We all have guilty pleasures! I know some people are super into knitting or crocheting, or video gaming, or reading, making candles, etc. Mine is true crime. I feel like it has really come into the light in more recent years, so I know I’m not the only one. If this isn’t your thing, that is totally cool and I can appreciate that about you. If you do, please let’s be friends!
I think my fascination in true crime started in high school. My mom was super into crime drama; mostly realistic crime dramas; like CSI, Criminal Minds, Bones and Law & Order: SVU. She wasn’t as into true crime, but she was very into fictional crime. My mom read Mary Higgins Clark and John Grisham constantly.
This is the time that my high school began a trial “forensic sciences” class. I couldn’t get into that class fast enough and it was my senior year. So this may have helped this class make such a deep impact on me. Part of this class curriculum was that over the summer before the semester to prepare for the class, you were to pick out a book from a provided list of authors. The authors were either true crime authors or authors who accurately used science and psychology in their books. I also wrote my senior research paper on Ted Bundy, because I’m a creep. (Ha, I’m sure that made a great impression.)
I chose a book by Patricia Cornwell, and my life was forever changed. She is my most favorite author. She’s an actual Medical Examiner who writes fictional stories, who shows more accurately than most how an investigation would go during these fictional cases. She also writes in such a way that you can read her books in order, but you can also read them out of order and still understand what’s going on. In fact, I did not read them in order. I didn’t realize for a while that they were all a series (The Scarpetta Series). I would read them as I came across them in second hand book stores. I have a large (while incomplete) collection. But I highly recommend her books.
If you read my podcast recommendations, then you know all of the podcasts that I listen to are true crime. Albeit they are mixed between what I call “serious” and comedy true crime. This is what I listen to all the time. I’d rather listen to a podcast than music while working. Really I think the only times I listen to music is when I’m at work in my studio, doing hair, and in the car with my family. If you’d like to know what I listen to go check out the post on my podcast recommendations.
I recently discovered a true crime YouTuber that I am absolutely obsessed with. Stephanie Harlowe was recommended to me by a friend. She is so well spoken and well researched. In fact, she is a married mom of three children and three dogs, and how she’s able to do such an amazing job, baffles me. She is incredible. I also kind of suspect she is either not actually human or one of those “sleep elite,” she researches meticulously, and somehow manages record amazing videos, with no kid or dog interruptions. Watch one of her videos and you know exactly what I mean. I don’t understand how she does it all. I want to be her in my next life! She is my people! I feel like we could be friends. I know I could talk to her about true crime for hours and hours. I aspire to be as cool as Stephanie! I can’t recommend her channel highly enough.
I’m so fascinated with the science and psychology of how these criminal’s minds work. I love to learn of how science is used to catch these criminals. I never felt smart enough to learn science until I discovered forensics. I think that my minds needs a practical use of a skill to fully understand a concept. I never felt like I had that understanding until my brain made a practical connection. I often wish I had chosen to study criminal sciences and psychology in school instead of fashion. Maybe one day, I suppose!
Stay safe and wash your dang hands!
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