When you’re the son of a serial killer, you can never escape your past. William MacNary was eight years old when his father went to prison. Since then, he’s carefully built a life as a family man and a private banker for the wealthy. He tries to forget that his father dismembered and photographed thirteen women. And he tries to forget those exquisitely composed photos of severed hands, heads, and … of severed hands, heads, and feet that launched the “murderabilia” art market.
William has not spoken to his father for thirty-one years. No one at his tony bank knows whose son he is. Not until his wife’s colleague is murdered and carved up in the same way his father would have done it.
All the evidence points to William. And only one person can understand the copycat killer—the monster William hasn’t seen since he was a child.
Praise:
“Murderabilia [is] a story that will lay a cold finger of dread on the back of your neck. Vonderau is a terrific writer who has written a terrific book.”—Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Daughter
“Murderabilia is a fascinating crime novel and a look into the human soul and all that makes us the men and women we become. An excellent read!”—Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author of A Dangerous Game
“Murderabilia explores the dark corners of the soul in a riveting story sure to grab your attention and keep you reading till the final page. This is a superb debut from a striking new voice.”—William Bernhardt, author of The Last Chance Lawyers
“Murderabilia is a dark, tense, sophisticated story about just how deep and far the sins of the father can reach into the innocent lives of his children. Carl Vonderau is a new (and very scary) voice.”—Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of The Ocean
“Murderabilia offers a rare insider’s view into the mysterious world of private banking. International landscapes, deep family secrets, and religious overtones create the perfect backdrop for a brilliant debut. Vonderau’s fresh prose and heart-stopping twists promise that he is a writer to watch!”—K.J. Howe, internationally bestselling author of The Freedom Broker and Skyjack
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So your father is a famous serial killer and, not only have you not seen or spoken to him in thirty years, you’ve changed your name and started a new life far away from him. Then you discover that somebody knows who you are, and whoever it is comes into your house at night when you’re asleep and intends to kill you and your whole family. Great set up, huh? It is, and the way the narrative plays out from there is really wonderfully done. You’ll like this one.
Carl Vondereau’s debut novel, Murderabilia, takes on our world’s fascination with serial killers, from true crime enthusiasts to aspiring copycats. Without venturing into the world of spoilers, Vondereau’s hero, William MacNary, a private banker to San Diego’s elite, has worked his whole life to protect his wife and children from his father’s legacy. When someone reveals he’s the son of the Preying Hands, he finds himself not only wrestling with his father’s shadow, but under a spotlight of his own as a suspect in a local murder. Vondereau’s fast-moving plot twists and turns with the gut-wrenching thrills of a master, but this debut shines when it digs deeper, asking whether innocence lost can ever be regained or if, like William MacNary, we’re destined to suffer the sins of our fathers.
If you love Stephen King novels or Robin Cook novels, then I recommend this spooky novel!
Murderabilia by Carl Vonderau is deliciously twisted and dark. This serial killer conundrum will have you quaking in your boots and flinching at shadows. If you’re faint of heart or startle easily, this might not be the book for you. But if you’re steely enough,scare yourself silly with this one. I highly recommend it.
Murderabilia: “also known as murderbilia, is a term identifying collectibles related to murders and murderers or other violent crimes.”
“I manage secrets. Sometimes” starts Murderabilia by Carl Vonderau. I have watched numerous movies and read quite a few books where the serial killer keeps items of the victims as “keepsakes”. Definitely creepy and wrong. The cover of this book intrigued me to want to review a book about a serial killer and how he can destroy his family from a jail cell that he has been in for 30+ years.
This book is a story of a family and the father, Harvey Dean Kogan, who seemed like a normal person, the son and daughter had a normal father, or so they thought. This book is about living with a person who you later find out was a serial killer and the aftermath of that.
William Mcnary, a banker with a good job at a bank, has a wife and children. He also has a close relationship with his sister Polly. He thought he had kept his previous life hidden but someone is bound and determined to shatter that. With a phone call, William’s safety and the safety of his family comes into question. When a co-worker of his wife is murdered and dismembered and posed in the same way as “The Preying Hands” Harvey Dean Kogan, his father William becomes suspect and because of this, Williams life is on a course that threatens to destroy his secrets and his family.
What follows is a tense, suspenseful thriller. I read this book in two sittings, written in the point of view of William, the reader learns about his job, his family, his mother, and his past. A taut realistic story that kept me turning the pages. Characters that are believable and the storyline. I found William to be a very strong, vulnerable man who has successfully put his past, in the past.
Love a good suspenseful story? Then you really need to read this one.
4 stars!
I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.