The World's Most Evil People by Rodney Castledon

The World's Most Evil People by Rodney Castleden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - over a month

Pages - 576

Publisher - Futura

Source - its been on the tbrm for years

Blurb from Goodreads

There are some evil people in this world, when you think about the killing, torturing, bombing and maiming and this book covers it all. Vlad the Impaler was a prince known for executing his enemies by impalement. He was a fan of various forms of torture including disembowelling and rectal and facial impalement. Vlad the Impaler tortured thousands while he ate and drank among the corpses. Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator, ordered that millions of peasants were either killed or permitted to starve to death. Stalin brought about the deaths of more than 20 million of his own people while holding the Soviet Union in an iron grip for 29 years.


My Review

This took me a while to get through. There are so many evil people from the past, I knew a few names but loads I didn't. I read a lot of true crime, crime fiction and horror but some of these people in this book are absolutely horrific.

Some of the chapters are really small, like a page and a half. A mix across genders, countries and timelines. People in power, ordinary everyday people who do some utterly horrific things, brutal killings, some of the most depraved things I have ever read. This is why I took so long to get through it, I had to put it down a few times and read stuff in between.

I never normally pick up on an authors feelings about people but when I got to the Krays story I could tell the author really didn't like them. I have read and seen a few Kray stories and never caught anyone's strong dislike. Like notable on theirs but not some of the other horrific mass killers, deviants in this book so that was interesting especially when I never notice stuff like that. It certainly opens your eyes to how many truly evil people have passed through this world and left a dark mark on it, 3/5.

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The Real Life Murder Clubs: Citizens solving True Crimes by Nicola Stow

The Real-Life Murder Clubs: Citizens Solving True Crimes by Nicola Stow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 240

Publisher - Ad Lib Publishers

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

The story behind real-life clubs of ordinary citizens who come together to solve true crime mysteries—including the sleuths behind Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

In 2019, Netflix had a hit with documentary series Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. It was based on one of Canada’s most infamous crimes: the 2012 murder of thirty-three-year-old Lin Jun by his porn-star boyfriend, Luka Magnotta, in Montreal. Magnotta filmed himself killing and (apparently) eating parts of his victim; he also mailed Jun’s feet and hands to two Canadian political parties and two elementary schools.

Prior to Jun’s murder, though, Magnotta had anonymously posted online videos of himself killing kittens. Horrified Facebook sleuths worked tirelessly to uncover the kitten-killer’s identity and location. Armchair detective Deanne Thompson, a data analyst for a Vegas casino by day, spent countless hours researching Lithuanian doorknobs, among other things, to help identify items in Magnotta’s videos during her quest to unmask him.

Nicola Stow reveals the fascinating stories behind this and and similar cases in which ordinary citizens, in real-life murder clubs, as in Richard Osman’s bestselling fiction, help to investigate crimes, both recent and cold cases. Includes the cases of Casey Anthony, John Wayne Gacy, JonBenét Ramsey, Golden State Killer, Boston Marathon bombings, and many more.



My Review

Just going to say to start off I never watched the Netflix show Don't F*ck with Cats, I heard about what happened and even though it is brief I just couldn't. So with that in mind it does mention in the book what he did to those poor wee kittens and it does mention harm to animals so just an fyi (it is something I struggle with reading so just a headsup. I have read a few books that talk about sleuths but if you haven't heard about them don't worry the book is a fantastic introduction to them and so much.

Ordinary people who have their own lives and often own jobs (some retired) get into sleuthing or armchair detectiving in different ways and reasons. If you like reaching about true crime you will really enjoy this book.

It talks about some very well known serial killers and some cases you may not be overly familiar with. It tells us about their community, forums available, what they do, how they came about (one of Ted Bundy near miss would be victims is involved in one) and some of the Jane and John Doe's they have identified, how they managed to do it. They discuss how they help the police and how some police do not want or avoid their assistance and how some are really grateful and or happy to work with them.

Michelle McNamara was an author (and famous husband actor Patton Oswald) who worked on so much research on The Golden State Killer and was working on her book "I'll Be Gone In The Dark" - I hadn't heard of it really and after reading this book I bought it. It has so much in it and I don't want to go into so as not to spoil anything. Absolutely for fans or true crime and if you are into or interested in sleuthing too its a double reason. 4.5/5 for me this time, first time reading this author, I would read her again.

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Sons of Brutality by Daniel Jeudy

Sons of Brutality #1 by Daniel Jeudy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages -

Publisher - Vivid Publishing

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads/back cover

When Detective Addison Mowbray begins investigating the murders of two young women in the Hollywood Hills, he can't imagine where the case will lead. He suspects the crimes were inspired by an occult fascination, due to some missing body parts and the inverted Christian cross branded on the victims' breasts. But apart from Addison's temperamental partner, Jed, the only other person keen on them pursuing that line of investigation is Lilly Coniglio, a medical examiner from the Coroner's Department. The LAPD is already under immense public pressure due to all the bad press another killer – a vigilante – has brought to their door: it's been over a year since the first organized-crime figure showed up full of holes, with a plastic police badge beside his body.

As Addison and Jed navigate a murky, disturbing occult landscape in search of answers, they uncover something even more terrifying than a killer hiding in the shadows: an organization so vile and powerful that it changes their lives forever. These two troubled detectives are all that stand between this organization and a spectacular season of carnage.

Set against a backdrop of urban bleakness and social inequality, 'Sons of Brutality' combines deeply flawed protagonists with human monsters, integrating strong dialogue, violent action and gripping suspense.



My Review

Detective Addison Mowbray is investigating the brutal murders of two young women in Hollywood Hills, the bodies have been mutilated. As the case progresses, Mowbray feels more and more the murders have more than a little nod to the Occult. Add into that LAPD are already under fire as another serial killer is operating in the area, killing bad guys and leaving plastic badges by the bodies. If that isn't enough for you dear reader we have a third player, Narek, high ranking in the Mafia, ruthless, racist, misogynistic, foul mouthed villain, it is a busy book!

It is a lot crammed into 328 pages, Mowbray has a lot of issues/baggage, issues with the bottle but is a good dude. We follow his investigation, hear from the killer and their views, the vigilante and the Mafia bad guy. Despite multiple storylines I didn't feel too disjointed bouncing from person to person.

This isn't for the faint hearted, there are so many dark, brutal, graphic, horrific elements, some of the characters are really sick, twisted individuals. Narek really brings up the bile, the way he speaks to, thinks about and treats women, the C word is bandied about frequently and that isn't close to being the worst, he is a racist scumbag. I found his parts quite hard going and remember there is an occult/sadist/horror individual, also dark reading but Narek really got under my skin. I think because there is so much hate/bile/abuse in reality it just touched a nerve, I was rooting for someone, anyone to pan his melt in!

I would love to see the vigilante get more *air time* - I got echoes of a bit of Jack Reacher code from him. We always love to see someone bring justice to bad people so yeah I would like the next book to be theirs or heavily featured if there is a book two. I think if there is a series then there has been good foundations laid down. I would like to read more from this author but definitely prepare yourself to step into a very dark, nasty world, 3/5 for me.

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A Special Place in Hell by Christopher Berry-Dee

A Special Place in Hell: The World's Most Depraved Serial Killers by Christopher Berry-Dee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 240

Publisher - Ad Lib

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Christopher Berry-Dee is the man who talks to serial killers. A world-renowned investigative criminologist, he has gained the trust of murderers across the world, entered their high security prisons, and discussed in detail their shocking crimes. The killers' pursuit of horror and violence is described through the unique audiotape and videotape interviews which Berry-Dee conducted, deep inside the bowels of some of the world's toughest prisons. Christopher Berry-Dee has collated these interviews into this astounding, disturbing book. Not only does he describe his meetings with some of the world's most evil men and women, he also reproduces, verbatim, their very words as they describe their crimes, allowing the reader a glimpse into the inner workings of the people who have committed the worst crime possible—to mercilessly take the life of another human being.


My Review

If you have read Berry-Dee before then you know what you are in for, this is his 2nd or 3rd book I have read. He refers back to his previous published works throughout so if you do enjoy it you won't need to go to FantasticFiction to get more titles. There is no denying he has had some interesting encounters and researched some of the most shocking individuals in true crime history.

This book covers a fair few killers, some of the absolute worst, across the decades. Some of the killers you will know, notorious, a few I hadn't heard of.

Not for the faint hearted, we genuinely have had some horrific killers in our world and the book doesn't shy away from some of the worse details. The author also has some commentary and opinions that some readers may find offensive. Otherwise, for true crime buffs I think you will "enjoy" the book for what it is and potentially find one or two new ones, 3/5 for me this time.

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Talking with Female Serial Killers by Christopher Berry-Dee

Talking with Female Serial Killers - A chilling study of the most evil women in the world by Christopher Berry-Dee
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 7 days on and off

Pages - 320

Publisher - John Blake

Source - Asda

Blurb from Goodreads

Christopher Berry-Dee, criminologist and bestselling author of books about the serial killers Aileen Wuornos and Joanne Dennehy, turns his uncompromising gaze upon women who not only kill, but kill repeatedly.

Because female murderers, and especially serial murderers, are so rare compared with their male counterparts, this new study will surprise as well as shock, particularly in the cases of women like Beverley Allitt, who kill children, and Janie Lou Gibbs, who killed her three sons and a grandson, as well as her husband. Here too are women who kill under the influence of their male partners, such as Myra Hindley and Rosemary West, and whose lack of remorse for their actions is nothing short of chilling. But the author also turns his forensic gaze on female killers who were themselves victims, like Aileen Wuornos, whose killing spree, for which she was executed, can be traced directly to her treatment at the hands of men.

Christopher Berry-Dee has no equal as the author of hard-hitting studies of the killers who often walk among us undetected for many years, and who in so many cases seem to be acting entirely against their natures.


My Review

Berry-Dee gives us a snapshot insight into some of the worst female killers, I know the book says female serial killers however some mentioned are only single killers. All of those mentioned are horrific, make your skin crawl, your breath catch and make you question humanity. Some of the names featured I recognised as I have read/seen a lot of true crime over the years but some were new for me.

Let me just start by saying this isn't a terribly written book however there was a lot that I didn't love. There is A LOT of self promotion and I don't have an issue with authors bragging on their previous work, why not they have worked hard for it. However this is one of his books and I think the focus should be on the material in the book. There are a lot of throwbacks and name dropping to his previous books/shows and not always relevant, in my opinion, to the sentence it is dropped in. There also seemed to be missed opportunities or cut offs, for example on one part the author is talking about how horrific something is the police seen or said and there is no detail given, the sentence just rounds up by X was killed or reference to their family. You get a wee bit of history on one killer and a token mention of who they killed then the next person will have more than a few pages on their background and who they are and their victims were.

I think my problem is when I read books like this each person gets approximately the same amount of focus or at least a chapter to themselves. This book you would have pages on one person then one paragraph on another. The other thing I noticed was the author would name call or negatively comment on the persons appearance or weight in quite derogatory terms. I haven't came across this before and everyone is absolutely entitled to their opinions and some of these individuals are the most heinous to have walked the earth but name calling from an author I found to be surprising.

I think many people have and will love this book as a snapshot introduction to female killers rather than an in depth look. The cover features Myra Hindley (well the one I read did) she features only in a passing sentence or two. He seems to have a fair few books under his belt and has worked/interviewed many killers so knows his stuff, I just didn't like how this one presented. I would read this author again I just won't be running out to buy his previous works. Try it and let me know, I would love to hear your thoughts as I think I may be more in the minority as I didn't love this one, 2/5 for me.

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Deadlier Than the Male by Terry Manners

Deadlier Than the Male: Stories of Female Serial Killers by Terry Manners
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2.5 days

Pages - 372

Publisher - Trafalgar Square Publishing

Source - Friend from RISI

Blurb from Goodreads

The phenomenon of the female serial killer has been increasingly capturing the public's attention. This book examines the motivation of, among others, the revengeful Aileen Wournos, the materialistic Dorothea Puente, the sexually abused Terri Rachals, the psychologically disturbed nurse Beverley Allitt and the obsessive lover Karla Teale. An even more complex creature than her male counterpart, the female serial killer rarely taunts the police nor revels in her sinister "superiority", making her capture more difficult. This book tells the stories of these women, from early childhood to their obsession to kill. From the court case to the psychiatrist's reports, it explores the caverns of the female serial killer's mind.


My Review

A brief look at some of the worlds females serial killers, Mary Ann Cotton, Nannie Doss, Christine Falling, Velma Barfield, Terri Rachals, Dorothea Puente, Beverly Allitt, Aileen Wuornos, Karla Homolka. We briefly examine the different type of killers, The Comfort Serial killer, The Visionary, The Power Seekers, The Disciple and the Hedonistic serial killer. Each killer gets approximately 40 odd pages so I would say this is a good book to start for a brief beginning if you are interested in this kind of subject.

I had heard of a few of them but not all and even the ones I had heard of there were some details that were new to me. It can make for a tough read, whilst it doesn't go into as much detail as some books there is still enough to be brutal. The author has taken a wee bit of artistic creativity with the dialogue however he does say at the beginning where he has gotten his information and what he has done with it.

A good starter book, decent sized chapters, easily enough to read in respects to how it has been written rather than subject content. There is murder, abuse, depravity, child murder and endangerment which is hard to read, sexual deviancy and as I said hard to read the darker side of humanity but in regards to some books in this genre it isn't as heavy. 3.5/5 for me this time, this is my first time reading this author, I will look and see what else he has written.

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Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak

Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - < 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - Headline

Blurb from Goodreads

Evelyn Talbot knows that a psychopath can look perfectly normal. She was only sixteen when her own boyfriend Jasper imprisoned and tortured her—and left her for dead. Now an eminent psychiatrist who specializes in the criminal mind, Evelyn is the force behind Hanover House, a maximum-security facility located in a small Alaskan town. Her job puts her at odds with Sergeant Amarok, who is convinced that Hanover is a threat to his community…even as his attraction to beautiful Evelyn threatens to tear his world apart.
BEGINS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM HER PAST
Then, just as the bitter Alaskan winter cuts both town and prison off from the outside world, the mutilated body of a local woman turns up. For Amarok, this is the final proof he needs: Hanover has to go. Evelyn, though, has reason to fear that the crime is a personal message to her—the first sign that the killer who haunts her dreams has found her again. . .and that the life she has so carefully rebuilt will never be the same…


My Review

Evelyn Talbot is our main character, we open when she is a teenager and has her first brush with a serial killer and near death experience. Fast forward to twenty years later, Evelyn is marked by her past experiences and now a Doctor studying some of the most depraved criminal minds. In an effort to understand the psychopaths, her past and predicting criminal behavior she is the pioneer of Hanover House, a mental health facility based in Alaska. Facing hostility from the local police form, still dealing with her past horrors, Evelyn is trying to keep it together and make a difference. When a mutilated body is found Evelyn's establishment comes under scrutiny and Evelyn has to face the possibility her past has come back to haunt her.

This is my first time reading this author, I cannot wait to read more by her and hope we get some answers I felt were left hanging from this book. Evelyn has many hangups, as you would expect, from the brutal sexual assaults and near death experience she suffered as a teenager. This drives her work as an adult and her career choice, she struggles with relationships and finds herself still looking over her shoulder. Attracted to Amarok, the local cop, Evelyn finds herself drawn to him and trying to work through her issues. The snow is thick and fast, there is a killer on the loose and the inmates at Hanover House may be behind bars but have a far reach!

Whilst there is a lot of dark topics in this book, sexual abuse, sexual deviancy, murder and torture there is also friendship, relationships, family, survival and personal growth. A story that engages the reader from the opening page, draws you in and keeps you up until the small hours to see where the story is going to go. 4/5 for me this time, I will be checking to see if this author has any other books and waiting impatiently for the next. Thanks so much to Bookbridgr for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review and introducing me to a new author, for me anyway.

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