I loved this book! The artwork was amazing and it was a really good read that I would recommend to anyone-!!

I picked this book cause it had an amazing title and the illustration caught my attention. Unfortunately, that was about all that was interesting about it. The illustrator is great. Folksy artwork that also is a bit modern. The stories and songs though? I thought maybe it was going to be about a few different areas and time periods, but it felt narrow and really really lacking in support. Oral history traditions can be tricky to write about since things aren't cited or there are many different versions of the same thing, but it just was meh overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The illustrations are awesome! I enjoyed the history of the songs. I had a fun time with this and I would recommend this to music lovers! Special Thank You to Katy Horan, Andrews McMcmeel Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great book for anyone with an interest in folklore, historical pop culture and (duh) murder ballads! I really liked the art too, reading this was a treat.

A very cool collection of Murder Ballads from Katy Horan. I really enjoyed learning some of the lore behind some of these songs and the art associated with them was fantastic.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

What I liked:
* The illustrations. Amazing. Magical. Gorgeous. Fabulous.
* I listened to the audiobook [more on that below] and I really enjoyed the sections that had the actual songs performed [I wish that all of them had had that as it really made that particular section magical, even if the text was not that exciting]; that was absolutely lovely.
* Some of the lore was truly fascinating and creepy and left me wanting more.

What didn't work for me:
* There is absolutely no depth to these stories. None. I wanted so much more than I got.
* Does the author even like Murder Ballads and their lore?
* THE. NARRATION. People who are in charge of this, can you PLEASE make sure that A. the narrator can pronounce ALL of the words correctly, and B. that their voice has some sort of inflection when reading [spooky stories are MUCH less spooky when told in monotone], and C. that they sound like they are actually want to be there reading said book. Thankyouverymuch. Listening to this was mostly awful [I had no choice due to circumstances beyond my control], and it really added to my disappointment with this book. I cannot in good faith recommend this audiobook to anyone.

This should have been amazing, full of history, creepy and slightly icky stories, and music [again, there IS some of that, but not nearly enough. The spoken word of the songs by that narrator was so very grating]; what one gets is fractured history [research IS important], stories that may or may not be creepy if one is read reading it, and unfortunately, much disappointment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went in knowing that I loved a good murder ballad, and from this grew an even greater appreciation for the genre. While I wish there was more information for some, I do recognise this isn’t the fault of the author… rather I view it as a testament to the writing, that I wish there was even more of it. It was a unique blend of folklore with commentary from a modern perspective on how that lore had changed as time passed. The illustrations were hauntingly beautiful and enhanced the stories of both the real and the legend.

I enjoyed that there were selected recordings highlighted in the back but almost wish there was some method of easily finding the recording mentioned without fully moving from the book and breaking up my reading. Though the inclusion of the actual songs did seek to deepen the analysis through being able to apply it to the full lyrics rather than mere snippets.

4.5 Star, I adored this book, I was able to learn more about my favourite murder ballads and then also learn some new ones. This book has awoken my love for this genre of storytelling, again. I started deep diving back into this style. The book is gorgeously illustrated too, I hope to add this book to my shelves soon.

One of the most devastatingly beautiful songs ever made, in my opinion, is Nick Cave's "Where The Wild Roses Grow", featuring Kylie Minogue. It is a so-called murder ballad: a slow song describing someone's violent death, often told from the perspective of the victim, killer or both. The visuals of the music video are as ethereal as they are morbid, a haunting combination. Katy Horan's similar fascination with imagery inspired by Murder Ballads is what drove her to create this book. The dichotomy between the beautiful and the heinous can be jarring. How can one handle a dark subject like that with grace?

Murder Ballads is a visually appealing book, and it catches the eye immediately. It is definitely a pretty book. But Horan absolutely treats the subject with care. For her and others, crime and violence can be inspirations for beautiful art. But it would be irresponsible and inappropriate not to acknowledge the horror that inspired them and the fact that this horror most often befalls women and marginalized groups. Which isn't new information - but the gene of murder ballads doesn't always appear to acknowledge that. And that's problematic. 

In the present and future, we can admire the original ballads and the works they inspire - and allow ourselves to continue to be inspired - but we should identify and address the issues. Murder ballads are very often about young women, murdered by men, for reasons that were and probably still are considered "immoral". Pregnancy out of wedlock. Promiscuity. Cheating. And through the grapevine stories get told and transformed into song. And somehow the songs tend to not so much grieve the victim as sing "Well, I told you so". But the girls are still described as almost virginal and pure, because women were still expected to relate to them. "This could 100% be you! So ignore the miller's son or you too shall be drowned in the river!"  

Not only that, but the full tragedy behind some victims' murders were often censored. For instance, the subject of incest was referred to in European ballads but removed from their US versions or counterparts. Deeming something taboo serves listeners, not victims or the truth. Which is ironic for something that helped inspire what True Crime is today. 

Another example is how race comes in: because the folks who used to keep track of these Ballads, who "recorded" them (jotting down the lyrics) were often White, Black ballads ended up being straight up dismissed or overlooked. We still see that today! Consider the differences in news coverage of a White woman gone missing versus a Black Woman. It boggles the mind.

And that's ultimately what I like most about this book: how it invites me - someone who regularly peruses True Crime - to really think about how coverage of True Crime is handled. Murder Ballads were the True Crime of yore! True Crime today still has a similar way of sensationalizing someone's victimhood in a way that almost becomes a cautionary tale. We often see, "if you reject a man, this is what happens". It's "no means no" until "no" leads to rage and violence. I consume True Crime because of my psychology background; I can discern between what is useful for me to know and what is sensationalized, but what of other viewers or listeners? 

Katy Horan selected 20 murder ballads to cover in a very structured manner: she explains the backstory (often from real life, sometimes fictional), how the song evolved and traveled, discusses its impact and shares the lyrics to one version. Then, she reveals her visual interpretations, which are all equally stunning with her use of florals and earth-tones. This is Horan acting responsibly: providing the relevant information of the ballads (and problems with them) prior to showing their respective imagery allows for a full picture and a critical eye. It does become somewhat repetitive towards the end, but I suppose that could also highlight the lack of diversity in these songs to begin with. 

Horan's book is an accessible introduction to this particular music genre and its impact, background to her beautiful artwork, but one that invites further engagement with the music (Horan provided extensive song lists in the end of the book so you can look up more versions and have a listen), more sources to look into if you wish to know more about the music genre, and most importantly: plenty of food for thought.

Unique book, it would be great if it came with sound recordings, great idea for a gift for someone that has everything, they don’t have this

A very informative and impressive collection and history, of murder ballads, along with wonderfully eerie illustrations!

Murder ballads are essentially songs based on a murder, usually a real one that’s taken place, but sensationalized and dramatized. This books collect ballads from England, Ireland, Scotland, and America, and discuss their possible origins and the society that could have led to these crimes/tragedies. A lot of these murders center young women who are pregnant out of wedlock or pressing a man to marry them or rejected a man, so it delved into the misogyny and impossible situations women were in, and also how the ballads often twisted their story to make it more dramatic or make them someone they’re not. It also dives into racial discrimination when a Black person was the figure in a murder ballad and how racism ended up threaded through songs and how later Black artists reclaimed them.

There’s many murder ballads discussed here, and I liked how it explored what might have led to the crime or why the story became twisted and looked at it from a modern lens to talk about the biases that affect it. This book feels well researched and the illustrations to accompany each ballad were haunting and fit the vibes perfectly. There’s a list of recorded songs that were based on the ballad, as well as books for further readings.

A very interesting book! I didn’t know anything about murder ballads before but I learned a lot now! If you like folktales or true crime that centers the victim, you may enjoy this.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a beautiful and well researched collection of murder ballads. Katy Horan describes the origin and evolution of each ballad, accompanied by gorgeous artwork. It’s a fascinating read, especially with Horan’s focus on the historical and sociocultural contexts of the ballads. I appreciate that she includes key recordings (my playlist kept growing).

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Very interesting read if you want to learn about the lore behind murder ballads. Many of them I had not heard of before. Loved the layout of the book!

Murder Ballads by Katy Horan is a treat for fans of Dark Folklore and Gothic themes (that's a gruesome way to begin a review, isn't it?). I was already familiar with "The Death of Queen Jane" and "The Twa Swans" thanks to Loreena McKennitt. Horan included a list of recordings, so readers can immerse themselves fully into the eerie beauty of these lyrics. Horan includes some backstory to each of the selected ballads; this led me down a rabbit hole of reading the expanded stories behind these ballads. Katy Horan doesn't just present her readers with a collection of songs, but a unique volume of true crime as well. Apart from the two songs McKennitt produced, I would say my favorite is the rendition of "Where the Wild Roses Grow" performed by Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue. I definitely recommend this darkly beautiful collection to anyone who loves folklore, poetry, and the Gothic and Romantic literature of the nineteenth century. You will absolutely love it. Be warned, though, you will spend hours looking up music videos.

Murder Ballads is a beautifully illustrated and well-researched deepdive into murder ballads. Even if you don't think you know murder ballads, you will have heard or read or somehow seen a version of one, as they have tendrils all through popular culture. Horan provides a great depth to her exploration of them. Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Murder ballads are a fascinating part of folklore and, as a (somewhat recovering) true crime fan, I have always been intrigued by them. In part, this also stems from my IRL occupation as a Medievalist, as we see traces of these ballads in medieval literature as well. Murder ballads are narrative songs which deal with a killing of some sort. In her introduction, Horan traces the development and evolution of this "genre", if you can call it that, and it provides a really interesting background to the ballads that follow. In her foreword to the book, Sinéad Gleeson formulates Horan's goals for the book as follows: 'to re-examine old narratives, explore who benefits from violence, and acknowledge which voices have been omitted and historically minimized (women, people of color, the poor)' (p. 12). The book absolutely succeeds at these goals and I find it a highly interesting read.

Murder Ballads contains twenty ballads, picked for their diversity but also for the insight they collectively give into the genre. Each ballad is preceded by an introduction, which summarizes the generally accepted narrative of the song and provides some background and provenance. We find out where the ballad most likely originates from, where it has been collected, what tropes it plays with, and by whom it has been recorded. Horan also specifies which version of the ballad she is using, and then each ballad is also accompanied by an illustration from Horan herself. I liked the balance Horan strikes here between providing enough information and letting the ballad do its own work as well. The ballads that struck me most were those where Horan presents the real life inspirations behind them, which often show historical women in really difficult situations. One is the famous 'Frankie and Johnny', based on Frankie Baker's 1899 shooting of her boyfriend/pimp in self-defense. Horan explains how the ballad took on a life of its own almost immediately after the trial, being turned into Hollywood films and recorded by over 250 artist, and affected Frankie for the rest of her life. It is a good example of how one moment in a woman's life, with which many women could maybe identify, is turned into something else, her story endlessly retold and re-shaped. Some other intriguing ones are 'Stagolee', a "bad man"-style ballad which became a symbol of Black masculinity during the Jim Crow era. I also enjoyed the discussion of 'The Unquiet Grave' (Penny Dreadful did a great rendition) which included mention of a beloved by me Old Norse poem, Helgakviða Hundingsbana II. Here I also enjoyed Horan's choice to feature a variant called 'Cold Blows the Wind' instead. More well-known ballads, such as 'The Cruel Mother' and 'The Twa Sisters' are of course also included.

In her own introduction, Horan discusses her own fascination with the genre, and then her growing awareness of how it is rooted in oppressions of various kinds. Throughout Murder Ballads she tries, and I think succeeds, to on the one hand celebrate a genre of folklore which is diverse, while on the other hand acknowledging and critiquing its messages as well. And her critique is not to be 'mistaken for contempt' (p. 14) Horan warns. There is beauty in these these ballads, which can only be claimed and appreciated if we take a closer look at it. At the end of the book there is a list of Notable Recordings for each ballad, which I liked dipping into, as well as an extensive Bibliography and more Recommended Reading.

I really enjoyed reading Murder Ballads. I was interested in the genre of ballads anyway, but I really appreciated Horan's care in tracing these ballads' origins.

Katy Horan once again invites us into a world that is stark, somber, and hauntingly beautiful through her evocative illustrations. Murder Ballads is far more than an art book—it’s a meticulously researched exploration of the murder ballad tradition and its deep roots in American musical history.

What surprised me most was the depth of scholarship in this volume. Horan skillfully traces the lineage of well-known murder ballads—such as “Delia” and “Stagger Lee”—back to the real people and historical events that inspired them. In doing so, she restores a sense of personhood to the victims, often overlooked in the stylized retellings. She also thoughtfully examines recurring themes across the genre, like the “girl in the river” or the “bleeding dove,” symbols that continue to echo in contemporary music—often without audiences realizing their origins.

The book includes a curated list of notable recordings that will undoubtedly shape my listening habits going forward. As someone relatively unfamiliar with this genre, I found this addition both accessible and compelling—it’s a gateway into a tradition as musically rich as it is unsettling.

Horan’s artwork is, as always, striking. Gothic, restrained, and emotionally resonant, it perfectly complements the haunting subject matter. Her visual interpretations align seamlessly with the stories she tells, making the experience of reading this book deeply immersive.

I highly recommend Murder Ballads to anyone interested in Americana, folk music history, the Southern Gothic tradition, or the cultural undercurrents of femicide. It’s a powerful, beautiful, and necessary work that bridges art, history, and social commentary with grace and gravity.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 4/29/2025. There is nothing quite so haunting as a good solid song that talks about murder and violence and wraps it all up with a near-mythic sense of The Other. I say this with a completely straight face because I've always been the kind of girl who reads the original versions of fairy tales and listens to obscure bands that dig up folk songs to play. (Fun fact - both things are heavily grim and kind of morbid and deeply symbolic and feature an awful lot of MURDER.) Katy Horan takes all of the rich history of the murder ballad and applies her stark art style to make a thing of beauty out of horror for us to enjoy. In her book, she chose 20 traditional songs and did her research on their origins before dropping herself into creating haunting images to match. Quite a few of the songs might already be familiar to readers picking up the book but there are some that are definitely more obscure. Horan notes the fact and fiction behind each song and makes sure to mention some of the musicians who covered them. This gives you a great chance to make your own Murder Ballad Playlist! Very convenient. While I wish some of the write-ups had been longer, I understand that there is a limit on both the information available and Horan's skill-set. What she does give us is to the point and makes you curious so that works very well. Then, oh, then she gives the reader her art to pair with the songs. Her style feels reminiscent of old woodcuts but with touches of American folk-art, a simplicity of design that reveals surprising depth with a few well-placed details. She layers her images and often you get the full ballad in one image. Even the smaller drawings between the ballads ring with a haunting punctuation.

This might be a specialized book but, for those of us who know, will 100% appreciate it... And, yes, I did find myself a playlist of Appalachian Murder Ballads and mainlined it all of the next day at work after finishing my read of this book. What better testimony can you ask for? :)

Firstly, there are at least three murder ballads in here that mention St. Louis in their background histories. What is the STL to murder ballad pipeline, and who is studying this? But seriously this book is very well done. The historical context for the ballads, and the beautiful artwork, give this book a bump for history lovers who are interested in murder ballads (or even those who've never heard of them before). This is a great beginner guide for those dipping their toes into the dark history for the first time.

The music list in the back is also A+, as music heads like myself would be interested in hearing some of the ballads if they hadn't.

Would recommend for those interested in The Decemberists, Edgar Allan Poe, and just those with a little dark streak.

Every single one of you has either listened to or sang along with a murder ballad, probably without recognizing it as a musical subgenre. "Cell Block Tango'" from Chicago, "Smooth Criminal" by Michael Jackson, "No Body, No Crime" by Taylor Swift and "Remains of the Day" from Corpse Bride are all murder ballads. Enough to fill a playlist! But did you know that "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" performed by Nirvana originated in an early 19th c. ballad called "In the Pines?"

Horan's research is incredibly thorough and the reader will quickly notice a pattern. Beginning with British criminal broadsheets of the 18th c., these inevitably traveled to the slave-holding colonial American South. Such is the origin of "Ommie Wise" by G.B. Grayson. After settling into Appalachian folk music and Black song, they finally emerged as a subgenre under modern bluegrass and jazz. For example, "One Mo' Rounder Gone" that was released in 1924. Therefore, as Horan rightly points out, the roots of the older murder ballads can be traced to white supremacy, judicial misogyny, and the morbid fascination with public execution.

Love this, love everything about this, love Katy Horan. I have their "Literary Witches" oracle! Their illustrations are wonderfully macabre, and remind me of mid-18th century American portraits. Those minimal, finer details, dark colors, and haunting stares. It's a unique addition to any library, and I'll definitely be getting a hardcover copy!

This was a very unique and interesting read that definitely appealed to me as a horror and true crime fan.