Synopses & Reviews
While the short, lethal careers of serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer and Andrew Cunanan terrorize the public and provide morbid inspiration for the entertainment industry, few people realize that it is the female serial killer, seldom heard of, who deserves most to be feared.
Murder Most Rare provides startling information about the female serial murderer, who is shown to be far more deadly and determined, difficult to apprehend, and complexly motivated than her male counterpart. While serial murder by women is relatively rare, a surprising number of female serial killers are identified by the authors, nearly 100 in this century, with half of them having committed their crimes in America. By examining these women's backgrounds, motives and methods of killing, the book sheds new light on dozens of overlooked cases of murder and uncovers callous crimes and passions gone awry.
After a thought-provoking exploration of the cultural biases that have caused us historically to dismiss and ignore the criminal potential of women, Murder Most Rare divides female serial murders for the first time into seven categories: Black Widow, Angel of Death, Sexual Predator, Revenge, Profit or Crime, Team Killer and Question of Sanity. These seven types vary widely in motivation, choice of victims, weapons and methods. The authors reveal patterns that occur within the types, but stress that the complicated nature of these women's crimes makes personality profiling almost impossible—a fact that causes the jobs of homicide investigators to be difficult, indeed, sometimes impossible. This is a uniquely personal look into a dark, shocking world.
Review
As the title suggests, Murder Most Rare offers up ripping yarns.Amazon.com
Review
[T]he Kellehers...detail each [serial murderer] with a relish and breezy objectivity....The cumulated savagery is what horrifies, as tables rounding up malefactors' motives, methods, and backgrounds abound. This is a fine true-crime entry, tasteful when possible and engrossing as either reference or episodic reading....Booklist
Review
Michael Kelleher has explored violence and murder in several works...he now offers a rare, mostly clinical overview of the female mass murderer. The book profiles nearly 100 deadly women....The grim succession of murder accounts here...cuts an often shocking swath of feminine terror.Publishers Weekly
Review
This book is interesting and useful in that it provides a thought-provoking overview of female serial killers. It will provoke discussion about women's history and about gender issues and invite the reader to discuss, and perhaps reconsider, the roles of women in our society and in the criminal justice system.Women &Criminal Justice
Review
The two Kellehers are the encyclopedistes of female violence. Not only have these diligent authors collected a vast number of gruesome tales; they have also drawn up a taxonomic chart for each killer....In putting together their survey, the Kellehers' principal aim seems to have been thoroughness: they have tracked down and categorized every female serial killer they could get their hands on.The New Yorker
Review
Undergraduate and graduate students will find this book a worthwhile supplement in courses on homicide, violence, or women and crime. There is little doubt that researchers in these areas will find it to be a handy reference work. For both students and professional criminologists, the strongest feature of the book is the case histories, which can be used to suggest numerous lines of inquiry into issues of gender and violence.The Great Plains Sociologist
Synopsis
A fascinating, disturbing and thorough exploration of the shocking crimes and complex motivations of female serial killers.
Synopsis
While the short, lethal careers of serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer and Andrew Cunanan terrorize the public and provide morbid inspiration for the entertainment industry, few people realize that it is the female serial killer, seldom heard of, who deserves most to be feared. Murder Most Rare provides startling information about the female serial murderer, who is shown to be far more deadly and determined, difficult to apprehend, and complexly motivated than her male counterpart. While serial murder by women is relatively rare, a surprising number of female serial killers are identified by the authors, nearly 100 in this century, with half of them having committed their crimes in America. By examining these women's backgrounds, motives and methods of killing, the book sheds new light on dozens of overlooked cases of murder and uncovers callous crimes and passions gone awry. After a thought-provoking exploration of the cultural biases that have caused us historically to dismiss and ignore the criminal potential of women, Murder Most Rare divides female serial murders for the first time into seven categories: Black Widow, Angel of Death, Sexual Predator, Revenge, Profit or Crime, Team Killer and Question of Sanity. These seven types vary widely in motivation, choice of victims, weapons and methods. The authors reveal patterns that occur within the types, but stress that the complicated nature of these women's crimes makes personality profiling almost impossible--a fact that causes the jobs of homicide investigators to be difficult, indeed, sometimes impossible. This is a uniquely personal look into a dark, shocking world.
Synopsis
While the short, lethal careers of serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer and Andrew Cunanan terrorize the public and provide morbid inspiration for the entertainment industry, few people realize that it is the female serial killer, seldom heard of, who deserves most to be feared. Murder Most Rare provides startling information about the female serial murderer, who is shown to be far more deadly and determined, difficult to apprehend, and complexly motivated than her male counterpart. While serial murder by women is relatively rare, a surprising number of female serial killers are identified by the authors, nearly 100 in this century, with half of them having committed their crimes in America. By examining these women's backgrounds, motives and methods of killing, the book sheds new light on dozens of overlooked cases of murder and uncovers callous crimes and passions gone awry.
Synopsis
Attempts to understand serial murder tend to be focused on individual cases rather than the social context in which they occurred. This book departs from that approach, taking up the case of nineteenth-century serial killer Mary Ann Cotton and setting it in its full social context. Drawing from records of Cotton’s court appearances, local histories, and newspaper articles, it shows how institutions such as the family, economy, and religion shaped the environment she inhabited. While not denying the singularity of individuals who commit serial murder, the authors nonetheless make a powerful case for the influence and effects of society on their actions.
About the Author
MICHAEL D. KELLEHER, who has written widely on the subject of violence, specializes in threat assessment, strategic management, and human resource management for organizations in the private and public sectors.C. L. KELLEHER is a volunteer counselor and human rights advocate.
Table of Contents
Illustrations
Introduction
The Quiet Killers
Black Widows
Angels of Death
Sexual Predators
Revenge
For Profit or Crime
Team Killers
The Question of Sanity
The Unexplained
The Unsolved
Appendix 1: Statistical Information About the American Female Serial Killer
Appendix 2: Alphabetical Listing of Female Serial Killers
Appendix 3: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
Selected Bibliography
Index