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50 States of Murder: An Atlas of American Crime
From the true crime author of Murderabilia, a geographic telling of some of the most notorious but lesser-known murders for each US State.
Filled with hundreds of entries organized by location, 50 States of Murder is a lively and chilling work of storytelling and an authoritative survey of the homicidal history of the United States—perfect for any true-crime obsessive. Certain crimes are impossible to imagine happening anywhere but where they Could the Manson murders have gone down somewhere besides the 1960s sex-and-drug-fueled, occult-dabbling culture of Southern California? Would Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood have been as powerful if the Clutter family massacre happened anywhere besides the tightly knit world of Holcomb, Kansas? Or would the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski have been able to hole up in the woods evading notice for decades anywhere but in Montana?
Discover each state’s most memorable and notorious crimes through expert authorship, stunning visuals, and interactive design.
Filled with hundreds of entries organized by location, 50 States of Murder is a lively and chilling work of storytelling and an authoritative survey of the homicidal history of the United States—perfect for any true-crime obsessive. Certain crimes are impossible to imagine happening anywhere but where they Could the Manson murders have gone down somewhere besides the 1960s sex-and-drug-fueled, occult-dabbling culture of Southern California? Would Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood have been as powerful if the Clutter family massacre happened anywhere besides the tightly knit world of Holcomb, Kansas? Or would the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski have been able to hole up in the woods evading notice for decades anywhere but in Montana?
Discover each state’s most memorable and notorious crimes through expert authorship, stunning visuals, and interactive design.
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Published September 16, 2025
23 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Harold Schechter
84 books1,399 followersAka Jon A. Harrald (joint pseudonym with Jonna Gormley Semeiks)
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
Harold Schechter is a true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo, where he obtained a Ph.D. A resident of New York City, Schechter is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York.
Among his nonfiction works are the historical true-crime classics Fatal, Fiend, Deviant, Deranged, and Depraved. He also authors a critically acclaimed mystery series featuring Edgar Allan Poe, which includes The Hum Bug and Nevermore and The Mask of Red Death.
Schechter is married to poet Kimiko Hahn. He has two daughters from a previous marriage: the writer Lauren Oliver and professor of philosophy Elizabeth Schechter.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is well written with short historical crime cases that cover all the states. I like that he included crimes from the distant past to more recent crimes. And the crimes were lesser known so it kept my interest. This is a good book to read before reading more in depth books that he pulled his research from.
This book is well written with short historical crime cases that cover all the states. I like that he included crimes from the distant past to more recent crimes. And the crimes were lesser known so it kept my interest. This is a good book to read before reading more in depth books that he pulled his research from.
September 4, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this delightfully warm and fuzzy read. Really raised my spirits.
But for real this was informative and I learned a bunch. Don’t read if you get queasy about botched hangings and failed electric chair attempts.
But for real this was informative and I learned a bunch. Don’t read if you get queasy about botched hangings and failed electric chair attempts.
July 8, 2025
This was an informative, well written, true crime novel. It features lesser known cases of heinous crimes throughout the fifty states of the USA. The stories were short but didn't seem rushed, giving enough details on the victims and perpetrators. For me, this book also highlights the major flaws in the judicial system. Not just in this century, but going all the way back to the 1800s. What really stood out and upset me in a lot of these murders was that they could've been prevented had justice been served efficiently after the first offense. This is something that occurs all over the world and needs to be rectified. Overall, an interesting read(I don't like to use the word "enjoy" when discussing true crime.) Well worth the time in my opinion, I'll definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley, Workman Publishing, and Harold Schechter for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley, Workman Publishing, and Harold Schechter for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
June 19, 2025
In these portraits of murderers and their crimes make for a interesting read, each state has multiple different chilling crimes that are told in a way that is perfect for those that love true crime: enough to know the crime to leave you to look into the events and evidence more in depth if you wish.
Perfect for crime junkies & the like.
Perfect for crime junkies & the like.
September 7, 2025
Harold Schechter is very well known to the true crime community. I have read several of his books and have several more on the TBR pile. I initially thought I would be getting BIG crimes in this book – for instance, when I think of Chicago crimes (yes, there are a LOT), I think of H.H. Holmes and his house of horrors; Massachusetts brings Lizzie Borden to mind; South Carolina is Susan Smith, and how she went on national tv to plead for the return of children she’d already drowned. However in the introduction, Schechter says he’s not doing that. My first thought was: seriously?! But these are infamous murders, the ones that can define a place. My second thought was: good! Why? Because despite having an incredibly crappy memory for anything other than 80s and 90s song lyrics, I can still speak intelligently about Gacy’s crimes, recite random facts about Lizzie Borden, and vividly remember the crime scene photos of David Parker Ray, the Toy Box Killer. This book includes none of those. I recognized a few names (I have a soft spot for the ID show Deadly Women, or as I refer to it: Bitches Be Crazy, and they will often feature random cases that most people wouldn’t know.) but overall, the stories were fresh tales of horror and debauchery, told in a straight-forward, candid way.
Some interesting ones are: Robert Hansen, the human hunter (Alaska); Mrs. Cordelia Botkin, the jilted paramour who killed with candy (Delaware); Peter Robinson, who buried his banker under the floorboards inspiring Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart (New Jersey); and Robert Butler, who was fingered as a murderer by the foul-mouthed parrot mascot of a Harlem bar (New York). I was thrilled to see the Babes in the Woods tragedy (Pennsylvania) as well. It’s not one you see often in books.
Overall, this was a bit dry, but the book was filled to the brim with interesting facts and cases. A definite buy for true crime enthusiasts.
Some interesting ones are: Robert Hansen, the human hunter (Alaska); Mrs. Cordelia Botkin, the jilted paramour who killed with candy (Delaware); Peter Robinson, who buried his banker under the floorboards inspiring Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart (New Jersey); and Robert Butler, who was fingered as a murderer by the foul-mouthed parrot mascot of a Harlem bar (New York). I was thrilled to see the Babes in the Woods tragedy (Pennsylvania) as well. It’s not one you see often in books.
Overall, this was a bit dry, but the book was filled to the brim with interesting facts and cases. A definite buy for true crime enthusiasts.
November 8, 2025
*Thank you to Workman Publishing for a complimentary arc of 50 States of Murder. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*
I read Schechter for the first time about a decade ago, so my expectations for his latest publication were pretty set before I dived into this one. He delivered something beyond what I thought I would get, simply by the way 50 States is formatted. I love that instead of focusing on the major crimes one would first think of when thinking of different states and you already know of, you get lesser known crimes that make you go ‘how haven’t I heard of this one before’.
As someone who reads and watches a lot of true crime, I was appreciative of how I hadn’t heard of the majority of these cases, and it kept my interest from start to finish. 50 States of Murder gives you exactly what you think you’ll get. Well written, short and straight to the point accounts of historical and more recent crimes from each US state. Schechter skips adding unnecessary details, doesn’t push in his own thoughts and opinions, focusing on just the main facts and provides enough backstories so you’ll get an overview of events per case.
The way the author has written and compiled the accounts makes it easy to pick up and put down, and this is a perfect read for anyone wanting to read about lesser known crime cases.
I read Schechter for the first time about a decade ago, so my expectations for his latest publication were pretty set before I dived into this one. He delivered something beyond what I thought I would get, simply by the way 50 States is formatted. I love that instead of focusing on the major crimes one would first think of when thinking of different states and you already know of, you get lesser known crimes that make you go ‘how haven’t I heard of this one before’.
As someone who reads and watches a lot of true crime, I was appreciative of how I hadn’t heard of the majority of these cases, and it kept my interest from start to finish. 50 States of Murder gives you exactly what you think you’ll get. Well written, short and straight to the point accounts of historical and more recent crimes from each US state. Schechter skips adding unnecessary details, doesn’t push in his own thoughts and opinions, focusing on just the main facts and provides enough backstories so you’ll get an overview of events per case.
The way the author has written and compiled the accounts makes it easy to pick up and put down, and this is a perfect read for anyone wanting to read about lesser known crime cases.
November 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
if you're looking for a true crime read that highlights crime's by the state's in which they happened, look no further! i really enjoyed this book and enjoyed how it was sectioned out. it was super fascinating to see all the different types of crimes and how it has shaped communities all over the US. you can't help but feel empathy for every single person who was impacted by the cruelty of others.
while this book most often had the well-known true crime cases, there were several states where they missed cases that i was surprised by. nevertheless, the cases that were presented were interesting and had enough detail to highlight the crime itself, before they moved on to the next.
the only critique i would make here is that there wasn't enough light shed on the victims. i really want to see a true crime author put the victims at the forefront and give less light or none to the criminal/murderers.
thank you to netgalley & workman publishing group for the copy of my ebook!
if you're looking for a true crime read that highlights crime's by the state's in which they happened, look no further! i really enjoyed this book and enjoyed how it was sectioned out. it was super fascinating to see all the different types of crimes and how it has shaped communities all over the US. you can't help but feel empathy for every single person who was impacted by the cruelty of others.
while this book most often had the well-known true crime cases, there were several states where they missed cases that i was surprised by. nevertheless, the cases that were presented were interesting and had enough detail to highlight the crime itself, before they moved on to the next.
the only critique i would make here is that there wasn't enough light shed on the victims. i really want to see a true crime author put the victims at the forefront and give less light or none to the criminal/murderers.
thank you to netgalley & workman publishing group for the copy of my ebook!
November 14, 2025
Instead of focusing on high profile murders or serial killers, Harold Schechter tried to find murder cases for each of the 50 states that were either specific to that area or stand out in some way. I was excited to read this but it was a little disappointing. It felt like at least 40-50% of the stories were from the 1800's and I guess I was expecting more recent cases. There were also several cases where it was the first woman executed in that state or the last person hung in that state - there was even a case where the guy was sent to the electric chair twice (the first time didn't kill him). To me, many of the stories weren't "stand out" cases. And similar to The Ultimate Serial Killer Trivia Book by Jack Rosewood, it was kind of hard to read just story after story of brutal murders. I mean I understand that's the concept of the book but I couldn't read it as quickly because I needed to take breaks. Overall, it was interesting but I would recommend reading it over time and not like a normal book that you read over a couple of days.
Some cases that stood out to me:
p. 111 Constance Fisher of Maine suffering from postpartum depression killed her 3 children and tried to commit suicide in 1954. She was sent to a mental hospital and when she was released five years later her husband took her back. They had 3 more children. Then in 1966 she killed those 3 children and again attempted suicide. She was again sent to a mental hospital and a few years later escaped and succeeded in committing suicide. It was like a precursor to Andrea Yates but TWICE.
p. 271 I did not know that Frank Lloyd Wright abandoned his family and ran off to Europe with his mistress. When he came back to the US he started building a "bungalow of love" for them in Wisconsin. While he was away on business one of the workers building the house killed his lover, her children, and several other workers and set the house on fire.
Some cases that stood out to me:
p. 111 Constance Fisher of Maine suffering from postpartum depression killed her 3 children and tried to commit suicide in 1954. She was sent to a mental hospital and when she was released five years later her husband took her back. They had 3 more children. Then in 1966 she killed those 3 children and again attempted suicide. She was again sent to a mental hospital and a few years later escaped and succeeded in committing suicide. It was like a precursor to Andrea Yates but TWICE.
p. 271 I did not know that Frank Lloyd Wright abandoned his family and ran off to Europe with his mistress. When he came back to the US he started building a "bungalow of love" for them in Wisconsin. While he was away on business one of the workers building the house killed his lover, her children, and several other workers and set the house on fire.
June 19, 2025
Harold Schechter delivers on the premise given in the title. This is a book of murders divided up by state ranging from the 1800's to the 2000s. He opens with a discussion of his methods and then works his way alphabetically through the 50 states. Each state opens with a map outline with the locations marked so the reader know the approximate town or city where the murder occurred and then lists three to six cases per state. Schechter lays out the basic facts of the case and often what happened to the perpetrator. He closes the book with a collection of sources he used to write the cases. Unfortunately, the sources are listed in alphabetical order and not referenced in the text which makes it hard to get more details for an individual case. But if you are looking for cases that happened in a particular state or just want a glimpse into the not-so-well known murders from a particular state, this might be the book for you.
Thanks Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company for the chance to read this title!
Thanks Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company for the chance to read this title!
July 11, 2025
I was given the opportunity to read this from NetGalley for an honest review before it’s published in September.
I found that this book has many different murders through the 50 states of the USA that aren’t well known or written about which I found more interesting as the same stories aren’t written about over and over like quite a lot of other crimes that are constantly broadcasted or depicted.
As a true crime enthusiast I have spent many years reading about different murders by psychotically deranged individuals through each decade and this book shows just how far individuals were willing to go to commit the perfect murder regardless of which state they lived in or what year they happened, these psychotic sadists were all the same, thought the same and acted in the same despicable manner with one thing in mind; Murder.
If you’re interested in diving into more undeniably sadistic, grotesque and sickening true crime stories then this is the book for you.
I found that this book has many different murders through the 50 states of the USA that aren’t well known or written about which I found more interesting as the same stories aren’t written about over and over like quite a lot of other crimes that are constantly broadcasted or depicted.
As a true crime enthusiast I have spent many years reading about different murders by psychotically deranged individuals through each decade and this book shows just how far individuals were willing to go to commit the perfect murder regardless of which state they lived in or what year they happened, these psychotic sadists were all the same, thought the same and acted in the same despicable manner with one thing in mind; Murder.
If you’re interested in diving into more undeniably sadistic, grotesque and sickening true crime stories then this is the book for you.
August 24, 2025
Filled with many known and unknown cases, Schechter takes us through all 50 states providing 3-4 cases of murder that occurred in each state. While these are very simple stories of each crime, going over who the victim and killer was, they provide enough details and where to go if you're interested. Some of these stories were gruesome and some were murders that left a big impact. Ranging from 1800s to present day, Schechter doesn't focus on one time span or one specific area of each state. While there are a few editing issues that are probably just digital errors, if you'd like to find out about some Infamous cases in your state it is worth picking up. If you're hoping for indepth discussion of each case, this is a pass.
copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
September 11, 2025
2 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC.
I don't really know what I expected going into this book, but maybe a little bit more respect on the victims? It's well researched and written in a way to make it so that anyone can pick it up, but I just felt like the author is a carnival barker and we paid $1 to see the freakshow.
The Georgia chapter, specifically the Chris Benoit story is what really set it off for me. Was it necessary to write that his 7 year old son was killed by "snapping his neck with the crippler crossface"?
I get that true crime is popular and people eat it up, hell I used to be one of them, but this just feels sad and disrespectful.
I don't really know what I expected going into this book, but maybe a little bit more respect on the victims? It's well researched and written in a way to make it so that anyone can pick it up, but I just felt like the author is a carnival barker and we paid $1 to see the freakshow.
The Georgia chapter, specifically the Chris Benoit story is what really set it off for me. Was it necessary to write that his 7 year old son was killed by "snapping his neck with the crippler crossface"?
I get that true crime is popular and people eat it up, hell I used to be one of them, but this just feels sad and disrespectful.
September 25, 2025
Are you doing the ABC book challenge and you need a book for a certain state and you're having a hard time finding one… This book will have your base covered!
I knew this was a book about murders, but I didn't know how troubling and mind Messing this book was going to be… You hear hundreds of stories of gruesome murders that happened in every single state and you probably have never heard the details and where else. It also connects unique murders to other things that have taken place or happened because of those murders… Like the hit Broadway show Chicago. I find non-fiction books like he's really interesting and although the topic is gruesome and gory, I found the book interesting.
I knew this was a book about murders, but I didn't know how troubling and mind Messing this book was going to be… You hear hundreds of stories of gruesome murders that happened in every single state and you probably have never heard the details and where else. It also connects unique murders to other things that have taken place or happened because of those murders… Like the hit Broadway show Chicago. I find non-fiction books like he's really interesting and although the topic is gruesome and gory, I found the book interesting.
December 3, 2025
This book contains bite-sized recaps of murders occurring across the United States. The author chose to focus on the more obscure crimes in each state. Many of the blurbs covered crimes in the 1800’s. As a true crime reader, I found this book interesting because I had not heard of most of the cases Schechter wrote about. His coverage is pretty succinct and if you are looking for detailed coverage, then this book is not for you. However, if you are interested in reading about lesser-known crimes from each state, you may enjoy this book. I was gifted a copy of this book and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
July 13, 2025
A great collection of short stories regarding some of the infamous murders in each of the fifty states. The stories are informative and full of detail, yet a quick read. Some of the stories you might recognize (at least one was a Forensics File story, and another was about Isreal Keyes a mass murder in Alaska and several other states. He was also the subject of a book entitled American Predator). Overall, I found this to be a great read and one the True Crime fan would enjoy.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 21, 2025
I really enjoy Harold Schechter's books, and this one just reaffirmed my love of his writing.
For true crime lovers, this is one book that you are going to want to add to your shelves. Full of murder, mystery, and occasional mayhem in some cases. But, the cases presented herein are perfect for building a murder map. If you want to travel, use this book as a travel guide. You are destined to hit some of the hottest spots on the true crime scene.
Absolutely engaging and a killer good time! Curl up with your favorite beverage, and get ready to dive into murder!
For true crime lovers, this is one book that you are going to want to add to your shelves. Full of murder, mystery, and occasional mayhem in some cases. But, the cases presented herein are perfect for building a murder map. If you want to travel, use this book as a travel guide. You are destined to hit some of the hottest spots on the true crime scene.
Absolutely engaging and a killer good time! Curl up with your favorite beverage, and get ready to dive into murder!
December 19, 2025
If you ever wanted a good description of murder in each and every US State this is for you. And it gets bad, like very awful. Some killings are just plain random, others planned out. This isn't your typical every day you heard them all from news and TV shows type of murders, these are unknown not talked about much murders in each state. This book doesn't give you any spin or editorial gossip, it just lays the facts out as each case is being described. As a true crime junkie this was both hard to read and hard to put down.
Worth it.
Worth it.
August 19, 2025
50 States of Murder provides readers with a brief overview of prolific deaths in each state. There were so many cases covered in this book. I did enjoy the succinct description of each case, it made the book feel like it went faster. 3.75/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 28, 2025
Overall very interesting.
The cases were lesser known cases, which is always preferable given so much media covers crime cases. It was also delivered in a concise way, nothing was drawn out or dramatized.
Would recommend to those interested in true crime.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
The cases were lesser known cases, which is always preferable given so much media covers crime cases. It was also delivered in a concise way, nothing was drawn out or dramatized.
Would recommend to those interested in true crime.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2026
As a watcher of 'Forensic Files,' I have an small interest in true crime stories. I even found some of the stories I remembered from that show in this book. However, the entries were generally pretty short, and it felt like they ran together after a while. I think I would have liked one story per state.
Warning...he also doesn't downplay violence or details. Some of the stories are upsetting.
Warning...he also doesn't downplay violence or details. Some of the stories are upsetting.
August 28, 2025
An interesting look at different crimes through the 50 states. Some I knew, some I didn’t. They are all offered in bite-sized descriptions that keep readers’ interest without feeling overwhelming or missing pieces. The perfect sweet spot for a true crime anthology.
September 7, 2025
interesting book that's essentially a true-crime synopsis of some more obscure crimes. i think it worked pretty well. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
November 1, 2025
Murder cases from each state that do seem to reveal the criminal personalities of each state. Fascinating.
December 28, 2025
This covered a lot of cases I’d never heard of, as far back as the 1700s! A good true crime book.
January 26, 2026
Interesting but needed an editor.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews