A bizarre love triangle leads to a brutal murder in Florida in this true-crime story by the New York Times bestselling author of One Breath Away. The missing-persons case of Heather Strong, a young, beautiful suburban mother, baffled Florida detectives. When the file was handed to a veteran investigator, he knew Heather was dead. The challenge was to find her body—and whoever killed her. Soon, a sordid triangle of sex, jealousy, and rage came to light. The killers were cunning, manipulative, depraved—and they were as close to Heather as a man and a woman could possibly be. Vividly recreated by master investigative journalist M. William Phelps, this riveting account of seething small-town passions is a classic tale of crime and justice. Praise for M. William Phelps “One of America's finest true-crime writers.” —Vincent Bugliosi, New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter “Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies Includes sixteen pages of dramatic photos

The “engrossing, thoroughly researched look at women who are in romantic relationships with incarcerated men”—fully updated with twenty-first-century cases (Publishers Weekly). In 1991, Sheila Isenberg’s classic study Women Who Love Men Who Kill asked the provocative question, “Why do women fall in love with convicted murderers?” Now, Isenberg returns to the same question in the age of smart phones, social media, mass shootings, and modern prison dating. The result is a compelling psychological study of prison passion in the new millennium. Isenberg conducts extensive interviews with women who seek relationships with convicted killers, as well as conversations with psychiatrists, social workers, and prison officials. She shows that many of these women know exactly what they are getting into—yet they are willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of a love without hope, promise, or consummation. This edition of Women Who Love Men Who Kill includes gripping new case studies and an absorbing look at how the digital age is revolutionizing this phenomenon. Meet the young women writing “fan fiction” featuring America’s most sadistic murderers; the killer serving consecutive life sentences for strangling his wife and smothering his toddler daughters—and the women who visit him in prison; the high-powered journalist who fell in love and risked it all for “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli; and many other women absorbed in online and real-life dalliances with their killer men.

The New York Times bestselling author of Love Her to Death shares the true-crime story of a small-town Midwestern teenager murdered by her own friends. Sixteen-year-old Adrianne Reynolds couldn't unravel the twisted tangles of jealousy and domination complicating her new life in East Moline, Illinois. What began as a fresh start after a troubled home life in Texas ended with Adrianne's body charred, stuffed into garbage bags, and scattered. It seemed the work of hardened criminals, but the truth was far more astonishing: her own “best friends” choked Adrianne to death and cut her up. Now, master crime writer M. William Phelps recounts this horrific saga of teen lust and violence in every gripping detail. Praise for Too Young to Kill “Phelps is the Harlan Coben of real-life thrillers.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies Includes sixteen pages of revealing photos

After 17-year-old Crystal Todd was found brutally murdered in her South Carolina hometown in 1991, her best friend, Ken Register, was the last person anyone would suspect. But when DNA tests confirmed he raped and stabbed Crystal, their small town was stunned. photos. Martin's Press.

Describes the investigation and trial related to the 2002 murder of April Barber by her seemingly devoted husband Justin, who needed to collect on her life insurance policy to fund his vast array of mistresses.

The true-crime story of a millionaire beauty queen and the murder of her ex-lover, by the New York Times bestselling author of Because You Loved Me. On a day like any other in Akron, Ohio, in a parking lot like so many across America, a black-clad motorcyclist rode up to an occupied vehicle and fired a gun—and didn't miss. The shock rippling through the community led to former beauty queen Cynthia George, a respected church member and devoted mother. Married to a wealthy businessman, she seemed to lead a charmed life. But did her beauty mask a heart cold enough to kill? M. William Phelps, award-winning master of the non-fiction thriller, updates this gripping saga of illicit love and murder with startling, unforgettable new insights. Praise for If Looks Could Kill “Phelps, one of America's finest true-crime writers, has written a compelling and gripping book about an intriguing Ohio murder mystery.” —Vincent Bugliosi New York Times bestselling author of Helter Skelter “Starts quickly and doesn't slow down. The author's thorough research and interviews give the book a sense of growing complexity, richness of character, and urgency.” —Stephen Singular, author of Unholy Messenger: The Life and Crime of the BTK Killer “Phelps' sharp attention to detail culminates in this meticulous recreation of a tragic crime. This gripping true story reads like a well-plotted crime novel and proves that truth is not only stranger, but more shocking, than fiction. Riveting.” —Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author of Tell No Lies Includes sixteen pages of photos

A New York Times Notable Book A revised collection with thirteen essays, including six new to this edition and seven from the original edition, by the “star in the American literary firmament, with a voice that is courageous, honest, loving, and singularly beautiful” (NPR). Brilliant and uncompromising, piercing and funny, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America is essential reading. This new edition of award-winning author Kiese Laymon’s first work of nonfiction looks inward, drawing heavily on the author and his family’s experiences, while simultaneously examining the world—Mississippi, the South, the United States—that has shaped their lives. With subjects that range from an interview with his mother to reflections on Ole Miss football, Outkast, and the labor of Black women, these thirteen insightful essays highlight Laymon’s profound love of language and his artful rendering of experience, trumpeting why he is “simply one of the most talented writers in America” (New York magazine).

“You disgust me! You’re nothing but a bloodthirsty monster!” I shouted at him, and in return, he laughed maliciously. “I know, love. I didn’t need your confirmation,” he said in a tough tone. I was not surprised, of course. To be exact, I felt nothing but rage. “Go on, love. Shoot me. Just make sure you don’t miss, because then, you will suffer greatly at my hands,” he said aggressively and an unexpected giggle slipped through my mouth. “I never miss,” I said as I pulled the trigger..... Forget tender words and romantic scenes! In this story, the game is reigned by passion! Raw, cynical, tough, fiery passion that makes you thirsty for more! Passion for power, desire for revenge, craving for conquest, lust for life! A story similar to Romeo and Juliette’s; in its most twisted version.

On the evening of May 1, 1990, in Derry, New Hampshire, two teenage boys lay in wait for a young insurance salesman named Gregory Smart to return home from work. When he did, they ambushed him. One held Gregory by the hair, while the other fired a single close-range shot from a .38-caliber handgun into the victim's skull, killing him instantly. As the police investigation unfolded, it soon became clear that Pamela Smart, the victim's wife of less than a year, was behind the murder. Investigators found that she had sexually manipulated 16-year-old Billy Flynn, who in turn enlisted his friends, into committing the killing. The first murder trial to air on live television, the Pamela Smart murder case mesmerized the nation, and the world. Originally published in 1991, Teach Me to Kill is an in-depth look at the case, which continues to draw widespread media attention. Author Stephen Sawicki, a correspondent for People magazine, was the only national reporter to cover the case from start to finish. His reporting includes in-depth interviews with the police, prosecutors, defense lawyers, friends, family members, classmates, and Pamela Smart herself. The book also provides a new introduction by the author.

Featuring contributions from Tanya Huff, Jim C. Hines, Jean Rabe, and Ed Gorman, this thrilling collection enters the mysterious and deadly realm of the assassin, exploring how one chooses this line of work and how one becomes a cold-blood killer. Original.