Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast

Part 2: A fatal family lunch. A homemade Beef Wellington. And a question that refuses to go away: how did deadly death cap mushrooms end up on the plates? In Part Two of Fatal Lunch: The Death Cap Mushroom Murders, the investigation tightens around the meal's host as detectives begin sorting through conflicting accounts, discarded evidence, missing devices, and a digital trail that may reveal far more than anyone intended. As media attention explodes and public speculation reaches a fever pitch, investigators follow the evidence from a local rubbish tip to phone records, forensic testing, online searches, and the courtroom where every detail will be challenged. With suspicious behavior, unsettling discoveries, and a trial poised to begin, this episode traces the painstaking work behind a case that captivated the world—without losing sight of the people at the center of it. Be sure to listen to Part 1- Ep. 189 first! Subscribe so you do not miss a thing! Buy Fatal Lunch: The Death Cap Mushroom Murders by Cheryl Warren on AMAZON or Google Books. Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026    

In this special episode, go deep undercover with Jennifer Clarke Eskew, co-host of the Criminally Good podcast, as she shares the gripping true story of her time as a Virginia State Trooper and the first woman assigned to full-time undercover work within the agency. In this candid and compelling conversation, Jennifer reveals how she built a new identity, entered dangerous drug networks, earned the trust of informants, and faced violent criminals while knowing that one wrong move could expose her. She also discusses the limited preparation and debriefing available at the time, the emotional toll of law-enforcement work, the challenges women faced in the field, and the mentors who helped her survive and succeed. Filled with humor, hard-won insight, and genuinely tense moments, this is an exciting but serious look at courage, risk, resilience, and the lasting cost of living behind a cover identity. Buy Becoming Fire: Chasing the Passion to Protect, Serve, and Love- A True Crime Memoir by Jennifer Clarke Eskew on AMAZON or Walmart.   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026  

Welcome to Stories Mummy Never Told You, a compilation of dark tales perfect to set the mood ahead of Halloween! Featuring scary stories, creepy pastas, and folklore from around the world from the very best of indie podcasting. Grab your candy, settle in, and get ready for all sorts of stories of things that go bump in the night. Enjoy the compilation by my 'sibling podcasts', all members of the incredible Darkcast Network and Happy Halloween!   

Bonus Mini-Cast!  Happy Halloween to all my true-crime Murder Bookies! I wrote this dark little poem especially for you to enjoy this Halloween—a chilling seasonal tale inspired by one of the holiday's most haunting crimes. Turn down the lights, grab your favorite candy, and enjoy The Candyman-A Halloween Elergy 2026, based on the true crime book by Crystal Baynam (link below).  Stay safe this Halloween, watch out for one another, and remember—not every treat is as sweet as it seems.   Check out the Darkcast Network's Halloween 2026 compilation from all the network podcasts! It's incredible! I love my 'sibling' podcasters!  Subscribe so you do not miss a thing!   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub   SOURCE: Crystal Baynum's The Candy Man.   

Part 1: In Australia, four guests gathered for a quiet family lunch. Only one would survive—and the woman who served the meal seemed untouched. What began as an apparent tragedy soon unraveled into a mystery that captivated the world. As investigators examined conflicting stories, puzzling choices, and a trail of unsettling clues, one question grew impossible to ignore: Was this a devastating accident, or had something far darker been planned? In this gripping episode, step inside a case where every answer opens the door to another mystery—and an ordinary meal becomes the center of an extraordinary murder investigation. Subscribe so you do not miss Parts 2, 3, and 4-the exclusive interview with author Cheryl Warren! Coming Soon!  Buy Fatal Lunch: The Death Cap Mushroom Murders by Cheryl Warren on AMAZON or Google Books.   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026      

What happens when a city isn't hunting one serial predator—but several at once? In this riveting conversation, former Detroit Police commander Gerry Cliff takes us inside the extraordinary investigations behind Serial City: Detroit and the Hunt for Multiple Predators, revealing how detectives searched for patterns while dangerous offenders moved through overlapping neighborhoods and a city already under relentless pressure. Cliff offers a rare, firsthand look at the instincts, teamwork, and hard-won insight behind the hunt—without losing sight of the people at the heart of every case. How do investigators separate one predator's trail from another, and what happens when the next clue suggests the danger is even greater than anyone realized? True crime listeners won't want to miss this fascinating journey into the hidden machinery of a real-life manhunt. And they also discuss how AI could transform law enforcement by spotting hidden patterns in minutes—giving detectives more time to follow the clues that technology alone cannot. Buy Serial City: Detriot and the Hunt for Multiple Serial Predators by GH Cliff on AMAZON and Barnes and Noble Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026

Part 4: Jill welcomes author and former prosecutor C.J. Williams for a deeply personal conversation about his book, A Monster in Mount Pleasant: The Stories of Murder and Justice. Williams revisits the 1978 murders that shattered his quiet Iowa hometown when he was just 16 years old—crimes that took the lives of Karol and Clementine Beavers and Susan Wheelock, and altered the course of his own life, inspiring his career in law. This conversation goes far beyond the facts of the case. Williams brings listeners inside the fear that gripped Mount Pleasant, the rumors that lingered for decades, the legal missteps that complicated the search for justice, and the remarkable discoveries that emerged after the book's publication. With compassion for the victims and clarity about the justice system, he explains how search warrants, confessions, trials, and appeals shaped the story—and why remembering the victims by name still matters. If you listened to the three-part series on A Monster in Mount Pleasant, this follow-up conversation offers new insight, unexpected revelations, and a moving reminder of why these stories deserve to be told. Buy A Monster in Mount Pleasant by CJ Williams on AMAZON and Barnes & Noble.   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- September 2026 https://www.murdershelfbookclub.com/2026/09/  

Jill chats with retired Chicago detective and author Michele Wood for a conversation that is as gripping as it is unexpectedly heartfelt. Drawing from Michele's book, Model Detective: A True Story of Heels, Handcuffs, and Homicides, the discussion moves beyond true crime headlines and into the lived reality of a woman who spent 25 years investigating homicides, sex crimes, domestic violence, and the kinds of cases that never really leave you. Jill and Michele dig into the dark humor that helps investigators survive the unthinkable, the ethics of true crime in an age of internet sleuthing, and the haunting details of the Yolanda and Curtis case—a story that challenges first impressions and reveals how complicated justice can be. Along the way, Michele shares hard-earned wisdom about interviewing suspects, honoring victims, mentoring young women in law enforcement, and carrying the weight of a career built around other people's worst days. Honest, sharp, funny, and deeply human, this episode offers listeners a rare look behind the badge—and into the mind of someone who has seen the darkest corners of humanity yet still leads with curiosity, compassion, and grit. If you have ever wondered what real detective work feels like beyond the television version, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. Buy Model Detective: A True Story of Heels, Handcuffs and Homicides by Michele Wood on AMAZON and Barnes & Noble.   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026 https://www.murdershelfbookclub.com/2026/10/  

Special Bonus Mini-Cast Event! Playing Games with Gary Ridgway!  What if the friendly coworker who lingered after his shift to play Pokémon with you was one of America's most notorious serial killers? In this unforgettable mini episode, private investigator Shane Moreland reveals how an ordinary workplace friendship took a chilling turn when he recognized his former coworker on the news: Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer. Shane revisits the conversations, the warning signs that never appeared, and the unsettling truth that a killer can hide in plain sight. He also shares his remarkable childhood connection to true-crime legend Ann Rule—and the eerie parallel between her experience with Ted Bundy and his own. It's an intimate, stranger-than-fiction story that will leave you wondering: How well do we really know the people around us? AND explore the upcoming October 10, 2026 WINE, DINE AND DEATH Event in  Walla Walla, Washington, that benefits the Little Theater of Walla Walla! BID on Jill's Merch Bag!     Contents: Build a true-crime reading nook with a basket assembled by the Murder Shelf Book Club. It includes six books: autographed copies of Swans Don't Swim in a Sewer by Sheryl "Mac" McCollum and Dog O' War by Aphrodite Jones; and, The Tylenol Murders: A Father's Confession to His Son by Joseph Cibelli; Fatal Lunch: The Death Cap Mushroom Murders by Cheryl Warren; Killer in the House: Ten Days of Terror in a Pennsylvania Suburb by Kathryn Canavan; and The Serial Killer Cookbook by Ashley Lecker. Two Library Lantern mini bookshelf lamps, a 12-ounce insulated travel wine tumbler, a Murder Shelf Book Club tote bag, a bookmark, and drink coasters complete the basket. Estimated fair market value: $175.00 Includes shipping to a US address. Allow 7 to 10 days for delivery.   Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open!   https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- October 2026      

Part 3: This conclusion of A Monster in Mount Pleasant continues the gripping legal thriller, filled with surprising twists and turns, devastating setbacks, and a justice system forced to balance outrage, evidence, and constitutional rights as it prosecutes a brutal killer. Over the decades, evidence is questioned, convictions are challenged, and long-awaited justice remains painfully uncertain. Courtroom strategies and emotional reckoning collide. At its heart, this episode is about memory, persistence, and the victims whose names should never be forgotten: Karol, Clementine, and Susan. For true crime listeners who want more than headlines, this episode delivers legal complexity, emotional depth, and an unforgettable finale. Listen to Ep 181 and 183, Parts 1 and 2, before this episode! It will make much more sense! Coming in two weeks, Jill chats with the author of A Monster in Mount Pleasant and former prosecutor CJ Williams!   Buy A Monster in Mount Pleasant: A Story of Murders and Justice by CJ Williams on AMAZON or ABE BOOKS. Thinking about going to Crimecon 2027? Use Jill's code   murdershelf    and save 10% on your badge! Jill's Merch shop is open! https://www.jusaskjan.com/murder-shelf-book-club Join Jill on PATREON for $2- $4 and help pick our next book and enjoy Jill's SERIAL KILLER Case Studies!     www.patreon.com/murdershelfbookclub Sources, photographs, maps, and other information can be found on Jill's Blog- September 2026 https://www.murdershelfbookclub.com/2026/09/