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Cannibal Killers: Monsters with a Taste for Murder

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Moira Martingale’s comprehensive study, Cannibal The Impossible Monsters, was originally written in 1993, when the internet was in its infancy. The book, a bestseller, tracked the phenomenon of cannibalistic murderers throughout history. Then came the World Wide Web. In this comprehensively updated edition we see that in the twenty-first century, cannibals who thirst for human flesh and blood are still among us, and, alarmingly, they have moved online to find their victims. Included in the grisly gallery of killers are Jeffrey Dahmer, Austin Harrouff (Florida), John Johnson (Montana), Hamilton Albert Fish, the 'Brooklyn Vampire', Richard Chase, the 'Vampire of Sacramento' and Luka Magnotta, the Canadian killer whose true story inspired Netflix's 'Don't F*ck with Cats'.

352 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

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190 people want to read

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Moira Martingale

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5 stars
32 (20%)
4 stars
61 (38%)
3 stars
48 (30%)
2 stars
12 (7%)
1 star
7 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!".
736 reviews579 followers
May 12, 2022
My thanks to Ad Lib Publishers, Moira Martingale and Netgalley.
Well, it's cannibals. I think I've finally hit my end. I've been trying to figure out this stuff for years. The eating, and the sexual components are too out there. I finally give up!
This was a good book. It definitely covers a whole bunch of cannibals. Matter of fact, it had so many sick mother effers that I finally hit my saturation point.
This was a very well researched book. Kudos to the author.
Profile Image for MadameD.
585 reviews57 followers
October 18, 2022
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
This book is very interesting and well documented. The author analysis is objective. I like the fact that I discovered lots of killers with a taste for flesh. Jeffrey Dahmer had a lots of insane colleagues.
The human mind is so complex. How two people with the same dramatic past, can become two totally different person? One person can become a dangerous, deranged serial killer, and the other a normal citizen.
This TC doesn’t have the answer, but the reflections about different cannibal killers over the years, until recently is highlighting.
I highly recommend Cannibal Killers by Moira Martingale.
Profile Image for liv ʚɞ.
432 reviews110 followers
December 20, 2022
’Cannibalism is always “symbolic” even when it is real’

Informative, interesting and engaging, Cannibal Killers is a fascinating look into an abhorrent group of people society likes to ignore, and for good reason.

Martingale had a fast-paced and succinct way of writing, without leaning into that pretentious and wordy sort of prose that most non-fic authors do. While she did repeat herself in some places, she certainly made me think and taught me a lot about the mindset of these people, as well as the faults of the police and mental health professionals. As someone who was previously steadfast in her belief of the nurture side of the ‘nature vs nurture’ debate, I can now say Martingale has made me almost reconsider this, and has left me confused over the credibility of either.

Overall this is 4/5 stars, and while she is biased, she is biased in the same way I am, so it’s a win for me!

Profile Image for Ashley Daviau.
2,262 reviews1,060 followers
May 14, 2025
I will greedily devour (pun definitely intended) absolutely anything and everything related to cannibalism. I just find the subject wildly fascinating and I can’t get enough of it. I would never partake myself but what could drive a human to do such a thing will never fail to interest me. This book featured some cool tidbits I didn’t know about yet and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Sam Ann.
139 reviews3 followers
May 22, 2022
With thanks to NetGalley, Moira Martingale, and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One thing that red flagged me from the start was the seemingly fetishistic inclusion of personal sexual details, and wholesale judgment on any kind of sexual activity outside of “heterosexual and begrudgingly partaken in every now and then”.

Such as the grouping together of pedophiles, stalkers, sadists, cannibals and *all pornographers* seems rather like grouping together fascist dictators, genocidal maniacs, and professional boxers. They then refer to these people at defective, which, yes there certainly are abhorrent practices described in her book but the puritanical idea that pornographers are are bad as *literal cannibals* is a stretch.

They also then proclaim that “this sort of thing just didn’t happen as much” in the 90’s when they wrote their first version of this book because the isolation and shame felt by people with voreaphelia meant that they *checks notes* wouldn’t have done it.

Because, you know, shame and isolation are notoriously good for mental health disorders.

From leaning on psychological studies conducted in the 70s and earlier, the authors almost obsessional anger about sex, to the questionable claims and a whiff of both transphobia and racism - I was disappointed in this book.

The first edition of this book was one of my first true crime books as a kid, and honestly this kind of true crime writing belongs in the 1990s.
Profile Image for Sarah.
653 reviews
May 10, 2022
I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I don't want to say I "enjoyed" this book but it did bring a very interesting and taboo topic to life, how and why can one become a cannibal? It was full of information and was written in a way that was easy to read and understand. My only gripe with it, was it some parts felt too repetitive.
Profile Image for Mrs Karen Bull.
157 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2022
Great book
Enjoyed reading about crime very well written and fascinating to read about each crime
Worth reading brought too life each aspect
Profile Image for Niamh.
27 reviews
January 23, 2025
I never expect much from a "True Crime" book from a charity shop. I pick it up with a morbid curiosity without setting my expectations high, yet this book still managed to astound me with its incompetency.

Despite being updated for 2022, you can tell this books original release was in the 90's. Martingale frequently references psychoanalysis as if it is indisputable fact, and attempts to rationalise and understand these serial killers motivations/causes without really considering any broader issues.
The author frequently takes serial killers at their word, quoting histories from their childhoods as if they are indisputable fact, even when these have been questioned by the police and courts. Frequently when googling the cases discussed I found that a lot of important detail had been left out from the author's analysis.

This all could have led to an easy 2* or 3*, the book was readable with a broad range of cases covered with differing motivations, timescales, and countries. However. This author cannot seem to escape her own bigotry. This book is incredibly racist, transphobic, misogynistic and homophobic.

While the majority of serial (and cannibal killers) are white men, this author cannot resist calling the people of Papa New Guinea in the contemporary era as "less developed", as well as blaming the entirety of Japan and Japanese culture for the cult fame of a particular killer- despite the fact that numerous of the interview sources were American journalists interviewing him! There is also references to Native Americans being cannibals- which is just a blatant lie from when white settlers attempted to paint them as "savages".
The author (in 2022!) refers to a (possibly) transgender individual as "transvestite" and entertains the idea that this "perversion" could be the cause for his murderous tendencies. The word "perversion" is also used frequently for anything from kinky/gay sex to serial murder and cannibalism.
Gay people are often referred to as "homosexuals" and this is also frequently parroted as a motivating factor in serial killers- as well as mothers being blamed for their murderous and violent children (but funnily enough never the fathers!). There is even a specific chapter about how mothers (!) are to blame if their children are murderous- even when they themselves are victims to their violence!

These arguments are also applied inconsistently: when discussing Jeffery Dahmer, the author argues his home life was not a contributing factor as many children come from broken homes, while another killer whose mother (purportedly) would have nasty arguments with him is to blame for his murderous tendencies (despite the very courts arguing that he was a danger to her and he should not be placed in her custody!). Never in this are their absent/inconsistent fathers even remotely questioned as being a contributing factor to their sons' violent acts.

There is also an entire chapter which appears to be no more than a tangent for the author to express her disgust for the porn industry. There are a few important points about violence against women- but the author is blinded by her own bias. For example, many serial killers enjoy extreme pornography and the author argues that with the rise of the internet is has become easier to access violent and illegal forms pornography - which is contributing to the normalisation of violence against women. On the surface, I would not inherently disagree with this argument. However, a few pages previously the author had argued that serial killers were on the decline- making it clear that many of the authors conclusions are not from an analysis of the facts, but simply from her own feelings. Martingale also has an odd few paragraphs where she equates teenage girls who post "scantily clad selfies" with the increasing presence of the porn industry, and therefore with violence against women. It is not clear what Martingale means by "scantily clad" but the slut shaming of literal teenagers is just bizarre.

And it is this bigotry which slips this book to a 1* as it perpetuates harmful stereotypes and those who read less critically could easily take the author's bigoted opinions as scientific fact. There are many better True Crime novels out there which are much less biased and bigoted
Profile Image for Yvonne (It's All About Books).
2,694 reviews316 followers
June 19, 2022

Finished reading: June 18th 2022
DNF at 19% (46 pages)


*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Ad Lib Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***



P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
Profile Image for Michelle.
295 reviews23 followers
February 3, 2023
⚠️ CW: graphic content, cannibalism, murder, rape, child abuse and much more ⚠️ This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted but it is so captivating and well written that I couldn't put it down! This book is a comprehensively updated and expanded version of Martingale's original publication on cannibal killers from the 90's that examines the ancestry of cannibalism from early human history right up to the present day. It is filled with research from scholars all over the world that aid the discussions throughout the book relating to the age old question of nature vs nurture and, in my opinion, is the perfect mix of psychology, criminology and true crime analysis. One particular part that I really found interesting was the discussion on how the internet has allowed groups of individuals to come together and create 'safe spaces' on not only the dark web but also in privately secured social media groups that has changed the way these people work to stalk their victims or enable their darkest desires. The only reason I dropped it down a star is because in a few areas I felt that there was an unnecessary emphasis put on some of the people who had any kind of preferences that lay outside of heteronormative behaviours or sexualities and how this somehow linked to the outcomes whether they were killer or victim. Overall, this was a very succinct and captivating read and if you're interested in psychology, criminology or just true crime in general then I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for J Earl.
2,337 reviews111 followers
June 5, 2022
Cannibal Killers by Moira Martingale is very much a hit or miss book for me, some aspects very solid yet a self-righteous tone throughout as well as some absurd groupings of both people and lifestyles.

If you want to learn about the many cases of cannibalism that have occurred in the fairly recent past, this is the book for you. Both the well-known and the more obscure are included and each is given some attempt at understanding. Admittedly, I see myself as potentially using this book as a springboard to learn more about specific cases rather than as a comprehensive look, largely because of Martingale's tone and apparent comfort in grouping disparate groups of people together in order to condemn them.

Which brings me to why I couldn't rate the book any higher. I found the authorial voice almost as offensive as the crimes she describes. She has obviously found her niche and is milking it. What insight could have been offered gets obscured by her seemingly narrow view of who in the world is good and worthy.

That said, I would still recommend this to readers who want to know more about this particular type of crime. There is a lot of good information here, just make sure you don't let her holier than thou attitude infect you as well.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Profile Image for Avril Polson.
281 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2025
All opinions are entirely my own. I am in no way affiliated with the author or publisher. Remember to support your local indie bookstore and library!

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨ ᰔ ୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

This archetypcal 'killer' is often known as a particularly devoted son, emotionally very closely bound to his mother, bringing her gifts to a degree beyond the ordinary. He is a 'mother's boy' even when adult. There also co-exists a deep hatred of her, not supertcially obvious and not always acknowledged even to himself.

- [ ] Star Rating: 2.5
- [ ] Discovery: Browsing
- [ ] Reading Format: Physical
- [ ] Read Time: 3 Hours

In this updated edition of 'The Impossible Monsters' we see that in the twenty-first century, cannibals who thirst for human flesh and blood are still among us, and they have moved online to find their victims.

I did not expect cannibalism to be so sexual but with how intimate the process is, I'm not terribly surprised.
Profile Image for Janalyn, the blind reviewer.
4,610 reviews140 followers
May 23, 2022
From medieval Times, to the Victorian era World War II and even current day on the Internet there is hardly a place in history where you won’t find cannibals. Author Maura Martindale covers the mall. I learned a lot from this book and probably more than I wanted to know. It is chocked full of cannibal stories that will make you cringe and there’s even one where the person considered to be eaten… I am not joking! This book was so good I love true crime stories and I was thoroughly entertained by this one and can’t recommend it enough. If true crime is your jam then you definitely need to read cannibals by Moraa Martendale and is a definite must have for any true crime fan. I was given this book by Net Galley and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any grammar or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own
Profile Image for Keith Chawgo.
484 reviews18 followers
June 9, 2022
Martindale’s update to her Cannibal Killers book is a true spine chilling winner and well researched book dealing with the vampire and werewolf myth whilst tying in the serial killer cannibal of our generation.

This is an such an interesting book and if you love true crime and want a better analysis of this than look no further than Martindale’s book. She has a great way of looking at the social, psychological and history aspects and putting these in a sensical order for the reader to learn and devour the information.

This is an exceptional book and one of the best written. This author has done their research and I am now a keen follower of this person’s work. This is a true winner for fans of True Crime and people who just have a passing fancy. You can not go wrong with this.
14 reviews
September 30, 2022
By far not my favorite true crime book. If you're looking for a good true crime author, I'd recommend Dr Richard Taylor, Val McDermid or of course, Christopher Berry-Dee.


This one... just wasnt all that.. "Facts" which really are opinion due to the lack of references or studies, on porn and sex trends are very objective and judgemental..
Majority of studies and reports are outdated, pulling from the older edition of the book.
Besides the serial killer accounts - which are all widely available over other mass media - the whole book is like a poorly done undergraduate paper. Will not be looking to read more of this authors work.
8 reviews
November 24, 2025
1,5

DNF at 30% of the book.

I was wishing for an in-depth analysis of the psychology behind canibal killers, the man-eating equivalent of “the gift of fear” or “why does he do that”. This book felt like a never-ending enumeration of different murderers without any psychological explanation that goes beyond the most basic information that you could read on their wikipedia page. The chapters feel like a never ending introduction. I kept hoping that the author would eventually elaborate on the subjects, but she just kept enumerating case after case after case.

Watch a youtube video on cannibalism and you’ll have thrice as much information.
Profile Image for TheseHauntedPages.
294 reviews9 followers
June 22, 2022
Morbidly fascinating!

This book gives a detailed account into the history or Vampirism/ Cannibalism whilst mentioning well known killers such as Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer to name a few.

It also talks about the psychological aspects, serial killer profiles, Hollywood influences such as The Silence of the Lambs and how the internet can play a part.

This is a great read for anybody interested in true crime but be warned it does not dilute on the criminal acts and goes into graphic detail!

Thank you to Netgalley for my arc!
246 reviews
July 29, 2022
Extremely interesting bordering on disturbing. Martingale spares not one detail in her study of cannibalistic murderers. As someone with an interest in true crime, for better or for worse, I couldn't stop reading. Definitely not an enjoyable read, but you can tell lots of research went into not only the crimes, but also the backgrounds of these killers. There was a smattering of analysis of what can be done in the future to prevent these things from happening, but it wasn't the focus of the book.
Profile Image for Nichola.
801 reviews4 followers
March 22, 2025
In the words of one of my favourite characters, ‘you have everyone dressed up in morality pants.’

This book tries very hard to give some insights but overall reads like a lambasting of any deviance which is uncomfortable to read.

There are also several claims in here which we have since started querying like what did Hague really do with the bodies and Bathory may have been politically framed.

I don’t like books about something so dark that is dressed is Victorian Morality.

I want books about the reality of the human condition.
Profile Image for Becki Sims.
491 reviews14 followers
June 8, 2022
This is a fascinating and comprehensive account detailing Cannibal Killers and the history of the concept.

I found it interesting and a little chilling.

It is thoroughly researched and well written.

Well worth a read if you are interested in this genre.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
46 reviews
November 6, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. As shocking and grotesque as some of the details were, the insights from the author towards the thought processes that lead even the most depraved and violent criminals to go that one step further to actually consume part or all of their victims were extremely enlightening. This book is one of only a handful that I plan to read again.
Profile Image for Honey.
48 reviews1 follower
July 23, 2023
Feels a bit unfair to judge it as a but clumsy and unwritten when it is, for me at least, the equivalent of a trashy celeb magazine for those interested in true crime. It is certainly worth more than the 3 pounds I paid for it but that’s about all to say on it. A primer of the whose who for cannibals.
Profile Image for Magen.
674 reviews
May 9, 2022
Very detailed and well written. Explores many different types of cannibalism and the circumstances surrounding each in a clear, interesting way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ad Lib Publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
1,443 reviews54 followers
June 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this read, I love true crime so I was so interested in this book. There were some killers that I was aware of in this book and some that I didn't which I loved, and even with the ones that I did know, it gave me new information. A great read fior true crime lovers.
Profile Image for Nettie.
349 reviews
September 19, 2022
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first book on cannibal killers by this author years ago and found it sickeningly interesting. This second book is filled with new facts and cases and is just as fascinating.
Profile Image for Fay Babette.
137 reviews
April 28, 2023
Informative, disturbing beyond belief and bizarre...
The amount of different extreme crimes including cannibalism for individual countries are sickening.
Lock your doors and stay away from the dark web, and other people, ewww.
Profile Image for Harry Adair.
16 reviews
December 4, 2024
In-depth analysis of cannibal cases past and present with interesting looks into cases that should’ve been picked up sooner but where missed due to a combination of police and therapists failure to understand what they had infront of them.
Profile Image for Claire.
18 reviews
September 15, 2022
Really interesting and well researched but needs a warning somewhere that it contains graphic descriptions of animal cruelty.
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