The Mammoth Book of Bizarre Crimes

Incredible Real-Life Murders

By: Robin Odell

Narrated by: David Shaw-Parker

Length: 19 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping collection of stories of human criminality at its most bizarre.

These unusual, sensational murders recall not only gruesome historical crimes, but also touch on shocking and macabre modern murders. Included are details of groundbreaking advances in crime detection, law enforcement, and forensic science.

This is the top-secret report on the most grisly, and unusual, criminal activity of our time.

©2010 Constable & Robinson (P)2012 Constable & Robinson

So much content

I listened to this book over the course of a few weeks off and on. The narrator did a great job of pulluing me into ther her well condensed versions of each tale.

Great narration

Not too much details, just little snippets of crimes through the ages. The narrator was great!

List

I was not impressed with this book as it was simply a list of things that happened. No story around each piece.

naration is a list of items.

What was most disappointing about Robin Odell’s story?

It a list of items, read as such. there is no reason for chapters. just an ongoing list.

Complete waste of time

What would have made The Mammoth Book of Bizarre Crimes better?

Nothing would have made this book better. It was like listening to a bunch of boring stories told from someone who only knew a little about the subject then before you realize it, the story is over and he's on to the next one.

What could Robin Odell have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

If the development of the stories was a little better, you could get interested in them. Unfortunately, all of them are passed over so quickly, you can't. The author could have tried focusing more on the details and quality of each story, not the quantity of them.

How could the performance have been better?

The man reading this book had a weird English accent and cadence that sounded like he was trying to sound British but wasn't. It was so distracting, I could barely focus on how bad the stories were!!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I was greatly disappointed in this book after listening to several others and finding them all quite good.

Any additional comments?

Skip this if you value your time at all.

pretty boring

really just a pretty boring recitation of facts about murders. nothing shocking, unusual or bizarre

Boring

The narrator almost put me to sleep. Hard to pay attention to his voice and I drifted off many times and when I realized it , didn't care to back it up.

we get it.

we get it. the author does not like capital punishment. that's not the title of the book. I bought crime stories. not author opinions. I don't care if the electric chair failed to kill someone at the first try. or third. did the people they killed get a second or 3rd try to escape for being murdered. don't impose your views in a nonfiction book.

too superficial to be satisfying

This book is a series of brief summaries of interesting cases. My preference is for detailed description of the crime as it unfolds, the characters involved, and the process of detection and prosecution. Succint descriptions organised by theme doesn't do it for me, but anyone interested in an overview of (mainly) murder would probably find it interesting. David Shaw-Parker does a good job with the narration - a good voice and presentation for the subject matter.

Keep your Euro take on capital punishment to yourself

An entire book about hundreds of savage murders and other atrocities. Yep the author spends time disparaging the US and our people's desire to keep the ultimate punishment for the very acts this books details lurid detail. F*cking hypocrite.