True crime has become an obsession in America. Anyone interested in true crime in general, or a particular event or criminal, can find books, documentaries, and even podcasts that will both entertain and inform. The World’s Worst Serial Killers:Shocking Crimes and Unspeakable Murders (London: Arcturus Limited, 2024, 464 pages, $16.99) is an important contribution to the literature surrounding serial killers, a branch of true crime that seems to fascinate with every turn of the page. The World’s Worst Serial Killers presents brief biographies of killers such as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Edmund Kemper, along with lesser known European killers such as Enriqueta Marti and Donato Bilancia. The mini-biographies are rich in detail but not too intense for general readers.
Serial killers are synonymous with crime and with evil. Many of them killed vulnerable members of the population, including prostitutes, the homeless, and the elderly. Author Al Cimino chronicles the lives of these infamous people and the impact that their crimes had on their families, friends, and the towns they called home. Each of the individuals described in these pages seemed to be destined for a life of crime from an early age. Cimino relates how their behaviors as young children and adolescents fits perfectly into the literature of evil that dominates the early years of serial killers.
The World’s Worst Serial Killers is an exceptional read. The vignettes of serial killers are arranged by method of killing in order to create a cohesive narrative. Each killer is heard from in their own words and actions. The reader who is seeking an introduction to this difficult topic can feel comfortable beginning with this volume. The World’s Worst Serial Killers fills a much-needed place in the general public’s need to understand their fellow human beings.
Matt
The World’s Worst Serial Killers
Al Cimino
arcturuspublishing.com
ISBN: 9781398837737 464pgs. $16.99 $0.99 Kindle