This book covers a case from 1836 in which a sex worker was murdered. While sex workers have been a staple in societies for centuries, as well as murder, this case was particularly shocking for its time. The author of this book did a tremendous job on the research of this case, and the way that the reader is able to get to know the victim as a human being and not just as a victim. I really enjoy learning about these older crime cases. It is really interesting to see how far investigative tactics and science has come along through the years. 

 Dean Corll was born in Indiana in 1939. Corll's childhood was markedly tense, with domestic violence between his parents. He was reportedly a good student, a shy child, and a loner. Corll was drafted into the US Army in 1964. During his service, his record was clean, and he was given an honorable discharge due to hardship. (He said he was needed at home to run his stepfather's candy business.) Corll stated multiple times that he hated being in the military, and the military was also where he had his first sexual encounters with men. Corll began giving neighborhood kids candy and was well liked by the kids and teens in the area. Corll decided killing boys for control and sexual sadism was the way to go, and had at least 28 victims. He enlisted a younger boy that he groomed into helping him lure other boys, kill them, and bury the bodies.

This guy was a real piece of work. I have read another book about his accomplice, and it was a wild ride. If any of you are still fans of The Last Podcast on the Left, this book is on the reading list for that show. I typically enjoy Jack Olsen books, and found this one to be on par with other works that I have read by this author. It gave a pretty detailed account of the life of Corll and his murders. 

 Shari Smith was preparing for her senior class trip and upcoming graduation from high school when she was abducted. She was taken on May 31, 1985, by Larry Gene Bell. Her parents arrived home to find her car in the driveway, but no sign of their daughter. Bell began calling and taunting the parents, saying he had her and she was fine. He even had her write out her "last will and testament" and mail it to them before he killed her. This whole story was wild and was featured on Forensic Files. For those interested in watching, the title of the episode was Last Will. This book was written by Shari's mother and discusses the kidnapping and murder of her daughter and how that impacted the family dynamic. 

 I have the Audible version of this book, which took about five hours to listen to. I finished it yesterday during my workday. (I love being able to listen to books and music at my job!) If you are more into physical books, this one is fairly short, coming in at just under 300 pages. I thought this book would be pretty interesting since I like horror movies and television. I didn't realize how many real stories and cases had corresponding films. This is a neat book for any horror movie fan or true crime person. 

 I really enjoy these older true crime stories. I think it is because I have an interest in true crime, but I am also a historian. Books like this are the best of both worlds. This book was well written and dramatic. There were many twists and turns in this case that kept the pages turning. I wish I would have gotten around to this sooner. 

 The Bellair House is located in Ohio. The house was built in 1847 by Jacob Heatherington, a coal mining tycoon. In fact, the house is built on top of a coal mine that had an unfortunate explosion that killed 42 people in 1893. This certainly adds to the reputation of the house. The house is also in close proximity to Indigenous burial sites. Through the years, the house has had various owners. Some of those owners were slave owners. Some owners of the house dabbled in the paranormal, which is believed to have ramped up paranormal activity in the house. The residents of the house lived interesting lives. Even if you are not a believer in the paranormal, this is an interesting book that is full of history and legacy. If you are interested in visiting, the house does do tours. This book is currently available on Audible Plus, and was around four hours to listen to. 

 Trinity was the code name given to the test project for the nuclear bombs that the United States military was building. This bomb type was an implosion plutonium bomb. This was the type of bomb that would be dropped over Nagasaki. While that is interesting from a scientific and historical standpoint, the most interesting part of the book was in regard to the contamination aspect. Nuclear fallout rained down in the approximate area. Humans and animals were affected by the fallout, with beta burns, hair loss, cancers, fertility issues, and birth defects. Residents in the affected areas were (of course) not informed about the testing or fallout, and certainly not about long-term effects.

Today, you can visit the Trinity Site on the third Saturday in October. Visitation to the site is limited, as this location is still a restricted area due to military occupation. If you plan to visit, I strongly suggest checking out the information page for rules and other helpful information. Nearby is the White Sands National Park, so this would be a very nice trip if planned accordingly. Trinitie is not allowed to be removed from the site, but they do sell other souvenirs during the Open House event. (Rumor has it that there are locals that sell it though if you are interested.) This book was really interesting. I found out about it when I visited the Oak Ridge site not long ago. If you are interested in nuclear history or military history and are in the Oak Ridge area, there are a couple of really neat things to check out in relation to this topic. 

This book covers the murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawkins, a couple who were selling their yacht. A buyer came to view the yacht, murdering the couple and making off with credit cards and other items belonging to the couple. The investigation is outlined clearly in this book. For those interested, this case was featured on the show Snapped and on 20/20.

 Daniel Wozniak was born in California in 1984. He became involved in community theatre, performing as an actor. Wozniak committed a dramatic double murder in hopes that he would be able to fund his honeymoon and pay some debts. This story was wild and was featured on Dateline. The girlfriend of Wozniak was interviewed on Dateline. His father was also interviewed on Dr. Phil. This was a weird case. 

 Blanche Kiser was born in North Carolina in 1933. Her father was a Baptist minister, who Blanche would later claim was abusive, alcoholic, and much more. He father died suddenly from a heart attack, which now has an air of suspicion around it. Blanche married James N. Taylor in 1952, with whom she had two children. Blanche did not have a great relationship with her mother-in-law, who died suddenly of...a heart attack... During their marriage, she began working at Kroger. While working at Kroger, Blanche seemed to be a favorite of male customers and coworkers. Her husband would die in 1973 of...a heart attack... She eventually began a relationship with a coworker, who would later die from arsenic poisoning. While this man was dying in the hospital, she was canoodling with a preacher that she would eventually marry. The preacher also took ill much like her last two main squeezes and found himself in the hospital. Blanche and her killing spree were uncovered due to another positive arsenic test.

This woman was WILD. She got up to some SHENANAGINS. The only complaint I have about this book is that it kept repeating how beautiful this woman was, and Google disagrees with the gaslighting going on here. She was BOLD. She was manipulative and calculating. I would also really like to know the real story about her dad and her childhood, as you cannot believe a thing this woman says. The book was really interesting. I listened to it in one shift at work and was very engaged in it. Overall, a solid true crime book.