All That Is Wicked

A Gilded-Age Story of Murder and the Race to Decode the Criminal Mind

By: Kate Winkler Dawson

Narrated by: Kate Winkler Dawson

Acclaimed crime historian, podcaster, and author of American Sherlock Kate Winkler Dawson tells the thrilling story of Edward Rulloff—a serial murderer who was called “too intelligent to be killed”—and the array of 19th century investigators who were convinced his brain held the key to finally understanding the criminal mind.

Edward Rulloff was a brilliant yet utterly amoral murderer—some have called him a “Victorian-era Hannibal Lecter”—whose crimes spanned decades and whose victims were chosen out of revenge, out of envy, and sometimes out of necessity. From his humble beginnings in upstate New York to the dazzling salons and social life he established in New York City, at every turn Rulloff used his intelligence and regal bearing to evade detection and avoid punishment. He could talk his way out of any crime...until one day, Rulloff's luck ran out.

By 1871 Rulloff sat chained in his cell—a psychopath holding court while curious 19th-century "mindhunters" tried to understand what made him tick. From alienists (early psychiatrists who tried to analyze the source of his madness) to neurologists (who wanted to dissect his brain) to phrenologists (who analyzed the bumps on his head to determine his character), each one thought he held the key to understanding the essential question: Is evil born or made? Eventually, Rulloff’s brain would be placed in a jar at Cornell University as the prize specimen of their anatomy collection...where it still sits today, slowly moldering in a dusty jar. But his story—and its implications for the emerging field of criminal psychology—were just beginning.

Expanded from season one of her hit podcast on the Exactly Right network (seven million downloads and growing), in All That Is Wicked Kate Winkler Dawson draws on hundreds of source materials and never-before-shared historical documents to present one of the first glimpses into the mind of a serial killer—a century before the term was coined—through the scientists whose work would come to influence criminal justice for decades to come.

©2022 Kate Winkler Dawson (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Great storytelling

Great storytelling and detailed historical accounts from the 19th century, Kate Winkler Dawson is so talented and brilliant!

interesting story that I never heard

I love your writing! I am always looking to see what you have next!! love this story!!!

Another amazing story from Kate Winkler Dawson

I’ve listened to all of Kate’s podcasts and books, and this was no exception to her other great work. Clearly thoroughly researched with realistic perspectives, and interesting notes on history.

PLEASE STOP The Politicizing of Everything

I really enjoy true crime and forensic psychology. I was very excited to hear this story of a 19th century serial killer and what made him tic. And although the information in the book was interesting, at times it seemed a little disjointed. I would have given more stars, but I really didn’t care to hear how it’s Donald Trump’s real or perceived views on race that have basically created a horrible world past, present & future. If someone is writing a book like this, it’s best to stick to the facts (and document those facts appropriately and correctly especially when quoting people). Facts are peer reviewed journal articles, tested science theories, finely documented histories not political rhetoric. It really ruins the credibility of the author and the book when political opinion is sprinkled in a book who’s topic is unrelated to politics (IMO).

Good story

Really good story. Really well told. Could’ve possibly done with being a little bit more concise, but I guess there was a lot to cover. Overall, she did a fantastic job.

Insanity and Murder

The interesting career of Edward Rulloff was exciting to say the least. In addition to murdering several people, and being accused of murdering two others, he was manically insane. Bent on producing what he considered "his life work" which was the study of language. He felt he could untangle the languages of the world through this work, and was determined to have it finished before his death.

During his lifetime, he was hounded by suspicion, which was rightly given. He was responsible for the murder of his wife, and most likely his baby daughter. He was suspected of killing a sister in law and her son.

Edward Rulloff is one of the more interesting serial killers that I have read about, and the many facets of his mind that were left unlocked due to the scientific methods of the day. While he deserved punishment for his crimes, there are many areas that could have given some interesting insights into the mind of someone who could be considered genius, yet entirely insane.

Fascinating read, and highly enjoyable.

Brilliantly Written

This brilliantly written tale of Edward Rullof's life was impossible to put down! Well Done!

Fascinating, but not what I expected

Of course, the cover of this one immediately drew me in. Isn't it enticing & FAB?!

I read this one with my ears, and though it wasn't exactly what I expected, it was an interesting listen. Going in, I was hoping for the focus to be on the beginnings and subsequent evolution of mindhunters, which got SOME coverage. But primarily, it was a well-researched and fascinating focus on Edward Rulloff, a psychopathic murderer who, like some of more notoriety, used his superior intelligence and charm to get what he wanted -- or kill anyone who stood in his way.

The part I found fascinating is the many people -- from laymen to law enforcement to intellectual professionals -- who argued that he should be kept alive because of his superior intelligence. They believed that sending him to his death for the brutal murders of at least five people (including two babies) would rob the world of the good and important things someone that smart could possibly contribute. HUH?

Given the book's subject matter, there are descriptions that aren't for the faint of heart, but there's nothing gratuitously graphic, and everything included provides the reader a fuller picture of the times and the crimes.

Texas podcaster & author, Kate Winkler Dawson, is also the narrator, and she does an admirable job with the narration of her book. Her experience as a podcaster is apparent as she kept her pacing steady and her diction clear. I heard just a few mispronounced words, and there were a few clunkers with misplaced modifiers that might indicate a need for some editing in the print version.

I've had Dawson's American Sherlock on my TBR list for some time, and now that I know the style, I'll probably be reading it sooner than later. Might check out the podcast, too.

Wonderfully told

I first heard this story by listening to Kate Winkler Dawson’s podcast. I 100% recommend this book if the podcast interested you. The story flowed in a compelling way, not to leave out insightful information. The end of the book does mention politics, and rightfully so. The discussion around true crime and the criminal justice system is political.
Interesting, compelling, and disturbing.

Good till the end

I thought the story was a good one. However at the end of the book in the epilogue the author decides to get political and add some false statements. Too bad that a story from 150+ years ago has to be tied to modern day politics.