RedHanded: An Exploration of Criminals, Cannibals, Cults, and What Makes a Killer Tick

RedHanded: An Exploration of Criminals, Cannibals, Cults, and What Makes a Killer Tick

by Suruthi Bala, Hannah Maguire

Narrated by Denise Mina

Unabridged — 8 hours, 43 minutes

RedHanded: An Exploration of Criminals, Cannibals, Cults, and What Makes a Killer Tick

RedHanded: An Exploration of Criminals, Cannibals, Cults, and What Makes a Killer Tick

by Suruthi Bala, Hannah Maguire

Narrated by Denise Mina

Unabridged — 8 hours, 43 minutes

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Overview

Based off Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala's popular podcast of the same name, RedHanded explores real-life true crime cases to help answer once and for all if a killer is born or made.

Features an audiobook exclusive interview: Suruthi and Hannah interview award-winning author Denise Mina on the "the less dead", equality and bigotry in crime, the justice system and the media.

After meeting at a house party in London, where they discovered a mutual obsession for all things true crime, Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire drunkenly promised to one day start their own murder podcast. Six weeks later they ordered their first microphones and the rest is history. From the hosts of the hit podcast RedHanded (dubbed by Anna Paquin as her “all- time favorite true crime podcast”), Bala and Maguire have amassed a cult following of “spooky bitches.”

What is it about killers, cults, and cannibals that capture our imaginations even as they terrify and disturb us? Do we find these stories endlessly and equally compelling and frightening, because they hold up a mirror to society's failings and to the horrors that we humans are capable of? RedHanded rejects the outdated narrative of killers as monsters and that a victim “was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Instead, it dissects the stories of killers in a way that challenges perceptions and asks the hard questions about society, gender, poverty, culture, and even our politics.

With their trademark humor, research on real-life cases, and unflinching analysis of what makes a criminal, Bala and Maguire take you through what drives the most extreme of human behavior to find out once and for all: what makes a killer tick?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

As a true crime fanatic, I can say without hesitation that Hannah and Suruthi are my all-time favorite podcasters of the genre.”

Anna Paquin, actor

“Best true crime podcast I’ve heard, ever.”

Dan Harmon (creator of RICK & MORTY, COMMUNITY)

“A cult hit balancing true crime, progressive politics, and a lot of charm.”

Vox

“Bala and Maguire have a lovely rapport, excellent reporting skills, and can tell a story with just the right amount of feminist eyebrow-raising.”

The Guardian

“Laugh-out-loud yet wildly funny.”

Refinery29

“Indeed, if the RedHanded podcast stands out in the ever-widening sea of sensationalized and sloppy true crime content out there, it is because its creators inject the right amount of sincere curiosity into the form. . . the British broadcasters have explored some of the most infamous cases in the world with a mix of black humor, frequent outrage, and an ever-present desire for deeper understanding.”

Salon

“Hannah and Suruthi will inspire you to plunder the crevasse that is Reddit and remind you that even locking your doors might not be enough to save you.”

Vulture

“I could listen to these Spooky Bitches talk all night. And I usually do. Maybe that’s why my dreams are so f*cked up.”

Cody Heller (creator of DUMMY, DEADBEAT, WILIFRED)

“A major draw for listeners is the rapport between the two presenters and the palpable enjoyment Suruthi and Hannah take in each other’s company. It is often very funny despite its dark subject matter.”

Crime + Investigation

“I don’t know why it’s not on every true crime podcast list—it’s so good.”

BuzzFeed

“It is by some distance the best podcast I’ve heard this year.”

The Financial Times

“I listen to a lot of podcasts, and to this day, RedHanded is the only podcast I have had to pause and take a break from . . . it is that horrible, which makes it that good.”

Tracy Clayton (ANOTHER ROUND, STRONG BLACK LEGENDS)

“Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire cleverly recount the most interesting events in true crime with supporting research and dry British humor.”

Canadian Living

“This is a must read for true crime fans.”

Erica Robyn Reads

“Informative, thoroughly researched, and entertaining. . . . I highly recommend this book to those interested in true crime and murder documentaries.”

The Nerd Cantina

“RedHanded by Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire draws from their original podcast and provides you with a deep dive into true crime and the extremes of human behavior. This is the perfect book immediately for fans of the podcast. . . . The Spooky Bitches who are dedicated fans will want to snatch this book up for more.”

The Nerdy Girl Express

RedHanded is a fun and fast read, perfect for trying to balance back-to-school activities and looking for a brief escape.” 

FangirlNation

“This debut outing from RedHanded podcast hosts Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire will appeal to true crime enthusiasts. The hit British duo won fans over with their obsessive interest in all things ghastly and ghoulish. . . . Here, in this chatty tome, they take the conversation a step further, asking what creates the violent mindset behind the crimes they cover, and what role gender, poverty, politics, and culture play.”

The Globe and Mail

Library Journal

09/24/2021

Maguire and Bala, cohosts of the UK true crime podcast Redhanded, investigate what makes a murderer. True crime fans will draw immediate comparisons to the book Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered, by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, hosts of My Favorite Murder. The two podcasts have similar origin stories, but Maguire and Bala forgo autobiography and focus instead on the killers themselves. Their conversational work explores familiar topics such as nature vs. nurture and the insanity defense. Killers are categorized as thrill-seeking, mission-oriented, power-driven, or visionary. The authors devote a chapter to the topic of misogyny and argue that law enforcement and the public at large fail to see misogyny for the killer ideology that it is, given its ubiquity. Killer couples get their own chapter, as do cults. Sidebars on, for instance, polygraph tests and postpartum psychosis are sprinkled throughout the text. Maguire and Bala also acknowledge that there is an empathy gap for victims who are sex workers, who are LGBTQIA+ , or who experience homelessness. VERDICT The ideas discussed here are a bit shopworn, but fans of the authors' podcast and readers new to true crime may find it a helpful primer.—Barrie Olmstead, Lewiston P.L., ID

Product Details

BN ID: 2940177082844
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication date: 09/14/2021
Edition description: Unabridged
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