Description:

Bestselling true-crime writer Harold Schechter, a leading authority on serial killers, and coauthor David Everitt offer a guided tour through the bizarre and blood-chilling world of serial murder. Through hundreds of detailed entries that span the entire spectrum -- the shocking crimes, the infamous perpetrators, and much more -- they examine all angles of a gruesome cultural phenomenon that grips our imagination. From **Art** (both by and about serial killers) to **Zeitgeist** (how killers past and present embody their times)...from **Groupies** (even the most sadistic killer can claim devoted fans) to **Marriage** (the perfect domestic disguise for demented killers)...from **Homebodies** (psychos who slay in the comfort of their homes) to **Plumbing** (how clogged drains have undone the most discreet killer), *THE A TO Z ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SERIAL KILLERS* is the ultimate reference for anyone compelled by the personalities and pathologies behind the most disturbing of crimes. ** ### Review "The scholarship is both genuine and fascinating." -- *The Boston Book Review* ### About the Author **Harold Schechter** is a professor of American literature and culture. Renowned for his true-crime writing, he is the author of the nonfiction books *Fatal, Fiend, Bestial, Deviant, Deranged, Depraved,* and, with David Everitt, *The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers*. He is also the author of *Nevermore* and *The Hum Bug*, the acclaimed historical novels featuring Edgar Allan Poe. He lives in New York State.