Amanda Howard

Amanda Howard (born 1973) is an Australian fiction writer, true crime author, and expert on serial killers.

Early life and education
Amanda Howard was born on 19 November 1973 in Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia. She lists her early crime influences as the 1989-1990 The Granny Killer case and the 1991 movie, The Silence of the Lambs. In 2003, she received a bachelor's degree in social science (criminology) from Charles Sturt University. In 2012, she received a diploma of management (health care) from TAFE NSW. In 2015-2017, she studied for a master's degree of arts (writing) from Swinburne University of Technology and in 2019, a graduate certificate (criminology) at Griffith University. She is currently studying a master's degree (criminology) at Macquarie University.

Career
Her interest in criminology began when she noticed factual errors in an undergraduate textbook, and set out to confirm the information by writing directly to the criminal (in this case Ivan Milat). Following this, she wrote to others and when many began writing back, she decided to pursue it further. After 25 years of corresponding with hundreds of serial killers (including Milat, Charles Manson, David Birnie, Richard Ramirez, Ian Brady, and Roy Norris) she has been nicknamed "The Serial Killer Whisperer" by sections of the media.

Howard released her first books in 2004, and has since made numerous media appearances on radio, television, at conferences, online, and also appears on the morning show Studio 10 as a regular guest. In 2017, she was included in the Who's Who of Australian Women. In 2018, she began work as an associate producer on an American film about serial killer Jesse Pommeroy.

In 2019, Howard opened a pop up museum exhibition called Memento Mori Death Museum. It features pieces from her true crime collection and correspondence from killers from across the globe as well as pieces related to death and culture.

Personal life
Howard was married to Steve, a high-school peer, and they went on to have two children. In mid-2017, however, her husband committed suicide at the family home at the age of 42. As a result of his death, Howard is now a spokesperson for male suicide prevention.

Kate Reilly series
Howard has also authored a series of investigative novels "following the life of a police detective who is an international expert on ritual crimes and ancient societies." The series, set in the fictional Somerset Police Violent Crimes Department, currently consists of:
 * The Blood of Many (Ritual book 1) (2013)
 * The Elements of Murder (Ritual book 2) (2013)
 * A Thousand Cuts (Ritual book 3) (2015)
 * Shrouded Echoes (Ritual book 4) (2016)

Media

 * Monsters Who Murder - an Australian crime podcast hosted by Howard and Robert McKnight (2018–present)
 * Behind True Crime - Amanda Howard, The Serial Killer Whisperer (11 August 2017)
 * Australian True Crime - Serial Killer Whisperer Amanda Howard - #49 (10 May 2018)
 * Australian True Crime - The Woman Who Thinks Ivan Milat is Innocent - #70 (27 September 2018)
 * Amanda on 'The Feed' - SBS Television