Well, it’s been a month since I’ve posted and, while I haven’t done much writing, I’ve done quite a bit of reading. A few things have struck me during this time; one, the various hypotheses I’ve come across about why women overwhelmingly favor true crime in comparison to their male counterparts. One of the most prevalent theories is that women’s penchant for true blood and gore is in part a way to glean survival strategies should we ever find ourselves face to face with Ted Bundy or the Son of Sam. 
Frankly, I don’t believe this. I’ve been addicted to true crime ever since I picked up Helter Skelter as a fourteen year old bored out of her mind during a two week family vacation. I’ve read hundreds of true crime books since then, and I’ve yet to find myself scouring the pages for tips on how to evade capture or talk a serial killer out of murdering me. In fact, the stories that most captivate me are the ones with main characters I’m least likely to encounter – the serial killer, the pathological cult leader, or the mass murderer.
In fact, it’s my inability to understand the journey one takes from innocent child to psychopathic murderer that enslaves me time and time again. I can find bits and pieces of the puzzle – childhood abuse, social isolation, an aberrant fantasy life – that are often present, but I can find these same pieces in thousands of lives that have created an existence that doesn’t require the sacrifice of others. I want to know why a person would decide to kill a perfect stranger, how a human being can take pleasure from another person’s suffering, and what it takes to moves this person from fantasy to action.
Perhaps I should write a true crime book.
Tags: murder, serial killer, serial murder, true crime, true crime books, true crime stories
Interesting post. This blog is a great resource for the psychology of the criminal mind. I wanted to let you know about a new true crime series that you and your readers would be interested in. VERY BAD MEN airs every Thursday at 10pm on Investigation Discovery. It premieres tonight- August 30th- and will have back to back new episodes for all true crime aficionados to enjoy. We’d be happy to hear your feedback on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/verybadmentv
Thanks for the nice comment. I’ll definitely check out the new show (I may have to Tivo because I’m an “early to bed, early to rise” woman.
Hi, Joni –
Love the blog…interesting that we both discovered this genre at the same age, with the same book. One of the things that I’ve become fascinated with is the link between our seriously broken foster care and adoption systems and serial killers — especially women. The percentage of all killers who come from backgrounds that include emotionally distant or abusive step parents, foster parents who treat the kids as income property, and biologic or adoptive parents who never bond with their own children is overwhelming. (I’m not talking about all adoptive, step, or foster families — just the horribly disfunctional ones where there is no true emotional bond or unconditional love.)
As someone who’s raised adopted kids, and was adopted myself, and am now parenting a foster child who was in foster care before joining our family, I understand how these scenarios lead people toward the path of attachment disorders and breed sociocpaths — people who don’t think the rules apply to them. And, of course, it’s a theme you see over and over in the true crime novels and non-fiction books, too.
I can’t help but wonder if this would be more true for the mothers who kill their children as an act of revenge or anger against the children’s fathers than of other killers, and look forward to reading your blog as you explore more of these fascinating stories!
My best to you & your family, as always — Deb
Great to hear from you, Deb, and thanks for the comments. You raise an interesting question about motives and attachment disorder; I would also think that the mother who kills her children because they’re “in the way” (of a preferred lifestyle, of a relationship, etc.) would fall into that category.
The one constant I have learned from all my studies of serial murder is that if someone ever tries to abduct you at gun or knife-point, you’re better off fighting and dying right there than letting them move you to a secondary location. I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds the other day though and realized everything goes out the window if you have a child with you. You will do whatever they say if there’s even a chance of keeping your kid safe.
Thanks for the comment. I’m with you; I’d rather fight right then and take my chances than risk a lot worse by going with someone. I don’t know what I’d do if one of my children was with me – hopefully, fight and scream for him or her to run.