Butcher's Work

True Crime Tales of American Murder and Madness

By: Harold Schechter

Narrated by: Christopher Lane

A Civil War veteran who perpetrated one of the most ghastly mass slaughters in the annals of U.S. crime. A nineteenth-century female serial killer whose victims included three husbands and six of her own children. A Gilded Age “Bluebeard” who did away with as many as fifty wives throughout the country. A decorated World War I hero who orchestrated a murder that stunned Jazz Age America. While other infamous homicides from the same eras—the Lizzie Borden slayings, for example, or the “thrill killing” committed by Leopold and Loeb—have entered into our cultural mythology, these four equally sensational crimes have largely faded from public memory. A quartet of gripping historical true-crime narratives, Butcher’s Work restores these once-notorious cases to vivid, dramatic life.

©2022 Harold Schechter (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Harold Schechter is America’s dean of true crime, plundering the darkest corners of our history, and with this collection he delivers again. Taken together, these tales take on the quality of campfire ghost stories—absorbing, chilling, and hard to forget.”—Robert Kolker, New York Times bestselling author, Lost Girls

“Master of true crime, Harold Schechter offers a macabre smorgasbord of long-forgotten misdeeds. Each story—about a mass axe murderer, a ‘poison fiend,’ a prolific Bluebeard killer, and a scheming war veteran—shines a fascinating light on the darkest impulses of human nature. You’ll read this in one sitting, but keep the lights on.”—Abbott Kahler, author, The Ghosts of Eden Park

“Harold Schechter is among the top true-crime writers of our time. With this diverse collection, he demonstrates his skill once more at transforming historical chronicles into page-turning tales. He’s a master of research and storytelling.”—Katherine Ramsland, professor of forensic psychology and author, How to Catch a Killer

At times a tough read/listen but overall fascinating look at crimes in history

This would be a great book for a long car ride. Keeps your attention well

Interesting..

Interesting but alot of the stories were the same. The reading of the story was good announcer was clear.

good stuff

always an amazing read I recommend it to anyone who likes the old true crime stories

I got my tight pants on !!

I really enjoyed this book. narrative was good. kept my interest throughout. I would recommend this book.

Another necessary work by Schector

This is a great introduction to him as an author. I’ve only heard of one story in this collection, but they all provide the details of the crime, historical background, the personal history of the victims and perpetrators, and the trial/fallout. This may be a departure for true crime podcast listeners, but they won’t be disappointed.

Murder And Mayhem

Dive into the world of murder and mayhem with this fabulous book!
Harold Schechter takes you through a handful of cases, giving you as much information as possible, and drawing an account of the victims, the perpetrator, and the grisly facts surrounding each case. There were some cases that I was familiar with, and some that I was not, so it was the absolute perfect read!

This book will horrify and delight you in turn, as you are reading through cases of bygone eras, and learning about some of the criminal masterminds, or those that wanted to be criminal masterminds.
A fabulous and interesting read!

Killers old enough i hadnt heard of them

i appreciated hearing tales i hadnt heard before. Otherwise, the narrator was painfully momotone. i don't think the book was particularly well written. But i came for crimes i hadnt yet heard about, and that much was achieved

Love this Author!!!

I follow Mr. Scechter & have done so for several years. He’s a very thoughtful author - he has a way of taking you back to the time he writes about. Using verbiage of the century in which the crimes take place helps put you at the scene. He even tells of past psychology theories. He’s just an EXCELLENT writer!!! This writing told four different stories of killers - some serial - male and female alike. I wonder how Schechter digs up such great details!!! You really delve into the thought processes of these terrible people through each unputdownable page. I’ve read all of his books, consumed them as if they were a decadent meal or a cool glass of ice water on a hot summers day. I downed this in just a few days. Can’t wait for the next book!!! Oh, & I loved the reader as well. Everything was five stars!!!

Great performance

Murder is a horrible thing. But at the same time fascinating to hear how people think they can get away with it. Great narrative and good stories of how horrible people really are for personal gain.

Great audiobook for true crime lovers!

Very interesting stories. Some details given are extremely disturbing and were hard for me to listen to. However, overall I’d recommend this book to anyone that loves true crime.