Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell is a cartoonist, comedian, and true crime fanatic. Her graphic memoir is a light-hearted tribute to true crime and an exploration of why she and so many of her peers love it. I reviewed Rachel Munroe’s Savage Appetites earlier this year, and I’d say this book is the funny, optimistic true crime fan memoir in pairing with Munroe’s more dramatic, sobering one. (Both equally essential reading for true crime fans.)
Campbell’s graphic memoir is in black and white, both in sync with her cartooning style (she’s a frequent New Yorker cartoonist) and with early graphic memoirs. Her art is simple and humorous. My only complaints are the extremely small lettering (this is a good one to read on a tablet, if possible, to zoom in), and the sometimes confusing arrangement of panels. Though the latter fits the sort of harried, chaotic-in-a-fun-way narrative.
A super cute aspect of the book is that Hilary presents herself working out her feelings about true crime with conversations between herself, the reader, and other characters – her mother and sisters, and sometimes perfect strangers. It’s a great device to comment on herself and represent other true crime fans. My favorite bits are her conversations with her mother, as my own mother introduced me to a lot of the books and media I love, so I related to their relationship a lot.
Must read for true crime fans who like Bechdel style graphic novels!
