Last month I expressed my disappointment in Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered written by My Favorite Murder hosts Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff. My main issue with that book was that it wasn’t an extension of the podcast, but more of a memoir. While the memoir may have been what some readers wanted—I wanted more murder.
After all the podcast is called, MY FAVORITE MURDER.
So for every person who listens to My Favorite Murder and/or is fascinated by true crime, I’ve compiled a shortlist of titles to fill the void left open by the disappointment of Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered. These titles are ones that can be connected to My Favorite Murder in some way and will provide additional information on topics.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
Michelle McNamara was a friend of Karen Kilgariff prior to her passing and had been investigating the Golden State Killer, then known as the East Area Rapist, and blogging her true crime findings since 2006 on truecrimediary.com. The Golden State Killer was also Karen’s first murder discussed on the podcast, Episode 1 “My Firstest Murder.”
The Golden State Killer was McNamara’s pet project. She changed the public’s perception of him, affecting the way the cases were spoken about and the way it was investigated. Right after this book was published, the Golden State Killer was allegedly found. McNamara does a fantastic job of combining her humor with the grizzly details of the GSK’s exploits. She also doesn’t shy away from the impact his crimes had on the community and how citizens of California were prepared to counter potential attacks.
Chase Darkness with Me: How One True-Crime Writer Started Solving Murders by Billy Jensen
Billy Jensen worked with Michelle McNamara in her search for the Golden State Killer and has since formed a partnership with retired Los Angeles investigator Paul Holes. Billy Jensen has been a guest on My Favorite Murder multiple times and has created his own podcast with Paul, Jensen & Holes: The Murder Squad on the Exactly Right Podcast Network (which is Karen and Georgia’s network they’ve created).
Chase Darkness with Me follows Jensen as he solves various crimes, murders, and mysteries across the country. He also provides the reader with tools and explains his various rules for solving murders.
The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule
Karen and Georgia haven’t discussed Ted Bundy in an episode yet, but they have discussed all topics surrounding Ted Bundy. They’ve avoided discussing him because they want to have the facts straight to express the utmost respect to his victims without glorifying his crimes.
The Stranger Beside Me, was initially being written to cover the murders in Washington—unfortunately, Rule didn’t realize that her coworker was the perpetrator. Originally published in 1980, it has been updated multiple times when new information is publicized.
Georgia and Karen discussed Israel Keyes in Episode 46, “Skippers Unite!” Israel Keyes was a fascinating topic because he operated for 11 years without being caught. And it is often thought that he let himself be caught following his final murder. Keyes went against all the stereotypical expectations of a serial killer and intrigued many. Maureen Callahan utilizes a reverse-chronological approach to presenting information, which is an interesting method to tell the tale of Keyes and his victims.