Welcome to an archive episode!

Check out our new website: morbidlycuriousbookclub.com

Early and ad-free for Patreon members: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheMorbidlyCuriousBookClub

In 2024, I launched this podcast to delve deeper into our book club's nonfiction selections by engaging directly with the authors, the experts behind these compelling works. However, the book club has been around since 2021...so there are some 'archive' picks that we need to discuss!

In September of 2023, we read what would become a staple for the book club: "WHAT THE DEAD KNOW, Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator" by Barbara Butcher!

When Barbara Butcher was early in her recovery from alcoholism, she found an unexpected lifeline in a job at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in NYC. As only the second woman ever hired for the role—and the first to last more than three months—she became a vital force in the world of forensic science and criminal investigations. Over the next two decades, Butcher worked thousands of cases: gruesome homicides, suspicious suicides, heartbreaking scenes involving underage victims, and complex mass casualty investigations. In her unforgettable account, she invites readers into the gritty, high-stakes world of crime-scene investigation, from the autopsy room and morgue to tense moments at active crime scenes. Along the way, she uncovered how confronting death every day gave her a new perspective on life—and ultimately saved her from becoming a statistic herself. In vivid, darkly humorous prose, Butcher recounts how she narrowly avoided a booby-trapped suicide scene, and how, during 9/11, she and her colleagues worked tirelessly to identify victims using scraps of clothing, DNA, and the memories of grieving loved ones. Her honesty, resilience, and sharp wit make this a standout in the genre of first responder memoirs and women in law enforcement.

Learn more about Barbara here: https://www.barbarabutcherofficial.com/

The Death Investigator trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ilLAP28qN0&time_continue=1&source_ve_path=NzY3NTg&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barbarabutcherofficial.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barbarabutcherofficial.com

Find the book here with TW: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/369dae9c-ddfd-4d4c-872a-9f83acf2aefd

Welcome to a special BONUS episode, where I chat with an author about their nonfiction book that is morbidly curious book club adjacent, but it hasn't been a pick. Thus, a bonus episode!

Join the book club here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

*Please note! I truly had to Frankenstein this episode... we had so many technical difficulties, unfortunately, it's a shorter episode with some questions missed, but I did the best I could to get you guys a cohesive piece!

Welcome to a special BONUS episode, where I chat with an author about their nonfiction book that is morbidly curious book club adjacent, but it hasn't been a pick. Thus, a bonus episode!

Join the book club here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

Giveaway info here! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19Zqa7zjeNQOYTtnJhrXow0oB95xFSPnKaF85O8BRQ0M/edit

About the book:

Serial killers. Homicidal spouses. Sociopathic criminals. Claire St. Amant has met them all.

She spent nearly a decade in network television chasing the biggest true crime stories in the country, including the murder of Chris Kyle, plastic-surgeon-turned-murder-for-hire suspect Thomas Michael Dixon, the Parkland high school mass shooting, the disappearance of Christina Morris, and serial killer Samuel Little. Bringing a true crime story to network television requires quick thinking and tenacious stamina, and in her debut memoir, Claire offers true crime fans a rare in-depth look from the other side of the yellow tape. In Killer Story, readers will learn what it really takes to get these gripping cases on the air with insights such as:

• How it feels to share space with a dead-eyed murderer
• Which TV show has a reputation for “eating their young”
• How reporters win over skeptical cops and reluctant lawyers
• Why TV journalists are always racing against the clock—and competitor sabotage
• What happens when a district attorney decides journalists have committed a felony
• The unresolved crimes that still haunt Claire to this day

This eye-opening look behind the scenes of true crime television offers an unforgettable read—and a window into the daily reality of investigative journalism.

About Claire: Investigative journalist Claire St. Amant is the host of the true crime podcast, Final Days on Earth, and the author of the memoir, Killer Story. St. Amant developed and produced stories for CBS News and is credited on over 20 episodes of 48 Hours, including an assassination attempt on a judge in Austin, a serial killer in South Carolina, and a murder-for-hire sting on two doctors in Houston. She won a New York Press Club award for her work on “Bringing a Nation Together,” a special report on the 2016 Dallas Police shooting, which was also nominated for an Emmy in breaking news. In 2019, St. Amant began contributing to 60 Minutes, with “The Ranger and The Serial Killer.” She built her career one story at a time, rising up through local media to national television, a network podcast, and her latest project, a tell-all memoir about true crime TV. St. Amant got her start at People Newspapers in Dallas, where she earned her first of two Philbin Awards for excellence in legal reporting. She was a founding editor of the popular daily news site CultureMap Dallas, and her investigative series on a faked home invasion led to a new career at CBS News. A graduate of Baylor University and a returned Peace Corps volunteer, St. Amant is a native Texan who is always on the hunt for her next adventure. She loves few things more than a good story and a long run, though her husband and son are notable exceptions.

Find user submitted TW here: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6fef5a61-88c2-4eb9-a8f5-7133e0885249

Welcome to an archive episode!

Check out our new website: morbidlycuriousbookclub.com

Early and ad-free for Patreon members: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheMorbidlyCuriousBookClub

In 2024, I launched this podcast to delve deeper into our book club's nonfiction selections by engaging directly with the authors, the experts behind these compelling works. However, the book club has been around since 2021...so there are some 'archive' picks that we need to discuss!

In September of 2023, we read what would become a staple for the book club: "WHAT THE DEAD KNOW, Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator" by Barbara Butcher!

When Barbara Butcher was early in her recovery from alcoholism, she found an unexpected lifeline in a job at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in NYC. As only the second woman ever hired for the role—and the first to last more than three months—she became a vital force in the world of forensic science and criminal investigations. Over the next two decades, Butcher worked thousands of cases: gruesome homicides, suspicious suicides, heartbreaking scenes involving underage victims, and complex mass casualty investigations. In her unforgettable account, she invites readers into the gritty, high-stakes world of crime-scene investigation, from the autopsy room and morgue to tense moments at active crime scenes. Along the way, she uncovered how confronting death every day gave her a new perspective on life—and ultimately saved her from becoming a statistic herself. In vivid, darkly humorous prose, Butcher recounts how she narrowly avoided a booby-trapped suicide scene, and how, during 9/11, she and her colleagues worked tirelessly to identify victims using scraps of clothing, DNA, and the memories of grieving loved ones. Her honesty, resilience, and sharp wit make this a standout in the genre of first responder memoirs and women in law enforcement.

Learn more about Barbara here: https://www.barbarabutcherofficial.com/

The Death Investigator trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ilLAP28qN0&time_continue=1&source_ve_path=NzY3NTg&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barbarabutcherofficial.com%2F&embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barbarabutcherofficial.com

Find the book here with TW: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/369dae9c-ddfd-4d4c-872a-9f83acf2aefd

Resources mentioned below.

Welcome to a special BONUS episode, where I chat with an author about their nonfiction book that is morbidly curious book club adjacent, but it hasn't been a pick. Thus, a bonus episode!

Join the book club here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

Shoutout to Legacy Lit for my copy of Amy Littlefield's Killers of Roe: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Abortion Rights.

About the book: They are going to kill people, investigative reporter for The Nation Amy Littlefield knew, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. After a decade covering abortion, she wanted to more deeply understand the motives, means, and opportunities behind the antiabortion movement’s victory. So she set out to investigate the murderers of Roe. Killers of Roe chronicles Littlefield’s journey into the unexplored corners of the most successful social movement of our time. As in every good murder mystery, the killers turn out to be the people you least suspect. Plot twists lurk around every corner as Littlefield meets believers, opportunists, and complicated heroes. Along the way, she encounters surprising characters who shed light on how we got to this moment of authoritarian rule: from the former fetus keeper standing trial in Michigan to the antiabortion militant turned long-shot presidential candidate to the pro-choice superfans at the Reagan Library. Throughout the book, Littlefield draws upon women’s stories and her own experience as a mother to reveal the life-and-death stakes of America’s abortion wars. At once clever and poignant reportage, this abortion whodunit uncovers the deeper story of how we lost Roe—and how we will win back so much more.

About Amy: She is the abortion access correspondent at The Nation and a freelance investigative reporter who focuses on the intersection of religion and health care. She is the author of Killers of Roe, a whodunit that investigates the death of abortion rights, due out in March 2026.

Resources mentioned:

https://www.abortionfinder.org/

https://www.ineedana.com/

https://www.plancpills.org/about

https://mahotline.org/

https://abortiondefensenetwork.org/

https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/resources/resources-for-accessing-abortion-care/

StoryGraph link to book: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b39c91da-b2c1-43ad-add3-5d10420432bc

Welcome to Season 3 Episode 4!

Join the Book Club, Subscribe to our book box, support our small business here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

This episode is available ad-free for our Patreon members, and releases slightly early! Become a Patreon Pal today, and check out other episodes, along with bonus bits not included for the general public... https://patreon.com/TheMorbidlyCuriousBookClub?

In April, the Morbidly Curious Book Club read "Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist" by Jennifer Wright!

About the book: An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to thousands of women—rich and poor alike. As her practice expanded, her notoriety swelled, and Restell established her-self as a prime target for tabloids, threats, and lawsuits galore. But far from fading into the background, she defiantly flaunted her wealth, parading across the city in designer clothes, expensive jewelry, and bejeweled carriages, rubbing her success in the faces of the many politicians, publishers, fellow physicians, and religious figures determined to bring her down. Unfortunately for Madame Restell, her rise to the top of her field coincided with “the greatest scam you’ve never heard about”—the campaign to curtail women’s power by restricting their access to both healthcare and careers of their own. Powerful, secular men—threatened by women’s burgeoning independence—were eager to declare abortion sinful, a position endorsed by newly-minted male MDs who longed to edge out their feminine competition and turn medicine into a standardized, male-only practice. By unraveling the misogynistic and misleading lies that put women’s lives in jeopardy, Wright simultaneously restores Restell to her rightful place in history and obliterates the faulty reasoning underlying the very foundation of what has since been dubbed the “pro-life” movement. Thought-provoking, character-driven, boldly written, and feminist as hell, Madame Restell is required reading for anyone and everyone who believes that when it comes to women’s rights, women’s bodies, and women’s history, women should have the last word.

About Jennifer: She is an author of history books, television writer, columnist, podcaster, and speaker. Her books include the upcoming Glitz, Glam, and a Damn Good Time: How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way to Power (Hachette Books, 2025), Madame Restell (Hachette Books, 2023), as well as It Ended Badly: 13 of the Worst Break-Ups in History, and the Audible bestseller Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and The Heroes That Fought Them.

StoryGraph link to Madame Restell: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/145c812f-247c-4d4f-bb9f-08aa416b2e70

But not at the same time...unless you're into that; Godspeed.

Welcome to a special BONUS episode, where I chat with an author about their nonfiction book that is morbidly curious book club adjacent, but it hasn't been a pick. Thus, a bonus episode!

Join the book club here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

About The Secret History of Bigfoot: From the shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest to off-the-wall cryptozoological conventions, one man searches high and low for the answer to the question: real or not, why do we want to believe? Bigfoot is an instantly recognizable figure. Through the decades, this elusive primate has been featured in movies and books, on coffee mugs, beer koozies, car polish, and CBD oil. Which begs the question: what is it about Bigfoot that's caught hold of our imaginations? Journalist and self-diagnosed skeptic John O'Connor is fascinated by Sasquatch. Curious to learn more, he embarks on a quest through the North American wilds in search of Bigfoot, its myth and meaning. Alongside an eccentric cast of characters, he explores the zany and secretive world of "cryptozoology," tracking Bigfoot through ancient folklore to Harry and the Hendersons, while examining the forces behind our ever-widening belief in the supernatural. As O'Connor treks through the shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest, listens to firsthand accounts, and attends Bigfoot conventions, he's left wondering―what happens when the lines between myth and reality blur? Perfect for fans of Bill Bryson and Douglas Preston, and with sharp wit and an adventurous spirit, this heartfelt exploration of a cornerstone of American folklore unpacks why we believe in the things that we do, what that says about us, and how it shapes our world.

About his NEW release, A Short, Strange Trip: Tag along with clever guide John O'Connor as he leads us on a gonzo journey through the history of psychedelics, the Amazon rainforest, and into the cosmic dimensions of our own minds. This will be the trip of a lifetime. March 4th, 1971: Deep in the Colombian rainforest, a motley crew of "psychonauts" prepared for what they believed would be the ultimate experiment. Convinced that a mixture of powerful hallucinogenic plants held the key to unlocking human consciousness, they soon found themselves entering hyperspace. The return journey was... complicated. Present day: Acclaimed journalist John O'Connor is fascinated by this forgotten expedition. What really happened in those jungle depths? Armed with decades-old field notes, new interviews, and a healthy dose of curiosity, O'Connor ventures into the same Amazon territory, retracing the psychonauts' steps through the remote Putumayo in search of a legendary hallucinogen called ukuè —and the truth about an "experiment" that's been quietly gathering dust. Working alongside indigenous Uitoto people who bore witness to it all, O'Connor explores how humanity's relationship with psychedelics has shaped everything from ancient religion to modern medicine. But as he journeys deeper into both the rainforest and the cosmic dimensions these substances reveal, one question keeps nagging at him: Were the psychonauts onto something truly profound—or just profoundly stoned? Some stories are worth the trip.

About the author, John: He is the author of The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster, which explores the obsessive world of Bigfoot believers. His articles and essays have appeared in newsstand publications such as The New York Times, GQ, Financial Times Magazine, Men’s Journal, and The Boston Globe, as well as the literary journals Open City, Post Road, Quarterly West, The Believer, Oxford American, and Creative Nonfiction’s True Story series. His work can also be found in various anthologies, including The Best American Food Writing 2018 and The Best Creative Nonfiction Vol. 1. Born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan (the original home of Gibson guitars), he has taught nonfiction writing in the BFA program at Pratt Institute and now teaches journalism at Boston College. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with his wife, children, and rabbit.

Welcome to a special BONUS episode, where I chat with an author about their nonfiction book that is morbidly curious book club adjacent, but it hasn't been a pick. Thus, a bonus episode!

Join the book club here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

OneTaste hoped orgasm would change the world. Emerging in the midst of the late-aughts for-profit wellness boom, the company was unwavering in its faith in orgasmic meditation, or OM, a fifteen-minute practice featuring a woman being clitorally stimulated by a clothed, usually male partner. Nicole Daedone, the group’s magnetic and cunning founder, envisioned a world where OM was as widespread as yoga. But Daedone’s vision came with a price: behind the militant loyalty she inspired and her millions of dollars of sales was what former members describe as a cult of manipulation, abuse, and coercion driven by a relentless quest for control. And by the time the FBI showed up at her door in 2023 with an indictment alleging she conspired to commit forced labor, even Daedone herself was no longer safe.

About Ellen: She is an award-winning investigative journalist who currently writes for Bloomberg News and Bloomberg Businessweek. She is the author of EMPIRE OF ORGASM, a forthcoming book about OneTaste, a sexual wellness company alleged to be a sex cult. She also hosted two seasons of the podcast Foundering, a narrative audio series from Bloomberg Technology. One season recounts the rise and fall of WeWork; another chronicles the story of OpenAI and examines the trustworthiness of its leader, Sam Altman. EMPIRE OF ORGASM is based on a 2018 investigation she wrote for Bloomberg Businessweek, which explored allegations from former employees and customers that the group operated as a sex cult and exploited its members financially and sexually. Following publication of that piece, the FBI launched an investigation into OneTaste. In 2023, federal prosecutors indicted two company leaders, Nicole Daedone and Rachel Cherwitz, on forced labor conspiracy charges. In June 2025, a jury found both guilty; they are currently in jail awaiting sentencing. Her new book presents a definitive account of OneTaste for MCD x FSG and is available for pre-order now, with publication set for November 18. She was featured in the 2022 Netflix documentary Orgasm, Inc., which examined OneTaste. Her reporting on the company has been cited by major outlets including The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and Slate. Before joining Bloomberg, she was a staff writer at Forbes and a crime reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle. She has a particular interest in covering strange and complex subcultures and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

https://www.ellenhuet.com/

Welcome to Season 3 Episode 3! Our March book for the Morbidly Curious Book Club is WHACK JOB: A History of Axe Murder by Rachel McCarthy James!

Join the Book Club, Subscribe to our book box, support our small business here: https://www.morbidlycuriousbookclub.com/

This episode is available ad-free for our Patreon members, and releases slightly early! Become a Patreon Pal today, and check out other episodes, along with bonus bits not included for the general public... https://patreon.com/TheMorbidlyCuriousBookClub?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

"A brilliant and bloody examination of the axe's foundational role in human history, from prehistoric violence, to war and executions, splashed across newspaper headlines and popular culture. For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill. Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology ― one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has endured: as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it. Whack Job is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout history: from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, and from its use in King Henry VIII's favourite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present."

Rachel McCarthy James was born in Kansas in 1986. She is the daughter of baseball’s Bill James and artist Susan McCarthy. At Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, she studied political science and creative writing. Her first book, The Man from the Train (coauthored with her father) chronicled the serial killer behind the Villisca axe murders. Published in 2017, The Man from the Train was nominated for an Edgar award for best fact crime, and won the Kansas Notable Book award. Rachel lives in Lawrence, KS with her husband Jason, their dog Milly, and three cats – Burger, Frankie, and Lola.

Enjoy the episode!