Talking Books Talk - Website at State Library of Kansas

Check out June's top BARD downloads in Kansas! If you aren't yet a BARD user, you can learn more at the NLS BARD website. If BARD isn't a good fit for you, we are still happy to mail books and magazines directly to your home. Just drop us a line at KTB@ks.gov or call 800-362-0699. Happy reading!

Most popular BARD audio magazine downloads in Kansas, June 2025

Talking Book Topics May, 2025
Economist June 14, 2025
Economist May 31, 2025
Consumer Reports May, 2025
Rolling Stone June, 2025
Atlantic Monthly June, 2025
The Week June 06, 2025
National Review June, 2025
Economist June 07, 2025
The Week May 30, 2025
The Week June 13, 2025

A full list of available magazines can be found on the NLS Website.

Most popular BARD braille book downloads in Kansas, June 2025

BR 25256 Experiencing God: Knowing and doing the will of God by Blackaby, Henry T.; Blackaby, Richard; King, Claude V

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Horror in October: Cursed Objects

Possessed dolls, haunted paintings, magic relics, and other cursed objects are terrifying in that 1) they're inanimate objects with killer souls, demons, or curses/hexes causing death, injury, and mayhem, and 2) it's hard to believe and to prove they're causing all the misfortune you're experiencing.Whatever the cursed object may be, there are many books written about them, including those moderately scary to outright nightmare-inducing. We've gathered a list of some of the cursed object horror books in the Kansas Talking Books collection. You'll find there may be some well-known titles or authors and some lesser-known titles for you to enjoy this horror season.Don't be scared of your computer, mobile device, or smart speaker and use one (or all) to access and download (or stream) any of these books and more at anytime with BARD, Braille and Audio Reading download. BARD is a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled making almost the entire collection available for download in just a few seconds with the click of a mouse or tap of the finger. To learn more, visit the Kansas Talking Books BARD Resources webpage or contact the Kansas Talking Books office at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov.DB 18670 Christine by Stephen King Chilling, macabre love tragedy set in 1978 in Pittsburgh centers on teenage misfit Arnie Cunningham and his devotion to and ultimate possession by his '58 Plymouth Fury, 'Christine.' Eerie things happen from the day that Arnie buys it for $250 from creepy old Roland D. LeBay. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1983.DB 58397 The Good House by Tananarive Due African American talent agent Angela Toussaint returns to her late grandmother's house in Washington state where Angela's son committed suicide two years earlier. With her high school sweetheart, Angela investigates the tragedy and battles ancient supernatural forces that possessed her family. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2003.DB 46641 The Monkey's Paw and Other Tales of Mystery and the Macabre by W. W. Jacobs Collection of eighteen supernatural tales set in England in the early 1900s. Some stories feature seamen and dockhands from the South Devon Wharf, where Jacobs's father worked. Others reflect ordinary English homes where strange events unfold. For junior and senior high and older readers.DB 87453 The Ring, books 1-3 by Koji Suzuki Three works of Japanese horror, written between 1991 and 1998, revolving around a cursed video that can infect those who watch it. In Ring, a journalist investigates the death of four teens. Also includes Spiral and Loop. Translated from the Japanese. Some strong language. 2006.DB 124555 Evil in Me by Brom "Evil in Me is bestselling author Brom's newest novel of possession, damnation, and rock 'n' roll where one woman must get the world singing in order to save her soul. This devilish tale includes nearly two dozen of Brom's immersive paintings and brilliant endpapers. Aspiring musician Ruby Tucker has had enough of her small rural town and dysfunctional family. But a falling out with her best friend and bandmate has killed her dreams of escaping and making it big in the Atlanta punk scene. While helping her eccentric neighbor organize his religious artifacts, an ancient ring clamps down on her finger--possessing her with the spirit of a blood-thirsty demon. There's no exorcizing it unless hundreds of people chant a spell to set Ruby free. And what's worse, the ring is a beacon for evil, drawing an unimaginably wicked mob straight to Ruby, hungry for her flesh. If Ruby can get her band back together, she has a shot at salvation. It's time for her to face the music and put her whole soul into a song--one powerful enough to raise some Hell"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 114076 The Heirloom by Graham Masterton "A mysterious antique that can summon the devil. An antique chair comes into a family's possession. But they soon discover that this is no ordinary heirloom. Strange things begin to occur, including shifts in the fabric of time itself. And then Satan himself is summoned." -- Provided by publisher. -- Violence, strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex.DB 86712 Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt The town of Black Spring, New York, has been dealing with a curse for centuries. Residents have high-tech ways to cope, including an app to log sightings of the town's ghost, Katherine. Now a group of bored teens could ruin everything. Strong language and some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2016.DB 116720 Burn the Negative by Josh Winning "Arriving in L.A. to visit the set of a new streaming horror series, journalist Laura Warren witnesses a man jumping from a bridge, landing right behind her car. Here we go, she thinks. It's started. Because the series she's reporting on is a remake of a '90s horror flick. A cursed '90s horror flick, which she starred in as a child-and has been running from her whole life. In The Guesthouse, Laura played the little girl with the terrifying gift to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. When eight of the cast and crew died in ways that eerily mirrored the movie's on-screen deaths, the film became a cult classic-and ruined her life. Leaving it behind, Laura changed her name and her accent, dyed her hair, and moved across the Atlantic. But some scripts don't want to stay buried. Now, as the body count rises again, Laura finds herself on the run with her aspiring actress sister and a jaded psychic, hoping to end the curse once and for all-and to stay out of the Needle Man's lethal reach." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 111028 White Horse by Erika T. Wurth "Some people are haunted in more ways than one. Old denim jackets, ripped jeans, Stephen King novels, and the occasional beer at the White Horse Lounge have defined urban Indian Kari James's life so far. But when her cousin Debby finds an old family bracelet that once belonged to Kari's mother, it inadvertently calls up both her mother's ghost and a monstrous entity, and her willful ignorance about her past is no longer sustainable. Haunted by visions of her mother and hunted by this mysterious creature, Kari must search for what happened to her mother all those years ago. Her father, permanently disabled from a car crash, can't help her. Her Auntie Squeaker seems to know something, but isn't eager to give it all up at once. Debby's anxious to help, but her controlling husband keeps getting in the way. Kari's journey towards a truth long-denied by both her family and law enforcement forces her to confront her dysfunctional relationships, her spiritual beliefs, and her desire for the one thing she's always wanted but could never have." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 122454 How to Make a Horror Movie and Survive by Craig DiLouie "Max Maury should be on top of the world. He's a famous horror director. Actors love him. Hollywood needs him. He's making money hand over fist. But it's the 80s, and he's directing cheap slashers for audiences who only crave more blood, not real art. Not real horror. And Max's slimy producer refuses to fund any of his new ideas. Sally Priest dreams of being the Final Girl. She knows she's got what it takes to score the lead role, even if she's only been cast in small parts so far. When Sally meets Max at his latest wrap party, she sets out to impress him and prove her scream queen prowess. But when Max discovers an old camera that filmed a very real Hollywood horror, he knows that he has to use this camera for his next movie. The only problem is that it came with a cryptic warning and sometimes wails. By the time Max discovers the true evil lying within, he's already dead set on finishing the scariest movie ever put to film, and like it or not, it's Sally's time to shine as the Final Girl"-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.BR 08752 Needful Things by Stephen King Leland Gaunt, a new resident in Castle Rock, sets up a curio shop, Needful Things, where a person can have anything his or her heart desires-but for a price! Customers must play a prank on a designated person, and sometimes the jokes have serious consequences. Perhaps the residents are paying too high a price for happiness, for Castle Rock has become a battleground. Some violence and strong language. Bestseller.BR 17064 Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill Middle-aged rock star Judas Coyne collects morbid curios. He buys a haunted suit online and discovers that it belonged to Craddock McDermott, the deceased stepfather of one of Coyne's groupies. Over time, both Coyne's own motives and those of McDermott's ghost are revealed. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2007.BR 21765 The Motion of Puppets by Keith Donohue While visiting Quebec City with her husband, Theo, Kay Harper is entranced by a puppet shop in the oldest part of town. Walking alone one night, she fears she is being followed and ducks into the shop, only to find herself trapped. Some violence. 2016.BRG01990 The Tommyknockers by Stephen King Bobbi Anderson, 37, out with her aging dog, Peter, is looking for trees to cull on her father's farm in Haven, Maine, when she stumbles over a piece of metal sticking out of the earth. Curious, she scrapes away the soil...The deceptively ordinary beginning of a tale of nightmarish horror that is to destroy a community. 1987. Unrated. Marrakesh title....

Horror in October: Classic Tales of Horror

We all know some of the early classic horror stories that came after Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (DB 25835/BR 12173): Dracula (DB 31689/BR 08277) by Bram Stoker; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (DB 26427/BR 11092) by Robert Louis Stevenson; The complete stories (DB 44929) by Edgar Allan Poe; and The invisible man (DB 47064) by H. G. Wells. But there are many others that were published before and after that have influenced the horror genre over the years. To honor the genre in this week's Horror in October blog post, we look back at early writings that have come to truly define the horror genre as it is today. There may be stories and authors that are well-known and others you've maybe never heard of before. Celebrate the horror genre and the month of horror with the following books available in our collection to send in the mail or for immediate download using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. To order any of these or learn more information about BARD, please contact the Kansas Talking Books office at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov.DB 20577 The woman in white by Wilkie Collins (also available in braille as BR 09083) A Victorian melodrama concerning a mysterious woman in white who bears an uncanny resemblance to the fiancee of Count Fosco, a sophisticated fortune hunter. First published as a serial between 1859 and 1860, this chronicle of evil, suspense, and villainy is believed to be the first English novel to deal with crime detection. 1859.DB 31356 Melmoth the wanderer by Grant Douglas (also available in braille as BR 08339) This classic gothic novel by an eccentric Anglican curate in Dublin was originally published in 1820 and tells of a Faust-like hero. John Melmoth has sold his soul to the devil in return for a long life. He can redeem himself if he can find someone to take his place in hell. His search takes him from London's Bedlam mental institution to Spain during the Inquisition, and from Ireland to a mysterious uninhabited island.DB 50339 The collected tales of Nikolai Gogol by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol (contains the short story Viy)Thirteen stories newly translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. Four from Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka (1831-32): "St. John's Eve," "The Night before Christmas," "The Terrible Vengeance," and "Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt." From the Petersburg tales: "Nevsky Prospect," "The Diary of a Madman," "The Nose," and "The Overcoat" among others. 1998. 1998.DB 56794 The picture of Dorian Gray (also available in braille as BR 17780) / DB 12606 El retrato de Dorian Gray por Oscar Wilde First published in the late nineteenth century. A beautiful youth has his portrait painted by an artist with a flair for the morbid. The portrait becomes the mirror of its innocent-appearing subject's inner life. Introduction by Edmund White. 1999.DB 103861 In the shadow of Edgar Allan Poe: classic tales of horror, 1816-1914 edited by Leslie S. Klinger A collection of twenty short horror stories, published between 1816 and 1914, that have been overshadowed by the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Includes Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Bram Stoker's "The Squaw." Violence. Commercial audiobook. 2015.DB 16603 Three Gothic novels edited by E. F. Bleiler Three examples of nineteenth-century Gothic literature--Walpole's 'Castle of Otranto', Beckford's 'Vathek', and Polidori's 'Vampyre'--plus a fragment of a novel by Lord Byron.DB 108772 The complete supernatural stories by Algernon Blackwood "Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) was an English short story writer and novelist, one of the most prolific writers of ghost stories in the history of the genre. He was also a journalist and a broadcasting narrator. S. T. Joshi has stated that "his work is more consistently meritorious than any weird writer's except Dunsany's." Though Blackwood wrote a number of horror stories, his most typical work seeks less to frighten than to induce a sense of awe." -- Provided by publisher. -- Violence and strong language. 2020.DB 74738 The house on the borderland by William Hope Hodgson Ireland. Two gentleman on a fishing trip discover a mysterious diary. It documents an elderly man's exploration of the cave beneath his home, which brought him through time and space to find a simulacrum of his house elsewhere. 1908.DB 91586 Tales by H. P. Lovecraft; edited by Peter Straub Collection of twenty-two stories representing the best of Howard Phillips Lovecraft's fiction, much of it originally published in pulp magazines such as Weird Tales and Astounding Stories. Includes a popular work, "The Outsider" (1926), and the nightmarish science fiction tale "The Colour Out of Space" (1927). Some strong language. 2005.DB 07946 Gothic tales of terror: classic horror stories from Great Britain, Europe, and United States, 1765-1840 edited by Peter Haining (also available in braille as BR 02392; Stories of note: The Cremona violin by E. T. A. Hoffmann and Hugues the wer-wolf is a novel)A collection of 30 stories from Germany, France, The Netherlands, Italy and America. Each story is introduced with a short note showing its relationship to the author's work and the literature of the period.DB 23324 Victorian villainies selected by Graham Greene and Hugh Greene (containing The beetle by Richard Marsh)The authors have chosen four of their favorites from their personal collection of Victorian and Edwardian detective stories. The tales are about a classic murder, a mysterious Eastern sect, murder on a train, and a human lottery.DB 35421 Victorian ghost stories: an Oxford anthology selected and introduced by Michael Cox and R.A. Gilbert (Stories of note: The captain of the ‘Pole-star’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Canon Alberic's scrap-book by M.R. James)Thirty-five scary tales about interactions between the living and the dead, selected from the period when supernatural fiction, especially with the help of small magazines, flourished. Many stories are by well-known authors, such as Henry James, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, and R.L. Stevenson. Several are set in haunted houses, typically around Christmas.DB 108612 Ghost stories: classic tales of horror and suspense edited by Leslie S. Klinger and Lisa Morton (also available in braille as BR 24231) "The ghost story has long been a staple of world literature, but many of the genre's greatest tales have been forgotten, overshadowed in many cases by their authors' bestselling work in other genres. In this spine-tingling anthology, little known stories from literary titans like Charles Dickens and Edith Wharton are collected alongside overlooked works from masters of horror fiction like Edgar Allan Poe and M. R. James. Acclaimed anthologists Leslie S. Klinger The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes and Lisa Morton Ghosts: A Haunted History set these stories in historical context and trace the literary significance of ghosts in fiction over almost two hundred years--from a traditional English ballad first printed in 1724 up to the science fiction-tinged tales of the early twentieth century." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence. 2019.DB 18129 The turn of the screw by Henry James A somewhat neurotic new governess is convinced her two beautiful young pupils are subject to the evil influence of two ghosts, a former steward of the estate and a former governess. She pits her will against the ghosts and is determined to exorcise the demons from her young charges. 1898.DB 40864 Drácula: la novela original por Bram Stoker Una historia de vampiros ambientada a finales del siglo XIX. Jonathan Harker, un abogado inglés, visita al conde Drácula en su castillo de Transilvania para tramitar algunos negocios. No tarda en descubrir que Drácula no es el hombre normal que aparenta ser sino un monstruo. Su horror se acentúa cuanto Drácula se muda a Inglaterra.DB 25706 Frankenstein por Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, traduccion Manuel Serrat Crespo Classic horror story. A monster, endowed with life by a young scientist named Frankenstein, later turns on his creator. Spanish language.DB 22515 El extrano caso del Doctor Jekyll y de Mister Hyde por Robert Louis Stevenson In this psychological novel of the war waged between good and evil within the human personality, a kindly physician commits diabolical crimes when his suppressed personality is released. Spanish language.BRG04514 Terror by night: classic ghost and horror stories by Ambrose Bierce Of all the writers of ghost and horror stories, Ambrose Bierce is perhaps the most colourful. He was a dark, cynical and pessimistic soul who had a grim vision of fate and the unfairness of life, which he channeled into his fiction. There are more than 50 short stories in this excellent collection. Some are no more than a couple of pages long and few are longer than ten pages. Unrated. Marrakesh title.BR 13701 Gothic tales by Elizabeth Gaskell; edited by Laura Kranzler (contains Lois the Witch and The Grey Woman)Short stories and the novella Lois the Witch from a nineteenth-century feminist. In “The old nurse's story” a father casts out a daughter and her child to perish in the cold. In “The crooked branch” a son returns home to rob his parents. Introduction and notes by Laura Kranzler. 2000....

On The Download - October 2025

Check out last month's top BARD downloads in Kansas! If you aren't yet a BARD user, you can learn more at the NLS BARD website. If BARD isn't a good fit for you, we are still happy to mail books and magazines directly to your home. Just drop us a line at KTB@ks.gov or call 800-362-0699. Happy reading!Most popular KS1A user audiobook downloads from September 2025DB130298 Nightshade by Connelly, Michael.DB130129 The Wife Upstairs by McFadden, Freida.DB128800 The Argument by Jenkins, Victoria.DB130236 Never Flinch by King, Stephen.DB129492 The Tenant by McFadden, FreidaDB130041 25 Alive by Patterson, James & Paetro, Maxine.DB129760 Hidden Nature by Roberts, Nora.DB130761 Just One of the Guys by Higgins, Kristan.DB129803 2 Sisters Murder Investigations: Don't mess with the Bird sisters! By Patterson, James & Fox, Candice.DB126887 Guilty by Elliot, Laura.DB130093 Echoes of Sunrise by Cabot, Amanda.Most popular KS1A user audio magazine downloads from September 2025Atlantic Monthly September, 2025Reader's Digest August, 2025AARP Magazine and Bulletin July, 2025AARP Magazine and Bulletin August, 2025The Week September 05, 2025National Geographic September, 2025Stereophile August, 2025Analog July, 2025People September 22, 2025People September 15, 2025Health and Nutrition August, 2025The Week August 29, 2025People September 01, 2025A full list of available magazines can be found on the NLS Website. Most popular KS1A user braille book downloads from September 2025BR26258 Handmade Soap Book: Easy soapmaking with natural ingredients by Coss, Melinda.BR25714 Tell Me Everything by Strout, Elizabeth.BR26257 Amish Secrets by Perry, Marta.BR25674 Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and recipes from five generations of Black country cooks by Wilkinson, Crystal & Marshall, Kelly.BR25361 Basic Training for NVDA.BR24471 The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook: 650 recipes for everything you'll ever want to make by America's Test Kitchen...

Horror in October: Serial Killers, True and Imagined

Serial killers are terrifying, whether conjured from the imaginations of your favorite fiction writers or a true story of real-world murder and mayhem. The term “serial killer” is a relatively new term for people who kill more than one person. Prior to the late 20th century, they were called mass murderers (Bonn, 2014). The two crimes, mass murder and serial murder, are distinguishable in that mass murder is the killing of multiple people at one specific time and place, while serial killings take place over a period of time and may occur in the same or multiple locations. Robert Ressler, who worked as investigator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, popularized the terms “serial murder” and “serial killer” in the 1970s (Jenkins,). While the term is relatively new, there have been serial killers throughout history. Cases of serial murderers have been documented as early as the first century in Rome and in several medieval European countries (Jenkins). Perhaps the most famous case of an early modern serial killer is Jack the Ripper in late 19th century London. Many well-known cases of serial killers have been investigated in true crime books. Serial killers also make fascinatingly disturbing content for horror, suspense, and mystery novels. We've gathered a list of both fiction and nonfiction books about serial killers and hope you find them an enjoyably terrifying read. Get these books scary fast by downloading them through BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) and Kansas Talking Books (KTB) through a variety of platforms. To learn more, visit our website, or contact the KTB office at KTB@ks.gov or 1-800-362-0699.References:Jenkins, J. P. (n.d.). Serial murder. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved October 8, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/serial-murderBonn, S. A. (2014, June 9). Law and Crime: Origin of the term “serial killer”: Serial killers have operated for centuries but the terminology is new. Psychology Today. Retrieved October 8, 2025, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wicked-deeds/201406/origin-the-term-serial-killerNonfictionAudioDB 94190 Sons of Cain: a history of serial killers from the stone age to the present by Peter Vronsky Historian examines the motives and methods of serial killers and society's attempts to classify and understand them. Uses case studies to highlight murderers from the fifteenth to the twenty-first centuries. Analyzes the ways the surrounding culture has allowed for the development of serial killers. Violence and some descriptions of sex. 2018.DB 126602 Lady killers: deadly women throughout history by Tori Telfer "When you think of serial killers throughout history, the names that come to mind are likely Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy. But what about Tillie Klimek, Moulay Hassan, and Kate Bender? The narrative we're comfortable with is one where women are the victims of violent crime--not the perpetrators. In fact, serial killers are thought to be so universally male that, in 1998, FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood infamously declared that There are no female serial killers. Inspired by Telfer's Jezebel column of the same name, Lady Killers disputes that claim and offers fourteen gruesome examples as evidence. Although largely forgotten by history, female serial killers rival their male counterparts in cunning, cruelty, and appetite. Each chapter explores the crimes and history of a different female serial killer and then proceeds to unpack her legacy and her portrayal in the media as well as the stereotypes and sexist cliches that inevitably surround her."-- Goodreads. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 43669 Mindhunter: inside the FBI's elite serial crime unit by John E. Douglas Douglas, who pioneered criminal profiling, gives an inside account of the FBI's elite Investigative Support Unit. He recounts some of his most famous cases and describes various tactics used to identify and prosecute serial criminals. Violence, descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller.DB 129808 Murderland: crime and bloodlust in the time of serial killers by Caroline Fraser "Caroline Fraser grew up in the shadow of Ted Bundy, the most notorious serial murderer of women in American history, surrounded by his hunting grounds and mountain body dumps, in the brooding landscape of the Pacific Northwest. But in the 1970s and '80s, Bundy was just one perpetrator amid an uncanny explosion of serial rape and murder across the region. Why so many? Why so weirdly and nightmarishly gruesome? Why the senseless rise and then sudden fall of an epidemic of serial killing? As Murderland indelibly maps the lives and careers of Bundy and his infamous peers in mayhem--the Green River Killer, the I-5 Killer, the Night Stalker, the Hillside Strangler, even Charles Manson--Fraser's Northwestern death trip begins to uncover a deeper mystery and an overlapping pattern of environmental destruction. At ground zero in Ted Bundy's Tacoma stood one of the most poisonous lead, copper, and arsenic smelters in the world, but it was hardly unique in the West. As Fraser's investigation inexorably proceeds, evidence mounts that the plumes of these smelters not only sickened and blighted millions of lives but also warped young minds, including some who grew up to become serial killers. A propulsive nonfiction thriller, Murderland transcends true-crime voyeurism and noir mythology, taking readers on a profound quest into the dark heart of the real American berserk."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 127983 Serial killers: the minds, methods, and mayhem of history's most notorious murderers by Richard Estep "This chilling book looks at the horrifying stories of forty malevolent killers and hundreds of innocent victims, including such notorious homicidal maniacs as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Jeffery Dahmer, but it also looks at lesser-known and overlooked murderers like Herbert Baumeister, America's I-70 Strangler; Japan's "Anime Killer," Tsutomu Miyazaki; Russia's "Rostov Ripper," Andrei Chikatilo; the "Giggling Granny," Nannie Doss; and many more. It journeys to 16th-century Scotland to meet a clan of cannibals whose existence is still debated by historians today, and to the fog-shrouded alleys of Whitechapel, London, where Jack the Ripper earned his grisly namesake. Along the way, we'll meet the Dating Game Killer, the Milwaukee Cannibal, the Acid Bath Murderer, and other monsters."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DBC18791 The midnight assassin: panic, scandal, and the hunt for America's first serial killer by Skip Hollandsworth "A sweeping narrative history of a terrifying serial killer--America's first--who stalked Austin, Texas in 1885. In the late 1800s, the city of Austin, Texas was on the cusp of emerging from an isolated western outpost into a truly cosmopolitan metropolis. But beginning in December 1884, Austin was terrorized by someone equally as vicious and, in some ways, far more diabolical than London's infamous Jack the Ripper. For almost exactly one year, the Midnight Assassin crisscrossed the entire city, striking on moonlit nights, using axes, knives, and long steel rods to rip apart women from every race and class. At the time the concept of a serial killer was unthinkable, but the murders continued, the killer became more brazen, and the citizens' panic reached a fever pitch. Before it was all over, at least a dozen men would be arrested in connection with the murders, and the crimes would expose what a newspaper described as "the most extensive and profound scandal ever known in Austin." And yes, when Jack the Ripper began his attacks in 1888, London police investigators did wonder if the killer from Austin had crossed the ocean to terrorize their own city. With vivid historical detail and novelistic flair, Texas Monthly journalist Skip Hollandsworth brings this terrifying saga to life. The introduction and epilogue are read by the author."--publisher's summary. Adult. Some descriptions of sex. Some strong language. Violence.DB 127114 Bind, torture, kill: the inside story of BTK, the serial killer next door by Roy Wenzl, Tim Potter, L. Kelly, and Hurst Laviana "For thirty-one years, a monster terrorized the residents of Wichita, Kansas. A bloodthirsty serial killer, self-named "BTK"--for "bind them, torture them, kill them"--he slaughtered men, women, and children alike, eluding the police for decades while bragging of his grisly exploits to the media. The nation was shocked when the fiend who was finally apprehended turned out to be Dennis Rader--a friendly neighbor...a devoted husband...a helpful Boy Scout dad...the respected president of his church. Written by four award-winning crime reporters who covered the story for more than twenty years, Bind, Torture, Kill is the most intimate and complete account of the BTK nightmare told by the people who were there from the beginning. With newly released documents, evidence, and information--and with the full cooperation, for the very first time, of the Wichita Police Department's BTK Task Force--the authors have put all the pieces of the grisly puzzle into place, thanks to their unparalleled access to the families of the killer and his victims."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 44273 Journey into darkness: follow the FBI's premier investigative profiler as he penetrates the minds and motives of the most terrifying serial killers by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker A former FBI agent explains the technique of behavioral profiling of violent criminals to gain understanding of their motives and actions. Recounts cases in which this technique was used. Strong language and violence. Bestseller.BrailleBR 23974 The case of the murderous Dr. Cream: the hunt for a Victorian era serial killer by Dean Jobb Profile of a nineteenth-century Canadian doctor who was convicted of murders in the United States and England, and is believed to have also murdered people in Canada through the use of poison. Discusses criminal investigation techniques of the late 1800s and his 1892 trial in London. Violence. 2021.BR 09122 The search for the Green River killer by Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen In the early 1980s, the Strip in Washington state had become an outdoor sex market. Suddenly women were disappearing--their bodies turning up in the Green River. By the time the third body was found in August 1982, the Green River police department knew a serial killer was responsible. By the end of the 1980s, forty-nine bodies had been found and the police still had no suspects. Violence. Bestseller.BR 20629 Villains, scoundrels, and rogues: incredible true tales of mischief and mayhem by Paul Martin Thirty portraits of little-known scoundrels throughout history, whose misdeeds range from unspeakable acts of evil to unscrupulous behavior includes the notorious Ed Gein, the Wisconsin serial killer who was the inspiration for Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 2014.FictionAudioDB 85299 The killer in me by Margot Harrison Every time seventeen-year-old Nina falls asleep, she connects with a serial killer and helplessly becomes a witness to the murders. Determined to stop him before he kills again, Nina, along with her friend Warren, embarks on a dangerous manhunt. Violence and strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2016.DB 131594 Killer on the road by Stephen Graham Jones (In process) "Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don't realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who's been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard." -- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 103845 Survive the night by Riley Sager 1991. After the murder of her best friend by a serial killer, called the Campus Killer, college student Charlie shares a drive home to Ohio with Josh, whom she met through the college's ride board. The more Charlie learns about Josh, the more she wonders if he's the Campus Killer. Some strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2021.DB 77866 Cain's blood by Geoffrey Girard Six boys, who are clones of the world's worst serial killers, escape a science research facility in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Former special ops soldier Shawn Castillo tries to capture them before their sadistic desires leave a path of bodies behind. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 2013.DB 123956 Blood like mine by Stuart Neville "On a snowy December night, single mother Rebecca Carter drives her van into a snowbank to avoid hitting an elk on a desolate mountain highway. She is at the end of her rope, out of money and food. Still, she refuses help from a man in a pickup truck--Rebecca's adolescent daughter, Moonflower, is on the run from a grisly secret, and the last thing they can afford is to be remembered by anyone they meet. Meanwhile, Special Agent Marc Donner of the FBI has spent the better part of two years hunting down a gruesome serial killer who drains victims of blood before severing their spinal cords, leaving a trail of bodies throughout the country. As Agent Donner's investigation brings him closer and closer to where Rebecca and Moonflower are hiding out, in the foothills of Colorado, the life that Rebecca has fought so hard to hold together for her daughter becomes increasingly imperiled. In this deadly, high-stakes game of cat and mouse, nobody is safe and nothing is certain--not even the line between predator and prey."-- From publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 115657 Dead of winter by Darcy Coates "There are eight strangers. One killer. Nowhere left to run. When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm. She couldn't be more wrong. Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing ... only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport ... and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb." -- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.DB 110958 The mill by Cailyn Lloyd "As a psychic, seeing ghosts is routine for Lili. She isn't surprised to discover spirits lurking in the renovated paper mill where she just bought an apartment. What she doesn't expect is the dark, sinister presence under the floor and the serial killer who is prowling about the mill. When a woman is found murdered and another goes missing, Lili tries to work with one of the spirits-a young girl long dead-to expose the psychopath. But not everyone can be trusted and soon, Lili fears the killer will flee, never to be found and free to strike again." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.BrailleBR 23950 Chasing the boogeyman by Richard Chizmar In the summer of 1988, the mutilated bodies of several missing girls begin to turn up in a small Maryland town, and the gruesome evidence points to a serial killer. But soon, a rumor spreads that the evil stalking local teens may not be entirely human. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 2021.BR 26341 Sleep tight by James Markert "Father Silence once terrorized the rural town of Twisted Tree, disguising himself as a priest to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. When the police finally found his "House of Horrors," they uncovered nineteen bodies and one survivor-a boy now locked away in a hospital for the criminally insane. Nearly two decades later, Father Silence is finally put to death, but by the next morning, the detective who made the original arrest is found dead. A new serial killer is taking credit for the murder and calling himself the Outcast."-- Publisher description. -- Violence, strong language and descriptions of sex.BR 23616 Later by Stephen King An NYPD detective draws Jamie, a young boy born with the unnatural ability to communicate with the dead, into the pursuit of a killer. But the cost of using this ability is higher than Jamie can imagine. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2021....

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