This is a book of short biographies about the most villainous human beings through history. These have to be the most accurate short biographies I have read for middle grade readers. I appreciate that the author used Queen Mary I of England's entry to mention why she received her name and the fact that both her father and sister were far "bloodier" than she. I would recommend this read for middle graders who enjoyed How They Croaked and How They Choked. These mini-biographies are the worst of the worst, so I would not recommend for the squeamish - and I also think this would be a great read-along with parent or adult which can open further conversations on the things mentioned in the book. (Personally, I would have liked a few more biographies that bring us closer to modern day ie Slobodan Milošević)

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Deadly Hearts provides sixteen biographies on some of history's most deadly figures. Each chapter serves as a an overview of what made each person infamous. Young readers interested in history will be interested in this; dark or not, these historical figures greatly impacted the people they harmed and the world around them. Young readers deserve access to all parts of history, and this book is a good introduction that can promote further research. The art direction is both sinister and unique, matching the subject matter.