Robert Sberna

Robert Sberna is a Cleveland-based journalist and author. His first book, House of Horrors: The Shocking True Story of Anthony Sowell, was named the 2012 True Crime Book of the Year by Foreword Reviews.

House of Horrors explores the life and crimes of Sowell and the many women he victimized in Cleveland from 2007 until 2009. Through interviews with police, forensic psychiatrists, Sowell’s relatives and neighbors, and Sowell himself, House of Horrors offers a startling glimpse into the mind of a serial killer. Sowell, a decorated former Marine, preyed on women who were caught in the clutches of drug addiction and poverty.

Sberna's second book, Badge 387: The Story of Jim Simone, America's  Most Decorated Cop, examines the dynamics of police-involved shootings through the experiences of Simone and other officers. Simone, a former Cleveland police officer, killed five people in the line of duty during his career. 

A graduate of Ohio University’s School of Journalism, Mr. Sberna began his career as a police and courts reporter at newspapers in the Midwest. In recent years, he has contributed articles to national and regional publications, including the Washington Examiner, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Crain’s, Neoconomist, and Ohio magazine.