We’ve all seen the memes calling out the individuals who love to relax at the end of the night by watching a murder documentary with a glass of wine. While yours truly can definitely relate, many of us dive deeper by listening to our favorite true crime podcasts or reading relevant literature. Well, murder enthustiasts, add a new podcast and book to your listening and reading lists: Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire, hosts of the award-winning true crime podcast RedHanded, have taken their fascination to the next level and blessed us with another form of gruesome entertainment by exploring the particular recipe that creates a killer. 

For those who have never heard of the podcast “RedHanded” before – if you’re familiar with “My Favorite Murder,” this one will be right up your alley. I’m not crazy about comparing the two, but that’s the best I can do for now. Once I heard about this book for review, I immediately subscribed to the podcast. Since then, I’ve listened to hours upon hours of Bala and Maguire’s talented storytelling – tales about infamous and not-so-famous killers, and agreeable commentary by the hosts. 

The entire title is a mouthful but very descriptive: RedHanded: An Exploration of Criminals, Cannibals, Cults, and What Makes a Killer Tick. In this book, Bala and Maguire really dive deep into the fascinating world of murder, taking it to the age-old debate of Nature vs. Nurture. Are people born to be serial killers, through no control of their own, but rather their genetics? Or is there a specific sequential order of traumatic events that shape an individual into the killer mold? Do mental illness, personality disorders, or even severe brain injuries serve as a predisposition to murder? The authors/podcast hosts leave no stone unturned while answering these questions. 

Additionally, Bala and Maguire challenge readers to discard the myth or association that killers are “monsters”, or that victims were just extremely unlucky (i.e. “wrong place, wrong time”). Anyone who is interested in this genre likely already understands that this is simply not the case. Killers are people like you and me. Victims are often loved ones, acquaintances, or unfortunately fit some sort of fetish for the killer. For those of you who need a bit more material to become familiar with this notion, RedHanded is a great place to start. 

Admittedly, true crime and murder inexplicably fascinates me, hence I really enjoyed this book. It is informative, thoroughly researched, and entertaining. I couldn’t help but hear Bala’s and Maguire’s voices in my head while reading the gruesome details and side notes as they laid out examples to illustrate their claims. Of course, they do not sugarcoat or shy away from the most horrific elements of these events. While deeply interested in the subject matter, I’m grateful that I had other obligations to take me away from reading RedHanded all in one sitting. 

Overall, I highly recommend this book to those interested in true crime and murder documentaries. For myself, it inadvertently became a reference guide in terms of how to not raise my sons to grow up as serial killers – or at the very least, how to recognize even the most subtle patterns of troubling behavior from childhood through adolescence (because yes, there’s a chapter on that). 

RedHanded is available September 14, but their podcast is currently available for listening on any podcast player.