Raised by a Serial Killer - by April Balascio (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The untold story behind the hit true crime podcast The Clearing, this unforgettable memoir traces one daughter's moving quest to understand her larger-than-life childhood as she searches for the truth about her father, the serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards.

One evening in 2009, April Balascio was searching online, as she had been every night, for unsolved murders in the towns her family had lived growing up, when she stumbled across the latest investigations into the "Sweetheart Murders" cold case. All at once, the buried memories of her father's dark history were awakened, and she knew she had to take action. She picked up the phone to call a detective and the rest is infamous true crime history.

In her unflinching memoir, Balascio bravely reveals an astonishing tale of a lifetime of manipulation, unexplained upheavals, and silent fear. Some part of her had always known what her father was capable of, but the full truth of how she came to these revelations is as riveting as it is quietly terrifying. Through searing storytelling, dedicated research, and intimate insight, Raised by a Serial Killer is a gripping, courageous memoir unlike any other.

Review Quotes

"[A] chilling debut...Balascio's blunt, conversational prose allows the horrors of her situation to register without melodrama or overstatement. Readers will be riveted by this frank and frightening account." --Publishers Weekly

"A brave and haunting true-crime memoir that will keep readers riveted to the page long past the point where justice has been served." --Shelf Awareness

"Fast-paced and...an engrossing and absolutely terrifying read...An eye-opening portrayal of the justice system's failures and a fascinating depiction of just how easy it is to get away with murder and hide in plain sight, especially if no one's paying attention." --San Francisco Chronicle

"It's graphic, heartbreaking and frightening. But Balascio's aims are clearly to bring resolution...This is a disturbing portrait of a lifelong bad guy, as well as a tale of faith and optimism in the face of extreme pain." --Bookreporter

"A mesmerizing memoir...The details, research, and candor in this highly recommended work will captivate readers, who won't be able to put it down." --Library Journal, starred review

"Although the title Raised by a Serial Killer sounds provocative, the memoir by April Balascio...is sensational only in terms of its excellence. Like Tara Westover (Educated), she is a savvy survivor and a courageously skilled narrator...Unputdownable...Readers will find themselves utterly immersed." --Bookpage, starred review

"Balascio's memoir is categorized as true crime, but that does not mean it is not a thriller...Killers' families rarely speak in detail about their loved one's misdeeds, which makes this book a key sociological text, as well as a literary gem. Edwards isn't as famous as, say, Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer, but readers intrigued by the latter two will be just as gripped by Balascio's tale." --Booklist

About the Author

April Balascio is the daughter of American serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards and the feature of the acclaimed 2019 true crime podcast The Clearing. She lives in the Florida panhandle.