The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer

Name: The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer
Price: 1.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4 (1398 reviews)
Author: Skip Hollandsworth

by Skip Hollandsworth

Historical Fiction Biography Memoir

4.0 (1,398)

4.0 stars from 1,398 reviews. Top 86% of Historical Fiction books we track.

337 pages~5.6 hr readPublished by Henry Holt and CompanyPublished 2016-04-05

$1.99Deal88% off peak

Last checked: May 2, 2026

Price history: $1.99 – $16.99

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Price range: $1.99 – $16.99

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Perfect for you if...

You're fascinated by true crime history and want something beyond the usual suspects (Jack the Ripper, Ted Bundy).
You appreciate narrative nonfiction that reads like a thriller but delivers real historical stakes and period detail.
You're interested in how communities respond to fear when they don't yet have a framework for understanding it.

Maybe not for you if...

You need graphic crime scene descriptions to feel engaged—this prioritises investigative puzzle over gory detail.
You prefer tightly plotted true crime with a definitive ending and clear resolution.
You want recent crimes with extensive interview material; this relies on historical records and speculation.

About this book

In late nineteenth-century Austin, Texas, a series of brutal murders terrorized a city on the verge of transformation from an isolated western outpost into a cosmopolitan center. The killings continued over more than a decade, with the perpetrator growing increasingly bold while public panic intensified. At the time, the concept of a serial killer was unknown and unimaginable. Skip Hollandsworth, a Texas Monthly journalist, spent over a decade researching this historical case. The Midnight Assassin presents the murders with vivid historical detail and narrative style, documenting what would become recognized as America's first serial killer case and the fear it unleashed on the growing city.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $16.99

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 88% off peak. Price has dropped 4 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 196 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #21K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 49% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.0★ from 1,398 reviews

Gaining approximately 3 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.0 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $16.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.