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The Man from the Train

The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery

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The Man from the Train

Written by: Bill James, Rachel McCarthy James
Narrated by: John Bedford Lloyd
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About this listen

 An Edgar Award finalist for Best Fact Crime, The Man from the Train is an “impressive…open-eyed investigative inquiry wrapped within a cultural history of rural America” (The Wall Street Journal). In this groundbreaking work of historical true crime, legendary statistician and baseball writer Bill James applies his analytical genius to crack an unsolved century-old mystery surrounding one of the deadliest serial killers in American history.

Between 1898 and 1912, families across the United States were brutally murdered in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Valuables were left untouched, bodies were staged, and faces covered. Some cases, like the infamous Villisca Axe Murders in Iowa, gained national attention—but few believed the crimes were connected. Fewer still noticed that every family lived within walking distance of a train line.

Digging through thousands of newspapers, court transcripts, and public records, James and his daughter Rachel uncovered a chilling truth: these murders were the work of one man, traveling by rail, who would go on to become one of America’s most prolific yet largely forgotten serial killers.

Riveting and immersive, The Man from the Train offers a vivid portrait of turn-of-the-century America, exposing how cultural blind spots, flawed investigations, and opportunistic detectives allowed this killer to operate undetected. Blending meticulous research with narrative drive, this modern classic of true crime nonfiction will fascinate readers of Devil in the White City, My Favorite Murder, and fans of unsolved mysteries and historical crime investigations. Americas Crime Criminology Murder Social Sciences True Crime United States Exciting Mystery Fiction Sports
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As the authors explain, after-the-fact research often results in contemporaries understanding certain events more than the people living through them. I found the work meticulously researched & fascinating. I enjoyed the author’s tone so much I almost (almost) feel I should look into his baseball writings… I’ve often heard reference to an ‘ax murderer’. Never realized how many grisly murders there had been though. Good narration as well

Cold case fans would enjoy.

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