The man from the train : the solving of a century-old serial killer mystery
(Book)

Book Cover
Average Rating
Contributors
Published
New York : Scribner, 2017.
Edition
First Scribner hardcover edition.
Physical Desc
xi, 464 pages ; 24 cm
Status
Main Level - Nonfiction
364.152 JAMES
1 available

Description

Loading Description...

Also in this Series

Checking series information...

Copies

LocationCall NumberStatus
Main Level - Nonfiction364.152 JAMESOn Shelf

Other Editions and Formats

More Details

Published
New York : Scribner, 2017.
Format
Book
Edition
First Scribner hardcover edition.
Language
English

Notes

Description
"Using unprecedented, dramatically compelling sleuthing techniques, legendary statistician and baseball writer Bill James applies his analytical acumen to crack an unsolved century-old mystery surrounding one of the deadliest serial killers in American history. Between 1898 and 1912, families across the country were bludgeoned in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Jewelry and valuables were left in plain sight, bodies were piled together, faces covered with cloth. Some of these cases, like the infamous Villasca, Iowa, murders, received national attention. But few people believed the crimes were related. And fewer still would realize that all of these families lived within walking distance to a train station. When celebrated baseball statistician and true crime expert Bill James first learned about these horrors, he began to investigate others that might fit the same pattern. Applying the same know-how he brings to his legendary baseball analysis, he empirically determined which crimes were committed by the same person. Then after sifting through thousands of local newspapers, court transcripts, and public records, he and his daughter Rachel made an astonishing discovery: they learned the true identity of this monstrous criminal. In turn, they uncovered one of the deadliest serial killers in America. Riveting and immersive, with writing as sharp as the cold side of an axe, The Man from the Train paints a vivid, psychologically perceptive portrait of America at the dawn of the twentieth century, when crime was regarded as a local problem, and opportunistic private detectives exploited a dysfunctional judicial system. James shows how these cultural factors enabled such an unspeakable series of crimes to occur, and his groundbreaking approach to true crime will convince skeptics, amaze aficionados, and change the way we view criminal history"--,Provided by publisher.
Description
"Between 1898 and 1912, families across the country were bludgeoned in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Jewelry and valuables were left in plain sight, bodies were piled together, faces covered with cloth. Some of these cases, like the infamous Villasca, Iowa murders, received national attention. But few people believed the crimes were related. And fewer still would realize that all of these families lived within walking distance to a train station. When celebrated baseball statistician and true crime expert Bill James first learned about these crimes, he began to investigate others that might fit the same pattern. Applying the analytical acumen he brings to baseball analysis, he empirically determined which crimes were committed by the same person. Then after sifting through thousands of local newspapers, court transcripts and public records, he and his daughter Rachel made an astonishing discovery. They learned the true identity of this monstrous criminal, and in turn, uncovered one of the deadliest serial killers in American history. Riveting and immersive, with writing as sharp as the cold side of an axe, The Man From the Train is a groundbreaking approach to true crime that will convince skeptics, delight aficionados, and change the way we view criminal history"--,Provided by publisher.

Other Possible Items

Loading more titles like this title...

Reviews from GoodReads

Loading GoodReads Reviews.

Citations

APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)

James, B., & James, R. M. (2017). The man from the train: the solving of a century-old serial killer mystery (First Scribner hardcover edition.). Scribner.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

James, Bill, 1949- and Rachel McCarthy, James. 2017. The Man From the Train: The Solving of a Century-old Serial Killer Mystery. Scribner.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)

James, Bill, 1949- and Rachel McCarthy, James. The Man From the Train: The Solving of a Century-old Serial Killer Mystery Scribner, 2017.

MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)

James, Bill, and Rachel McCarthy James. The Man From the Train: The Solving of a Century-old Serial Killer Mystery First Scribner hardcover edition., Scribner, 2017.

Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.