Aaron Mahnke

Fair warning, I am incredibly biased in Mahnke's favor, so don't be surprised that I gave his "Wicked Mortals" 5 stars. I love the Lore Podcast and Mahnke's narrative voice.

The book itself is an collection of dark and historical vignettes into the lives of killers and their victims. Some stories may be familiar to you, some more obscure. Mahnke is known for captivating his audience with variety.

Only a couple of thoughts:
- I think Mahnke should've combined "The Castle" and "Homecoming" these two chapters into one, just so the reader doesn't have to come back to H.H. Holmes and instead get the whole story all in one go.
- I appreciate how Mahnke always manages to successfully explore the motive of a killer without blaming the victim.
- Like Jack the Ripper, Burke and Hare have been in movies, skits and ghost tours, but Mahnke treats them like the violent opportunists they were. Mahnke doesn't like to glamorize the killers he features.

It's like walking through a gallery and Mahnke is your tour guide. It's quick reading but he doesn't skip the crucial details. These stories are already chilling, but you will find the finer details in the podcast.… (mer)