Raised by a Serial Killer

Discovering the Truth About My Father

By: April Balascio

Narrated by: April Balascio

The untold story behind the hit true crime podcast The Clearing, this “engrossing and absolutely terrifying read” (San Francisco Chronicle) traces one daughter’s moving quest to understand the truth about her father, the serial killer Edward Wayne Edwards, while confronting cold cases, unsolved murders, and the haunting mysteries of her larger-than-life childhood.

One evening in 2009, April Balascio was searching online, as she had been every night, for unsolved murders in the towns her family had lived growing up, when she stumbled across the latest investigations into the “Sweetheart Murders” cold case. All at once, the buried memories of her father’s dark history were awakened, and she knew she had to take action. She picked up the phone to call a detective and the rest is infamous true crime history.

In her unflinching memoir, Balascio bravely reveals an astonishing tale of a lifetime of manipulation, unexplained upheavals, and silent fear. Some part of her had always known what her father was capable of, but the full truth of how she came to these revelations is as riveting as it is quietly terrifying. Through searing storytelling, dedicated research, and intimate insight, Raised by a Serial Killer is a gripping, courageous memoir unlike any other.

Enjoyed the story but not the narration

I am sad that April went through all this and glad that she shared her story. However, the reading cadence was difficult to overlook and jarring.

My heart goes out to this lady!

Good book-I feel for this lady & her family. I hope she knows love & kindness for the rest of her days! I was really saddened at her mother’s behavior… I think her mom is definitely complicit in the abuse. I did have to speed book up to 1.2, I feel the reading was slow, halting and a little childlike. Her father deserved far worse than he got.

Balascio’s voice adds authenticity

I’m always cautious when the author narrates their own book but April Belascio’s voice actually adds to the book’s authenticity.

If I were curating a book list for new teachers, I’d add this. As I was listening, I recalled some students who left suddenly with no forwarding address. April’s willingness to recall painful events gives us insight into the lives of children whose parents neglect and abuse them.

I really appreciated April’s ability to explain how she continued to love her complicit mother because she, too, was a victim.

Thank you, April Balascio.

Horrifying treatment of the poor kids

It was interesting if too long and the mispronunciations ( like eXcape) hurt my teacher’s ears. I was amazed at the resilience of the children, especially April the oldest child who told the story.

SMH!!!

This story really overwhelmed me and made me appreciate my life a lot more. The ordeals that April and her family had to endure are really tough, and I admire her for doing what she did and helping so many families give closure to very difficult chapters in their lives. Having said so, I enjoyed listening to this book (at 1.5x), but there were some parts that felt a little long (very descriptive and it is exactly how the author felt to express them, so I respect that), and at times it even felt a bit repetitive (even when knowing they were different people she was referring to). Overall I liked the book, but would not listen to it at 1x. I felt it was read too slowly but the 1.5x fixed it.