Books like Murder most foul by Karen Halttunen

Name: Murder most foul
Author: Karen Halttunen

Murder Most Foul examines the shifting narratives surrounding homicide in the United States. Halttunen begins by exploring the early New England sermons delivered during public executions of murderers, which framed the crime as a divine punishment. She then discusses the nineteenth‑century transition to secular and sensationalist accounts that portrayed murder as a manifestation of human sin. Finally, the book considers contemporary interest in socio‑psychological examinations of murder, reflecting society’s fascination with the underlying motives and mental states of perpetrators.

First publish date: 1998

Genre: History/Modern History

Authors: Karen Halttunen

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