The Scientist and the Serial Killer tells the true story of forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick's quest to identify the "lost boys," the victims of Houston's "Candy Man" serial killer Dean Corll, decades after their murders.
Harris County Public Library will host author and investigative journalist Lise Olsen for a special event at Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library on Wednesday, August 6, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Olsen will discuss her latest book, The Scientist and the Serial Killer, with fellow journalist Jasmina Kelemen. The discussion will be followed by a book signing.
This event is free, but space is limited. Please register using the link below. The first 50 people to register will receive a free copy of the book. Note: One book per registration.
This event is free, but space is limited. Register now.
About The Scientist and the Serial Killer
Olsen's book delves into one of the darker chapters of Houston's history, the so-called "Candy Man" murders. It was only after the serial killer Dean Corll was murdered by teenage accomplice, Elmer Wayne Henley, that more than 27 sets of remains were discovered in unmarked graves at three different sites across the region.. Corll, a former shop owner known as the "Candy Man," had enlisted two teens to lure others to his home, where they had been tortured and killed. The shocking crimes made international news.
The mystery became: who had Corll killed? All of the victims' bodies were badly decomposed; some were only skeletal. Known collectively as the Lost Boys, nearly a third of his victims remained unidentified or undiscovered. Decades later, forensic anthropologist Sharon Derrick was shocked to find boxes of bones marked "1973 Murders" stored in the Harris County Medical Examiner's office. She recalled the horrifying crime from her own childhood and knew she had to act.
Olsen brings to life the teens who were hunted by a killer hiding in plain sight and the extraordinary woman who helped his unknown victims recover their identities. Filled with new information about the case, The Scientist and the Serial Killer immerses readers in an astonishing story and reveals secrets about these crimes that remain relevant today.
About Lise Olsen
Lise Olsen is an investigative reporter, editor and the award-winning author of Code of Silence and The Scientist and the Serial Killer. Her reports have contributed to the prosecutions of a former congressman and a federal judge, inspired laws and reforms, helped solve cold cases and identify murder victims, and freed wrongfully held prisoners. She is currently investigations editor at the Texas Observer and previously served as deputy investigations editor at the Houston Chronicle. Learn more at liseolsen.info
About Jasmina Kelemen
Jasmina Kelemen is a Houston-based journalist who has covered energy and international news for more than 20 years. She regularly reviews books for Publishers Weekly
Books by Lise Olsen
The Scientist and the Serial Killer
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