In Michelle Chouinard’s clever mystery The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, the granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city. Welcome to San Francisco, a city with killer charm. The chill of a San Francisco summer can be deadly. No one knows this better than Capri Sanzio, who makes her living giving serial killer tours of the city. Capri has been interested in the topic since she was a kid, when she discovered she’s the granddaughter of serial killer William ‘Overkill Bill’ Sanzio. She’s always believed in his innocence, though she's never taken the leap to fully dive into the case. But now an Overkill Bill copycat has struck in San Francisco. And Capri’s former mother-in-law, Sylvia, just cut off Capri’s daughter’s tuition payments. Needing cash, Capri wonders if this is the time to exonerate her grandfather. The case is back in the news and the police will be looking to understand the past to catch a present-day killer. Capri could finally uncover the truth about Overkill Bill—documenting the process with a podcast and a book—and hopefully earn some money. Before Capri can get very far, the cops discover the copycat’s latest victim: Sylvia. Capri soon finds herself at the heart of the police’s investigation for an entirely different reason. She and her daughter are prime suspects.
When victims are found in dancing poses, Detective Jo Fournier immediately sees the pattern, but how can a serial killer get to victims all over the country? When loving wife Jeanine Hammond is found dead in a small leafy town in Massachusetts, newly promoted Detective Jo Fournier is shocked to her core. Why leave her body posed like a ballerina? Why steal her wedding band and nothing else? Hungry for answers, Jo questions Jeanine's husband, but the heart-breaking pain written on his face threatens to tear open Jo's old wounds. It's the same pain she felt when her boyfriend was cruelly shot dead by a gang in their hometown of New Orleans. She couldn't get justice for him, but she's determined to get justice for Jeanine's devastated family. But before Jo can get answers, another woman is found, wedding ring stolen, body posed in the same ritualistic way. Digging through old files, Jo makes a terrifying link to a series of cold cases. She knows a serial killer is on the loose, but nobody will listen to the truth--not her bosses, nor the FBI. Still, Jo won't let her superiors keep her from stopping the murderer in his tracks, even if it means the end of her career. Just as she is beginning to lose hope, she finds messages on the victims' computers that feel like the crucial missing link. But she knows the murderer is moments away from selecting his next victim. Will she be able to take down the most twisted killer of her career before another innocent life is lost?
The 170-year history of the San Francisco Bay Area told through its crimes and how they intertwine with the city’s art, music, and politics In The Murders That Made Us, the story of the San Francisco Bay Area unfolds through its most violent and depraved acts. From its earliest days when vigilantes hung perps from downtown buildings to the Zodiac Killer and the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, murder and mayhem have shaped the city into the political and economic force that she is today. The Great 1906 Earthquake shook a city that was already teetering on the brink of a massive prostitution scandal. The Summer of Love ended with a pair of ghastly drug dealer slayings that sent Charles Manson packing for Los Angeles. The 1970s come crashing down with the double tragedy of Jonestown and the assassination of Gay icon Harvey Milk by an ex-cop. And the 21st Century rise of California Governor Gavin Newsom, Trump insider Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Vice President Kamala Harris is told through a brutal dog-mauling case and the absurdity called Fajitagate. It’s a 170-year saga of madness, corruption, and death revealed here one crime at a time.
Ian Brady and Myra Hindley's spree of torture, sexual abuse, and murder of children in the 1960s was one of the most appalling series of crimes ever committed in England, and remains almost daily fixated upon by the tabloid press. In The Gates of Janus, Ian Brady himself allows us a glimpse into the mind of a murderer as he analyzes a dozen other serial crimes and killers. Criminal profiling by a criminal was not invented by the dramatists of Dexter. Novelist and true-crime writer Colin Wilson, author of the famous and influential book The Outsider, remarks in his introduction to Brady's book that one must first explore the depraved reaches of human consciousness to truly understand human character. When first released in 2001, The Gates of Janus sparked controversy attended by a huge media splash. The new edition, the first in paperback, provides the reader with a decade and a half of updates, including Brady's letters to the publisher, both providing information regarding his own demented history along with demands that Feral House remove its unflattering afterword written by author Peter Sotos.
Looking for a new book that will make your heart race? The twelfth edition of The Minotaur Sampler compiles the beginnings of six can't-miss novels—either standalone or first in series—publishing Fall 2024 for free for easy sampling. Standalone: In acclaimed author Julia Dahl's I Dreamed of Falling, the death of a young mother triggers an avalanche of secrets in a small Hudson Valley town. First in Series: In Michelle Chouinard’s clever mystery The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco, the granddaughter of a serial killer shows readers another side of the beloved city. First in Series: Olivia Blacke’s A New Lease on Death is a darkly funny supernatural mystery about an unlikely crime-solving duo that launches a commercial, unique, and genre-blending series, death is only the beginning. First in Series: In Deborah J. Benoit’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut, The Gardener’s Plot, a woman helps set up a community garden in the Berkshires, only to find a body in one of the plot's on opening day. Standalone: A gripping new novel inspired by a real place and events from the author’s family, Trouble Island is the standalone suspense debut from historical mystery writer Sharon Short. First in Series: P. J. Nelson’s Booked for Murder is an atmospheric southern cozy debut, where Madeline Brimley returns to the bookstore she inherited, discovering that small towns hold deadly secrets.
Law Enforcement tells us that there could be as many as 50 serial killers operating within the continental U.S. today. Most of them kill randomly which makes them hard to discern from other murderers. Knowing more about serial killers, the crimes they have committed and how they were caught allows you to stay safe and keep others safe by being able to recognize them. I have chosen the BEST OF THE WORST of serial killers to spot light. Ted Bundy, the Son of Sam, the Green River Killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, BTK, Zodiac and some that you may not know. Over 25 profiles that will keep you reading and may keep you awake at night. I lived just a few blocks from one of the Son of Sam murder scenes during the time he was still active. I know the fear. I was a teen when the Sharon Tate Murders took place and Zodiac was active. I have taken my fear and interest in this subject and created a comfortable read for those who share my interest.
The Zodiac serial killer claimed the lives of at least five young victims between 1966 and 1974, and mocked the police with telephone calls, taunting letters, and encrypted messages. Thousands of men have been accused; nearly 2,500 have been investigated. Yet the Zodiac has never been identified.This painstakingly researched and meticulously detailed compendium to the Zodiac serial killer case by True Crime author Mark Hewitt presents the crimes and their effect on a community, including the various sides of the many disputed issues within the case.PROFILED: The Zodiac Examined discusses the case files of the Zodiac Serial Killer case. Included is an extensive profile of the killer that just may lead to his identification.This indispensable series is accessible to anyone interested in joining the pursuit, exploring a mystery, or witnessing the police response to an appalling crime spree.
Avoid The Tourist Herds. What could be more uninspiring than seeing the identical attractions that everyone else has for decades? This Twisted Tour Guide escorts you to the places locals don’t want to talk about anymore…the same places people once couldn’t stop talking about. Long after the screaming headlines and sensationalism has subsided, these bizarre, infamous and obscure historical sites remain hidden awaiting rediscovery. Each visitation site in this guide is accompanied by a story. Many of the narratives defy believability, yet they are true. The profiled cast of characters feature saints and sinners (with emphasis towards the latter). Notorious crimes, murders, accidental deaths, suicides, kidnappings, vice and scandal are captivating human interest tales. Paranormal activity in the aftermath is common. The photography from each profile showcases the precise location where each event occurred. The scenes can seem ordinary, weird and/or sometimes very revealing towards clarifying the background behind events. If you’re seeking an alternative to conventional tourism, this Twisted Tourist Guide is ideal. Each directory accommodates the restless traveler and even resident looking for something unique and different. You will never imagine or scrutinize the San Francisco Bay area through rose tinted glasses again. The contents include: SAN FRANCISCO: CIA’s Sex and Drug Playhouse, Diamond Jessie Hayman’s Brothels, Jerome Bassity’s Tenderloin Fiefdom, Sublime’s Bradley James Nowell’s Heroin Overdose, 1937 Brothel Addresses, Chambers Mansion, 1885 Chinatown Vice, Cliff House and Sutro Baths, Killer Piano of the Condor Club, Curran Theater’s Haunting, Dan White’s Infamous Murders and Suicide, Dog Mauling of Diane Whipple, Chinatown’s Belle Cora and Donaldina Cameron, Gangland Slaying of Fung Little Pete Jing Toy, 101 California Building Massacre, Golden Gate Bridge Suicides, Jeff Adachi’s Double Life and Death, Contract Killing of Joe The Animal Barboza, Kevin Collins Kidnapping, Maiden Lane’s Infamous History, Mary Ellen Pleasant’s Legacy, Miles Archer’s Murder Plaque, Golden Dragon Massacre, President Warren Harding’s Death, People’s Temple, Queen Anne Hotel Legacy, Fatty Arbuckle’s Fall From Grace, Political Fixer Abe Ruef’s Penthouse, Spreckel’s Mansion, St. Elizabeth’s Center for Unwed Mothers, Terrific Street, and the International Settlement, Whittier Mansion Nazi Connection, Westerfield House and the Zebra Killings EAST BAY AREA Ashkenaz Murder, Port Chicago Explosion and Mutiny, Journalist Chancey Bailey’s Shooting, Children of Thunder Murders, Oakland Superintendent of Schools Assassination, Fat Lady Restaurant, Ghost Ship Warehouse Inferno, Henry’s Bar Hostage Nightmare, Port Costa’s Hotel Burlington, Huey Newton’s Demise, Laci Peterson’s Saga, Lovelle Mixon’s Police Killings, Gambling Era Survivor Oaks Card Room, Oikos University Massacre, Oscar Grant III’s Homicide, Patty Hearst Kidnapping, Pleasanton Hotel Phantom, Jockey Ron Hansen’s Plunge, Unabomber’s Berkeley Experience, USS Hornet’s Suicide Reputation and El Cerrito’s Dens of Iniquity MARIN COUNTY Mitchell Brothers Curse, Blue Rock Inn’s Seedy Past, Litchfield’s: California’s Las Vegas, Marin County Courthouse Shootings, Tamalpais Trailhead Killer, Marin Barbeque Murders, Robin Williams’ Suicide and Sausalito’s Infamous Madame Sally Stanford PENINSULA Brook Hart’s Kidnapping, Cameron’s Pub, Kohl Mansion, Moss Beach Distillery’s Blue Lady, Ocean Beach Hotel, PG& E’s San Bruno Pipeline Explosion, Sam’s Eclectic Castle and Historic Sanchez Adobe, SOLANO COUNTY Promoter Bill Graham’s Fatal Helicopter Crash, Benicia’s Capital and Brothel Heritage and Zodiac Killer Murders SONOMA & NAPA COUNTIES Blue Wing Inn, California Industrial Farm for Women, Fishhead Beach Murder, Petaluma’s Crooked History, Polly Klaas Abduction, Ramon Salcido’s Family Slayings, Napa’s Infamous Spanish Town and Washoe House Stagecoach Stop
The critically acclaimed, San Francisco Chronicle bestseller—a gripping story of the strife and tragedy that led to San Francisco’s ultimate rebirth and triumph. Salon founder David Talbot chronicles the cultural history of San Francisco and from the late 1960s to the early 1980s when figures such as Harvey Milk, Janis Joplin, Jim Jones, and Bill Walsh helped usher from backwater city to thriving metropolis.
In this award-winning debut mystery novel, the chief of police of a small town is also an unreliable drunk. So when Dora Lee Parjeter is murdered, her old friend and former police chief Samuel Craddock steps in to investigate. He discovers that a lot of people may have had it in for Dora Lee—the conniving rascals on the farm next door, her estranged daughter, and her live-in grandson. And then there’s that stranger Dora Lee claimed was spying on her. As Craddock digs to find the identity of the killer, the human foibles of Jarrett Creek's residents—their pettiness and generosity, their secret vices and true virtues—are also revealed.
