Serial Killers 101

I’ve always been fascinated with the subject of serial killers. I’m most interested in “why” they do what they do; what causes a human being to become a monster? It’s a question of nature vs. nurture. Was it the fault of their upbringing and/or society or were they “born” to be serial killers? 

The more I read about them as I did research for my first Malone mystery, Mixed Messages, the more intrigued I became. Here's a brief overview of what I learned. There are four types of serial killers:

·       Visionary  killers

·       Mission killers

·       Pleasure (Hedonistic) killers 

·       Power/control killers

Keep in mind: there’s a difference between mass murderers and serial killers. Mass murderers kill their victims all at once. They choose a killing field and attempt to take as many victims as possible. They do not hunt, torture and then kill their victims. Serial killers do. One definition of a serial killer is “someone who commits three or more murders over an unspecified period of time.” 

It’s virtually impossible to distinguish serial killers from the rest of society. They look just like you and me (yes, there have been many female serial killers) and they're everywhere. The FBI can’t give us actual statistics; no one knows for sure how many are out there, targeting their next victims. Estimates run anywhere from twenty to thirty to the thousands! 

There are three predatory types:

·   territorial killers who hunt within a specific area

·   nomadic killers who travel extensively on their killing sprees

·   stationary killers who prefer to commit murders in their own homes or places of employment

Serial killers are categorized as “organized” or “disorganized.”

·   Organized killers are the most difficult to identify and capture because they’re highly intelligent. They plan each and every detail, often stalking their victims for long periods of time to determine the best time to strike.

·   Disorganized killers are usually of lesser intelligence and don’t plan their attacks in advance. Their victims are usually people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Most serial killers have a “preference.” For example, Albert DeSalvo, the Boston Strangler, was sexually obsessed with the elderly. Some serial killers take “souvenirs” from their victims: a lock of hair, a piece of jewelry or a body part and many serial killers have bizarre fetishes like Ed Gein, the role model for Hitchcock’s Psycho, who collected corpses for a variety of sick purposes. 

Until next time, be wary of strangers and people you know. Remember, anyone could be a serial killer – even the boy next door.

November topic: How do writers choose the titles for their novels?

When I think of some of my favorite authors, Mary Higgins Clark comes immediately to mind. She often uses the titles of old songs. For example, You Belong to Me, Let Me Call You Sweetheart and All Around the Town. James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club Series starts with 1^st to Die and is up to 16^th Seduction. And, Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone mystery series utilizes the alphabet: A is for Alibi through the latest, Y is for Yesterday. 

So, how do I choose my titles?

Since I write mystery/suspense, I want my titles to reflect the genre, at least to some degree, because I don’t want to mislead readers; I want to entice them. And, I like my titles to have a double meaning whenever possible. Here’s how I came up with the title for my first Malone mystery.

In Mixed Messages, a serial killer is attacking women in their Westwood homes, where the main character, Ann, her husband, David, and their two small children live in the downstairs apartment of an old Victorian. David is an alcoholic and his behavior toward Ann is becoming more and more erratic; one minute, he’s the kind, loving man she married and, the next minute, he’s cold and cruel.

Lawrence Berger, the son of Olivia, Ann’s landlady, is infatuated with Ann. However, when instead of the usual love poems from Lawrence, Ann receives several ominous biblical quotes, she is confused and frightened.

Desperate for someone to confide in, Ann tells their priest, Father Andrew, about her husband’s drinking and the problems in her marriage, but instead of consoling her as she expected, he points a finger at her and shouts, “Divorce is not an option!” He refers her to Dr. Susan Thatcher for counseling and, at her first session, Ann tells the psychologist, “I feel like I’m living in a world of mixed messages.” Which she most definitely is. 

In Unfinished Business, the sequel which takes place at Christmastime, the title also has a double meaning. 

Readers/Writers: I'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Happy Reading!

June News

Mom's 88th birthday!

I'm thrilled to report that my mother is doing great (after a bit of a scare last month) and, in fact, she’ll celebrate her 88^th birthday on June 18^th! We spend a lot of time together and I thank God every day that I have her.

And, I’m slowly getting back to my regular writing routine, working on my next book. I have to admit that it's taking me some time to get re-acclimated after several weeks of being away from it. I had to re-read what I’d already written and to re-evaluate the plot. But, I’m getting there and I’m thankful for that too because my writing is so very important to me.

All of the above got me thinking about the connection between my personal life and my writing life. Because the two are definitely intertwined. True, one of the reasons I write (and read) fiction is to escape reality. But reality is at the core of my writing. Where else would the ideas for a novel (or a series) come from?

Family has always meant the world to me but family isn’t just the people who are related to us by blood. Family includes close friends and even ex-in laws. They say, “Blood is thicker than water,” but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, family members chose to walk away from their family. I think that’s very sad but it happens. By the same token, I have so many people in my life who aren’t related to me but who will always be a part of my family. The novel I’m currently writing reflects that and so do my Malone mysteries.

Here’s an overview of the series:

“The Malone Mystery Series isn’t just about the mystery. It’s the story of Ann Malone Kern and her family and the struggles they face. As the series progresses, you will see Ann and the other characters change and grow as they deal with a multitude of problems and are involved in several dangerous, sometimes life-threatening, situations. But through it all, the underlining message in each book is one of Hope.”

If you haven't read my Malone mysteries yet, I "hope" you will. 😃