As acclaimed psychological researcher and author David Buss writes, "People are mesmerized by murder. It commands our attention like no other human phenomenon, and those touched by its ugly tendrils never forget." Though we may like to believe that murderers are pathological misfits and hardened criminals, the vast majority of murders are committed by people who, until the day they kill, would seem to be perfectly normal. David Buss's pioneering work has made major national news in the past, and this provocative book is sure to generate a storm of attention. The Murderer Next Door is a riveting look into the dark underworld of the human psyche—an astonishing exploration of when and why we kill and what might push any one of us over the edge. A leader in the innovative field of evolutionary psychology, Buss conducted an unprecedented set of studies investigating the underlying motives and circumstances of murders, from the bizarre outlier cases of serial killers to those of the friendly next-door neighbor who one day kills his wife. Reporting on findings that are often startling and counterintuitive—the younger woman involved in a love triangle is at a high risk of being killed—he puts forth a bold new general theory of homicide, arguing that the human psyche has evolved specialized adaptations whose function is to kill. Taking readers through the surprising twists and turns of the evolutionary logic of murder, he explains exactly when each of us is most at risk, both of being murdered and of becoming a murderer. His findings about the high-risk situations alone will be news making. Featuring gripping storytelling about specific murder cases—including a never used FBI file of more than 400,000 murders and a highly detailed study of 400 murders conducted by Buss in collaboration with a forensic psychiatrist, and a pioneering investigation of homicidal fantasies in which Buss found that 91 percent of men and 84 percent of women have had at least one such vivid fantasy—The Murderer Next Door will be necessary reading for those who have been fascinated by books on profiling, lovers of true crime and murder mysteries, as well as readers intrigued by the inner workings of the human mind.

A queer historical murder mystery that explores notions of justice and morality, driven by compelling flawed characters. In the summer of 1912 in Northern England, sapphic couple Louisa Knight and Ada Chapman are drawn into the investigation of their neighbour's murder. The police quickly declare his wife the obvious suspect. Ada, however, questions whether she could be innocent.The same as Ada's former lover - now in gaol for manslaughter - claims to be. Louisa is less certain, and less keen to investigate, but finds herself pulled along by the mystery of it all. These reactions reflect their differing personalities. Ada is artistic, impulsive and fiery, whilst Louisa is pragmatic, clever and dry witted. She is also asexual - a word not available to her - and Ada is not. Due to these differences, their relationship is a careful balancing act and both harbour fears that this investigation could push them over the edge. It doesn't help that what they learn about Mr Pearce paints him as a selfish man who cared little for the hurt he caused others. His wife is not the only woman with good reason to want him dead, and the couple are forced to ask themselves questions about the morality of the situation and the legal system that will ensnare the guilty party. This book would appeal to both fans of historical mysteries and LGBTQA+ fiction.

How well do you ever really know your neighbors? During the five years Rosemary has lived next door to Dr. Redberry and his wife, they've barely exchanged more than occasional pleasantries. So when she starts hearing raised voices through the adjoining townhouse walls, she can only guess that their marriage is in trouble. It's none of Rosemary's business, so she pretends not to notice, but when she sees Mrs. Redberry sobbing uncontrollably she can't simply turn a blind eye. Somehow, Rosemary ends up attending her best friend, actress Vera Blackburn's latest play alongside the couple?and it turns out to be more enjoyable than she'd expected. Unfortunately, no good deed goes unpunished, and when a dead body turns up in Dr. Redberry's dental chair, she finds herself being pulled even further into her neighbor's affairs?and cursing her soft heart! The only thing is, she and her friends are supposed to be leaving for a holiday in sunny Cyprus?not sifting through evidence a stone's throw from home. With romantic feelings for her late husband's best mate, detective Max Whittington, bubbling to the surface, nobody needs to get away as much as Rosemary does! Yet, she can't escape the visceral need to see justice served, so sun and sand will have to wait as this lady detective takes the case of the murder next door. Book two in The Mrs. Lillywhite Investigates series. Are you ready to escape to the roaring twenties? For fans of Beth Byers, Leighann Dobbs, Lee Strauss, and cozy historical murder mysteries. A light, cozy mystery with no swearing, graphic scenes, or cliffhangers.

Brinck presents the explosive true story of the boy next door who turned out to be a psychotic killer. Police were unable to tie a local misfit, Jon Dunkle, to the stabbing death of 12-year-old Lance Turner in 1984--until another murder surfaced and a female police officer had the courage to pose as the suspect's girlfriend to get at the truth. 12 pages of photos.

Baptist deacon, family man, pillar of his Florida community . . . and serial killer of prostitutes: chilling true crime from the author of Lobster Boy. By day, Sam Smithers was the deacon of his Baptist church in Plant City, Florida, a respected neighbor to many, and a devoted husband and father. But after the sun set, he became something else: a violent attacker—and killer—of prostitutes. Smithers’s twisted double life came to light when a local woman who had hired him to take care of her property found him in her garage, cleaning an ax—and then discovered a puddle of blood. Through exclusive interviews with Smithers’s wife, who described her spouse as nothing but a doting husband and father, author Fred Rosen learned why this man of God, raised in an intensely religious Tennessee home, was the last person anyone would suspect of committing these savage crimes. Rosen reveals the details behind the deaths of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach after Smithers picked them up in Tampa—and the fate of a man who seemed holier than thou, but was actually guilty as sin.

To protect the child she loves, Molly Gray must cooperate with a killer in this critically acclaimed novel from a master of contemporary American fiction Molly Gray never trusted Ben Fleiss, her best friend Wendy’s abusive husband. When Wendy’s broken body is found in a dumpster, Molly is devastated—and knows exactly who the killer is. But as viscerally as Molly hates Ben, she loves Ben and Wendy’s seven-year-old child, Naomi. While awaiting trial, Ben retains custody of his daughter, and Molly soon realizes the only way to keep Naomi safe is to stay as close to Ben as possible—even if it means consoling and flattering the man who murdered her friend. Yglesias’s most suspenseful work, The Murderer Next Door is rich with startling twists and revelations hinged to uncanny psychological insight. This ebook features a new illustrated biography of Rafael Yglesias, including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.