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Killer Moms: True Stories
A mother is supposed to be loving, protective, caring, and kind. She's supposed to nurture and guide her children from infancy into childhood and adolescence. The very thought of murdering a child—much less their own child—is not only bizarre but perhaps the most disturbing thought a parent could have! Exploring the ultimate betrayal of a mother's duty, Killer True Stories recounts thirty-one harrowing tales of motherhood gone wrong, including . . .
● Rachel David, who believed she was married to God
● Andrea Yates, who systematically executed each of her five children by drowning them
● Magda Goebbels, one of the most powerful women in Nazi Germany, the propaganda minister's wife and a Hitler favorite
● The ambiguous Casey Anthony case, whose acquittal shocked the public
● Melissa Drexler, aka "The Prom Mom," who hid her pregnancy from everyone
An unflinching look into humanity's dark side, Killer Moms is an unnerving listen that delves into the twisted paths, the chilling motives, and the devastating consequences of maternal malice!
● Rachel David, who believed she was married to God
● Andrea Yates, who systematically executed each of her five children by drowning them
● Magda Goebbels, one of the most powerful women in Nazi Germany, the propaganda minister's wife and a Hitler favorite
● The ambiguous Casey Anthony case, whose acquittal shocked the public
● Melissa Drexler, aka "The Prom Mom," who hid her pregnancy from everyone
An unflinching look into humanity's dark side, Killer Moms is an unnerving listen that delves into the twisted paths, the chilling motives, and the devastating consequences of maternal malice!
- GenresNonfictionAudiobook
1 pages, MP3 CD
Published March 24, 2026
About the author
Amanda R. Woomer
35 books51 followersWriter, former international English teacher, and historian, Amanda R. Woomer was born and raised in Buffalo, NY. With a degree in anthropology, she won her first award for her writing when she was only 12 years old. She has publications in anthologies and magazines all over the globe and is currently a featured writer for the award-winning Haunted Magazine and the owner of Spook-Eats.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 9, 2026
It wasn't bad as background noise, but I felt fooled by the introduction. It sounded like it would go more in depth of how mothers can commit these horrific crimes (credit where credit is due, they do for a couple of the women), but I felt like it was so simply written there was no possible way it could even open that door.
I did appreciate its talking points when they had them, like how postpartum and cultural expectations causing tragedies isn't talked about nearly enough. However, there just wasn't enough substance for me to think this as anything more than a simplified retelling of these horrific crimes, nor does it open any avenues of how we should think about or discuss these sensitive cases with the level of nuance they deserve. It just felt like more true crime slop I could easily find on Youtube.
I did appreciate its talking points when they had them, like how postpartum and cultural expectations causing tragedies isn't talked about nearly enough. However, there just wasn't enough substance for me to think this as anything more than a simplified retelling of these horrific crimes, nor does it open any avenues of how we should think about or discuss these sensitive cases with the level of nuance they deserve. It just felt like more true crime slop I could easily find on Youtube.
March 13, 2026
Thank you HighBridge and NetGalley for the audio ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Audiobook Review
Killer Moms by Amanda R. Woomer
I gave this audiobook 4 stars. The narrator did a great job telling these difficult and disturbing stories in a way that kept me fully engaged.
This is obviously a very heavy topic. Cases involving mothers harming their own children are incredibly hard to wrap your mind around, and it’s something I’ll never truly understand. Still, the cases covered in this book are fascinating in a true crime sense and really make you think about the psychology behind these crimes.
As a true crime junkie, I’m always drawn to books that explore real cases like this. Even though the subject matter is dark, it’s also incredibly interesting to learn about the details, investigations, and what led to these tragic events.
If you enjoy true crime audiobooks and learning about real cases, this one is definitely an interesting listen.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Audiobook Review
Killer Moms by Amanda R. Woomer
I gave this audiobook 4 stars. The narrator did a great job telling these difficult and disturbing stories in a way that kept me fully engaged.
This is obviously a very heavy topic. Cases involving mothers harming their own children are incredibly hard to wrap your mind around, and it’s something I’ll never truly understand. Still, the cases covered in this book are fascinating in a true crime sense and really make you think about the psychology behind these crimes.
As a true crime junkie, I’m always drawn to books that explore real cases like this. Even though the subject matter is dark, it’s also incredibly interesting to learn about the details, investigations, and what led to these tragic events.
If you enjoy true crime audiobooks and learning about real cases, this one is definitely an interesting listen.
March 25, 2026
There is just something deeply unsettling about stories involving mothers who harm their children. Maybe it’s because for most of us, motherhood is tied so tightly to protection, love, sacrifice, and instinct. From the moment we know our babies exist, something in us changes. We guard them, love them, and carry that fierce protectiveness forever. So when you hear about mothers who do the exact opposite… it’s almost impossible to fully understand.
That’s what made Killer Moms such a fascinating and disturbing listen.
Amanda R. Woomer takes readers through multiple cases of mothers who committed the ultimate betrayal, and while some of these stories were new to me, others...like Casey Anthony were ones I remember following obsessively in real time. I watched every legal breakdown, every news update, every theory, trying to understand how something so horrifying could happen. At that time, I was a mom to three little boys, and I can honestly remember hugging them tighter after spending hours watching coverage of that case. It was one of those stories that just stayed with you.
That same chilling feeling runs throughout this book.
What I appreciated most was that this wasn’t just a list of crimes thrown together for shock value. Amanda Woomer explores the women behind the headlines and looks at what may have shaped them into people capable of doing something so unnatural. It doesn’t excuse anything, of course, but it does make you stop and ask the question that sits at the center of this entire book: how does a mother go against every instinct we associate with motherhood?
This is definitely not an easy book to get through emotionally. Some of these cases are heartbreaking, disturbing, and hard to sit with. But if you are someone who is drawn to the psychology behind true crime, especially the cases that leave you asking why long after the details are over, this one is incredibly compelling.
And I have to say, the audiobook made this even more immersive. Courtney Patterson’s narration really added to the eerie, serious tone of the stories and made the listening experience even stronger.
If you enjoy true crime, criminal psychology, and the darker side of human behavior, Killer Moms is one that will absolutely pull you in… even if it leaves you a little shaken afterward.
Thank you to NetGalley, High Bridge Audio, and Amanda R. Woomer for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
That’s what made Killer Moms such a fascinating and disturbing listen.
Amanda R. Woomer takes readers through multiple cases of mothers who committed the ultimate betrayal, and while some of these stories were new to me, others...like Casey Anthony were ones I remember following obsessively in real time. I watched every legal breakdown, every news update, every theory, trying to understand how something so horrifying could happen. At that time, I was a mom to three little boys, and I can honestly remember hugging them tighter after spending hours watching coverage of that case. It was one of those stories that just stayed with you.
That same chilling feeling runs throughout this book.
What I appreciated most was that this wasn’t just a list of crimes thrown together for shock value. Amanda Woomer explores the women behind the headlines and looks at what may have shaped them into people capable of doing something so unnatural. It doesn’t excuse anything, of course, but it does make you stop and ask the question that sits at the center of this entire book: how does a mother go against every instinct we associate with motherhood?
This is definitely not an easy book to get through emotionally. Some of these cases are heartbreaking, disturbing, and hard to sit with. But if you are someone who is drawn to the psychology behind true crime, especially the cases that leave you asking why long after the details are over, this one is incredibly compelling.
And I have to say, the audiobook made this even more immersive. Courtney Patterson’s narration really added to the eerie, serious tone of the stories and made the listening experience even stronger.
If you enjoy true crime, criminal psychology, and the darker side of human behavior, Killer Moms is one that will absolutely pull you in… even if it leaves you a little shaken afterward.
Thank you to NetGalley, High Bridge Audio, and Amanda R. Woomer for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Killer Moms: True Stories by Amanda R. Woomer is a well-researched and curious book collecting stories about mothers who became killers. It explains the psychology of why, the heartbreaking moments when their crimes were found out, and the absolute tragedy of events like these.
I needed this book. I’m going to be honest, it was boring at parts because so many of the stories blend together, which obviously is going to happen, but I needed it. Why? Because I know firsthand, mothers can be dangerous, especially psychotic ones. This book may be describing crimes that were one step further than what I experienced, but I felt less alone. People always say a mother's love is unwavering, that if you have problems with your mother, you just need to communicate. It’s not always that simple. I really wish it were, but it's not. Sometimes mothers are just…killer.
The writing was very concise, not much fluff or take from the writer's standpoint. These are stories, cut and dry. I don’t recommend reading this book in big chunks. A story or two at a time might make it a less information-heavy read. The first story Woomer starts with is actually the one I found most interesting, but she also talks about not-so-modern stories, such as those that appear in history. This helps break it up, but at some point, you need a break.
I give this book a three-star rating, and I probably wouldn’t read it again unless I was doing research. But I would watch a documentary series about these cases, and the information found in this book would make it very easy to adapt since Woomer was so in-depth and clear.
I needed this book. I’m going to be honest, it was boring at parts because so many of the stories blend together, which obviously is going to happen, but I needed it. Why? Because I know firsthand, mothers can be dangerous, especially psychotic ones. This book may be describing crimes that were one step further than what I experienced, but I felt less alone. People always say a mother's love is unwavering, that if you have problems with your mother, you just need to communicate. It’s not always that simple. I really wish it were, but it's not. Sometimes mothers are just…killer.
The writing was very concise, not much fluff or take from the writer's standpoint. These are stories, cut and dry. I don’t recommend reading this book in big chunks. A story or two at a time might make it a less information-heavy read. The first story Woomer starts with is actually the one I found most interesting, but she also talks about not-so-modern stories, such as those that appear in history. This helps break it up, but at some point, you need a break.
I give this book a three-star rating, and I probably wouldn’t read it again unless I was doing research. But I would watch a documentary series about these cases, and the information found in this book would make it very easy to adapt since Woomer was so in-depth and clear.
March 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this Arc in exchange for my honest review.
The narrator of this book did an amazing job narration such heavy topics but also keeping me interested to the fullest degree.
This is a heavy read with probably every trigger warning out there. It is also an interesting book. I liked the diversity of the book from mothers who kill their children to mothers who kill for their children.
I liked how the author covered so many different cases throughout history from the pilgrims to the 1800’s to cases that are popular today.
I am not a mother and I will never be one but I find the psychology behind mothers who kill their children fascinating. With mothers who kill their children it’s not always a clear cut case. There are so many elements talked about in this book as to why they do it. Whether that be mental illness, they think they’re protecting them or any other reason. The author did such a good job explaining these reasons and each case was thoroughly researched.
Overall if you’re a true crime junkie you will love this book.
The narrator of this book did an amazing job narration such heavy topics but also keeping me interested to the fullest degree.
This is a heavy read with probably every trigger warning out there. It is also an interesting book. I liked the diversity of the book from mothers who kill their children to mothers who kill for their children.
I liked how the author covered so many different cases throughout history from the pilgrims to the 1800’s to cases that are popular today.
I am not a mother and I will never be one but I find the psychology behind mothers who kill their children fascinating. With mothers who kill their children it’s not always a clear cut case. There are so many elements talked about in this book as to why they do it. Whether that be mental illness, they think they’re protecting them or any other reason. The author did such a good job explaining these reasons and each case was thoroughly researched.
Overall if you’re a true crime junkie you will love this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I’m a true‑crime listener, so I was really interested in this audiobook. Courtney Patterson did an excellent job with the narration, especially considering how difficult the material is. She kept me engaged throughout each case, and her tone was respectful and steady, which is important for a book like this.
Killer Moms focuses on real cases involving mothers who harmed their own children. As a mother myself, this was a very hard listen. It’s heartbreaking and disturbing, but I did find the psychological and emotional background behind each case interesting. The author does a good job of presenting what may have led to these tragic events.
The audiobook covers around 31 cases. Some were familiar to me, while others were new, which helped maintain my interest throughout. Each case feels distinct, and the pacing worked well in audio format.
If you’re a true crime junkie like me, you may enjoy learning about the different cases featured in Killer Moms.
Killer Moms focuses on real cases involving mothers who harmed their own children. As a mother myself, this was a very hard listen. It’s heartbreaking and disturbing, but I did find the psychological and emotional background behind each case interesting. The author does a good job of presenting what may have led to these tragic events.
The audiobook covers around 31 cases. Some were familiar to me, while others were new, which helped maintain my interest throughout. Each case feels distinct, and the pacing worked well in audio format.
If you’re a true crime junkie like me, you may enjoy learning about the different cases featured in Killer Moms.
April 8, 2026
this was both an incredibly unsettling and incredibly fascinating listen. as a fan of true crime and crime fictional shows this was like a mashup of 48 hours and criminal minds to me and that is right up my alley.
it is also heartbreaking because so many of these women were victims themselves of the time they lived in, or circumstance, or abusive men and it just breaks your heart to know what they went through.
and then of course there are the truly vile and repugnant stories of women with no remorse and no reason to do the harm that they caused.
I think this is one I would 100% recommend to fans of true crime and I would also love to watch a documentary of these stories.
in the least crass way possible, this made me feel better about my own estranged relationship with my mother.
it is also heartbreaking because so many of these women were victims themselves of the time they lived in, or circumstance, or abusive men and it just breaks your heart to know what they went through.
and then of course there are the truly vile and repugnant stories of women with no remorse and no reason to do the harm that they caused.
I think this is one I would 100% recommend to fans of true crime and I would also love to watch a documentary of these stories.
in the least crass way possible, this made me feel better about my own estranged relationship with my mother.
May 17, 2026
In Killer Moms, Woomer shares the stories of mothers who killed their own children. When reading true crime, I am always looking for coverage of cases I am not familiar with. This book fit the bill. Woomer separated these true crime stories by motivation, including sections where women killed for money, due to depression/mental health issues, and for power. There were a few cases I had some familiarity with, but there were quite a few that I didn't have any history with. I also appreciated that Woomer spotlighted international cases.
April 2, 2026
These stories were interesting, yet very disturbing. The topic is very dark and I imagine hard to write about as an author but Amanda did wonderful with it. This made me really think about the psychology aspect and how messed up brains need to be in order to follow through with these very disturbing acts. I thoroughly enjoy true crime so I found this enjoyable, but very disturbing.
March 24, 2026
If you ever feel like a failure as a mother because you're kids are driving you crazy and you just want a few minutes of peace and quiet...this book will prove you wrong! It's unfathomable how a mother (or any human being for that matter) can cause some of the atrocities described in this book...
March 30, 2026
This was very kind of cut and dried, factual, no embellishment or anything. It seems well researched and well laid out, and there were a lot of interesting stories included. Thanks NetGalley for an ALC.
May 6, 2026
This is a Non-Fiction. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I really enjoyed it. The book covers a hard hitting topic of moms that kill their kids, and I think it was well done. I found this book very interesting. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
April 4, 2026
I expected this to be very sensationalized and it ended up being more serious than that. Tales include information about post partum depression, honor killings, and intimate partner violence.
April 18, 2026
Lots of heart wrenching stories. As a new mom, I cant imagine hurting/killing my child. I know post partum is no joke but some of these stories are extreme.
April 21, 2026
3.5⭐️
Author Amanda R. Woomer has created a pretty extensive collection of Mom’s who have killed in this book, Killer Moms. Some of the cases are very recognizable and some are from the fringe. There’s a good variety of cases, and she provides good pacing with her storytelling for each case. I felt that all that cases were well researched and delivered in a respectful way to the victims.
While reading this book, I did notice that the organizational structure of the book felt a little haphazard. I don’t think there was a specific organization, either chronological or by type of case that kept the flow going. This book bounced from different types of cases and for some that could be a positive or for some that could be a distraction.
I listened to the book narrated by Courtney Patterson and found that her reading voice was easy to listen to, and she delivered the material with the appropriate nuance. I enjoyed her narration and found that she fit well with the source and enhanced the material.
Overall, I think this audiobook was a good listen and anyone interested in true crime will find this book to be worth the read.
This is a review of the audiobook.
Author Amanda R. Woomer has created a pretty extensive collection of Mom’s who have killed in this book, Killer Moms. Some of the cases are very recognizable and some are from the fringe. There’s a good variety of cases, and she provides good pacing with her storytelling for each case. I felt that all that cases were well researched and delivered in a respectful way to the victims.
While reading this book, I did notice that the organizational structure of the book felt a little haphazard. I don’t think there was a specific organization, either chronological or by type of case that kept the flow going. This book bounced from different types of cases and for some that could be a positive or for some that could be a distraction.
I listened to the book narrated by Courtney Patterson and found that her reading voice was easy to listen to, and she delivered the material with the appropriate nuance. I enjoyed her narration and found that she fit well with the source and enhanced the material.
Overall, I think this audiobook was a good listen and anyone interested in true crime will find this book to be worth the read.
This is a review of the audiobook.
April 9, 2026
Unsettling. Factual. Dark. Tragic.
If you enjoy true crime podcasts or stories, I think you will be interested in the psychology of the 31 different stories covered in this unflinching audiobook.
Despite the very heavy topic, I appreciate the audiobook narration by Courtney Patterson. Her voice kept the seriousness of the details, while still keeping me immersed and wanting to hear more.
If you enjoy true crime podcasts or stories, I think you will be interested in the psychology of the 31 different stories covered in this unflinching audiobook.
Despite the very heavy topic, I appreciate the audiobook narration by Courtney Patterson. Her voice kept the seriousness of the details, while still keeping me immersed and wanting to hear more.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews