Crimes of Passion: An Unblinking Look At Murderous Love

by Howard Engel

Celebrated mystery writer Howard Engel traces the history of the crime of passion through France, England, Canada, and the United States in his first nonfiction book. The story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in England, is explored along with more familiar, modern cases, such as those of O. J. Simpson and Lorena Bobbitt. With each sordid tale, Engel explores the legal codes and moral implications surrounding crimes of passion throughout history. Careful research and a novelist’s eye for detail and dramatization bring each grisly case into chilling clarity. Crimes of Passion is a must-read for true crime enthusiasts, armchair historians, and fans of the macabre.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, History, Psychology, Crime

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Howard Engel was a pioneering, award-winning Canadian mystery and non-fiction author. He is famous for his Benny Cooperman private-eye series, set in the Niagara Region of Ontario.

He and Eric Wright are two of the authors responsible for founding Crime Writers Of Canada. He had twins Charlotte and William with authoress, Marian Engel. He has a son, Jacob, with his late wife, authoress Janet Hamilton: with whom he co-wrote "Murder In Space".

A stroke in 2001 famously caused "alexia sine agraphia". It was a disease that hampered Howard's ability to comprehend written words, even though he could continue to write! He retired in Toronto, where he continued to inspire and mentor future authors and writers of all kinds. Maureen Jennings, creator of the Murdoch novels and still-running television series, is among them.

Unfortunately, he died of pneumonia that arose after a stroke. True animal-lovers: Howard's beloved living cat, Kali, is included by their family in his obituary.

Reviews

[Eva Müller · Rating 2 out of 5]

She was a twenty-two-year-old blonde beauty, who could drink most men under the table, if she wasn't already under the table with one of them herself

Well, that was a mess. In a few chapters the author actually points out that he doesn't consider those crimes of passion. Now in some of those the press did treat them as crimes of passion during in their coverage which means there's still some justification in having them in the book. But then there's also a case of a couple who killed a third person just to show they could and he brings up Lizzie Borden. Who apparently killed her parents because they stood in the way of a relationship. Proof? A reason why he thinks so? LOL nope.
The quality of those chapters that deal with real crimes of passion also vary. A lot. Some really give a good and comprehensive overview of the case. But others jump back and forth chronologically, loose themselves in pretentious comparisons to literature (every single husband who killed his wife out of jealousy gives the author a reason to tell us how well he understood Othello), aren't really a complete narrative but some quotes from other sources that got thrown together and barely have any linking narration inbetween, or miss out some information on the case. (In one chapter he only mentions that the suspected murderer is free now, without saying if he was acquitted or given just a very short sentence).

[Mary]

Currently reading

[Deanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting series of historic cases where passion seems to play a part. Some are well known cases such as Dr Crippen others are less well known.

[. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best true crime anthology I've ever read.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

book was informative but the author didn't understand women very well.

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad read, but I would have preferred a more in depth dive in some of the cases and I feel like some of them could have been omitted.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just meh. Basically just endless case studies of crimes of passion and the circumstances of each case. Interesting enough, but quite repetitive after a while. It was infuriating, however, to see how biased the courts have been towards men who kill their wives over the reverse. It's scary that even today there are still issues where men can get away with killing their wives while women get heavier penalties for killing their husbands.

[Jennifer Giles Hinojosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some interesting cases but I found it hard to get past the author's pretentiousness. Most of the cases were not well known and hardly any facts about the crimes were given. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

[ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Style is a bit shoddy and facetious, but the case studies show impressive historical and situational range. I did not get any ideas.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Choppy, sometimes lyrically written, but mostly seemed more like a senior thesis that needed some more organizing and fleshing out.

[andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty sad actually but interesting too