AMERICA’S FIRST FEMALE SERIAL KILLER by Mary Kay McBrayer:
Jane Toppin was a first-generation Irish-America nurse who started very far from the monster she became. Born as Honora Kelley, her life started with her father abandoning her and her sister to the Boston Female Asylum. Jane was indentured to a wealthy family, who changed her name, never adopted her, wrote her out of the will, and taught her that she was not worthy of a better life. Jane became a nurse to take charge of her life, but in doing so also found a way to take the lives of her victims.
This book felt like a fictional story in the way that it was written. There was no clunky fact after fact about Jane, but simply the story of her life. I was fascinated by Jane and her life story. This is truly the story of how society can make someone into a monster. I highly recommend this one if you liked the vibe of In Cold Blood. Audiobook fans – make sure you listen to this one! The author does an amazing job narrating! 4⭐️
BURIED BENEATH THE BOARDING HOUSE by Ryan Green:
In 1988, detectives from the Sacramento Police Department were called to investigate the disappearance of a man at his last known address, a boarding house for the elderly, homeless, and mentally ill. The owner Dorothea Puente, was an adorable old lady who cared for stray cats and those that society had rejected. She had a strong standing in the community and was celebrated for her charity work. As the police start to investigate stories come to the surface about guests who would take ill and vanish overnight. What they find buried beneath the boarding house is more that anyone could have guessed.
Talk about appearances being deceiving! Dorothea was fascinating to learn about and chip away at the layers that led her down a dark path. I really loved the psychology aspect of this one and how deeply we were able to learn about Dorothea’s inner workings. The fact that she believed she was a good person blew my mind! 4⭐️
AMERICA’S FIRST FEMALE SERIAL KILLER: Amazon | Book Depository
BURIED BENEATH THE BOARDING HOUSE: Amazon | Book Depository
Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.
What Jess Reads 