The volume is simultaneously disturbing and moving as Nunes goes behind the headlines to give readers sleepless nights by taking them on dozens and dozens of unflinching and riveting looks at sociopathic serial killers, crime bosses, audacious crooks and crimes of passion. Nor does he leave out white collar criminals who made sensational headlines through kidnappings, fraud and embezzlement. Southern Illinois is fully and equally represented by such topics as the Herrin Massacre, Buster Wortman, the Shelton gang, the Birger gang, Paul Powell's shoebox mystery, Dale Cavaness, S. Glen Young, the KKK, Thomas Venezia, Orville Hodge, Paula Sims, Thomas Brimberry and James Earl Ray. As noted on the cover, the book is also about Missouri crime, covering such topics as Jesse James, the Civil War, the Kansas City Massacre, lynchings, the Baldknobbers, the KKK, Boss Pendergast, the Kansas City mob and notable murderers.