The Daily Bulletin Archive

The second annual E. H. Butler Library Archives and Special Collections Charles Rand Penney Speaker Series presents New York Times best-selling author Catherine Pelonero and a world-premiere book launch of her latest title, Absolute Madness: A True Story of a Serial Killer, Race, and a City Divided, on Tuesday, November 7, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center's Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium. The event is held in association with the Canisius College Rev. Clayton J. Murray Archives Speakers Series and is free and open to the public.

Absolute Madness deals with a tragic chapter in Buffalo’s past. Joseph Christopher, a white serial killer, preyed on black men in a spree that began in Buffalo in fall 1980. Before his capture, the phantom gunman was dubbed the .22-Caliber Killer. Christopher expanded his hunting ground to New York City, where he attacked six black males in a single day and became known as the Midtown Slasher. The murders sparked widespread fear and racial hostility that flared throughout Christopher’s capture and two sensational trials. 

The daughter of a Buffalo police officer, Ms. Pelonero spent three years researching the Christopher story, interviewing more than 70 people connected to the case and accessing archival records. Her talk will address her experiences in archival research, true crime, and the Christopher case and will include a question-and-answer session. A reception will follow.

Originally from Buffalo and currently living in Los Angeles, Ms. Pelonero is the author of Kitty Genovese: A True Account of a Public Murder and Its Private Consequences, about the notorious 1964 murder case. Kitty Genovese made both the New York Times and Amazon best-seller lists, reaching No. 10 in the New York Times Best Sellers Crime and Punishment section.

As an author and commentator, Ms. Pelonero has appeared on episodes of the Emmy Award–winning series A Crime to Remember on Investigation Discovery, It Takes a Killer, Fox Files, and Murderous Affairs. She is a contributing writer for CrimeFeed.

The event will feature light refreshments and a cash bar. Books will be available for sale, and the author will gladly sign copies and meet readers. We are proud to offer a 15 percent discount on books to police officers. Officers must present their badges to receive the discount. Absolute Madness will be published in hardcover by Skyhorse Publishing on November 7, the day of this event.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center’s galleries will be open to attendees before the presentation. Free parking will be available in the Burchfield Penney Art Center lot.

For additional information, please contact Dan DiLandro, head of archives and special collections in Butler Library, 878-6308.