Shrink Next Door · Mindhunter · Eden Park
Plus: A roundup of true crime think pieces
the true crime that's worth your time
Historian Karen Abbott’s new book is about a scandalous Prohibition-era crime. The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the Murder That Shocked Jazz-Age America is already generating positive reviews for its depiction of homicidal attorney and bootlegger George Remus, who -- let’s just say -- was not the best person to marry.
The Daily Beast ran an excerpt of the book last week, if you’d like a taste of the tome, which the WSJ referred to as both “exhaustively researched” and “hugely entertaining.” Fans of Boardwalk Empire might be especially interested in the yarn, as Remus was a figure in the show’s second and third seasons, where he was played by Glenn Fleshler. As I write this Amazon has knocked the Kindle version of The Ghosts of Eden Park down to $13.99, you can find it here. -- EB
It’s been a while since we talked about The Shrink Next Door, the Wondery/Bloomberg podcast about Dr. Isaac Herschkopf, a New York psychiatrist accused of mind control by his victims. Bloomberg has apparently stayed on the case, and last week reported that New York health officials have sent a “Notice of Hearing” to Herschkopf, which you can read here.
According to Marty Markowitz, a central figure in the pod and a former patient of Herschkopf’s, after the show aired he was contacted by Daniel Guenzburger, an attorney with the NY health department. Based on conversations with Markowitz and another podcast participant, a patient identified only as “Emily” on the show, the DPH was able to draft a series of allegations against Herschkopf including “inappropriate physical touching,” forcing a client into “hundreds of hours of secretarial services,” and demanding control of a client’s Swiss bank account.
Herschkopf has refused to respond to the claims, which aren’t criminal in nature but could result in fines or the loss of his license. In previous interviews, however, he’s denied any wrongdoing. If all this makes you curious about the podcast, you can catch up in it here. -- EB
Everyone has a lot of thoughts about why true crime is popular and what it all means. As opposed to dropping those think pieces in dribs and drabs, I thought I’d just give you a good old fashioned link roundup of the most notable true crime meta-takes from the past week or so, so you can decide which theory or mindset fits you. You know, like that comparative religion class that most liberal arts schools make you take your freshman year. Let me know whose thoughts on the phenomenon you think make the most sense, and which deserve a lengthy sentence without parole in the comments, or by replying to this email. -- EB
[Men’s Journal] 'Hybristophilia' Could Explain Why Your Girlfriend Is Obsessed With True Crime
[The Globe And Mail] Why I’ve struggled with being a true-crime fan and a feminist
[Australian Broadcasting Corporation] When your family tragedy gets turned into a true crime novel
[New Statesman] The women transfixed by violent crime
[Chicago Tribune] False confessions drive the true crime TV craze, but it’s time to end the spectacle
[The Fergus Daily Journal] A fascination with true-crime stories
Mindhunter drops on Friday, and if you’re like me, part of the fun of the show is hitting pause to discuss the real crimes depicted in the drama. In an effort to support that “where’s the remote?”ness, here’s a reading list to polish off in the days before you start to binge on the series.
We’ll assume you’ve already read Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, John Douglas’ 1995 book on profiling that famously provided the basis for the series. But have you read The Cases That Haunt Us? Also by Douglas and co-author Mark Olshaker, this book from 2000 doesn't directly concern the cases that will be depicted in Season two (as far as we know - Netflix isn’t dropping screeners), but Sarah notes that it’s “the original Mindhunter's best and least self-aggrandizing book showcasing what he does.”
To get a better understanding of the Atlanta Child murders, I’m a big fan of James Baldwin’s Evidence of Things Not Seen. Not only is it one of the few books on the case written by an African American person (as you likely know, many of the victims were black, as is Wayne Williams, the ongoing suspect in the case), but, look, guys, Baldwin is just way better at the craft of writing than most people, let alone most people who write about true crime.
David Berkowitz also appears in the second season, but I gotta be honest, most of the books on the Son of Sam cross the line from pulpy fun to a waste of ten bucks. However, I do love .44, Jimmy Breslin’s highly fictionalized account of the case. At the time it was published, way back in 1979, the idea of deeply researching a real crime then adapting it into a novel was pretty revolutionary, so it’s kind of fun to see where the now-common practice began.
I still don’t see what the show can do with Dennis Rader (aka BTK), since in real life cops didn’t get on his trail into 2005 or so. That said, I recently revisited Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of BTK, the Serial Killer Next Door, and found the decade-old book to have held up nicely. Maybe that’s because it’s by a bunch of crime reporters from The Wichita Edge, a Kansas paper that covered the case throughout the years. Local news matters, folks!
Of course, if you have other books that you think Mindhunter viewers would benefit from before watching, please do send them our way and we’ll pass the message along. We’re always looking for something to read! -- EB
Wednesday on Best Evidence: It’s The Blotter Presents, Episode 108, with crime novelist/guest Alex Segura!
What is this thing? This should help.
Follow The Blotter @blotterpresents on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and subscribe to The Blotter Presents via the podcast app of your choice. You can also call us any time at 919-75-CRIME.