SAVAGE APPETITES

Drop what you’re doing, go out, and buy Savage Appetites by Rachel Monroe. It’s true crime like you have never experienced before; a refreshing and welcome change from the tales of serial killers and predators that dominate the true crime shelves at the bookstore.

The book delves into the stories of four women who are wildly different in their backgrounds, but all with one obsession in common. It’s beautifully written and carefully researched, offering valuable insights into society’s fascination with murder and death, particularly that held by women.

Monroe balances perfectly her own experiences as a true crime enthusiast with the womens’ stories. I loved it, and I guarantee you will too. Thank you Scribner for sending me this one - I rarely reread books but this one may well be an exception.

Buy it here.

Don’t F**k With Cats

Honestly I had no intention of watching this series because I already knew what a massive dirtbag Luka Magnotta is. He’s a special kind of evil and even I find him difficult to stomach. When I heard about the documentary, I pretty much decided right away that I wouldn’t watch it, as a sort of protest against the vile narcissist that is Luka Magnotta. But my friend just put it on and of course I got pulled in - I’m a sucker for pretty much any true crime docuseries.

Magnotta is a piece of shit, I already knew that. I did forget the extent he went to for publicity (the Facebook pages, making up rumors about himself for attention). All in all, I thought the documentary was interesting. It was well structured and the main characters Deanna Thompson and John Green (who hunted Magnotta online) felt relatable and down-to-earth. I found the sleuthing work they carried out to be really impressive. I was in awe of the lengths that people will go to to for justice in a case like this. People can do incredible things when they work together.

But part of me wishes the documentary was never made, because it’s exactly what Magnotta craved. They mention this in the final episode - by giving him so much of their time and attention, were they encouraging him? Spurring him on? I don’t really think it’s that simple. Magnotta is clearly a psychopath and he was always going to end up killing someone. I also don’t think he would have continued killing. His motivation, I believe, was making the video and then being chased halfway across the world. He loved being pursued and craved the notoriety. He got that…did there really need to be a three part series about him, further inflating his ego? I don’t think so.