November 1, 2021
Blending fan-confessional and analysis of the true crime genre, New Yorker cartoonist Campbell’s funny, freewheeling graphic memoir debut takes on the “trend” of rampant body-chasing in film, TV, and podcasts—and why women, in particular, tend to tune in. She dates the phenomenon to 17th-century “penny pamphlets,” and notes that she herself is a fourth-generation fan of murder stories. Her mother Laurie appears often as an audience to her enthusiasms, along with bartenders, a kid on a plane, and anyone else who will listen to her theorizing. Campbell wonders about the origins of her obsession: Is it the satisfaction of seeing justice served? Or is it because she was born just a few months after the premiere of Law & Order? Her chatty storytelling and lightly frumpy character designs are accompanied by flow charts and pages bubbling over with tangents. She covers the Zodiac case, associated media history, and crime writer Ann Rule’s improbable connection to Ted Bundy, all of which is peppered with comedic bits from her own life. Some of the speculations feel superficial, but others land on point, such as a critique of race bias in true crime coverage that tends to brush past both victims and perpetrators of color. But it’s more celebration than interrogation, a joyfully chaotic swim with a community of crime aficionados.
November 1, 2021
What is it about true crime that excites us? Why do we find entertainment in death and injustice? Is this as unhealthy as it sounds? New Yorker cartoonist Campbell analyzes her own life and obsession with true crime, while going into detail on the cases that turned her into the "murderino" she is today. Campbell uses a conversational tone and lots of humor to delve into the history of true crime and its various formats, including books, television, movies, and podcasts. She also gives extra attention to the crimes (and the methods by which she learned of them) that influenced her appreciation of true crime, including Zodiac (the 2007 movie), Ann Rule's The Stranger beside Me (about her friendship with Ted Bundy), and the murder of Anne Marie Fahey. Packed with all this information, the heavy text shouldn't be a surprise to readers. Campbell's black-and-white illustrations are uncomplicated yet engaging, as one would expect from a New Yorker cartoonist. Give this to all fans of true crime, whether or not they are graphic novel readers.
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Starred review from December 3, 2021
Cartoonist and stand-up comedian Campbell (illustrator of Are You My Uber?) meditates on her lifelong fascination with true crime in this playful blend of cultural criticism and personal history. In lengthy sections devoted to the Zodiac Killer, Ted Bundy, and Scott Peterson, Campbell weaves together detailed accounts of their alleged crimes and observations on how her fascination with murderers shaped her worldview and her relationship with her mother (a fellow murder and mayhem aficionado). Elsewhere, Campbell offers an overview of the true crime genre, commenting on a vast assortment of books, documentaries, and podcasts. An exploration of the genre's allure for women in particular, proves a highlight, as do a chapter paying tribute to best-selling true crime writer Ann Rule and several passages devoted to illuminating the lives of the oft-overlooked, frequently villainized victims at the heart of true crime tales. VERDICT Early in this hefty tome, Campbell's seemingly haphazard willingness to follow various tangents quickly proves a brilliant structural design that allows intuitive and enlightening connections between cases, texts, and the author's own life. True crime fans are sure to embrace this funny, fascinating volume.
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