The Windowman

by Christopher Goffard

When a notorious LA serial killer disappears after being released on appeal, triggering a nationwide manhunt that will thrill fans of Elmore Leonard and James Ellroy.

The media attention surrounding “the Windowman” Carlos Carlos’ use of black magic in a series of bloody home invasions draws true crime fanatics in droves. He was supposed to be off the streets forever. But when overzealous prosecutors bungle his case and he vanishes, three unreliable narratives intertwine.

Plucky schoolteacher Annabelle Picolini has spent years building a rapport with Carlos over visitations at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Ambitious prosecutor Harlan Crumb is haunted by the belief that he owes his success to a spell from one of Carlos’s books. Struggling method actor Blaire Belmont moves into a seedy downtown hotel to study Carlos for a role. All three spiral to the edge of sanity when their fascination with the infamous murderer takes hold. 

The Windowman, a propulsive mystery, plumbs the depths of obsession and examines the culture of true crime.

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication December 8, 2026

About the author

Christopher Goffard is one of America's most acclaimed literary journalists. He has written for the St. Petersburg Times and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of You Will See Fire: A Search for Justice in Kenya, based on his Los Angeles Times series; the novel Snitch Jacket, which was a finalist for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best First Novel; and Dirty John and Other True Stories of Outlaws and Outsiders. His work appears regularly in the Best American Newspaper Narratives series.