One of Us by Dan Chaon

August 15, 2025

One of Us by Dan Chaon

After the death of their mother, twins Eleanor and Bolt flee to an orphanage to escape from the clutches of their murderous fake uncle Charlie. They find themselves on an orphan train headed west, and somewhere in Iowa, they are "adopted" by a carnival owner who specializes in circus sideshow acts. They find a new family among the carnival folk, even though they feel they are not special like the others. But Charlie isn't letting go that easily.

Dan Chaon takes us on a creepy journey through a carnival sideshow and the performers who work there. Like carnivals and circuses aren't creepy enough, he had to toss in a serial killer. Will appeal to readers who enjoyed Geek Love or Nightmare Alley, but with a horror slant.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A carnival sideshow

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

July 27, 2025

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich

Julie Tudor is 49 years old and has found the love of her life in Sean, her 25 year old coworker at the large financial services company where they both work. But he doesn't know that. All he knows is that she makes him uncomfortable. Julie knows that she and Sean are star-crossed, meant to be together until a young woman named Xanthe starts work at the company and throws a wrench into Julie's plans. But Julie isn't about to settle for anyone coming between her and Sean, so she decides it's time to take decisive action.

Oh, Julie, you are definitely a psychopath. Julie has a flirtatious relationship with reality at the best of times. Her unique world view and interior monologue kept me turning the pages - I felt like my mouth was hanging open in disbelief half the time. I admit I felt sorry for Julie when her coworkers were making fun of her and she didn't realize it, while at the same time cringing at some of the things she did. It's a fast read that is perfect for vacation or beach reading, dark, disturbing, creepy and funny all at the same time. If there is a more unreliable narrator out there, I don't know who it is. There are hints of animal cruelty, so sensitive readers should be warned. I could see this becoming a miniseries on Netflix. Love the cover art!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

June 29, 2025

Love letters to a serial killer by Tanya Coryell

Hannah is a 30-something woman working at a dead end job and searching for direction in her life. The guy she thought was her soulmate dumps her, her BFF gets engaged, and she’s on probation at work. After four women’s bodies are found in Atlanta and a man is arrested, Hannah becomes obsessed with following the story through social media sites and connects with other true crime junkies. On a whim, she begins corresponding with William, the accused man, figuring that he’s in prison in another state and can’t hurt her, right? When she loses her job, she decides to go to Georgia for the trial, only to find there are a bunch of other women there, like groupies. But when another woman is murdered during the trial, the case is dropped, and Hannah and William move in together. What could possibly go wrong? 

You know right from the start, from the minute you read the title and see the cover art, this is going to be full of bad decisions and it’s not going to end well. Just accept that and move on. The accused serial killer is a lawyer, handsome, wealthy, and charming - big surprise, right? - think Ted Bundy (those of you who are under 40 can google his name). Hannah, the main character, is a brainless idiot, TSTL, no question about it, trying to figure out if William is the killer after they move in together. I was pretty sure where the story was going, and at 85%, found out I was right. If I had escaped from/been released by/been rescued from a serial killer, especially one that I knew was still out there, I would have PTSD for the rest of my life. 

(There is a name for the syndrome where women are attracted to violent criminals and men in prison: hybristophilia. It seems like the more violent the crime, the more women are attracted. Hannah displays aggressive hybristophilia, where a woman actually makes contact with the prisoner and tries to help them, combined with boredom over her mundane life, the appeal of a long distance relationship, and the whole fantasy of the situation. It’s more common than you would expect, and there are a bunch of websites for prisoner dating. I am SO creeped out.) 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Ted Bundy, the stereotypical charming handsome serial killer

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton

August 24, 2024

The Nightingale's Castle by Sonia Velton

A young girl named Boroka is sent to work at the castle of Countess Erzsebet Bathory, one of the wealthiest and most influential women in Hungary. The countess employs dozens of women and girls as seamstresses, laundresses, and kitchen help, as well as running a school for the education of daughters of the gentility. But before long, Boroka begins to notice that an unusually large number of girls are falling ill of a mysterious illness.

Known as the Blood Countess, Erzsebet Bathory is believed to have lured young women to her castle to murder them in order to bathe in their blood. But she may have received a bad rap, since the accusations against her may have been an attempt to bring down her politically powerful family and destroy their influence. Legends about her evil deeds were recorded long after her death through oral tradition passed down by locals. Vlad the Impaler was accused of some of the same misdeeds as the countess. A well-researched novel about a lesser known historical figure.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Erzsebeth Bathory, the Blood Countess - this is the portrait that is featured in the story

Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

July 6, 2024

Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

John Chenneville, a lieutenant in the Union Army and a telegrapher, suffers a grave head injury in the waning days of the Civil War that leaves him in a coma for months. When he recovers consciousness, the war is over and most of the troops have returned home. His injury forces him to re-learn to speak, walk, and perform basic tasks. When he finally arrives at his family home outside St. Louis, he finds out that his younger sister, her husband and their baby son have all been murdered by a sheriff's deputy. The deputy has gone on to murder several other people. When he discovers that the local sheriff has no intention of bringing the man to justice for the murders, John vows to hunt the man down and exact his own revenge.

I think I started this once before but had to return it because there was a waiting list. I'm glad I decided to go back to it - it was totally worth it. I loved Jiles' previous book News of the World (which is referenced once toward the end of this book), and this novel features the same type of knight errant as the protagonist in her previous book. John knows that his actions are criminal and that he is planning to commit murder, but he lives according to his own single-minded code of right and wrong. Wonderfully written, highly recommended to readers of historical and literary fiction.

19th century telegraph office, with a female telegrapher

In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

March 24, 2024

In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

Before Ted Bundy, before John Wayne Gacy, there was Belle Gunness, the infamous Black Widow of LaPorte. As a girl in Norway, Belle was beaten by her lover until she miscarried her unborn child. After emigrating to the U.S., Belle lived with her sister's family in Chicago in the middle of a large community of Norwegian immigrants. Tired of men's cruelty and also tired of being poor, Belle vowed to never be under a man's control again and that she would never again be poor, taking her revenge on the men of the world in a gruesome fashion.

Historical fiction based on the life and crimes of the Black Widow of LaPorte, Indiana, one of the first American serial killers. Her crime spree began in Chicago, then later she moved to a farm in Indiana, where she continued her bloody deeds. I had heard of Belle but didn't really know her story. This was another book for Women's History Month, this time about a truly notorious woman who proved that women can be just as evil as men. 

Belle Gunness and her three foster children

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman

October 27, 2023

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman

Sage Winters has always known that her twin sister Rosemary died of pneumonia when they were children. But at age 16, Sage learns that her sister didn't die and is living at the Willowbrook School, a school for children with special needs. She learns that Rosemary vanished from the school a few days earlier, and Sage is determined to go to the school to find her twin.

Based on a true story. My hair stylist's oldest sister was a resident at Willowbrook in the 1970s, which was how I originally heard about it. The first third of the book is mostly about how terrible the conditions were at the school, and it takes a while for the plot to get moving. The main character is pretty dense for someone who is supposed to be street smart. I started with this novel as an audiobook, but I switched to the ebook version because I could skim over the slower parts. The story moves a lot slower than in Wiseman's earlier books. Geraldo Rivera did a prize-winning expose about living conditions at the school, which were truly horrible, with most of the residents contracting hepatitis and other diseases due to the filthy living conditions and lack of care. Definitely has a YA feel to it. Meh.

Willowbrook State School, New York

Kismet by Amina Akhtar

October 26, 2023

Kismet by Amina Akhtar

Ronnie Khan moves from Queens, NY, to Sedona, AZ, to follow her friend, wellness fanatic and wannabe guru Marley Dewhurst. Ronnie wants to escape her family and pursue her own wellness journey. But Ronnie hates every minute of the wellness regime and almost everything about the desert, except the birds. Early one morning while the two women are out on a hike, they find human remains out in the desert. It turns out to be a well-known wellness coach, and Marley sees it as an opportunity for her to grow her following and get free publicity. But that's not the only body that turns up, and Ronnie starts to wonder if there is a serial killer on the loose.

This was an Amazon First Reads freebie, and fairly typical of the monthly offerings. I rarely download any of the free books, but this one sounded like a decent thriller and something that I would enjoy reading. I hesitate to call this a thriller or suspense, since there wasn't any. Overall it was disappointing, since none of the characters are likeable and appear to be caricatures, and they are all shallower than a puddle. I really didn't care what happened to any of them. Not recommended.

Scenic Sedona

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

June 29, 2023

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

Marion Brooks has always wanted to dance, but even though she is extremely talented, her family discourages her, pushing her toward a "normal" life as a homemaker and mother, or if she insists on working, as a teacher, secretary or nurse. When she is hired to be a Rockette, instead of being happy for her, her father threatens to disown her. Marion decides to follow her dream and loves being a Rockette, but a serial bomber attacks the theater with dire consequences for her family. The police discount Marion's information because she is a woman, but she is determined to force them to listen to a psychologist who has a theory about the bomber.

Like the author's previous books, this is a well-researched historical novel that centers on a famous building in New York. Lots of history about the Rockettes as well as information about their dance/precision style. There are dual timelines set in 1956 and 1992. Marion's father seems repressive about her life choices, but things weren't that different in the 1970s when I was growing up. Anyone who enjoys dance or crime fiction will enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at Radio City Music Hall.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Rockettes' famous "fall" during the Toy Soldier sequence

The Maltese Iguana by Tim Dorsey

May 30, 2023

The Maltese Iguana by Tim Dorsey

Serge A. Storms, serial killer and Florida-phile extreme, and his stoner pal Coleman are back for another adventure, this time weathering the Covid-19 pandemic at Pelican Bay Condos, their retiree condo complex in the Florida Keys. Serge on lockdown is a different type of adventure. Once they are fully vaccinated, Serge and Coleman arrange a bus tour (known as Underbelly Tours) around Florida attractions for their fellow condo dwellers. Meanwhile, the CIA is planning a clandestine operation in South America with some questionable outside contractors. 

This could have been called Spies Like Us, with everyone spying on everyone else and trying to figure out what they're doing. While there are amusing interludes, there's not as much action or adventure as previous Serge novels. Coleman does give a lecture on beginner's marijuana use that is worthy of a college instructor. The Serge novels are definitely Florida Weird, with computer hackers, big box store shopping, a showdown of Siri vs. Alexa, viral videos, pandemic hoarding, mistaken identity, and pop culture reference galore. One of the weaker entries in the series.

BTW, the Maltese iguana is a bong that one of Serge's neighbors bought at the local medial marijuana dispensary, which Serge comes to believe is cursed.

A Florida green iguana - I understand they're considered to be pests

Tropic of Stupid by Tim Dorsey

October 19, 2022

Tropic of Stupid by Tim Dorsey

When the Florida state park system implements a yearly pass program complete with a passport to collect stamps from each park, Floridaphile and history buff Serge A. Storms is compelled to visit all of the state parks with his pal Coleman in order to get his passport stamped. At the same time, Serge decides to trace his family history after watching a late-night commercial for DNA testing and sending a sample off to the ancestry site. He receives several hits for distant cousins and uses their information to conduct more research, setting a goal to make other people happy. When he keeps crossing paths with a Florida Bureau of Investigation agent, he realizes that they are both searching for a serial killer who is related to Serge. Very closely related.

Serge might be a serial killer, but he only kills people who really need killing. He continues his one-man crusade to right the wrongs that persist in the Sunshine State, taking out a robber who preys on senior citizens and a shyster lawyer, among others. Like a noir detective, he lives by his own code of ethics. Also, he finds women who wear plaid shirts to be a turn-on. While this series might not appeal to everyone, I enjoy Dorsey's out-there sense of humor and Serge's creative "science projects."

Jonathan Dickson State Park in Florida (one of 54 state parks)

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

March 30, 2022

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Ansel Packer is on death row, scheduled to be executed in 12 hours. But Ansel is convinced that he will not be executed. He has written a massive document that he believes justifies his actions as a serial killer, and that once his philosophical treatise is presented to the judge, the governor, and the press, he will be celebrated as one of the great minds of our time. The story of his life is told by three women who were close to him: his teenaged mother, his former sister-in-law, and the detective who finally caught him. 

This is a dark story, but one of the best books I read in 2022. It describes some of the women caught in his sphere. The author says that she wrote the book because average or mediocre men become interesting to the public at large when they start killing women. She makes the story about the women rather than about the killer.

The Five: the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

September 23, 2021

The Five: the Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

Jack the Ripper's five victims are dismissed as prostitutes and drunks who deserved to be murdered. But that was a 19th century media depiction designed to sell newspapers, not the truth by any means. The five women were daughters, wives, and mothers, not just victims. They were women who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, placed there by circumstances.

Women's fathers and husbands were usually their only source of financial support in the 19th century. If a woman was widowed or her parents died and she was left penniless, there was often no other way for her to support herself and her children than resorting to prostitution. Some of the Ripper's victims weren't prostitutes at all, just forced to sleep rough because they didn't have the means to rent a room for the night. Cheap gin was a way to forget the horror that their lives had become. Poverty, homelessness, and no prospects for employment drove them to the streets and prostitution.

This is a really insightful look at the Ripper's victims as people and not just as horribly mutilated dead bodies. Very well-researched.

The women who were victims of Jack the Ripper

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

Last Call: a True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green

January 9, 2021

Last Call: a True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green

In the 1980's, a serial killer was preying on gay men in midtown New York, hanging around gay bars until closing time, when he lured lonely men to leave with him. Dubbed the Last Call Killer by the press, he was bland and inconspicuous and faded into the crowds at the gay bars (the pianist at one bar described him as forgettable).

Even though bags of body parts were showing up along New York highways, law enforcement were slow to recognize a pattern, partly because the victims were gay men, and partly because there was no online crime network at the time, so the police departments in the various towns did not work together. 

His crimes have been largely forgotten with the AIDS crisis and the rising crime and murder rates. Elon Green remembers the victims rather than the serial killer, allowing each man's life to tell his story. Love the noir-ish cover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC.

The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis

June 28, 2020

The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis

After barely escaping prosecution for corruption, former NYC detective Jenna Murphy takes the only job she can get, with the Southampton Town Police Department, where her uncle is the chief of police.  She is shocked to find the wealthy and privileged community is a hotbed of murder, where a serial killer has apparently been preying on tourists and transients for years.  All of the murders seem to center around Number 7 Ocean Drive, a fabulous oceanfront mansion that has stood empty for years, locally known as The Murder House.

The main character is flawed almost to the point of being ridiculous.  Although we’re told repeatedly what a great cop she is, she accuses one male character after another of being the murder, physically attacks suspects before questioning them, and does not demonstrate any of the instincts that are vital to being a good police officer.  She is also paranoid and a heavy drinker.  Noah, the character that she attacks repeatedly, unbelievably ends up being her love interest.  Although some readers gushed about the great suspense, I figured out who the killer was a little over halfway through the book. 

James Patterson isn’t one of my favorite authors, and I had a really hard time finishing this one.  The female narrator’s voice in the audiobook grated on my nerves.  I finally ended up returning the audiobook and getting the print version instead.  I don't recommend this one at all.

Edinburgh Twilight by Carole Lawrence

April 16, 2020

Edinburgh Twilight by Carole Lawrence

A young man is found dead in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, an apparent suicide, but Detective Inspector Ian Hamilton isn't so sure.  As the number of victims mounts, Hamilton realizes that there is a serial killer on the loose in Edinburgh.  With the murders increasing in frequency and scope, the detective finds himself desperate to interpret the few clues left by the ruthless and organized sociopath.

This is the first title in a historical series set in Edinburgh in the late 19th century, in the early days of forensic science.  Like all good detectives, Hamilton is a damaged man carrying secrets from his past.  The point of view changes with the chapter and sometimes it's hard to figure out what character is speaking or thinking at the moment.  But overall it is quite a good historical mystery.

During the shelter-in-place period here in Illinois, I've been doing what work I can from home, doing things like working on book orders, writing book reviews, and staying in touch with my staff.  I have also been sewing face masks for friend and family.

Last night was a movie night - Hulu is streaming some older movies for free.  I watched Blazing Saddles, which is randy, tasteless and certainly not politically correct but still hilarious.  It's similar to Blades of Glory, which is about two male competitive figure skaters who are banned from competition for brawling at a competition, but then team up as pairs figure skaters since the competition rules don't state that a pair has to be a man and a woman.  Predictable and stupid, but some parts are just so damned funny.  

Stay well!

Verses for the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

March 19, 2020

Verses for the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Early in the morning, an elderly Florida woman and her dog visit the local cemetery where the dog finds an unusual object on a grave, which turns out to be a human heart.  The FBI is called in to investigate the gruesome discovery, more hearts are discovered on graves (all old suicides), and it soon becomes evident that a serial killer, who calls himself Mr. Brokenhearts, is at work.

There has been a reorganization at the FBI and Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast finds himself with (gasp!) a partner.  It’s that, or leave the FBI (or maybe get shipped to a remote FBI office out west).  Agent Coldmoon is a Native American junior agent who is the polar opposite of Pendergast, specifically chosen by Pendergast’s boss Pickett to be Pendergast’s partner and keep an eye on him.  Pendergast follows a hunch that the new murders are somehow connected to the graves where the hearts are found.  His hunch leads him and his new partner from Florida to Maine. 

Agent Pendergast is the main character in one of my favorite mystery series.  This is a strong entry in the series which could be read as a stand-alone title, although I missed hearing more about some of the regulars like Constance and Vincent.  Agent Coldmoon is quite an interesting character on his own, and I hope we see  more of him.  It was interesting that the late William Smithback’s brother Roger Smithback makes an appearance as a whiny Miami journalist.

Preston and Child write other books together in addition to the Agent Pendergast series, and for some reason, their other books are never as good.  I don’t know if that’s because they put so much into the Pendergast series that they just use leftover ideas for the other books or what. 

The library is still open but will be limiting hours next week.  Stay well and keep reading!

Hell's Princess by Harold Schechter

November 10, 2019

Hell’s Princess:  the Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold Schechter

Belle Gunness of Laporte County, Indiana, was a notorious serial killer known as the Lady Bluebeard.  She would place classified advertisements in Norwegian language newspapers in the Midwest, seeking single men to come and help her run her large farm (oh, and bring all your money, too).  Once the men arrived at the Gunness farm, Belle would rob and murder them, dismembering the bodies and burying them in her pigsty.  Since she weighed around 300 pounds and wasn’t a pretty woman by any stretch of the imagination, it’s surprising how many men were taken in by Belle (the photo on the cover of the book actually bears a resemblance to Lizzie Borden - see the photos below).  While it is unknown exactly how many men Belle murdered, at least 14 of her victims were identified, and there may have been dozens more.

When one of her victim’s brothers notified her that he was coming to her farm to search for his brother, her farmhouse conveniently burned down.  Her children’s bodies were all found inside along with a headless woman’s body.  Even though he never found her head, the local sheriff decided that it was indeed Belle and pronounced her dead, but many people believed she had escaped.  For years afterward, there were sightings of Belle all over the country.

The first half of the book is fascinating, as it recounts Belle’s background and her history as a serial killer, but unfortunately, the last half of the book is mainly speculation about what happened to Belle, and whether or not she really died in the house fire (seems unlikely).  There are comparisons to other serial killers of the age such as the Bender family in Kansas who lured wealthy travelers to their deaths, or "what if" Belle had attracted a fellow serial killer with her ads and which one would have killed the other one first.  More text is spent on the mythology that grew up around Belle, and the industry that sprang from her story (pamphlets, stage dramas, ballads, etc.).  Well researched but I lost interest soon after Belle disappeared/died.

                                                              Lizzie Borden

Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey

Atomic Lobster by Tim Dorsey

More Florida mayhem with Serge A. Storms, Florida-phile and looney knight errant, and his druggie pal Coleman, who never met an addictive substance he didn’t like.  The boys are short on cash as usual, and need to drum up some fast money.  And what's faster and cheaper than printing your own money?  They have new friend, a stripper named Rachel who literally stumbled into their apartment (she sounds like a reincarnation of Sharon from Florida Roadkill).  Meanwhile, the G-Unit (the four grannies who hit it big in investing) have discovered that it’s cheaper to live on a cruise ship than in senior citizen housing, so they start booking back-to-back cruises – and a lot of other retirees have figured this out, too (free food available 24 hours/day including room service, daily maid service, onboard activities like mini golf and movies, pool and exercise room, nightly live entertainment – all included in the cruise price).  Jim Davenport and his wife are just trying to find a house in a nice quiet neighborhood, Tex McGraw is still trying to kill them, and the Diaz brothers want to get into smuggling big-time.  And Johnny Vegas (the Accidental Virgin) is still trying to get laid.

Another reason I like Serge is that he has a thing for librarians – reference and information is such a turn-on, and what’s better than having sex with a librarian in a storage unit on a door from Jim Morrison’s house?  The audiobook is narrated by Oliver Wyman who does a great job with all the voices.

Metropolis by Philip Kerr

September 26, 2019

Metropolis by Philip Kerr

In 1928, the Weimar Republic is limping along as Germany tries to rebuild from the war.  Berlin is a wide open city, the nights filled with all manner of vice and violence.  Detective Bernie Gunther is moved from the vice section of the Berlin police force to the murder commission.  He and his mentor are assigned to investigate a series of murders of Berlin prostitutes – the killer not only kills the women but scalps them, too.  They suspect it may be an ex-soldier, someone who got a taste for killing in the war.  But the prostitute murderer is quickly forgotten when someone who calls himself Doktor Gnadenschuss (German for mercy shot) begins killing disabled German veterans.  After following up a number of dead end clues, Bernie begins to suspect that the killer is someone he knows.

The book title refers not only to Berlin but also to the film Metropolis, which is set in a utopian city that is beautiful on the surface, but hides a bleak underworld of the disadvantaged and the criminal.  Interestingly, Bernie has a meeting with Thea von Harbou, an actual German screenwriter who wrote the script for the classic movies Metropolis and M: A City Hunts a Murderer - Bernie gives Thea suggestions for the plot of the latter film.

With Philip Kerr’s untimely death in 2018, this is the last of the Bernie Gunther mysteries.  Bernie is a noir detective usually based in Berlin but Kerr took us around the world as we explored Bernie’s life and career both before and after World War II.  I loved this series and I’m so sad it’s over – both Kerr and Bernie will be sorely missed.  I waited until I could get the audiobook version, since John Lee does a wonderful job with the narration as he has done with so many of the Bernie Gunther novels.