This book caught my eye because of my interest in true crime. I watch the ID channel all the time and am fascinated by the stories. I thought this book would be an interesting read because it is from the reporters perspective and experience. After reading my thoughts on this book is that I liked how it told about the cases that she covered along with little background information on how production worked with telling the story. The courtroom and interview stories were interesting. I liked how she told how she got the interviews. Loved the story about getting her first business cards from Kinkos, that was fun.
You can find Killy Story on Amazon.
For every true crime story that makes headlines, there’s a separate drama happening behind the scenes. Follow a journalist and TV producer from 48 Hours and 60 Minutes as she carves out a career in the ruthless, knives-out world of true crime television . . . one killer story at a time.
Author: Claire St. Amant
Title: Killer Story: The Truth Behind True Crime Television
Published On: 2/18/2025
Publisher: BenBella Books, Simon and Schuster Pages: 350
Genres: Memoir, True Crime
Narrator: Claire St. Amant
Audiobook Length: 13 hours and 25 mintues
Format: eBook
I received this book for free from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: Net GalleyPurchase Links:
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SYNOPSIS
Follow a journalist and TV producer from 48 Hours and 60 Minutes as she carves out a career in the ruthless, knives-out world of true crime television . . . one killer story at a time.
Serial killers. Homicidal spouses. Sociopathic criminals. Claire St. Amant has met them all.
She spent nearly a decade in network television chasing the biggest true crime stories in the country, including the murder of Chris Kyle, plastic-surgeon-turned-murder-for-hire suspect Thomas Michael Dixon, the Parkland high school mass shooting, the disappearance of Christina Morris, and serial killer Samuel Little.
Bringing a true crime story to network television requires quick thinking and tenacious stamina, and in her debut memoir, Claire offers true crime fans a rare in-depth look from the other side of the yellow tape.
In Killer Story, readers will learn what it really takes to get these gripping cases on the air with insights such as:
How it feels to share space with a dead-eyed murderer
Which TV show has a reputation for “eating their young”
How reporters win over skeptical cops and reluctant lawyers
Why TV journalists are always racing against the clock—and competitor sabotage
What happens when a district attorney decides journalists have committed a felony
The unresolved crimes that still haunt Claire to this day
This eye-opening look behind the scenes of true crime television offers an unforgettable read—and a window into the daily reality of investigative journalism.
Endorsements
“Whenever I would hear about a mysterious murder that had just taken place in Texas, my first thought was always, ‘I wonder if Claire is already on the story.’ And yes, there she was, hanging out in the offices of the attorneys who were involved in the case, arranging interviews with witnesses, and usually getting an exclusive interview with the murder suspect himself. She was so polite, and yet she had a backbone of steel, leaving the rest of her fellow reporters in the dust. Reading her memoir made me, once again, shake my head in admiration.”
—Skip Hollandsworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Assassin and executive editor of Texas Monthly“Claire deftly takes readers through the often unbelievable, heart-pounding moments of chasing a competitive true crime story. But just as important as relaying the boots-on-the-ground experiences, with both humility and humanity, Claire gives even deeper insight into the personal challenge of covering these kinds of traumatic cases, the choices journalists—especially women— are often forced to make in order to be considered successful.”
—Maureen Maher, award-winning investigative journalist and former 48 Hours correspondent“A take-no-prisoners, name-naming inside look at the world of crime television from a veteran producer on the front lines.”
—Alec Sirken, Emmy Award–winning producer at CBS News and former correspondent for NBC News
Learn more about the author at her website.
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