Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

166 reviews

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. 

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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." 

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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.

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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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

lauren_drinkard's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

theunfinishedbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

wintery1's review against another edition

dark informative tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

wandering_canuck's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

Although this book pulled me in from page 1, it lost me about midway through. Though McNamara was obviously thorough in her research, I found my mind wandering throughout the second half. To be fair, this book was cobbled together by other writers after McNamara's early demise, so one can't judge it too harshly. I, of course, wanted the book to end with the capture of the Golden State Killer but, alas, McNamara didn't live long enough to witness his arrest and conviction. Though well written, the test of a great book for me is whether I would recommend it to others. Sadly, this one falls short of the mark. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

hayleyfitz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Stalking, and Murder