It’s holiday gift time! If you’re not sure what to get the true crime aficionado in your life, never fear! Mind Over Murder has you covered!
GIFT OF BOOKS:
1) A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind-- Ann Burgess and Steven Constantine.
If you’re a fan of David Fincher’s colossal hit MINDHUNTER, you won’t want to miss the story of the real-life Wendy Carr, the brilliant psychiatric nurse who worked alongside Robert Ressler, John Douglas, and the other pioneering FBI agents in Quantico’s Behavioral Science Unit. Even if you think you’re familiar with the early days of the BSU from Douglas and Olshaker’s books, trust me, you don’t know the half of it! This book is a treat for anyone who wants more on the development of profiling.
PAIR THIS WITH: Any of the initial books from Douglas and Olshaker; a viewing of Fincher’s MINDHUNTER; or the Audible presentation of the book, beautifully read by Gabra Zackman.
We interviewed Ann and Steven about their book on Mind Over Murder on our episode from July 18, 2022.
2) Frozen in Fear: A True Story of Surviving the Shadows of Death-- Jane Carson-Sandler.
Jane is one of the surviving victims of the Golden State Killer and she is one tough-as-nails lady! This short memoir details her life both before and after the attack and discusses how she put her life back together to both survive and to thrive in spite of her trauma.
PAIR THIS WITH: Michelle McNamara and Paul Haynes “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark”; the HBO mini-series of the same name; XG Productions Audible Original “Evil Has a Name.”
3) When a Killer Calls-- John Douglas and Mark Olshaker.
I’m an unabashed John Douglas fan; everything he and Mark Olshaker have ever written lives somewhere on my true crime bookshelves. But this is by far the best of their work and that is really saying something! The kidnapping and murder of Shari Smith is horrifying, but even more so is the behavior of the offender. It is so audacious and cruel that it sounds like something from a movie. John’s work on the case will break your heart… but it is the work of a profiler at the top of his game!
PAIR THIS WITH: Anything this dynamic duo have previously written! You will never get a boring or poorly written book from these guys!
We interviewed Mark Olshaker about this book on Mind Over Murder on February 14th and February 21st, 2022.
4) Journey to the Center of the Mind Books 1-3-- James Fitzgerald.
Grab a hot drink, snuggle under a warm blanket, and leave yourself plenty of time to binge! Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald’s career as both a uniformed cop and then an FBI profiler is full of ups and downs, which he skillfully and entertainingly details in his books. Get all 3 books if you want the full and unabridged Fitz story, though book 3 is my favorite as that’s where we learn all about the Unabomb case and linguistic profiling. Make sure you check out his website for books and other merch (www.jamesrfitzgerald.com) including autographed posters.
PAIR THIS WITH: Fitz’s podcast The Fitz Files (which features a cameo from Kristin); the original drama MANHUNT: UNABOMBER; and the XG Productions Audible original “Where the Devil Belongs.”
We interviewed Fitz on Mind Over Murder about the Unabomber and his books on June 30 and July 7, 2022.
5) ShadowMan: An Elusive Psycho Killer and the Birth of FBI Profiling-- Ron Franscell.
The story of Howard Teten and Patrick Mullany’s profile of the Susie Jaeger kidnapping case was all new to me, but it’s an absolutely enthralling story. These are the two men who started the BSU—the profiling legends we know today (Rob Ressler, John Douglas, Judd Ray) learned the ropes from Teten and Mullaney. The unsub at the heart of this story is your classic “nice guy next door” and it will definitely make you reevaluate what you think you know about your neighbors! It’s a pulse pounding read!
PAIR THIS WITH: If you’re in the mood for a history of the early days of the BSU, start here, progress to Ann Burgess’s “A Killer by Design”, then move on to the earliest Douglas and Olshaker collabs “Mindhunter” and “Journey into Darkness.” Take time for Robert Ressler’s book “Whoever Fights Monsters” as well.
6) Madman in the Woods—Jamie Gehring.
What was it like to live literally next door to Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber? To have him show up at your door and even have him over for dinner? Jamie Gehring could tell you. She lived next to him in Montana. If you ever wanted to know who Ted Kaczynski was and how he evolved into the Unabomber, Jamie’s book will bring you as close as you’ll ever come, short of having a conversation with him yourself. This is a stunner of a memoir. I can’t recommend it enough.
PAIR THIS WITH: Jim Fitzgerald’s JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND, book 3; a viewing of MANHUNT: UNABOMBER; Audible original “Where the Devil Belongs”; the Audible version of this book, read by Jamie herself.
We interviewed Jamie on Mind Over Murder on June 27th, 2022.
7) Keeping On—Gemma Hoskins.
You knew her and loved her on THE KEEPERS! But do you know the real Gemma Hoskins? You can by reading her book! Gemma’s memoir is by turns funny, poignant, and insightful. There’s plenty of info on Sister Cathy Cesnik’s case and yes, there are some bombshells you won’t want to miss!
PAIR THIS WITH: A re-watch of THE KEEPERS! It’s been a few years since it first aired, so it’s more than time to give it another viewing! Pop some popcorn, grab a fuzzy blanket, and be prepared to give up a few hours of your life in a binge of epic proportions.
We interviewed Gemma on Mind Over Murder on July 28th and August 4th.
8. Trailed: One Woman’s Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders—Kathryn Miles.
This labor of love from Kate Miles is one of the best true crime reads in recent memory, tying together the murders of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans in the Shenandoah National Park with other missing and murdered women in Virginia. She discusses some compelling theories as to who may have murdered the women back in 1996 and sheds light on major issues within the NPS during that time period. It’s thought-provoking and sensitive reporting. Highly recommended!
PAIR THIS WITH: “The Cold Vanish” from Jon Billman (which we featured on last year’s gift guide), which also explores disappearances and murders in national parks.
We interviewed Kate on Mind Over Murder on May 16th and May 23rd of 2022.
9) How to Catch a Killer and I Scream Man—Dr. Katherine Ramsland.
We couldn’t pick just one book out of Dr. Ramsland’s whopping catalogue; you’ll never get a bad book from this talented, astute, and prolific writer. But we opted for her two most recent releases—How to Catch a Killer is about the hunt for and capture of the world’s most notorious serial killers including Rodney Alcala (the Dating Game killer); GSK; Aileen Wuoronos; and many more. This is part of the Profiles in Crime series, so if you love this one, there’s more to come.
And we couldn’t neglect Dr. Ramsland’s fiction debut … I Scream Man, featuring protagonist Annie Hunter who seems to be quite a bit like the good doctor herself! It’s an excellent first book in a new series and we are looking forward to more! Check out all of Dr. Ramsland’s books at www.katherineramsland.net.
PAIR THIS WITH: Any of her 70 other books! I recommend the two that tie in to CSI and CRIMINAL MINDS.
We interviewed Dr. Ramsland on Mind Over Murder on July 4 and July 11 of 2022.
10) The Babysitter—Liza Rodman.
Imagine, if you will, learning that your beloved childhood babysitter was a sadistic psychopath who was murdering women when he wasn’t watching you. That’s precisely what happened to Liza Rodman when she learned that Tony Costa, handyman and her childhood babysitter, was the ghoul responsible for murdering and dismembering four women in the Truro woods near Provincetown. The premise on its own is enough to make your skin crawl … learning what Tony Costa was actually doing made me want to sleep with the lights on! This pairs perfectly with HELLTOWN by Casey Sherman, which covers Tony Costa’s crimes.
PAIR THIS WITH: HELLTOWN, below!
11) Helltown—Casey Sherman.
Liza Rodman’s childhood babysitter, Tony Costa, was a horrific serial killer who haunted the Cape Cod and Provincetown area, murdering and dismembering women. His horrific crimes and his court case are covered expertly in the book. Also explored is the pull the case had over two enigmatic local writers—Kurt Vonnegut and Normal Mailer. This meticulously researched and brilliantly crafted book was one of my favorite true crime reads of this year.
PAIR THIS WITH: THE BABYSITTER, above!
We interviewed Casey on Mind Over Murder on September 19th 2022
12) American Demon—Daniel Stashower.
There’s so much more to Eliot Ness than his time with the Untouchables. This deep dive into Ness’s time in Cleveland and his work trying to solve the series of brutal slayings by the Butcher of Kingsbury Run is masterful. Stashower has a wonderful touch with historical crimes … they seem to come alive on the page. The book is meticulously researched, gorgeously written, and will keep you turning pages.
PAIR THIS WITH: THE BEAUTIFUL CIGAR GIRL, Stashower’s book about the murder of Mary Rogers and Edgar Allan Poe&rsqu