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Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder
A brilliant and bloody examination of the axe's foundational role in human history, from prehistoric violence, to war and executions, to newspaper headlines and popular culture.
For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill.
Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology—one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it.
Whack Job is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, to its use in King Henry VIII's favorite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present.
For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill.
Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology—one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it.
Whack Job is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, to its use in King Henry VIII's favorite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
December 28, 2024
(Quick note: I'd be remiss not to note that fellow reviewer of this book, Emily Poche, wrote a stellar review of the book before I did and we were apparently turned off by much of the same things. Give her review a read, too! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
I don't always believe authors need to give people exactly what they are expecting. Some of the best stories can come out of nowhere. I am reminded of Patrick Radden Keefe's amazing Say Nothing. It was billed as a true crime story about a woman who was disappeared. It was a bit of a misdirection, but Keefe ultimately told such an exceptional story that myself (and a lot of other people based on reviews) let it slide without a peep. I bring this up because Rachel McCarthy James's Whack Job: A History of the Axe Murder is quite misleading in a bad way.
When you think "axe murder", you probably think of Lizzie Borden. She is chapter 9 out of 12 in this book. For historical true crime junkies (guilty!), you also think of the Axeman of New Orleans. The Axeman is not in this book. What is in this book is a hodgepodge of killings that most people would not define as axe murders. In fact, Lizzie Borden at chapter 9 is probably the first axe murder in the narrative. Before that are political executions, early man killings (maybe!) with something sharp, and stories which may actually be myths.
Now, I always say the author gets to write the book they want and not what the reader wants. James is allowed to define the term axe murder any way she wants. However, James doesn't even fully define what an axe murder is from her perspective at any point (pun intended!) in the book. This causes another major problem with the question of what is the book really about? Is it just a loose list of killings with a sharp object? Is there anything deeper here? By the end , I did not find any real analysis or reason for this book to exist.
There is also a major tone problem. James will often times write almost flippantly or casually and then will veer off and quote a scholar or academic. I don't have a problem with either approach, but mixing them together makes it seem like two books jammed together. It also leads James to use some gross word choices or be overly simplistic about events around what she is writing. I read an ARC, so I won't quote directly from the source, but I sincerely hope the author and publisher take a second look at the section on the Korean axe murder incident where two U.N. officers were murdered. It is a shallow explanation and vaguely dismissive of a tragedy.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
I don't always believe authors need to give people exactly what they are expecting. Some of the best stories can come out of nowhere. I am reminded of Patrick Radden Keefe's amazing Say Nothing. It was billed as a true crime story about a woman who was disappeared. It was a bit of a misdirection, but Keefe ultimately told such an exceptional story that myself (and a lot of other people based on reviews) let it slide without a peep. I bring this up because Rachel McCarthy James's Whack Job: A History of the Axe Murder is quite misleading in a bad way.
When you think "axe murder", you probably think of Lizzie Borden. She is chapter 9 out of 12 in this book. For historical true crime junkies (guilty!), you also think of the Axeman of New Orleans. The Axeman is not in this book. What is in this book is a hodgepodge of killings that most people would not define as axe murders. In fact, Lizzie Borden at chapter 9 is probably the first axe murder in the narrative. Before that are political executions, early man killings (maybe!) with something sharp, and stories which may actually be myths.
Now, I always say the author gets to write the book they want and not what the reader wants. James is allowed to define the term axe murder any way she wants. However, James doesn't even fully define what an axe murder is from her perspective at any point (pun intended!) in the book. This causes another major problem with the question of what is the book really about? Is it just a loose list of killings with a sharp object? Is there anything deeper here? By the end , I did not find any real analysis or reason for this book to exist.
There is also a major tone problem. James will often times write almost flippantly or casually and then will veer off and quote a scholar or academic. I don't have a problem with either approach, but mixing them together makes it seem like two books jammed together. It also leads James to use some gross word choices or be overly simplistic about events around what she is writing. I read an ARC, so I won't quote directly from the source, but I sincerely hope the author and publisher take a second look at the section on the Korean axe murder incident where two U.N. officers were murdered. It is a shallow explanation and vaguely dismissive of a tragedy.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
April 30, 2025
Well uh... this isn't really about axe murder?
This is a collection of historical stories where an axe happens to be present. When I read the title I was expecting more of a collection of true crime murders perpetrated by someone wielding an axe. But the majority of these stories are from historical battles where people get killed by axes during wartime, leaders buried with axes as a show of force, or just beheading executions. I'm not joking when I say that the first true "axe murder" story doesn't happen until chapter 9 (and there's only 12 chapters).
I'm not sure if this one is on me but I was expecting something different. But then again the actual definition of axe murder is never clearly stated. I feel like the author and I have very different views on what that could mean. I just feel very misled with what this book is actually about.
The author's writing just wasn't my style either. It's a mix of casual discussion with academic research and it comes off as very jarring and tonally confusing. I also didn't love the lack of respect towards the deceased that some of the stories got.
I should also mention that I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's voice kept me going. If I had the physical/e-book of it, I think I would've DNF'd it. I think in a different format it wouldn't have kept my attention.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*
This is a collection of historical stories where an axe happens to be present. When I read the title I was expecting more of a collection of true crime murders perpetrated by someone wielding an axe. But the majority of these stories are from historical battles where people get killed by axes during wartime, leaders buried with axes as a show of force, or just beheading executions. I'm not joking when I say that the first true "axe murder" story doesn't happen until chapter 9 (and there's only 12 chapters).
I'm not sure if this one is on me but I was expecting something different. But then again the actual definition of axe murder is never clearly stated. I feel like the author and I have very different views on what that could mean. I just feel very misled with what this book is actually about.
The author's writing just wasn't my style either. It's a mix of casual discussion with academic research and it comes off as very jarring and tonally confusing. I also didn't love the lack of respect towards the deceased that some of the stories got.
I should also mention that I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's voice kept me going. If I had the physical/e-book of it, I think I would've DNF'd it. I think in a different format it wouldn't have kept my attention.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*
March 1, 2025
I received a free copy of, Whack Job, by Rachel McCarthy James, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the story about the axe. People all over the world, through the centuries have used an axe. Probably the famous user of an axe is Lizzie Borden. This was an interesting read, on the axe.
May 5, 2025
When the author says, in the introduction, Early on in the process of writing my first book about axe murder (loc. 17*), you know you're in for a ride.
This calls itself a history of axe murder, but I don't think that's quite right—it's more that this is a romp through various historical axe murders, with a lot of discussion of why axes used to be more common (and thus more likely to be used in murder) and what they meant about social status and how the term "axe murderer" came about. The specific stories range from ones I've never heard of (I'm not up on my Viking history, nor really my ancient Egyptian history) to famous cases (Lizzie Borden, anyone?) to just really devastating cases. I found that my interest increased as the book went on, partly because I just don't have that much interest in ancient history and partly because the more recent stories simply have so much more that is known—even when a lot of what is known about, say, the Borden case is just how much went wrong in the investigations.
The energy here is high: Don't go in expecting to come out an expert in axe murder, but do expect chapters that end with a lead-in to the next chapter, making it hard to put the book down for the night. This is one to read for entertainment purposes rather than for research purposes (though the endnotes might get you somewhere with the latter), but if you like your entertainment with a side of axe murder, this will do you well.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
This calls itself a history of axe murder, but I don't think that's quite right—it's more that this is a romp through various historical axe murders, with a lot of discussion of why axes used to be more common (and thus more likely to be used in murder) and what they meant about social status and how the term "axe murderer" came about. The specific stories range from ones I've never heard of (I'm not up on my Viking history, nor really my ancient Egyptian history) to famous cases (Lizzie Borden, anyone?) to just really devastating cases. I found that my interest increased as the book went on, partly because I just don't have that much interest in ancient history and partly because the more recent stories simply have so much more that is known—even when a lot of what is known about, say, the Borden case is just how much went wrong in the investigations.
The energy here is high: Don't go in expecting to come out an expert in axe murder, but do expect chapters that end with a lead-in to the next chapter, making it hard to put the book down for the night. This is one to read for entertainment purposes rather than for research purposes (though the endnotes might get you somewhere with the latter), but if you like your entertainment with a side of axe murder, this will do you well.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
December 28, 2024
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder by Rachel McCarthey James is a pop nonfiction title with an eye-popping title and an even snappier subject. While the book bills itself as a walk through the human history of “axe murder” the book doesn’t seem to find its footing.
From the start, the very definition of ‘axe murder’ never really gets pinned down. In order to create a cohesive history of anything, parameters help create some guidance as to what’s of narratrice violence. Across the chapters the “axe murder” vacillates as wildly from ‘inconclusive evidence of early hominid violence with blunt tool’ to ‘political executions.’ Neither of these things really seem to fit the model and make it seem as if perhaps there aren’t data points to create a full story. The book is notably brief and skips known axe murders like the early 1900s Axeman of New Orleans, which is a somewhat confusing omission.
The other element that really holds the book back is the lack of cohesion. Across the several chapters there is very little cohesion, very little thesis. With the exception of the brief sections at the end of the chapters, the chapters feel more like a series of dots than a true “line.” The writing, like the chapters, at times couldn’t seem to pick a tone. In certain chapters the tone bordered on scholarly and dry and in others it was peppered with asides from the author. While the intrusion of some snark from the author isn’t unwanted in a good pop nonfiction piece, it’s the inconsistency that really struck me.
The book was not totally without bright spots. When the author gets it right, they really do a wonderful job of creating dynamic and interesting vignettes. The balance of scene setting and facts was particularly good in the chapters about Lizzie Borden and the murders at Taliesin.
For the truly voracious true crime reader who had an appetite for knowing about any and all things morbid, this could be an interesting read. That being said, I thought the issues in macro editing and tonal choices did not make it something I’d personally recommend. 2/5.
Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder by Rachel McCarthey James is a pop nonfiction title with an eye-popping title and an even snappier subject. While the book bills itself as a walk through the human history of “axe murder” the book doesn’t seem to find its footing.
From the start, the very definition of ‘axe murder’ never really gets pinned down. In order to create a cohesive history of anything, parameters help create some guidance as to what’s of narratrice violence. Across the chapters the “axe murder” vacillates as wildly from ‘inconclusive evidence of early hominid violence with blunt tool’ to ‘political executions.’ Neither of these things really seem to fit the model and make it seem as if perhaps there aren’t data points to create a full story. The book is notably brief and skips known axe murders like the early 1900s Axeman of New Orleans, which is a somewhat confusing omission.
The other element that really holds the book back is the lack of cohesion. Across the several chapters there is very little cohesion, very little thesis. With the exception of the brief sections at the end of the chapters, the chapters feel more like a series of dots than a true “line.” The writing, like the chapters, at times couldn’t seem to pick a tone. In certain chapters the tone bordered on scholarly and dry and in others it was peppered with asides from the author. While the intrusion of some snark from the author isn’t unwanted in a good pop nonfiction piece, it’s the inconsistency that really struck me.
The book was not totally without bright spots. When the author gets it right, they really do a wonderful job of creating dynamic and interesting vignettes. The balance of scene setting and facts was particularly good in the chapters about Lizzie Borden and the murders at Taliesin.
For the truly voracious true crime reader who had an appetite for knowing about any and all things morbid, this could be an interesting read. That being said, I thought the issues in macro editing and tonal choices did not make it something I’d personally recommend. 2/5.
May 14, 2025
"Once Freydis challenged her husband’s manliness, he and his men had little choice but to murder. Accusing your husband of “unmanliness” and threatening divorce was a standard way to get him to be violent on your behalf. By the age of Erik the Red,... [v]iolence was an expected part of masculinity, and there was little more important than masculinity ." p64
Final Review
Other reviewers have noted this book is more of a detailed history of the axe itself than of axe murder or axe murderers, but I think this is a mischaracterization. Maybe slightly mismarketed, but still interesting enough to carry its own and definitely brimming with stories about axe killings throughout history. This piece feels more like history than true crime-- it certainly doesn't revel in the crimes it reports. I think this one should have higher ratings than it does. I recommend this for readers interested in anthropology, true crime (sort of), and history of crime involving the axe.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ I love anthropology and history, so though I was maybe expecting something a little different, I am fascinated by the history of the axe included here. Who knew there was so much to learn about the humble axe?
✔️ The story of Freydis is one I did not know and as far as grisly murderers go, she might be my favorite ever. But Lizzie Borden runs a close race and James's approach to the Borden case is absolutely riveting.
✔️ The history of beheadings in medieval Europe was both astounding and moving, in a way. So many women died of beheading because of their jealous husbands making unfounded accusations of infidelity.
Thank you to the author Rachel McCarthy James, publishers St Martin's Essential, and NetGalley, for a digital copy. All views are mine.
Final Review
Other reviewers have noted this book is more of a detailed history of the axe itself than of axe murder or axe murderers, but I think this is a mischaracterization. Maybe slightly mismarketed, but still interesting enough to carry its own and definitely brimming with stories about axe killings throughout history. This piece feels more like history than true crime-- it certainly doesn't revel in the crimes it reports. I think this one should have higher ratings than it does. I recommend this for readers interested in anthropology, true crime (sort of), and history of crime involving the axe.
My 3 Favorite Things:
✔️ I love anthropology and history, so though I was maybe expecting something a little different, I am fascinated by the history of the axe included here. Who knew there was so much to learn about the humble axe?
✔️ The story of Freydis is one I did not know and as far as grisly murderers go, she might be my favorite ever. But Lizzie Borden runs a close race and James's approach to the Borden case is absolutely riveting.
✔️ The history of beheadings in medieval Europe was both astounding and moving, in a way. So many women died of beheading because of their jealous husbands making unfounded accusations of infidelity.
Thank you to the author Rachel McCarthy James, publishers St Martin's Essential, and NetGalley, for a digital copy. All views are mine.
July 6, 2025
the axeman of new orleans not being in a book about.... axe murders.... is genuinely surprising. i did hope for more from this so that's why i was let down so hard i guess
May 13, 2025
Whack Job by Rachel McCarthy James was somewhat of a disappointment. I expected a gripping dive into axe murders, but the book leans heavily into the old-world history of the axe itself. While the research is thorough, it feels dry and misses the mark for those seeking true crime thrills. It’s more academic than engaging, making it a struggle to get through. Not what I was hoping for. Two stars.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.
April 12, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
“Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder” by Rachel McCarthy James is part true crime, part historical nonfiction but is it one hundred percent unique.
McCarthy-James’ book goes all the way back to the very first murder we have on record, through the Ancient Egyptians, Indigenous tribes and the infamous Tudor family (without missing the incomparable Lizzie Borden of course) and right on through to the current century that all have one thing in common- the axe.
Each chapter starts with a breakdown of information on one of humanity’s earliest tools that is still used today, with uses in farming, on ships and many others- the handy axe. These segments, too, go chronologically, introducing readers to the very first tools that humans used as axes, right up through to their current iterations.
The early historical murders were more educational than entertaining for me, but the facts McCarthy-James presents are novel and obscure, which caught my interest. (For example, the earliest known human skull that suffered a tragic head wound was so ancient it predated Homo sapiens. And if a human is hit on the parts of the head that can be covered up with a baseball cap, it is usually assumed that someone else was to blame, as accidental human injury does not cause damage to that part of the skull- neat right?) Once Lizzie Borden entered the picture, and the crimes presented were more popular and notable, I was already enraptured.
Rachel McCarthy James is a co-author on “The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery”, which was a story I stumbled upon purely by accident but ended up loving, so reading “Whack Job” was a no-brainer for me. I love McCarthy-James’ sarcastic wit, which sprinkles the pages in both of her books, as it is not often that I laugh out loud while reading about axe murderers.
“Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder” is unlike any non-fiction I’ve read before, and it doesn’t quite fit into any specific genre, but instead balances on the edge of at least two or three. However, “Job” is informational, gritty, engaging and smart and whatever the genre is, Rachel McCarthy-James stands out.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
“Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder” by Rachel McCarthy James is part true crime, part historical nonfiction but is it one hundred percent unique.
McCarthy-James’ book goes all the way back to the very first murder we have on record, through the Ancient Egyptians, Indigenous tribes and the infamous Tudor family (without missing the incomparable Lizzie Borden of course) and right on through to the current century that all have one thing in common- the axe.
Each chapter starts with a breakdown of information on one of humanity’s earliest tools that is still used today, with uses in farming, on ships and many others- the handy axe. These segments, too, go chronologically, introducing readers to the very first tools that humans used as axes, right up through to their current iterations.
The early historical murders were more educational than entertaining for me, but the facts McCarthy-James presents are novel and obscure, which caught my interest. (For example, the earliest known human skull that suffered a tragic head wound was so ancient it predated Homo sapiens. And if a human is hit on the parts of the head that can be covered up with a baseball cap, it is usually assumed that someone else was to blame, as accidental human injury does not cause damage to that part of the skull- neat right?) Once Lizzie Borden entered the picture, and the crimes presented were more popular and notable, I was already enraptured.
Rachel McCarthy James is a co-author on “The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery”, which was a story I stumbled upon purely by accident but ended up loving, so reading “Whack Job” was a no-brainer for me. I love McCarthy-James’ sarcastic wit, which sprinkles the pages in both of her books, as it is not often that I laugh out loud while reading about axe murderers.
“Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder” is unlike any non-fiction I’ve read before, and it doesn’t quite fit into any specific genre, but instead balances on the edge of at least two or three. However, “Job” is informational, gritty, engaging and smart and whatever the genre is, Rachel McCarthy-James stands out.
June 16, 2025
A witty and thoughtful look at axes and their place through time.
June 3, 2025
I feel as if I've been bamboozled. Look, I understand that books are not always what they seem, but I feel this was extra misleading.
This has great snippets about the history of axes used through the ages (and for that I think she did a most satisfactory job) but this is NOT about the history of axe murders. Most of the book has fuck all to do with axe murders. It just shouldn't have been advertised as such. Bummer because it had been one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
This has great snippets about the history of axes used through the ages (and for that I think she did a most satisfactory job) but this is NOT about the history of axe murders. Most of the book has fuck all to do with axe murders. It just shouldn't have been advertised as such. Bummer because it had been one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
April 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review: I enjoyed learning more about the history of the axe. The authors love for the topic really shone through and was probably my favorite aspect of the story. I appreciate that this book was written, it's a good history of almost like older forms of "true crime." The author also does a careful job of addressing social justice issues and is just overall very thoughtful in her approach to the topic. All in all had a good time listening!
Review: I enjoyed learning more about the history of the axe. The authors love for the topic really shone through and was probably my favorite aspect of the story. I appreciate that this book was written, it's a good history of almost like older forms of "true crime." The author also does a careful job of addressing social justice issues and is just overall very thoughtful in her approach to the topic. All in all had a good time listening!
November 5, 2024
Everything you ever wanted to know about axe-murder.
Rachel McCarthy James spins a vivid yarn of the history of this most prosaic of murder weapons. As long as humans have had axes, a transformative and versatile tool, we have also used them to end other human’s lives. As long as we’ve used them to chop tree branches, we’ve also used them to sever human limbs, really the comparisons are endless. More dramatic than a knife but easier to use than a sword, McCarthy James sets out to delve into the “why” behind this particular form of homicide.
All the classics are here, Lizze Borden gets a chapter mostly to herself (I think she was innocent, by the way) and the iconic axe centric scene in The Shining gets a moment in the limelight as well. But more interesting are the lesser known axe-murders through history, Freydis of Greenland, Seqenre Tao, and William Tillman (who takes the prize for the most based axe murder in this or any other book, seriously, look him up and get that man a movie deal).
Through it all the writing is vivid, cogent, and rapid, reading this is like taking a tour of an especially macabre museum from a funny but very well informed tour guide. While the details can be shocking even in our violence saturated age (holy crap was the chapter on Linda Joyce Glucoft upsetting on a visceral level), this book is ultimately informative and offers a meditative view on an oft sensationalized topic.
Rachel McCarthy James spins a vivid yarn of the history of this most prosaic of murder weapons. As long as humans have had axes, a transformative and versatile tool, we have also used them to end other human’s lives. As long as we’ve used them to chop tree branches, we’ve also used them to sever human limbs, really the comparisons are endless. More dramatic than a knife but easier to use than a sword, McCarthy James sets out to delve into the “why” behind this particular form of homicide.
All the classics are here, Lizze Borden gets a chapter mostly to herself (I think she was innocent, by the way) and the iconic axe centric scene in The Shining gets a moment in the limelight as well. But more interesting are the lesser known axe-murders through history, Freydis of Greenland, Seqenre Tao, and William Tillman (who takes the prize for the most based axe murder in this or any other book, seriously, look him up and get that man a movie deal).
Through it all the writing is vivid, cogent, and rapid, reading this is like taking a tour of an especially macabre museum from a funny but very well informed tour guide. While the details can be shocking even in our violence saturated age (holy crap was the chapter on Linda Joyce Glucoft upsetting on a visceral level), this book is ultimately informative and offers a meditative view on an oft sensationalized topic.
May 9, 2025
Why is Jeff Bezos able to fly a group of women to space for 10 minutes but Goodreads can’t implement a half-star rating system?
ANYWAY 4.5 stars
Am I allowed to say that I really enjoyed this book? More than that…that I thought it was…fun?
Throughout history, the axe has been a domestic staple, a military tool, a ceremonial ornament, and, of course, a murder weapon. Less of a true crime deep dive and more of a romp through history, Whack Job provides an overview of the axes’s purposes in and evolution through history. With each chapter detailing a different time period/“crime” (although I use that loosely because it’s not formatted in the way you think - yes, the axes were used in crimes, but I thought the book had a much heavier emphasis on the people involved in each chapter and the axe’s purpose at that particular point in history), the book moved swiftly and kept me engaged throughout. And, honestly, I feel like I learned a heck of a lot, which I love.
Truth be told, the only reason I didn’t give this five stars was because the last few chapters contained some case matter I really didn’t care for.
In my opinion, this book isn’t about axe murder. Personally, I would have enjoyed it LESS if it were all about axe murder. This book is about the axe. Although sometimes used to commit murder, alone and without human intervention, the axe can do nothing.
Highly, highly recommend for history junkies & fans of quirky nonfiction.
ANYWAY 4.5 stars
Am I allowed to say that I really enjoyed this book? More than that…that I thought it was…fun?
Throughout history, the axe has been a domestic staple, a military tool, a ceremonial ornament, and, of course, a murder weapon. Less of a true crime deep dive and more of a romp through history, Whack Job provides an overview of the axes’s purposes in and evolution through history. With each chapter detailing a different time period/“crime” (although I use that loosely because it’s not formatted in the way you think - yes, the axes were used in crimes, but I thought the book had a much heavier emphasis on the people involved in each chapter and the axe’s purpose at that particular point in history), the book moved swiftly and kept me engaged throughout. And, honestly, I feel like I learned a heck of a lot, which I love.
Truth be told, the only reason I didn’t give this five stars was because the last few chapters contained some case matter I really didn’t care for.
In my opinion, this book isn’t about axe murder. Personally, I would have enjoyed it LESS if it were all about axe murder. This book is about the axe. Although sometimes used to commit murder, alone and without human intervention, the axe can do nothing.
Highly, highly recommend for history junkies & fans of quirky nonfiction.
January 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Wow I really loved this! I went in already expecting to like it just based on the fact that I love a niche deep dive, but the author really surpassed my expectations.
The story was linear, easy to follow, engaging and struck just the right balance between thoughtful, respectful and humorous.
Would absolutely recommend this one
Wow I really loved this! I went in already expecting to like it just based on the fact that I love a niche deep dive, but the author really surpassed my expectations.
The story was linear, easy to follow, engaging and struck just the right balance between thoughtful, respectful and humorous.
Would absolutely recommend this one
February 28, 2025
Whack Job is an interesting book, but it isn't at all what the title and description promise it to be.
Given its name, I thought this would be a collection of accounts of murders committed with an axe, and some explanations or view of the axe's place compared to other murder weapons. Instead, it is much more a series of snippets of biographies that end up mentioning axes at some point, but the axe isn't the main point in most of those stories and rather, just one aspect of them.
Each chapter follows a different person or few persons in a different era of human history and for a few chapters I felt a bit lost, as the book delved into politics and history and relationships that seemed fully unrelated to the topic. Every paragraph I was waiting for the axe to come into it or become central to the storytelling, which hurt my enjoyment of this book. Then, the chapter would include one or two pages talking about axes (sometimes only maybe) being important in that person's life, but still, the focus would be on the people and on their own importance rather than the axe.
So, if you go in knowing this book is much more a collection of small historic stories of violence instead of the history of axe murders, you'll enjoy it more. In this sense, I would recommend this book! I was taken aback but once I stopped caring about the axe itself and instead just learned about Chinese and Greek history and pre-Neanderthals and Tudor London, I liked it more.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. This book comes out on May 13th, 2025.
Given its name, I thought this would be a collection of accounts of murders committed with an axe, and some explanations or view of the axe's place compared to other murder weapons. Instead, it is much more a series of snippets of biographies that end up mentioning axes at some point, but the axe isn't the main point in most of those stories and rather, just one aspect of them.
Each chapter follows a different person or few persons in a different era of human history and for a few chapters I felt a bit lost, as the book delved into politics and history and relationships that seemed fully unrelated to the topic. Every paragraph I was waiting for the axe to come into it or become central to the storytelling, which hurt my enjoyment of this book. Then, the chapter would include one or two pages talking about axes (sometimes only maybe) being important in that person's life, but still, the focus would be on the people and on their own importance rather than the axe.
So, if you go in knowing this book is much more a collection of small historic stories of violence instead of the history of axe murders, you'll enjoy it more. In this sense, I would recommend this book! I was taken aback but once I stopped caring about the axe itself and instead just learned about Chinese and Greek history and pre-Neanderthals and Tudor London, I liked it more.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this ARC. This book comes out on May 13th, 2025.
June 14, 2025
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press #partner for the gifted copy and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review.
I enjoyed this one via audio, and thought the narrator did a great job. This is basically a historical look into the axe from its inception to the current day and how it has been used, including for murder. It is not specifically a book on axe murdering alone. There were pieces of this that interested me, including how it was used in executions back in the day, Lizzie Borden, and the Wylie, TX case that has been made into a couple of made-for-TV movies.
I enjoyed this one via audio, and thought the narrator did a great job. This is basically a historical look into the axe from its inception to the current day and how it has been used, including for murder. It is not specifically a book on axe murdering alone. There were pieces of this that interested me, including how it was used in executions back in the day, Lizzie Borden, and the Wylie, TX case that has been made into a couple of made-for-TV movies.
August 3, 2025
Not so much a history of axe murder as a history of axes, and not so much a history of axes as a collection of vignettes. The chapters on modern axes murder are fascinating, though.
May 6, 2025
This is perfect for history and true crime fans. I was hooked from the start. I never thought about how far axe killings went and I found some new things to learn about it. I will definitely read Rachel's other book The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery.
Really is a 4.75 stars
Thank you Netgalley for letting me give my honest thoughts and feelings.
Really is a 4.75 stars
Thank you Netgalley for letting me give my honest thoughts and feelings.
May 22, 2025
- Best for readers with an interest in true crime from a "history from below" perspective
I'd give the content for this one a 4.5 stars, but the great narration rounds it up to a 5 for me.
The subtitle, as some other reviewers have pointed out, is misleading. Rather than being "a history of axe murder," it's more "axe murder throughout history." One downside to this book, from my perspective, is its length. I do wish it had been just a bit longer. Each chapter is a specific case study on an event, and it covers thousands of years. I personally would have enjoyed some more information about the older periods, where possible, but I understand that the end result here is probably a collection of the most marketable stories.
However, rather than just detailing each case for the aspect of its gore, McCarthy James highlights the societal issues around each murder, focusing on the roles that gender, race, class, age, etc. play in victimhood and violence. That's something I wasn't expecting from this book, and it was a welcome surprise.
One of my pet peeves about overviews like this one is that authors tend to take a tone like the reader is totally ignorant of the subject and its events. This book did not stray that way. Instead, it very much trusted that we knew at least some of the history behind these famous people and events so we could jump right into the analysis. I loved that, and I also never felt lost.
I'm not a true crime girlie, mainly because I hate to feel like I'm exploiting someone's real pain for entertainment, especially when they could never consent to it. However, the author and the narrator both treated the content with such kindness and reverence, even when going into the violent details, where necessary. At least from my perspective, it was very informative without being exploitative.
With love and thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book!
I'd give the content for this one a 4.5 stars, but the great narration rounds it up to a 5 for me.
The subtitle, as some other reviewers have pointed out, is misleading. Rather than being "a history of axe murder," it's more "axe murder throughout history." One downside to this book, from my perspective, is its length. I do wish it had been just a bit longer. Each chapter is a specific case study on an event, and it covers thousands of years. I personally would have enjoyed some more information about the older periods, where possible, but I understand that the end result here is probably a collection of the most marketable stories.
However, rather than just detailing each case for the aspect of its gore, McCarthy James highlights the societal issues around each murder, focusing on the roles that gender, race, class, age, etc. play in victimhood and violence. That's something I wasn't expecting from this book, and it was a welcome surprise.
One of my pet peeves about overviews like this one is that authors tend to take a tone like the reader is totally ignorant of the subject and its events. This book did not stray that way. Instead, it very much trusted that we knew at least some of the history behind these famous people and events so we could jump right into the analysis. I loved that, and I also never felt lost.
I'm not a true crime girlie, mainly because I hate to feel like I'm exploiting someone's real pain for entertainment, especially when they could never consent to it. However, the author and the narrator both treated the content with such kindness and reverence, even when going into the violent details, where necessary. At least from my perspective, it was very informative without being exploitative.
With love and thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book!
May 12, 2025
Audiobook/Book Review 🪓🎧
Thank you so much partner @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for the gifted arc + audiobook!
Whack Job
A History of Axe Murder
by Rachel McCarthy James
Narrated by Jennifer Pickens
About the book 👇🏽
Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology—one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has endured: as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it.
Whack Job is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout history: from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, to its use in King Henry VIII's favorite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present.
🪓 My thoughts:
For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill.
I listened to this audiobook in one sitting and loved it! It was definitely the most interesting book I’ve ever read about a tool/weapon. It’s well researched and really dives into the history of the axe. So yes, there are stories about murder with an axe but I felt like it was more about stories where there was an axe around. I did attempt to read the physical book but truthfully it was the audiobook that held my attention. I totally recommend giving this book a read or a listen! Whack Job is out tomorrow 5/13/25!
Happy reading 📖 🩸🪓🎧
Thank you so much partner @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for the gifted arc + audiobook!
Whack Job
A History of Axe Murder
by Rachel McCarthy James
Narrated by Jennifer Pickens
About the book 👇🏽
Much like the wheel, the boat, and the telephone, the axe is a transformative piece of technology—one that has been with us since prehistory. And just as early humans used the axe to chop down trees, hunt for food, and whittle tools, they also used it to murder. Over time, this particular use has endured: as the axe evolved over centuries to fit the needs of new agricultural, architectural, and social development, so have our lethal uses for it.
Whack Job is the story of the axe, first as a convenient danger and then an anachronism, as told through the murders it has been employed in throughout history: from the first axe murder nearly half a million years ago, to the brutal harnessing of the axe in warfare, to its use in King Henry VIII's favorite method of execution, to Lizzie Borden and the birth of modern pop culture. Whack Job sheds brilliant light on this familiar implement, this most human of weapons. This is a critical examination of violence, an exploration of how technology shapes human conflict, the cruel and sacred rituals of execution and battle, and the ways humanity fits even the most savage impulses into narratives of the past and present.
🪓 My thoughts:
For as long as the axe has been in our hands, we have used it to kill.
I listened to this audiobook in one sitting and loved it! It was definitely the most interesting book I’ve ever read about a tool/weapon. It’s well researched and really dives into the history of the axe. So yes, there are stories about murder with an axe but I felt like it was more about stories where there was an axe around. I did attempt to read the physical book but truthfully it was the audiobook that held my attention. I totally recommend giving this book a read or a listen! Whack Job is out tomorrow 5/13/25!
Happy reading 📖 🩸🪓🎧
May 20, 2025
You’d think that a book that claims to be a history of axe murder would have more axe murder.
Apparently not.
I didn’t know I was settling in for chapter after chapter of dry and inconsistent storytelling about the history of the axe and how it was used in killing throughout the centuries. It’s not the subject matter of those chapters I object to, it’s the manner in which they were conveyed. At times McCarthy James is witty and even sounds like she’s geeking out a little, but then she’ll swing abruptly into a dense academic narrative that makes you feel like you need to pump the brakes and change gears yourself before you can continue reading. It’s not smooth and made for a less enjoyable read than this book could have been.
Overall, I think I would’ve liked this book to just be more consistent overall: it couldn’t decide what it was or how it wanted to be told.
I was pre-approved for a copy of this title as part of the SMP Early Readers Program via NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under will not appear in my social media. Thank you.
Apparently not.
I didn’t know I was settling in for chapter after chapter of dry and inconsistent storytelling about the history of the axe and how it was used in killing throughout the centuries. It’s not the subject matter of those chapters I object to, it’s the manner in which they were conveyed. At times McCarthy James is witty and even sounds like she’s geeking out a little, but then she’ll swing abruptly into a dense academic narrative that makes you feel like you need to pump the brakes and change gears yourself before you can continue reading. It’s not smooth and made for a less enjoyable read than this book could have been.
Overall, I think I would’ve liked this book to just be more consistent overall: it couldn’t decide what it was or how it wanted to be told.
I was pre-approved for a copy of this title as part of the SMP Early Readers Program via NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or under will not appear in my social media. Thank you.
May 13, 2025
This is a very unique take on a topic most people might not think about. Axe murder has become something of a punchline in the past 50 years, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not still a deadly serious situation.
The author is very clearly knowledgeable and interested in the subject matter. It could very easily read like a textbook, going into long-winded details about the evolution of the axe and its role in the zeitgeist - but it doesn’t. Instead, it gives a linear timeline of ax murder throughout history, specifically Western history, giving context about the evolution of axe use to explain why that axe was used at that point in time.
I really enjoyed this - it’s very approachable and casual considering the topic. I think this might be a good book for anyone interested in history and true crime, especially history centered around one common concept.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel McCarthy James, and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The author is very clearly knowledgeable and interested in the subject matter. It could very easily read like a textbook, going into long-winded details about the evolution of the axe and its role in the zeitgeist - but it doesn’t. Instead, it gives a linear timeline of ax murder throughout history, specifically Western history, giving context about the evolution of axe use to explain why that axe was used at that point in time.
I really enjoyed this - it’s very approachable and casual considering the topic. I think this might be a good book for anyone interested in history and true crime, especially history centered around one common concept.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel McCarthy James, and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2025
2025 Butler Library Bingo [Summer Reading] #4
Axe Murder - what a crazy history it has!!
This book goes beyond what you might know about the history of both the axe and some of the murders that were committed by the people who wielded one, and I will say here, that some of these stories and the history will both surprise you and, if I may, horrify you just a bit [or a whole lot LOL].
Well researched and written, this was an excellent [and again, slightly gruesome, or a lot gruesome depending on who you are] read that I enjoyed very much. I doubt that I will ever use the term "whack job" or "crazy like an axe murderer" as lightly as I have in the past!
Jennifer Pickens is an excellent narrator and she does a fantastic job with this book and all it's crazy [and again, gruesome] details and really brings these stories to life. I enjoyed her narration very much and I highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel McCarthy James, Jennifer Pickens - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
Axe Murder - what a crazy history it has!!
This book goes beyond what you might know about the history of both the axe and some of the murders that were committed by the people who wielded one, and I will say here, that some of these stories and the history will both surprise you and, if I may, horrify you just a bit [or a whole lot LOL].
Well researched and written, this was an excellent [and again, slightly gruesome, or a lot gruesome depending on who you are] read that I enjoyed very much. I doubt that I will ever use the term "whack job" or "crazy like an axe murderer" as lightly as I have in the past!
Jennifer Pickens is an excellent narrator and she does a fantastic job with this book and all it's crazy [and again, gruesome] details and really brings these stories to life. I enjoyed her narration very much and I highly recommend this audiobook.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel McCarthy James, Jennifer Pickens - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
The biggest flaw to this is that its focused on the use of a tool-axe as weapon across all history, not just necessarily "axe murders" as we think of it. Most people think of stuff like Lizzy Borden, sensationalized serial killings and murder sprees from the 19th century on. That is a small fraction of what this book covers, and I dont think it was well conveyed in the summary or in promotional stuff. I think there could be a whole book on modern axe murders and the way they have been sensationalized in media, but that is not what this is. The technical way the hand axe has changed throughout time and how that translates to the violence seen with it is interesting to a certain extent, but got repetitive after a while. I feel like a lot of readers might be disappointed with the book.
The biggest flaw to this is that its focused on the use of a tool-axe as weapon across all history, not just necessarily "axe murders" as we think of it. Most people think of stuff like Lizzy Borden, sensationalized serial killings and murder sprees from the 19th century on. That is a small fraction of what this book covers, and I dont think it was well conveyed in the summary or in promotional stuff. I think there could be a whole book on modern axe murders and the way they have been sensationalized in media, but that is not what this is. The technical way the hand axe has changed throughout time and how that translates to the violence seen with it is interesting to a certain extent, but got repetitive after a while. I feel like a lot of readers might be disappointed with the book.
June 18, 2025
Whack Job was not really a history of axe murder as advertised, but rather more of a history of death by axe. Ranging from speculations to execution to actual axe murders, the author meandered all the way through this book. Some axe facts, some history, some quotes, some myth and legends, lots of speculation, etc.
It was only in the final chapters that any actual discussion of axe murders took place. It's my thought that James had a great idea about researching axe murders and then found there weren't enough cases to warrant a full book so she expanded her thesis to include all types of axe related or axe adjacent deaths.
In other words, nice try, but this book did not deliver on the premise.
It was only in the final chapters that any actual discussion of axe murders took place. It's my thought that James had a great idea about researching axe murders and then found there weren't enough cases to warrant a full book so she expanded her thesis to include all types of axe related or axe adjacent deaths.
In other words, nice try, but this book did not deliver on the premise.
April 9, 2025
My initial thoughts when reading this was too much axe, not enough murder. However, I enjoyed the depth and breadth of axe history McCarthy James provided. I do agree with other reviews noting the tone inconsistency and potentially misleading title. Overall, this book is a good read for those who enjoy niche history topics and dabble in true crime.
(Thank you to St Martin’s press who provided this book as an ARC)
(Thank you to St Martin’s press who provided this book as an ARC)
May 27, 2025
An insightful and bloody examination of the axe's foundational role in human history, from prehistoric violence, to war and executions, to newspaper headlines and popular culture.
Read
September 2, 2025Entertaining and fun with a lot of research into Axes in general and Axe murder. I didn’t know how deep Axes went?
April 30, 2025
While this book has an interesting topic, it didn’t end up being exactly what I expected. When you think of axe murders, you think of people like Lizzie Borden (Ch. 9), the Axeman of New Orleans, or maybe if you are a true crime buff, Elifasi Msomi (The Axe Killer). Instead this book is a collection of killings that are not really axe murders, as we think of them.
This first part of this book, until the chapter about Borden actually, focuses mainly on political executions, early killings that were done with something sharp, and some stories based on myths. I really struggled with the majority of this book and considered DNF many times. I stuck it out hoping it would get better. Instead I found myself skimming most of these stories because the author spends very little time actually talking about axes and axe murders. Borden’s chapter was the first that really felt like it focused wholly on axe murder.
While I know this is the author's personal opinions on axe murders, it would have been nice if she had at least explained how she viewed axe murder to begin with so the reader knew what they were getting into. I wasn’t expecting so much of this book to be about murders that might have involved an axe or other sharp object, or just political beheadings.
Overall, this book wasn’t what I was expecting. I think it was an interesting concept but the author didn’t present the information in a cohesive way that showcases axe murders.
TW: Discussions of murder; violence; gore; racism; pedophilia; graphic child death; homomisa and conversion therapy;
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This first part of this book, until the chapter about Borden actually, focuses mainly on political executions, early killings that were done with something sharp, and some stories based on myths. I really struggled with the majority of this book and considered DNF many times. I stuck it out hoping it would get better. Instead I found myself skimming most of these stories because the author spends very little time actually talking about axes and axe murders. Borden’s chapter was the first that really felt like it focused wholly on axe murder.
While I know this is the author's personal opinions on axe murders, it would have been nice if she had at least explained how she viewed axe murder to begin with so the reader knew what they were getting into. I wasn’t expecting so much of this book to be about murders that might have involved an axe or other sharp object, or just political beheadings.
Overall, this book wasn’t what I was expecting. I think it was an interesting concept but the author didn’t present the information in a cohesive way that showcases axe murders.
TW: Discussions of murder; violence; gore; racism; pedophilia; graphic child death; homomisa and conversion therapy;
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
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