I didn't think I would like it as much as I did, just based on first impressions of the tone (friendly, conversational, girl talk) and layout (short blurbs, illustrations). I was pleasantly surprised. This book was like being offered several trays of mixed hors d'oeuvres... horror d'oeuvres (nailed it). It felt written for the general population, so there wasn't anything overly gruesome or gory covered. True crime fans still won't leave disappointed, though.

The book is broken into specific general sections such as "Black Widows", "Murderous Mercenaries", "Pretty Poisoners", etc. Within each section was a pretty respectable range of races, ethnicities, severity of crimes, ages, and socioeconomically backgrounds. There were conventionally attractive women, women described as "plain", women with nothing to lose, women with everything to lose, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts.

There was incredible supporting information to give context such as explanations of social class and ethnical customs. Each section is an entire, complete and complex look of the woman, the time period, and the reasons she may have murdered without offering any excuses or apologies. The introduction says it best: "To deny women full-throated, murderous anger is to refute that they possess the full range of human emotions." Women kill. Sometimes for love. Sometimes for hate. But sometimes because they just feel like it.