LEADER 03801pam 2200181 a 4500
001 892568
005 20181210092822.0
008 181226s2017 nyu g 000 0 eng
010 $a 2017005190
020 $a9781476796253 (hbk.) :$cNT$1050
040 $aTWTNM$beng$dTWTNM
050 00$aHV6534.V55$bJ36 2017
082 04$a364.152$222
100 1 $aJames, Bill,$d1949-$eauthor.
245 14$aThe man from the train :$bthe solving of a century-old serial killer mystery /$cBill James and Rachel McCarthy James.
250 $aFirst Scribner hardcover edition.
260 $aNew York :$bScribner,$c2017.
300 $axi, 464 p. ;$c24 cm.
520 $a"Using unprecedented, dramatically compelling sleuthing techniques, legendary statistician and baseball writer Bill James applies his analytical acumen to crack an unsolved century-old mystery surrounding one of the deadliest serialkillers in American history. Between 1898 and 1912, families across the country were bludgeoned in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Jewelry and valuables were left in plain sight, bodies were piled together, faces covered with cloth. Some of these cases, like the infamous Villasca, Iowa, murders, received national attention. But few people believed the crimes were related. And fewer still would realize that all of these families lived within walking distance to a train station. When celebrated baseball statistician and true crime expert Bill James first learned about these horrors, he began to investigate others that might fit the same pattern. Applying the same know-how he brings to his legendary baseball analysis, he empirically determined which crimes were committed by the same person. Then after sifting through thousands of local newspapers, court transcripts, and public records, he and his daughter Rachel made an astonishing discovery: they learned the true identity of this monstrous criminal. In turn, they uncovered one of the deadliest serial killers in America. Riveting and immersive, with writing as sharp as the cold side of an axe, The Man from the Train paints a vivid, psychologically perceptive portrait of America at the dawn of the twentieth century, when crime was regarded as a local problem, and opportunistic private detectives exploited a dysfunctional judicial system. James shows how these cultural factors enabled such an unspeakable series of crimes to occur, and his groundbreaking approach to true crime will convince skeptics, amaze aficionados, and change the way we view criminal history"--$cProvided by publisher.
520 $a"Between 1898 and 1912, families across the country were bludgeoned in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Jewelry and valuables were left in plain sight, bodies were piled together, faces covered with cloth. Some of these cases, like the infamous Villasca, Iowa murders, received national attention. But few people believed the crimes were related. And fewer still would realize that all of these families lived within walking distance to a train station. When celebrated baseball statistician and true crime expert Bill James first learned about these crimes, he began to investigate others that might fit the same pattern. Applying the analytical acumen he brings to baseball analysis, he empirically determined which crimes were committed by the same person. Then after sifting through thousands of local newspapers, court transcripts and public records, he and his daughter Rachel made an astonishing discovery. They learned the true identity of this monstrous criminal, and in turn, uncovered one of the deadliest serial killers in American history. Riveting and immersive, with writing as sharp as the cold side of an axe, The Man From the Train is a groundbreaking approach to true crime that will convince skeptics, delight aficionados, and change the way we view criminal history"--$cProvided by publisher.
650 0$aMass murder investigation$zMiddle West$xHistory.
650 0$aSerial murderers$zIowa$zVillisca$xHistory.
650 0$aMass murder investigation$zIowa$zVillisca$xHistory.
650 0$aMass murder$zIowa$zVillisca$xHistory.
650 0$aSerial murderers$zMiddle West$xHistory.
650 0$aMass murder$zMiddle West$xHistory.
700 1 $aJames, Rachel McCarthy,$eauthor.