Journalist. Palindrome. Writer.
James Renner is an award-winning journalist, and author of True Crime Addict, the definitive book on the Maura Murray disappearance. He also hosts the podcast, The Philosophy of Crime. In 2019, he founded The Porchlight Project which raises money for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for Ohio cold cases. In May, 2020, James Zastawnik was arrested for the murder of Barbara Blatnik, thanks to the work of genealogists funded by the Porchlight Project.
My new, little novel MUSE is officially out via Cemetery Dance. The story is set in 1960s New England, and follows a private investigator hired by a teenage girl to steal a box from the estate of H.P. Lovecraft. Signed hardbacks are limited to 750 copies. You can order yours here.
If audiobooks are your thing, Tantor Media put together a fabulous one for MUSE. You can get it on Audible, today!
MUSE is now available on Kindle as well.
Do lie detectors really work? How do psychopaths convince other people to commit murder? What’s the deal with familial DNA? I explore these questions and more in Season Two of The Philosophy of Crime. All 6 episodes are now available everywhere you can find podcasts. Check it out!
2019 TOUR ANNOUNCED!
This June, I’ll be on the road in the eastern U.S. for my “Confessions of a True Crime Addict” tour. It’s a mix of stand up and scary tales about my adventures in true crime journalism. Get your tickets before they sell out!
Here are the links for venues by city:
Thursday, May 30, Music Box Concert Hall, Cleveland. Get tickets here.
Wednesday, June 5, Zanies, Nashville: Get tickets here.
Thursday, June 6, Birmingham, Alabama, Stardome: Get tickets here.
Saturday June 8, New Orleans, The New Movement: More info here.
Tuesday, June 11, Charlotte, The Evening Muse: Get tickets here.
Thursday, June 13, D.C. Improv: Get tickets here.
Friday, June 14, Brooklyn, EastVille Comedy Club: Get tickets here.
My new novel, MUSE, comes out May 14 but you can pre-order a copy, today at this link! This story is limited to only 750 signed copies and Cemetery Dance has done a wonderful job with it.
Here’s a hint of what it’s about:The enclosed was transcribed from ten mini-cassette tapes that were recovered from the offices of Boston attorney William J. Latch following his disappearance on June 19, 2014.
These tapes are part of the evidentiary record in the civil case of Latch V. Weymouth Life & Casualty.
William J. Latch was declared dead by the State of Massachusetts in April 2015 after Magistrate Gavin FitzGerald reviewed these tapes, privately, in his chambers. Weymouth Life & Casualty was therein ordered to release Latch’s survivor’s benefits to his children.
Latch’s body has never been found.
His client, Michael Hadley, also remains missing.
A very excellent, three-part docu series on the Amy Mihaljevic cold case is now available to view on demand via ID Discovery (it’s actually the first part of a new series called The Lake Erie Murders). They cover the case and some suspects in great detail. There are some things revealed that even I didn’t know about.
Are killers born or are they made? Does everyone have the capacity to commit murder? Why is true crime so popular today?
The Philosophy of Crime tackles the biggest questions about unsolved mysteries by looking to classical philosophy for answers.
CLICK HERE to listen to The Philosophy of Crime on any format!
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