Murderland

Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers

De: Caroline Fraser

Narrado por: Patty Nieman

“A provocative and page-turning work of true crime.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A provocative, eerily lyrical study of the heyday of American serial killers . . . A true-crime story written with compassion, fury, and scientific sense.”—Kirkus (starred review)

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2025 by LitHub

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Prairie Fires comes a terrifying true-crime history of serial killers in the Pacific Northwest and beyond—a gripping investigation of how a new strain of psychopath emerged out of a toxic landscape of deadly industrial violence

Caroline Fraser grew up in the shadow of Ted Bundy, the most notorious serial murderer of women in American history, surrounded by his hunting grounds and mountain body dumps, in the brooding landscape of the Pacific Northwest. But in the 1970s and ’80s, Bundy was just one perpetrator amid an uncanny explosion of serial rape and murder across the region. Why so many? Why so weirdly and nightmarishly gruesome? Why the senseless rise and then sudden fall of an epidemic of serial killing?

As Murderland indelibly maps the lives and careers of Bundy and his infamous peers in mayhem—the Green River Killer, the I-5 Killer, the Night Stalker, the Hillside Strangler, even Charles Manson—Fraser’s Northwestern death trip begins to uncover a deeper mystery and an overlapping pattern of environmental destruction. At ground zero in Ted Bundy’s Tacoma stood one of the most poisonous lead, copper, and arsenic smelters in the world, but it was hardly unique in the West. As Fraser’s investigation inexorably proceeds, evidence mounts that the plumes of these smelters not only sickened and blighted millions of lives but also warped young minds, including some who grew up to become serial killers.

A propulsive nonfiction thriller, Murderland transcends true-crime voyeurism and noir mythology, taking listeners on a profound quest into the dark heart of the real American berserk.

Slag Forming Peninsula, American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) Records (Collection 2.4.1) Northwest Room at Tacoma Public Library

©2025 Caroline Fraser (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“[Fraser] makes a case that isn't merely convincing; it's downright damning, showing how lead seeped into literally every aspect of life for those who lived near a smelter—and even for those who didn't—via leaded gas and paint. Fraser follows the exploits of the similarly deadly and devastating serial killers and ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company) in a narrative that is gripping, harrowing, and timely.”—Booklist (starred review)

“What makes a murderer? Pulitzer winner Fraser (Prairie Fires) makes a convincing case for arsenic and lead poisoning as contributing factors in this eyebrow-raising account . . . her methodical research and lucid storytelling argue persuasively for linking the health of the planet to the safety of its citizens. This is a provocative and page-turning work of true crime.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A provocative, eerily lyrical study of the heyday of American serial killers. From the 1940s through the 1980s, the number of serial killers in the U.S. rose precipitously, and the Pacific Northwest was, disproportionately, home for them . . . Fraser’s book is an engrossing and disturbing portrait of decades of carnage that required decades to confront. A true-crime story written with compassion, fury, and scientific sense.”—Kirkus (starred review)

Devastatingly Outstanding

Gut-wrenching analysis of what happens when industry intersects with human life. Its about all levels of serial murders. I wont ever forget this book.

The intertwining of all the stories, including the authors own life.

Loved the writing style. Brought up a lot to think about. There is a connection there. Can it explain the level of violence associated with that period of time? Perhaps.

You have to be familiar with alot of serial killers!

As the title of this review says she starts off with ‘the crazy wall’ imagine Charlie from Always Sunny and his wall! But there is only one push pin in the middle but hundreds if not a thousand pins connected by only one single strand of yarn. This is it! I heard about this last week in a really off beat way via the Angry Planet podcast usually about global politics and war, but the host was so enamored by the book he had to talk to the author Caroline Fraser. I did the audiobook as it is about 16.5 hours and as a OTR trucker is perfect. As a fan of Timesuck and Last Podcast on the Left I’m fairly well versed in the subjects and stories that she wraps up into a neat little package wrapped in bow with a daffodil for good measure. I would give 4 stars for overall because if your not ‘into this’ you could get lost on who and what when she introduces another who and what and that is a very deep minefield of rabbit holes!

A title worth a rabbit hole😁

The story was riveting and jaw dropping

I know so much considering geographics and the research

Fully entertain ed

Connection Between Lead Exposure and Violent Crime

Definitely the darkest book I have ever read. It was relentless in gory details about famous serial killers and their evil doings. Fraser has done her research into the connection between exposure from chemical pollution and violent crime. Her focus is mainly on Tacoma. Many of these famous killers spent years of their lives living in the plume of Tacoma’s Arsarco smelter that covered the area in lead, arsenic, cadmium, and many other highly toxic chemicals. She describes the history of the smelter in detail as well as giving her book the backdrop of floating bridges, reversible lanes of the Seattle/Tacoma metroplex. I saw a review of this book a week or so after my son posited the theory that his some violent and weird friends on Vashon Island in the 90’s were that way because of exposure to toxic substances on the island. I did not know that there was a connection between violent behavior and lead exposure. I read this book to learn more. For me, this was a very worthwhile read, but definitely very depressing. I lived in the Pacific Northwest between 1982 and 2000. I knew someone who worked with the Green River killer. I always found the northwest beyond creepy, even Queen Anne and Vashon where we raised our children. Weird crimes were around us more often than I’d like to remember. I am grateful that I found this book. It was very informative.

The obvious.

Society has worked so hard to get past this and we are now poised to return.

Interesting connection

An interesting take on the connection between environmental toxicity and violent behaviors. Of course this is not a sole factor, but deserves consideration nonetheless!

Wow

Best book I’ve read maybe ever. Horrific, but eye opening. A new look on very well known murders.

Irresistible connections of environment and dread

This book definitely made an impact on my thoughts regarding why most serial killers have similar divisiveness, personality, and m.o

Excellent!

I lived in Seattle and remember being shocked that Ted Bundy had hunted victims in the U district. I’m glad I missed him by a couple of decades! The author mentions he hung out at Dante’s bar! I passed by there all the time. Love that she spends so much time talking about Washington and that she herself was from there and uses her unique perspective to connect all the dots . It was at times sickening to hear what was done to the victims, and how blatantly misogynistic this era was. Most of all, learning the facts that the lead, arsenic, etc. in the air corresponds directly to the rise of violence and the serial killers and we as a country are choosing to ignore this, is horrifying. Excellent narration, as well.