The Real-Life Murder Clubs: Citizens Solving True Crimes

by Nicola Stow

The story behind real-life clubs of ordinary citizens who come together to solve true crime mysteries—including the sleuths behind Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

In 2019, Netflix had a hit with documentary series Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. It was based on one of Canada’s most infamous crimes: the 2012 murder of thirty-three-year-old Lin Jun by his porn-star boyfriend, Luka Magnotta, in Montreal. Magnotta filmed himself killing and (apparently) eating parts of his victim; he also mailed Jun’s feet and hands to two Canadian political parties and two elementary schools.

Prior to Jun’s murder, though, Magnotta had anonymously posted online videos of himself killing kittens. Horrified Facebook sleuths worked tirelessly to uncover the kitten-killer’s identity and location. Armchair detective Deanne Thompson, a data analyst for a Vegas casino by day, spent countless hours researching Lithuanian doorknobs, among other things, to help identify items in Magnotta’s videos during her quest to unmask him.

Nicola Stow reveals the fascinating stories behind this and and similar cases in which ordinary citizens, in real-life murder clubs, as in Richard Osman’s bestselling fiction, help to investigate crimes, both recent and cold cases. Includes the cases of Casey Anthony, John Wayne Gacy, JonBenét Ramsey, Golden State Killer, Boston Marathon bombings, and many more.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime, Mystery

240 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2023

Reviews

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Real-Life Murder Clubs: Citizens Solving True Crimes by Nicola Stow gives us a look into the world of citizen sleuths. Unlike investigators who are actively involved in solving these cases in an official capacity, these individuals/groups work with whatever information is available in the public domain. As the author mentions that while she had initially assumed that she would be meeting people similar to Richard Osman’s characters from his popular Thursday Murder Club series she found that the real-life versions of citizens attempting to solve crimes were “grittier, inhabited by obsessive, intrepid souls who delve into some of the most gruesome cases in true crime history, while seeking justice and truth for both loved ones and strangers.”

Concise yet factual and informative, this is a well-researched book. Divided into twelve parts; each detailing the crime/crime scene and the sleuth or group/initiative involved in working on that case. From simple internet research and poring over missing person databases and data mining to forensic artistry, bioinformatics and genetic genealogy, these citizen sleuths employ several techniques in the process of identifying unnamed victims, not only providing their families with the answers they have been seeking but also present law enforcement with new details on cold cases. The author mentions different initiatives/groups that work toward victim identification and researching cold cases such as The Doe Network, Project EDAN, The DNA Doe Project and Websleuths.com among others.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the citizen sleuths who are motivated to help bring closure to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives to heinous crimes and remain unidentified. You have to admire the methodical approach and the hours and hours these people devote to their endeavors. While many are motivated on account of personal experiences (or that of people known to them), others simply want to help. In the first segment, a mother uses the internet and made-up social media profiles to identify gang members who were involved in the shooting of her daughter in a case of mistaken identity. The author talks about several cases, some cold cases from decades ago, some of which are well-known (JonBenet Ramsey and Golden State Killer cases, for example) and some lesser known cold cases, as well as some relatively more recent cases ( such as the arrest of Luka Magnotta that was documented in the Netflix documentary series Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer). She has also mentioned instances in which the overzealousness of citizens researching crime has resulted in false allegations and has caused much chaos in the lives of innocent people. The author also notes that in many instances the authorities have not acknowledged the contribution of the internet sleuths in solving some of the cases mentioned. This, however, has not deterred the individuals and groups in question in their efforts to help as many victims and their families find closure.

The author also provides a list of resources available for those who might want to know more. I should mention, however, that the descriptions of the crimes and the crime scenes described in this book might be upsetting for some readers.

Overall, this is an interesting read that I believe would appeal to true-crime aficionados, those who are curious about citizen sleuths and the different initiatives that are available for those who require assistance.

Many thanks to Ad Lib Publishers and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on November 24, 2022.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up

I'm a true crime junkie and I have been since I could read. As I was growing up I checked out every true crime book from my local library, and since I lived in the Pacific Northwest during the time of Ted Bundy and Diane Downs, my interest has always been piqued by the subject. Now with the abundance of true crime podcasts, shows on Netflix, Dateline and Investigation Discovery shows, I admit that I watch/listen/read about them quite often.

This book examines the real citizen detectives who have been instrumental at helping law enforcement identify unknown victims of crime, and also those who perpetrated those crimes. Although it provides an interesting and sometimes unique angle, if you are at all into true crime stories, there's nothing much new here. Nearly all of the cases the author highlights in the book have been covered in more than one medium, so I was a little bored reading a re-hashing of the Golden State Killer or the Don't F**k With Cats case yet again. Even the very first case she profiles in the book, after reading a few pages it sounded more and more familiar and I realized that it had been a Netflix show called Why Did You Kill Me?

There are some good nuggets of interest in here, but I didn't feel like there were enough. And I know this is a quibble, but this is a book set with cases from the US/Canada. The writer is from the UK and the book uses UK terminology/phrasing that seems very jarring. She says that one victim had remnants of a nappy on her shoulder (US word: diaper) and must have run out of petrol (gas). Another case she states that the woman weighed eight stone (approx 112 pounds, I had to look it up), the temperature was minus 2 centigrade and the woman still had milk teeth (baby teeth). Now I don't expect books to pander to me language-wise, I'm perfectly capable of looking things up, but I would think a book set in the US would use US-based wording.

If you're interested in true crime and are maybe unfamiliar with very many cases or how citizen detectives work, this might be of interest to you. Otherwise, give it a skip.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication Date 24th Nov 2022

4.5 Stars

One Liner: Loved it

Nicola Stow shares stories about real-life amateur sleuths and armchair detectives who worked for years to solve crimes no one else could. They take cold cases and use information in the public domain to solve crimes.

Some work alone, some in pairs, and others in groups. From handwriting experts to graphic designers, analysts, homemakers, and retired employees, real-life murder clubs have an array of people with the same goals. The book includes a collection of such murder clubs and how the members have worked on some of their best cases.

I’m glad I didn’t focus much on the blurb except for the last paragraph. As someone who didn’t watch the Netflix show (or many others), I could get into the book without expectations.

I have to say I loved reading it. The writing is compact yet detailed. It has a conversational style without being too casual or friendly.

Some of it is descriptive, but it is needed to provide a backstory about the criminals and the crimes (people from other countries may not know the details about killers in the US, and it doesn’t make sense to Google each of them to understand the book). That’s not needed, of course. The book tells me what I should know about the case, the proceedings, and the role of real-life sleuths who cracked it years afterward.

While some have a personal connection with the case, others felt compelled due to different reasons. They talk about the trigger moments that made them get into this path. Imagine spending your time, money, and other resources on someone you don’t even know.

On one side, there are official groups like Websleuths with strict moderators that work genuinely for what they believe in and help the police departments. Yet, there’s no dearth of over-excited armchair sleuths who don’t think twice before speculating or sharing someone’s personal information.

The last chapter in the book deals with such instances where amateur sleuths caused more harm and resulted in the hounding of an already grieving family. It also highlights the role of careless and fame-hungry journos and influencers using social media to share rumors as facts. The recent case of attacks on Hindus in Leicester, UK, is a great example.

I love the closing statement made by a retired cop. Becoming a real-life detective shouldn’t be for credit or fame. It is a responsibility and a selfless service to help people find closure. Those who expect recognition should not get into these activities.

To summarize, The Real-Life Murder Clubs is an impressive and inspiring collection about ordinary citizens who chose to be extraordinary by taking up crime-solving as a true passion.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ad Lib Publishers, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#TheRealLifeMurderClubs #NetGalley

*****

P.S: I’m going to search for similar clubs in India. Hoping to find at least a few clubs.

[Viola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Labs pierādījums tam, ka pat interesantu tēmu var padarīt nebaudāmu ar haotisku pasniegšanas manieri.

[Meliroo · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who followed along with the first season of Serial, watched Don't F**k With Cats, and finds the premise of internet sleuthing incredibly interesting, this premise definitely appealed to me.

I will say there is a bit of overlap between this book and the DFWC, but it is definitely not the only story featured. I really enjoyed reading about the different organizations and ways regular people are trying to assist with cold and missing persons cases. Like other reviews, I wish there was some overarching story/thesis that would have connected these stories together. At times it just felt like we were bouncing from story to story.

Overall an enjoyable and educational read!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. This is a fascinating reveal about the crimes which have been solved with the help of the general public. Laid out in 12 chapters, with a glossary for the technical terms it’s a real insight into how answers are found. Some of the work done by amateur sleuths is astonishingly laborious and impressive. These would be detectives are committed like you wouldn’t believe.

A lot of this book is quite technical and details out every step of the sleuthing operation, some may love this, others may find it a little too much. For me it was an eye opening glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes and how dedicated some of these amateur sleuths really are.

[Natalie Mackay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book - folk who, in their spare time, look at old crime scene files and make an attempt to help solve crimes however they can, with some able to offer excellent services such as reconstruction of a face from a skull.

However, this book seems to lean towards fangirling over these ‘sleuths’, some of the ways in which these people are described is cringey. Plain and simple. There’s at least 10% of this book which basically regurgitates Michelle McNamara’s “I’ll be gone in the dark” and a large chunk dedicated to how the infamous cat killer was tracked down - some might argue that’s not the work of a “murder club”.

The book couldn’t make up its mind as to whether focus should be placed on the drama surrounding the sleuthing or how awesome these guys were for helping to solve. High fives all round. Like I said - cringe.

[Clued-in With A Book (Elvina Ulrich) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a MUST READ for all true crime aficionados! I enjoyed learning about how citizens or amateur sleuths solved cold cases. All I can say is they possess GRIT - perseverance, passion and patience - in trying to solve cold cases or searching missing persons in their own time and not getting paid for their effort. All they want is to solve these cases and help the families of the victims. I loved how the author also shared some of the not so good effects of amateur sleuthing which had compromised real investigations. Overall, this was a fantastic book and is definitely one of my favourite true crime books of this year!

Pub. Date: Out now

***Thank you Ad Lib Publishers and NetGalley for this gifted reading copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of, The Real-Life Murder Clubs, Citizens Solving True Crimes, by Nicola Stow. I really enjoyed this interesting read. How far people go to help others, often people they do not even know, and solve murders. I learned a lot of information. A really good read.

[Ioanna Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s like reading a crime documentary from Netflix. Every chapter is a separate crime, truly good!

[Naomi's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an armchair detective? I am always curious about the process that internet sleuths and the regular people that help investigate while working with the law. Each chapter in this book covers a different case or person who dedicates countless time to justice for strangers. They include artists, retired scientists and everyone in between. You hear about real people helping the police when they are out of hours and resources. It was fascinating to read about and I recommend you read it as well.

I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Have you ever come home from work and thought, Tonight I’ll scour the internet, see if I can identify that decayed head found in a bucket of cement? or worked through the night drawing digital pictures from autopsy photographs of an unidentified teenager found murdered in a field thirty years ago? Has it ever occurred to you to compare lists of unidentified corpses with those of missing people? If not, then welcome to the surprising world of citizen sleuths.”

The Real-Life Murder Clubs by Nicola Stow is an interesting examination of the ordinary individuals who devote their spare time to solving cases involving missing and murdered people.

Drawing from information in the public domain, including databases such as NamUS (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System), the DoE Network, and Project EDAN (Everyone Deserves a Name), thousands of volunteer citizens from housewives to retirees to artists to genealogists, spend countless hours combing through social media accounts, maps, newspaper articles and government records, sometimes collaborating in online groups such as websleuths.com, or Facebook.

Their motivation is sometimes personal, as it was for Belinda Lane who was determined to solve her daughter’s murder and bring her killer to justice, and Tricia Griffith, the founder of websleuths.com who had a close encounter with the notorious Ted Bundy. For others it’s simply a sense of empathy, outrage, curiosity or the satisfaction of solving a puzzle. Todd Matthews was a factory worker but nursed an obsession of over 20 years to identity the remains of a woman known only as ‘Tent Girl’, Deanna Thompson was one of the online group members determined to expose the identity of the man who posted two horrific video’s of kittens being suffocated in a vacuum bag, which was the subject of the Netflix documentary Don’t F*ck With Cats. Stow highlights twelve citizens in all and draws on personal interviews, and other sources.

There is some discussion about the pitfalls of citizen involvement in crime solving, including a look at the Boston Bomber case and the Westminster Bridge terror attack, which both led to the false identification of suspects, as well as the personal risks to the amateur sleuth, such as possibly attracting the attention of a killer, and the emotional toll of repeated exposure to trauma.

I found The Real-Life Murder Clubs to be an interesting read, though, as most of the cases have been explored in the media, it doesn’t offer any particularly unique information about the subject. I was slightly disappointed by the exclusive focus on North American cases, persons and communities, especially as the author resides in the UK, and could have explored citizen sleuths as a global phenomenon. Even the list of ‘Useful Resources’ Stow includes are US centric.

I’d recommend The Real-Life Murder Clubs to readers unfamiliar with, and curious about, the activities of citizen sleuths. True crime junkies aren’t likely to learn anything new.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, each chapter highlights a different civilian and group, and how they have helped work towards solving various cold cases. I enjoyed reading about how they worked, and the techniques used to help find out who these people were or what happened to them. It was quite emotional reading about some of these cases too, as it really brought home that they were all someone's much loved family, partner, friend, colleague - we are so used to seeing them in isolation, and it was so important to see how a murder or disappearance can affect those left behind.

A must read for anyone who enjoys true crime.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher and author.


This is a great book about several regular people that work as sleuths in their free time. I've always loved true crime, and some might think that I'm obsessed with serial killers but I just love knowing about the research process (I'm scientist at heart) and the families of the victims getting the justice they deserve. I knew many of these cases but it was nice to learn more about the people who just sit at home to look for evidence and theories.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

soooo I really liked a lot about this book....true crime....regular citizen's trying and sometimes succeeding to solve murder mysteries. Some of the stories I was familiar with while other's where completely new, however, all the stories were interesting and left me with new information. Great depth in telling who these "citizen detectives" were and why they are drawn to true crime.

What I didn't like was the fact that most if not all of these crimes are US/Canada crimes, yet the author uses UK terminology all the time. Victim's weights are shown in stones vs pounds. Criminals in court where in "the dock". In the chapter about the GSK and Michelle McNamara she said Michelle was also busy being a Mum, plus odors and murderish items were found in the"boot" of a car. I couldn't figure out if this book was written for a UK audience or an American audience but either way the choice to have UK nomenclature and US settings showed a lack of editing and seems a bit lazy for an American audience.

[Jodi Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really in depth insight into the world of internet sleuthing, from the first individuals who founded some of the major sites such as WebSleuths to more recent breakthroughs.

It has many famous cases, such as the Golden State Killer and Luca Magnotta (from the hit Netflix series “Don’t F**k with Cats”) which utilised citizen sleuths in their investigations. Turns out civilians often chase leads that the police may miss or be unable to follow.

The highlights of this read for me are the cases solved by the Doe Network, which aims to identify unnamed cadavers by linking them with missing person records. It’s good to see people get their names returned to them and subsequently helping a family know what happened to their dear relative. Many of these cases have remained unsolved for years until someone makes a link. Often a link as simple as tracking the brand of a T-shirt or noticing unique dental features.

This book also does a good job of highlighting when internet sleuthing turns to harassment and when people overstep the line. It discusses instances in which trollers or those seeking fame have produced theories or names of people they deem suspicious. Sometimes this results in the harassment of innocent people. It really emphasises how citizens need to take responsibility and only discuss pieces of evidence, before then handing in anything promising to the police.

It’s written by a journalist so the wording is easily digestible, whilst maintaining detail and description. Any lover of true crime writing or mystery solving will enjoy devouring this book.

[Hannah | Reading Under Covers · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when ordinary people, in real-life murder clubs, set out to investigate cold cases and other crimes? Nicola Stow answers just that in her book THE REAL-LIFE MURDER CLUBS.

This book delves into ~a dozen different true crime cases (both well-known and not), and gives the reader a look at the citizen detectives who had a hand in getting some justice.

While I loved the premise of this book, the execution felt disjointed and seemed to spew more about the cases/murderers themselves than on the actual civilians who put in thousands of hours towards getting answers.

The timelines within the vignettes also felt random and confusing at times, and I was frequently rereading paragraphs to figure out how I ended up where I was now.

I think this book would be great for those new to true crime (and can stomach the more gruesome details), but as a true crime connoisseur myself, this book missed the mark a little.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ad Lib Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: November 24, 2022

[Carly Rushforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m literally obsessed with True Crime so this was the perfect book for me, I’m also interested in Citizen Detectives solving crimes when the police couldn’t and that’s what this book is all about.

Don’t f**k with cats on Netflix was riveting viewing and it was nearly all solved by normal people online which was absolutely incredible, that case is covered in this book.

The Glossary at the beginning at the book was just the perfect thing as sometimes the terminology is hard to understand if you’re not familiar with it.

Each case in this book is absolutely fascinating, some I knew of before so it was nice to get a new perspective on things and the rest just blew my mind.

I’d recommend this book to fans of True Crime and mystery solving.

[Lynsay Tervit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction book (as you might guess from the title), with a collection of stories focusing on the world of ‘citizen detectives’ who are people generally not involved in law enforcement, who nevertheless spend their time trying to solve cold cases online.

In many circumstances, they may not have a personal connection to this case, but are drawn to it for various reasons. For example, the circumstances of discovery chime for them, or it may be related to their own home town.

I found this a really interesting examination of this area, which has risen rapidly in popularity following the rise of internet access, which has enabled people to be able to access research information far more easily, which has allowed for much easier cross-checking of information such as missing persons records, that previously wouldn’t have been communicated far past their own local area.

The book examines a number of cases that have been solved in this way, and the people that have solved the crimes, who have in some cases spent years of their own time solving these crimes, often holding down full time jobs at the same time.

It was interesting to find out about different people’s motivations to do this kind of work, when it can often have a significant impact on them personally, and what drives them to do this for strangers. I found that it was an interesting mix of well-known cases, that had been subject to a documentary, and lesser known cases that I wouldn’t have learned about if it hadn’t been in this book.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any true crime fan, it introduces you to a number of different cases and different aspects of investigations, and I enjoyed the writing style - it was clear and concise, and didn’t get too bogged down in any particular cases or anything, as I have found some other non-fiction crime books to do.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Real-Life Murder Clubs have unique and tenacious members whose goals are to seek justice and put families together again. Called armchair sleuths or civilian investigators, these dedicated and sometimes obsessed individuals are in it for justice, not fame, though sometimes that is the end result when cold cases are solved. True stories in this book include cyber sleuths and digital illustrators as well. One is an accountant by day but a digital illustrator after hours. These sleuths can work on cases which take years and years. Some must deal with gruesome tasks such as body parts and the arduous process of identification. EDAN (Everyone Deserves A Name) and NamUs (unidentified bodies) are crucial organizations. The Golden State Killer case brought so much to light for future cases.

So many to choose from but one of my favourite aspects is the forensics, especially DNA (and far beyond) sequencing and palynology. Many stories are familiar but even those contain lesser-known details such as the story about the sighting in the cafe in Berlin, the Tent Girl case, a close call in a mall with Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy's last words.

Do know descriptions are graphic and disturbing. It was important for me to read a section, put it down then pick it up a bit later. There is a lot here for true crime readers to take in. I like that the author gives advice for armchair sleuths such as motivations and cooperating with police and professionals. She also describes amateur sleuthing going very, very wrong as the aftermaths for the families, some who are able to forgive. Some victims save lives of others, too, through organ donation.

My sincere thank you to Ad Lib Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this disturbing but fascinating book.

[Shayla Moffatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was really interesting. It’s fascinating to learn how crimes have been aided and even solved by normal people in the world. I think it was also good that this book showed the parts of citizen detecting that can be dangerous or downright unhelpful. I’d love to learn more about cases like this, and it’s intriguing to think about where this might take us in the future.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about everyday people helping the police to solve crimes. I was saddened by the first story where a mom desperately tried to find her daughter's killers and shocked by the lengths she went to for justice. A few are about people who were fascinated by a particular story and wanted to find the identities of the unidentified remains, which sounds neat but takes a lot of work. All in all, it was interesting and different from true crime podcasts in that they aren't just talking about the crime but actually investigating. I will echo what others have noted about some of the language and slang used - the author is British and writing about crimes within the US (mostly) - and it was odd to find a stray Britishism here and there but it didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the stories. I think I would have preferred some British true crime stories as those aren't the focus of true crime podcasts here.

I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad little read, with some exciting crimes, looked at from a layperson's perspective.

Factual and informative, with 12 crimes spaced out at a rate of one per chapter, perfect for a 'pick up and put down' read.

It was sometimes a little bit repetitive, with timelines muddled occasionally.

I recommend it to any crime fan.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Ad Lib for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kacie Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, i found it really interesting and it was nice reading true crime books instead of fictional crime. Would really reccomend

[Amie's Book Reviews]

Review coming soon

[NS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting subject matter. The narrator was also great to listen to, bringing the book to life and adding accents for different people which was so great!

[Alexandria Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I was so excited when I got approved for it! I love true crime of any type and I also love the Richard Osman book with a similar name.

This book is a really interesting book that you will not be able to put down!

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley!

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intersting read about armchair sleuths and different forensic methods involved in solving crime.

[Courtney ✌ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the different approach of looking at true crime cases from the perspective of amateur sleuths and what those contributions can look like. The author did a great job with their interviews and research. I sometimes wanted more or less from certain cases we got to look at, but this was an enjoyable and informative read nonetheless. I think true crime fans will enjoy it!

[Emma’s Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when ordinary people, in real-life murder clubs, set out to investigate crimes, both recent and cold cases?

The Netflix hit Don’t F**k with Cats was based on the 2012 Montreal murder of thirty-three-year-old Lin Jun by his porn-star boyfriend, Luka Magnotta. Previously Magnotta had anonymously posted videos of himself killing kittens. This spurred horrified Facebook sleuths into working tirelessly to uncover his identity and location.

Other investigations include:

A self-taught forensic artist, who uses computer software and coroners’ photographs to help identify victims by showing how they looked when alive.

The mother who swore at her murdered daughter’s graveside that she would get the gang who had sprayed her car with bullets. It took fourteen years in the case of one gang member, but she finally entrapped him via the fake profile she had created on MySpace.

The retail clerk turned citizen sleuth who helped to match a photo of a missing man to a skull found in a bucket, which resulted in the conviction of the victim’s best friend.

Websleuths matched the IP address of a suspicious contributor to a lottery-winning victim’s financial advisor, which led to his body being found beneath a newly poured concrete slab in his advisor’s boyfriend’s garden.

Sometimes citizen sleuthing goes wrong, though, with innocent people being targeted, or accused of crimes they haven’t committed, with tragic results.

The real-life version of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club is grittier, with intrepid amateur investigators delving into truly gruesome unsolved crimes in pursuit of justice.

I find true crime fascinating and this book was both! I liked the angle that the author took with this one, the way that she interviewed the ‘armchair detectives’ who devoted part of their lives to solving crimes for various reasons. I also liked the fact that the author highlighted the potential downfalls that can arise from amateur sleuthing including instances where the armchair detectives have done more harm than good, resulting in a grieving family being hounded and times when influencers and journalists get involved for all of the wrong reasons – trying to become the next big thing by sharing rumours as facts, seemingly not caring about any potential fallout that might occur from their careless actions.

The true crime genre has exploded since the success of Serial – a twelve-episode series in 2014 where a journalist investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, and the trial, conviction and life imprisonment of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed. The podcast went straight to number one and changed the world of podcasts in particular but also of true crime interest. Hundreds of true crime podcasts followed, including Teacher’s Pet where Chris Dawson was ultimately found guilty of murdering his wife nearly 40 years ago, and then a surge in television dramas and documentaries based on real-life crime, like Making a Murderer which was watched by over 19 million viewers in its first month back in 2015 and more recently Netflix’s Dahmer which has been hugely popular but has also received some backlash.

Disinformation is dangerous. We fight it with facts and expertise!

Critics say that it is unethical to use true accounts of crime for entertainment because it can exploit victims and families while creators make money from violent stories. There is no copyright on so-called facts in the public domain and I know myself that I don’t automatically wonder if the victim’s family had consented to this, so I’m guessing other people don’t either! This is what I believe is at the heart of the ethical debate – companies or individuals telling true crime stories without respect and without the permission of the people who lived them and then making money off of that – not to mention re-traumatising the victims. But with money to be made and until the copyright can somehow cover people’s own stories, I don’t see that changing any time soon! It’s not so much what is done, but how it is done and I think this author did a good job of presenting the facts in an interesting way that was both respectful and interesting to the reader.

My thanks to the author and Ad Lib Publishers for my advance copy to review via NetGalley. Due to be released 24th November 2022!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Four true crime stars