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brittreadsalot88's review against another edition
informative
3.0
This was very dry at times. I'm glad I listened to it so I could speed it up.
nderiley's review against another edition
3.0
The fact that I hadn't heard of this prolific serial killer before reading this book proves one of the authors points that the public didn't care so much about the crimes because who they were done to. The book was a bit long for me, but then again the green river killer had many years to commit his crimes. The pacing isn't as good as I'll be Gone in the Dark by McNamara, but its still a solid true crime non fiction.
duchessofreadin's review
4.0
In the decades long search for the mysterious killer that became dubbed at the "Green River Killer" there were a lot of frustrations. As leads were followed, many were discounted, and the public grew disillusioned, sure that the police were not doing their utmost to find the killer. As time passed, the body count continued to rise.
With a suspect in sight, the police put him under constant surveillance, but the bodies continued to appear. Without relenting, they continued to dog this suspect, hoping to catch him in the act. Unfortunately, they were looking in the wrong place.
As the case unfolds, you are going to get a look at what was going on behind the scenes, and the frustrations that each detective felt.
I enjoyed this read, it was a fantastic look into the investigation. Highly recommended this one!
With a suspect in sight, the police put him under constant surveillance, but the bodies continued to appear. Without relenting, they continued to dog this suspect, hoping to catch him in the act. Unfortunately, they were looking in the wrong place.
As the case unfolds, you are going to get a look at what was going on behind the scenes, and the frustrations that each detective felt.
I enjoyed this read, it was a fantastic look into the investigation. Highly recommended this one!
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
A comprehensive look into the search for the Green River serial Killer, from the police perspective.
This book was WAY too long. It just seemed to go on and on. The authors went into way too much detail about the cops who worked the case and every action they took to catch the killer, as well as the politicking.
Narrator Rating: 3.5 stars
The narrator did a pretty good job, but his voice was too soothing and it was easy to zone out.
Elemental Levels: Fluff-NA Heartfelt-5/5 Helpful-1/5 Horror NA Inspiration-NA
Love aka Romance-NA Mystery-NA Predictability-NA Spice-NA Suspense-NA Tear- 2.5/5
Thrill-NA Humor-0/5
This book was WAY too long. It just seemed to go on and on. The authors went into way too much detail about the cops who worked the case and every action they took to catch the killer, as well as the politicking.
Narrator Rating: 3.5 stars
The narrator did a pretty good job, but his voice was too soothing and it was easy to zone out.
Elemental Levels: Fluff-NA Heartfelt-5/5 Helpful-1/5 Horror NA Inspiration-NA
Love aka Romance-NA Mystery-NA Predictability-NA Spice-NA Suspense-NA Tear- 2.5/5
Thrill-NA Humor-0/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Murder, Kidnapping, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Alcohol, Infidelity, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Animal death, Alcoholism, and Rape
Minor: Torture and Racism
mugglemom's review
3.0
I didn't know before starting this book that it was originally written in 1991 (32yrs ago) with an afterward note 12yrs later, in 2003, of the trial.
So the original book is a long, winding road about police struggles, the lack of evidence and technology, and all the political infighting (news reporters, judges, police departments, lawyers, politicians, etc..) to solve the case and/or fund the investigation. The excruciating details from the viewpoint of the 1980s of trying to discover or in this case, write a story of 70+ women who may be victims of one serial killer. Suspected serial killers names are given...but the case is unsolved at the time of publication.
It was a slog to read because of how little police had to work with as well as technology & the writer was just giving weird detail about sides - such as the detective's wife producing a play about her husband's work, the killer's motives as imagine by her/FBI and the lives of the deceased women...uber unnecessary but I get it was a "human element" ploy...geeessshhh..
Then the afterward comes along in 2003 and the Green River Killer is actually named - tho he never appeared in the original book. It's months after his capture & trial, so again it's almost real-time with little to context to us time travelers looking back +20 years.
Surprising that I don't think there's been any recent speculation that the 'Green River Killer' is 100% the killer of all the women. If he indeed is, it's crazy he got away with that much death in so little time and 98% undetected with what little is shown as solid evidence (at least in this book). They figured Ridgeway had started killing in 1982, killed heavily from 83-85 and then kill indiscriminately up until 2000 but as he wasn't a trophy serial killer, and professes to have no real idea how many women he killed, he surely out killed old Ted Bundy. The police have no idea either...Sick & sad...
What's truly unreal is that when Ridgeway was finally caught, this book was among his possessions...Creepy AF! So again, do we really know if he really kill all those women or did he read up on his "activities" and confessed to them regardless?
Cons
- another tribute to John E. Douglas of the FBI, so slobbering, so finger down the throat
- kinda stale writing but keep in mind 1991
- no actual contact with Gary Ridgeway - you get the view from the outside seats by way of newspaper accounts or psychologist reports
Pros
- tries to humanize the prostitutes who were killed
- didn't know Ted Bundy was trying to insert himself in this case & per the author, because old Ted didn't want his #s to be upstaged, WTF?! Now curious to see if there's any truth in this...
- shed light on certain police trying desperately to pin the crime on several individuals - it was hard to hear as each person was eliminated...but it was 'real time' so interesting through the lens of 2023...
Would like to see a REAL UPDATED investigation but I doubt it would be worth the State of Washington's limited resources but I'm sure there are internet detectives who are already going over the details. Maybe time will tell if there's a change...and probably more victims...
So the original book is a long, winding road about police struggles, the lack of evidence and technology, and all the political infighting (news reporters, judges, police departments, lawyers, politicians, etc..) to solve the case and/or fund the investigation. The excruciating details from the viewpoint of the 1980s of trying to discover or in this case, write a story of 70+ women who may be victims of one serial killer. Suspected serial killers names are given...but the case is unsolved at the time of publication.
It was a slog to read because of how little police had to work with as well as technology & the writer was just giving weird detail about sides - such as the detective's wife producing a play about her husband's work, the killer's motives as imagine by her/FBI and the lives of the deceased women...uber unnecessary but I get it was a "human element" ploy...geeessshhh..
Then the afterward comes along in 2003 and the Green River Killer is actually named - tho he never appeared in the original book. It's months after his capture & trial, so again it's almost real-time with little to context to us time travelers looking back +20 years.
Surprising that I don't think there's been any recent speculation that the 'Green River Killer' is 100% the killer of all the women. If he indeed is, it's crazy he got away with that much death in so little time and 98% undetected with what little is shown as solid evidence (at least in this book). They figured Ridgeway had started killing in 1982, killed heavily from 83-85 and then kill indiscriminately up until 2000 but as he wasn't a trophy serial killer, and professes to have no real idea how many women he killed, he surely out killed old Ted Bundy. The police have no idea either...Sick & sad...
What's truly unreal is that when Ridgeway was finally caught, this book was among his possessions...Creepy AF! So again, do we really know if he really kill all those women or did he read up on his "activities" and confessed to them regardless?
Cons
- another tribute to John E. Douglas of the FBI, so slobbering, so finger down the throat
- kinda stale writing but keep in mind 1991
- no actual contact with Gary Ridgeway - you get the view from the outside seats by way of newspaper accounts or psychologist reports
Pros
- tries to humanize the prostitutes who were killed
- didn't know Ted Bundy was trying to insert himself in this case & per the author, because old Ted didn't want his #s to be upstaged, WTF?! Now curious to see if there's any truth in this...
- shed light on certain police trying desperately to pin the crime on several individuals - it was hard to hear as each person was eliminated...but it was 'real time' so interesting through the lens of 2023...
Would like to see a REAL UPDATED investigation but I doubt it would be worth the State of Washington's limited resources but I'm sure there are internet detectives who are already going over the details. Maybe time will tell if there's a change...and probably more victims...
bailey_t_abbott's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
skmcwood's review against another edition
3.25
Some of the language was questionable, but I enjoyed the deep dive into this case.
riseclare's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting story and I was afraid it would leave it open ended! Just a bit anti climatic. Kind of a clinical book...