In Unspeakable Acts, editor Sarah Weinman brings together 13 previously published long-form pieces that relate in some way to true crime. The first section of the book consists of four straight narrative features; the second examines how true crime and culture intersect; and the final section, considers “broader issues of criminal justice and society.” At the very end of the book, Weinman recommends various books, articles and podcasts to true crime enthusiasts.

As someone who's relatively new to the true crime genre, I found this anthology a good place to start. Or at least to go on “starting” (I didn't listen to Serial until two years after it came out, but I'm catching up, one podcast at a time). I also would suggest it to readers who want to think about true crime in a deeper way that seeks to contextualize the craze. The first four pieces are well written classic true crime stories I'd heard about but wasn't familiar with in any sense. I enjoyed all of them, especially Pamela Colloff's “The Reckoning,” which concerns a pregnant student victim of the 1966 sniper attack at the University of Texas. Not only does the article chronicle the impact the shooting had on Claire Wilson over the course of decades, but it traces cultural shifts as well. Now shootings are a way of life, but Claire has to actually visit the University library and track down a copy of Life magazine to convince herself the shooting was real. Nobody talked about such tragedies back then. Better to simply move forward as if nothing had happened. At least that's what the conventional wisdom was back in 1967, when Claire was struggling to come to terms with her trauma and her grief.

It was the second section of the book I liked best, however. Alex Mar's piece, “Out Came the Girls” had an almost hypnotic power over me. I read it then finished the book, then went back and read it again. This may in part because I'd never heard of “Slender Man” and had no idea that this cult figure led two 12-year-old girls to repeatedly stab their friend in 2014 (on a side note, the fact that my daughter is fully familiar with “Slender Man” and has even played the video game would likely come as no surprise to Mar). But what made the article was Mar's insightful analysis of the the case as a way to think about the adolescent female mind. She ties the Slender Man stabbing to a decades-old murder case in New Zealand that involved novelist Anne Perry (formerly the teenager Juliet Hulme) and her best friend. She then goes further – exploring links to the Salem Witch Trials, Carl Jung and Grimm's fairy tales – in an attempt to understand the blurred line between imagination and reality that sometimes occurs with young girls.

In a related vein, Sarah Marshall's “The End of Evil,” reconsiders Ted Bundy's “psychopath” diagnosis and in doing so forces readers to reconsider the term in its entirety. I didn't always agree with Marshall, but the piece forced me to rethink much about Bundy and his role in American culture. The same can be said for Alice Bolin's “The Ethical Dilemma of Highbrow True Crime.” Agree or disagree, Bolin raises real questions about the roots of the current true crime phenomenon, as well as its consequences. The other two articles, including Weinman's, also held my interest.

Unfortunately, the third section of the book didn't work for me. I did love Jason Fagone's “What Bullets Do to Bodies,” but the other articles didn't seem to fit with the anthology as a whole. Or maybe the collection just got too broad for me at this point. I also took issue with the article on blood spatter analysis, which I found myself in disagreement with in key places. Yes, the forensics have fallen far short of the goal but to dismiss it as “junk science” strikes me as too easy a conclusion. Fingerprint and DNA analysis have also resulted in many wrongful convictions, particularly after they were first discovered, but we don't categorize them as “junk science” that have no place in a court room. With advances in computer science, physicists are making real progress but this prospect is mostly unexplored in the article. Still, it's well researched and gives a sense of the background of the field. The list of recommended reading/listening at the end of the book was also helpful, particularly because of my lack of knowledge of the genre.

I'm only a fledgling true-crime aficionado, but I do read lots of anthologies. My rule of thumb is that if I find two or three pieces I really like, I consider the book well worth my time. So I recommend Unspeakable Acts, especially if you're looking for a more meta experience re the genre.

Much thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this book was good---dealing with different serial murderers and other weird crimes.  I especially found the story of the New Zealand girls, who as it turns out, one of them is Anne Perry, interesting.  Also the dissection of Ted Bundy was enlightening.  But the part about ERs and shootings and forensics. I found somewhat gruesome and a lot boring.  While this book concerned itself with all things murder, I found I was only interesting in some of it.

As a true crime enthusiast, I was particularly excited to receive this e-arc!  The collection of articles in Weinman's book is fascinating and mostly engaging.  Although many of them are over crimes I'm familiar with and were widely reported, many of the articles shed new light on these crimes and the victims and/or perpetrators.  I think this book may be an especially attractive read for someone just starting to get into the true crime genre.

I think I went into this book with the wrong idea. I was expecting there to be a lot more depth to each chapter as well as a better descprition of each of the crimes. It seems like most of the writing was taken from other articles and there was not much of the authors own writing.

Unspeakable Acts is a true crime book which contains essays written about crimes which captivated and horrified America.  The book is an easy read, and brings to light unknown facts about Ted Bundy, the Austin tower killer, the Slenderman murderers and more.

5 out 5 stars. I loved this book. Disclosure- I am a true crime person, and probably should've been a prosecutor or detective. If you are intrigued by crime, law, whodunits, or other thought provoking angles related to crime this is for you. The title of the book makes it sound cheesier than the book actually is. The title is sounds kind of serial killer Lifetime story to me. However, what this book really is is a compilation of journalism related to issues of crime or the law. I loved each one. I learned about the unreliability of blood splatter testing, the insane reach of our Border Police into the US, and some cases I already knew about but wanted to know more. I don't think this book is the gross rubber necking side of true crime. This book explores the 5 w's and how of crime. This is a book about the criminal justice system, crime, laws, evidence, and the quality of the writing and the thought provoking nature of the stories will make me recommend this book to all my reader friends. I hope Sarah Weinman collects more stories of this nature and readability. I was interested and learned a lot.

Unspeakable Acts, edited by Sara Weinman, contains articles from print and online publications on three broad topics that touch on true crime. The first third of the collection are pure true crime. The second third reveals the ways in which true crime and American culture influence each other. The last third takes a further step back to look at how the American justice system fails and punishes people or is built on bad assumptions. There were several articles that were so good, so important, that I wanted to find copies online that I could share across my social networks.

Some of the stand outs include:

“Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered” is the most “true crime” essay in this collection, which appeared on Buzzfeed News in August 2016. Michelle Dean recounts the shocking story of Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blancharde. Many true crime fans might know about this case because it was recently turned into a movie (The Act). The Blancharde’s story is the tale of two crimes. First, Dee Dee Blancharde subjected her daughter to years of abuse in the form of Munchausen’s by Proxy. Second, Gypsy Rose and her online boyfriend arranged to have Dee Dee killed. Dean’s tone seemed, to me, to sympathize with Gypsy’s point of view. I had to wonder, whose crime was worse?

“The Reckoning,” by Pamela Colloff for Texas Monthly (March 2016), is an extraordinary piece of writing. While an infamous criminal act is central to the essay, Colloff’s attention stays squarely on Claire Wilson. Claire was one of many people wounded when Charles Whitman started shooting from a tower at the University of Texas-Austin. She survived, but lost her unborn son. Instead of telling Whitman’s story or how he was killed, Colloff relates the long aftermath for a young woman who suddenly found herself in a war zone. Nothing like a mass shooting had ever happened before. Consequently, there was little in place to help Claire cope with the physical and psychological trauma she had suffered. The power of this piece comes from Colloff’s determination to show her readers that trauma, by keeping our eyes firmly on a survivor rather than trying to find out why Whitman did what he did.

The four essays that make up the last section, which explores the failures of our law enforcement and justice system, are all fantastic. If I had to choose one that stands out even from these brilliant pieces, it would be Emma Copley Eisenberg’s “‘I Am a Girl Now,’ Sage Smith Wrote, Then She Went Missing.” This article appeared in Splinter News in July 2017. It encapsulates so many problems. Sage Smith was transgender, Black, and poor. When she went missing, police didn’t do much and it’s hard to argue that those three strikes against Sage weren’t the reason—especially when Eisenberg points out that the Charlottesville Police spring into action when a white, cisgender female college student disappears. Sage Smith’s family are, as far as I can tell from a quick news search, still waiting to find out what happened to her.

Unspeakable Acts is a fantastic collection of true crime articles and essays. I was moved. I was outraged. I was hooked. This thoughtful collection contains everything a true crime fan could want but with added layers of context to leave readers thinking about what we can do to reform law enforcement and the justice system and gun laws and…well, it left me thinking about all of the things that need to be changed. This book didn’t depress me. Rather, I felt energized because all of these journalists paying attention to these chases showed me that using the media can be a path to lasting change if we can keep the pressure on long enough.

I really wanted to like this book. Based on the cover and description,  I really thought it would be great. But it was actually pretty boring.  A few  of the stories were good. But 75% were ones that I had to push myself to finish.

Free ARC from Net Galley

I liked the crime parts there were just not enough crime parts.  Not enough for me this time around.

The editor’s note for Unspeakable Acts: True Tales of Crime, Murder, Deceit, and Obsession (Sarah Weinman, introduction by Patrick Radden Keefe) proposes some potential causes for the recent obsession with true crime stories and the extensive articles devoted to them. The advent of streaming services and podcasts in recent years has stoked existing interest, and any tales that address order vs. chaos become relevant during times of upheaval. As our world becomes more subject to uncertainty, vicarious experiences become internalized and can cause increasing empathy or panic. This anthology is a collection of 13 articles published in the past 10 years and the editor hopes that these writings will “go a long way to make the world a more just, more empathetic place.” A highly ambitious goal for any book, and this one falls far short of its objective. The three sections of the book are meant to separate the articles into groupings that create some overall cohesive message, but the contents of each are too dissimilar and varying in tone and topic to evoke a sense of common purpose. The first section contains investigative (and in some cases sensationalistic) journalism of actual true crime cases. Here can be found descriptions of the infamous Gypsy Rose case, a lurid tale of Munchausen-by-Proxy; the UT tower shooting spree as seen from one survivor’s point of view; a contract killing arranged by a young woman as recompense for a restrictive upbringing; and the Derek Allred story of repetitive predatory relationship fraud. The second section is intended to act as a commentary on the contemporary cultural moment and the way crime stories are viewed as a result of its influence. This part has articles on topics as wide-ranging as the Slender Man case and an old 1970’s movie director whose film was influenced by true events. The final section of Weinman’s book is dedicated to writings about criminal justice and society. The articles in this portion cover the improper use of searches by immigration agents, gun violence and its physical effects, gender and race biases in policing and prosecution, and the use of questionable methods in crime scene analysis. While the partitions of the book make it easier for the reader to switch gears, the overall effect is disjointed, and the selection of the included pieces appears random. Unspeakable Acts could have been three distinct volumes, thereby providing more substance and content for its wide-ranging topics rather than trying to address them all in one. Each of the issues covered deserve more attention than they receive here, and there is certainly a plethora of talented authors continually contributing their voices to choose from. 

Thanks to the authors, Ecco and Edelweiss Plus for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A compilation of some feature length articles that have previously appeared in other formats.  Some of the people featured are familiar, some are likely new to you.

This book just did not catch m6 attention as I thought it would. I was kind of lost and had to start it over. I can say it wasn’t my choice of tea.

This book is written with passion and great work done throughout the difference investigations. It is such a thriller and the fact that it is a true crimes makes it all the more suspenseful. I highly recommend this book it has everything you ever want in one book.

An amazing true crime anthology. I very much enjoyed the stories in this collection. I especially enjoyed that there were stories from trauma surgeons and others who see a side to these crimes that is not often reported on. The whole collection was engaging and I didn't want to stop reading! 
*Netgalley provided me with a free copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

Some of the criticism of this has been that it doesn’t really provide new insight and covers a lot of cases previously covered. I have to agree. They had a lot of cases that have recently been covered in the news or pop culture such as Dirty John, or Slender Man. It did have some cases that I wasn’t aware of and some interesting info on the history of crime but it seems all over the place and rambled and it didn’t feel cohesive. I wouldn’t waste my time.

A compilation of true crime articles from a number of writers, this book runs the gamut from excellent to "I can't believe anyone published this.' The articles are generally well-written and researched, though a couple feel lazy and bordering on spurious. Some are lengthy and flowery while others are more concise. It would be helpful for aspiring true crime writers to read to obtain examples of other writers' voices and style. Overall, the collection was interesting and led me to research a number of topics, not the least of which was the legitimacy of blood spatter analysis.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ecco for an ARC of this title in exchange for a review!

3.75 stars

“Unspeakable Acts” is an anthology of recent long-form articles that are connected to true crime. It’s not all missing persons and murderers; for example, one of the articles does a deep dive into the medical trauma of gunshot wounds. The author’s idea seemed to be to include examples of great journalism that show society’s obsession with crime.

I am a true crime junkie. Of the suggested additional materials at the end of the book, I’ve read or listened to almost all of them. Most of the information in the articles wasn’t new to me (in fact, I remember reading the Dee Dee Blanchard article on Buzzfeed), so I tried to focus on the author’s intent of how these stories depict our wild obsession with true crime. There were definitely examples of that, especially people inserting themselves or obsessing over cases or murders to which they have no personal connection. 

However, that wasn’t really the main focus of any of these articles. It all felt a bit haphazard; the theme purported to tie everything together just didn’t really cut it for me. Overall, it’s an anthology of good true crime journalism. If you’re familiar with a lot of these cases like I am, you’ll encounter plenty of things you’ve already read elsewhere. A quick, easy read, but not the type of book I’d be drawn to again, as I’d prefer to just read articles on their own.

This was a well-put together collection of previously published articles that were, in one way or another, connected to the true crime genre. I particularly appreciated the article about an ER doctor speaking about gun violence and what emergency surgeons see every day when they work in an area with a high number of shootings. I also was surprised by the article about the lack of science behind 'blood spatter evidence'. It's used so much on tv shows and in stories, I guess I had always assumed that it had a good scientific basis. Turns out it doesn't. I had read articles about some of the crimes included in the book previously (the so-called Slenderman killings and Ted Bundy in particular) but still enjoyed reading the articles collected here. The article about Bundy was interesting as nothing I had read before really dug into the possibility of mental illness. All in all, this is a quick read with some very interesting articles!

Sarah Winman is a non-fiction author I always read. I discovered her with THE REAL LOLITA and she's back with an even more intriguing story. This time Sarah curated an anthology of true-crime storied above crime, murder, deceit, and obsession. This is definitely one for true-crime junkies.

Though true crime is still in the midst of a boom -- because the world is a nightmare -- anthologies like <i>Best American Crime Writing</i> have for some reason ceased publication. Journalist Sarah Weinman seeks to fill that gap with <i>Unspeakable Acts</i> -- and to my mind exceeds both expectations and the quality and ambition of those old series.

Pretty much every essay in this collection is meaty, well-written, and thoughtful in its analysis. Not merely a grim or prurient reporting of nasty details, every essay strives to connect the crime in question to larger social concerns -- which is exactly what good true crime writing can and should do. Weinman's selection includes an admirably diverse array of topics and tones. I don't usually do this with anthologies but the meta narrative of the chosen pieces is so interesting, I want to touch on each one individually:

<b>Michelle Dean, "Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter to Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom to Be Murdered"</b>
This story is the basis for the Hulu show <i>The Act</i>, which I haven't seen, though I'd heard this horrible tale of Munchausen by proxy elsewhere. But Dean really broke it open -- this is excellent reporting.

<b>Pamela Colloff, "The Reckoning"</b>
Colloff profiles one victim of one of the earliest school shootings, the 1966 sniper attack on the University of Texas' Austin campus, and how the effect of this violence radiated out through the rest of her life. An interesting angle on an event that's receded into history (especially in the wake of more recent mass shootings) and a truly heartbreaking piece.

<b>Karen K. Ho, "Jennifer Pan's Revenge"</b>
A shattered Canadian dream story, in which the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants cracks under (extreme) parental pressure and orders a disastrous hit on her parents. Ho went to school with the perpetrator and one of her co-conspirators, but this barely factors into the narrative, which is interesting. This is a good essay, if not extraordinary.

<b>Rachel Monroe, "The Perfect Man Who Wasn't"
A con man story! Monroe is <i>such</i> a good writer. Read <i>Savage Appetites</i>.

<b>Alex Mar, "Out Came the Girls"</b>
This covers the story of two preteen girls who stabbed one of their friends nearly to death because they believed creepypasta sensation Slenderman told them to. I already knew this story back to front, as I'd watched the 2016 documentary, <i>Beware the Slenderman</i>, which Mar cites. But she pairs this story with that of Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme (the inspiration for the film <i>Heavenly Creatures</i>) and draws some interesting connections about the consuming nature of girls' fantasy lives.

<b>Sarah Marshall, "The End of Evil"</b>
I'm a big fan of the podcast Sarah Marshall hosts, "You're Wrong About." This piece about Ted Bundy was a little uneven -- I wish it had focused more on the politics around his execution, without so much recapping of his crimes, which I will lay down money anyone reading a true crime book already knows far too well. I also think first person sections were unnecessary, though very <i>Believer</i>-y (which makes sense as this was first published in <i>The Believer</i>). But Marshall's indictment of the "psychopath" diagnosis is absolutely brilliant.

<b>Alice Bolin, "The Ethical Dilemma of Highbrow True Crime"</b>
This is the collection's meta-essay. It's pretty great.

<b>Elon Green, "The Lost Children of 'Runaway Train'"</b>
My least favorite piece in the collection. It's not <i>bad</i>: it's the story behind the band Soul Asylum's video for "Runaway Train," which featured pictures of real missing kids and actually resulted in some being found. But Green doesn't really explore this idea; the piece feels slight.

<b>Sarah Weinman, "The True Crime Story Behind a 1970s Cult Feminist Film Classic"</b>
As much as I admire Weinman, and the way she put together this collection, this is actually my second least-favorite piece. I think I may just find the story of Alma Malone -- terrible bank robber and inspiration for Barbara Loden's film <i>Wanda</i> -- one thousand times less interesting than either Weinman or Loden -- and Weinman doesn't convince me I should feel otherwise.

<b>Jason Fagone, "What Bullets Do to Bodies"</b>
A brilliant profile of a Philadelphia trauma surgeon, and a powerful indictment of gun violence. A terrific, unexpected piece. I love Weinman for including this in a true crime book. You watch <i>Wanda</i> all you like, girl.

<b>Melissa del Bosque, "Checkpoint Nation"</b>
<i>Fuck US Customs and Border Protection: The Essay.</i> Starting with Fagone's piece, above, every entry in this final section of the book, called "Justice and Society," is fire.

<b>Leora Smith, "How a Dubious Forensic Science Spread Like a Virus"</b>
A brilliant takedown of the junk science of blood spatter analysis -- and its inventor.

<b>Emma Copley Eisenberg, "'I Am a Girl Now,' Sage Smith Wrote. Then She Went Missing."</b>
A heartbreaking example of police and the public only caring about missing girls when they're white. When Eisenberg breaks down the statistical differences between the police effort to find Sage Smith -- who was trans, black, and poor -- and a young white woman who went missing around the same time, it's staggering. And devastating.

In case it's not clear: this is a stellar collection. It doesn't have the word "Best" in the title, but you should consider it implicit.