsession with the MacDonald case which exists to this day. Joe McGinniss is an immensely talented writer whose prose has the ability to bring tears to your eyes simply because it is so beautifully crafted. The story, unfortunately, is nothing uncommon (in the sense that family murder occurs all the time), yet Joe McGinniss was able to write this book in such a way that the reader is enthralled from the first page to the last. His skillful intermingling of collateral background, anecdotes, and analysis as the main story unfolds offers food for thought throughout the entire book. I don't know whether he embellished the story as critics have charged, but the actual facts of the case cannot be disputed, and so even if he did, it would seem impossible to reach any conclusion relative to MacDonald's guilt other than the one he did. I was extremely disappointed after seeing an interview with him in which he stated that he had had enough of the true crime genre, because there is no one writing within it (perhaps even within any genre) better than he. I'm jealous of people who have yet to read this book; I would love to have the initial experience before me once again!
Rating:
Summary: I'm giving it five stars because it was so riveting
Review: I read this book in the mid 1980's, shortly before the miniseries came out starring Gary Cole as Dr. Jeffrey McDonald. As I read the book everything pointed to his guilt. Then I found out the author, Joe McGinnis, had bent and twisted facts and made the outcome his own personal work of fiction. Dr. McDonald sued and won his case but after all these years he is still behind bars for something I'm certain he didn't do. Stationed at Fort Bragg, NC in 1970, the McDonalds seemed to be a happy military family, Jeffrey was a doctor, a Green Beret, and husband to pretty wife Collette, and father to little daughters Kimberly and Kristen. A son was on the way. Then, one horrible night in February, Collette, the unborn baby and two toddler girls were savagely murdered in their beds. Dr. McDonald was also attacked and stabbed. Dr. McDonald claimed some strangers showed up in his home while he was asleep, and as he slept on the couch in the living room he awoke to them, three men and a woman in a floppy hat with long blond hair who was holding a candle and chanting,"acid is groovy, kill the pigs." This was less than a year after the Manson murders. At least one knife and an icepick was used on the victims, and Collette was beaten in the head and both of her arms were fractured. The word "pig", was smeared on her bedroom wall in her blood. Shades of the Manson family.
A woman matching this description was seen near the scene that rainy night as emts' were approaching the McDonald residence, but was not investigated at that time. Later, a hippie, Helena Stokeley, who was known to own a long blonde wig, confessed to being a participant of the crimes but was never taken seriously, presumably because she was a drug addict who frequently tripped on acid. She has since died. Well, I've always heard LSD and other hallucinogens can cause a person to do some pretty weird and awful things. Why they didn't jump on this woman is incredible.
The army investigation decided not to prosecute Dr. McDonald due to lack of evidence. Then he moved to California and rebuilt his life as a civilian surgeon only to be charged years later in a Federal court for three counts of murder. In those days a fetus was not considered a person. It was mostly because of his former stepfather-in-law trying to play Sherlock Holmes that caused Dr. McDonald to go to trial and after about 9 years of freedom, he was sentenced to life in prison. Now there is DNA evidence that will almost certainly free him if it is ever concluded. If this man is proven innocent it will be a great day, but he will never get back all those years that changed him from a young, handsome man to the silverhaired gentleman who almost certainly would have been a grandfather several times over. It's just not plausible that this family man, this doctor would just snap and methodically butcher his entire family one night. The reason I give this book a good rating is it is so hard to stop turning the pages. But when you've finished it read "Fatal Justice" by Jerry A. Potter and Fred Bost. You'll have a completely different perspective.
Rating:
Summary: Great For Law Students!!!
Review: I wont delve too much into the book much as so many reviewers have dealt with that quite well. Also, Im not going to discuss MacDonald's guilt or innocence much. Lets just say I find the book well written and believe MacDonald is guilty.
Now that thats done, let me give you an interesting angle to the novel. I first picked up the book when I was in the Army. I enjoyed the beginning up to MacDonald leaving the Army and the final chapters after he was found guilty. The middle portion was not quite to my liking then.
Fast forward a few years later and Im in law school taking the required evidence course. This class can be a bit dry and complicated. While delving into the minutia of how courts pick what evidence can be considered, I pick up Fatal Vision again. Wonder of wonders, that middle part I didnt like is chock full of evidence issues! Now while Im sure some will argue the Judge in this case incorrectly used the evidence rules, the analysis used in such matters is there and its applied to a truly interesting subject. Thanks Joe, you helped me ace Evidence! For that Im truly in your debt.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible, Not factual at all
Review: If I could have given this book a -5 star rating I would have. This book is nothing but garbage. Please visit Court TV's web site and go to the Crime Library - Not Guilty? section and read the unbiased report that Court TV presents. Then come back here and buy Fatal Justice instead.
Rating:
Summary: What the doctor didn't order
Review: Many years ago, I read "Fatal Vision" with an open mind on the subject. The key elements in this book are keenly subjective, wavering in favor and disfavor of the author's client: Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald. Much has been made of the current effort to free MacDonald on DNA technicalities, with a cadre of trial lawyers, laboring under the altruistic term "Pro Bono", meaning "without charge"...(As if a trillion dollar civil damage suit won't be filed nanoseconds after MacDonald is sprung) presenting their "newly discovered" evidence, which is thoroughly outlined in the book "Fatal Justice". What HAS come to light in the wake of this tragedy is the fallability of military justice, which the book clearly exposes in paragraphs devoted to errors and prosecutorial misconduct made by Army investigative authorities, security personnel, hospital forensic evidence technicians, and command level jurists. There is no doubt in my mind that the prima facia evidence refutes MacDonald's sworn testimony. Blood type evidence, in addition to the pajama top theory, clearly shows MacDonald's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. What irks me is the fact that the Army's investigation errors were instrumental in delaying justice for two young girls, and their pregnant mother.
Rating:
Summary: Inspires passionate debate, on both sides.
Review: Sorry, kiddies and students, but McGinniss really is a distasteful, publicity-grubbing worm. The more I look into this case, including personal interviews, the more I realize just how unethical McGinniss really was, and still is. The forensic case doesn't add up, and never, ever did. By the way, anyone who would ever take a polygraph test under any circumstances is definitely a fool. BUT NOT NECESSARILY A MURDERER. I would never take one under any circumstance, no matter what. Then again, unlike many who apparently get their information from Montel Williams and Maury Povich, I've actually done my research about the technology.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books of all time
Review: This book displays the arrogance, narcissism, and total lack of empathy of Jeffrey MacDonald. My heart aches for Colette, Kimmy, and Kristy and for everyday that they didn't get a chance to live because of total selfishness and coldblooded-ness. McGinniss really reveals a sociopathic personality. Every narrative in the book written by MacDonald is self-serving and all about him. He is definitely someone who is in love with himself. He claimed to have loved his wife very much, but cheated on her right and left. Doesn't sound like a faithful husband to me. From reading this book, I concluded the reason Jeff MacDonald killed his wife and children is because they got in the way of his womanizing. Combine that with a mix of an argument between Jeff and Colette and Jeff's frequent abuse of the diet pill Eskatrol, and you have a very bloody scene. MacDonald's story about Manson-like hippies slaughtering the family is so tired and boring. He's told it so many times that he's actually starting to believe it. Colette, Kimmy, and Kristy MacDonald were savagely butchered and Jeff barely had a scratch on him. If that isn't enough evidence, I don't know what is. What few supporters MacDonald has, they are following him blindly and have no clue. These are the same type of people who support that cop-killing scumbag Mumia Abu Jamal and that other waste of human life, OJ Simpson. They are clueless, misguided, and need to face facts, no matter how much they don't want to believe. I recommend this book to anyone. Joe McGinniss tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Jeff MacDonald is a consciousless, soulless murderer. Nothing could convince me otherwise...
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