I had a really hard time keeping this story straight. Unfortunately that made me keep losing interest.

#Liza Rodman: Jennifer Jordan, # NetGally
Tony Costa seemed so notmal. He had a Wife and Children. But he was not.
Its crazy to think that kids felt so safe with him.

Thank you to goodreads for allowing me to read this !

I was super excited to get this and start it right away. I found everyone super interesting and it was crazy to learn a kid felt safe around someone who was a serial killer!!!

The middle got to be a little slow for me. I understand explaining everything they did but at times it seemed like too much if that makes sense. Definitely was an interesting read and learned a lot.

I like that this book was told as a merger between a memoir and crime investigation. This seemed like such a unique way to present the information. This book really kept me intrigued and interested in what was going to happen and how someone could do the things that he did and still be someone so different to a little girl while she was growing up. The sheer extent of the crimes was utterly horrific and there is probably so much that will never be known about what Costa did criminally. I thought the book was well written and well researched as well. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

One need not be a Chamber -to be Haunted
-Emily Dickinson

In the 1960's Liza Rodman grew up a lonely girl. Her mother worked at a local Motel and went dancing most nights in Provincetown. Her babysitter was the handyman (Tony) at the Motel where her mother worked. He would take Liza and her sister, Louisa, on adventures in his truck, treating them to popsicles and taking them on adventures in the woods. He made their summers fun. Liza and her sister thought he was a nice guy. It was not until later that Liza would learn that he was a serial killer. Some of his victims were buried in the same woods where he took Liza and her sister on adventures.

**Tony Costa made headlines in 1969 when he was suspected of killing seven women but was convicted of killing only two. Four years into his incarceration, he committed suicide.

It was not until she was older, that Liza put two and two together and realized that her fun babysitter was a killer of women. When she questioned her mother about him, her mother's response was "Yeah, so what?"….” He didn't kill you, did he?" Needless to say, Liza's mother never won any mother of the year awards. As you can imagine, she was intrigued, haunted, and troubled by what she learned. She began researching the man who babysat her and killed numerous women. She wrote this book with the help of Jennifer Jordan.

I found this book to be well written, well researched and thought provoking. Some following my reviews know that I used to work with serial killer, murderers, rapists, etc. when I worked in forensics. Obviously, they were court ordered to treatment after they were caught. It has always fascinated me what they were like in their day to day lives prior to arrest and conviction. I thought the authors did a brilliant job of showing Tony throughout his life, his marriage, and his interactions with her and others. I applaud their attention to detail and the use of trial documents, police reports, interviews with those who knew him, Liza's memories, and Tony's diary.

Fans of True Crime will not be disappointed. You will learn about a serial killer who is not as well-known as say Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer. But his case is fascinating as is Liza's childhood. She could even write another book about her mother if she wanted to do so. It is sad that no one intervened and removed the two girls from her care. Liza could also write a book about Tony's mother, Cecelia, who also worked at the Motel and was loving and kind to Liza and turned a blind eye to Tony's lifestyle and crimes.

Riveting, thought provoking and well researched.

A Must Read for True Crime fans.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tony Costa seemed like an average man. He had a wife and children. He worked kind of a jack of all trades. However, he wasn't always reliable, and failed to show up for work. He was also a sometimes babysitter. He took care of Liza and her younger sister. He always treated them warmly. Sometimes he treated them to ice cream cones or popsicles. He did take them in his truck when he did dump runs or other errands. Both girls enjoyed being with him.
He was also sadistic and a serial killer.
Liza tells her story mixed with fact about Tony and all the information she was able to compile on him. It makes an interesting and informative read.

Hi friends! I received an ARC of this book from Atria Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book won’t be published until March of 2021, but feel free to read my spoiler-free review and add it to your list if you’re interested! Although I received this book for free, all thoughts and feedback are my own.

Synopsis & Quick Thoughts
The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer is part memoir, part true crime novel. The plot intertwines the story of Tony Costa and his brutal murders of several women in the town of Truro, Massachusetts, with the personal tellings of Liza Rodman concerning her experiences with her abusive mother and her interactions with Tony.

I am a true crime nut. My Favorite Murder, Crime Junkie, Conversations with a Killer, Forensic Files; you name it I’m on it. I’ve been embarrassed until now to have not read a true crime novel. What a great introduction this has been. The unique ways in which Liza’s and Tony’s stories interact make for a more immersive and compelling read than one that may be given in a more objective and strictly factual manner. This story will be one that stays with me for a long time.

Positives
Hands-down, my favorite aspect of this novel is the alternating styles of the chapters. One plotline is a memoir written in the fist person by Liza, which focuses on her summers and experiences in a very subjective and colloquial way. The chapters in between chronicle Tony Costa’s life, decisions, and crimes in a more biographical and professional manner. This style choice lends itself to so many interesting and important notes in this novel.

The first is, perhaps most obviously, the ability to more deeply analyze Costa based on the experiences of someone who interacted with him. These anecdotes provide an insight into Costa’s psyche and character that wouldn’t be adequately explained were the novel to keep to a more newscasterly and unemotional tone. These small stories that Rodman shares are new and unique to her novel and humanize Costa in a way as to make his crimes even more horrific.

Using this method of storytelling also allows Rodman to delve into other aspects of her childhood that don’t relate to Costa directly, that mainly being the abusive relationship Rodman has with her mother. This wasn’t an aspect of the novel that I was expecting, but one I ultimately ended up appreciating. Many times throughout the novel Rodman shows that she’s far more afraid of her mother than she is of Tony – a literal serial killer.

The book is well-written, well-paced, and both Costa’s and Rodman’s stories are intriguing in the worst ways. I also appreciated the extra work that went into giving the readers some additional closure regarding the case.

Negatives
Although I see the alternating points of view and stories as this novel’s greatest strength, I believe it is also the thing that caused me to not enjoy The Babysitter as much as I wanted to. While Rodman’s and Costa’s stories do touch and overlap at various points throughout their respective plots, they do not interact as much as I expected them to. For the most part, it felt like I was reading two separate stories that only converged a handful of times.

I know this book is a memoir and non-fiction, so I know that the number of encounters between Tony and Liza isn’t something that can be retroactively changed in editing, but I do feel like in the latter half of the book the stories diverged a little too much. I wasn’t paying exact attention, but I think the last time Rodman and Costa had a direct interaction was around halfway through the novel. I don’t think I would have had as much of a problem with it if there had been some sort of reconciliation at the end, but there wasn’t. Again, I know this is a nonfiction work, but it made parts of the novel feel jumpy and clunky; I felt like I was reading two books at once.

Rating & Final Thoughts
What a good start to December. The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. If you’re at all interested in true crime, I highly recommend adding this to your list for 2021. I should add a content warning for abuse (physical and verbal), sexual assault, and, of course, the numerous murders that Costa commits that are described in detail.

A chilling dual narrative alternating between a neglected and abused kid and the serial killer who was one of the few caring people in her childhood. Just think about that. How horrible does a childhood have to be to make someone like Tony Costa look friendly and caring?

Both narratives are well-written and heart-achingly sad, but together, they bring this memoir to a whole new level. Many people will pick up this book for the true crime aspect but it was Liza's story that will stay with me the longest. I hope that writing this and airing her childhood out brings Liza some peace. That she still has a relationship with her mother demonstrates what an extraordinary individual she is.

The chapters about Tony were written without sensationalism. What I really appreciated was learning about the true fate of some of the women who were only suspected of being his victims. The authors have done a great job of bringing humanity and depth to a vast number of victims.

#thankspublishers #netgalley #atriabooks

The Babysitter is part memoir, part true-crime. The true crime aspect of the book centers around a serial killer while the memoir element is told from the point of view of Liza, a neglected and mistreated little girl who spends her summers with the killer. Although a true story, it reads like a psychological thriller with the two storylines seamlessly blending throughout.

This is a dark, disturbing and unsettling book with very graphic elements that have left me haunted. I found this work to be meticulously researched and cited and would recommend it with three stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I had no idea I would enjoy this book as much as I did , being based on a true story I found the characters all perfectly believable and had various emotions about them all , fascinating insight to murder and drug culture .

Summer 1966. With seven year old Liza and five year old Louisa in tow, divorcee Betty started a job as Head of Housekeeping at the Royal Coachman Motel on the Outer Cape, just north of the Truro town line. By day, Betty would work diligently, however, nighttime was spent partying at bars and dance clubs. Her children were an inconvenience, especially Liza. "Mom didn't show me any affection-hugs, caresses...it felt as if Mom had it in for me right from the start. Always ready with an insult". Kindly, older housekeeper Cecelia, would allow Liza to tag along, allowing her to help. Cecelia "always thanked me with a smile...even a hug. It was the hugs that I waited for most".

"My Tony is a good man," said Cecelia, of her older son. Returning from a trip, Tony was hired as the motel's handyman. He became one of the "random" babysitters Betty used when she deemed Liza and Louisa to be "underfoot all day". "They would ride to the dumps with him often stopping to buy popsicles. "We became his regular companions...I loved that he never seemed to be in a rush or eager to get rid of us. Unlike every other adult in our lives, he seemed to like just being with us. One day, Tony disappeared...More than anything I missed riding around town in the truck with Tony and feeling like I belonged somewhere".

"From the beginning Tony was different from the other kids-somehow cooler, smarter, and more 'inside himself'." Remembered by early teachers for "splendid cooperation and honesty", at age 12, a dramatic change occurred. As an adult, Tony worked at the Royal Coachman but often spent nights walking or sleeping on the dunes. He felt he was "sitting outside himself observing 'Tony' from a distance...someone else...totally removed, separate from that Tony...it fascinated him...".

Liza remembered visiting Tony's "secret garden". Louisa and I went all over the Cape with him...He took us on his errands and out to the dump and out to the Truro woods...Our Tony? A serial killer?" [Tony] had read somewhere that liars cannot meet the gaze of those questioning them, so Tony trained himself to stare unblinkingly into the eyes of anyone who challenged him. It was more than unnerving...". Getting away with murder?...Tony eventually made a "greedy" mistake.

"The Babysitter: My Summers With a Serial Killer" by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan is a well written, true crime read based upon the childhood recollections of Liza Rodman, of summers spent in the company of serial killer Tony Costa. Along with co-author Jennifer Jordan, they viewed multiple sources including police reports, trial documents and Tony Costa's prison diary written in Barnstable County Jail. This well researched tome was a gripping, spine tingling read. Would Tony have "groomed" Liza or Louisa? I would like to think not. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Atria Books and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Liza’s mother is always looking for someone to watch her and her younger sister during their summers in Cape Cod in the 60’s, even if it means asking strangers in the supermarket. So, it’s no surprise when Tony Costa, a handyman, becomes a sometimes babysitter for the young girls. Decade later, when Liza’s mom is in her seventies, Liza asks her whatever happened to Tony, the man she and her sister had spent so much time with out in the woods. Her mother nonchalantly mentions that he turned out to be serial killer. The book alternates chapters between Liza and Tony’s story and explores how fragile the line can be between compassionate guardian and cold-blooded killer, as Tony was always so kind to Liza. This is a chilling and dark story of how their two lives intersect and will appeal to readers of true crime. Thank you so Atria Books And NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

I definitely recommend for true crime lovers like myself!! This book is about a girl named Liza. She had a very lonely childhood and her own mother abused her. She ended up becoming "friends" with Tony Costa...a serial killer! I thought this story was fascinating. I can't believe how nice he was to little Liza. I cannot believe she rode around with him alone in his truck and he practically babysat her at times and all along he was severely mentally ill. We alternate chapters with Liza's story and childhood and Tony's years as a killer. I'm shocked he didn't hurt her and oddly enough liked her. There were some parts that were personally a little slow for me and I was expecting more of a story about how he was her primary babysitter but that isn't exactly the case. However, I still loved this book simply for how bizarre it is. Thank you to netgalley and Atria Books for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

"The Babysitter" is partly the story of Liza Rodman's troubled youth, which included a time when Tony Costa, who later was found to be a serial killer was her babysitter. The other part of this book, woven through Liza's memoir, is a true crime story of Tony, who appeared to be deeply mentally ill and became a serial killer.

This a fast, gripping read. Your heart will break for little Liza growing up as her mom's throwaway child, and feeling that she had something wrong with her. The portion of the book that details Tony's crimes is chilling.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent true crime story from a fascinating perspective that grabbed a hold of my attention from the first page. I highly recommend this for all true crime fans.

The Babysitter is a dark and chilling true crime novel that left me brutally flipping the pages. To say I was engrossed in this story would be an understatement. I was transfixed! This is a shocking and heinous read, one that true fan aficionados won't want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a chilling true crime novel written more like a memoir. I enjoyed the switching of stories between the author and the murderer, and how their lives intertwined. A disturbing lesson that even the most twisted of people can hide behind charming personalities.

Thank you to @atriabooks, @lizarodman, and Jennifer Jordan for my gifted copy of The Babysitter! This is a nonfiction memoir of a woman’s life growing up in the Northeast, where she was often allowed unsupervised time with a man who turned out to be an infamous serial killer.

WOW, y’all! This book is told from two perspectives: Liza Rodman’s and Tony Costa’s. They start out at different points, but converge beautifully as the book goes on, and Liza spends more time with Tony. Rodman and Jordan’s writing is so good that you feel like you’re in a fiction story. It’s full of rich descriptions and dialogue that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. If you’re a true crime lover as well, you’d enjoy the writing as the police and FBI start to build their case against Tony Costa. Overall, this may be one of my recent favorite reads because of how well the authors combined the memoir and true crime aspects of their entire story.

You can grab your own copy of The Babysitter on March 2nd! It’ll make for an engrossing nonfiction read.

Ekkk y’all this was so creepy yet so good!! The writing was phenomenal and I absolutely was hooked the entire time. Go and read this one!

I was excited about this one because what a fascinating story! The line where her mom brushed off the author’s surprise and concern over being babysat by a serial killer by saying that she wasn’t killed so it was no big deal was great.

Then I got to the part where they talked about some of teenage Tony’s molestation victims. One girl is described as having a “teenybopper crush” on him and then that “one could hardly blame the girl for thinking Tony liked her” before going in to describe Tony’s sexual assaults to the girl. She was a victim; not a little girl with a crush. This was really off putting and colored the rest of the book.

The authors also blame “freedom seeking homosexuals” for young children turning into troubled teenagers “overnight”.

What kind of retrograde nonsense is this?