Rampage: Canadian Mass Murder and Spree Killing

by Lee Mellor

A definitive compendium of Canada’s mass murderers and spree killers. a state of anger or agitation resulting in violent, reckless, and destructive behaviour. In 1989, Marc Lépine mercilessly executed 14 female students at Montreal’s École Polytechnique to become Canada’s most notorious mass murderer. The following year spree killer Peter John Peters roamed from London, Ontario, to Thunder Bay, leaving a trail of bloodied bodies, broken dreams, and stolen vehicles. Both men experienced the same devastating destiny – they embarked on homicidal rampages that shook their nation to the core.Lee Mellor has gathered more than 25 of Canada’s most lethal mass and spree killers into a single work. Rampage details their grisly crimes, delves into their twisted psyches, and dissects their motivations to answer the question every true crime lover yearns to why? If you think serial killers are dangerous, prepare for something deadlier …

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Bob Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

The many multiple murderers alone was very good reading. The scholastic classification of murderer types was not so much.

[Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short but sweet review, coming right up! 

As a well-known, avid fan of all things true crime, this book fascinated me. I don't know very much about either spree killers, or mass murderers. I was excited to find out more. This book, however, just didn't really mesh with me. 

While each case was interesting in its own way - and a couple of them I had some prior knowledge of - I just don't think I mesh well with the author's writing style. And that's okay! I still found the cases interesting. I just wasn't too keen on the style of writing. 

This book definitely gave me a few interesting cases to do deeper dives into at a later date. And others I think I would have rather been left in the dark about. (Which, for anyone who knows me, is a shocking statement.) 

Overall, this book is very informative, and lays out clear distinctions between mass murderers and spree killers, and their various sub-types. It was well-organized, and very well researched. And even though I wasn't super keen on the style, the author's cynical flair was a nice touch. 

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine. A little grotesque at times with the horrific details put into it. Some of these cases definitely interested me but most seemed like filler & I don’t know it I can classify a mass murder as someone who kills 2-3 people regardless of what the actual definition is. Misleading but also a fine read. Closer to 2.5 stars than 2 but still wish I could have enjoyed this a little more but it was kind of a drag on majority of the cases presented. Stronger start, very slow finish in the way it’s organized.

[Patricia Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canadian mass murders and spree killers it definds what they are and the number of victims they have and the personality disorders … I found a few mistakes in parts of the book like Johnathan yeo as I knew the family and are children were friends so the story had mistakes in it...but for Canadian true crime fans its a good book

[Michelle See · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure reclassifying will bear any greater answer to the ‘why’ these crimes occur.
Sure, some types of crimes can be ‘grouped’ because they appear to be similar - but each murderer had their own reasons for their crimes.