Short, Accessible Primer On The Field. While a lot of the 2* reviews criticize this book claiming that the author "never defined 'axe murder'" and that the overall narrative "lacks cohesion" and/ or "doesn't show enough murder", I feel like these reviewers are being perhaps too pendantic and/ or legalistic. Instead, the author makes clear - repeatedly - that this book is about the evolution of both the axe and its use as a mechanism of killing humans - regardless of whatever government decrees at the time may or may not excuse certain individuals (particularly those working for said governments) for killing their fellow humans. For those of us who feel that *any* killing of *any* human for *any* reason is murder... this book is absolutely a primer on the history of axe murder, in all of its varying forms over the expanse of human existence.

The book begins with the earliest axes and the among the earliest proto-humans, showing that injuries above the "hat line" of the head are generally considered "intentional acts" (ie, murder) rather than accidental, as that particular region of the head is apparently difficult to injure accidentally, at least according to the text here. There is apparently at least one example of just such an injury in an early protohuman that seems to have been caused by one of the earliest, flint-knapped, hand-held axes, before handles were later added to axes, and this history is the core of the beginning of the book.

The book then goes through the evolution of the axe and its uses as tool for clearing land - and in warfare and government-sanctioned executions, particularly during the reign of Henry VIII of England - all the way up to the 2020s in showing how homeless people will often carry an axe (or its smaller form, a hatchet) as a basic tool of survival in the streets, both for clearing debris and, when needed, for personal defense. And yes, Lizzie Borden is discussed along the way.

Indeed, the one area the book is lacking, the reason for the star deduction - and the reason one *should* be at least somewhat skeptical of the author's perhaps more fantastical claims, including those about modern era homeless people, is that at just 13% documentation, this book falls short of even my more relaxed standards of 15% documentation, much less my older, more stringent need to see at least 20% documentation. Carl Sagan had it right in proclaiming his standard of "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence", and sadly, this book is simply lacking - if by not much - in this regard. A more complete bibliography could have landed this in the 5* territory, it simply wasn' present in the Advance Review Copy of the book I read.

Overall this really is a short, well written, approachable and understandable primer on the general topic of humans killing other humans (ie, humans committing murder) with a particular tool (the axe, in all of its various forms) over the course of human evolution. Yes, it is missing many key details and events, but in its brevity it is clear that it is meant to be more a primer of the topic than any extensive discussion thereof, and as a primer it works remarkably well to encourage people to do their own research into the topic, should they be so inclined.

Very much recommended.

I love a good true crime book, particularly historical. I enjoyed this one. Readers of true crime won't be surprised by the entries in this one if you know your murders and murderers well enough.

I would rename this one ‘Whack job : A semi-brief history of axes along with some murder.’
There were decent stretches where an axe wasn’t even mentioned and I could’ve forgotten what I was meant to be reading about. I wish more of the book had been like the Lizzie Borden chapter and onward- but I also acknowledge that this book never really claimed to be solely crime-focused. This is a pretty niche read. Probably for bigger history buffs than I. 2.5 stars.

Whack Job is a well writtena and researched book into the history of the axe ranging from prehistoric times to present.

One of the earliest murders on record with done with an axe and we cant forget Lizzie Borden.

The book is much more than that; it is the detailed and fascinating history in ancient Egypt, the Viking and Tudor eras and of course the Vikings.

I found the book a compelling read that captivated my attention from beginning to end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the privlege of reading and reviewing Whack Job.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I enjoyed learning more about the history of the axe. The authors love for the topic really shone through and was probably my favorite aspect of the story. I appreciate that this book was written, it's a good history of almost like older forms of "true crime." The author also does a careful job of addressing social justice issues and is just overall very thoughtful in her approach to the topic. All in all had a good time reading this.

Whack Job sounded so promising, but the execution feels more like a random collection of stories that don’t have anything in common other than an axe. Each chapter focuses on a different axe murder, but the earliest chapters are vague on whether an axe was even used, making me wonder as to why they were included. Other chapters had a multitude of individuals thrown in with little context, making the narrative hard to follow. Things didn’t begin to feel cohesive until about chapter 6, which was too far into the book, although I did stop skimming and actually got engaged again at that point. The author also occasionally inserts her opinion in a way that feels like she’s breaking the fourth wall, and this disrupts the more formal narrative that had been established. I don’t mind hearing the author’s thoughts on things but only if that tone has been set from the start, which it wasn’t here. Finally, I guess the author was focusing more on the history aspect as she included many ancient incidences rather than some more well-known modern cases such as the Villisca Axe Murders or the Axeman of New Orleans. I would’ve found these more interesting and, although still horrific, less uncomfortable than a child being sexually assaulted and a lecture on 1950s-era denial of child molestation. Whack Job seems like an interesting read, but the title is deceiving and the whole thing isn’t worth the effort.

This book explores how axes were used as a tool and for murders from ancient history to more present day cases. It spent more time on the history of the axe as a tool than I expected from the title. However, this was very well researched with an accessible writing style that pulled me in. The book delved into some lesser known cases in history as well as famous ones like Lizzie Borden. Some of the explored stories were more interesting than others, but I feel like that tends to happen in books that cover a lot of different cases. I wish there'd been some illustrations of some of the axes. I can see this appealing to true crime fans and history buffs alike.

Okay so, the book is interesting. It’s essentially what it claims to be, a history of the axe murder from ancient times to now. However, I feel that the book’s 300 pages are simply not enough for the history to be concise. Previous reviews mention the lack of certain notable crimes like the Axeman of New Orleans. James is a good writer and her style is very accessible (albeit sometimes confusing). BUT I think this is just too short to be really good. I know long true crime is perceived as exhausting but this one needed a lot more meat. Very interesting what information is in the book though.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
“Whack Job” by Rachel McCarthy-James is part true crime, part historical nonfiction but is it one hundred percent unique.
McCarthy-James’ book goes all the way back to the very first murder we have on record, through the Ancient Egyptians, Indigenous tribes and the infamous Tudor family (without missing the incomparable Lizzie Borden of course) and right on through to the current century that all have one thing in common- the axe.
Each chapter starts with a breakdown of information on one of humanity’s earliest tools that is still used today, with uses in farming, on ships and many others- the handy axe. These segments, too, go chronologically, introducing readers to the very first tools that humans used as axes, right up through to their current iterations.
The early historical murders were more educational than entertaining for me, but the facts McCarthy-James presents are novel and obscure, which caught my interest. (For example, the earliest known human skull that suffered a tragic head wound was so ancient it predated Homo sapiens. And if a human is hit on the parts of the head that can be covered up with a baseball cap, it is usually assumed that someone else was to blame, as accidental human injury does not cause damage to that part of the skull- neat right?) Once Lizzie Borden entered the picture, and the crimes presented were more popular and notable, I was already enraptured.
Rachel McCarthy-James is a co-author on “The Man on the Train”, which was a story I stumbled upon purely by accident but ended up loving, so reading “Whack Job” was a no-brainer for me. I love McCarthy-James’ sarcastic wit, which sprinkles the pages in both of her books, as it is not often that I laugh out loud while reading about axe murderers.
“Whack Job” is unlike any non-fiction I’ve read before, and it doesn’t quite fit into any specific genre, but instead balances on the edge of at least two or three. However, “Job” is informational, gritty, engaging and smart and whatever the genre is, Rachel McCarthy-James stands out.

This should have been a podcast. The book format doesn’t work as well as a book. There’s not a whole bunch of cohesion here. It has funny moments though. Those I really enjoyed.

I like the quirky stuff. If you do, you’ll enjoy this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. all opinions are my own.

This was a miss for me, but I think it's more a matter of the marketing being off than the book itself. Although the title is somewhat misleading as well. I only made it about halfway through before I had to put it down, but this would be closer to a history of the axe than a history of axe murder. If it's a history of axe murder, it's missing some pretty important axe murderers.

I also found the tone a little jarring. When I saw the title, I cracked up laughing, but most of the writing was very academic and pretty dry. Every once in a while, there would be something funny, but it really didn't land because it felt so out of place against the overall tone.

I think this could benefit from spending a little more time determining the book's audience, adjusting the tone, and marketing it appropriately. I appreciate you offering me the eARC!

My thoughts on this book were not what I was expecting. I expected to read a book about the history of murders by axe - not the actual history of the axe....if this makes sense? Lots of ax info...not much murder info and that's what I was here for which is why I agree with most reviewers that the title was a bit misleading. Overall an interesting read, just not what was expected.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Both quite what I was expecting out of this book by the description given. However it was an interesting historical account with some murders thrown in for the timelines.
Definitely well researched too.

This book hardly met my expectations but it was still well researched so for that I'll give it a solid 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars. I was originally interested in this book because of the fun title and my knowledge of the Lizzie Borden case. I expected this book to have more humor and antidotal moments but this felt more like a research paper - which I can totally appreciate but it's just not what I was hoping for.

I agree with many of the other reviews that say the book was informative and easy to follow! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Of course, I was intrigued and amused by the title! This book traces the development of the ax through time, pairing it with a murder in a related period. Some of the early descriptions of the ax were a little too bogged down in detail for me; I didn't care about the tool itself as much as I was interested in the true-crime aspect. Later chapters offered a better flow. The book was informative without being flat and it was an interesting read.

One of the most interesting nonfiction books I've ever read. The research and plotting was well done and true to the topic. As a society we tend to think murder and violence are such new concepts. This proves those thoughts false.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this wacking good book about a tool that was probably in many ways the key to early man's survival, a tool that went from chopping wood to chopping enemies, or innocent people as used in many heinous cases of murder through history.

When my parents first moved from their 6 story apartment in the Bronx up to the wilds of Connecticut, the first thing my father bought was an axe. My mother brings this up every Flag Day, as that is the day the moved, and how my father was bound and determined to get that axe. There was a fireplace, but most of the heat came from the furnace downstairs, one that was already as old as the house. The lot was abutted by forests, but the land was flat with only two trees near the house, a crabapple tree, and a dying peach tree. However this was the country, though it was a residential block, and an axe was needed. Axes have been used for a long time, to cut trees, to shave skins, to hammer things into place. And hammer heads off. Axes were tools, signs of authority, weapons to secure one's rule, and to wipe out families when used by a darker and more disturbed section of the human race. This book tells their story. Whack Job:A History of Axe Murder by Rachel McCarthy James is a history of the axe from murder in the first, and the first murdered body, to tombs, to holding power, keeping power, and the blood that has been spent in both stories and in real life.

The title is a bit of a misnomer as this is more a history of times with axes, in addition to details about famous crimes with axes. This isn't a Lifetime movie, or podcast about true crime with a cutting edge to it. The book begins with the author's interest, writing a book about a famous transient who traveled the rails, coming to small towns and using an axe to muder families. The author than goes into the mythology of the axe, how papers loved to talk about axe murders to sell papers, before going way back in time, to a burial pit with a body. A body that seems to be the oldest found, at least so far, to show that they were murdered with an axe. From there we move forward, to China and a woman ruler whose tomb was never broke into, and her numerous axes showing both her power, her ability to rule, and the ruthlessness in which she did so. To Egypt and pharaohs killed by axes, changing history. To England and the use of the axe in executions to win a King an heir, and to kill off those who complained. Lizzie Borden and her tale of woe, and of another woman in Iceland who used male pride and an axe to wipe out enemies imagined.

A book with a lot of history and a clever way of telling it . I can see where some people would be a little upset thinking they were getting a book about serial killers, willing to clutch at their pearls about stories of chopping and blood, and learning about Chinese history. However I found this book interesting, and enjoyed it quite a bit. James is a good writer, able to talk about various forms of axes, wounds, and bits of history quite well. The setup is interesting as are the periods covered. Some of the humour could have gotten the axe, but I can see where in a book that can get a little grim, a joke is necessary. The mentions in media about axes was also well done, with examples that fit the narrative quite well. Not the book I expected but one I really got into.

A nice mix of crime, history and tool use, with a story that offers a lot of facts, and interesting bits of trivia. I like these kind of books, as I love to learn something new, and dropping quips about axes does make for different conversations. Or ends conversations. This is the first book I have read by Rachel McCarthy James, but I look forward to more.

A world history told by a True Crime aficionado becomes a history of ax murders, natch. According to other reviews, this book is very much a basic, 101 intro to ax murder, since apparently it doesn't cover <i>enough</i> ax murders, and of the right type, which says a lot about the True Crime fans.

Going back to the dawn of human evolution and ending in 2022, the book covers the many uses of an ax, the many types of axes, and how and why axes have always been in easy reach.

Pre-homo sapien peoples, Vikings, American colonists, Chinese empresses, and more, axes pop up all over the world as both tool and weapon, as a symbol of power and a symbol of savagery. As fascinating look at world history.

Whack Job explores the axe as both a tool and a weapon, tracing its role in human history from prehistoric murder to battlefield brutality and infamous executions. Through gripping true-crime accounts, it examines how this simple tool evolved alongside society, shaping both conflict and culture. This compelling study reveals how even our most violent impulses are woven into the stories we tell about the past and ourselves.

From the description, I was expecting this to be accounts of when the axe was used to murder someone and why. Some of the accounts shared are that, but it was a bit of a mixed bag about murders committed with an axe, people who must have been powerful because they were buried with an axe, and people who were executed by an axe. The only thing that connected them was that an axe is mentioned at some point. There were several times I was confused about why a story was being told.

Some of the true crimes were interesting, and it was what I was expecting. I thought this would be an unbiased factual approach to what led to the axe being used, but the author frequently offered her opinion on the matter.

Overall, it was interesting, if not exactly what I was expecting. True crime readers may enjoy this one.

This is a fabulous title and an interesting idea. The concept of axe murderers has morphed into a joke in modern times but it certainly wasn’t to those who were killed by these useful tools.

The subtitle of this book is “A History of Axe Murder” which implies that this will be historical true crime. The main problem is that it is a mishmash: a history of axes and similar tools, a superficial description of different historical events where axes were used to kill people, including state-sanctioned executions. There is very little of what I would identify as “true crime.”

The author is enthusiastic and writes with humor and it is apparent that she did a huge amount of research to find the different stories about axe killings, dating back to hundreds of thousands of years ago. It was interesting to read about the different ways axes have been used to symbolize power, the fact that human sacrifice has been and will seemingly always be a part of humanity, and many other tidbits of our depressing state of existence.

There was a lack of cohesion; it felt like rather random stories from different epochs, describing instances of where someone was killed with an axe, not a book about axe murders.

If the reader goes in knowing this, then there will be a bigger chance of not being confused or disappointed.