The most sensational and intriguing murders from across the United
States are reexamined in this disquieting volume, which introduces
readers to the most lethal killers from every state. Uncovering
homicides from a seminal period of American criminal history, this
compendium covers from the end of the Civil War to the beginning of
WWII, the era that saw the first murderer convicted using fingerprints
and the birth of the FBI laboratory.
Every murder case is accompanied by a contemporary map or bespoke
floorplan on which the precise movements of both killer and victim are
meticulously plotted, revealing the vital components of each crime. The
gruesome scene is completed with early mugshots and unnerving crime
scene photographs, bringing to life blood-soaked Wild West bars, inner
city ganglands, and the deadly plots behind famous assassinations.
The killers featured range from the black widow Belle Gunness, who lured
numerous victims to her Illinois farm, to Cleveland's "Mad Butcher," and
from the infamous Texan bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde to the devious
Petrillo cousins in Philadelphia and their contract killing service.
Crime expert Adam Selzer illuminates the details of each case,
recounting the shocking details of the crimes themselves, and the
ingenious detective work and breakthrough forensics that solved them.
His bloodthirsty tour of America's criminal underworld uncovers the
ruthless scheming of murderers both infamous and little-known, providing
a hair-raising anthology that will appeal to anyone with a taste for
murder.
