Serial Murder Books

The book is awesome, beyond awesome. They have just about everyone you could think of. The only flaw was the editing was god-awful. I don't know who edited the book, but they should be fired, you have to really pay attention or you'll get lost, in some "stories" names change, it gets rather confusing. But other then that it's a great book.

Here is a mammoth book of serial killers. The book is a larger than a normal paperback and it crammed full of cases on it's 360+ pages. It is a must for anyone studying the genre. The introduction about the different kinds of serial killers is great.

This is a decent A to Z on serial killers from aound the globe. I would have preferred more detail on the less-known killers; those who get extensive write-ups are the monsters whose stories are common knowledge to the true crime fan.

What really bugged me about this book is the editing/proofreading. The grammar, punctuation, and in some cases spelling throughout this book are atrocious, to the point where there are a few unintentional howlers. The authors thank their editor at the beginning of the book; they should sue her instead!

Most of the information, to my knowledge is accurate, with the exception of the section on the Chicago Rippers: the authors claim that Carol Pappas was a victim. Not true: according to "Deadly Thrills," the book on Gecht and company, Pappas' body was found in her car, immersed in a river, and her death was subsequently ruled accidental.

On the whole, this book is worth reading, if only because it disputes the commonly-held belief that serial murder is uniquely American.

I have read hundreds off books regarding serial killers but this one takes precedence. The amount of information crammed into this first volume is astounding. And the high number of more obscure serial killers is phenomenal, its surprising how hard it is to find information on some of these lesser known killers. So full credit must go to the co-authors for their dilligence and hardwork. Go ahead buy this book, you will not be disappointed!!!

This is what you would get if you cross Silence of the Lambs w/ a bodice ripper romance. Exciting, engrossing, and definitely a page-turner. Anyone who is a fan of the criminal procedurals now in vogue on TV (CSI, Cold Case and its ilk) will no doubt enjoy this novel tremendously and I'm not even one. That the story is based on a real life crime makes it doubly interesting. It is not without its fault, however. Without giving too much away, the progression to the conclusion is a bit abrupt. One of the major characters change of preference, shall we say, is rather quick and without angst; given this takes place in the 1930s, it's contrived. Not being a psychiatrist, I can't say with authority if the final actions of the characters are psychologically sound; yet I find the resolutions have too much of a deus ex machina feel to them. A character would do things that if he is on screen in a slasher movie, the audience would groan and yell, "Don't do that, stupid." And those unwise actions precipitated the whole climax of the novel. Despite all the flaws, this is one helluva of a memorable read.

Noone should miss the novel, especially those interested in Elliot Ness' search of a mass murderer.

We meet Hank and many other characters. Outstanding flavor of America's 20's

John Peyton Cooke has done some research in writing this book. I have to give him credit for that alone because it must have been very time consuming. However, I suspect some of it is a hobby for him and it shows as it is a bit of a labor of love.

Oddly enough some chapters are more well laid out and shine brighter than others. It's not so much the altering focus on various characters (which I do like) as it seems that either the editor or Cooke seemed to have spent more time developing certain chapters more than others.

Detective "Lucky" Lambert is something unique for the type of writing here and I enjoyed reading about him and getting in his head. Danny, the male hustler with a heart of gold....well, let's just say, this old saw is getting a bit tired by now. I think Margaret Mitchell even wore it out waaay back when with Belle Watling. People's characters aren't black and white good or bad. Cooke even shows us that with Lambert (to a degree, but even Lambert's a bit too goody goody for the era). But Danny's just a little too squeeky clean to be a kid who's had to grow up on the mean streets of Cleveland during the Depression.

The dialogue Cooke gives his characters runs the gamut between believable and saccharinely maudlin. Most of the time it is just "okay". Dialogue is a tough thing to write and many writers just don't have the voices in their heads to get it right. Cooke isn't really bad at it - not like so many writers out there - but he isn't really good either.

All that said, Torsos wouldn't be a pulp fiction novel if it weren't for some hackneyed dialogue and graphic violence - of which there is plenty.

The oft mentioned chicken and trucker scene is a bit too graphic for me, but it is, sadly, probably more real than many other things that could have been portrayed instead.

I like a gritty, pulp fiction novel. I read a lot of books riding the train to work each day. I need a book that can capture my attention and pull me out of where I am. Torsos delivers on that.

It is an engaging and interesting read. It is also quite a page turner.

You could do a lot worse.

Torsos is a great novel. Set in Cleveland, in the `thirties, it fictionalizes the notorious Torso Slayer killings through the figure of Hank "Lucky" Lambert, a cop who knows more than he should of the gay underworld of the city. John Peyton Cooke's meticulous research shows, but the novel isn't at all sluggish - it moves at a breakneck pace to tour tramp dwellings, drug stores, chicken farms and bath houses in search of the elusive Torso Slayer. In the midst of mayhem there's a love story, as Lucky meets and romances the hustler Danny Cottone.

I am not a big reader of crime fiction, but this book reminded me, in good ways, of James Ellroy's fiction. Its panoramic portrait of the city, and its weaving of fact and fiction was complicated, visual, and paranoid, rather like Ellroy's vision of LA. John Peyton Cooke's anal-retentive Eliot Ness is a memorable character, but most memorable to me is his deft, rather audaciously complicated plotting, his sentimental, yet sometimes brutal depiction of male homoeroticism, and his incredibly evocative, though rather spare prose. A wonderful read.

Jessie Prichard Hunter, in HER first novel, gives us a somewhat stylized and derivative thriller in "Blood Music." We know from the start that Patrick Wyche is the serial killer, terrozing and raping/murdering blonde women. All because of witnessing his blonde mother being murdered at the hands of his father. But what's truly amazing is the gullibility of his wife, Zelly. Pat is an electrician, running his own company, and it's not until late in the book that she starts wondering who would be getting their house wired in the middle of the night. And then when he almost rapes her, all she can think about is he made their infant baby cry. Of course, throughout the book, the criminal profiles never suspect that a married man with a little baby could possibly be a serial killer. The involvement of one of the victim's brother and a woman who survived his attack, also borders on the ludicrous. Perhaps Ms. Hunter's true glory in this book is the way she presents the hookers, transvestites and gays. Amazingly enough, these seem like the realest of her characters. The book does build to a satisfyingly chilling climax and even though this is not great literature, it's a surprisingly effective little effort.
RECOMMENDED.

Once I started reading this book I just could not put it down -- it was that good.

If you're "into" serial killers, excellent writing, and a wonderfully woven story by all means pick up this book.

I wish Ms. Hunter would write more books!

This book is NOT for the squemish!!! Although I read this when I was in fifth grade, this book is one of my all time favorites! Jessie Prichard Hunter, in his first novel, captivates the audiance with his unique storytelling ability, strange veiwpoint (The veiwpoint through most of the book is in the eyes of the KILLER of all people; Mr. Hunter genuinly shows his way of "not following other cliches!), and his accomplished characters. A must read for all fans of new and in my words, "better" serial killer novels! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Pro:
I purchased this book on a whim, had never heard of the author and had never even read a brothers Grimm fairytale.

This was a very unique story to be told. An unknown person kills people in refrence to fairytales from the brothers grimm, detective fabel and his team realize they must find the murderer before he kills again. The murderer however has impeccable percision when dealing with his victims, paying careful attention not to leave any clues tying him back to the murder...

I have never read a brothers grimm fairytale however the book read and explained well enough so that it wasn't completely necessary, only after the completion of the book did i decide to introduce myself to the tales mentioned and it made me enjoy the book even more

This would make a great movie, i could visualize it clearly whilst reading it

con
This story takes place in Germany so there were quite a few phrases and terms i was unfamiliar with.

I thought that Mr. Russels first novel "Blood Eagle" was not only very well written, fleshing out nicely the characters, giving them faces and thoughts and all, but also stuctured in a way that more reflected reality than you would normally expect from a whodunnit novel.

His second book, "Brother Grimm" is even better. It follows the same team of Hamburg murder detectives as "Blood Eagle", Jan Fabel and his murder commission officers. Once again the writing is spot on, captivating, and yet somehow manages to give this police thriller another dimension. A dimension of litterature really (in lack of better words anyway). The author does seem to be particularly fond of the words "azure blue", which he uses two times on the opening page and more throughout the novel.

The story and the plot itself, is very well made up. We're kept guessing till the very end who the grim murderer is, and along the way we're led through many a wild goose chase, but it dosen't subtract or lessen the pace or 'feel' one bit, it actually adds to it.

A very good thing about this novel is, that you can reed as a stand alone adventure without having read the first story about the Hamburg murder commission team. Of course having read the first novel will only add to the experience, but it is not a must.

To reiterate: well written, well thought out, well plotted, very recommendable.

A girl's body lies, posed, on the pale sand of a Hamburg beach, a message concealed in her hand. 'I have been underground, and now it is time for me to return home...' Jan Fabel, of the Hamburg murder squad, struggles to interpret the twisted imagery of a dark and brutal mind. Four days later, a man and a woman are found deep in woodland, their throats slashed deep and wide, the names 'Hansel' and 'Gretel', in the same, tiny, obsessively neat writing, rolled tight and pressed into their hands. It becomes clear that each new crime is a grisly reference to folk stories collected almost two hundred years ago by the Brothers Grimm. The hunt is on for a serial killer who is exploring the darkest, most fundamental fears hidden in ancient fairy tales. A predator who kills and then disappears into the shadows. A monster we all learned to fear in childhood.

Murder is no fairy tale

There's nothing like finishing a great book and knowing there's a sequel, so you can dive back in for another adventure. There's E. F. Benson's "Mapp and Lucia," Wodehouse's Jeeves series, and "Nathan Aldyne"'s Blues ("Cobalt," "Slate," "Vermillion").

Unfortunately the series has come to an end, as "Nathan Aldyne" was two people, and one has died. But if you haven't read these books, you're in for some great fun. These are, I believe, the best gay detective novels ever written. They are wonderful, exciting, witty books to be put on your "Classic Gay Literature" shelf next to David Sedaris and Joe Keenan.

When these books first came out (80's) I do not remember there being a lot in this particular genre (except for the Brandstetter mysteries - which were much more serious.) Now these humorous gay detective stories seem to be everywhere, but the ones I've read come nowhere close to these gems.

Cobalt is the second of 4. The others are Vermillion, Slate and Canary. (Actually, they could almost be the titles of Pet Shop Boys albums ...) Anyway, the Boston/P-town settings are great, the Daniel & Clarisse team is hysterical, the stories solid, and the 80's period --once current with the first publication -- is sweetly nostalgiac.

If you want a good, light, comic romp .. get these books. And hold onto them .. they come and go quickly from print.

A scintilating story of the commings and goings on of P-Town in the heat of summer. Daniel Valentine and his ever indulgent side kick Clarisse Lovelace spy up and down Commercial street looking for bits of evidence to pull together the mysterious deaths of some summer visitors. Delve into the dark smokey bars along the waterfront and ride the coaster to the end, when you'll need to pick up the rest of the series..Check out the Grant Michaels (author) Stan Kraychik mysteries if you like this one.

Please note that the review posted in 1999 by a Dallas reader is not written by that person, but was taken from my review in Scram magazine. -Kim Cooper, editrix

This is one of the more profound true-crime books I have read. A gripping, hair-raising tale of the life and thrill-killings of odd-ball Charles "Smitty" Schmid, of Tucson, Arizona, back in the pre-pot days of the mid 1960's. These people swelter in the desert, run amok and raise all holy hell. Author John Gilmore paints a painstakingly accurate picture of life in those Sixties times. It is a sad, stunning, brutal, and amazing tale. A knock-out book you will read more than once.

COLD-BLOODED by John Gilmore is a fascinating study of the 60's suburban nightmare. "Smitty" was a charismatic rich kid perpetually surrounded with adoring underlings. They didn't seem to mind his peculiar appearance (heavy Man-Tan makeup, a ghoulishly enlarged beauty mark, lace-backed boots stuffed with trash, so he'd look, uhm, taller) or his oft-confessed propensity for murder. These kids spent their time hanging out, racing cars, listening to rock and roll, and swinging. Probably they all would have grown up to become our parents had not Schmid felt compelled to pull a Leopold and Loeb on a neighborhood girl. Later he repeated the trick on a persistent ex- and her baby sister, his best buddy finked to the cops, and this so-called "pied piper" got shipped off to the big house, where he was himself murdered. Gilmore got in good with many of the key players, and lets them speak as length about their world: it's a strikingly amoral and enticing place. In his letters and speech Schmid comes across as a brainy baby nihilist; it's a shock to see his illiterate scrawl reproduced. On the down side, this oversized format with its dull twin columns is hard to read, the trial coverage is confusing, and characters sometimes get lost in the tedium of the layout. But Gilmore had great material to work with, and aficionados of juvenile delinqueny and youth culture will certainly want to seek this out.

This book is a job well done, and fits right up there on the shelf with the Classics of True Crime.

I very much enjoyed listening to the audiobook of "A Death in Belmont." It presents an interesting twist on the Boston Strangler(s) case.

To me, A Death in Belmont has the best combination of story and production I've ever experienced in an audiobook. I've listened to at least a hundred different literary works on CD over the years - most of them non-fiction like this - and none can compare. I was thrilled and chilled throughout. No matter what else I had to do, I was always wanting to get back in the car so I could hear more.

The incredible story of the author's family's interaction with a serial killer is riveting. The depth, detail and analytic thought written so well by Junger is that much more enhanced by Kevin Conway's reading. I would listen to any book interpreted by the actor. Well, OK, maybe not "Complete Revision for The Intercollegiate MRCS", but anything else.

My one knock against the manuscript is that the very end is a needless summation of the elegant narrative Junger worked so hard to take us through. I suspect an editor felt that some readers wouldn't be able to understand the implications of the text and insisted on something to "tie it all together". However, the story line is so well thought out and so compelling in making its case that such reinforcement is completely unecessary. This production, and especially the tale created by Sebastian Junger, is a work of art.

Sebastian Junger, best known as the author of the huge bestseller, The Perfect Storm, has one of the spookiest family photos that one can imagine. In that 1963 photo, baby Sebastian and his mother are posing in celebration with the construction workers who have just completed a project at the Junger home. What makes that photo so unusual is the fact that one of those workers is none other than Albert DeSalvo, the man who was soon to confess to the Boston police to being the infamous Boston Strangler.

That photo and the family's exposure to Albert DeSalvo became part of the Junger family folklore and it is the jumping off point for Junger's A Death in Belmont. The death referred to in the book's title happened just one mile from the Junger home and, although it bore all the earmarks of a Boston Strangler murder, a jury ultimately decided that it was the work of a black man, Roy Smith, rather than being another Strangler murder. Belmont, in 1963, was an all-white Boston suburb in which violent crime was unheard of so the murder there of Bessie Goldberg was something which its residents found hard to believe.

Naturally, the Junger family's brush with murder remained a family topic of discussion for years to come, and Sebastian Junger grew up believing that an innocent black man had been convicted of a murder that had actually been one of the more than a dozen that were committed by Albert DeSalvo instead. Some 40 years after the Strangler murders, Junger decided to see if it would be possible to determine which of the men was responsible for the Goldberg murder and A Death in Belmont is the result of his efforts.

Junger managed to find and interview in detail most of the still living members of Roy Smith's family and the reader comes to know and understand Smith well enough to judge for himself whether or not Smith was capable of the type of crime suffered by Bessie Goldberg. And much of the book goes into all the possible motivations that Albert DeSalvo may have had for confessing to the Strangler murders, whether or not he was the actual killer. Because anticipation of Junger's ultimate conclusion as to which of the men killed Goldberg and whether or not DeSalvo was, in fact, the Boston Strangler, is part of the fun of reading this book, I am not going to note his conclusions here, however.

A Death in Belmont is an extremely well-researched book and Junger's style makes it read more like a novel at times than the non-fiction speculation that it is. I listened to the audio version of the book and was impressed with Kevin Conway, its reader, who did an amazing job on the various accents of the many voices quoted throughout the book. Conway was able to shift easily from the Boston accent of DeSalvo to the southern black accent of Roy Smith and his family and his talents added much to my appreciation of the book.

As a true crime reader and a parent, I found this book very disturbing but interesting. It made me speak again to my children and what can happen to them in a blink of an eye. Westley was a TRUE MONSTER. It is a shame that he never got all the help he needed. The story is very graphic but it gets the point across. It almost makes me never want to let my children out of my sight again. Read it you will not be sorry!!!!!!!!!!

Driven to Kill is indeed a shocking true account of the most disgusting of all crimes, child murder. Gary C. King has included in this book accounts from the law enforcement agencies involved in the case of Westley Allan Dodd, as well as segments from Dodd's 'diary of death'. The details of Dodd's crimes have not been left out by King which only emphasizes the true horror of his crimes. Every parent should read this book as it opens your eyes to what kind of people are really out there and emphasizes the need to watch your children at all times. Photographs of his victims, the law enforcement officers and signifcant places involved in the case are included in this book. Segments of the trial testimony have been added including statements from the victims' families and Dodd himself. Police interviews have also been included. I was engrossed while reading King's account of this twisted serial pedophile, although at times I felt sick thinking about what had happened to these boys. It truly opened my eyes to the vulnerability of the most precious thing on earth - our children.

A heartbreaking as well as frightening look into the mind of one truly sick, twisted individual. Should make every parent aware of the predators that sometimes lurk behind the faces of seemingly harmless strangers. I'm glad I don't have children, otherwise after reading this book I doubt I'd ever let them out of the house again. I pray readers with children will take away lessons to teach to their kids concerning strangers. God save them from monsters like Dodd.

Frostie was an excellent story, well-told. Once the story got going, it was very engaging. The book is hard to put down. Adults can appreciate the way the story is well-crafted. Kids will love, well let's face it... you can't beat a story with evil snowmen!

I picked up this book for my ten-year-old nephew and read it before giving it to him. I found the book very enjoyable and easy to read. The way the book was written and the story itself made it hard to put the book down. There were a number of very positive themes in the story. These included the aspects of friendship, loyalty, trust, and responsibility. It also instilled a feeling of parental camaraderie showing that one can work with their parents as a team to reach a common goal. Instead of showing adults as the bad guys or a a group that doesn't understand teenagers, it wove them into a cohesive force with the two friends in a common battle against evil. I recommend this book and look forward to more works from this author.

I won't pretend to have complete lack of bias, as this was written by someone in a writers' group in my very own home town. (But I've never met the man, and have only his book to judge him by.)

"Sparks" is a fictional town, but having lived in the North Country all my life, I can say it has an authentic feel. The local legends Richards made up sound exactly like those the old timers at our own small stores tell, the desperate but plucky small town camradie is real, and the story could, well, it could ALMOST happen. How exactly would an Evil snowman come to life? (Won't spoil it but it's plausible in its own context, just real enough to give you the creeps!)

The characters are the kind you can believe exist, and you want things to turn out for them, but at the same time, you don't want the story to end. I'll be recommending it to middle grade kids who want scary stories but are beyond Goosebumps and nowhere near ready for King.

The cover (don't judge a book by that) made me think it would be a much lower-level book than it is, and although the protaganist is only ten, the story would suit junior high or or above.

A well organized, well written book. I have been a nurse for 17 years and whenever I ever hear of a healthcare worker murdering those who depend on them so heavily, it just blows my mind! It just defies everything you were taught or learned.
HOPEFULLY, the medical establishment has learned something from stories like this, and have ways to police it more QUICKLY than they did Shipman's case.

This is the best book by Wensley Clarkson that I have ever read! The writing is so detailed and so well organized, that I had a very difficult time putting it down!

Clarkson relays the story of Fred Shipman who, in 2000, was convicted of 15 murders; deaths that occured on his watch as their doctor after he induced their untimely demise with overdoses of morphine. Although convicted of only fifteen, it is believed that Shipman is responsible for more than 350 deaths.

In addition, Clarkson does a marvelous job of giving readers an inside view to Shipman's family and tries to relay to the reader how, despite they are still living, they too are victims of this horribly depraved man.

I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy true crime. Not only is it entertaining, but will serve as an eye-opener into how one should never place one hundred percent trust in their doctor.

The only reason that I am giving 4 stars is because the author did not list all the victims of Dr. SHipman's unsuspected reign of terror in Lancashire. In his long career, he probably killed at least 200 victims--men, women, children, for no apparent reason until he was stopped by the law. Sadly, I cannot stop thinking about all the victims who had dreams to see Israel, cruise, grow up, or old with their loved ones in Lancashire. Dr. Shipman was supposed to be respected and trusted with their lives; he killed his beloved patients without such motives at all. The book is an easy read unless you're trying to find out the victims and give them a proper memorial. This book is for those victims and their families! Maybe we can learn from what happened in Lancashire!