Serial Murder Books

The "Benders" had a small, wayside inn near Cherryvale, Kansas. As travelers would stop by for a bite to eat, they would be seated in front of a curtain behind which "Kate Bender" would smack them on the head with a hammer. They would be robbed and their bodies would be dropped through a trap door in the inn floor. Later the bodies would be buried in the back yard. The travelers would just "disappear" and their families were unable to find them. About 50 people were killed before people started getting suspicious. The Benders discovered that they were under suspicion, and fled before they were caught. Local citizens unearthed the bodies and tried to find them but they were never caught. No one knows where they originally came from, or where they ever went. They are the first serial murders in the United States. It's been a few years since I read the book, but it is very interesting - and the original hammers are still on display at the Cherryvale Museum. There used to be a "Bender Museum" in Cherryvale with a display set-up with manequins just like the inn has been described. The museum has a bunch of information that has been collected over the years and Fern Wood serves on the Museum Board. The museum is only open on Sunday afternoons during warm weather. For further information contact the Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce. There have been several books written about the subject over the years, but this is the only book written that is still in print.

While not questioning the accepted view that serial killers are demented, Milligen is interested particularly in the origins of the image of serial killers and the reasons for its persistence despite considerable evidence that it is not accurate. Thus the content is basically on media studies, political agendas, and creation of the image of politicians and law-enforcement organizations, notably the FBI. Right-wing politicians, especially, have made use of the fear of crime, including serial killers, for election gains; and the FBI going back to the era of J. Edgar Hoover has publicized its attention to serial killers by creating a "profile" and frequent news reports on its leads in trying to solve cases. According to FBI and other widely publicized law-enforcement "profiles," serial killers are brilliantly cunning and commit their crimes over a large geographical area. But as Milligen proffers, while some serial killers (e. g., Ted Bundy) are exceptionally intelligent and do commit their crimes in far-flung places, many have low IQs and commit their crimes in local areas, as evidenced in those cases where numerous bodies are uncovered in a killer's backyard. But attributing high intelligence to a serial killer and assuming that his or in rare instances, her crimes are committed over a vast and unpredictable area explains why law-enforcement authorities cannot seem to catch a serial killer or prevent such a high number of wanton killings. This is an absorbing mix of true crime, sociology, and media studies. Many will find it especially captivating considering the current interest in and controversy over horror films and other images of and actual acts of violence in the culture.

I'm going to keep it short and sweet. Have I ever read a better book on vampires and their morphology? No. Do I read much about vampires? Yes. Buy the book.

The author was a reporter in a small town south of Tampa when serial killer Bobby Joe Long held the city in hs evil grasp for nearly a year as he murdered 11 prostitutes. Bernie Ward has researched the life of serial killer Bobby Joe Long, including his abominable upbringing and his later crimes. Ward brings out the fact that Long was a serial rapist before graduating to serial murderer. This book is well-written and will hold your interest to the very end. Highly recommended.

I'm not impartial. I love Simeon Grist. The reluctant batchelor detective with wandering eyes, a handful of graduate degrees, and a soft heart is one of my favorite characters in crime fiction. This time, Simeon is hired to look into a questionable situation that ends up as murder. And Simeon's client is either a) the killer, or b) the next victim. Simeon has to discover why the killer is killing, find the person responsible, keep anyone else from getting killed, and, incidentally, keep himself from becoming the next victim. Hallinan continues his successful series of Simeon Grist mysteries, and they just keep getting better with each book. His fans definately won't be disappointed with this one.

1828 and Edinburgh is one of the leading places for studying medicine, which requires dead bodies. But the only bodies legally allowed to used were dead criminals, so the story of Burke and Hare is a story of two enterprising men who saw a profit opportunity. The book spins facts into a great story: The horrific conditions of poverty are as startling as the gruesome crimes of murder, placed against a backdrop of ethical questions. Well done, a ripping good read.

This author of this book gets into the mind of this serial killer. It is a thrilling read.

This series by Nathan Aldyne (who I just recently found out was not a real person but a nom de plume for two writers collaborating) was what got me hooked on the genre of gay mysteries. I loved the characters, the settings, the plots, the humour, everything!

I actually read them when they first came out (!) in the early-to-mid 80's. I think I was able to read Vermilion and Cobalt back-to-back in 1983 (since they were published in '80 and '82, respectively) and eagerly awaited the next installment, which turned out to be Slate in '84 (followed by Canary in '86). I was very disappointed when nothing new came out in '88 or anytime after. It's one of the strengths of the Internet that I can now know why this series ended then (one of the collaborators died).

Anyway, I'd give all of the books in this series 5 stars since I re-read them all regularly and still laugh. I'm glad that they have been reissued since my little paperbacks are getting quite yellowed and brittle and I can now replace them.

If you enjoy good mysteries filled with humour and a gay twist, you'll enjoy any of these books. As with many series, it's more enjoyable to read them in order.

I could certainly tell that was written by a well educated, highly intellectual who has investigative expertise in his background. I found this book to be exceptional reading and very informative.

this book is about a cheating woman who has her lover kill her husbands for the insurance money .

Gregg Olsen is a top true crime writer.