Serial Murder Books

John Leake researched for four years in Vienna and Los Angeles to write this book. He literally spoke to hundreths of people and the result is one of the fines written and researched true crime books I have read recently. What I really applaud the author for, is his genuine lack of vanity. He never judges and never comments on Austria's most gruesome serial killers of the 20th century. After Jack Unterweger got released from prison (for viciously killing a young girl in Germany) he was already a well know literate. In jail, he wrote a book and many of Austria's intellectual elite voted for his early release. He soon became a star of the café society in Vienna. He had numerous affairs with women of all ages, classes and backgrounds. He could have made it. But then the killings started. Eleven women were killed in the time between his release and his escape to Miami, where eventually he was apprehended. Three of them in Los Angeles. John Leake depicts the picture of a sociopath with obvious considerable charms who could function in society as long as nobody questioned him and his stories. He was a cold blooded killer, a narcissist, a liar and a very mediocre writer. I congratulate John Leake to this book and I hope to read more of his books in the future to come.

John Leake's Entering Hades: The Double Life of a Serial Killer is a very well researched and written book. Like others, I concur that the aspects of Jack Unterweger's double life and the ultimately deadly Austrian liberal perspective with respect to the ability of criminals to be rehabilitated were very well done. Less well developed were an explication of the reasons behind the protaganist's murderous behavior--his childhood (and his misrepresentation of certain aspects of his mother's and father's history)--and his sexual inclinations and their relationship to his murderous behavior. The fact that the story spans the Atlantic with key portions in two key Austrian locations--Vienna and Graz (where the American author's German language and translation skills shine)--as well as Los Angeles and, to a lesser degree, Miami, also adds interest to the book.

In short, a very good true crime book about a most disturbing protaganist, particularly considering that this is the author's first book. I look forward to future books from this author.

As good as anything Ann Rule ever wrote--and maybe even better.

About the only complaint: author could have delved deeper into Unterweger's mother's life, as well as what exactly the killer's life was like as a young child, as he was raised by a grandfather who evidently was a mean drunk, etc.

Other than that, a fine job of writing as well as research.
Author John Leake definitely has a career in this field.

Congratualations to John Leake on this outstanding work! Having been directly involved with Unterweger's extradition to Austria, I can report that women lawyers, law enforcement officers, and diplomats were instrumental in every aspect of this fugitive's return to Austria to answer for his hideous crimes against women. This gives new meaning to the words "poetic justice."

I bought this book based on the glowing reviews. I love true crime stories and was excited when this arrived. I tore into it, and it was off to a pretty good start. Then it started to drag...and drag....There were so many little details and names and places that I was bored stiff. I found myself daydreaming and having to reread passages on numerous occasions. I ended up skimming the final few chapters and then picking up at the end. I could not relate at all to the main character, Jack, and I had zero sympathy or empathy for him. He was purely evil and narcissistic and unlikeable, which, according to the author was the opposite of how many people in Vienna's society would have described him. I just didn't get it. Maybe the timing was wrong for me and this really was as great a book as the other reviewers claim. For me it was a borderline painful reading experience.

Let's face it, most true crime books today are about spouses who kill. In this book, Phelps uncovers and write about Gary Charles Evans, a little known serial killer and burglar of antiques in New England. For the most part, Gary C. Evans is a complicated criminal. He can survive in the wilderness but can't survive prison life. He killed three of his best childhood friends who were his partners in crime rather than face jailtime. Maybe he thought that he wanted to see what he could get away with crimewise. With a determined police detective like Jim Horton, he gets his man after he ran for his life.

Wow, what a complex man Gary Evans was. And a huge narcissist if you ask me. This book grabbed me from the beginning and the ending was not what I had expected at all. Matt as usual your thorough investigating on the events are excellent! And some people's reaction of Jim Horton and his relationship with Gary is not fair. I bet if Jim knew earlier and suspected way earlier what Gary really was he would never worked with him as a CI. This is a must read.

Fascinating True Crime Story. Very well written and fast paced.

In true M. William Phelps style, we are introduced to State Officer Jim Horton and professional burgular Gary Evans who, through a series of 496 attention-gripping pages, play a real life of game of Cops & Robbers or Cat & Mouse yet amazingly establish a connection...a friendship, in a skewed sense.

If you are like me and don't mind long, very detail books, you will enjoy this one. Readers are provided with an indepth look into the life of Gary Evans from his meager beginnings; all the while, readers also enjoy a clearly present background of Investigator Jim Horton. And, although not as detailed as the main "characters," the backgrounds of those involved with Evans, whether they be paramour or victim, is also provided to help the reader develop an idea of how that person became involved with Evans and, often later, Horton.

I absolutely loved this book. This is one I would consider to be in the Top 10 of Best Written and All Time Favorites.

I am an avid and continual reader of true crime. In EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE, I feel M. William Phelps has reached the level of some of the truly fine crime writers. (Jack Olsen comes to mind.) This book has all the prerequisites for great true crime: a fascinating story; intelligent literate writing; and meticulous and exhaustive research. Reviews of one of Phelps' more recent books, MURDER IN THE HEARTLAND, chastise Phelps for a sloppy rush job. I can assure you that this is not the case with EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE. This book was clearly a long time in the researching and the writing, and it presents to the reader the reasons contributing to the making of one of the more interesting sociopaths you'll read about. And Gary Evans is indeed a sociopath of the first order.
Additional points for lovers of this genre: the book is well edited. I recall no typos, and very few misused words. The picture section is also interesting and adds to the book, although in the paperback copy I read, the pictures will have fallen out by the 3rd reading.
And, thank God, there is NO interminable courtroom scene description.
I recommend this book unreservedly and totally, even to those who are not in particular true crime devotees.

I am a Lippman fan; have read all but 2 of her books; but, I don't see how she could improve on this one. Great story, great writing, twists and turns, and a definite "I can't put it down" type of book. I highly recommend it.

I love Laura Lippman's writing style. My introduction to her work was What the Dead Know -- an incredible emotional ride of a mystery novel. The Last Place was the first Tess Monaghan novel I'd read (actually listened to as an audiobook read by Laurence Bouvard).

I thought Ms. Lippman did a great job presenting the personality and deranged thought process of the serial killer, juxtaposed against the inexorable logic of the private eyes determined to find him out. I thought the ending was justifiably exciting and violent, and quite satisfying. The author worked up to it in admirable fashion. I like Tess Monaghan as a protagonist. She's smart, practical, fun-loving, tough, sounds like a real person. Her boyfriend, Crow, however, comes across as a bit of a wimp and an airhead, and not quite up to her caliber. Their relationship seems almost entirely based on sex, which is hard to accept considering what a complex person Tess is.

The issues I had with the book, maybe because I enjoyed it as an audiobook rather than a read, are that I couldn't quite understand why the bad guy serial killer would want to get caught by revealing the list of his murders to Tess and why he would be stalking her in particular as she didn't fit the mold of one of his victims. It was necessary for the story to work but it didn't quite make sense from the point of view of "reality".

Minor issues. This book held my attention from the first page to the last.

A short way into Chapter I, we have "...the world had such a large supply of girls, and an even larger supply of perverts." Really? More perverts than girls? A few pages later, Tess, our heroine, drugs one of these perverts with his own Rohypnol, strips him of his clothes, except for his "briefs and socks", and throws his clothes in a dumpster. But in the next sentence "she arranged his wallet, keys, and pager in a pile next to his head and draped his jacket over him." Without bothering to retrieve the jacket from the dumpster. There are more examples like these.

When a writer has so little control over the world she creates that absurdities and oxymorons populate it more densely than her characters, I stop reading pretty quickly. So in fairness I have to say that I only read the first ten percent of this book. Maybe it improves later.

With out giving a a synopsis of the story, I'll say this is one of the best series going. I picked up EVERY SECRET THING, really liked it and started to read the series. The stories are excellent. THE LAST PLACE is a real page turner, the writing is above average and the story kept me interested to the point I finally gaveup trying to do anything and finished the book. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Laura knows her stuff. I'm not talking about reporting or the ins and outs of a being a working PI but writing novels. Not just novels but damn good novels. Here, Laura knows her stuff. Very, very well.

The Last Place is excellent. If you've never read her before, you are going to be surprised. Actually, if you've never read her before I would say go back to the beginning with Baltimore Blues because you need to read the progression of her character. Tess doesn't start off this tough as nails, sharp as a tack PI but as a reporter looking for work. Not only will you see the progression of the character but also the writer. Laura keeps getting better. With every book she takes what she learned from the last one and builds upon it. Her narration gets stronger, her descriptions more detailed, her plot tighter, and her books keep getting better. Laura knocks me side the head with each new novel and The Last Place is no exception.

Actually, it's better than that. I put this book down with a sense that I had just read something amazing and strong and the tip of an iceberg. I put this book down very pleased and for that I quite indebted to her. Thank you Ms. Lipman.

Having read "Citizen Vance" I knew that Jess Walter is an author who deserves to be more widely read, specifically because his writing includes many insights into interpersonal relationships and life in general. Most encouragingly, he characters talk and think like real people. His ear for conversation/banter is the equivalent of someone with 'perfect pitch'.

Set in Spokane (pronounce SPO-can per Walter) Washington the book focuses primarily on two detective of the SPD who are trying to find a man who is a serial killer of prostitutes/drug users. Caroline Mabry and Alan Dupree have known each other since she joined the force twelve years ago (total of 26 and counting for him). Six years ago, Mabry had a "good" shooter of a wife beater that she has never completely gotten over. Dupree is the standard "burnout" about to go through a divorce. They both feel guilty about an "affair" that never was consummated. Initially, Dupree is the detective in charge of the serial killer task force, but his flippancy has finally gotten him into trouble and he has asked to be put back in uniform. The "new" task force head is a young up-and-comer who has brought a FBI (FeeBIe) profiler into the mix.

The killer is going after prostitutes and his signature "calling card" is a two $20 bills which he rubber bands to each victim's hand. At one point he leaves the $40 in the victims mouth causing an argument between two profilers. One insists that it's because of his 'oral fixations' and the other profiler counters that 'he ran out of rubber bands'. This gives you an idea of Walter's style. (Having worked on serial killers as a journalist this seems to be Walter's way of getting back at the so called experts.)

Walter's has written one follow-up with the same two main characters and it should be interesting to see how their 'romance' is followed up. At the end of the book (after the killer is caught), Mabry has broken up with her 24 years old live-in. Dupree who is separated and in the process of divorce, has also just taken 'early retirement' (before he gets himself fired and ruins his pension) and has no idea what he will do next.

Although I suppose this book will be classified as a "murder mystery" or "suspense" novel, Mr. Walter is an author who deserves to be widely read, for many reasons, including the fact that he includes plenty of insights about human character and life in general, some of which I've actually written in my journal as a reminder of what a truly gifted writer can do, no matter what genre he chooses.

About the subject matter: Set in Spokane, Washington the book focuses primarily on two people who are tracking a serial killer. The two detectives are Caroline Mabry and her partner Alan Dupree. The killer is going after prostitutes and his signature "calling card" is a stack of $20 bills which he leaves in each victim's hand. He is also drawn to Caroline (for reasons that become clear later in the book).

But that is just the bare outline of this complex, satisfying thriller.
Here is what makes it a standout:

1. The particular strengths and weaknesses of the main characters. Caroline Mabry and Alan Dupree aren't just partners but are also strongly drawn to one another, fighting both sexual and romantic tension. Dupree, however, is married and, as you might expect, that adds a special layer of guilt, ambivalence and excitment. They've dreamt of being together for a long time but as the author so deftly notes "Daydreams never have bad breath or forget important dates." As the novel goes on, the author reveals compromises each has made for the other, ones that might not have been made if they'd felt differently about each other.

2. This author goes beyond writing a "good" book but strives to be among the select few who rise to the top - and I think he succeeds. After reading another book of his, Citizen Vince (see link below), I was so hooked on his writing that I went on to read this one, Over Tumbled Graves. Both have been rich and layered and suspenseful enough to keep me spellbound.

3. The perpetual exploration of what it means to live well in this world and how to deal with the inevitable failures that all humans make. When does one know whether it is time to leave a marriage? What truly makes one unfaithful, even before the first touch? How do you identify the traits of specific serial killers and know what to look for when tracking them down?

If you are looking for a book that goes beyond the usual formulas and contain the imprint of an individual author's style, I urge you to read this book. Then go on to read more by this very talented author!

Citizen Vince: A Novel


Land of the Blind: A Novel

Jess Walter gives me a whole new way of looking at my hometown, Spokane. He's caught the essence of one aspect of the city, and the characters could really be living right here in River City. The book kept me up all night reading and I'm really eager to get started on his next one.

"Over Tumbled Graves" by Jess Walter is an exquisite, thought-provoking first novel.

It is a story of conflict, contrast and choice set amidst a serial killer investigation in Spokane.

A drug bust gone awry leads to the discovery of a string of hooker killings, all with an identical signature.

Spokane's Major Crime Unit's initial suspect is linked to two brutal non-serial murders as well. The more they learn about him, the more intangible he becomes.

The characters are complicated, believable, motivated---their internal dialogue and tensions fueling the plot. Alan Dupree's cynical, sarcastic, acidic wit is a highlight.

Competing "celebrity" profilers, the attendant media circus, condescending FBI "assistance" and a mid-investigation change of lead detectives distract and surround the investigation.

In the end, it is the Spokane MCU's detailed, tedious, credible investigative work ethic that corners the perp. That final answer is unexpected and complex.

A lack of cardboard stereotypes, superb misdirection and smoothly flowing action earn "Over Tumbled Graves" highly recommended status.

While it has been mentioned in other reviews that the plot of this story is somewhat derivative, I would say that all stories work or don't work due to how the story is told. There are only 12 known plots anyway, right?

In this story the female heroine, Caroline Mabry, is dealing both with a serial killer that seems to have made a connection to her, personally, and with her unresolved feelings for her ex-partner. As the body count increases and the police attempts to solve the crime continue to fail, her emotions become more and more frazzled, leading her back to her former partner and mentor.

What I think is most important here is that Jess Walter can write: he develops believable characters, his language is years ahead of most mystery writers and he tackles themes of interest and meaning.

What's more, he does not shy away from the graphic. There's plenty of sex, drugs and violence in this novel, all describe vividly and without cliche. He knows when to describe a scene in detail and when it's more horrific to just describe the characters reaction to it.

Having read this biography by Jeffrey Dahmer's father, I could not help but view it as a courageous book, and not motivated sheerly by profit-making. He had indeed been doing a lot of soul-searching before this book was written, during the investigation and trial, and I believe, probably since the entire story materialized and unfolded. He doesn't dwell on any of the unsavory details but must surely have been repulsed by them. Mr Dahmer's association to the killer and the reaction to him and his book can't have been one courted or desired, but neither is it something Lionel Dahmer appears to have run away from, but rather appears to have been thoroughly considered and faced in circumstances that would be extremely unwelcome and creating a deep sense of aversion in most normal human minds. While I could not wholeheartedly recommend this book simply on the basis for what it is and what it is about, it is unbelievable to me that Mr Lionel could actually find himself in such a position as someone's father with the recognition of his progeny had become such a bizarre,detestable and almost inhuman being..somehow. This question--'how'a person could in reality become such a being driven by such disgusting and perverse obsessions and desires, could never, and will never, be 'fully' answered. All one is left with are the 'facts', the details, of Jeffrey Dahmer.

I cried when I read this book, I'm sad for Jeffrey and it would have made WAY MORE sense to have him studied in a hospital to find out if this could be prevented in the future. I did not cry for Jeff, I cried for his Father,,,,,I'm the parent of a son who was troubled in his youth and I could just feel his sadness and grief over his son and I wept for him and his wife and his mother and all of Jeff's victims.

On the heels of many a serial murder's crimes, we often find a different type of terrible person. There are often those who try to cash in on the deeds of something infamous, selling their tales to anyone that will listen, and there are those who try to make others forgive them and tell them they aren't to blame.
It is an ugly world when this happens and uglier still when these things first march into view.

When I first saw this book I thought it was the culmination of the two of these things, and I accordingly dismissed it for a time because the idea repulsed me and the few sensibilities I try to stay connected with. The thing that changed my mind on reading the book was an interview done with Lionel and his son a year or so before Jeffrey's death, when Jeffrey was setting with his dad and talking about many of the things that had transpired. Amongst many of the questions J.D. was asked, he was asked to tell his dad what he thought about what his father had written. This seemed to catch both of them off-guard a bit, but Dahmer finally responded by saying that the book captured things that even he had forgotten and that he thought the book was worth reading.
Considering how reviled Dahmer was by what he saw himself as, I wondered what that meant and wanted to look into the topic. And what I found was what the title entailed - it as a father trying to understand how his son had become something that he couldn't come close to comprehending.

Far from the read that True Crime readers might be looking for, this is the story of a father and the son he desperately tried to recall. It accordingly goes into the early aspects of the boy and delves into a few curious aspects that the father remembers, but it really spends a lot of its time trying to see where things "went wrong" instead of focusing on the gruesome details of what had transpired. That isn't to say there aren't references to the events that had transpired because there are, and that isn't to say that there aren't times when it seems like Lionel hopes he is blameless because all fathers would hope they were free of this guilt. The thing is that the point of the book is really to look at the exploration of a father wondering about the horrors his son was capable of and where that came from.
It did this by exploring everything, even looking into the idea of love and wondering how one could possibly ever atone for something so terrible as what his son had done. It also looked at where the father could have gone wrong, and the ideas were - painful.

I'm not going to go as far as some people and commend Lionel Dahmer for writing this book because I'm not sure anyone deserves a commendation for something like this. I will say that the book looked like a struggle, however, and that this struggle looked like one that seems almost unimaginable.
I would rarely recommend reading of this type but, in this case, the reviews are merited and then some. Knowing the topic tells you if you are interested in it and, if you are, then this is a prospective normally never acquired.

I loved this book and I love to read and study about Dahmer. This is a great book but after seeing a documentary on tv about it, I am a little concerned about the authenticity of the information that his father is giving in this book. He makes a lot of claims about the state of Jeffrey's mother that she denies..... so that leaves me feeling ..hmmm??
I have to imagine as a father, this book would be very hard to write, talking about the heinous nature of his son's life before prison. What is his motivation for this? Due to some of his comments, I believe perhaps he is a little bit "off" himself too and able to detach himself and provide mostly truths.
On a personal note, I'm very disappointed that the prison left him in a situation where he ended up murdered. He could have and should have been studied. Not that the studies of Manson has answered all our questions, but when you get someone like Dahmer, it's got to be studied. He was willing to discuss his crimes and do all he could after his sick, twisted lifestyle came to an end.

Lionel Dahmer's memoir is the story of the dark journey of a father who was faced with the grisly reality of one of America's most notorious serial murder, mutilation, rape, necrophilia, and cannibalism cases. Lionel was a father who had to grapple not with losing his son to these unspeakable horrors, but with the fact that his son was the perpetrator. As a father, Lionel was asked if he could forgive his son, but before he could determine that, he had to forgive himself. The book presents Lionel's struggle with guilt, bewilderment, anger, and personal chaos during his son's life and in the aftermath of his arrest.

The memoir stands alone in its straightforward prose, introspection, and complete lack of blame shifting. Lionel provides broads stroke of details of the crimes, focusing more on the individuals than on the headline-grabbing depravity of Jeffrey Dahmer's deviance. Throughout Jeffrey's youth, and during the trial, Lionel grappled with his own responsibility for his son's social maladjustment. He identified with his son's need for control, extreme fear of abandonment, and general solitary nature. Lionel even contrasts Jeffrey's zombie experiments with his own hypnosis-control experiments in childhood. After Jeffrey's arrest, Lionel never wanted him to go free, but he did hope and work for psychiatric treatment for the son he was never able to save.

Lionel, I applaud you condor and introspection. You've written a book that will no doubt provide comfort to many parents of difficult children, and will help frame many of the "why?" questions felt by Americans with regards to your son's crimes.

This book is suspenseful and a fun read. Great literature it is not but for sheer entertainment, it is fine.

Beautiful, young Amelia is plagued with horrifying premonitions of murder that seem to come true. As loved ones are murdered she enlists the aid of her therapist Karen. Burdened by guilt over a suicide, Karen is drawn to Amelia (and later her grieving uncle) and becomes involved in solving the mystery of Amelia as well as the haunting cases of a number of missing women.

This novel is fast paced. The uncle, while handsome, is remarkably (and refreshingly)restrained in his relationship with Karen. Karen, unfortunately, is rather bland. There are basically two types of protagonists, those with intriguing personalities who are able adversaries for the villain, ie, Preston/Child's Aloysius Pendergast, Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme or John Connolly's Charlie Parker. Then there are the heroines whose actions are rather dumb, like heading for the roof as opposed to the door when pursued, but drive the story forward. Karen falls into the latter category. Her judgment is flawed but this isn't brain surgery, it's just good fun.

The first book I read by Kevin O'brien was LEFT FOR DEAD and I really enjoyed it and when I saw the comment by Tess Gerritsen on the cover of ONE LAST SCREAM, I thought, we have a winner here. Well, ONE LAST SCREAM was a pretty good read, but not one of the best ever. My probelm with this one is that I had it figured out extremely early in the book. I mean extremely early. It's true that the secret behind the killings was not really that big a secret and everything was revealed long before the final chapter. Still, a little mystery would not have hurt. Also, the main heroine, Karen, who is not even mentioned in the description on the back cover did indeed make many mistakes that I find it hard to believe a professional therapist in her position would make. And what about George and Karen? Could we have a little resolution there? Okay, enough of that. The action keeps moving and this book is definately not boring. In fact, I'm about to start another Kevin O'brien book right now. LEFT FOR DEAD was very good. ONE LAST SCREAM was okay. If the next one is some where in between, I'll be happy. Kevin O'Brien seems to be a pretty dependable author. Hey, if Tess Gerritsen can recommend it, how bad can it be?

I just read One Last Scream and all the way through the whole book you are wondering and guessing whats going on. I would read it at night before I went to sleep and dream about what was going on and what is Kevin O'Brien trying to tell us is going on that we can't figure out. Lets just say it has to to with multiple personality disorder and maybe someone who didn't die that is killing people. Let me put it this way you think you know but you don't know and the when you find out who the real killer is you will be shocked and then maybe you will figure out it fits. Enjoy reading! I know I did!

Where do I start? This book not only has the page turning that I've come to love from Kevin's books, but great writing too! I thought the characters were very well developed in this book. I enjoyed the interaction with between Amelia and Karen it was wicked at times. I know after I finished the first chapter and saw the killers "mode of operation" I was a little creeped out myself! I would rank this book as one of his best to date, of course they keep getting better each time. Keep up the great writing Kevin, your one of the best.

I AM AN AVID READER OF MYSTERY/THRILLER OR TRUE CRIME BOOKS. I READ OVER 1/2 OF THIS BOOK AND PUT IT DOWN. IT SURE DIDN'T KEEP MY INTEREST.

A set of cold cases is reexamined nearly a decade and a half after the murders took place, leading to the arrest and conviction of a serial murderer. This story shows just what a little bit of determination can do, especially when investigations stall.

I feel for the family members of the victims.

Mr. Stowers has done his job well.

"Scream at the Sky" is a well-written true crime tale about Faryion Wardrip and the murders of five young women in the Wichita Falls area of north Texas.
The story of how Carlton Stowers came to write this book is interesting in it's own right.

This is another baffling case of Texas justice where a man kills a victim and gets released after serving a small fraction of his sentence! I'm sure that Wardrip felt secure in his belief that he got away with the other murders that he committed. And he did for more than a decade.
Until determined D.A. Barry Macha joined up with a new Investigator named John Little, the cases were unsolved and the connection to Wardrip was unknown.

Carlton Stowers does an excellent job of detailing the brilliant investigative work involved and the sorrows and pain endured by the survivors. DNA technology and Roy Hazelwood's profile were also aids in the investigation.

Wardrip reverted back to his old deceitful, manipulative ways after getting the death sentence. He killed out of anger and he comes across as the unbalanced kid that hurts others when he doesn't get what he wants. His brother sets the record straight at the end of the book.

"Scream at the Sky" is a top-shelf true crime book that leads the reader through the twists and turns of the cases from start to finish.

Author Carlton Stowers relates the story of Faryion Wardrip, who murdered a total of five women in a seventeen month time span. Unfortunately, at the time, only the murder of Tina Kimbrew was linked to Wardrip as he confessed to police in Galeveston, Texas; where supposedly he had gone to kill himself for what he had done to Kimbrew.

Fast forward fourteen years, when D.A. Investigator John Little enters the scene. And to make a long story short, he uses his savvy investigator skills to obtain a coffee cup recently used by Wardrip and take it to the forensics lab for DNA testing. The outcome, of course, confirms what Little already suspects: Wardrip is responsible for the murders of Terry Sims and Toni Gibbs.

The remainder of the story, especially how Wardrip is convicted of the murder of Ellen Blau (where no DNA evidence was left at the scene), is one you have to read for yourself. There is no real intensity, no major drama; yet the story is still one that keeps your attention and is interesting to read.

My only disappointment with this book was that there was no background information provided on Wardrip than refute by Wardrip's brother, Bryce, as to Wardrip's claims of poverty, ridicule, and an alcoholic, abusive father. Other than that, readers are told nothing of Wardrip's past.

Overall, an intersting book that I would recommend to lovers of the true crime genre.

This is the first book I have read by Carlton Stowers and now I intend to read each and every one of his books. He is an excellent writer.

This book is the true account of five brutal murders in Texas. We experience in great detail the savagery of these totally senseless crimes as well as their aftermath. We get to know each and every victim and their family members and what they went through trying to cope with these tragic murders. You can really feel the pain of what these poor people went through.

For me, the book moved a bit slower towards the end, but it was still a great book and worth reading.

In 1980s rural Texas, over a span of seventeen months, five young women would have their lives cruelly snuffed out at the hands of a serial killer. Unfortunately, many years would pass before justice was served. This was due in part to tunnel vision on the part of the investigators and District Attorney involved. That tunnel vision caused them to focus on individuals that were actually innocent of the crimes.

It was not until fourteen years later that a new investigator, John Little, took a new look at some of the cases and with no preconceived notions, was able to review the evidence and discover just who the serial killer was. Of course, his investigation was greatly aided by the use of DNA. Still, he was able to discern quite quickly what former investigators had failed to see.

This is a very well-written true crime book. Various perspectives are explored, including the effect of the crimes on the victim's families and friends, as well as on those who were falsely accused or suspected of these crimes. The book is written in a clear, concise fashion and will keep the reader turning its pages. Aficionados of the true crime genre will greatly enjoy this book.

This is a true crime book that attempts to capitalize on the gory nature of the subject to elicit the strongest possible emotional reaction from the reader. Forays "inside the mind" of Gacy are basically subjective, and may be more concerned with generating outrage than with getting at any larger truth.

That being said, it also does a serviceable job of laying out the facts of the case, and anyone who wants to learn about the horrifying details will get their fill here.

Balancing sensationalism and facts is the basic task of the true crime reporter-- this author has chosen to be as sensationalistic as possible, but also has included far more information than is necessary. This means that the book has passages which are a little boring, and passages that are very, very disturbing.

If you want to learn about Gacy, then I suppose that this book is as good a read as any, although something about the fact of the book itself seems sleazy-- for all his condemnation, Cahill is basking in the reflected glow of an obscene act, and that is a little unsettling.

Some of this book was interesting, but most was very slow moving. It just didn't captivate. I believe it could have been better written. I don't feel that I or the author ever got "into the mind" of John Wayne Gacy. Then again, to the author's credit, after reading the book, I'm not sure if anyone could accomplish this feat. I came away feeling that on the surface, Gacy seemed calm and even rational almost all of the time, but was totally the opposite while committing the murders. Either way, the book didn't flow well and is lacking. It wasn't as "meaty" as expected... no pun intended.

I first read this book in 1988 and recently read it again. It still gave me the creeps. In the same league as Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and The Boston Strangler by Gerald Frank. I highly recommend it.

Chilling. I could not put this one down. This book is a dramatized cover of the life and crimes of John Wayne Gacy which reads like a fiction novel (read: not boring or heavy with Dr. Bob said this) yet provides clear, factual, and consistent information in with some of the author's speculation as to what went on in the mind of Mr. Gacy.
The end result is a story which will make the hair on your arms stand on end - not only with possibilities and facts, but the feasible likeness of Mr. Gacy's mindset through his actions.

I don't know how anyone my age or near my age who grew up in Chicago or the outlying suburbs could not remember the Gacy case. I had just turned 14 and was a freshman in high school when news first broke of his crimes. I remember my mother turning off the television for the 5:00 PM local news because of the lurid footage showing the remains being carried out of the house in bags. And I remember the Chicago Tribune running a full page showing individual pictures of all of the identified victims; the yearbook and school pictures of the boys looked like most of my classmates.

I first read this book back in 1987. I recently read it again, almost 20 years later, and I still believe it to be the most thorough, comprehensive book on Gacy. Cahill, an excellent journalist, has done an excellent job of presenting a complete picture of the man and his crimes. He managed to "get inside Gacy's head" (an unhealthy place) to give the reader a clear look of Gacy's personality, views on life, attitude towards his victims and reactions to his trial.

Along with covering the crimes, investigation, arrest and trial of Gacy, Cahill also delves into Gacy's childhood and early years, including his relationship with his abusive father. The book is detailed, and Cahill writes with the kind of insight that only comes from having a complete understanding of his subject. It's also clear that Cahill researched Gacy thoroughly, and he notes in his introduction that he culled his information from a number of sources.

As can be expected, this book is scary stuff, with two chapters in particular being extremely disturbing and frightening to read. Cahill doesn't merely describe, he casts the reader in the role of witness to one of Gacy's murders, showing Gacy's core of pure evil. That said, this is also the type of book that is tough to put down, and also the type that stays with you long after having finished it.

I too could not disagree more with the reviewer who accused Cahill of plagiarising "Killer Clown." They are two very different books. And while "Killer Clown" is a good book, written largely from a legal/trial and punishment perspective, the better of the two by far is "Buried Dreams." The best overall book on Gacy.

This book reads like a thriller. One can hardly put it down. But it's true. Describing perhaps the saddest period in New York Police Department history. These were the days when the Black Liberation Army was running amok murdering police officers. A false alarm 1013 call went out on police radios. It had been called in on 911. Four officers rushed to the Nation of Islam Mosque 7 on 116th street. It was an ambush. One officer,Phillip Cardillo, was shot and beaten. He subsequently died. The other three were badly beaten by about twenty mosque soldiers. The ultra liberal Mayor John Lindsay had obsessive presidential ambitions. In his mind there could be no racial problems showing on the surface in New York. Most of the top brass in the police department were primarily concerned with pleasing the mayor.

So began the coverup. Congressman Charles Rangel, now powerful chairman of the house ways and means committee quickly appeared at the crime scene. Of course, this is the same man who has been the center of much criticism recently over his personal financial dealings. Deputy Police Commissioner, later to become Police Commissioner, Benjamin Ward arrived. As did the agitator minister Louis Farrakhan. The neighborhood hoodlums turned out in full force to cause whatever trouble they could. Ward gave orders for all white police to vacate the premises and the area. The crime scene was given up and destroyed. No evidence was retrieved. The twenty Muslim prisoners waiting to be interviewed were released. Other key participants in this travesty were Police Commissioner Patrick V. Murphy and Chief of Department Michael Codd. The story they attempted to concoct was that perhaps the officer had shot himself or been wounded by friendly fire. Contrary to fact, certainly no riot had transpired.

This book painfully details how Detective Randy Jurgensen virtually by himself overcame the One Police Plaza obstacles placed in his path and found the cop killer. By the way, as might be expected, the Internal Affairs Division cooperated fully along with other department yes men in hindering the investigation. In fact several Muslim Fruit of Islam members were at the Mosque at the time of the incident and continually leaked confidential information to Farrakhan about progress of the investigation. They were members as well of the IAD.

The good guys, such as Chief Of Detectives Albert Seedman, Deputy Commissioner Robert Daley and Deputy Inspector John Haugh, could not stand this outrage and resigned. Jurgensen continued his lonely fight with the aid of Assistant District Attorneys John Van Lindt and James Harmon. PBA President Sam DeMilia was very supportive. FBI field agent Joe Pistone provided essential information. A true hero was Muslim Foster 2X Foster, an eyewitness, who risked his life to testify against the killer.

The case was brought to trial twice. No conviction. Jury votes were 10-2 and 11-1. Close. But no cigar. So the killer, Lewis 17X Dupree was not convicted.

This is truly an appalling story. But, a tremendous book. Run. Don't walk to order it or buy it.

Hi Randy,
Have been angry for over thirty five years since that day. I will never forget Phil. Glad you put the truth out in a book. You answered many questions for me.
Thank you so much for all you have done.
chris batnick
P.S. I signed out the shotgun from Rodmans Neck...

This was a shocking and gripping report on actual events and the extremely disturbing aftermath. A detailed no-nonsense story about a detective's determination to overcome all the obstacles thrown up by New York city police brass and elected officials...all named...to stop an investigation into the murder of a police officer in a Nation of Islam mosque, Harlem, New York City in 1972. An amazing account.

As a former Lieutenant in the NYPD and in TPF at the time of the Mosque incident, I read this book, both frustrated and proud. Randy Jurgensen is the quintessential NYPD detective; dogged, honorable, dedicated, loyal, and honest. This episode is Department history makes me ashamed of the bosses and politicians who so shamelessly put their careers ahead of justice in the murder of a NYC police officer; alternately, it makes me proud that cops like Randy Jurgensen are around to right those wrongs.

Remember Cardillo!

As a former NYC Police officer, assigned to the 28 Pct.a year after this terrible tragic event I knew many of the people mentioned in the book..My wife also read the book and could not believe the cover up of the killing of Phil Cardillo..We met his wife on many occassions....I also worked with his cousin Mike Cardillo at One Police Plaza...

Easy enjoyable summer read. Well thought out plot and vivid likable characters. Liked it well emough to purchase Hard Truth.

This is my first Mariah Stewart book and I liked it well enough that I will be diving back in for more. The initial setup of the book was strong and compelling. Stewart's got a talent for solid character interaction. I enjoyed the story and I enjoyed the characters. My only thought is that the conflict was a tad expected. I know this is a suspense, not a mystery, but by not knowing who the villain actually was, put me in a mystery state of mind, then figuring out the why so quickly was a little off for me. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to more books my this author.

I would classify Cold truth as mystery with forensics, and a lot of investigation. But, don't get me wrong, it is NOT boring at all. You can't put it down even though some times you only have a few minutes to spare and you think 'I'll finish this chapter and then I'll leave'; no, it is rarely the case because you get hooked and want to go on reading!

I bought this "Truth" book, from Mariah Stewart because going on a trip I finished the book I brought along, and, so I needed something else to help me while I was relaxing (!!??). I found "Last Look" and read it so fast and enjoyed it so much, the first thing I did when I returned home was to look for more from this author.

If you enjoy watching the occasional CSI, this you will like because it is not exactly about how they dissect a body to come out with the truth but more of picking up all the evidence to come up with the killer.... from a time when all the scientific developments were a thing of Science Fiction: Twenty years ago. You'll get it when you read it.

I was recommended Cold Truth (here in Amazon) as a series of four Truth books that even though are somehow connected in relation with some of the main characters, you can read by itself, and since it is the first one of them all, you'll have no problem understanding. But if you are an avid reader, you'll want to keep on reading the "Truths" until you've read them all -I'm up to the third one called Dark Truth, and will discover which characters show up in the next books.

The reading is easy, yet not predictable. You find yourself reading with a mental picture of the characters and their whereabouts. In a sentence, you get into the book and walk alongside the main characters. I consider that as great writing.

Series of 4. Cold Truth, Hard Truth, Dark Truth and Final Truth. Excellent and fast reads. Would buy all her books.

If you enjoyed Nancy, Bess, George and Ned as a child you will find comparable delight with Mariah Stewart's books. Moderate suspense, minimal gore, unoffensive language, steamless romance and characters who fight for truth and justice without the aid of pyrotechnics. A nice change-up from the standard twisted fare that has become the norm.