rachelemm's review
3.0
There is no doubt that Kevin Sullivan knows his stuff when it comes to the life and crimes of Ted Bundy. This is the 6th book he has written on Bundy and includes information not readily available in the public sphere.
The first half of the book was the most difficult for me to get through. There were transcripts and scraps of information I struggled to see the relevance of and, for me, it didn't hang together as a cohesive and linear narrative. Later on in the book however, when Sullivan provides a summary of Bundy's more open-ended murders and when we read a transcript of some of the last recorded interviews with Bundy, I found it much easier to follow along and to gain the insights I was hoping to get from this book.
Thankfully I came to the book as someone not completely unfamiliar with the Bundy case. A few years ago, I read Ann Rule's famous book 'The Stranger Beside Me' which gave me an understanding of the type of person Bundy was and the women who so sadly met their demise at his hands. Without that context, as well as the clips I have watched online of Bundy himself speaking, I would have been completely lost reading this latest book from Sullivan.
There is a section at the end of the book I wanted to mention as well. It is a kind of epilogue written by a friend of Sullivan's who lives in Europe and whose insights were intended to provide a window into what those outside the States think of Ted Bundy and the infamy surrounding him. While I thought this section was well written and raised some interesting ideas, I'm not entirely sure it needed to be included or that the book was any better for having it. I am a UK citizen however, so this could have been because I already have some understanding of the topic even if only from a British perspective.
I would highly recommend that anyone interested in reading The Enigma of Ted Bundy first seek out Sullivan's earlier books on the topic to give you the foundation you will need to find your bearings in the scrapbook of information presented here. This book is for the Bundy completionist, specifically fans of Sullivan's earlier books, who want to complete their collection and glean all the information available about one of America's most infamous and prolific serial killers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The first half of the book was the most difficult for me to get through. There were transcripts and scraps of information I struggled to see the relevance of and, for me, it didn't hang together as a cohesive and linear narrative. Later on in the book however, when Sullivan provides a summary of Bundy's more open-ended murders and when we read a transcript of some of the last recorded interviews with Bundy, I found it much easier to follow along and to gain the insights I was hoping to get from this book.
Thankfully I came to the book as someone not completely unfamiliar with the Bundy case. A few years ago, I read Ann Rule's famous book 'The Stranger Beside Me' which gave me an understanding of the type of person Bundy was and the women who so sadly met their demise at his hands. Without that context, as well as the clips I have watched online of Bundy himself speaking, I would have been completely lost reading this latest book from Sullivan.
There is a section at the end of the book I wanted to mention as well. It is a kind of epilogue written by a friend of Sullivan's who lives in Europe and whose insights were intended to provide a window into what those outside the States think of Ted Bundy and the infamy surrounding him. While I thought this section was well written and raised some interesting ideas, I'm not entirely sure it needed to be included or that the book was any better for having it. I am a UK citizen however, so this could have been because I already have some understanding of the topic even if only from a British perspective.
I would highly recommend that anyone interested in reading The Enigma of Ted Bundy first seek out Sullivan's earlier books on the topic to give you the foundation you will need to find your bearings in the scrapbook of information presented here. This book is for the Bundy completionist, specifically fans of Sullivan's earlier books, who want to complete their collection and glean all the information available about one of America's most infamous and prolific serial killers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
michelles_book_nook's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I love a great true crime read and this one definitely hit the spot! This book follows Ted Bundy and his crimes as well as those who had near misses and close encounters with him. I found this book really interesting and even though I've read a lot on TB, I still learnt things I didn't know before like a couple of (potential) encounters such as Michele Komen and Cheri Ranes. Sometimes it can be difficult to get non-fictions right by making sure they have a good balance of interesting information while at the same time as not being too slow or dragging out points but I think Sullivan really perfected that balance in my opinion. Overall, this is a great true crime read and I highly recommend it. Just one tip though, Sullivan has wrote a number of books on TB over his career and he is well known for not repeating previous information in more than one book so if he is new to you or you're new to the Bundy case then I would definitely recommend reading his Bundy books in order.
ddbookreviews's review
4.0
There are followers of true crime who have a particular fascination for Ted Bundy as he was essentially the guy next door. This book by Kevin Sullivan gives a detailed rendition of the police reports available as well as of the victimolgy for those who want more information on Bundy than was previously available.
The author attempts to find answers to some of the nagging questions that have come up through the years.
This is a good read and it contains and immense amount of information that will hold your attention until the book is finished. There are however small instances where some knowledge about certain facts in the investigation is needed. Maybe the author could add some of this information in a foreword.
For example: In the police report it is mentioned that there is a tear in his vehicle's seat, the relevance and importance of this fact is uncertain if you are a first time reader of anything Ted Bundy.
The author attempts to find answers to some of the nagging questions that have come up through the years.
This is a good read and it contains and immense amount of information that will hold your attention until the book is finished. There are however small instances where some knowledge about certain facts in the investigation is needed. Maybe the author could add some of this information in a foreword.
For example: In the police report it is mentioned that there is a tear in his vehicle's seat, the relevance and importance of this fact is uncertain if you are a first time reader of anything Ted Bundy.
writeramyshannon's review
5.0
Stunningly chilling
Sullivan pens a remarkable sixth title about Bundy in THE ENIGMA OF TED BUNDY: The Questions and Controversies Surrounding America’s Most Infamous Serial Killer. This is the first book of this author's that I've read. Sullivan did the research, and probably knows Bundy, the devious sociopathic serial killer better than anyone. It seems there are still controversies around Bundy and unanswered questions. Bundy is one of the more infamous serial killers and even after his execution, there are lingering thoughts behind what made this man, this man. It's a compelling read if you love true crime and learning more about killers than you ever thought possible. It's case files and author notes that give this story the facts and truths behind the investigation, and Bundy himself. It's an incredible story that also makes references to Sullivan's previous books on Bundy. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
Sullivan pens a remarkable sixth title about Bundy in THE ENIGMA OF TED BUNDY: The Questions and Controversies Surrounding America’s Most Infamous Serial Killer. This is the first book of this author's that I've read. Sullivan did the research, and probably knows Bundy, the devious sociopathic serial killer better than anyone. It seems there are still controversies around Bundy and unanswered questions. Bundy is one of the more infamous serial killers and even after his execution, there are lingering thoughts behind what made this man, this man. It's a compelling read if you love true crime and learning more about killers than you ever thought possible. It's case files and author notes that give this story the facts and truths behind the investigation, and Bundy himself. It's an incredible story that also makes references to Sullivan's previous books on Bundy. I look forward to reading more by this author. This book is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews.
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