What do you think?
Rate this book
The Babysitter: My Summers With a Serial Killer
Growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s, Liza Rodman was a lonely little girl. During the summers, while her mother worked days in a local motel and danced most nights in the Provincetown bars, her babysitter & the kind, handsome handyman at the motel where her mother worked & took her and her sister on adventures in his truck. He bought them popsicles and together, they visited his 'secret garden' in the Truro woods. To Liza, he was one of the few kind and understanding adults in her life. Everyone thought he was just a 'great guy.' But there was one thing she didn't know; their babysitter was a serial killer.
470 pages, Library Binding
First published March 2, 2021
680 people are currently reading
30066 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,445 reviews
June 16, 2022
”Close your eyes and count to ten,” he whispered. I felt his breath on my cheek. The barrel of the gun was hard and cold against my forehead.Thus begins The Babysitter, a telling of growing up unaware that one of the author’s favorite adults was not who she’d thought.
I counted, and when I opened my eyes, he was gone.
I sat up quickly in bed, gasping, my body soaked with sweat. What the hell was that?
Liza Rodman - image from Simon & Schuster – Photo by Joel Benjamin
In 2005, Liza Rodman, then in her forties, was working on the thesis for her undergraduate degree when she began having frequent nightmares. It was not her first such experience. She had had these for a long time, but all of a sudden they were happening every night. In one, her husband was trying to kill her with a fireplace poker. Another featured a man killing nurses and eating their hearts. The dreams kept coming, with a faceless man chasing her, always with a weapon. She would wake up as her dream self was about to crash through a window, fleeing for her life.
Jennifer Jordan - image from her site – photo by Jeff Rhoads
Clearly there was motivation to figure out this puzzle, so she started writing about them, incorporating them into her thesis, over a two year period, drawing out more and more details. One dream-site was The Royal Coachman motel where she, her mother, and sister had lived for a time in Provincetown. Another was Bayberry Bend, a P-town motel her mother had owned.
Slowly the process moved along, six months of regular dreams, more images, months more of nightmares, until she saw the face, a familiar one, someone she hadn’t seen since she was a kid, a handyman hired to work at the motel where her mother was employed. His mother worked at the motel too. He was one of a series of people who took care of her and her sister, a really nice guy, one of the few adults who were kind to them, who never yelled at or hit them, who took them around with him in the motel’s utility truck, on chores, to the dump, to his garden in the woods, but who had disappeared when she was ten. This was not all that unusual for the adult males who scooted through her childhood. Why would she be having dark dreams about that guy? So she decides to ask her mother, then in her 70s, what this might all mean.
“Did something happen to me back then that you’re not telling me?” I said, suddenly wondering if it did.Oh, is that all? Not all that surprising from Betty. Liza’s divorced mom was not exactly the best. While she did manage to keep body and soul together for herself and her two girls, she was frequently cruel to Liza, for no reason that the child could fathom. Mom, in fact is a major focus of the book, as chapters flip back and forth, more or less, between a focus on Tony and a focus on Liza and her relationship with her mother.
“What do you mean, happen to you?”
“With Tony Costa.”
“Tony Costa? Why are you still thinking about him?”
“I wasn’t until I had a nightmare about him.”
She was quiet for a moment too long, and I stopped stirring and waited. Mom rarely paused to contemplate her words, so I watched, curious as to what was going to come out of her mouth.
“Well,” she said, watching the gin swirl around the glass. “I remember he turned out to be a serial killer.” She said it calmly, as if she were reading the weather report.
Antone Charles “Tony” Costa, Provincetown handyman and murderer of four young women. (Photo courtesy Barnstable County Identity Bureau) – image from the author’s site
Who was this guy? Tony Costa never got to know his father, who had drowned trying to save a fellow seaman in New Guinea near the end of World War II, when Tony was only eight months old. He would be obsessed with his war hero dad for the rest of his life. There were early signs of trouble with Tony. At age seven he claimed to have been visited regularly by a man in his bedroom at night, an actual intruder? a fantasy? an obsession? He said the man looked like his father. He stood out among his peers during summers in Provincetown, his mother’s birthplace, cooler, smarter, and more “inside himself” than anyone else, according to a kid he hung out with there. Then there was the taxidermy kit. Lots of killing of small animals, neighborhood pets going missing, yet never a successful display of a stuffed animal. There is no mention of bed-wetting in his psychopath Bingo card, but who knows? We know he was raped as a pre-teen, and was probably one of several victims of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest in Provincetown. So his potential for madness certainly had some outside assistance. He was accused of attempting to rape a young girl as a teen.
Jen and Liza, Northampton, 1979 - image from Rodman’s site
Tony was smart and handsome, but had terrible judgment, a ne’er do well, capable at work but unable to hold onto a job. He became a heavy drug user and local dealer. Clearly this guy had some charisma (as well as a considerable supply of illegal substances) and a way with young teens. A pedophile who married his pregnant fourteen-year-old girlfriend, he kept a crowd of young acolytes around him unable or unwilling to see through his line of distilled, grandiose, narcissistic bullshit. Cult-leader stuff. There is a Manson-like quality to him. And, like most narcissists, he was never willing to accept any responsibility for his own actions, always insisting that people were out to get him, blaming others for things he had done.
The VW Tony stole after murdering its owner. A local spotted it in the woods and notified the local police, which spelled doom for Tony Costa - image from the author’s FB pages
There is more going on here than personal profiles of the major actors. A lot is made of how different from the mainstream Provincetown was, particularly during the tourist season. The ethos was much more accepting of whatever than most places. With people coming and going so much, it was custom-made for a predator. It was the 60s, man, drugs, sex, and rock ‘n roll, and kids taking off for adventures, whether drug-related or not, and thus not necessarily raising instant alarms when they went missing. In 1971, for example, I bought an old Post Office truck at auction for three hundred bucks, and drove across country with three friends. (well, tried, we never actually made it across the continent) No cellphone, no regular check-ins. We didn’t exactly file a flight plan. If we had come to a bad end, no one would have known, or been alarmed back home for weeks. This is something a lot of people did. Of course, we were not runaways, and we were not female. That would have been a whole other order of business. The cops in Provincetown took a lackadaisical attitude toward worried parents looking for missing progeny. “Don’t worry. I’m sure they will turn up in due time.” And they were probably right, mostly. Except, sometimes they weren’t. It took a lot of pushing from those concerned about the missing young women to get the police to pay much attention. Rodman and Jordan provide a very detailed look at the various police departments that became involved in Tony’s case, both the occasional good police work and the ineptitude of inter-departmental communications. Sound familiar?
The locals were slow to allow for the possibility that there was a killer in their midst. Even today, there is an urge to protect one of their own, despite it being fifty years since the events of the book.
“I got threats when I wrote this book,” Liza says. It’s a loving portrait of the town, but not especially flattering. “I have a comfort level there that I don’t have anywhere else. Even in the face of this book.” - from The Provincetown Independent
It was her sister’s 8th birthday. At the moment Liza was making a face at the camera, Tony was leading two young women into the Truro woods, where he would murder and bury them. - image from the author’s FB pages
One of the things about true crime books is that there is an element of suspense that is lacking. We know that little Liza will grow up to write this book, so we know that Tony did not kill her. This makes it more like a Columbo episode, knowing that the bad guy will get got, but enjoying seeing how that ultimately happens. That said, this is not a straight-up true crime effort. It is a fusion of true crime with memoir. Half of the book is about Liza’s childhood, her relationship with her mother in particular. It is an interesting look at how someone can survive a bad parent-child relationship. Showing how things were for Liza at home makes her a more sympathetic narrator for the other story. Geez, ya poor kid. I sure hope nothing else bad happens t’ya. And it makes it much more understandable how a kid who was starved for adult affection and attention would be drawn to an adult who was offering kindness and interest.
I did not get the frisson of fear reading this that pervaded in another true crime book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Maybe because the killer in this one was long ago jailed, whereas the California killer had not yet been arrested when that book came out. But there is a certain vertigo, like walking near a cliff edge, blindfolded, only to realize the danger you were in when you take it off. It is distinctly possible that Liza might have found her way into Tony’s special garden if he had managed to stay out of jail for a few more years. Liza was like the little girl playing with Frankenstein's monster in the movie, not realizing that he was more than just a large playmate, and seemingly friendly soul. Whew!
Rodman had been working on this project for about thirteen years. It happened that, in 2018, Jordan, a professional writer, was casting about for her next book project (She had previously published four books.) when she thought of her dear friend, Liza, (they had met in college) who was thrilled at the suggestion that they collaborate. So, sixteen years of research in all and here it is. An in depth look at a monstrous series of events, a sick individual, an interesting place in a time of upheaval, a difficult childhood, an odd friendship, and a very close call. The Babysitter is an engaging, informative read that will make you appreciate your sane parents, most likely, and appreciate your luck even more in never having had such a person as Tony in your life. (You haven’t, right?)
His coterie of teenagers, his stash of pills, and his marijuana helped mask his ever-increasing feelings of inferiority; by surrounding himself with idolizing acolytes who needed a hero, he could feel more in control, sophisticated, confident, and, of course, more intelligent.
Review first posted – March 5, 2021
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - March 2, 2021
----------Trade Paperback - June 14, 2022
I received an ARE of The Babysitter from Atria in return for an honest review. I did not charge them my usual rate of ten bucks an hour and whatever I want to eat from their fridge.
I have posted the entire review on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
===========================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Liza Rodman’s ’s personal, FB, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages
Links to Jennifer Jordan’s personal and FB pages
Interviews
-----Red Carpet Crash – February 24, 2021 - Interview: Authors ‘Liza Rodman And Jennifer Jordan’ Talk Their Book The Babysitter: My Summers With A Serial Killer - audio – 17:02 - definitely check this one out
-----New York Post - February 27, 2021 - How I discovered my babysitter Tony Costa was a serial killer by Raquel Laneri
-----The Provincetown Independent – February 24, 2021 - Remembrance of Serial Murders Past by Howard Karren
-----WickedLocal.com – February 23, 2021 - In new memoir, local serial killer Tony Costa babysat two youngsters by Susan Blood
Items of Interest
-----Frankenstein playing with sweet young Maria
-----Columbo - or substituting for whodunit the howchatchem
-----My review of I'll Be Gone in the Dark
Songs/Music
The author's site provides a link to a considerable list of 39 songs mentioned in the book. But you have to have a membership to hear the full songs on Spotify instead of just the clips that are available on Rodman’s site.
September 5, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer is a part-Memoir, part-True Crime novel told by Liza Rodman.
Alternating between chapters about both Liza and Tony, this book tells of Liza's early life and her interactions with the serial killer, Tony Costa. It also delves into the details of Tony's life and crimes based on the author's research.
Liza was just a girl when her summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, brought her into contact with Tony; a young man she greatly admired.
Liza's mother frequently let her two daughters go off with Tony, a coworker of hers at a local motel, to run errands. He would buy the girls popsicles and take them on rides in his truck to the Truro Woods.
The two alternating portions of the book were quite distinct. Liza's early life was troubled. She never felt wanted, or loved, and it felt like the sections detailing her life were a bit of a therapeutic exercise for her.
Tony's sections follow his life from an early age, up through his imprisonment.
This is definitely an interesting book. I live on Nantucket, off the Cape, so am quite familiar with the areas detailed here. It sounds like the Cape of the 1960s was a wild place to be.
It took me a while to get used to the alternating perspectives, the flow felt a little off, but overall, I am happy with it. I think if you like both Memoirs and True Crime, the melding of the two genres is actually quite pleasing.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate it very much!
The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer is a part-Memoir, part-True Crime novel told by Liza Rodman.
Alternating between chapters about both Liza and Tony, this book tells of Liza's early life and her interactions with the serial killer, Tony Costa. It also delves into the details of Tony's life and crimes based on the author's research.
Liza was just a girl when her summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, brought her into contact with Tony; a young man she greatly admired.
Liza's mother frequently let her two daughters go off with Tony, a coworker of hers at a local motel, to run errands. He would buy the girls popsicles and take them on rides in his truck to the Truro Woods.
The two alternating portions of the book were quite distinct. Liza's early life was troubled. She never felt wanted, or loved, and it felt like the sections detailing her life were a bit of a therapeutic exercise for her.
Tony's sections follow his life from an early age, up through his imprisonment.
This is definitely an interesting book. I live on Nantucket, off the Cape, so am quite familiar with the areas detailed here. It sounds like the Cape of the 1960s was a wild place to be.
It took me a while to get used to the alternating perspectives, the flow felt a little off, but overall, I am happy with it. I think if you like both Memoirs and True Crime, the melding of the two genres is actually quite pleasing.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate it very much!
December 6, 2020
Summer 1966. With seven year old Liza and five year old Louisa in tow, divorcee Betty started a job as Head of Housekeeping at the Royal Coachman Motel on the Outer Cape, just north of the Truro town line. By day, Betty would work diligently, however, nighttime was spent partying at bars and dance clubs. Her children were an inconvenience, especially Liza. "Mom didn't show me any affection-hugs, caresses...it felt as if Mom had it in for me right from the start. Always ready with an insult". Kindly, older housekeeper Cecelia, would allow Liza to tag along, allowing her to help. Cecelia "always thanked me with a smile...even a hug. It was the hugs that I waited for most".
"My Tony is a good man," said Cecelia, of her older son. Returning from a trip, Tony was hired as the motel's handyman. He became one of the "random" babysitters Betty used when she deemed Liza and Louisa to be "underfoot all day". "They would ride to the dumps with him often stopping to buy popsicles. "We became his regular companions...I loved that he never seemed to be in a rush or eager to get rid of us. Unlike every other adult in our lives, he seemed to like just being with us. One day, Tony disappeared...More than anything I missed riding around town in the truck with Tony and feeling like I belonged somewhere".
"From the beginning Tony was different from the other kids-somehow cooler, smarter, and more 'inside himself'." Remembered by early teachers for "splendid cooperation and honesty", at age 12, a dramatic change occurred. As an adult, Tony worked at the Royal Coachman but often spent nights walking or sleeping on the dunes. He felt he was "sitting outside himself observing 'Tony' from a distance...someone else...totally removed, separate from that Tony...it fascinated him...".
Liza remembered visiting Tony's "secret garden". Louisa and I went all over the Cape with him...He took us on his errands and out to the dump and out to the Truro woods...Our Tony? A serial killer?" [Tony] had read somewhere that liars cannot meet the gaze of those questioning them, so Tony trained himself to stare unblinkingly into the eyes of anyone who challenged him. It was more than unnerving...". Getting away with murder?...Tony eventually made a "greedy" mistake.
"The Babysitter: My Summers With a Serial Killer" by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is a well written, true crime read based upon the childhood recollections of Liza Rodman, of summers spent in the company of serial killer Tony Costa. Along with co-author Jennifer Jordan, they viewed multiple sources including police reports, trial documents and Tony Costa's prison diary written in Barnstable County Jail. This well researched tome was a gripping, spine tingling read. Would Tony have "groomed" Liza or Louisa? I would like to think not. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"My Tony is a good man," said Cecelia, of her older son. Returning from a trip, Tony was hired as the motel's handyman. He became one of the "random" babysitters Betty used when she deemed Liza and Louisa to be "underfoot all day". "They would ride to the dumps with him often stopping to buy popsicles. "We became his regular companions...I loved that he never seemed to be in a rush or eager to get rid of us. Unlike every other adult in our lives, he seemed to like just being with us. One day, Tony disappeared...More than anything I missed riding around town in the truck with Tony and feeling like I belonged somewhere".
"From the beginning Tony was different from the other kids-somehow cooler, smarter, and more 'inside himself'." Remembered by early teachers for "splendid cooperation and honesty", at age 12, a dramatic change occurred. As an adult, Tony worked at the Royal Coachman but often spent nights walking or sleeping on the dunes. He felt he was "sitting outside himself observing 'Tony' from a distance...someone else...totally removed, separate from that Tony...it fascinated him...".
Liza remembered visiting Tony's "secret garden". Louisa and I went all over the Cape with him...He took us on his errands and out to the dump and out to the Truro woods...Our Tony? A serial killer?" [Tony] had read somewhere that liars cannot meet the gaze of those questioning them, so Tony trained himself to stare unblinkingly into the eyes of anyone who challenged him. It was more than unnerving...". Getting away with murder?...Tony eventually made a "greedy" mistake.
"The Babysitter: My Summers With a Serial Killer" by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is a well written, true crime read based upon the childhood recollections of Liza Rodman, of summers spent in the company of serial killer Tony Costa. Along with co-author Jennifer Jordan, they viewed multiple sources including police reports, trial documents and Tony Costa's prison diary written in Barnstable County Jail. This well researched tome was a gripping, spine tingling read. Would Tony have "groomed" Liza or Louisa? I would like to think not. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2021
Officially freaked out.
4.5 stars.
Shortest Summary Ever: Liza Rodman has a pretty awful mom - one who drags her and her sister around working jobs where she can meet men, partying all night, and leaving her kids in the care of random people. One of these random people was serial killer Tony Costa who took them for rides to the woods, aka his victim burial grounds. Liza’s recollection is captured here.
Thoughts: This is a book that made me mad, sick, and troubled - which is what it should be. I was engrossed in every shocking turn and several moments forgot I was reading non-fiction. While the description casts the spotlight on Tony Costa, the true attention of the story for me was on Liza and her life story of abuse from a negligent, appallingly absent, and crass mother with poor judgement to say the least. Then, to learn this awful truth later in life and process what this means is mind-bending.
I’m a teacher and therefore abuse is a “hot-button” for me, but listening to how this selfish mother dragged her daughter around like old luggage - leaving her with a trail of miscreants made me simply sad, perhaps even as disgusted as hearing about Costa’s murders and the havoc he wreaked on so many lives.
But while Costa was surrounded by people who in many ways enabled him, Liza SURVIVED. And it sounds like she flourished and that made the book amazing to know the light is there. Perhaps the question should be - was Liza’s mom any less psychotic than Costa? 🤔 When one exposes her children (even unknowingly), to a man like this, does she share equal blame? This is my “chew on that” as you read this brilliant work. Imma go hug my awesome mom now.
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.
Genre: Non-fiction, True Crime
Recommend to: Serial killer readers, Fans of true gritty and downright honest details. This is the story/“deal with it” type of book.
Not recommended to: if you can’t handle child abuse/neglect. I almost quit but I stuck it out.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for thanking the heavens for an amazing mom.
4.5 stars.
Shortest Summary Ever: Liza Rodman has a pretty awful mom - one who drags her and her sister around working jobs where she can meet men, partying all night, and leaving her kids in the care of random people. One of these random people was serial killer Tony Costa who took them for rides to the woods, aka his victim burial grounds. Liza’s recollection is captured here.
Thoughts: This is a book that made me mad, sick, and troubled - which is what it should be. I was engrossed in every shocking turn and several moments forgot I was reading non-fiction. While the description casts the spotlight on Tony Costa, the true attention of the story for me was on Liza and her life story of abuse from a negligent, appallingly absent, and crass mother with poor judgement to say the least. Then, to learn this awful truth later in life and process what this means is mind-bending.
I’m a teacher and therefore abuse is a “hot-button” for me, but listening to how this selfish mother dragged her daughter around like old luggage - leaving her with a trail of miscreants made me simply sad, perhaps even as disgusted as hearing about Costa’s murders and the havoc he wreaked on so many lives.
But while Costa was surrounded by people who in many ways enabled him, Liza SURVIVED. And it sounds like she flourished and that made the book amazing to know the light is there. Perhaps the question should be - was Liza’s mom any less psychotic than Costa? 🤔 When one exposes her children (even unknowingly), to a man like this, does she share equal blame? This is my “chew on that” as you read this brilliant work. Imma go hug my awesome mom now.
All my reviews available at scrappymags.com around time of publication.
Genre: Non-fiction, True Crime
Recommend to: Serial killer readers, Fans of true gritty and downright honest details. This is the story/“deal with it” type of book.
Not recommended to: if you can’t handle child abuse/neglect. I almost quit but I stuck it out.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for thanking the heavens for an amazing mom.
December 11, 2020
One need not be a Chamber -to be Haunted
-Emily Dickinson
In the 1960's Liza Rodman grew up a lonely girl. Her mother worked at a local Motel and went dancing most nights in Provincetown. Her babysitter was the handyman (Tony) at the Motel where her mother worked. He would take Liza and her sister, Louisa, on adventures in his truck, treating them to popsicles and taking them on adventures in the woods. He made their summers fun. Liza and her sister thought he was a nice guy. It was not until later that Liza would learn that he was a serial killer. Some of his victims were buried in the same woods where he took Liza and her sister on adventures.
**Tony Costa made headlines in 1969 when he was suspected of killing seven women but was convicted of killing only two. Four years into his incarceration, he committed suicide.
It was not until she was older, that Liza put two and two together and realized that her fun babysitter was a killer of women. When she questioned her mother about him, her mother's response was "Yeah, so what?"….” He didn't kill you, did he?" Needless to say, Liza's mother never won any mother of the year awards. As you can imagine, she was intrigued, haunted, and troubled by what she learned. She began researching the man who babysat her and killed numerous women. She wrote this book with the help of Jennifer Jordan.
I found this book to be well written, well researched and thought provoking. Some following my reviews know that I used to work with serial killer, murderers, rapists, etc. when I worked in forensics. Obviously, they were court ordered to treatment after they were caught. It has always fascinated me what they were like in their day to day lives prior to arrest and conviction. I thought the authors did a brilliant job of showing Tony throughout his life, his marriage, and his interactions with her and others. I applaud their attention to detail and the use of trial documents, police reports, interviews with those who knew him, Liza's memories, and Tony's diary.
Fans of True Crime will not be disappointed. You will learn about a serial killer who is not as well-known as say Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. But his case is fascinating as is Liza's childhood. She could even write another book about her mother if she wanted to do so. It is sad that no one intervened and removed the two girls from her care. Liza could also write a book about Tony's mother, Cecelia, who also worked at the Motel and was loving and kind to Liza and turned a blind eye to Tony's lifestyle and crimes.
Riveting, thought provoking and well researched.
A Must Read for True Crime fans.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
-Emily Dickinson
In the 1960's Liza Rodman grew up a lonely girl. Her mother worked at a local Motel and went dancing most nights in Provincetown. Her babysitter was the handyman (Tony) at the Motel where her mother worked. He would take Liza and her sister, Louisa, on adventures in his truck, treating them to popsicles and taking them on adventures in the woods. He made their summers fun. Liza and her sister thought he was a nice guy. It was not until later that Liza would learn that he was a serial killer. Some of his victims were buried in the same woods where he took Liza and her sister on adventures.
**Tony Costa made headlines in 1969 when he was suspected of killing seven women but was convicted of killing only two. Four years into his incarceration, he committed suicide.
It was not until she was older, that Liza put two and two together and realized that her fun babysitter was a killer of women. When she questioned her mother about him, her mother's response was "Yeah, so what?"….” He didn't kill you, did he?" Needless to say, Liza's mother never won any mother of the year awards. As you can imagine, she was intrigued, haunted, and troubled by what she learned. She began researching the man who babysat her and killed numerous women. She wrote this book with the help of Jennifer Jordan.
I found this book to be well written, well researched and thought provoking. Some following my reviews know that I used to work with serial killer, murderers, rapists, etc. when I worked in forensics. Obviously, they were court ordered to treatment after they were caught. It has always fascinated me what they were like in their day to day lives prior to arrest and conviction. I thought the authors did a brilliant job of showing Tony throughout his life, his marriage, and his interactions with her and others. I applaud their attention to detail and the use of trial documents, police reports, interviews with those who knew him, Liza's memories, and Tony's diary.
Fans of True Crime will not be disappointed. You will learn about a serial killer who is not as well-known as say Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. But his case is fascinating as is Liza's childhood. She could even write another book about her mother if she wanted to do so. It is sad that no one intervened and removed the two girls from her care. Liza could also write a book about Tony's mother, Cecelia, who also worked at the Motel and was loving and kind to Liza and turned a blind eye to Tony's lifestyle and crimes.
Riveting, thought provoking and well researched.
A Must Read for True Crime fans.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 4, 2021
"Each body was cut into as many parts as there are joints."
True crime novels run hot and cold for me. I absolutely hated I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, as it was an unorganized mess, but I've always really enjoyed Ann Rule novels, particularly The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story.
Needless to say, I was a little leery diving into The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. This true crime offering was clean, easy to follow, organized, and well-written. Alternating chapters told not only Tony Costa's story (The Cape Cod Cannibal), but also that of Liza Rodman's childhood, the things she remembered about Tony (who often babysat her and her sister, Louisa), and her life growing up in Provincetown. Unlike some of the more well-known serial killers, Tony Costa's was not a name I was familiar with, so this story was doubly interesting for me, as I knew nothing about these brutal crimes at all.
It was quite absorbing, and I was impressed by how well researched this book was. The research was so thorough, in fact, that Ms. Rodman actually discovered what happened to three women suspected of being additional Tony Costa victims, and she told their stories in the epilogue.
I do think pictures should have been included. They're so helpful in achieving a sense of the people in true crime novels, and it saves readers from having to look up all the story's players themselves. Oddly enough, during my internet searches, I think I found Tony Costa's wife, Avis, on Facebook. The couple was married when she was just thirteen or fourteen, and she had three children by the time she was eighteen. Costa was, clearly, a fascinating and deeply disturbed individual.
If you love true crime, are a sucker for serial killers, and enjoy clean, well-written text...I'd definitely recommend this book.
Available March 2, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria for my review copy.
True crime novels run hot and cold for me. I absolutely hated I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, as it was an unorganized mess, but I've always really enjoyed Ann Rule novels, particularly The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story.
Needless to say, I was a little leery diving into The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. This true crime offering was clean, easy to follow, organized, and well-written. Alternating chapters told not only Tony Costa's story (The Cape Cod Cannibal), but also that of Liza Rodman's childhood, the things she remembered about Tony (who often babysat her and her sister, Louisa), and her life growing up in Provincetown. Unlike some of the more well-known serial killers, Tony Costa's was not a name I was familiar with, so this story was doubly interesting for me, as I knew nothing about these brutal crimes at all.
It was quite absorbing, and I was impressed by how well researched this book was. The research was so thorough, in fact, that Ms. Rodman actually discovered what happened to three women suspected of being additional Tony Costa victims, and she told their stories in the epilogue.
I do think pictures should have been included. They're so helpful in achieving a sense of the people in true crime novels, and it saves readers from having to look up all the story's players themselves. Oddly enough, during my internet searches, I think I found Tony Costa's wife, Avis, on Facebook. The couple was married when she was just thirteen or fourteen, and she had three children by the time she was eighteen. Costa was, clearly, a fascinating and deeply disturbed individual.
If you love true crime, are a sucker for serial killers, and enjoy clean, well-written text...I'd definitely recommend this book.
Available March 2, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up
My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria for my review copy.
March 12, 2022
The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman is a 2021 Atria publication.
This combination of memoir/ true crime chronicles Liza Rodman’s memories of her summers spent with serial killer Tony Costa, as a child.
Vivid nightmares, as an adult, jolted Liza’s memories of summers, back in the 1960s, when she spent some significant time with Tony. Her mother worked days and partied at night, often leaving Liza to her own devices, and vulnerable to Tony's attentions.
Her nightmares prompted Liza to quiz her mother about Tony, and was shocked by her mother's flippant announcement that he turned out to be a prolific serial killer.
The book alternates between Liza��s childhood, where she chronicles her upbringing, and complicated relationship with her mother, which is hardly warm and fuzzy, while detailing Tony’s everyday life when he wasn’t taxiing Liza and her sister around, keeping them entertained while her mother was otherwise occupied.
As Liza thinks back on those summers, some of the details she shares are bone chilling- like Tony’s secret garden, for example. The very premise alone is enough to send someone into therapy. I can’t imagine how I would feel knowing I’d been so chummy with a serial killer… or that my mother didn't appear to be all that unnerved by it.
The author did overshare some details about her life I didn’t really need to know, and wasn’t necessary to set up the scenario that put her in contact with Tony.
Tony was not Liza’s official or paid babysitter, but under the circumstances, one could understand how she viewed him as a such, but the title sort of insinuates a different scenario than the one we are presented with. A small gripe, I know.
The other issue I had, was with the book’s structuring, which made it a little hard to follow sometimes.
That said, the segments pertaining to Tony are obviously well-researched, full of chilling details depicting Tony’s troubling nature, and of course his murderous streak, which is quite disturbing and gruesome.
Before I read this book, I didn’t know anything about Tony Costa, really, other than vaguely recognizing his name. He was accused of killing several women, but was only convicted of two murders. He later committed suicide.
The Cape Cod Killer will now haunt my dreams too- but thankfully, not in the same way he has haunted Liza Rodman’s.
I’m glad she lived to tell this tale…
3.5 stars
This combination of memoir/ true crime chronicles Liza Rodman’s memories of her summers spent with serial killer Tony Costa, as a child.
Vivid nightmares, as an adult, jolted Liza’s memories of summers, back in the 1960s, when she spent some significant time with Tony. Her mother worked days and partied at night, often leaving Liza to her own devices, and vulnerable to Tony's attentions.
Her nightmares prompted Liza to quiz her mother about Tony, and was shocked by her mother's flippant announcement that he turned out to be a prolific serial killer.
The book alternates between Liza��s childhood, where she chronicles her upbringing, and complicated relationship with her mother, which is hardly warm and fuzzy, while detailing Tony’s everyday life when he wasn’t taxiing Liza and her sister around, keeping them entertained while her mother was otherwise occupied.
As Liza thinks back on those summers, some of the details she shares are bone chilling- like Tony’s secret garden, for example. The very premise alone is enough to send someone into therapy. I can’t imagine how I would feel knowing I’d been so chummy with a serial killer… or that my mother didn't appear to be all that unnerved by it.
The author did overshare some details about her life I didn’t really need to know, and wasn’t necessary to set up the scenario that put her in contact with Tony.
Tony was not Liza’s official or paid babysitter, but under the circumstances, one could understand how she viewed him as a such, but the title sort of insinuates a different scenario than the one we are presented with. A small gripe, I know.
The other issue I had, was with the book’s structuring, which made it a little hard to follow sometimes.
That said, the segments pertaining to Tony are obviously well-researched, full of chilling details depicting Tony’s troubling nature, and of course his murderous streak, which is quite disturbing and gruesome.
Before I read this book, I didn’t know anything about Tony Costa, really, other than vaguely recognizing his name. He was accused of killing several women, but was only convicted of two murders. He later committed suicide.
The Cape Cod Killer will now haunt my dreams too- but thankfully, not in the same way he has haunted Liza Rodman’s.
I’m glad she lived to tell this tale…
3.5 stars
September 30, 2021
This was a slow burn kinda book. 🤔 Lots of background to get to the meat and potatoes. I feel for the author, she had a rough childhood. 🥲 This guy reminded me of Ted Bundy and all the documentaries and accounts with him. Just creepy. 😬
March 31, 2022
The Babysitter is one of the most disturbing and shocking true crime stories I’ve ever read.
(The following may contain mild spoilers)
Let’s begin with Liza Rodman. She’s experiencing frightening dreams in her adulthood. They involve a strange man—one she can’t identify. What’s causing these dreams? Over time it dawns on her, and she makes a connection back to her 1960s childhood with a young man who spontaneously came into her life. Liza is compelled to take a look at her past, reflect on her lonely, psychologically abusive childhood, and research the life of one of the evilest men on earth: Tony Costa.
Tony Costa’s childhood experience is sad. On the outside, he appears normal, but he suffers violent abuse from a young boy. Abandoned by his father, he is exposed to things no child should ever have to experience. As he grows into young adulthood, he’s introduced to the world of drugs and becomes obsessed with sex. Eventually, something causes him to snap.
Tony’s battery of heinous crimes on others is like something out of a horror movie, and the reader isn’t spared the details. It was painful to read about Liza’s abusive mother too. How could a mother treat her child like that? Why do people defend others when they know they’re wrong? What finally made Tony snap? Why do people remain in abusive relationships? These are some of the questions I pondered while reading this book.
Even though I’ve read plenty of gruesome true crimes, The Babysitter was a frightening read. The nonfiction narrative form of writing is what kept me reading, with the chapters seamlessly alternating between Liza and Tony. Tony’s development into a serial murderer was intriguing. His demeanor implies that he’s a kind person. Alarming! He’s a handsome man who knows how to talk to people–wooing them into capitulation. In a short amount of time, Tony succeeds in charming Liza. She looks up to him as if he’s safe. What’s going on behind the scenes remains elusive.
When I was in college, I studied John Wayne Gacy’s story for a course on serial murder. Tony Costa’s behavior reminds me so much of him. There were definite similarities. With each case, the question remains: What exactly is it that makes a serial murderer?
Overall, the authors did an incredible job with the research and the storytelling, making this a highly compelling read. It’s thought-provoking and will leave you speechless. If you enjoy true crime and would like an in-depth look into a serial murderer’s life, then you may want to grab this book.
For the most part, I read the physical book. I also subbed in the audio over the weekend (Scribd). This is an audiobook I recommend to those who enjoy audio. It was an easy transition to and from the physical book.
(The following may contain mild spoilers)
Let’s begin with Liza Rodman. She’s experiencing frightening dreams in her adulthood. They involve a strange man—one she can’t identify. What’s causing these dreams? Over time it dawns on her, and she makes a connection back to her 1960s childhood with a young man who spontaneously came into her life. Liza is compelled to take a look at her past, reflect on her lonely, psychologically abusive childhood, and research the life of one of the evilest men on earth: Tony Costa.
Tony Costa’s childhood experience is sad. On the outside, he appears normal, but he suffers violent abuse from a young boy. Abandoned by his father, he is exposed to things no child should ever have to experience. As he grows into young adulthood, he’s introduced to the world of drugs and becomes obsessed with sex. Eventually, something causes him to snap.
Tony’s battery of heinous crimes on others is like something out of a horror movie, and the reader isn’t spared the details. It was painful to read about Liza’s abusive mother too. How could a mother treat her child like that? Why do people defend others when they know they’re wrong? What finally made Tony snap? Why do people remain in abusive relationships? These are some of the questions I pondered while reading this book.
Even though I’ve read plenty of gruesome true crimes, The Babysitter was a frightening read. The nonfiction narrative form of writing is what kept me reading, with the chapters seamlessly alternating between Liza and Tony. Tony’s development into a serial murderer was intriguing. His demeanor implies that he’s a kind person. Alarming! He’s a handsome man who knows how to talk to people–wooing them into capitulation. In a short amount of time, Tony succeeds in charming Liza. She looks up to him as if he’s safe. What’s going on behind the scenes remains elusive.
When I was in college, I studied John Wayne Gacy’s story for a course on serial murder. Tony Costa’s behavior reminds me so much of him. There were definite similarities. With each case, the question remains: What exactly is it that makes a serial murderer?
Overall, the authors did an incredible job with the research and the storytelling, making this a highly compelling read. It’s thought-provoking and will leave you speechless. If you enjoy true crime and would like an in-depth look into a serial murderer’s life, then you may want to grab this book.
For the most part, I read the physical book. I also subbed in the audio over the weekend (Scribd). This is an audiobook I recommend to those who enjoy audio. It was an easy transition to and from the physical book.
April 9, 2021
Do you watch any true crime mysteries? I watch very little TV, but a Dateline or 48 Hours? (My favorite is Cold Justice on Oxygen). I’m in. I have been soooooooo excited to read The Babysitter, and it did not disappoint.
If you haven’t heard, it’s the true story of one little girl’s charming babysitter who was also a serial killer. Liza Rodman grows up in Cape Cod. Her mother works all the time, day and night, and her babysitter is a handyman at the hotel where her mom works. Along with her sister, this babysitter takes them for treats, and they visit a “secret garden.” It is a magical experience for the girls, and they see Tony as a friend.
At the same time, Tony is a serial killer. His victims are buried in that very spot he took the girls to visit. As the headlines begin, Liza has no idea her babysitter is the same man who murdered multiple women until decades later.
The Babysitter is Liza’s research, along with a co-writer, to uncover what happened with Tony Costa’s case. Due to her connection, she became obsessed with the case. Overall, this is a well-written, engaging, compelling true crime account, and it certainly makes you think about how well you know people!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.Jennifer tarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
If you haven’t heard, it’s the true story of one little girl’s charming babysitter who was also a serial killer. Liza Rodman grows up in Cape Cod. Her mother works all the time, day and night, and her babysitter is a handyman at the hotel where her mom works. Along with her sister, this babysitter takes them for treats, and they visit a “secret garden.” It is a magical experience for the girls, and they see Tony as a friend.
At the same time, Tony is a serial killer. His victims are buried in that very spot he took the girls to visit. As the headlines begin, Liza has no idea her babysitter is the same man who murdered multiple women until decades later.
The Babysitter is Liza’s research, along with a co-writer, to uncover what happened with Tony Costa’s case. Due to her connection, she became obsessed with the case. Overall, this is a well-written, engaging, compelling true crime account, and it certainly makes you think about how well you know people!
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.Jennifer tarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
March 24, 2021
My initial reaction upon receiving my “declined” notification for an advanced copy of this book went a little something like . . . .
I mean it’s a book about a serial killer. I’m pretty much guaranteed to love it . . . .
Then I was on the library list and no matter when I logged in to check my #1 in line status, I continually received a message saying my wait was approximately two weeks . . . .
So anyway, I finally got a copy of this and sucked it all down like a chocolate milkshake yesterday. I didn’t know anything before starting aside from the title which was obviously . . . .
And talk about had me at hello . . . .
“What do you remember about him?”
“Well, I remember he turned out to be a serial killer.”
“Tony was the Cape Cod Vampire? Our Tony? A serial killer?”
“Yeah, so what? He didn’t kill you, did he?”
Back in the 1960s Liza and her sister were raised by a single mother home-ec teacher who would take work on the Cape during summer break. Between working and wanting to let down her hair the two girls were pretty much left with anyone who would agree to babysit. Tony was one of the voluntary caregivers. He also just so happened to be the local drug dealer and a murderer in his free time. Told in a rotating narrative consisting of part memoir and part true crime story, I found this to be un-put-down-able.
I mean it’s a book about a serial killer. I’m pretty much guaranteed to love it . . . .
Then I was on the library list and no matter when I logged in to check my #1 in line status, I continually received a message saying my wait was approximately two weeks . . . .
So anyway, I finally got a copy of this and sucked it all down like a chocolate milkshake yesterday. I didn’t know anything before starting aside from the title which was obviously . . . .
And talk about had me at hello . . . .
“What do you remember about him?”
“Well, I remember he turned out to be a serial killer.”
“Tony was the Cape Cod Vampire? Our Tony? A serial killer?”
“Yeah, so what? He didn’t kill you, did he?”
Back in the 1960s Liza and her sister were raised by a single mother home-ec teacher who would take work on the Cape during summer break. Between working and wanting to let down her hair the two girls were pretty much left with anyone who would agree to babysit. Tony was one of the voluntary caregivers. He also just so happened to be the local drug dealer and a murderer in his free time. Told in a rotating narrative consisting of part memoir and part true crime story, I found this to be un-put-down-able.
February 6, 2021
DNF @ 72%; this is the first ARC I’ve ever been unable to finish, and I’m pretty disappointed. :(
I’d like to start by saying that I pass no judgment on the content of this book. Memoirs are tricky for me to rate and review because I don’t feel that I’m in any position to critique someone’s experiences. So let me get it out there: My star rating in no way reflects the author’s story.
Rather, I did not jibe whatsoever with the presentation of said story.
The prose is confusing and/or mediocre at best, stilted and unnecessarily offensive at worst. At one point the book is describing the people who populated Provincetown in the 60’s: liberal artists, hippies, and “homosexuals,” all of who transformed good kids into troubled teenagers. (Needless to say, I did not appreciate the insinuation that gay people were corrupting influences.)*
In another instance, during one of Tony’s chapters, there’s this line about a girl being a “true redhead”* (emphasis mine) because she was pestering Tony and making demands of him. I was confused by this. Is “redhead” somehow slang for “feisty”? Am I… missing something here? Or did the book just stereotype all people with red hair as inherently demanding and overbearing?
That being said, I understand, obviously, that homophobia was rampant in the 1960s in a way that it isn’t now. I understand that Tony was a bigot who probably did refer to redheads (along with women, gay people, people of colour, religious minorities—heck, EVERYONE) in derogatory terms. But the issue I have is that this isn’t a book written by Tony. As such, there was no need for these iffy descriptions to be used.
Again: I’m not casting judgment on the authors. And I’d like to give the book the benefit of the doubt, so let’s talk about my main gripes with the prose in The Babysitter: it just wasn’t easy for me to read. Several sentences were weirdly structured and required several rereads before I could parse out their meaning; this really bogged down my reading experience.
Moreover, quotes and testimonials were inserted awkwardly rather than seamlessly into the text. The result was that I felt jarred out of the book, when I would’ve liked for these firsthand quotations to imbue the story with a greater sense of nuance or realism.
Bottom line: Not the book for me, unfortunately! But many readers and reviewers have had a great time with The Babysitter, so maybe it’s best for you to read this and make your own call.
* Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The quotes and specific examples I cited in my review were taken from an uncorrected advance proof and will be verified with the published copy when it releases on March 2, 2021.
I’d like to start by saying that I pass no judgment on the content of this book. Memoirs are tricky for me to rate and review because I don’t feel that I’m in any position to critique someone’s experiences. So let me get it out there: My star rating in no way reflects the author’s story.
Rather, I did not jibe whatsoever with the presentation of said story.
The prose is confusing and/or mediocre at best, stilted and unnecessarily offensive at worst. At one point the book is describing the people who populated Provincetown in the 60’s: liberal artists, hippies, and “homosexuals,” all of who transformed good kids into troubled teenagers. (Needless to say, I did not appreciate the insinuation that gay people were corrupting influences.)*
In another instance, during one of Tony’s chapters, there’s this line about a girl being a “true redhead”* (emphasis mine) because she was pestering Tony and making demands of him. I was confused by this. Is “redhead” somehow slang for “feisty”? Am I… missing something here? Or did the book just stereotype all people with red hair as inherently demanding and overbearing?
That being said, I understand, obviously, that homophobia was rampant in the 1960s in a way that it isn’t now. I understand that Tony was a bigot who probably did refer to redheads (along with women, gay people, people of colour, religious minorities—heck, EVERYONE) in derogatory terms. But the issue I have is that this isn’t a book written by Tony. As such, there was no need for these iffy descriptions to be used.
Again: I’m not casting judgment on the authors. And I’d like to give the book the benefit of the doubt, so let’s talk about my main gripes with the prose in The Babysitter: it just wasn’t easy for me to read. Several sentences were weirdly structured and required several rereads before I could parse out their meaning; this really bogged down my reading experience.
Moreover, quotes and testimonials were inserted awkwardly rather than seamlessly into the text. The result was that I felt jarred out of the book, when I would’ve liked for these firsthand quotations to imbue the story with a greater sense of nuance or realism.
Bottom line: Not the book for me, unfortunately! But many readers and reviewers have had a great time with The Babysitter, so maybe it’s best for you to read this and make your own call.
* Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The quotes and specific examples I cited in my review were taken from an uncorrected advance proof and will be verified with the published copy when it releases on March 2, 2021.
June 14, 2021
This book grabbed my attention from the start. Written in a brilliant style similar to a great fiction thriller book is what makes this true crime story so intoxicating. ATTENTION: this book is not for the faint of heart as it is full of graphic details on murder, sex, and mutilation.
This is the story of a young girl, Liza Rodman (author) and her neglectful and traumatic childhood.
As an adult she has tried to discuss her childhood with her mother only to be shut down. Liza always wondered what was wrong with her and why her mother was so loving towards her sister but not her. It just so happens that Tony Costa (convicted serial killer of several women) crosses her path. The story then changes to Tony’s life and his many victims. I was unaware of Tony’s murder spree, so everything in this book was news to me. Because I enjoyed the way the author expressed her story I was equally intrigued by Tony Costa’s story, the story of his victims and the story of Liza’s childhood. In the end I get a sense that Liza found some closure and everyone needs closure.
This is the story of a young girl, Liza Rodman (author) and her neglectful and traumatic childhood.
As an adult she has tried to discuss her childhood with her mother only to be shut down. Liza always wondered what was wrong with her and why her mother was so loving towards her sister but not her. It just so happens that Tony Costa (convicted serial killer of several women) crosses her path. The story then changes to Tony’s life and his many victims. I was unaware of Tony’s murder spree, so everything in this book was news to me. Because I enjoyed the way the author expressed her story I was equally intrigued by Tony Costa’s story, the story of his victims and the story of Liza’s childhood. In the end I get a sense that Liza found some closure and everyone needs closure.
September 1, 2022
3.5 stars
It was interesting that the author had met a serial killer as a child but their lives didn't really have that much crossover. Basically the guy drove her and her sister when they were children to the local dump several times and one time took them out to the woods where he may or may not have had buried some bodies. Chilling for sure, but not exactly a close relationship. So the chapters concerning her life, while sad in how neglectful her childhood was, weren't of a particular interest to me. The chapters that were focused on the serial killer however, were well done much like any true crime novel.
It was interesting that the author had met a serial killer as a child but their lives didn't really have that much crossover. Basically the guy drove her and her sister when they were children to the local dump several times and one time took them out to the woods where he may or may not have had buried some bodies. Chilling for sure, but not exactly a close relationship. So the chapters concerning her life, while sad in how neglectful her childhood was, weren't of a particular interest to me. The chapters that were focused on the serial killer however, were well done much like any true crime novel.
February 24, 2021
A dark and disturbing true crime memoir that tells the story of author Liza Rodman, as a young girl and her babysitter, Tony Costa, the serial killer.
There is so much detail and thought put into this book. I found Liza's childhood so upsetting and wanted to give her mom a shake. Half of the time I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Learning about Tony had me both horrified and entralled.
I am brand new to the world of true crime. This was my first and won't be my last. The Babysitter is well written, researched and fascinating - though it almost feels wrong saying that considering the subject matter.
Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Atria books for my review copy!
There is so much detail and thought put into this book. I found Liza's childhood so upsetting and wanted to give her mom a shake. Half of the time I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Learning about Tony had me both horrified and entralled.
I am brand new to the world of true crime. This was my first and won't be my last. The Babysitter is well written, researched and fascinating - though it almost feels wrong saying that considering the subject matter.
Huge thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Atria books for my review copy!
March 3, 2021
The Babysitter was one of my most anticipated arcs for March and super hard to get through. Not even because of the content but the WRITING. The writing needs heavy editing. It would talk about the most mundane and random topics that added nothing to the book. I don't think we needed to know about Liza's relationship with her mom, her first crush, how she moved to different towns as a child.. that could easily go into a memoir, not a true-crime novel.
I wanted to know what happened to Tony the serial killer which is the only reason I finished this book but I realized right after I could have just googled that. Literally kicking myself right now. Reading about Tony was creepy enough but the way this book was constructed was so poor and I couldn't wait for it to end. I had to skim the book and ended up even skipping some chapters. Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to know what happened to Tony the serial killer which is the only reason I finished this book but I realized right after I could have just googled that. Literally kicking myself right now. Reading about Tony was creepy enough but the way this book was constructed was so poor and I couldn't wait for it to end. I had to skim the book and ended up even skipping some chapters. Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 19, 2021
Tony was a serial killer that according to experts didn't fit the profile. According to scientific experts and psychologists trauma at a young age affects certain aspects that rewire your brain due to releasing certain hormones and chemicals to the brain. Such as rape, witnessing violence, abandonment, etc. I'm not qualified to say these things make a serial killer but in the same token I can see how these conclusions are possible. The story of his life and those he effected are told in a precise way and by no means is this a boring book.
dnf
December 31, 2021It’s been a while since I’ve read True Crime! This one sounds FASCINATING.
*Thanks Jordan & Carrie of the Mystery Book Club for my copy!
*Thanks Jordan & Carrie of the Mystery Book Club for my copy!
dnf
March 3, 2021DNF at 26%
Reading this has not been a great experience. This is not a criticism on the story itself but rather how it was told. I could not get past the writing style - it was too disjointed and the narrative did not flow. Disappointing considering the Tony Costa case was so fascinating.
Reading this has not been a great experience. This is not a criticism on the story itself but rather how it was told. I could not get past the writing style - it was too disjointed and the narrative did not flow. Disappointing considering the Tony Costa case was so fascinating.
April 12, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an engaging true crime account blended with a personal memoir. The facts about the serial killer were fairly interesting, but honestly I found the mother daughter relationship to be the most compelling aspect of this book. The author's mother was a very difficult woman who clearly never found peace in her role as parent and caretaker. As a piece of non fiction, I appreciated that this one was not overly long with a clear, focused narrative. I would recommend this one to true crime reader who enjoy a coming of age narrative woven into the facts of the murders.
This was an engaging true crime account blended with a personal memoir. The facts about the serial killer were fairly interesting, but honestly I found the mother daughter relationship to be the most compelling aspect of this book. The author's mother was a very difficult woman who clearly never found peace in her role as parent and caretaker. As a piece of non fiction, I appreciated that this one was not overly long with a clear, focused narrative. I would recommend this one to true crime reader who enjoy a coming of age narrative woven into the facts of the murders.
April 19, 2021
2.5 stars, rounding up.
Jumped out of my genre comfort zone to read this memoir about a young girl who's babysitter was the serial killer, Tony Costa. I was unfamiliar with Costa and his brutal killings in the 1960's. So I was intrigued.
The book alternates storylines between Tony and Liza, the author who was around 9 years old when she met Tony. Tony's story was interesting and thoroughly researched. I was very impressed with the level of detail.
Where the book lost pacing and even interest is in Liza's story. I don't want to undermine anything Liza went through as a child. The emotional and physical abuse she endured from her mother is disturbing. It's a life that no child should ever have to experience. I have nothing but sympathy for her.
However..... it just wasn't interesting to read about.
I'm here for all the grisly True Crime details and the psychology around "the why" Tony Costa committed the murders, but I was not interested in poor Liza's story. Her link with Tony is very minor and a bit of a stretch to refer to their connection as a babysitter.
I cannot stress this enough that the research here is absolutely phenomenal. The Epilogue even details how the authors were able to solve cases for 3 previously missing women presumed dead that were linked to Tony.
If you're a True Crime fan and unfamiliar with the Tony Costa murders, then I would recommend this. The details are heart-breaking but the psychology behind it is thought-provoking.
Jumped out of my genre comfort zone to read this memoir about a young girl who's babysitter was the serial killer, Tony Costa. I was unfamiliar with Costa and his brutal killings in the 1960's. So I was intrigued.
The book alternates storylines between Tony and Liza, the author who was around 9 years old when she met Tony. Tony's story was interesting and thoroughly researched. I was very impressed with the level of detail.
Where the book lost pacing and even interest is in Liza's story. I don't want to undermine anything Liza went through as a child. The emotional and physical abuse she endured from her mother is disturbing. It's a life that no child should ever have to experience. I have nothing but sympathy for her.
However..... it just wasn't interesting to read about.
I'm here for all the grisly True Crime details and the psychology around "the why" Tony Costa committed the murders, but I was not interested in poor Liza's story. Her link with Tony is very minor and a bit of a stretch to refer to their connection as a babysitter.
I cannot stress this enough that the research here is absolutely phenomenal. The Epilogue even details how the authors were able to solve cases for 3 previously missing women presumed dead that were linked to Tony.
If you're a True Crime fan and unfamiliar with the Tony Costa murders, then I would recommend this. The details are heart-breaking but the psychology behind it is thought-provoking.
March 18, 2021
First off, I was given a copy by Atria Books and Simon & Schuster for an honest review.
This book fits into what I call a True Crime/Memoir hybridization. The reason being is that the memoirist knew the killer and could have been a possible victim. It is along the vein of Ann Rule’s “The Stranger Beside Me”. Since she knew Ted Bundy.
While reading this, you can actually feel as though you are in Provincetown, Massachusetts encountering the story as it unfolds.
Possible Spoilers.....
What I thought was chilling that the “Pied Piper” that everyone was following, Tony Costa, had many similarities to Charles Manson. He was the “East Coast Version”.
So many young people became “lost” during this time and they latched onto men like that who knew how to exploit them and use them for nefarious purposes.
This book also has plenty of triggers in it. So be warned.
I was glad to have the opportunity to read this book.
This book fits into what I call a True Crime/Memoir hybridization. The reason being is that the memoirist knew the killer and could have been a possible victim. It is along the vein of Ann Rule’s “The Stranger Beside Me”. Since she knew Ted Bundy.
While reading this, you can actually feel as though you are in Provincetown, Massachusetts encountering the story as it unfolds.
Possible Spoilers.....
What I thought was chilling that the “Pied Piper” that everyone was following, Tony Costa, had many similarities to Charles Manson. He was the “East Coast Version”.
So many young people became “lost” during this time and they latched onto men like that who knew how to exploit them and use them for nefarious purposes.
This book also has plenty of triggers in it. So be warned.
I was glad to have the opportunity to read this book.
March 12, 2021
4 Stars
January 12, 2021
Thank you to Atria for this arc. This book will be published March 2!
I really wanted to like this book. I thought it would give me The Fact of a Body vibes but it did not. I didn’t like the writing style and the vantage point of the younger Liza being told from adult Liza. Also the language she used felt offensive for no reason. I thought I’d be learning about this serial killer, Tony Costa but it didn’t feel like a factual story. It all seems like you’re hearing about him from someone who lived 3 towns over who heard something from someone’s second cousin’s ex sister-in-law’s friend who works at the post office. I had to go back and check if I was reading a true story or not.
I didn’t feel attached to this book at all. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I normally love true crime but I this one didn’t work for me.
Don’t let my distress ruin this book for you! This one has great ratings here on goodreads, but it’s just not for me.
I really wanted to like this book. I thought it would give me The Fact of a Body vibes but it did not. I didn’t like the writing style and the vantage point of the younger Liza being told from adult Liza. Also the language she used felt offensive for no reason. I thought I’d be learning about this serial killer, Tony Costa but it didn’t feel like a factual story. It all seems like you’re hearing about him from someone who lived 3 towns over who heard something from someone’s second cousin’s ex sister-in-law’s friend who works at the post office. I had to go back and check if I was reading a true story or not.
I didn’t feel attached to this book at all. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I normally love true crime but I this one didn’t work for me.
Don’t let my distress ruin this book for you! This one has great ratings here on goodreads, but it’s just not for me.
March 4, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, Liza Rodman, Jennifer Jordan, and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book!
The Babysitter by Jennifer Jordan and Liza Rodman is one of my most anticipated books for March. It released on March 2nd and it is part memoir and part true crime. Liza Rodman recounts her time as a child in Cape Cod in the 1960s. Her family life was difficult. Her mother was abusive, emotionally and physically. Her mother worked at a motel and often went out on the town. She was notorious for finding last-minute babysitters. They meet the handyman named Tony. Wanting to get Liza off her hands, Liza’s mother let Liza go with Tony to run errands and dump runs. To Liza, he was friendly and treated her kindly, but his full name is Tony Costa. Unbeknownst to those who knew Tony, he was a sadistic serial killer. It is believed he killed up to eight women but only convicted of two women, Mary Ann Wysocki and Patricia Walsh.
It really is difficult to write this review because I was so looking forward to reading this book. I love true crime and I love memoirs and reading two in one sounded thrilling! This book did not meet my expectations. First of all, Tony was not Liza’s babysitter. Her mother pawned her off on him, she didn’t pay him nor did he watch her at her home. She only ran errands with him. So I felt the title was misleading. Second, the book begins with Liza as an adult having nightmares about Tony. As a child, she didn’t know he was a killer. She didn’t put the two together until after her nightmares began. My issue is she recalls days, weeks, years, and full conversations but didn’t figure out he was a killer until 50 years later? I believe that we can remember details from our childhood. But I honestly found it really hard to believe that she remembered ALL those details and full conversations. She writes that her childhood self was obsessed with Tony and even had a little crush on him. While crime novels and learning about serial killers interest me, I don’t romanticize them.
Not only that, but I found a few problematic details. The language regarding women and the LGBTQ community was cringe-y, to say the least. Then there was one quote that was jaw-dropping. When I read it, I had to reread it over again, to make sure I read it correctly. The scene is the mom made Liza dinner and to Liza it was inedible. The mother said that they don’t waste food because people in Biafra are starving. Liza then says, “wherever Biafra was, I wish I could send them my hotdog.” Am I wrong? That feels so unbelievably insensitive and cruel to a real issue. Not only that Liza makes references to the victims, calling them “teenyboppers” or “groupies.”—For a book with a dedication that says, “for the women,” those references felt like the author is victim-blaming.
In regards to the true-crime portion of the book, it was fine. This could have been an enjoyable book without Liza’s memoir sections. The layout is awkward. One chapter is a true crime, then the next is Liza’s memoir that is pages and pages that have nothing to do with the true-crime aspects. I can’t tell you how many times Liza references her “big boobs“—they are always italicized in the book. Overall, I was very disappointed. 1 out of 5 stars.
The Babysitter by Jennifer Jordan and Liza Rodman is one of my most anticipated books for March. It released on March 2nd and it is part memoir and part true crime. Liza Rodman recounts her time as a child in Cape Cod in the 1960s. Her family life was difficult. Her mother was abusive, emotionally and physically. Her mother worked at a motel and often went out on the town. She was notorious for finding last-minute babysitters. They meet the handyman named Tony. Wanting to get Liza off her hands, Liza’s mother let Liza go with Tony to run errands and dump runs. To Liza, he was friendly and treated her kindly, but his full name is Tony Costa. Unbeknownst to those who knew Tony, he was a sadistic serial killer. It is believed he killed up to eight women but only convicted of two women, Mary Ann Wysocki and Patricia Walsh.
It really is difficult to write this review because I was so looking forward to reading this book. I love true crime and I love memoirs and reading two in one sounded thrilling! This book did not meet my expectations. First of all, Tony was not Liza’s babysitter. Her mother pawned her off on him, she didn’t pay him nor did he watch her at her home. She only ran errands with him. So I felt the title was misleading. Second, the book begins with Liza as an adult having nightmares about Tony. As a child, she didn’t know he was a killer. She didn’t put the two together until after her nightmares began. My issue is she recalls days, weeks, years, and full conversations but didn’t figure out he was a killer until 50 years later? I believe that we can remember details from our childhood. But I honestly found it really hard to believe that she remembered ALL those details and full conversations. She writes that her childhood self was obsessed with Tony and even had a little crush on him. While crime novels and learning about serial killers interest me, I don’t romanticize them.
Not only that, but I found a few problematic details. The language regarding women and the LGBTQ community was cringe-y, to say the least. Then there was one quote that was jaw-dropping. When I read it, I had to reread it over again, to make sure I read it correctly. The scene is the mom made Liza dinner and to Liza it was inedible. The mother said that they don’t waste food because people in Biafra are starving. Liza then says, “wherever Biafra was, I wish I could send them my hotdog.” Am I wrong? That feels so unbelievably insensitive and cruel to a real issue. Not only that Liza makes references to the victims, calling them “teenyboppers” or “groupies.”—For a book with a dedication that says, “for the women,” those references felt like the author is victim-blaming.
In regards to the true-crime portion of the book, it was fine. This could have been an enjoyable book without Liza’s memoir sections. The layout is awkward. One chapter is a true crime, then the next is Liza’s memoir that is pages and pages that have nothing to do with the true-crime aspects. I can’t tell you how many times Liza references her “big boobs“—they are always italicized in the book. Overall, I was very disappointed. 1 out of 5 stars.
November 7, 2020
The Babysitter by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is Ms Rodman's chilling true account of her time in the company of serial killer Tony Costa. I cannot recall ever hearing about Costa and his crimes, but this is a haunting telling that definitely brought to mind Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me about more widely recognized serial killer Ted Bundy.
What struck me even more than her relationship with Costa was Liza's horrific abuse at the hands of her mother, a woman so heinous that she would leave her two daughters in the care of virtually anyone who was willing, leading, of course, to the relationship with the motel handyman. As a child so desperate for any kind of attention, Liza was immediately drawn to Costa, a figure of some authority to a pair of young eyes. Taking Liza and her sister to the 'secret woods', in actuality a place he used as a burial ground for his victims, became a fun adventure that Tony shared with the girls, who rarely had any other opportunities to leave the motel that they called home. Throughout their relationship, Liza was blissfully unaware of the evil that resided in the man she considered her only friend.
This is a dark and chilling account, but hopefully it is cathartic for the author in some way. That she continues to have a relationship with her mother to this day is nothing short of astounding, and certainly speaks to the power of forgiveness.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this ARC.
What struck me even more than her relationship with Costa was Liza's horrific abuse at the hands of her mother, a woman so heinous that she would leave her two daughters in the care of virtually anyone who was willing, leading, of course, to the relationship with the motel handyman. As a child so desperate for any kind of attention, Liza was immediately drawn to Costa, a figure of some authority to a pair of young eyes. Taking Liza and her sister to the 'secret woods', in actuality a place he used as a burial ground for his victims, became a fun adventure that Tony shared with the girls, who rarely had any other opportunities to leave the motel that they called home. Throughout their relationship, Liza was blissfully unaware of the evil that resided in the man she considered her only friend.
This is a dark and chilling account, but hopefully it is cathartic for the author in some way. That she continues to have a relationship with her mother to this day is nothing short of astounding, and certainly speaks to the power of forgiveness.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this ARC.
February 28, 2021
The story of how a little girl's life intersected with a convicted serial killer is told in a meticulously researched and documented format that is also easily devoured. In the 1960's both Liza Rodman and Tony Costa were spending their summers in Provincetown. Liza's mother was a harried divorced mother who welcomed the "breaks" a babysitter would give her from caring for her two little girls. Tony was kind to the girls, giving them popsicles and letting them ride with him in his truck as he ran errands. By the time Tony was convicted of two murders, Liza was still only ten years old and the adults in her life kept the truth from her. What a shock it would be to learn of this connection as an adult and recognize the trauma that remained. Sadly, Tony Costa had three factors in his young life that contributed to his unspeakable violence as an adult: 1) chromosomal, genetic, and hormonal abnormalities; 2) low-functioning prefrontal cortex; and 3) childhood neglect, trauma, and/or abuse. These three factors combined with drug abuse as a young adult created a monster. Fans of true crime will find this a fascinating read as will folks who enjoy watching shows like "Forensic Files."
Thank you to Atria Books for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Atria Books for a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2023
This was interesting, partially because it's half true crime and half memoir and also because I haven't heard of this serial killer.
The only thing is, we get a lot more of the author's life than Tony's, and she overshares in some parts, like really really things I did not need to know about her.
Also, Tony Costa was not her babysitter in a traditional sense, more like someone who her mother dumped her on and he took her with him to do errands.
Still, I'm glad he was nice to the author and that she came out of this alive.
The only thing is, we get a lot more of the author's life than Tony's, and she overshares in some parts, like really really things I did not need to know about her.
Also, Tony Costa was not her babysitter in a traditional sense, more like someone who her mother dumped her on and he took her with him to do errands.
Still, I'm glad he was nice to the author and that she came out of this alive.
September 18, 2021
I had never heard of the serial killer Tony Costa before, and reading about how he carted two little girls around by day, on his errands and jobs in Provincetown, as he murdered several women while off work, contributed to a bit of a creepiness factor. I liked that this read like a novel, not like non-fiction at all. The two audio narrators did an excellent job reading the alternating viewpoints.
August 30, 2024
I do love me some true crime and from that perspective this didn't disappoint however was disappointed to learn this was really two stories that overlapped for like 5 minutes.
Yes I can see it being scary to learn you were in the presence of a serial killer but the description leads the reader to believe in way more interaction than there actually was.
Yes I can see it being scary to learn you were in the presence of a serial killer but the description leads the reader to believe in way more interaction than there actually was.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,445 reviews