Murderabilia, Harold Schechter
Murderabilia, Harold Schechter
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Murderabilia
A History of Crime in 100 Objects

Author: Harold Schechter

Narrator: Buck Groat

Unabridged: 9 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/17/2024

Synopsis

From veteran true crime master Harold Schechter comes a unique look into the history of crime told through the dark objects left behind. The false teeth of a female serial killer from 1908, the cut-and-paste confession of the Black Dahlia killer, the newly cracked cipher of the Zodiac killer, the shotgun used in the Clutter family murders, which were made famous by Truman Capote's true crime classic In Cold Blood—these are more than simple artifacts that once belonged to notorious murderers. They are objects of fascination to the legion of true crime obsessives around the world. And not merely for fleeting dark thrills, but because they represent a way to better understand those who we typically label monsters in lieu of learning how they actually became one. In Murderabilia, veteran true crime writer Harold Schechter presents 100 murder-related artifacts spanning two centuries (1808–2014), with accompanying stories of various lengths. A visual and literary journey, it presents a history unlike any previously told in the true crime genre, one that speaks to the dark fascination of true crime fans while also presenting a larger historical timeline of how and why we continue to be captivated by the most sensational crimes and killers among us.

About Harold Schechter

Harold Schechter, a two-time Edgar nominee, has published more than 30 true crime titles, including five 100K+ copy bestsellers. His most recent work, Killer Colt: Murder, Disgrace, and the Making of an American Legend, was published in April 2024. He has taught literature and myth criticism for more than 40 years at Queens College/CUNY and is a murderabilia collector himself.

Reviews

Goodreads review by David on September 01, 2023

Masks, Movies, Music, Manual Typewriters and other Milestones of Murder My wife and I both are fans of murder mysteries and true crime narratives, so this fascinating new volume by true-crime writer and literary scholar Harold Schechter is right up our (dark) alley. Because of my work as a journalist......more

Goodreads review by Peacegal on April 08, 2025

This book offers a succinct synopsis of a variety of deadly crimes--some infamous, some largely forgotten--along with archive-like presentations of everyday objects that have some connection with the murder. Some of the passages focused too much on ghoulish details rather than procedural explanation......more

Goodreads review by Jill on February 15, 2024

Decent, but a little on the superficial side. Some real gems included (Kacyzinsky’s typewriter, the Tsarnaev Brother’s crumpled pressure cooker bomb, Nathan Leopold’s incriminating eyeglasses), but most actual weapons we’ve seen before, like Lizzie Borden’s hatchet, Gacy’s artwork, Zodic’s Cypher. M......more

Goodreads review by Victoria on September 30, 2023

This was a really interesting book! I learned new information and this book was the perfect length. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys true crime stories. Special Thank You to Harold Schechter, Workman Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchang......more

Goodreads review by Hannah on May 27, 2024

I read this book like a devotional: one story every morning. Sometimes more. It was a neat summary of the most horrific crimes whose perpetrators are household names, as well as a few lesser-known cases. My only complaint is that I wish the photos were glossy rather than matte, though I know that’s......more

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