Cannibal Killers: The Impossible Monsters [Paperback]

Moira Martingale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

Moira Martingale traces the cannibalism phenomenon back to the 16th century to the notorious Sawney Bean who, together with his family, consumed more than 1,000 people over a period of 25 years. Modern murderers continue many of the same practices, including Fritz Haarmann—who would tear out young men's throats to drink their blood, before selling their flesh for meat; Jeffrey Dahmer, the murderer of 17 young men whose dismembered body parts were found in his apartment; Edward Gein—the role model for Hitchcock's Psycho—who after his mother's death began killing and eating women; and Andrei Chikatilo, the Russian cannibal who has the dubious reputation of being the worst cannibal killer in recent history. These crimes, and others, are explored, together with speculation about how such monsters are made. Is there a clinical explanation for vampirism? And when it comes to deciding whether these people are sane or insane, why are psychiatrists and lawyers not always in agreement?

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

It is a crime that shocks and stuns more than any other. It is the ultimate in criminal depravity. It runs like a blood-red thread through novels like The Silence of the Lambs.

Now, take a grim and terrifying journey into the world of the cannibal killer¿

Ed Gein the twisted trophy hunter and role model for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, who liked to keep his victims' lips in a small bowl

Issei Sagawa a real natural-born killer, celebrated in song by the Rolling Stones and toasted by the Japanese art world after he killed and ate a Dutch co-ed

Jeffrey Dahmer the Milwaukee Murderer who kept souvenirs from most of his 17 victims, including three human heads in his refrigerator

Andrei Chikatilo history's worst cannibal killer who delighted in boiling and eating sawn-off body parts of his victims, often not bothering to kill them before the mutilation began

A chilling look at history's most repugnant criminals, Cannibal Killers is a horrifying story too shocking to believe-except that it's true.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Moira Martingale is a journalist, author and former columnist for national and regional newspapers. She is the co-author of Ghostbusters UK, also published by Hale. Her interest in deviant behaviour stems from her studies of abnormal psychology as part of her degree. She also has a doctorate in Gothic Literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Robert Hale (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0709085400
• ISBN-13: 978-0709085409
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,789,178 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very well put together, July 2, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cannibal Killers (Mass Market Paperback)

I disagree with the negative reviews (except about the "harrowing" pictures promise on the cover being bogus, but that is not the author's fault.)

I found her discussion of cannibalism in general to be interesting and enlightening. The psychology is not boring, but engaging. True, if you want in depth on each killer's story, this is not the book for you (it is only about 300 pages), but as an overview, it rules. Also, I love her(?) [Moira] theory on the origins of vampires and werewolves.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Gives False Info, June 25, 2008

By 

C. Stesen (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cannibal Killers (Mass Market Paperback)

I'm about half way through this book and some of the info is incorrect and is leaving me thinking "maybe i shouldn't finish it because of the false info". I caught most of it the Ed Gein Chapter. Ed Gein has explained quite a few times that he was not a Cannibal. He explained he liked to wear the skin and use the bones to make items but said he never ate any of the bodies from the graves he dug up or the recently killed ones. Also The book says His father died, than his mother, than his brother in a forest fire. I've read almost everywhere else that his father died, than his brother in a barn fire that Ed may have caused. This put a strain on his mother and she died a year later. Then he boarded up her room and most of the house. Its just little facts like this that make me think the author may have written the book just so she could release a book. It doesnt seem like her heart was in it like the other books i've read about cannibals and serial killers. I would say spend the extra money to get a book that goes more into detail and gives facts instead of guesses...

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was disturbing yet held my attention throughout the end., February 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cannibal Killers (Mass Market Paperback)

The book described in detail about Dahmer, Gein and others. It was extremely graphic but the need for that was apparent. It was not glorifing what was done. It was scaring you to death. Things like this could happen to anyone anywhere. I can't say it was an enjoyable book. Nothing of that matter can be "enjoyable" but it did hold my interest. I could not put it down. When I did it was minutes later I'd pick it back up,