Serial Killers Books

In 1958, Wendy Appleyard feels like life is over for her at the ripe old age of twenty-six. She is broke with no job yet is thinking of divorcing Henry, her husband of five years after seeing him humping a wealthy widow. Desperate, Wendy turns to her long-time friend, Janet Byfield for solace and a bit of security as she tries to turn her life around.

From Wendy's perspective, Janet lives the perfect life in Rosington with her happy marriage to devastatingly handsome clergyman David and their precious daughter Rosie. However, perfection is in the eyes of the beholder. Instead, former transgressions surface that lead to new misdeeds. Death has arrived in this small cathedral city and only Wendy, not being part of the community, begins to see the links to the late 1890s and a fifteenth century witch burning. However, will she fully understand what is happening in time to stop a future calamity?

THE OFFICE OF THE DEAD, the third tale in Andrew Taylor's chilling Roth Trilogy (see the exciting THE FOUR LAST THINGS and THE JUDGEMENT OF STRANGERS) is an enjoyable village mystery. The story line centers on how the past, even the distant centuries, retain a grip on the present and future. The characters seem real and the mysteries are exhilarating. However, it is Mr. Taylor's ability to use beautiful prose to invoke imagery that entices the audience into thinking about their own links to the past that makes him so good and this trilogy worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

This is the 3rd book of Andrew Taylor's self-described Roth trilogy. The books are rather loosely connected, though David Byfield does appear in all 3 volumes as do references to the deceased Canon Francis Youlgreave. The 3 are arranged in reverse chronological order (with decades between them) which does add a dash of the unusual to it, but I think I'd rather read them in chronological order (the 3rd read 1st, the 1st read 3rd). Otherwise, this final work loses much of its mystery. Indeed, the 1st two volumes are more horror/thriller than mystery IMHO. The 3rd work (this one) however, is a good mystery--I liked it best of the three. Interestingly, the 1st & 3rd volumes have female protagonists. This book (as opposed to the others) has many endearing characters such as Wendy Appleyard & her friend Janet Byfield. The ending is more subtle in this book & some of Wendy's conclusions are circumstantial & debatable IMHO. The killer is discernable if one has read the 2nd volume beforehand. Some of the strange elements of the prior two volumes are implied in the 3rd volume.

Throughout the trilogy, Taylor writes beautifully & includes pithy descriptions & observations such as:
p. 251: "His idea of a heart-to-heart chat is to ask you if it's stopped raining yet. [of David Byfield]
p. 275: He'd have tried to talk to a Trappist monk. [of Henry Appleyard]
p. 299: Time doesn't heal, it just gives you other things to think about. [by Wendy Appleyard]
p. 301: She could had blighted a field of potatoes just by looking at it." [of Granny Byfield]
I especially liked pp. 98-9: Canon Osbaston's humorous dinner party.

This regards Ripper Notes issue 19, from July 2004. I've read all the Ripper Notes journals from issue 19 to the present. I purchased/read this one last because the sub-title didn't really appeal to me. Unfortunately the title is rather misleading as I didn't get much of exactly _how_ "America looks at JtR" out of the articles, which are generally well done. I think this is the first edition that Dan Norder begins as editor. Here's the rundown:
1. A brief article on a 1892 interiew of Dr. Robert Anderson with short history on his careers.
2. This is the serious meat of the issue, a 50 page article which is actually part 3 of Wolf Vanderlinden's look into the NYC Carrie Brown murder with suspects and how it might be connected with JtR as well as a well researched look at Ameer Ben Ali, forced suspect by police to 'out do' Scotland Yard. Very well done.
3. A lengthy article on how technology is going to affect JtR research. I felt this was much longer than it needed to be and grew bored with this article.
4. A look into non-suspect Dr. Hewitt and comparing 'laughable suspects' to serious top suspects and how there's really no true way to rank them other than "gut feeling".
5. A one page mention of the Baltimore JtR Conference.
6. A 'Lusk Kidney Revelation'; did it come from Eddowes or possible as a prank from some local medical students?
7. Comparing a 2003 Philadelphia slaying to JtR as well as the Badlands sector of Philly to Whitechapel, very brief article by a first time submitter to Ripper Notes.

Basically, the bulk of the journal is taken by the Carrie Brown article which is quite good and followed by an unnecassarily tedious technology article which in turn detracted from the issue. Other articles were short to the point of being filler. This was just an okay issue for me with Wolf's article being stellar.

Very well written, Holds your attention, doesn't go on about insignificant items,covers a wide variety of suspects both favoured and those who have not gotten much press. A fabulous job on the Carrie Brown murder.The rediscovered Dr.Robert Anderson is certainly a must read,I had not read this before.
All in all, good writing covering several ripper stories as seen in the eyes of America resulting in an excellent read.
I would highly recommend this edition of Ripper Notes.

The next installment of Ripper Notes is 'Written in Blood', Issue #26. In comparison to other issues, it's par for the course but not fantastic. Here's the basic rundown:
1. Pictures of Division H which may contain a possible photo of Det. Abberline but no proof it's actually him.
2. Article on suspect John Barlas the poet
3. Article on how handwritten letters helped to capture the likes of HH Holmes, Albert Fish, and J. Frank Hickey.
4. A purported 'Dear Boss' letter dated 9-17-1888, is it authentic or a modern day hoax.
5. Possibility of two John McCarthy's living at the Dorset Street address, one being the landlord of Mary Kelly, the other being a grocer.
6. Was John McCarthy serving as a pimp to Mary Jane Kelly and other prostitutes in Miller's Ct?
7. Letters to the Editor during the murders. Content based on brothels and 'bullies' (pimps).
8. Article on just what was the painting print found in Mary Kelly's room.
9. Another re-examining of the Bucks Row murder of Polly Nichols
10. A review of the U.S. Ripper conference.
11. "Jack - the Musical" article
12. Regular feature - news articles regarding suspects and a rebuffing of some suspects.
13. Regular feature - Book reviews... look for the fiction book Sojourn.

Overall - average with a few decent articles but nothing really stimulating. I could have done without #7, 8, 10, & 11; they seemed like filler material. I always enjoy #12 & 13.

The last issue #25 seemed like it was full of filler material. However, this issue is chalked full of good articles and pictures. For the first time ever, a picture of Frederick Abberline, Mary Kelly's landlord, and a lot more articles of interest!

The Unnatural tells the tale of Andy Archway, who, from an early age dreams of becoming an embalmer. He spends his childhood in southern Minnesota collecting funeral related material and reading trade magazines like Embalmer's Weekly and pulps such as Undisturbed and Respectful Casket Tales. Andy's desire is no pipe dream--he has a natural talent for embalming. People recognize his talent and come from miles around to have Andy work on their loved ones (the Archway farm has a sign at out front that says EGGS--SHEEP SHEARING--EMBALMING).

One day, grizzled talent scout "Wake" Wakefield discovers Andy and offers him a scholarship to the Thomas Holmes University of Embalming and Funerary. At the University, Andy engages in scholarly pursuits, learning the finer points of embalming and running a successful funeral business (classes include Consolation Literature 101 and Casketing). Andy's no stick in the mud though--as the star of the school's competitive embalming team, he is also a big man on campus.

Upon graduation, Andy receives job offers from the Drabford Brothers and P. T. Sunnyside, the Hertz and Avis of the funeral industry. Andy opts for the Drabford Brothers, who offer him the opportunity to break the single season embalming record of funereal legend Janus P. Mordechai, the Henry Arron of embalming. Andy, blinded by ambition, embarks on a journey to the dark side of his soul, and learns some valuable lessons about fame, loyalty, love, and success.

Serial Killer Days also tells a story of a young person seeking answers. Eighteen year old Debbie Sue Morning lives in the small Minnesota town of Standard Springs. Each year for the last twenty years, a citizen of Standard Springs has been brutally murdered by a serial killer. Rather than dwell on the negative, the town's leading lights decide to take the lemons they've been given and make some lemonade. They hit upon the idea of Serial Killer Days, a pageant which actually celebrates the killer's annual visits.

Debbie Sue, in her last year of eligibility to compete for the coveted title of "Scream Queen", wonders if she will ever win. On paper, she seems to have what it takes--poise, charm, and a nasty wound on her forehead. But Debbie Sue has a problem--she's not really afraid of anything, and she suspects this will detract from her performance in the screaming competition. Initially driven by her desire to win the title, Debbie Sue discovers there is more to life than riding on a float in the Parade of Fear or participating in the 5K Run For Your Life.

Prill writes with great energy and wit. His love for his offbeat characters is evident. Despite the absurd nature of his stories, he always treats them with respect. As a result, you actually start to buy into the odd realities he's created. You think, "By God, maybe little boys do dream of becoming top embalmers, and yes, young women want to be Scream Queen."

Prill's humor is black and macabre, like a Charles Addams or Gahan Wilson cartoon. His settings and characters evoke Norman Rockwell's America, albeit one existing in a wildly divergent reality (Mayberry gone wrong?). His humor is usually subtle and understated, but he's not afraid to go way over the top if necessary. How funny is he? Let's just say that it was extremely hard to resist peppering this review with examples of his humor--I knew it would be better for you to experience that for yourselves.The Complete Stephen King Universe: A Guide to the Worlds of Stephen King

One review erroneously compared this novel to the work of Garrison Keillor. Although the book is humorous, Prill does not come anywhere close to the rich tapestry woven routinely by Keillor. 'Serial Killer Days' is funny, very funny in parts, and the book probably has the effect Prill desired. Pick it up for a decent, quick read, but do not expect a literary masterpiece.

This is a good book
I bought it because my ancestors are from Northern New Mexico/Southern Colorado
Turns out my family is from the same area where the Espinosa brothers lived in southern Colorado
This book is good if you are interested in Southwest History in the 19th century
The author claims that the reason the Espinosa brothers went on their rampage was to avenge the deaths of 6 relatives in the Mexican-American War
Another theory/urban legend I heard was that they had a disfigured sister who got assaulted
I'm surprised they haven't made a movie from this book yet.......

This book started off slowly, leading me to believe it was just another "dime western." However, once it turned its attention to the Espinosa brothers and their crime rampage, I was fascinated. And once Tom Tobin got involved in the search, I understood why he had to be introduced at the beginning, even though it slowed down the story.

This is a truely fascinating story, and it appears to be just what it advertises to be -- the first telling of a story of a serial killing that took place 30 or so years before what is currently considered the first of that genre. (I read extensively, and have never seen another reference to this incident.)

Scott does an excellent job of portraying the killers and their apparent motives for this rampage. He rivets one's attention with the detailed account of the killings and the surprising diary entries by the Espinosa brothers.

By the time Tob Tobin gets involved in the case, it becomes such a fascinating story that it is hard to put down.

I'm not sure how the beginning could have been written differently -- but I almost quit reading after the first chapter.

I'm certainly glad I didn't. This is a well documented -- in fact, documented extremely carefully -- and an entirely engrossing story.

I recommend it strongly.

Bob Heath
fan of American History!

If you want to know anything about the Genesee River Killings then this is the book you are after, it goes into the detail you want and leaves out nothing. A great read and a good reference point for those studying the serial killer genre. Highly recommended.

Hello potential readers and hopefully future fans! I am the author of "The Baby Garden", a psychological thriller written in a literary tone. My friends call me Shae. I put a lot of myself into this book, my first, and my only desire is that people like you will read it. It's a real thrill, and also a little scary, to see my dreams and desires in print and available to everyone who may be interested. I am working on a second book right now, because writing is part of my very being, but I can't wait to see some reviews here, and I welcome any and all comments. (Go easy, LOL). Cheers, Sharon (Shae) Schovanec

Author Jon Bellini does an excellent job as he describes the life and "crimes" of Lesley Eugene Warren. The book holds your attention from beginning to end! The loss of the victims is tragic and will touch every emotion...as will the facts of Lesley's childhood. His crimes are horrific...but when as a society will we learn to also prosecute the "master builders" of these sick and damaged killers?!

Brothers Grimm and, like the folk stories themselves, have a number of hidden messages. Jan Fabel, of the Hamburg Murder Squad, and his team are in a race against time to try to solve the cases and to try to prevent further murders.

This is a fast-paced novel. In addition to the actions around each murder, the reader is drawn into the mind and motivations of the murderer. From the perspective of the investigating team, there are a number of potential suspects and exploring each of these raises the tensions within the story. Even if the reader works out who the murderer is before the end of the story, there is sufficient interest and momentum to keep reading to the end just to tie off the loose ends.

This is the second of Craig Russell's novels to feature Jan Fabel: I've added the other two to my reading list, and this author to my list of fiction favourites.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Even though I have not finished this Newton book I have enjoyed his writing once again. Hunting Humans- was the first title I read and found this one to be just as entertaining (if I may call it that) The only times I felt a bit let down were when he mentioned a name I was unable to find any other information on.