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Angel of Death: Uncover The Darkness of Nightmare Nurse, Jane Toppan
How many patients need to die under a nurse’s care to raise suspicions?
In 1895, elderly patients were quietly dying one by one, yet no one sounded the alarm – until an entirely family passed away. All had been in the care of nurse Jane Toppan and suspicions hit the roof.
Dilated pupils, feverish bodies, and erratic rambling left doctors baffled, but these weren’t the signs of illness. They were the marks of something far more sinister. Toppan manipulated her patients' dosages, watching them drift between life and death. For her, each fatal dose was not a crime, but a twisted act of mercy—a dark salvation from suffering.
Compelled by her own dark impulses, she transformed from a healer into a merciless killer, deeply relishing the power she wielded over life and death.
Angel of Death is a chilling account of Jane Toppan, who is one of America's most notorious female serial killers. This riveting narrative draws readers into the terrifying reality faced by her victims and unravels the chilling psychology behind her horrific choices.
In 1895, elderly patients were quietly dying one by one, yet no one sounded the alarm – until an entirely family passed away. All had been in the care of nurse Jane Toppan and suspicions hit the roof.
Dilated pupils, feverish bodies, and erratic rambling left doctors baffled, but these weren’t the signs of illness. They were the marks of something far more sinister. Toppan manipulated her patients' dosages, watching them drift between life and death. For her, each fatal dose was not a crime, but a twisted act of mercy—a dark salvation from suffering.
Compelled by her own dark impulses, she transformed from a healer into a merciless killer, deeply relishing the power she wielded over life and death.
Angel of Death is a chilling account of Jane Toppan, who is one of America's most notorious female serial killers. This riveting narrative draws readers into the terrifying reality faced by her victims and unravels the chilling psychology behind her horrific choices.
- GenresTrue CrimeNonfiction
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2024
120 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 1, 2024
Jane Toppan was a woman who was supposed to be helping and caring for the less fortunate, but Toppan was driven to commit murder on the patients she was supposed to care for and nurse back to health but instead Toppan drugged them for her own pleasure.
Jane was born into a poor family with both her father and sister being sent to an asylum when Jane was incredibly young due to mental illness. Jane was then fostered into a wealthy family, where she got an education as she accompanied their daughter Elizabeth to school. Toppan was bright and was fortunate to pick up a good education. This gave her a position in life which she could manipulate to her advantage. Jane Toppan became a nurse but instead of doing good Toppan became the first serial killer documented in America history. Toppan's only motive was to kill indiscriminately repeatedly. Toppan played god and would bring her victims to the brink of death as she had the power of saving that life or ending it.
Toppan eventually was caught but after the trial Toppan was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to the mental hospital which at the time was worse than the hangman noose but very fitting in Toppan's case. How many victims there were will forever be rebaited as many were in private care. This Book reveals the depraved nature of the crimes committed and wanton physical cruelty inflicted on Toppan's patients and the depraved state of mind of Toppan. Once again, another Good Researched and Captivating book from Ryan Green. I am part of the ARC group for Ryan Green, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Jane was born into a poor family with both her father and sister being sent to an asylum when Jane was incredibly young due to mental illness. Jane was then fostered into a wealthy family, where she got an education as she accompanied their daughter Elizabeth to school. Toppan was bright and was fortunate to pick up a good education. This gave her a position in life which she could manipulate to her advantage. Jane Toppan became a nurse but instead of doing good Toppan became the first serial killer documented in America history. Toppan's only motive was to kill indiscriminately repeatedly. Toppan played god and would bring her victims to the brink of death as she had the power of saving that life or ending it.
Toppan eventually was caught but after the trial Toppan was found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to the mental hospital which at the time was worse than the hangman noose but very fitting in Toppan's case. How many victims there were will forever be rebaited as many were in private care. This Book reveals the depraved nature of the crimes committed and wanton physical cruelty inflicted on Toppan's patients and the depraved state of mind of Toppan. Once again, another Good Researched and Captivating book from Ryan Green. I am part of the ARC group for Ryan Green, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2024
Needed to read a quick 'True Crime' book for Book Bingo and my Buddy recommended this one to me. It fit the part just fine,
I hadn't heard of Jane Toppan, although I am very familiar with Angels of Mercy depictions in your typical prime time medical dramas, so it was cool to be able to learn about her!
I struggle a bit with true crime books because there is a pretext of assuming that doesn't sit right with me. We will just never know exactly what her motives were or how she felt or how her victims truly felt. We don't know a lot about her, and it is hard for me to get into books like these knowing that the emotional aspect is largely speculative. Never the less the author did a good job and made it a good read. I may recommend this to a friend one day, if it came up.
"If Jane could have carved off her skin and worn Elizabeth as a suit for the rest of her life then that is precisely what she would have done. "
/// I think maybe the author should have drawn interest to Jane potentially being queer, an unhealthy obsession with women, the lack of true desire to marry a man (aside for status gain), and even the example of molestation was recounted only by the point of view of a woman, very interesting and left unexplored.
I hadn't heard of Jane Toppan, although I am very familiar with Angels of Mercy depictions in your typical prime time medical dramas, so it was cool to be able to learn about her!
I struggle a bit with true crime books because there is a pretext of assuming that doesn't sit right with me. We will just never know exactly what her motives were or how she felt or how her victims truly felt. We don't know a lot about her, and it is hard for me to get into books like these knowing that the emotional aspect is largely speculative. Never the less the author did a good job and made it a good read. I may recommend this to a friend one day, if it came up.
"If Jane could have carved off her skin and worn Elizabeth as a suit for the rest of her life then that is precisely what she would have done. "
/// I think maybe the author should have drawn interest to Jane potentially being queer, an unhealthy obsession with women, the lack of true desire to marry a man (aside for status gain), and even the example of molestation was recounted only by the point of view of a woman, very interesting and left unexplored.
February 13, 2025
Green gives a tour of the dysfunctional family roots and the killings amounting to may be a hundred or more of the innovator of the angel of mercy (or angel of death) type of serial killer.
It is interesting because she had the opportunity to perpetrate her crimes at a time when medical institutions were just forming the shape we know to have now and a period where true, helpful pioneers were taking up roles as detailed in The Cure for Women: Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi and the Challenge to Victorian Medicine That Changed Women's Lives Forever.
Toppan found the field not merely an opportunity for slaying, but this nurse nurtured and developed a unique paraphilia as she admitted during her murder trial that she was sexually aroused by her helpless victims. She would administer a drugs like Atropine to patients and lie in bed with them and hold them close to her body as they died. We know this as Hearst luridly published all the details to sell newspapers. This motive of such excitation is some type of factitious disorder.
Abandoned by her parents to become an indentured servant, it seems to me she had some deep-seated, organic malfunction as she was given surprising opportunity considering how she devolved into homicide. Here poisoning spree began in 1895 by killing her landlord, Israel Dunham, and his wife. In 1899 she killed her foster sister Elizabeth with a dose of strychnine as a part of a life takeover scheme apply described by Green with the "Cuckoo" metaphor. From hospitals to homes, the evil cuckoo moved in with the elderly Alden Davis and his family to take care of him after killing his wife. Within weeks, she killed Davis, his sister Edna, and two of his daughters, Minnie and Genevieve.
The surviving members of the Davis family ordered a toxicology examination and combined with exhumation, this early 20th century case took on the appearance of a Forensic Files episode. The weight of the evidence led to Toppan's confession leading to a long prison term.
[I enjoyed this title as the Unabridged Audiobook well-narrated by
Steve White.]
[I was gratefully provided with a copy of this engaging book in exchange for an honest review.]]
How many patients need to die under a nurse’s care to raise suspicions?
In 1895, elderly patients were quietly dying one by one, yet no one sounded the alarm – until an entirely family passed away. All had been in the care of nurse Jane Toppan and suspicions hit the roof.
Dilated pupils, feverish bodies, and erratic rambling left doctors baffled, but these weren’t the signs of illness. They were the marks of something far more sinister. Toppan manipulated her patients' dosages, watching them drift between life and death. For her, each fatal dose was not a crime, but a twisted act of mercy—a dark salvation from suffering.
Compelled by her own dark impulses, she transformed from a healer into a merciless killer, deeply relishing the power she wielded over life and death. Angel of Death is a chilling account of Jane Toppan, who is one of America's most notorious female serial killers. This riveting narrative draws listeners into the terrifying reality faced by her victims and unravels the chilling psychology behind her horrific choices.
It is interesting because she had the opportunity to perpetrate her crimes at a time when medical institutions were just forming the shape we know to have now and a period where true, helpful pioneers were taking up roles as detailed in The Cure for Women: Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi and the Challenge to Victorian Medicine That Changed Women's Lives Forever.
Toppan found the field not merely an opportunity for slaying, but this nurse nurtured and developed a unique paraphilia as she admitted during her murder trial that she was sexually aroused by her helpless victims. She would administer a drugs like Atropine to patients and lie in bed with them and hold them close to her body as they died. We know this as Hearst luridly published all the details to sell newspapers. This motive of such excitation is some type of factitious disorder.
Abandoned by her parents to become an indentured servant, it seems to me she had some deep-seated, organic malfunction as she was given surprising opportunity considering how she devolved into homicide. Here poisoning spree began in 1895 by killing her landlord, Israel Dunham, and his wife. In 1899 she killed her foster sister Elizabeth with a dose of strychnine as a part of a life takeover scheme apply described by Green with the "Cuckoo" metaphor. From hospitals to homes, the evil cuckoo moved in with the elderly Alden Davis and his family to take care of him after killing his wife. Within weeks, she killed Davis, his sister Edna, and two of his daughters, Minnie and Genevieve.
The surviving members of the Davis family ordered a toxicology examination and combined with exhumation, this early 20th century case took on the appearance of a Forensic Files episode. The weight of the evidence led to Toppan's confession leading to a long prison term.
[I enjoyed this title as the Unabridged Audiobook well-narrated by
Steve White.]
[I was gratefully provided with a copy of this engaging book in exchange for an honest review.]]
December 4, 2024
Medicine and murder…
While you may think that medicine and murder are two topics that have little in common, sadly, that is a misconception. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health – one of the world’s foremost agencies dedicated to biomedical research), it is quite likely that physicians have contributed more serial killers to the darker pages of history than all other professions combined, with nurses coming in a close second. It is into these chilling waters that Ryan Green delves with his latest true crime biography of Jane Toppan, a child born of Irish immigrants who managed to amass sufficient medical knowledge to become a highly respected nurse yet who eventually, in one of the most scandalous confessions of the 1900s, detailed quite explicitly how she killed no fewer than thirty-one people. The author’s signature blend of thorough research, intuitive psychological profiling and storytelling mastery made me feel like I had been transported to turn-of-the-century Massachusetts and ushered to a front row seat for the opportunity to bear witness to all the hardships and misfortunes which forged this woman into a cold-blooded killer. Her mesmerizing tale could be described as equal parts callous, cruel and creepy. She actually admitted to wanting to be known for killing more helpless people than anyone else. She further admitted to having experienced a degree of sexual arousal from her actions. If that isn’t creepy, I don’t know what is. If you have any interest in true crime, history or psychology, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book. Even if you have read about this disturbing case elsewhere, I am confident that you will find a wealth of information and possibilities to ponder for some time to come.
══════════════════
I was provided with an advance copy of this book, for which I thank the author, but I am sharing my honest and unbiased review on a completely voluntary basis.
While you may think that medicine and murder are two topics that have little in common, sadly, that is a misconception. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health – one of the world’s foremost agencies dedicated to biomedical research), it is quite likely that physicians have contributed more serial killers to the darker pages of history than all other professions combined, with nurses coming in a close second. It is into these chilling waters that Ryan Green delves with his latest true crime biography of Jane Toppan, a child born of Irish immigrants who managed to amass sufficient medical knowledge to become a highly respected nurse yet who eventually, in one of the most scandalous confessions of the 1900s, detailed quite explicitly how she killed no fewer than thirty-one people. The author’s signature blend of thorough research, intuitive psychological profiling and storytelling mastery made me feel like I had been transported to turn-of-the-century Massachusetts and ushered to a front row seat for the opportunity to bear witness to all the hardships and misfortunes which forged this woman into a cold-blooded killer. Her mesmerizing tale could be described as equal parts callous, cruel and creepy. She actually admitted to wanting to be known for killing more helpless people than anyone else. She further admitted to having experienced a degree of sexual arousal from her actions. If that isn’t creepy, I don’t know what is. If you have any interest in true crime, history or psychology, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book. Even if you have read about this disturbing case elsewhere, I am confident that you will find a wealth of information and possibilities to ponder for some time to come.
══════════════════
I was provided with an advance copy of this book, for which I thank the author, but I am sharing my honest and unbiased review on a completely voluntary basis.
December 6, 2024
This is a true crime story with an emotionally stagnant woman who used her career as a nurse to select, stalk, befriend and eventually murder her victims. The book is written very well, and included distinct and vivid details showing the obvious amount of research the author conducted to create a cohesive plot. His addition of opinion and hypothesis of Jane Tappen’s mental state I thought was on target. It was so sad how emotionally starved this killer was. The author’s writing talent is able to describe scenes to not only keep a reader engaged, but brings you into the scene as if you were there. A great read! I received a complimentary ARC, but I am voluntarily offering my personal opinion.
December 10, 2024
Jolly Jane Toppan, a dedicated and caring nurse to everyone that she worked with. But Jane isn't really all that jolly. She's a serial murderer, before the phrase "serial murderer" was ever coined.
She cares for the weak, the sick, the disabled. She also poisons them with a lethal cocktail of drugs and chemicals, keeping some teetering on the edge of death for her own pleasure.
Ryan Green has brought us into the twisted life and the despicable ways that Jane Toppan had dealt with people who were in her way, or people who suspected her of foul play... or people that she just didn't like.
It's unknown exactly how many people Jane killed, as the documentation doesn't exist, but it's estimated at one hundred. Think about that. One hundred people who were murdered by a "dedicated" nurse, in hospital and in private sector.
She cares for the weak, the sick, the disabled. She also poisons them with a lethal cocktail of drugs and chemicals, keeping some teetering on the edge of death for her own pleasure.
Ryan Green has brought us into the twisted life and the despicable ways that Jane Toppan had dealt with people who were in her way, or people who suspected her of foul play... or people that she just didn't like.
It's unknown exactly how many people Jane killed, as the documentation doesn't exist, but it's estimated at one hundred. Think about that. One hundred people who were murdered by a "dedicated" nurse, in hospital and in private sector.
December 2, 2024
This was a fascinating and equally disturbing book about the woman who is considered to be America's first serial killer, Jane Toppan. Toppan's life is detailed from her birth , her formative years, her adulthood and her death. Toppan was a nurse who poisoned and killed many of her patients as well as even some of her friends. She was a psychopath who derived pleasure from the deaths of others. I highly recommend this book to other true crime readers. I received an ARC of this book, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.
December 3, 2024
This book was gripping from start to finish. The author provided a detailed snapshot into the mind of this depraved murderer. Jane Toppan was able to drug, poison and murder person after person, year after year, while pretty much hiding in plain sight. Somehow, she was able to escape prosecution. She was wily, clever, calculating, and found new employment very quickly. She was relentless and chilling. At the end of the book, the author speaks of some very likely theories as to why Jane was the way she was. I found this book to be very fascinating.
February 7, 2025
Such a fantastic, gripping read! This was a twisted, fast-paced, interesting story, that I found I did not want to put down! It had a unique plot and well-developed characters. It was suspenseful, thrilling and addictive! I was glued to my Kindle screen from the first page to the last. If you like unputdownable true crime as much as I do, you CANNOT miss out on reading this book!!!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
December 1, 2024
A good true crime story about a killer nurse with zero empathy. It's all about Jane Toppan, no one else matters. Back when this happened, you sure didn't want to be tended by Jane, as you might be worth more dead than alive to her. She thought that she was very clever about hiding what she did, and got away with it for quite a long while.
December 4, 2024
Sweet Nurse
The turn of the century seemed to churn out serial killers but not the likes of what we might see today. Jane Toppan seemed more or less a victim of circumstance that lead to her killing spree. Ryan presents the facts as they are but I still can’t fully grasp if she enjoyed the killing more than having that control over someone’s life.
The turn of the century seemed to churn out serial killers but not the likes of what we might see today. Jane Toppan seemed more or less a victim of circumstance that lead to her killing spree. Ryan presents the facts as they are but I still can’t fully grasp if she enjoyed the killing more than having that control over someone’s life.
December 11, 2024
This is a great book about Jane Toppan who is one of the earliest Angels of Death. Ryan has clearly researched this topic as a lot of information is provided and is presented in an easy to read manner. I have read a lot of books by this author, and this is by far one of my favourites, as Angels of Death are a fascinating subject.
December 1, 2024
this book was sooooooo good i read it all in 2 nights. As someone who works in the medical field i dont understand how people can do these things to another human being. Can not to read another book of his already downloaded..
January 17, 2025
This is a true crime story of Jane Toppan, a killer nurse in 1895. This book goes into her childhood growing up poor, her need for attention, and her trying to live a life she is not meant to have. I highly recommend this non-fic book!
October 20, 2025
Incredibly interesting read that I could not put down. I especially appreciated the author's willingness to be candid when speaking of specific time frames in which documentation of Toppan was lacking and/or unable to be accredited.
December 2, 2024
Ever wonder what kind of person your caregiver is? This story made me cringe at how trusting we can be in the hands of medical professionals.
December 5, 2024
Another fantastic read from Ryan, which I knew nothing about. I throughly enjoyed reading this book and as always expertly told. Highly recommended if you like True Crime.
December 7, 2024
Excellent true story about one of Americas first serial killers in the 1800s.
December 18, 2024
ok
Interesting read however the author does waffle on a bit. The book could be half as long as it is
Interesting read however the author does waffle on a bit. The book could be half as long as it is
December 30, 2024
Wow
I really wasn't expecting a story like this. It was brilliant from start to end. It just goes to show what technology these days can do
I really wasn't expecting a story like this. It was brilliant from start to end. It just goes to show what technology these days can do
January 3, 2025
A great read. Would absolutely recommend!
March 18, 2025
Interesting person
How a nurse could do such things is flabbergasting. How did she feel these were okay? Definitely an evil person
How a nurse could do such things is flabbergasting. How did she feel these were okay? Definitely an evil person
May 23, 2025
Story well told
I enjoyed reading this book. It told about the many deaths in enough detail to understand what she was doing but not so graphic that you couldnt read it.
I enjoyed reading this book. It told about the many deaths in enough detail to understand what she was doing but not so graphic that you couldnt read it.
June 28, 2025
great read
Did not know about her.
Interesting to learn of medical practices that she used to her own devices,
her manipulation of her victims in their lives- just made me cringe.
Did not know about her.
Interesting to learn of medical practices that she used to her own devices,
her manipulation of her victims in their lives- just made me cringe.
January 7, 2025
I read a lot of true crime books and most are truly disturbing. This book, following the life and crimes of Jane Toppan, considered to be one of the first and most prolific serial killers, is more disturbing than most. Not because of the gruesomeness of the crimes (I've read a lot that are much worse), but because of her lack of empathy and selfishness. As the author says, "It is most unsettling to consider the idea that a person might kill and kill again, just to make their life easier."
Jane was the daughter of poor Irish immigrants, whose mother died due to TB and her father, unable to cope with raising his young daughters, drank and slowly went insane. Jane is sent to an orphanage and soon finds herself an indentured servant at a very young age. She is more fortunate than most in that situation since the family she serves treats her almost like a part of the family. When the young woman of the house decides to marry, Jane is devastated.
She becomes a nurse and is respected by those she works with, but she hides a dark secret. Jane begins to "experiment" on her patients, trying out different poisons on them to see how they react. She discovers that this brings her a type of sexual gratification and that only increases her desires to kill.
From hospital to hospital, then on to private nursing, Jane convinces herself that she can actually take over some of her wealthier patients' lives. Anyone who gets in her way, from patients to landlords to friends, isn't safe from her machinations. In 1895, she is finally caught when she kills an entire family. By the time her crimes are discovered, she had poisoned up to 100 people. But, she swore that she wasn't insane, remembering the treatments of her father and sister in asylums. Jane was (probably) the first Angel of Death, but her killings were not out of mercy; they were out of greed and self satisfaction.
The author does his usual amazing job in unearthing the crimes of the past, presenting them in a well-written and easy to read way. He also manages to humanize the victims so that they are not just names in a dry document. If you are a true crime fan, I highly recommend any of his books.
The narrator, Steve White, has become the voice of Green's books. His performance is great and fits the true crime genre perfectly.
Jane was the daughter of poor Irish immigrants, whose mother died due to TB and her father, unable to cope with raising his young daughters, drank and slowly went insane. Jane is sent to an orphanage and soon finds herself an indentured servant at a very young age. She is more fortunate than most in that situation since the family she serves treats her almost like a part of the family. When the young woman of the house decides to marry, Jane is devastated.
She becomes a nurse and is respected by those she works with, but she hides a dark secret. Jane begins to "experiment" on her patients, trying out different poisons on them to see how they react. She discovers that this brings her a type of sexual gratification and that only increases her desires to kill.
From hospital to hospital, then on to private nursing, Jane convinces herself that she can actually take over some of her wealthier patients' lives. Anyone who gets in her way, from patients to landlords to friends, isn't safe from her machinations. In 1895, she is finally caught when she kills an entire family. By the time her crimes are discovered, she had poisoned up to 100 people. But, she swore that she wasn't insane, remembering the treatments of her father and sister in asylums. Jane was (probably) the first Angel of Death, but her killings were not out of mercy; they were out of greed and self satisfaction.
The author does his usual amazing job in unearthing the crimes of the past, presenting them in a well-written and easy to read way. He also manages to humanize the victims so that they are not just names in a dry document. If you are a true crime fan, I highly recommend any of his books.
The narrator, Steve White, has become the voice of Green's books. His performance is great and fits the true crime genre perfectly.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews