Books like behold the void

Amelia Elizabeth Dyer (born Hobley; 1836 – 10 June 1896) was one of the most prolific serial killers in history, murdering infants in her care over a 30-year period in Victorian Britain. Trained as a nurse, and widowed in 1869, she turned to baby farming—the practice of adopting unwanted infants in exchange for money—to support herself. She initially cared for the children legitimately, in addition to having two of her own, but whether intentionally or not, a number of them died in her care, leading to a conviction for neglect and six months' hard labour. She then began directly murdering children she "adopted", strangling at least some of them, and disposing of the bodies to avoid attention. Mentally unstable, she was committed to several mental asylums throughout her life, despite suspicions of feigning, and survived at least one serious suicide attempt.