California Serial Killers

Ken Holmes worked in the Marin County Coroner's Office for 36 years, starting as a death investigator and ending as the three-term, elected coroner. As he grew into the job - which is different from what is depicted on television - Holmes learned a variety of skills, from finding hidden clues at death scenes, interviewing witnesses effectively, managing bystanders and reporters, preparing testimony for court, to notifying families of a death with sensitivity and compassion.

From the shadows of the Pacific Coast Highway to the silence of the Sierra Nevada, California is a state built on sunshine—and stained by blood. Logan Carter, Top 100 Audible Author in True Crime, brings you 23 gripping cases that reveal the darkest corners of the Golden State. Inside, you’ll find: – Killers hiding in plain sight – Disappearances with chilling twists – Small-town horrors that never made national headlines – Fresh takes on infamous cases like the Golden State Killer, the Zodiac, and the Manson Family True Crime: California is raw, relentless, and rooted in real ...

Carmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator. With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in.

Psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Moore is an expert on killers. She’s spent a decade treating California’s most depraved predators and unlocking their motives - predators much like the notorious Bloody Heart serial killer, whose latest teenage victim escaped and then identified local high school teacher Randall Thompson as his captor. The case against Thompson as the Bloody Heart Killer is damning - and closed, as far as Gwen and the media are concerned. If not for one new development.

Five book collection: first five states in the United States of True Crime series. Sixty chilling true crime cases of murders, kidnappings, and serial killers from across the United States!

Seventeen years ago. That was the last time Mercy Callahan saw Ephraim Burton, the leader of the twisted Eden cult where she was raised. But even though she escaped the abuse and terror, they continue to haunt her. When her brother Gideon discovers new evidence of the cult's - and their victims' - whereabouts, Mercy goes to Sacramento to reconnect with him. There, she meets Gideon's closest friend - homicide detective Rafe Sokolov. From Rafe, she receives an offer she never knew she needed: to track down Ephraim and make him pay for everything.

This suspenseful true story of a drug cartel hitman who got away with murder after murder in California's Central Valley over three decades reveals how the criminal justice system fails our most vulnerable immigrant communities. On the surface, 58-year-old Jose Martinez didn't seem evil or even that remarkable - just a regular neighbor, good with cars and devoted to his family. But in between taking his children to Disneyland and visiting his mom, Martinez was also one of the most skilled professional killers police had ever seen.

United States of True Crime is an anthology series with books devoted to the most disturbing cases in each of the 50 states. This audiobook focuses on 20 of the most chilling crimes in California history. True crime junkies may recognize some of the highly publicized cases but I’ve made sure to include lesser-known, equally unsettling crimes.

After ten long years as a private detective, Stockton native Jake Carter is finally closing his LA agency. In just a few days he’ll put the missing teens and cheating spouses behind him and join the city's corporate world full of cushy jobs and hefty paychecks. But when his former partner is found dead in a Stockton homeless camp, murdered by a ruthless serial killer who’s targeting the city’s most vulnerable population, Carter will put his dreams on hold and return to his hometown to find the madman responsible before he strikes again. But solving this case won’t be so easy. ...

Private investigator Jim Booker was given six months to live eight months ago. He appreciates each new day, knowing he’s on borrowed time. It’s safe to say that not much could drag Jim Booker back to late-night surveillances, crime scenes, and shootouts. But when a childhood friend asks him to look into a case involving an old flame, Booker can’t say no. What starts as a missing persons case quickly becomes much more than Jim bargained for, especially when he finds a connection to his brother’s unsolved murder—a cold case that goes back twenty years. Now, Jim Booker just needs to ...

(*This series contains some mature language and subject matter -- reader discretion advised.) When your dang list Keeps getting in the way-- --The one with the people who shouldn't be walking around anymore-- You move to Manhattan Beach, to try to relax. So that's what Chris does. But who's he kidding? *** *Author’s Note: The books in the Chris Seely series are intended to be read in order. That said, there's a Background Synopsis at the start of this book.

"Golden State Killers" delves deep into the haunting chronicles of seven notorious serial killers who emerged from the sun-kissed expanses of California. While the Golden State is often celebrated for its shimmering beaches and Hollywood glamour, lurking in its underbelly is a darker tale that needs telling.

Fans of Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown will enjoy the heart wrenching story of a woman embracing a past trauma in the face of danger in award-winning author Quinn Avery’s newest standalone, In Her Father's Shadow. Sienna Rivers’s aspirations for a normal childhood came crashing down the night they discovered her father was a serial killer. Once her mother’s illusion of a perfect family is destroyed, Sienna is sent to live with the only other “family” she knows. After a lifetime of living with her mother’s perfection and rules, Sienna (now going by “Rowan”) struggles to find a...

Detective Sydney Valentine chases down clues to uncover the identity of a physician's killer. The doctor is bludgeoned to death in his medical office. Without warning, Detective Sydney Valentine's lieutenant assigns her a new and annoying new partner. While the two detectives pursue the investigation into the bloody murder of this high-profile physician, they discover he's going through a nasty divorce. When the body of a John Doe turns up in an alleyway and strange connections between the murders emerge, the likelihood of a simple case looks grim. False Claims is the fourth book in the ...

Detective Valentine investigates the murder of a scathing judge of a singing competition. An unknown assailant strikes and kills the popular judge with her own Emmy. As Valentine investigates the homicide, she discovers the victim had earned the nickname "The Dream Crusher" and gathered numerous enemies. After she digs deeper, she finds a rival judge, an arrogant producer, an estranged brother, and a host of others with more than enough motive to deliver the deadly blow. When bodies start to pile up and her suspect list grows, Valentine must uncover the murderer before her own voice is ...

Homicide Detective Sydney Valentine investigates the death of a Jane Doe found in the backyard hot tub of a high-end home. When Valentine arrives at the scene, she discovers nothing is as it initially appears—far from it. Valentine's pursuit of Jane Doe's identity uncovers secrets some would prefer to keep hidden. Her investigation reveals treachery and deceit as more crimes change or end the lives of those connected to the victim. Throughout it all, Detective Valentine must face her own personal and professional challenges. She digs deeper to expose the truth behind what set everything ...

This is the third book in the Dawson's Web Series. The first two were Dawson's Web and Countdown to Condemnation. It chronicles the diabolical, murderous acts of Mr. JD Sampson who is under the psychological control of a timeless entity, Snakey, who uses his host (JD Sampson) to commit a series of murders which are driven by his evil plan to kill scores of people. Two Joint Task Forces are created to identify the suspects in three murders which are committed in Topanga, California and two additional mass murders which occur in Redondo Beach and Sherman Oaks, California. Detective Fred ...

The Hanging Judge of California probes outrageous decisions by the Federal 9th Circuit Court in overturning death penalty verdicts. California Judge Donald A. McCartin, who sent nine men to death row, speaks out in fury when convicted child killer Rodney Alcala's verdict was overturned after 23 years. The audiobook chronicles Alcala's crimes and trials, as well as the horrific murders committed by eight other killers who were sentenced by McCartin.

Jeffrey Dawson is a sometimes-reluctant serial killer but he has a clever alter ego, affectionately named Snakey, who helps him over the rough spots. In reality, Jeffrey is a fairly normal, creative, and even personable guy. And, for the most part, he had been able to keep Snakey at bay for years. But even though he promised himself he wouldn't kill again, he has gradually regained that "howl-at-the-moon" urge and has subsequently summoned Snakey for his guidance. Despite being extremely professional and methodical in their return to depravity Jeffrey (and Snakey) are not secure. Fred ...

When a young woman’s lifeless body is found with strangulation marks not far from her tent, Detective Charlotte Pierce heads to the small mountain town of Quail Lake to investigate. Mesquite County Sheriff’s department is short staffed and the only other person working the case is an inexperienced deputy who has never investigated a murder. Soon, Charlotte discovers that the twenty-year-old murder victim was living in a camper van with her boyfriend and documenting their life online as van life influencers. But there’s more to it. Charlotte had actually met the couple while on a hike ...