Serial Killers: Real and Imagined

The Great Courses

by Emily Zarka

Monster stories aren’t just meant to entertain. They’re meant to inform, even educate. Above all, they ask us to question our own humanity. Nowhere is this truer than in stories of serial killers. What are the origins of this monstrous archetype? Why are we so fascinated with such gruesome terror? What do they reveal about our fears and anxieties?

Explore these and other questions in Serial Killers: Real and Imagined, where public scholar Emily Zarka looks at the serial killer trope across history, from murky 17th-century legends to 21st-century true-crime obsessions. Using an in-depth analysis of pop culture texts, she offers various constructions of the serial killer as threat, as cautionary tale, and even as celebrity. You’ll explore why serial murderers become famous, how they’ve been captured (and have eluded justice), their prominent role in film and television, and how the dangerous blending of fact and fiction contributes to our real-world understanding of serial killers as monstrous—almost supernatural—figures.

Stories, Emily believes, are integral to our humanity. And as you’ll discover in this fascinating Audible Original, so are stories pulled from some of the darkest corners of the human psyche.

©2024 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, True Crime, Crime, History, Adult, Gothic

Audiobook

Published July 11, 2024

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at pop culture and serial killers.



Why are serial killer stories more popular than ever, even though serial killings are in decline?
I think it's probably because it's easier to focus your fears on some nebulous one-off killer than it is to face the fact that if you are the victim of a violent crime, it will more than likely be perpetrated by someone you know intimately.
So if someone kills my husband...? Yeah, it will probably have been me.
But let's look away from that real quick!



So this isn't some kind of a survival guide, it's a look at what makes serial killers so (dare I say) glamorous to the general public. Sure, we're horrified and terrified, but we are also seemingly drawn to them and their stories. We gobble up every gory detail of the crimes and spend far too much time pouring over their backstories in the hope of discovering what makes them tick.
And apparently, we've always been that way.
We're gross.



So while the lecture does talk about famous serial killers (without being too gory), what it really does is unpack society's fascination with them.
I liked it.
Recommended

[Maede · Rating 3 out of 5]

۳/۵ ستاره

قاتلان سریالی: واقعی و تخیلی اصلاً چیزی که انتظارش رو داشتم نبود، اما واقعاً وفادار به اسمش بود. در این مجموعه‌ لکچر ده‌ عددی، امیلی زاکا از قرن ۱۷ شروع می‌کنه و در مورد تعدادی از معروفترین و مهمترین قاتلان سریالی صحبت می‌کنه. اما نکته‌ی متفاوت این لکچر بررسی تاثیر متقابل جرم بر ادبیات، تفکرات عامه و سینماست. برای مثال در این مورد صحبت میشه که فیلم‌های اسلشر چطور بر جرم و جامعه تأثیرگذار بودند و چطور ازشون تاثیر گرفتند. علاوه بر این، لکچرها کمی هم به دلیل علاقه‌ی افراد به دانستن و خواندن درباره جرم و مجرمان مخصوصاً قاتلان سریالی می‌پردازند

به طور کلی واقعاً مجموعه‌ی جالبیه، مخصوصاً اگر مجرم‌ها و فیلم‌ها، کتاب‌ها و پادکست‌هایی که ازشون صحبت می‌کنه رو بشناسید. برای من که با اکثرشون آشنا بودم (از اونجایی که من در یک جهان موازی توی اف‌بی‌آی کار می‌کنم)، خیلی مرور خوبی بود. البته اگر هم نمی‌شناسید، معرفی خوبی به دسته‌‌ای از موضوعاته: فولکور، قاتلان سریالی، ژانر جرم واقعی و ژانر وحشت. توصیه‌م اینه که اگر علاقمند به این موضوع هستید، پادکست‌ها، کتاب‌ها، فیلم‌ها و اسامی‌ای که ذکر می‌کنه رو یادداشت کنید و کم‌کم سراغشون برید. چون من این‌ها رو در طول ده سال خودم با بدبختی پیدا کردم و حالا اینجا یک لیست که شامل خیلی از بهترین‌هاشونه موجوده

کتاب رو می‌تونید از اینجا دانلود کنید
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۳/۵/۲۹

[Blair Hodgkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brief review of the public perception of serial killers since the days of Gilles de Rais and Elizabeth Bathory could easily have been called "The Serial Killer in Pop Culture". The lectures are short, making this an ideal listen for a short road trip or while doing chores. I found most interesting the coverage on the glamorization of serial murderers in our culture and the apparent trend for serial murder to be in decline. Included with Audible membership at the time of this writing.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly the book I was expecting, but turned out to be both interesting and informative.

PS - I was expecting a straight up Serial Killer book, but this looks at the ties between serial killers and the media (books, movies, podcasts, etc.) through the ages.

[Landon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe this was just too far removed from what I expected. I wanted something more “True Crime” but this ended up being mostly “Folklore.” I swear half of it was about vampires and werewolves— which isn’t even close to what comes to mind when I think “serial killer.”

[Daphne Rogozinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had an awful lot of werewolf and vampire lore. Not sure why but at least it was interesting.

[Claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of ten lectures about different themes somewhat related to serial killers.

Some explain, for example, the way in which folklore, pop culture and myth concur to form the idea we as a society have about them. Others, why they seem to be so attractive, why they fascinate us to the point that some are celebrities with all that that implies. And how true crime and the media (docuseries, slash movies) feed themselves in a loop of horror.

Very interesting and very quick read.

[Perm Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.

5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.

4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.

3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.

2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.

1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.

[Raymond James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid look into the societal ebb and flow of our perceptions of killers. Rethinking our outlook on fiction and nonfiction alike, an enjoyable and equally entertaining experience.

[Rodica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick overview of how crime and serial killers is presented in media and pop culture, and the intersection between entertainment, information, and consuming gory details. Very interesting, but I wish it would have went more in depth.

[Ann Schwader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rather short Great Course -- all lectures are well under 30 minutes, & only 10 lectures that I recall. It's an Audible Original, written & presented by Emily Zarka. She is listed as a "public scholar," with no university credential listed. That said, she does a very entertaining & informative job of covering the serial killer trope -- & its actual history -- beginning with 17th century cases & working up to the 21st. Along the way, she examines the origins & continuing popularity of the true crime genre, & offers the suggestion that how we view serial killers is very much a reflection of how we view our own society, & what we fear in our lives.

Depending on how much of a true crime fan you are, there is probably only a moderate amount of new material here -- but it's presented well, & the course is available free with Audible membership. I didn't feel as though I'd wasted my listening time, though I would definitely not consider this as a full credit purchase.

[Tegan Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth was sadistic if this is true. Money has power. Any of those rumored past traumas would mess someone up in the mind. I don't she could kill over 600 people with no witnesses in that short amount of time. I think she may have been considered unconventional for the time and people did not like her for it. The blood bathing reminds me of another noble lady for a similar youth keeping motives from a new Orleans plantation. Could be miss remembering though. The fact that she was never truely convicted is what makes it odd to me.

I think the comparisons and nicknames come from us not wanting to believe that another human is capable of such horrors. How manybof those reports and convictions were done with torture or threats? How many true killers? Lycantgropy is very rare and takes form of serval different animals dependant of the one with the condition. There is also another condition were the person sees others as animals though i cannot remember the name, maybe lycanthropy by proxy I think?

A dangerous outsider lover could have made the romanticism of serial killers? Romanticizing serial killers can be dangerous though. I think the Byron's hero became the modern bad boy type in romance. Now I want to read these novels.

Fiction can be escape, most want a happy ending, wish fulfilments. Victims not responding is probably a hint you are going in a wrong direction. Jack the ripper has been mentioned. Jack the ripper was likely to have been a common man who worked as a butcher or similar. The clawed man gave me Freddy Kruger vibes.

Don't double cross someone who knows your murder plot. Some slashers are based on real crimes. Criminal minds had episodes based on real cases. Slashers changed based on demand. Don't forget online creepypastas such as Jeff the killer, ticki toby, eyeless Jack, and Sally.

People online and irl think they are experts on similar things, they are not. Hannibal rising was not meant to be made until studios asked the author to write it because of the success of the movies. In fiction attractiveness can make readers forgive a bunch of stuff ir not depending on if the reader finds and likes the character.

It is kind of sad that real life serial killers have become celebrities. Reminds me a bit of the movie serial mom. Copy cat killers are frightening because I can't help but think if they would have killed if they have not heard, seen, or learned of the og killings.

Flase convictions and confessions are sadly higher then they should be. People have blamed video games for violence with little proof

[Anastasiya M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook offered a captivating and in-depth exploration of the cultural and historical obsession with serial killers. Rather than focusing exclusively on the killers and their crimes, Zarka took a broader approach, examining how society has shaped and fueled its perception of these criminals over centuries. One of the most interesting aspects was how she drew connections between the language humanity developed for monsters, like vampires and werewolves, and how that language has been used to dehumanize murderers. By comparing them to mythical creatures, we’ve distanced ourselves from their humanity, which Zarka traced back to early history. She expertly wove in the evolution of psychology and true crime, explaining how these fields grew alongside public fascination with murderers, eventually giving rise to the modern serial killer archetype. From infamous historical figures to the "celebrity" serial killers of today, she explored how society's fear and fascination with these individuals evolved, particularly through their portrayal in pop culture. Zarka also touched on how serial killers have become an unsettling part of entertainment, influencing everything from slasher films to true crime documentaries, and how this media portrayal continues to shape our collective view. The audiobook kept me engrossed from start to finish. Zarka’s analysis of public reactions to serial killers was particularly compelling, shedding light on how myths and fear often overshadow the facts. It was a thought-provoking and insightful journey through history, psychology, and pop culture, offering a fresh perspective on a topic that has fascinated people for generations. An absolute must-listen for anyone interested in true crime and the deeper societal impact of serial killers.

Read more: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, quick look into society’s fascination with serial killers. Professor Emily Zarka does more than speak about 20th-century murderers and the media’s response to them; she delves into folklore and literature. People have always been interested in the extremes of human behavior, even interpreting them into myths about werewolves and vampires. Serial Killers: Real and Imagined is based on legitimate research and is presented in a highly accessible manner. Nothing too surprising is to be found in the lecture series, but it’s worth 3 hours of your time if you enjoy true crime and folklore.

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[Image: Book Cover]

Citation:
Zarka, E. (2024). Serial killers: Real and imagined (audiobook). Audible Originals, LLC. https://www.audible.com/pd/Serial-Kil...

Title: Serial Killers: Real and Imagined
Author(s): Emily Zarka
Series: The Great Courses
Year: 2024
Genre: Nonfiction - True crime, cultural studies, literature
Length: 2 hours and 56 minutes
Date(s) read: 5/20/25 - 5/22/25
Book 106 in 2025
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[Biggest Little Book Talker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in serial killers and wanted a crash course on several topics with smalls snips of several killer stories then this is great for you.
For those that are already deep into the serial killers and the true crime rabbit whole, this may seem a bit mundane to you.
If you want to just get to know more about serial killers or interested more into the background of the influence of horror here is what I recommend after this book:

More on serial killers (there stories and minds):
Podcasts
- serial killers
- medical murders
- female criminals
- criminal couples

Horror films and how they have add to adapt
- horror in red white and blue

The movie and tv show list is endless but you can start with the several that are recommend throughout this audible.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the lukewarm reviews for this series of lectures on Goodreads, I thought it was an astonishing history of real-life serial killers and their depictions in art and literature over the centuries. I was surprised at the number of child predators who blamed their perversions on werewolf or lycanprothy disease.

It also emphasizes how 80s slasher films distorted the actual psychological motives of genuine killers with the first chapter describing a detailed history of the sensational trial of the 17th-century countess Elizabeth Bathory that endured unreliable witnesses who committed perjury due to a royal power struggle. Otherwise, she remains the most prolific serial killer in world history.

[Alex Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

A series (no pun intended) of ten lectures by Dr. Emily Zarka of “Monstrum” (PBS online) fame. She explores the connection between the language humanity developed for monsters (vampires, werewolves, etc.) and how we applied it to murderers to make them less human — less like us — from very early on in history. She then continues to the development of early psychology and true crime, to the modern serial killer “celebrities” and the rise of the Slasher movie. How society at large views serial killers today can’t be disconnected from pop culture depictions, whether fictional or otherwise — for better or worse.

[Steve Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only gripe about this book is that there doesn't seem to be a PDF download for the work. I suppose it's too short for that, so I'll have to listen to it again to take notes.

Zarka packs a lot into three hours. She discusses actual serial killers as well as fictional and factual representations of them, and what sort of impact those representations has on society's perceptions of these dreaded killers. It's a wonderfully nerdy analysis of literature, history, film, and podcasts and how they shape our view of these "monsters".

Definitely worth listening to. And...I better go over it again, this time with a pencil and notebook.

[Aisling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting. It discussed the history of serial killers, fictional movies, and the culture surrounding them at the time. It also delved a bit into the history of true crime fascination and fictional detectives, which was the part I found most interesting, I think. I knew a lot about historical ‘serial killers’ already (quotations as many weren’t necessary serial, or in some cases, they weren’t even proven to have killed anyone), but I didn't know much about detective fiction history or its real-world impacts. That said, most of this book was pretty surface level and from a literary perspective, which makes sense as the author is an English professor. It was great if you know nothing or only a bit, but otherwise it's not going to get into much you don’t know.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vacillating between 2-4 stars here. Not really about serial killers. This is really an English professors take on societal, literature, and motion picture's influence on the idea of serial killers. She briefly (briefly) touches on a few known serial killers but not a lot of depth and the second half felt almost exclusively to delve into motion pictures and societal views. IF you go into it knowing what it is you might not be as disappointed as I was. Bonus: super, super quick listen.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zarka is less interested in serial killers per se, than in the public reaction to them. She starts with historical figures and explores how their reputations as horrific murders developed—often with a complete lack of any supporting evidence. She explores the desire to make them legitimate monsters—vampires and werewolves, for example. And again and again she comes back to the public fascination with these people. It’s an interesting book.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

En los capítulos de este audiolibro Emily habla de los asesinos seriales, tanto en la ficción como algunos casos reales, y muestra distintos puntos de vista sobre cómo los percibimos social y culturalmente.

Me entretuvo muchísimo y relata ejemplos que todos conocemos y como la prensa influye mucho en la percepción y empatia del público. También habla del morbo que generan y cómo, a través de los años, casos reales han influido en obras muy conocidas del cine y la literatura.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got lost in the mix
I was really thinking more serial Killers and the myths around them.

Like how Robert Pickton, the Green River Killer were a pair. Or the psychology of people who think they are vampires or werewolves or already dead....

Honestly I got bored and think they probably want to re title this to something that doesn't lead with Serial Killer

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little afraid of listening to this audiobook because I thought it might be too gruesome, but it was OK. In fact it did discuss some gruesome things, but it didn't revel in the gruesomeness. Instead it talked more about why people find this stuff so interesting.

Good stuff. I liked it. I probably won't revisit this audiobook, but I am glad I listened.

[Jordan Dossett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator sounds very young and for that reason, it is hard to take her for an authority on the subject.

The information that she covers is well rounded, but brief so I wouldn’t consider this a book of depth so to speak. I have a no spoilers gal so I’ll just say it’s a good overview.

[Daniel Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice overview of the serial killer phenomenon delivered by an easy to understand narrator in a series of 10 digestible lectures. Whilst the lectures successfully cover some history and media coverage, they did spend a strange amount of time on folklore and could have included more case studies.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the depth I have come to expect from the Great Courses. Disappointing, but I should have looked at the page count before buying. Content was ok, but this is the first GC book where I didn't feel inspired or like I learned anything.

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Anima Miejska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for the beginners!

[zeescommafun · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were so many grammatical and pronunciation errors in this lecture that I found it hard to take the lecturer seriously as an academic.