LibGuides: True Crime Book Club: April 2024

About the Author: Harold Schechter

Early Life and Education: Harold Schechter was born on July 16, 1948, in New York City, USA. He earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Academic Career: Schechter has had a distinguished career in academia. He is a professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College, City University of New York. His academic work extends to literary criticism and cultural history.

Authorship: Harold Schechter is best known for his contributions to the true crime genre. He has authored numerous books that explore historical crimes, criminal psychology, and the darker aspects of American history. His writing often combines meticulous research with a narrative style that engages readers.

Writing Style and Contribution: Schechter is praised for his ability to present true crime narratives in a compelling and accessible manner. He often delves into the psychological motivations of criminals and the societal contexts in which these crimes occur.

Legacy: Harold Schechter's work has had a significant impact on the true crime genre, and he is recognized as a leading authority on historical crimes in the United States.

Other Writings:

The Whole Death Catalog

Psycho USA

The Devil's Gentleman

Fiend

Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?

Ripped from the Headlines!

Maniac

True Crime: An American Anthology

The Mask of Red Death

Harold Schechter on Writing the Book

Who was Belle Gunness?

Synopsis

In the pantheon of serial killers, Belle Gunness stands alone. She was the rarest of female psychopaths, a woman who engaged in wholesale slaughter, partly out of greed but mostly for the sheer joy of it. Between 1902 and 1908, she lured a succession of unsuspecting victims to her Indiana "murder farm." Some were hired hands. Others were well-to-do bachelors. All of them vanished without a trace. When their bodies were dug up, they hadn't merely been poisoned, like victims of other female killers. They'd been butchered.

Hell's Princess is a riveting account of one of the most sensational killing sprees in the annals of American crime: the shocking series of murders committed by the woman who came to be known as Lady Bluebeard. The only definitive book on this notorious case and the first to reveal previously unknown information about its subject, Harold Schechter's gripping, suspenseful narrative has all the elements of a classic mystery--and all the gruesome twists of a nightmare.

Discussion Questions

Character Exploration:
- How does the author portray Belle Gunness? What characteristics and traits define her as a person, both in terms of her public persona and her private life?
Motivations for Murder:
- Discuss the possible motivations behind Belle Gunness' crimes. What factors might have driven her to commit such heinous acts, and how did she justify them to herself?
Cultural and Historical Context:
- Explore the historical and cultural context of the early 20th century in which Belle Gunness lived and committed her crimes. How did societal norms and expectations influence her actions and the investigation into her crimes?
Gender and Crime:
- Analyze the role of gender in Belle Gunness' crimes. How did her gender influence public perceptions of her, and did it play a role in her ability to evade suspicion for so long?
Psychological Profiling:
- Discuss the psychological profile of Belle Gunness as presented in the book. How did her background and experiences contribute to her becoming a serial killer?
Impact on the Community:
- Explore how Belle Gunness' crimes affected the community in which she lived. How did the discovery of her actions impact the small town, and what were the long-term consequences?
Investigation and Law Enforcement:
- Evaluate the investigative techniques and challenges faced by law enforcement during the Belle Gunness case. Were there moments where mistakes were made or opportunities were missed?
Media Representation:
- Discuss how the media portrayed Belle Gunness during and after the investigation. How did media coverage shape public perception of her crimes, and did it contribute to any myths or legends?
Survivors and Victims:
- Explore the stories of survivors and victims in the book. How did Belle Gunness select her victims, and what patterns emerged in her methods?
Criminal Justice System:
- Reflect on the legal proceedings surrounding Belle Gunness. How was justice pursued, and were there any shortcomings in the criminal justice system during that time?
Modern Implications:
- Consider the contemporary relevance of the Belle Gunness case. How have advances in forensic science and changes in societal attitudes influenced the way we understand and investigate crimes of this nature today?
Author's Approach:
- Consider Harold Schechter's approach to telling Belle Gunness' story. How does his writing style contribute to the narrative, and what insights does he provide into the true crime genre?

Fact vs Fiction: Belle Gunness

Belle Gunness, born Brynhild Paulsdatter Størseth on November 11, 1859, was a Norwegian-American serial killer who operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her crimes gained notoriety for their brutality and the mystery surrounding her actions. Here is a brief biography of Belle Gunness:

Early Life: Belle Gunness was born in Selbu, Norway, and immigrated to the United States in 1881. She settled in Chicago and later moved to La Porte, Indiana. In 1884, she married Mads Ditlev Anton Sorenson, a fellow Norwegian immigrant. Tragically, Mads died on July 30, 1900, followed by two of the couple's children.

Marriages and Suspicious Deaths: Belle's life was marked by a series of marriages, mysterious deaths, and financial gains from life insurance policies. Her second husband, Peter Gunness, died in 1902 under suspicious circumstances, allowing Belle to collect life insurance money.

Farm in La Porte: After Peter's death, Belle purchased a farm in La Porte, Indiana, where she became infamous for luring men through personal ads and correspondence. She would convince them to visit her farm with promises of marriage or romance.

Serial Killings: It is believed that Belle Gunness murdered numerous suitors and individuals who came to her farm seeking companionship or employment. The exact number of her victims remains unclear, but estimates range from 25 to 40 people. Her methods allegedly involved poisoning, strangulation, and outright violence.

The Fire and Disappearances: In 1908, a fire destroyed Belle Gunness's farmhouse. In the ruins, authorities discovered the bodies of her children and a headless female corpse presumed to be Belle. However, the discovery of dental work distinct from Belle's led to speculation that she might have staged her death and disappeared.

Investigation and Theories: The investigation into Belle Gunness's crimes revealed a grisly scene on her property, including human remains and evidence of her murderous activities. Various theories emerged about her fate, with some suggesting that she successfully faked her death and disappeared, while others believed she may have perished in the fire.

Legacy: Belle Gunness's story continues to captivate true crime enthusiasts and historians due to the mysterious circumstances surrounding her life and crimes. Her case remains one of the most notorious instances of female serial killers in American history.

While the details of Belle Gunness's life are well-documented, the true extent of her crimes, the number of victims, and the circumstances of her ultimate fate remain shrouded in mystery. The legend of Belle Gunness has inspired numerous books, articles, and discussions exploring the enigma of this notorious female serial killer.

TV & Movies

America's most prolific female serial killer's calculated lifestyle derails, resulting in a series of horrific discoveries that remain a mystery to this day. Based on a true story.

Norwegian immigrant Bella Gunness got hold of eligible bachelors that she later killed, by posting matrimonial ads in Scandinavian language papers in the Midwest.

The amazing true story of the infamous Belle Gunness.

MLN Materials

book

The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson
Call Number: 345.744 Robertson
Based on twenty years of research and recently unearthed evidence, this true crime and legal history is the "definitive account to date of one of America's most notorious and enduring murder mysteries" ( Publishers Weekly , starred review). When Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892, the arrest of the couple's younger daughter Lizzie turned the case into international news and her murder trial into a spectacle unparalleled in American history. Reporters flocked to the scene. Well-known columnists took up conspicuous seats in the courtroom. The defendant was relentlessly scrutinized for signs of guilt or innocence. Everyone--rich and poor, suffragists and social conservatives, legal scholars, and laypeople--had an opinion about Lizzie Borden's guilt or innocence. Was she a cold-blooded murderess or an unjustly persecuted lady? Did she or didn't she? An essential piece of American mythology, the popular fascination with the Borden murders has endured for more than one hundred years. Told and retold in every conceivable genre, the murders have secured a place in the American pantheon of mythic horror.
ShadowMan by Ron Franscell
Call Number: 362.882 Franscell
On June 25, 1973, a seven-year-old girl went missing from the Montana campground where her family was vacationing. Somebody had slit open the back of their tent and snatched her from under their noses. None of them saw or heard anything. Susie Jaeger had vanished into thin air, plucked by a shadow. The largest manhunt in Montana's history ensued, led by the FBI. As days stretched into weeks, and weeks into months, Special Agent Pete Dunbar attended a workshop at FBI Headquarters in Quantico, Virgina, led by two agents who had hatched a radical new idea- What if criminals left a psychological trail that would lead us to them? Patrick Mullany, a trained psychologist, and Howard Teten, a veteran criminologist, had created the Behavioral Science Unit to explore this new "voodoo" they called "criminal profiling." At Dunbar's request, Mullany and Teten built the FBI's first profile of an unknown subject- the UnSub who had snatched Susie Jaeger and, a few months later, a nineteen-year-old waitress. When a suspect was finally arrested, the profile fit him to a T...
The Burn Farm by Michael Benson
Call Number: 364.152 Benson
Sheila LaBarre liked to troll the personal ads and homeless shelters, looking for men whom society had rejected for one reason or another--men she could easily dominate both verbally and sexually. One by one, she invited them to her remote New Hampshire farmhouse, where she engaged them in S&M. But over time, sex gave way to brutal acts of torture as she mercilessly flogged and beat her captives until they confessed to committing unspeakable acts. Once satisfied that they had paid for their sins, Sheila savagely slaughtered them and burned their remains on her farm.
The Good Nurse by Charles Graeber
Call Number: 364.1523 Graeber
After his December 2003 arrest, registered nurse Charlie Cullen was quickly dubbed "The Angel of Death" by the media. But Cullen was no mercy killer, nor was he a simple monster. He was a favorite son, a husband and beloved father, a best friend and a celebrated caregiver. Implicated in the deaths of as perhaps as many as 400 patients, he was also perhaps the most prolific serial killer in American history. When, in March of 2006, Charles Cullen was marched from his final sentencing in an Allentown, Pennsylvania, courthouse into a waiting police van, it seemed certain that the chilling secrets of his life, career, and capture would disappear with him. Now, in a riveting piece of investigative journalism nearly ten years in the making, Charles Graeber gives us the unbelievable true story. Based on hundreds of pages of previously unseen police records, wire-tap recordings and videotapes and interviews with whistleblowers and confidential informants, and years of exclusive jailhouse conversations with Cullen himself, the homicide detectives who worked against the clock and administrators to try and finally crack the code on Cullen's crimes, and Cullen's fellow nurse Amy, an overworked single mom asked to choose between protecting her friend Charlie and stopping a potential serial killer, THE GOOD NURSE weaves an urgent and terrifying tale of madness, humanity and heroism. Cullen's murderous career in the world's most trusted profession spanned sixteen years and nine hospitals. Time and again he was fired or allowed to resign. But Cullen continued to work and kill, shielded by a hospital system that, by accident or design, successfully protected the institution while failing to protect patients. THE GOOD NURSE is a searing indictment of a crushing and dehumanizing for-profit medical system, and an inspiring human story of the previously unknown individuals who chose to risk their jobs and lives to do the right thing. Mesmerizing and irresistibly paced, this book will make you look at hospitals and the people who work in them in an entirely different way.
The Devil's Rooming House by M. William Phelps
Call Number: 364.1523 Phelps
A silent, simmering killer terrorized New England in1911. As a terrible heat wave killed more than 2,000 people, another silent killer began her own murderous spree. That year a reporter for the Hartford Courant noticed a sharp rise in the number of obituaries for residents of a rooming house in Windsor, Connecticut, and began to suspect who was responsible: Amy Archer-Gilligan, who'd opened the Archer Home for Elderly People and Chronic Invalids four years earlier. "Sister Amy" would be accused of murdering both of her husbands and up to sixty-six of her patients with cocktails of lemonade and arsenic; her story inspired the Broadway hit Arsenic and Old Lace. The Devil's Rooming House is the first book about the life, times, and crimes of America's most prolific female serial killer. In telling this fascinating story, M. William Phelps also paints a vivid portrait of early-twentieth-century New England.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara; Gillian Flynn (Introduction by); Patton Oswalt (Afterword by)
Call Number: 364.1532 McNamara
For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. Then in 1986 he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area. Three decades later, true crime journalist Michelle McNamara was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer." Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was. At the time of the crimes, the Golden State Killer was between the ages of eighteen and thirty, Caucasian, and athletic--capable of vaulting tall fences. He always wore a mask. After choosing a victim--he favored suburban couples--he often entered their home when no one was there, studying family pictures, mastering the layout. He attacked while they slept, using a flashlight to awaken and blind them. Though they could not recognize him, his victims recalled his voice: a guttural whisper through clenched teeth, abrupt and threatening. This book--the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death--offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind.
America's Femme Fatale by Jane Simon Ammeson
Call Number: BIOGRAPHY Gunness
How does a Norwegian farm girl become an infamous American serial killer, responsible for upward of 40 murders? Born in rural Norway in 1859, "Belle" Storset Sorenson Gunness was constantly dealt bad hands in life--so she decided to take life into her own hands. In America's Femme Fatale: The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness , Jane Simon Ammeson traces Gunness's path from a poor teenager rejected by a wealthy lover; to a new wife in Chicago, desperate to escape the poverty of her childhood and impatient for a child to love; to an ambitious, widowed landowner in La Porte, Indiana. Ammeson's careful research reveals how the young immigrant slowly turned into one of America's most dangerous serial killers, allegedly murdering husbands, lovers, and children, and, for a price, disposing of inconvenient corpses for others. Ammeson brings this shocking story to life, detailing the suspicious neighbors who were cowed into silence by Belle's intimidating personality, the culture of orphanages trafficking children and matrimonial agencies, the carnival atmosphere that exploded around the pile of bones found on Gunness's farm, and the sensational reporting that filled newspapers for months. Perfect for true crime fans fascinated by the creation of a sociopathic serial killer, America's Femme Fatale will leave you entertained and looking over your shoulder.
Manson by Jeff Guinn
Call Number: BIOGRAPHY MANSON
Based on new interviews, this revealing account of one of the most notorious criminals in American history puts Manson in the context of his times, the turbulent end of the 60s, revealing a rock star wannabe whose killings were directly related to his musical ambitions. After more than forty years, Charles Manson continues to mystify and fascinate us. Manson and members of his mostly female commune killed nine people, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. Now, drawing on new information, the author tells the definitive story of how this ordinary juvenile delinquent became a murderer whose crimes still shock and horrify today.