Portrait by Nafis Azad

Susan Zalkind is a New England-based investigative reporter, author, and filmmaker.

She spent more than a decade investigating the connections between the September 11, 2011 triple homicide in Waltham, Mass and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Her friend Erik Weissman, was a victim of the Waltham slaying. She wrote a book and produced a documentary about her findings.

The book The Waltham Murders: One Woman’s Pursuit to Expose the Truth Behind a Murder and a National Tragedy was published in March 2024.

Library Journal hailed the book as “a definitive resource” in a starred review. Publishers Weekly called Zalkind’s debut “gripping” and predicted that “readers will be captivated.”

The Midwest Book Review found the book to be “extraordinary, exceptional, memorable, and of special appeal to readers with an interest in the subject of organized crime and cold case law enforcement.”

Zalkind also created, wrote and produced the widely praised three part documentary The Murders Before The Marathon. Read her producer’s note here. The series was inspired by her book proposal, began streaming in the US on Hulu in September 2022, and is available on streaming platforms around the world.

The Boston Globe notably compared Zalkind’s work to Paradise Lost and The Thin Blue Line. The Wall Street Journal called the series “damning” and listed it as one of the best TV shows of 2022.

Zalkind’s earlier reporting on the case for This American Life and Boston magazine was hailed as "blistering" by Rachel Maddow, and listed as one of the best stories of the year by Longform.org and Longreads.

Zalkind also writes about other things at other places. She was a New England correspondent for The Daily Beast, Vice, and The Guardian US. She likes trials and breaking news. She studied History and African Studies at Boston University and is more fun in person.