The Mad Sculptor
The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder that Shook the Nation
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Narrated by:
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Peter Berkrot
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By:
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Harold Schechter
About this listen
Beekman Place, once one of the most exclusive addresses in Manhattan, had a curious way of making it into the tabloids in the 1930s: SKYSCRAPER SLAYER, BEAUTY SLAIN IN BATHTUB read the headlines. On Easter Sunday in 1937, the discovery of a grisly triple homicide at Beekman Place would rock the neighborhood yet again - and enthrall the nation. The young man who committed these murders would come to be known in the annals of American crime as the Mad Sculptor.
Caught up in the Easter Sunday slayings was a bizarre and sensationalistic cast of characters, seemingly cooked up in a tabloid editor’s overheated imagination. The charismatic perpetrator, Robert Irwin, was a brilliant young sculptor who had studied with some of the masters of the era. But with his genius also came a deeply disturbed psyche; Irwin was obsessed with sexual self-mutilation and was frequently overcome by outbursts of violent rage.
Irwin’s primary victim, Veronica Gedeon, was a figure from the world of pulp fantasy - a stunning photographer’s model whose scandalous seminude pinups would titillate the public for weeks after her death. Irwin’s defense attorney, Samuel Leibowitz, was a courtroom celebrity with an unmatched record of acquittals and clients ranging from Al Capone to the Scottsboro Boys. And Dr. Fredric Wertham, psychiatrist and forensic scientist, befriended Irwin years before the murders and had predicted them in a public lecture months before the crime.
Based on extensive research and archival records, The Mad Sculptor recounts the chilling story of the Easter Sunday murders - a case that sparked a nationwide manhunt and endures as one of the most engrossing American crime dramas of the 20th century. Harold Schechter’s masterly prose evokes the faded glory of post-Depression New York and the singular madness of a brilliant mind turned against itself. It will keep you riveted until the very end.
©2014 Harold Schechter (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
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- Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Long before the specter of terrorism haunted the public imagination, a serial bomber stalked the streets of 1950s New York. The race to catch him would give birth to a new science called criminal profiling. Grand Central, Penn Station, Radio City Music Hall - for almost two decades, no place was safe from the man who signed his anonymous letters "FP" and left his lethal devices in phone booths, storage lockers, even tucked into the plush seats of movie theaters.
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16 Years NYC Held Hostage
- By in1ear (John Row) on 04-27-17
By: Michael Cannell
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Wasted
- Inside the Robert Chambers-Jennifer Levin Murder
- By: Linda Wolfe
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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On an August night in 1986, Jennifer Levin left a Manhattan bar with Robert Chambers. The next morning, her strangled, battered body was found in Central Park. Linda Wolfe goes beyond the headlines and media hype to recreate a story of a teenager whose immigrant mother was determined to make a better life for her son, a petty thief and drug user who'd been expelled from the best schools. Wasted powerfully depicts the freewheeling 1980s society that spawned a generation steeped in violence and the fatal impulses that drove Robert Chambers to kill.
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A very thorough reporting for the time
- By Amazon Customer on 12-28-16
By: Linda Wolfe
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The Real Lolita
- The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World
- By: Sarah Weinman
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita is one of the most beloved novels ever. And yet, very few of its readers know that the subject of the novel was inspired by a real-life case: the 1948 abduction of 11-year-old Sally Horner. Weaving together suspenseful crime narrative, cultural and social history, and literary investigation, The Real Lolita tells Sally Horner’s full story for the first time. Sarah Weinman uncovers how much Nabokov knew of the Sally Horner case and the efforts he took to disguise that knowledge during the process of writing and publishing Lolita.
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Meandering and tedious while never delivering the promised story.
- By Timothy McCarthy on 09-15-18
By: Sarah Weinman
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People Who Eat Darkness
- The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo - and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
- By: Richard Lloyd Parry
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Lucie Blackman - tall, blond, 21 years old - stepped out into the vastness of Tokyo in the summer of 2000 and disappeared. The following winter, her dismembered remains were found buried in a seaside cave. The seven months in between had seen a massive search for the missing girl involving Japanese policemen, British private detectives, and Lucie’s desperate but bitterly divided parents. Had Lucie been abducted by a religious cult or snatched by human traffickers? Who was the mysterious man she had gone to meet? And what did her work as a hostess in the notorious Roppongi district of Tokyo really involve?
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This is the audiobook against I rate all others.
- By El_Ron on 03-08-13
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Manhunters
- Criminal Profilers and Their Search for the World’s Most Wanted Serial Killers
- By: Colin Wilson
- Narrated by: Brandon Massey
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In this fascinating, in-depth account of the hunt for serial killers, Colin Wilson, one of the world's leading authorities on the subject, examines the ways they can be tracked down and caught, from the tried-and-true methods of the early 20th century to the high-tech processes in use today. Wilson examines such areas as psychological profiling, genetic fingerprinting, and the launch of the Behavioral Science Unit. He delves into the importance of fantasy to serial killers, the urge to keep on killing, the desire to become notorious, and murder as an addictive drug.
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Reprinted Material, Questionable Commentary
- By B on 10-18-15
By: Colin Wilson
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The Evil That Men Do
- FBI Profiler Roy Hazelwood's Journey into the Minds of Sexual Predators
- By: Stephen G. Michaud, Roy Hazelwood
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Twenty-two years in the FBI, 16 of them as a member of the Bureau's Behavioral Science Unit. Roy Hazelwood, like many investigators, has seen it all. But unlike most, he's gone further into the dark and twisted psyches of serial killers and sadistic sexual offenders and has emerged as one of the world's foremost experts on the sexual criminal. Acclaimed true-crime writer Stephen G. Michaud takes you into the heart of Hazelwood's work through dozens of startling cases, including those of the Lonely Heart Killer, the "Ken and Barbie" killings, and the Atlanta Child Murders.
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Always learning!
- By T. Barrett on 09-10-19
By: Stephen G. Michaud, and others
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The Battered Body Beneath the Flagstones, and Other Victorian Scandals
- By: Michelle Morgan
- Narrated by: Anne Dover
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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A grisly book dedicated to the crimes, perversions and outrages of Victorian England, covering high-profile offences - such as the murder of actor William Terriss, whose stabbing at the stage door of the Adelphi Theatre in 1897 filled the front pages for many weeks - as well as lesser-known transgressions that scandalised the Victorian era. The tales include murders and violent crimes but also feature scandals that merely amused the Victorians.
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Doesn’t question it’s sources enough
- By Emily Stoneking on 11-27-18
By: Michelle Morgan
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Unholy Messenger
- The Life and Crimes of the BTK Serial Killer
- By: Stephen Singular
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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To all appearances, Dennis Rader was a model citizen in the small town of Park City, Kansas, where he had lived with his family almost his entire life. He was a town compliance officer, a former Boy Scout leader, the president of his church congregation, and a seemingly ordinary father and husband. But Rader's average life belied the existence of his dark, sadistic other self: he was the BTK serial killer.
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It's a Christian Book!!
- By Nick on 07-07-16
By: Stephen Singular
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Undisclosed Files of the Police
- Cases from the Archives of the NYPD from 1831 to the Present
- By: Bernard Whalen, Philip Messing, Robert Mladinich
- Narrated by: Peter Ganim
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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More than 175 years of true crimes culled from the city's police blotter, told through an insightful text by two NYPD officers and a NYC crime reporter. From atrocities that occurred before the establishment of New York's police force in 1845 through the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 to the present day, this audio is an insider's look at more than 80 real-life crimes that shocked the nation, from arson to gangland murders, robberies, serial killers, bombings, and kidnappings.
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Good History of Crime in NYC
- By Bob Shinders on 03-10-17
By: Bernard Whalen, and others
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Death in the City of Light
- The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris
- By: David King
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Death in the City of Light is the gripping, true story of a brutal serial killer who unleashed his own reign of terror in Nazi-Occupied Paris. As decapitated heads and dismembered body parts surfaced in the Seine, Commissaire Georges-Victor Massu, head of the Brigade Criminelle, was tasked with tracking down the elusive murderer in a twilight world of Gestapo, gangsters, resistance fighters, pimps, prostitutes, spies, and other shadowy figures of the Parisian underworld. The main suspect was Dr. Marcel Petiot, a handsome, charming physician with remarkable charisma.
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Too many facts too little story
- By Caitanya on 09-27-11
By: David King
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No Regrets: And Other True Cases
- And Other True Cases (Ann Rule's Crime Files, Book 11)
- By: Ann Rule
- Narrated by: Laural Merlington
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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A ship's pilot legendary for guiding mammoth freighters through the narrows of Puget Sound, Rolf Neslund was a proud Norwegian, a ladies' man, and a beloved resident of Washington State's idyllic Lopez Island. Virtually indestructible even into his golden years, he made electrifying headlines more than once: after a ship he was helming crashed into the soaring West Seattle Bridge, causing millions in damages; and following his inexplicable disappearance at age 80. Was he a suicide, a man broken by one costly misstep? Had he run off with a lifelong love? Or did a trail of gruesome evidence lead to the home Rolf shared with his wife, Ruth?
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Finally...worth it!
- By Luv lots on 09-04-13
By: Ann Rule
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What listeners say about The Mad Sculptor
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Douglas Grey
- 06-15-18
amazing true crime
a great story about a forgotten tabloid murder mystery. very entertaining and easy to hear.
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- Angie D
- 08-27-14
Tabloids gone wilder!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, it was a great view into the history of journalism and what tabloids used to be able to get away with. It was also interesting to learn about how criminal investigations were conducted in the 1930's. I could easily see how investigators could be influenced by journalism and how people could be wrongfully convicted because of the lack of forensic science for crime scene analysis.
What does Peter Berkrot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He brings personality and life to the era that I may not have applied on my own. I probably would have read those sections to myself in more of a textbook tone and that would have done injustice to the overall story.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No laughing or crying but a couple of cringe-worthy moments. Graphic retelling of crime scenes and some of it was especially hard to listen to just because of the nature of the crime.
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- Been There Done That
- 04-13-14
Great , interesting story!!!
What did you love best about The Mad Sculptor?
I was amazed at the mind of the Mad Sculptor, Bob Irwin and how it operated and managed to stay free and untouched for years.
What other book might you compare The Mad Sculptor to and why?
I really don't think a comparison is possible. This is a unique, stand alone novel.
Which character – as performed by Peter Berkrot – was your favorite?
Bob Irwin, of course.
If you could give The Mad Sculptor a new subtitle, what would it be?
Totally Gone
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9 people found this helpful
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- Kathleen Smith-Bernat
- 11-05-14
Too long
What did you like best about The Mad Sculptor? What did you like least?
can't remember
What do you think your next listen will be?
I don't know
Which scene was your favorite?
So long I forgot
Do you think The Mad Sculptor needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No, there couldn't possibly be more to this story
Any additional comments?
No
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- Lori Hanson
- 02-13-20
Interesting, but can be confusing
I have the Kindle version and will have to use it the next time I listen to this. You have to pay attention or you miss something.
As other reviewers pointed out, he does go off on a little bit of tangent, talking about other crimes. I'm guessing that was for context. I have another book from this author on serial killer Belle Gunness so I knew what to expect. This book differs from that one in that he went deeper into the killer's psyche to offer us a glimpse of his disturbed mind. Not bedtime reading!
If true crime is your thing, I recommend this book and the one on Belle.
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- 6catz
- 03-24-14
A Forgotten Crime of the Century
Any additional comments?
Like the better novels in this genre, this is a fascinating and creepy look at the shocking crimes engendered by a truly distorted mind, and the ensuing media frenzy that would inspire the classic play (and later films) titled "The Front Page." The author gives us a keen sense of the time and place of these events, enriched by the thoughts of the people who came into contact with both the killer and his victims. One of the best of it's kind.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 07-06-14
Enjoyable and Interesting
If you could sum up The Mad Sculptor in three words, what would they be?
Harold Schechter knows how to write. I have read many of his books but this is the first that I've listened to.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Commoncent$
- 06-25-18
1930s murder
3.5 stars The author is particularly well versed in these types of novels. This book layers similar stories of gruesome crimes committed in 1930’s US. I was startled by how ferocious crimes committed against kids there were during this period.
The author had so much info and tried to describe the 30’s US lifestyle that the main crime story kind of got lost in the craziness. I got confused a few times trying to keep track of what/who/which crime was being discussed and how it tied into what the novel was trying to depict.
I appreciated the knowledge of the ‘comic book crusades’ – how comic books were said/blame for the rise in criminal behavior in the states…much like how penny dreadfuls were blamed in 1800’s England or video games are touted today.
I think this book suffered a bit with balancing certain facts to show the cohesion of events. Still worth reading and I enjoyed the info.
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- L. Tison
- 12-03-18
Not sure how all these stories go together
I am a fan of true crime, and I have read some of Harold Schechter's shorter works. That is why I gave this one a try. I liked the main story. I even liked the other side stories. However, I don't really understand why all these stories are together under the same title. I think I would have liked it better if the other side stories were in a separate volume and elaborated just a bit more. That's not to say there was anything bad about the book. It held my attention and the stories were interesting. I think the narrator was a good choice. He was perhaps the best part of the experience.
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- Anya Grady
- 01-28-21
Another Fascinating Journey
When Schechter tells one killer's story, it never stays on a straight road to the finish. Exhaustively researched, you will learn anything and everything that impacts the culture of the time, the circumstances of the crime, and the response of the public. MYRIAD side trails lead down the backstory and previous doings of major players and provide another dimension of fascination
Schechter takes a thousand pieces of primary source material and stitches it together in a narrative style that reads like a novel. You disbelieve how he could possibly know this or that detail, but later find it referenced in articles, letters, and court transcripts
It's pretty damn fun to listen to
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