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The Last Book on the Left: Stories of Murder and Mayhem from History’s Most Notorious Serial Killers

Ben Kissel,

Marcus Parks

Henry Zebrowski

Tom Neely (Illustrations)

4.36 · Rating details · 14 ratings · 10 reviews

An equal parts haunting and hilarious deep-dive review of history’s most notorious and cold-blooded serial killers, from the creators of the award-winning Last Podcast on the Left

Since its first show in 2010, The Last Podcast on the Left has barreled headlong into all things horror, as hosts Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel, and Marcus Parks cover subjects spanning Jeffrey ...more

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Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: April 7th 2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Start your review of The Last Book on the Left: Stories of Murder and Mayhem from History’s Most Notorious Serial Killers

May 23, 2019 Jessica Peace marked it as to-read

YALL!!!! My favorite podcast in the entire universe is releasing a book. Marcus, Ben, and Henry got me through some times and this is officially my most anticipated book EVER.

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Nov 05, 2019 Kelso McNaught rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, dark-comedy-humor, nonfiction, true-crime

UPDATE: I received a physical ARC of this from one of my coworkers who was hoarding it for himself. I ate it up in a few days, here's my review below.

I know why you're here, I know why this is on your TBR list, it's because you're a fan of the show. So, I really don't have to explain what you'll get out of this book. If you love LPoTL, then you're going to obviously enjoy the heck out of this book.

The book (which sounds like the first in a possible series of topics) is about some of the more ...more

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Jan 03, 2020 ElphaReads rated it it was amazing

Shelves: american-history, non-fiction, reading-list-2020, true-crime, world-history

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book!

THE LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT is my favorite podcast out there, for a couple of reasons. The first is that the content it covers is always going to be up my alley. Serial killers, aliens, supernatural events, and conspiracy theories are par for the course on this show, and I find myself learning a lot about crazy topics. But it's also hosts Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski that really sell this show to me. Not only is the Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book!

THE LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT is my favorite podcast out there, for a couple of reasons. The first is that the content it covers is always going to be up my alley. Serial killers, aliens, supernatural events, and conspiracy theories are par for the course on this show, and I find myself learning a lot about crazy topics. But it's also hosts Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, and Henry Zebrowski that really sell this show to me. Not only is the content incredibly well researched and presented in comprehensive and entertaining ways, all three hosts are very, very funny in their commentary and insights. They've also grown a lot in the ten years that they've been podcasting, and have tried to adjust and improve their show as time has gone on. So when I found out they had a book coming out, I was ECSTATIC. I kept looking for eARCs on NetGalley, and when I was approved for it I literally screamed out in joy.

Marcus Parks, Ben Kissel, and Henry Zebrowski have compiled comprehensive histories of some of the most notorious serial killers the world has ever seen. With deep dive research and black humor, Parks, Kissel, and Zebrowski tell the stories of these murderers in similar ways that they would do so on their hit podcast.

I'm incredibly biased, so I, of course, really loved THE LAST BOOK ON THE LEFT. Marcus Parks has once again brought his impeccable research skills to the table and crafted interesting and intricate narratives that map out the histories of people like Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, Richard Ramirez, and more. While I know a lot about almost all of the people covered in this book, Parks always manages to bring new information forward that teaches me something new. I especially loved that even though all of these topics have been covered on the podcast, Parks made sure to make it fresh, new, and unique with new material and content to share. But the other thing that really worked for me with this book was that, thanks to Ben Kissel, Henry Zebrowski, and some well designed graphics, we still get the Kissel and Zebrowski commentary on the stories that we get on the podcast. It truly felt like I was reading a podcast episode, and I was laughing just as hard as I do while listening to their show. The fact that they were able to capture the essence of their show and what makes it unique and put it successfully to the page says so much about the talents of all three men.

THE LAST BOOK ON THE LEFT was everything I wanted it to be. I think that people who are unfamiliar with the podcast (who are open to the idea of gallows humor) who are interested in true crime will find a very informative spread within its pages. Hail Yourselves, guys!! This was great! ...more

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Dec 19, 2019 Suzi rated it it was amazing

I love the "Last Podcast on the Left"! These guys and their hilarious podcast have often kept me company on my long commute. Now they have written a book which focuses on serial killers. It reads like you are listening to a conversation among good friends, who are just slightly insane. You can tell they have done their homework about serial killers and maybe enjoyed it just a little too much. Read the book, listen to the podcast- enjoy the creepiness!

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Dec 10, 2019 Ebony rated it really liked it

I have not listened to Last Podcast on the Left but I have heard about them. I'm always interested to read true crime so I knew right away that I wanted to read this one. The book is well written and you can tell a lot of research has been put into each of the 9 serial killer profiles. I think the only criticism I have towards the book is that they do only focus on serial killers that have been talked about and discussed thousands of times before. A look into lesser known killers would have made ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 AV marked it as tbr-crime-mystery

Yes.

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Jan 02, 2020 Laura rated it liked it

Honestly? I was really disappointed by this book. I've listened to LPoTL for 3 or 4 years now, and I was SO EXCITED to read this. But it's just...boring. Listen to the podcast instead (unless you also disagree with the podcast moving to Spotify exclusively, which screws over listeners in countries that can't get Spotify; a fact the guys have never addressed to my knowledge). I certainly acknowledge the hard work Marcus Parks put into writing and researching while also working on the podcast, but ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Angie rated it really liked it

Interesting, informative and concise whilst still giving all the pertinent details I found "The Last Book On The Left" to be a relatively quick read. I haven't listened to the podcast, and I'm not American, so some of the references went over my head but I did find some parts witty and enjoyed the sections at the end of each chapter. Augusta and Harvey the dog were personal highlights. I will give the podcast a go after this. ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Kira rated it it was amazing

I received this book in exchange for a honest review from NetGalley.

I have been listening to "The Last Podcast on the Left" for many years now and I have been anticipating this book for a while so when it popped up on my netgalley recommendations I requested it immediately. I have loved this book, it is full of all of the respectful but irreverent humor that I have come to expect from Marcus, Henry and Ben. They do a great job of laying out all of the facts, incorporating some humor while still ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 Leslie rated it liked it

The hilarious and morbid LPOTL is one of my favorite podcasts. After reading Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide (from another of my favorite podcasts) I was eager to read this offering from the guys. Long time listeners and hardcore true crime fans aren't going to learn anything new here. However, the humor and tone of the show are spot on which makes it very easy to "hear" Ben, Marcus & Henry's voices as you read. That, combined with the new and hilarious ...more

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