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jennifersmind's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder
zias's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
Michelle McNamara’s writing is easy to read, weaving harrowing accounts with facts and research. I enjoyed the memoir portions of this book in addition to the coverage of the GSK’s crimes and her research. I got chills several times while reading this book. Michelle has a way with words while reporting on research.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
teganbeesebooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
notlikethebeer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.25
This is a really hard book to review. Part of that comes from the book being pieced together post-humously: there are several sections that were written based on McNamara's notes, rather than anything else. Given that it's complicated enough as it is - spanning decades, with a vast number of names to remember, and an ever-merging number of horrific crimes - the somewhat disjointed writing doesn't help! But equally, it is to be expected. I do think that there were better ways of arranging this, I felt very confused and the jumping between time and events didn't happen. As well, there were some threads that were begun and then just... lost.
Something I've heard about this book, and part of the reason I wanted to read it, is that it's meant to be very victim-centric, in a way that true crime often is not. There definitely was a lot of space given to the victims, including narratives of their life before they became victims. However, I don't know whether I'd describe the victims as being centered as such. McNamara was definitely eager to talk about gory details. And that has made me question, even more, whether victims CAN be centered within the true crime genre.
I think, as well, I would have liked some more reflexivity. McNamara was so caught up in this "mystery", and at times she talked a little about the desire to know, the urge to solve a puzzle. I also appreciated that she thought a little about her own experiences, and their relevance. However I never really understood why this "story" in particular, or why to such an intensity.
On that note, it's hard not to read IBGITD and wonder a little about McNamara's life, and the others in her life. I wonder what her daughter's autobiography might read like: whether she feels she even got to share her mother with this obsession. It IS an obsession, that clearly infiltrated every part of her life. Of course, I'm an outsider, but it does seem that it wasn't to a healthy degree. I'm struck by the knowledge that McNamara is believed to have died from an accidental overdose from various drugs. I wonder how much of her obsessive drive to solve a mystery she initially had no stake in lead to that. It's easy, in reading IBGITD, to wonder whether there is any harm in 'civilians' becoming involved in investigations, if they have the skills and can genuinely provide a benefit. Thinking about McNamara's lack of boundaries is just one example of the harms this can bring (note, just one!).
I will allow that we don't know whether this was the book McNamara wanted to write. We can hope, and trust, that it was. But we don't know. And that makes it difficult to critique. However, I came to this hoping for something that might humanize the true crime genre a little more: that might provide me with some of the understanding I seek in myself, as well as more broadly. I came away largely empty-handed.
Something I've heard about this book, and part of the reason I wanted to read it, is that it's meant to be very victim-centric, in a way that true crime often is not. There definitely was a lot of space given to the victims, including narratives of their life before they became victims. However, I don't know whether I'd describe the victims as being centered as such. McNamara was definitely eager to talk about gory details. And that has made me question, even more, whether victims CAN be centered within the true crime genre.
I think, as well, I would have liked some more reflexivity. McNamara was so caught up in this "mystery", and at times she talked a little about the desire to know, the urge to solve a puzzle. I also appreciated that she thought a little about her own experiences, and their relevance. However I never really understood why this "story" in particular, or why to such an intensity.
On that note, it's hard not to read IBGITD and wonder a little about McNamara's life, and the others in her life. I wonder what her daughter's autobiography might read like: whether she feels she even got to share her mother with this obsession. It IS an obsession, that clearly infiltrated every part of her life. Of course, I'm an outsider, but it does seem that it wasn't to a healthy degree. I'm struck by the knowledge that McNamara is believed to have died from an accidental overdose from various drugs. I wonder how much of her obsessive drive to solve a mystery she initially had no stake in lead to that. It's easy, in reading IBGITD, to wonder whether there is any harm in 'civilians' becoming involved in investigations, if they have the skills and can genuinely provide a benefit. Thinking about McNamara's lack of boundaries is just one example of the harms this can bring (note, just one!).
I will allow that we don't know whether this was the book McNamara wanted to write. We can hope, and trust, that it was. But we don't know. And that makes it difficult to critique. However, I came to this hoping for something that might humanize the true crime genre a little more: that might provide me with some of the understanding I seek in myself, as well as more broadly. I came away largely empty-handed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
alexandramcgrew's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
the book is good, but i didn’t feel like i learned anything i didn’t already know—which says more about my interest in true crime than it does about the book. the book is well researched and thorough; it’s amazing how dedicated mcnamara was to solving this. admittedly, what i’m most interested in about true crime is when the perp is caught and the legal process, so the fact that that was not in this book (because it was written and released before he was caught) irked me. i didn’t know that before i read it, which again is more on me than it is the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, and Murder
lauraleenstra's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, and Murder
I feel like its more actually just minor but there is quite alot of mentions of it because of course the book is about the Golden State killer and his MO was rape, murder, and stalking.laura_cat's review against another edition
dark
informative
medium-paced
2.75
Eh. The last few sections probably lowered my rating. Also, there are some disturbing and problematic uses of language related assault and mental health that should never have made it to print.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, and Murder
kendall09's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
This book was one of the best books I've read this year! The way McNamara writes is beautiful, yet haunting. This book is about her journey searching for the GSK and how it ensnared her in it's trap. Though she is discussing horrific topics and crimes, she doesn't dwell on the gruesome details of each crime, instead points out the specific clues and pieces of evidence that link back to the GSK (or East Area R*pist). She writes eloquently, does not get into too technical jargon, and leaves you hanging on to her every word. Knowing that she passed before the completion of her book, and before they caught the vile person who was coined the Golden State Killer by McNamara, makes this read so much more haunting. I am stuck with the words she ended her book on,"Letter to the Golden State Killer" (https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/letter-to-the-golden-state-killer) before she passed and before the arrest of GSK.
It closes with:
"This is how it ends for you.
“You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark,” you threatened a victim once.
Open the door. Show us your face.
Walk into the light."
It closes with:
"This is how it ends for you.
“You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark,” you threatened a victim once.
Open the door. Show us your face.
Walk into the light."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, and Murder
kyliesh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Likely the scariest book I’ve ever read. McNamara has a way of writing non fiction really well and walking the line of being empathetic toward victims but not holding back on details that are important to the case really well. Extremely sad that she was unable to see the GSK identified and imprisoned but her letter in the epilogue was truly amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, and Murder
winifred_k22's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder