Murderabilia - by Harold Schechter (Hardcover)

About the Book

"From veteran true crime master Harold Schechter comes Murderabilia, a 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 objets 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"--

Book 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 objets 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.

From the Back Cover

LIZZIE BORDEN'S HATCHET,
A CLOWN PAINTING BY JOHN WAYNE GACY,
THE UNABOMBER'S TYPEWRITER

Feed your morbid curiosity with stories of 100 objects connected with some of the most gruesome murders ever committed. And don't feel sheepish about it--until the police started roping off crime scenes, hordes of onlookers would walk through, grabbing any kind of souvenir they could.

Murder relics possess an unusual and sinister power. It can be something as obvious as the luger used by Harold Unruh, the "Father of Mass Murder." Or a seemingly innocuous crucifix belonging to Augusta Gein, who railed against sin and was the mother of real-life monster Ed Gein, whose crimes inspired Pyscho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Silence of the Lambs.

Using one significant object per spectacular crime as a way to retell its chilling story, no gory details spared, Murderabilia weaves a historic tapestry of 100 unthinkable spasms of depravity and violence that have captivated readers for hundreds of years and continue to hold us spellbound.

Praise for Harold Schechter's work:

"Harold Schechter is America's dean of true crime, plundering the darkest corners of our history..."
--Robert Kolker, author of Lost Girls

"Harold Schechter is the best teller of twisted true-crime stories working today..."
--Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner's Handbook

"The dark prince master of American true crime history."
--Peter Vronsky, author of Serial Killers

Review Quotes

"I am extremely interested in [Murderabilia]. Think about it, a history of crime in 100 objects. What objects? And why?"

--Nancy Grace, Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

"Not just a history of true crime but a cultural history... Love this book."--Last Podcast on the Left

"A perfect choice for a book group that likes a body count; or a serial killer aficionado's coffee table; or for the friends you never see because they're addicted to Life After Lockup. Murderabilia could and should launch hundreds of true crime novels."--The Washington Post

"Short chapters and copious illustrations make Murderabilia a great choice to leave on the night table to dip into before bed."--BookPage

"A fascinating tour of criminological history."--Katherine Ramsland Ph.D., Psychology Today

"It is a measure of [Schechter's] research and gift for storytelling that the reader not only learns new details about familiar murders but about murders that are just as gruesome but lost to time.... The book not only saves you the trip but gives you 99 other reasons to be an armchair detective."--Air Mail

"It is the rare reference book that is compulsively readable, but Murderabilia is one... These two-to-four-pages-long articles provide fertile ground for true-crime fans or students researching specific cases or types of crimes."--Booklist

"Schechter's prose has the punch of a campfire ghost story and the objects run a satisfying gamut from intriguing curios to the stuff of nightmares. It adds up to a strange and fascinating tour of the macabre."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Harold Schechter, a two-time Edgar nominee, has published more than 30 true crime titles, including five 100K+ copy bestsellers. His most recent work, Maniac: The Bath School Disaster and the Birth of the Modern Mass Killer, just published (March 9, 2021). He has taught literature and myth criticism for more than 40 years at Queens College/CUNY and is a murderabilia collector himself.