Alumni Book Club: Fall Read

The Nevada Alumni Book Club is an online community where alumni can connect with each other and enjoy books from a range of genres. There is no cost to participate – you just have to get a copy of the book to enjoy. If you haven't signed up you can do so online to join in on the conversation. 

Our fall read is The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer by Dean Jobb! We can't wait to start reading and discussing this book with you on Friday, August 5th. 

The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer tells the story of Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, who murdered as many as ten people in the United States, Britain, and Canada during the Victorian era. Largely forgotten today, this villain was as brazen as the notorious Jack the Ripper. Structured around the doctor’s London murder trial in 1892, when he was finally brought to justice, The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream exposes the blind trust given to medical practitioners, as well as the flawed detection methods, bungled investigations, corrupt officials, and stifling morality of Victorian society that allowed Dr. Cream to prey on vulnerable and desperate women, many of whom had turned to him for medical help. Dean Jobb transports readers to the late nineteenth century as Scotland Yard traces Dr. Cream’s life through Canada and Chicago and finally to London, where new investigative tools called forensics were just coming into use, even as most police departments still scoffed at using science to solve crimes. But then, most investigators could hardly imagine that serial killers existed—the term was unknown. As the Chicago Tribune wrote, Dr. Cream’s crimes marked the emergence of a new breed of killer: one who operated without motive or remorse, who “murdered simply for the sake of murder.” For fans of Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City, all things Sherlock Holmes, or the podcast My Favorite Murder, The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream is an unforgettable true crime story from a master of the genre.

"Jobb does a masterful job of following the investigation, which ranged from England to the United States to Canada, and of presenting Dr. Cream not merely as a murderer, but as a complex, unstable, and deeply fascinating individual. True crime doesn't get any better than this." —Booklist 

How it works
The book club will connect through a private online forum where people can discuss the current book and network with each other. The group will spend two months on each book, so you'll have plenty of time to read. To learn more visit our sign-up page.

What book are we reading?
We will spend roughly 2-3 months reading each book and in advance of starting a new book, members will have an opportunity to vote on the next book. We haven't held the vote for this book just yet but if you join today, you can vote on our next pick!

Why should you join?
There are three main reasons we hope you'll be excited to participate in our book club:

1) Connect with fellow alumni
2) Be a part of a lifelong learning community
3) Reading is good for you!

We hope you’ll join us on the literary adventures that lie ahead!

Dial-In Information

The book club will be managed by PBC Guru. PBC Guru manages professional book clubs for companies and the Nevada Alumni Association and will be moderating the group to help make this program a great experience for all participants. Please email them at info@pbc.guru with any questions or visit their website at http://www.pbc.guru to see more of what they do.