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charlietuna92's review against another edition
4.0
Extremely well written. Even though the crimes are difficult to read about, McNamara’s writing humanizes the victims and makes the true extent of the GSK’s crimes truly felt. A great read. I just wish McNamara was alive to see the outcome of all her work
libliz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book but there were some major problems with its organization. This, of course, is not the fault of author's, as so much of this was cobbled together after her death. Given the amount of the text that had to be compiled posthumously, I think the editors/co-authors did a great job. Michelle's treatment of the subject was appropriately delicate and the story never felt overly gruesome or self-indulgent. I especially liked the part where Michelle gave time to one victim who had been unfairly characterized by a previous book on the EAR/ONS. She was also particularly prophetic about the use of commercial ancestry DNA. I wish she had been around to see the bastard caught.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book but there were some major problems with its organization. This, of course, is not the fault of author's, as so much of this was cobbled together after her death. Given the amount of the text that had to be compiled posthumously, I think the editors/co-authors did a great job. Michelle's treatment of the subject was appropriately delicate and the story never felt overly gruesome or self-indulgent. I especially liked the part where Michelle gave time to one victim who had been unfairly characterized by a previous book on the EAR/ONS. She was also particularly prophetic about the use of commercial ancestry DNA. I wish she had been around to see the bastard caught.
alisarae's review against another edition
Ate this book up in one day. So interesting! I so wish that author Michelle McNamara had been alive to see the arrest of GSK.
I learned something about myself while reading this book: I like true crime because I like the psychological aspect of it. This book doesn't even remotely touch on psychology—no speculations about "Bonnie" or why he would whimper "Mommy" in some encounters, nothing about the implications of his signature sexual tendencies, and not even a general overview of the psychology of serial killers and rapists. Now that Joseph James DeAngelo has been arrested, I think everyone remotely interested in the dozens (hundreds?) of crimes he committed must be chomping at the bit to learn about his personal life. Well, I am anyways. I care less about the details of the crimes and more about his motivation and the first two decades of his life.
I learned something about myself while reading this book: I like true crime because I like the psychological aspect of it. This book doesn't even remotely touch on psychology—no speculations about "Bonnie" or why he would whimper "Mommy" in some encounters, nothing about the implications of his signature sexual tendencies, and not even a general overview of the psychology of serial killers and rapists. Now that Joseph James DeAngelo has been arrested, I think everyone remotely interested in the dozens (hundreds?) of crimes he committed must be chomping at the bit to learn about his personal life. Well, I am anyways. I care less about the details of the crimes and more about his motivation and the first two decades of his life.
hilmerjj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
An amazing book about a serial killer and rapist. Unputdownable.
janey's review against another edition
4.0
True Crime is so often written by just awful writers that it is a real pleasure to read about a serial killer by someone who is skilled in her writing. McNamara humanizes her story and relates as much about the latter-day attempts to solve the case as she does about the crimes themselves. It's fascinating.