stinsylinson's review against another edition
4.0
What an incredibly told story. You don't just learn about the crimes of the Golden State Killer, but you learn so much about the storyteller and her obsession with solving this case. I couldn't imagine being so obsessed with solving a puzzle that it consumed my life...but Michelle really gives you a glimpse into that.
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
5.0
This is a case I didn’t know a lot about before reading this book. I knew the basics but didn’t realize just how deep it went. Michelle’s dedication and drive to find The Golden State Killer was incredible, and it saddens me deeply she’s no longer here to see not only how big of a difference she made, but also the killer being brought to justice. This was an absolutely mind blowing book and I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Rape, and Stalking
shereadsbetweensips's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. This masterpiece has, no, IS everything. It is truly one of the best books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It is so well documented. The editors and everyone that help put the book together after Michelle McNamara’s passing did an amazing job. She was really dedicated to find out who this monster was, and it did payed off. There was a quote from her husband that really stuck with me after finishing the book. He basically was recalling how Michelle told him that she didn’t care if she was the one that capture him, she only wanted him shackled and behind bars. This horrific case has impacted the life of many many people; the victims and the people left behind, the detectives, the first responders, and even Michelle’s, but she had the talent of talking about all the horrible stuff with so much grace, professionalism and most importantly with empathy, that is truly amazing.
She was so committed, and to a point obsessed with “The Responsible”, that her work help shed some light into the cold-case and kept it in the media and in people’s mind. She had them talking. That is the most important thing in decades-old cases, people need to keep talking about it so sooner-rather-than-later the criminals are held responsible.
Even with all the information that she’s throwing at you, all the scenarios, all the victims, all the people involved in solving the case, there is no way that you’re going to get lost or confused. Michelle did an astounding job at keeping everything well documented and literally labeled, so when the time came for her team to put all this together, they were able to finish this masterpiece. It is really sad that she wasn’t able to see the outcome of her project that took a lot of years of her life. But my guess is that from wherever she is watching, she is definitely happy that the nightmare is over.
He’s no longer in the dark.
She was so committed, and to a point obsessed with “The Responsible”, that her work help shed some light into the cold-case and kept it in the media and in people’s mind. She had them talking. That is the most important thing in decades-old cases, people need to keep talking about it so sooner-rather-than-later the criminals are held responsible.
Even with all the information that she’s throwing at you, all the scenarios, all the victims, all the people involved in solving the case, there is no way that you’re going to get lost or confused. Michelle did an astounding job at keeping everything well documented and literally labeled, so when the time came for her team to put all this together, they were able to finish this masterpiece. It is really sad that she wasn’t able to see the outcome of her project that took a lot of years of her life. But my guess is that from wherever she is watching, she is definitely happy that the nightmare is over.
He’s no longer in the dark.
kittymauriciohh's review against another edition
5.0
Full disclosure, I listened to the audiobook vs reading it. I have wanted to read this book since it came out. I came to this book from the MFM/ Murder Squad Communities so I had heard a lot about Michelle after she had already died. Reading this mixture of memoir and true crime obsession was intriguing but after hearing so much about her from people who cared about her, it also felt a bit like getting to know a friend. Trying to put myself in her shoes, not knowing who the murderer was, was so frustrating. I kept wanting to put the pieces together and see how they fit with what we now know of Joseph Deangelo. I really wish she had been around to know he was caught, to see his face in the light. I sobbed in my car listening to Patton talk about her at the end.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a true crime or memoir interest. Michelle and everyone else who ultimately collaborated on the book did a great job of showing the horror the GSK imposed, while still not being gory or unnecessary.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a true crime or memoir interest. Michelle and everyone else who ultimately collaborated on the book did a great job of showing the horror the GSK imposed, while still not being gory or unnecessary.
haleymicheled's review against another edition
5.0
Oh wow - this is such a beautiful and evocative book. I was thoroughly affected and enthralled the entire time. This is a chilling book that is made more poignant by McNamara’s amazing writing skills. Please Read This Book!
emily_lane's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
onecheesetoasty's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Michelle, you perfect baby angel. I FLEW through this book not because of easy reading, but because the pages turned on their own-- I was simply trying to keep up. The collaborators of this book didn't skip a beat after Michelle's death. The passion that Michelle had fo this case is almost tangible through her writing. I wonder what it would have been like to read this book before EAR-ONS-GSK was caught. I'm looking forward to an expansion on this book now that we have a name, a face, and an overdue conviction.