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To Kill and Kill Again: The Terrifying True Story of Montana's Baby-Faced Serial Sex Murderer
The twelve-year rampage of “Missoula Mauler” Wayne Nance, the serial sex killer who terrorized Montana—and the shocking end to his murder spree.
To his neighbors, Wayne Nance, a furniture mover from Missoula, Montana, appeared to be an affable, considerate, and trustworthy guy. No one knew that Nance was the “Missoula Mauler,” a psychopath responsible for a series of sadistic sex slayings that rocked the idyllic town between 1974 and 1986.
Nance’s only requirement for murder was accessibility—a preacher’s wife, a teenage runaway, a female acquaintance, a married couple. Putting on a friendly façade, he could easily gain his victims’ trust. Then, one September night, thirty-year-old Nance pushed his luck, preying on a couple who lived to tell the tale.
A true story with an incredible twist, written by former Wall Street Journal editor John Coston and complete with photos, To Kill and Kill Again reveals the disturbing compulsions of a charming serial killer who fooled everyone he knew, stumped the authorities, terrified a community, and very nearly got away with it.
To his neighbors, Wayne Nance, a furniture mover from Missoula, Montana, appeared to be an affable, considerate, and trustworthy guy. No one knew that Nance was the “Missoula Mauler,” a psychopath responsible for a series of sadistic sex slayings that rocked the idyllic town between 1974 and 1986.
Nance’s only requirement for murder was accessibility—a preacher’s wife, a teenage runaway, a female acquaintance, a married couple. Putting on a friendly façade, he could easily gain his victims’ trust. Then, one September night, thirty-year-old Nance pushed his luck, preying on a couple who lived to tell the tale.
A true story with an incredible twist, written by former Wall Street Journal editor John Coston and complete with photos, To Kill and Kill Again reveals the disturbing compulsions of a charming serial killer who fooled everyone he knew, stumped the authorities, terrified a community, and very nearly got away with it.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
June 24, 2022
Usually with the true crime books I read, I know the cases from reading up on them or from watching documentaries so I read the books to expand my knowledge. Now, for Wayne Nance, I don't remember ever hearing about him, so this was totally new to me.
I loved the writing style and the narrator who was absolutely perfect. He and the writing complimented each other so well, I don't think a better choice was possible.
The story was fascinating, and the ending even more so. Things I was expecting? NOT THAT. The sense of justice is present, but not fully satisfied. Still, I would read this again.
I loved the writing style and the narrator who was absolutely perfect. He and the writing complimented each other so well, I don't think a better choice was possible.
The story was fascinating, and the ending even more so. Things I was expecting? NOT THAT. The sense of justice is present, but not fully satisfied. Still, I would read this again.
October 24, 2016
Terrifying True Story of Montana's Baby-Faced Serial Sex Murderer
Wayne Nancy, better known as the Missoula Mauler, went on a 12-year spree in Montana. He was a psychopath responsible for sadistic and brutal sex slayings between 1974 and 1986.
Nance's victims were handy .. he knew them, their families. They were accessible ... a preacher's wife, a teenage runaway. But he made a mistake in going after a couple .. they lived (barely) to tell the tale.
This book takes the reader back to when Nance was a youngster. He was very bright in school, which sort of gave him a free pass when he acted out. His father would say "he's just a boy". Nance always carried a knife, threatening to kill someone by the time of his 19th birthday... which he did achieve.
The book is well-written. The way this young man terrorized his community just gave me the chills. And when Nance wasn't busy killing and butchering, he was quite the gentleman, polite, the kind of man any mother would be proud to see their daughter date.
I think that was the scariest thought of all.
Many thanks to the author / Open Road Media who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Wayne Nancy, better known as the Missoula Mauler, went on a 12-year spree in Montana. He was a psychopath responsible for sadistic and brutal sex slayings between 1974 and 1986.
Nance's victims were handy .. he knew them, their families. They were accessible ... a preacher's wife, a teenage runaway. But he made a mistake in going after a couple .. they lived (barely) to tell the tale.
This book takes the reader back to when Nance was a youngster. He was very bright in school, which sort of gave him a free pass when he acted out. His father would say "he's just a boy". Nance always carried a knife, threatening to kill someone by the time of his 19th birthday... which he did achieve.
The book is well-written. The way this young man terrorized his community just gave me the chills. And when Nance wasn't busy killing and butchering, he was quite the gentleman, polite, the kind of man any mother would be proud to see their daughter date.
I think that was the scariest thought of all.
Many thanks to the author / Open Road Media who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
October 31, 2016
They say you should do what you’re good at, and unfortunately, Wayne Nance was good at killing people. He enjoyed his work. This is the true story of the man dubbed “The Missoula Mauler”, who killed primarily based on opportunity, high in the rugged Rocky Mountains between 1974 and 1986. Thank you to Net Galley and Open Road Media, from whom I received a DRC in exchange for this honest review. The digital version of this true crime story was released October 18, and so you can buy yourself a horrifying Halloween present today. But turn all the lights on before you dive in. Lock your doors, and check your windows. If you have a basement, secure that as well. This isn’t a thing you want to read while you’re home alone at night.
I don’t read much true crime, because it’s dark stuff. To be honest, I wouldn’t have read this one, but an Open Road rep contacted me by email regarding another title I had read, and she was having a Monday moment; consequently, she asked me to review this title rather than the one I had read, and I figured I’d been invited to read it. I don’t turn down an invitation unless I know for sure I won’t like the book, so really, I read this one mostly due to a misunderstanding. By the time it was cleared up, I had downloaded it and was 20% of the way in, and I wanted to see how it came out.
The interesting thing about Nance is that he doesn’t seem to fit the serial killer stereotype. He was a quirky guy, true. But nobody said he kept to himself, or that he was quiet. He was sociable, and he was considerate, an apparently thoughtful young man that would run an errand, drop something off at your house while you were working, bring you your lunch…of course, there was always a chance he’d either forget to return your house keys or make a copy to keep, but that couldn’t hurt you if you didn’t know about it, right?
Well, actually it could. Sometimes it did.
I recently reviewed Open Road’s Fire Lover, a true crime story in which the killer seems drop-dead obvious. That isn’t the case here. At one point Nance came up as a suspect, but he had an alibi. I think when a person lives in a small Montana town and terrible things happen, it’s comforting to assume that the horrific, violent things that have been in the local news were done by an outsider, someone passing through. Maybe it’s a trucker that drives through from time to time, or some other outlier. Nobody wants to think it’s someone they work with, that they see every day.
I have to tell you, this story is not just scary, but it’s also tragic. There are children involved. The book’s blurb says there are photos, but these are not grisly photos of dead people. Nevertheless, I found my stomach turning over a time or two. It’s dark, dark business, and you alone know whether you want to read something like this. The satisfying thing is that he is caught, and so other people didn’t die that undoubtedly would have. But as for me, I don’t want to read any more true-serial-killer tales for a good long while, if at all.
That said, Coston has to wade through a lot of data to tell this story, and he does so without getting bogged down in minutiae while setting an appropriate tone and pacing the story expertly. He tells us about the victims so that their own stories will not get lost while we learn the ugly story of Wayne Nance.
For fans of true crime that have strong stomachs, this may be the story for you. One thing’s for sure: all your own troubles will look smaller when you are done here.
I don’t read much true crime, because it’s dark stuff. To be honest, I wouldn’t have read this one, but an Open Road rep contacted me by email regarding another title I had read, and she was having a Monday moment; consequently, she asked me to review this title rather than the one I had read, and I figured I’d been invited to read it. I don’t turn down an invitation unless I know for sure I won’t like the book, so really, I read this one mostly due to a misunderstanding. By the time it was cleared up, I had downloaded it and was 20% of the way in, and I wanted to see how it came out.
The interesting thing about Nance is that he doesn’t seem to fit the serial killer stereotype. He was a quirky guy, true. But nobody said he kept to himself, or that he was quiet. He was sociable, and he was considerate, an apparently thoughtful young man that would run an errand, drop something off at your house while you were working, bring you your lunch…of course, there was always a chance he’d either forget to return your house keys or make a copy to keep, but that couldn’t hurt you if you didn’t know about it, right?
Well, actually it could. Sometimes it did.
I recently reviewed Open Road’s Fire Lover, a true crime story in which the killer seems drop-dead obvious. That isn’t the case here. At one point Nance came up as a suspect, but he had an alibi. I think when a person lives in a small Montana town and terrible things happen, it’s comforting to assume that the horrific, violent things that have been in the local news were done by an outsider, someone passing through. Maybe it’s a trucker that drives through from time to time, or some other outlier. Nobody wants to think it’s someone they work with, that they see every day.
I have to tell you, this story is not just scary, but it’s also tragic. There are children involved. The book’s blurb says there are photos, but these are not grisly photos of dead people. Nevertheless, I found my stomach turning over a time or two. It’s dark, dark business, and you alone know whether you want to read something like this. The satisfying thing is that he is caught, and so other people didn’t die that undoubtedly would have. But as for me, I don’t want to read any more true-serial-killer tales for a good long while, if at all.
That said, Coston has to wade through a lot of data to tell this story, and he does so without getting bogged down in minutiae while setting an appropriate tone and pacing the story expertly. He tells us about the victims so that their own stories will not get lost while we learn the ugly story of Wayne Nance.
For fans of true crime that have strong stomachs, this may be the story for you. One thing’s for sure: all your own troubles will look smaller when you are done here.
September 9, 2019
I erased my old review because it was written by another me, a brain-dead me who missed the point of just about every page in this book. I hear you saying, yeah, yeah, another serial killer story. But read it anyway. Everything about this story is unusual, and it has the unlikeliest ending imaginable. Some of the imagery is weird (e.g. "wilted perfume"), but no weirder than the guy this story is about. At all costs, read this one.
July 21, 2022
The audiobook was absolutely phenomenal! The narrator was perfect and I believe the narration has definitely complemented the writing as it immersed you in the messed up psyche of Wayne Nance! A good read better yet a perfect true crime audiobook👌🏼
February 4, 2023
Ok, so I do like non-fiction, it just has to be memoir or true crime.
December 14, 2022
Interesting story - but the author’s continued and repeated comments about an overweight/fat/heavy woman of 140 pounds was distracting and infuriating. Unless she was 3 feet tall (which would have been much more interesting), she wasn’t fat at 140 pounds. Argh.
Makes me wonder what else the author got wrong.
Makes me wonder what else the author got wrong.
January 25, 2021
Justice will always prevail ?
One of the main reasons I like to read crime stories is because I desperately look for that final moment of justice for the victims. The moment the killer makes a deadly mistake sending him to jail or to the electric chair. But this book couldn't allow me that luxury because Wayne Nance, the serial killer, died even before the authorities and the people he knew, discovered who he really was.
I was disappointed I couldn't hear his confessions, I couldn't know more about his motives.
Why did he do what he did the way he did it?
He was smart enough to never leave a clue leading back to him for many years, but it looks like his last mistake was also dumb enough to get him in a fight with Doug, his last victim, who shot him to death.
Anyway, this is still a good story proving that there is nothing such a perfect crime... Justice will always prevail, if not through trials but death, then so be it.
One of the main reasons I like to read crime stories is because I desperately look for that final moment of justice for the victims. The moment the killer makes a deadly mistake sending him to jail or to the electric chair. But this book couldn't allow me that luxury because Wayne Nance, the serial killer, died even before the authorities and the people he knew, discovered who he really was.
I was disappointed I couldn't hear his confessions, I couldn't know more about his motives.
Why did he do what he did the way he did it?
He was smart enough to never leave a clue leading back to him for many years, but it looks like his last mistake was also dumb enough to get him in a fight with Doug, his last victim, who shot him to death.
Anyway, this is still a good story proving that there is nothing such a perfect crime... Justice will always prevail, if not through trials but death, then so be it.
March 3, 2025
Riveting!
This is one of the more fascinating true crimes I've read (and I read a lot of them!), superbly researched and written, an honest page-turner. The ending is the best I've ever read, and I honestly felt my pulse rising in the final scenes. If you're a fan of true crime, don't miss this compelling story of a monster who, for more than a decade, shook the relatively small community of Missoula, Montana, and its suburbs.
This is one of the more fascinating true crimes I've read (and I read a lot of them!), superbly researched and written, an honest page-turner. The ending is the best I've ever read, and I honestly felt my pulse rising in the final scenes. If you're a fan of true crime, don't miss this compelling story of a monster who, for more than a decade, shook the relatively small community of Missoula, Montana, and its suburbs.
May 5, 2020
Interesting story. Meh writing
Born and raised a flatlander, I love Montana and I'm quite familiar with Missoula. That's why I bought this book. The writing is murky, confusing and sometimes all over the place. The story is interesting, the telling - not very
Born and raised a flatlander, I love Montana and I'm quite familiar with Missoula. That's why I bought this book. The writing is murky, confusing and sometimes all over the place. The story is interesting, the telling - not very
May 15, 2020
What an incredible story burdened under the weight of an awful writer. The only reason that this case isn't more well known is probably because this book is so hard to read.
March 25, 2023
**3.5 rounded up**
August 7, 2025
Oh Lord.. boring, slow, rambling, confusing absolutely no order to this book. Suffered through maybe 30% and I just can not waste my time anymore. DNF for me!!
April 4, 2025
Wow
What an outstanding book! So glad my Goodreads friend suggested it. Well written and well researched. Recommend very highly to all.
What an outstanding book! So glad my Goodreads friend suggested it. Well written and well researched. Recommend very highly to all.
July 31, 2018
Greetings from the darkness as we head into the familiar territory of another serial killer. My fascination with the topic began in 1981 with The Stranger Beside Me, a book that chronicled the adventures of the king of them all, Ted Bundy. And now it is on to a lesser known individual, Wayne Nance. A woman named Wanda drifted into a bar in Missoula, Montana with no money and only the clothes on her back and was taken in like a stray cat by a good Samaritan named Wayne. He was a bouncer at the club. She moved in with her savior only to vanish a month later. On Christmas Eve Day, a photographer stumbled upon Robin’s body near Bonner Dam. Four years earlier, the skeleton of an unidentified fifteen year-old was discovered not far from Robin. The first of the killings occurred in 1974. Donna Pounds, a minister’s wife, was tied to a bed, raped, and shot to death. Suspect number 1 was husband Harvey. The good rev immediately put the blame on a satanic cult. The oog-booga and 666 BS were ignored by the police, who are rational human beings. A neighbor had seen the then 18 year-old Wayne Nance in the Pound’s back yard on the day of the murder. At school, Wayne carried knives and boasted that he would kill someone before his nineteenth birthday. Without sufficient evidence to charge Wayne, the young man joined the navy in June of 1974. Two years later, Joy Kuale was found dead in her bedroom. She had been raped and the murder weapon was a steak knife. Nance had a solid alibi this time as naval records placed him in San Diego at the time of the crime. The navy discharged our hero after two years due to drug offenses. Wayne’s mother committed suicide and he lived with his father while working as a bouncer at night and a furniture delivery man in the daytime. The multi-tasker managed to squeeze serial killing into his busy schedule. Wayne’s furniture delivery job afforded him the opportunity to case houses for future escapades. A couple, Mike and Teresa Shook, had the misfortune of crossing paths with the psychopath. Two weeks after dropping off some La-Z-Boys to the Shook abode, the uninvited guest returned on a cold winter’s night with bad intent. He left the house on fire after killing mom and dad and leaving their three small children in critical condition from smoke inhalation. The kids survived and Wayne moved on. The killer’s obsession with his boss, Kris Wells, led to an unexpected conclusion. The final chapter is riveting and I will leave it for the reader to uncover. To Kill and Kill Again is a better than average true crime book.
June 21, 2020
Very interesting story. Written like a historic thriller. In fact, during my read, I was shaking my head wondering how the author could write so specifically about what happened to some of the victims. In the end, most of that gets sorted out.
My biggest complaint is that the story is written using the "back and forth in time" device, not very well. I don't mind this device, but I don't think it was done as well as a lot of other implementations. It might be my age (memory) catching up with me, but I felt confused during some of the reference passages.
Still, all in all, a good story.
My biggest complaint is that the story is written using the "back and forth in time" device, not very well. I don't mind this device, but I don't think it was done as well as a lot of other implementations. It might be my age (memory) catching up with me, but I felt confused during some of the reference passages.
Still, all in all, a good story.
January 15, 2021
This was another true tale and they are difficult to judge as if the tell the story some parts may not be that interesting. This one seems to stick with the facts and tells them in a manner that reveals how a killer went unnoticed for a while in my own writing of serial killers it’s a good resource into the methods and behavior of another serial killer and the torment he caused Montana. It worth a read by those fascinated with those types of killers.
June 22, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I love a good mystery thriller and this one kept me interested. I cared about the main characters and found the conversations to be realistic. That being said, there were a few times I found some of the characters actions to be unbelievable. It is fiction though and I love a good story of which this certainly was. It was an excellent book to curl up with.
December 25, 2016
Crap. It pisses me off that these authors deliberately write 10 decent pages to trick you into buying the book. Honestly this is filler filler and more filler! I don't care who so-and-so's brother's wife's Dad's plumber was! Don't write about it and expect me to pay for it. The interesting parts of this book would make a great short newspaper article.
September 28, 2021
It’s nice to come across a serial killer book you haven’t read before, but then disappointing when it’s not amazing. It wasn’t awful or terrible but it was slow and full of info that just didn’t need to be there and felt as though it was put there to just make a word count. So recommend if you’re after a new sk but would recommend if you know about this killer and looking for new details
July 26, 2022
Coston's To Kill and Kill Again is an exemplar example of everything great about true crime. Evocative and haunting without being leering, and multifaceted as it captures both the lives of those living in these small, rural communities and the mind of the man who committed these atrocities.
It also, thankfully, is able to see beyond the satanic panic that gripped the time, observing how that impacted the various investigations into Nance's many murders without indulging in the conspiracy. Where Maury Terry's The Ultimate Evil, published just 5 years before To Kill and Kill Again, went whole hog on the idea of global satanic cults, Coston is able to see that idea as the farce it largely is.
Excellently narrated by A.T. Chandler, this is one audiobook that I'm very happy was included with my Audible subscription.
It also, thankfully, is able to see beyond the satanic panic that gripped the time, observing how that impacted the various investigations into Nance's many murders without indulging in the conspiracy. Where Maury Terry's The Ultimate Evil, published just 5 years before To Kill and Kill Again, went whole hog on the idea of global satanic cults, Coston is able to see that idea as the farce it largely is.
Excellently narrated by A.T. Chandler, this is one audiobook that I'm very happy was included with my Audible subscription.
June 13, 2025
Thought this was a pretty good read. It is terrifying considering how Nance slid through society and how his crimes were escalating. The writer did a very good investigative job, especially considering that Nance was killed during his last crime and was never interviewed
October 28, 2022
A stellar true-crime account of a serial killer who's not in the public eye as much as his more notorious brethren. Fascinating, well-documented story. Highly recommended.
March 13, 2025
Pretty interesting read. Was not familiar with this story but it makes you really think about people you think are normal.
October 7, 2016
Well written true crime book. I had never read anything about this serial killer Wayne Nance.
This case was very interesting and I think you'll enjoy the book best if you begin reading and not knowing anything about it as I did. Because of this I am going to use the spoiler tags so not to spoil.
This case was very interesting and I think you'll enjoy the book best if you begin reading and not knowing anything about it as I did. Because of this I am going to use the spoiler tags so not to spoil.
May 12, 2020
Interesting story; however I hate it when an author thinks true crime buffs will enjoy reading numerous pages that are really unnecessary to the story (like the history of the locations/areas mentioned ... or brief bios on minor players in the drama).
I love true crime books that don't provide historical data of any particular area unless, for instance, the history somehow ties into the motive. I want to have background info on the killer for sure, so we might have some insight as to why he became a killer. I'm okay with short bios on victims. I want a clear description of the crimes, without going overboard, repeating the gory details more than just once. I want to have an understanding of the investigation, without including EVERY SINGLE false lead. And, ultimately, I want almost a transcript of the trial (although without boring parts, like details on jury selection).
Undoubtedly not all true crime buffs like the same thing. But those are my preferences and pet peeves.
I love true crime books that don't provide historical data of any particular area unless, for instance, the history somehow ties into the motive. I want to have background info on the killer for sure, so we might have some insight as to why he became a killer. I'm okay with short bios on victims. I want a clear description of the crimes, without going overboard, repeating the gory details more than just once. I want to have an understanding of the investigation, without including EVERY SINGLE false lead. And, ultimately, I want almost a transcript of the trial (although without boring parts, like details on jury selection).
Undoubtedly not all true crime buffs like the same thing. But those are my preferences and pet peeves.
October 25, 2021
Be Very Careful Who You Let Into Your Home
This true story of a serial killer in a small town is scary and very well-written, and a thoroughly researched book. This book is about Wayne Nance who lived in Montana and killed people he knew in the 1970's and 80's. People thought they knew Wayne, eccentric but harmless....and so kind and ready to help with whatever as Wayne held a "movers" job and seems to fit seamlessly into society. Very Scary to think we could let such a murderer into our homes without a clue! Who delivered your furniture and memorised the layout of the house and comes back and tortured, then killed them?
This great true crime book about a pretty unheard-of serial killer I found I could not put the book down and well Worth the read!
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This true story of a serial killer in a small town is scary and very well-written, and a thoroughly researched book. This book is about Wayne Nance who lived in Montana and killed people he knew in the 1970's and 80's. People thought they knew Wayne, eccentric but harmless....and so kind and ready to help with whatever as Wayne held a "movers" job and seems to fit seamlessly into society. Very Scary to think we could let such a murderer into our homes without a clue! Who delivered your furniture and memorised the layout of the house and comes back and tortured, then killed them?
This great true crime book about a pretty unheard-of serial killer I found I could not put the book down and well Worth the read!
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 5, 2017
Jabberwocky
5 stars for this intense & in-depth true crime novel.
The beginning is a well written history lesson for those unfamiliar with Missoula, Montana. Snippets of the closely disguised killer are @ the forefront of this novel.
What lies beyond is a very gruesome & detailed life of a very conniving & twisted individual that is easy to hate as the reader reaches the end of the story.
The suffering is horrible & the devastation of the family members left behind leaves the reader both enraged & heartbroken.
How hard was it, that the police could not connect the dots? How was it that the police could not connect the murders to the furniture store?!
Seems the police were pretty clueless in this macabre tale.
Excellent retelling of events. Bless those families.
5 stars for this intense & in-depth true crime novel.
The beginning is a well written history lesson for those unfamiliar with Missoula, Montana. Snippets of the closely disguised killer are @ the forefront of this novel.
What lies beyond is a very gruesome & detailed life of a very conniving & twisted individual that is easy to hate as the reader reaches the end of the story.
The suffering is horrible & the devastation of the family members left behind leaves the reader both enraged & heartbroken.
How hard was it, that the police could not connect the dots? How was it that the police could not connect the murders to the furniture store?!
Seems the police were pretty clueless in this macabre tale.
Excellent retelling of events. Bless those families.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews