The Scientist and the Serial Killer is an interesting and thorough account of Dr. Sharron Derrick's investigative mission to identify the remains of boys who were murdered by serial kills Dean Corll.

The timeline in the book was a bit hard to follow because it does jump back an forth a lot. I did find the history of forensics and the information giving a behind the scenes look at forensic anthropology very informative and interesting.

Overall I enjoyed the book and following Dr. Derrick's journey to identifying the victims and giving the families closure.

**THIS WAS AN ARC FROM NETGALLEY**

As a Houstonian, this had me riveted right away. This also showed me that I definitely need to read more nonfiction/true crime! Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of The Scientist and the Serial Killer. This book intrigued me because this was a serial killer case that I had never heard of before. I've read a lot of books about some of the other more well known serial killers, so it was interesting to read this one. I thought the author did a good job of presenting the facts about this one in a way that made it read almost more like a thriller than a non fiction read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the courtesy copy. Quite a scary, sad tale. Don't read before bed! 3/5 stars

This happened near all my family during the years I was born and my sister. One of the accomplices grew up next to my dad in Louisiana, he ended up in the same prison side by side with my family at both prisons... it is an eerie feeling. I never even knew the details about these murders, though I have heard his news name.... it was so informative and interesting and provided so much details on the victims. These workers who don't give up make the world of difference to the families

The Scientist and the Serial Killer is investigative reporter Lise Olsen's true crime retelling of the crimes, eventual murder, and investigations surrounding Dean Corll, aka "the Candyman". Released 1st April 2025 by Penguin Random House, it's 464 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a gruesome story. One of the most prolific serial killers in history, who preyed on young men (some very young). He paid accomplices to find and procure victims whom he tortured and subsequently murdered. Despite the horrific subject matter, the author does a decent job of remaining factual and avoiding the most prurient details.

The book contains a limited number of black and white archival photos and artist rendered portraits of some of the victims. For the most part, they are entirely bland and unremarkable (thankfully) and entirely respectful to the families of the victims. There are a few exhumation file photos, but again, they're black and white and figleafed except for one generic (unidentified) police file photo of skeletonized human remains.

Although written in layman accessible language, the book is well annotated and the source materials and chapter notes will provide true-crime fans many hours of further reading.

It's a very sad story, fairly well written. Three and a half stars. Definitely one for true-crime fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Good book just takes a while to read, at least for me, due to type of book. Very interesting. I had no idea and I grew up in Texas.

In the height of the hippie movement in the 1970s dozens of young teenage boys went missing from an idyllic Houston neighborhood of family homes nestled on tree lined streets with parks nearby. The police labeled them runaways and families were left without answers. All that changed one summer afternoon when a Wayne Henley shot and killed Dean Corll after escaping his restraints. The ensuing investigation uncovered 27 bodies buried in a rented boatshed and on a nearby beach. Until the advent of John Gacy this was the most prolific serial killings in America. This inspiring comprehensive narrative details the decades long crusade of one dedicated forensic scientist determined to identify the "Lost Boys" and reunite them with the families still grieving for them. Within the pages the young victims are given faces and stories becoming more than victims but individuals. I was a young reporter on a small newspaper in Oklahoma when this story broke so it has always remained in my memory. This informative well researched and documented novel provides many updates and new information. I am grateful to the dedicated scientists who devote their careers to develop the evidence necessary for justice. There is an almost overwhelming amount of information within these pages which may bog down for some readers. Some of the details of the crimes are graphic and explicit. The story shifts between timelines as the story unfolds and we are introduced to characters who although minor are important to the overall story. For any follower of true crime looking for a compelling comprehensive report on the "Candy Man" serial killer. Highly recpmmend.

The Scientist and the Serial Killer by Lise Olsen is a gripping blend of true crime and investigative journalism that kept me hooked from start to finish. Olsen masterfully weaves together the story of Dr. Maria C. Garza, a forensic scientist who noticed troubling patterns in unsolved murder cases, and her pursuit of justice against the backdrop of systemic failures.

What sets this book apart is Olsen’s deep dive into not only the mind of a serial killer but also the challenges whistleblowers face when institutions fail to act. It's both a chilling account of violence against women and a powerful spotlight on the courage it takes to speak up.

Olsen’s writing is clear, thorough, and respectful of the victims, making this more than just a sensational true crime read—it’s a call for accountability. If you're a fan of investigative stories that go beyond the surface, this one is a must-read.

The Scientist and the Serial Killer
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: true crime 📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
This is so much more than a true crime narration! Rather than glorifying the serial killer it focuses on justice and healing!

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
True crime- the Candy Man/ Dean Corll
Dual narrative structure
Forensic anthropology
Justice for Houston’s lost boys
Cold case revival
Community secrets
Themes of grief and redemption
Emotional depth
𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
In depth research
Focus on the victims and their families
Dr. Derrick’s dedication

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Some parts felt repetitive
Some chapters shift tone abruptly

I have a great fascination for all things true crime. As a day one fan of My Favorite Murder and having watched America’s Most Wanted as a kid with my big sister, I can safely say - yes, true crime is one of my many things. This is why I jumped at the chance to read and review Lise Olsen’s The Scientist and the Serial Killer.

I appreciated the time and effort it took into writing this book. Olsen did a wonderful job in gathering so much information for her book and for portraying it in the best way possible to give the reader a “picture” of the time these awful murders happened. The writing maintained respect and grace for the victims and their families, while still providing information in a thorough and interesting way.

While I recommend this book to anyone who has a hankering for true crime, I also don’t think true crime beginners should necessarily start with this book unless you are open to the type of pacing true crime books have. There can be a lot of jumping back and forth, for example. If you are open to being flexible to having many individuals being mentioned, as well as different timelines, then yes, please do read this. For seasoned true crime readers - pick this up, you will not be disappointed in my opinion.

Popularized by podcasts, Reddit threads and amateur sleuths, the burgeoning genre of modern investigations of long-ago serial killers gets another fantastic addition in Lise Olsen’s new book. Dean Corll murdered more than 27 teen boys in Houston in the 1970s – and yet, many of his victims have never received the dignity that they deserved and their parents the closure that they craved. Olsen takes an investigative journalists’ eye to this sad history, and the result is this work. This was a tour de force read for me – the work is dense, depressing and devastating, but maps out authoritatively what was known in the 1970s and what has been learned in more recent years. Unlike many other comparable works, this novel does reveal truly new and recent information that is not widely known regarding the identity of some of the victims. The highlighting of the incredible work done by many, especially the forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick, is a wonderful lens through which to cast this book. Yes it is a lot, the timelines jump around, and it can be difficult to keep straight the ever-increasing array of characters, but this truly is a fantastic work and a fitting homage to those lost. 5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

A story full of tragedy and determination to find the truth.

I’m a big fan of true-crime stories and was eager to read this one when I first heard about it, so it was a pleasure to get an ARC to review.

The narrative switches timelines, and that’s done very well, with chapter and “part” titles that easily move the reader back and forth. And there’s a nice balance between the two timelines – one in the early 70s when serial killer Dean Corll and his accomplices abducted, tortured, and murdered so many boys, mostly young teens in the Houston area. The other part of the book focuses on the efforts of Sharon Derrick, and other scientists, to identify remains that were found in several locations in and around Houston.

I liked that Olsen doesn’t give a lot of graphic details on how the boys were killed, rather lets the reader know the history of each one, so we can make a connection to who they were. That certainly made me care more about them, as well as be fully invested in the outcome of the investigation by Sharon Derrick.

We also meet family members who begged the Houston police to investigate the disappearances that were clearly not just that the boys ran away, which is what police believed. While reading, it was easy to get frustrated that the police didn’t take any more action, which possibly could have led to an arrest much sooner and saved lives.

Particularly interesting to me is the information about grief that’s briefly covered when sharing the struggles of family members who are left if a sort of limbo about the missing child. Olsen quotes Pauline Boss, a psychotherapist who was practicing in 1974 and recognized what she called “frozen grief” – caught between hope and hopelessness and never knowing whether loved ones were dead or alive. Boss saw that dynamic at play with families who had loved ones missing in action during war times and never had a body to bury, as well as relatives of other missing persons. She calls this “Ambiguous loss.” It’s a loss that goes on and on. “And those who experience it tell me they become physically and emotionally exhausted from the relentless uncertainty.”

It was easy to see how that applies to all those mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, as well as extended family, who never knew the truth until Derrick got to that truth through her dogged determination. As hard as it is to know your child is dead, it’s even harder not knowing where he is.

Showing the challenges that Derrick faced as she tried to gain more respect in her field at a time when it was dominated by men is a nice touch, and I was amazed at all she went through in her determination to identify those bones that had been stored in a morgue for so many years. She never gave up when lesser men, or women, did.

I’ve had a long interest in forensics and reading about the evolution of forensic anthropology and the ways scientists learned to use DNA as a tool for identifying bones was something new for me. The science is fascinating and explained well, without pulling the story down with lots of technical jargon. Having that science come alive through the actions of Derrick ,and other scientists, helps it to be far more accessible to the reader.

This is really a terrific book, and you don’t even have to be a fan of true crime to enjoy reading it. Check it out!

I was really excited about this book, as I am from Texas and had never heard of the Corll murders. There was lots of great information about the victims and the process of identifying them, but it felt muddied with too much information throughout. I don’t mind a lengthy book, but it shouldn’t FEEL long through the whole thing.

I appreciate the insight into the victims and giving their stories and memories air to breath. But timeline jumps between chapters and veering into the pornography ring and shoddy police work took away from those boys’ experiences, in my reading.

Mind your TWs for this if you have them. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reading The Scientist and the Serial Killer hits different when you live in the Heights—chilling, brilliant, and unsettlingly close to home.

I've tried twice to read this book, but alas the writing just doesn't work for me. I don't know what it is that doesn't jive for me. Right now this'll be a DNF, but someday I may come back to it.

I was so excited to read this book and the first chapter was very promising. It was well researched and the passion comes through. Unfortunately, it just started to run flat and I began to dread reading it. The timeline and the amount of people became overwhelming.
It’s an important story that needs to be told and I’m glad that it was, it just felt like it was loaded with unneeded information.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read this eARC.

This book is a dense and heavy read. I mean this complementary. It’s so well researched and full of information. It’s not a quick read, and the subject matter, being a true crime case (and a mishandled one at that) is heavy in more ways than one.

If true crime is your thing, I can not recommend this book enough. I found myself so invested. These lost boys felt like they were mine, now, too. Each correct identification after so long, too long, actually felt bittersweet. These young souls cut off so brutally and so young, but finally given back their names, their families given some closure at last.

Im not interested in reading the content of this book. That's my fault for not fully looking at what this book is about.

First of all thank you to Penguin Random House for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit I am not typically a non-fiction reader, but I do have a love of true crime. Lise Olsen knocked this out of the park!

I didn't know anything at all about the Candy Man murders or the Lost Boys prior to reading this. Sharon Derrick's journey to recover these victims and give them back their identities so their families could have peace was so inspiring. I love how the author gave more energy to the victims and their stories rather than glorifying the monsters who committed the crimes.

I enjoyed the timeline changes that showed the events immediately after Corll's death leading up to present day with almost all Lost Boys getting back their identities. I will say that the timeline could be a bit confusing at times with the jumping back and forth between the 70s and 2000s. However, I felt that the mixed media aspects brought so much to the story. Pictures, handwritten memos, maps, etc really helped bring the whole story together.

The science-heavy chapters (regarding DNA, bone reconstruction, etc) did not seem too dense and were easy to understand from someone who does not have a background in forensic science.

Overall, this was a wonderfully written story and from my understanding all elements of the case were brought together in a way that honored the victims and provided education to the reader about forensic science practices that made victim identification possible.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in true crime or the forensic science fields.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5!