The Babysitter Audiobook By Liza Rodman, Jennifer Jordan cover art

The Babysitter

My Summers with a Serial Killer

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Babysitter

By: Liza Rodman, Jennifer Jordan
Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Aida Reluzco
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

This chilling true story and “harrowing account of the evil that can lurk around the edges of girlhood” (Carolyn Murnick, author of The Hot One) - reminiscent of Ann Rule’s classic The Stranger Beside Me - follows a little girl longing for love who finds friendship with her charismatic babysitter, unaware that he is a vicious serial killer.

Growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s, Liza Rodman was a lonely little girl. During the summers, while her mother worked days in a local motel and danced most nights in the Provincetown bars, her babysitter - the kind, handsome handyman at the motel where her mother worked - took her and her sister on adventures in his truck. He bought them popsicles and together, they visited his “secret garden” in the Truro woods. To Liza, he was one of the few kind, understanding, and safe adults in her life.

But there was one thing she didn’t know; their babysitter was a serial killer.

Though Tony Costa’s gruesome case made screaming headlines in 1969 and beyond, Liza never made the connection between her friendly babysitter and the infamous killer of numerous women, including four in Massachusetts, until decades later.

Haunted by nightmares and horrified by what she learned, Liza became obsessed with the case. Now, she and cowriter Jennifer Jordan reveal “a suspenseful portrayal of murderous madness in tandem with a child’s growing loneliness, neglect, and despair, a narrative collision that will haunt” (Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita) you long after you finish it.

©2021 Marathon Mediaworks, Inc. and Jennifer Jordan. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
Serial Killers Women Scary Transportation Summer
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Babysitter

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    536
  • 4 Stars
    253
  • 3 Stars
    117
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    18
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    554
  • 4 Stars
    195
  • 3 Stars
    62
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    488
  • 4 Stars
    200
  • 3 Stars
    93
  • 2 Stars
    34
  • 1 Stars
    18

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

two books in one - and only one is worth a listen

The chapters on Tony Costa and his evolution were well researched, well told, and fascinating. Liza's chapters seemed an exercise in written therapy trying to come to terms with her childhood with a mother who never should have been a mother. It added actually nothing to the story being presented about Costa and at a certain point we started skipping her chapters. This was two books smushed into one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

very interesting storyline

I loved the 2 different perspectives in this story. great read.

I felt bad for lizzy as she was mistreated her entire life by her mother.

It was also interesting to get a perspective from a killer and what brought him to murdering innocent people.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting depiction of case and time period…

…but reads a little pathetic, like the author is talking to her therapist. I’d only recommend if you’re out of Ann Rule books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truth is more shocking than fiction

Well written and well read. Halfway through I had to double check this was indeed a true story. An almost unbelievable tale, told from a point of view not often seen. Recommended to those interested in true crime, life in the 60s, and for those interested in stories of kids growing up amidst difficult situations. As there are multiple “adult situations,”you’ll likely not want to listen around younger ears.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable Memoir

I loved the two perspectives this story gave me. It showed what life was like in his time and I loved getting the duo of two lives. It's less a true crime novel than a memoir that involves true crime. I really liked it though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

GREAT audio book 👍

I personally loved listening to this book. great narration and very well written. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a non fiction story. I especially likes the 2 different story's from tony and Liza. thanks for the great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting memoir

If you're looking for a straight true crime story, one that covers just Tony Costa and his crimes, this probably isn't the book for you. I found the story of Liza's life with an abusive and neglectful alcoholic mother to be very engaging and it's interesting to see her childhood perspective on Tony and his mother and then how different some things seem when looking back through adult eyes with knowledge of what happened.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The babysitter

Excellent
Excellent
I love the way it is spilt between the two main characters.
I almost feel sorry for T Costa.
Diane

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Spellbinding

This book had me at hello. First of all the narration is stellar. I just listened to a book that I sped up because the narrator was so bad but the story was a good one. I am a true crime buff from way back. This is a really interesting story because the narrator was involved in the killer’s life as a child. It’s really well written and delivered. If you love True Crime don’t miss this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Detailed account from a personal perspective

Captivating Story told from a personal account of interactions with the killer. One of a kind

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!