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soavanpelt's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
se2macfa's review
dark
informative
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Ling did an excellent job at keeping the men's dignities intact while going through the details of this case, which has been very different from my experience with other true crime books/podcasts/etc. who use these details to shock the audience
lsparrow's review against another edition
4.0
I appreciated the historical context of the community and also the detailed descriptions of the victims which painted them more as people - often these stories focus so much on the killer that the victims become merely numbers.
christie_esau's review against another edition
4.0
Much more than true crime, this book details the long history of violence against queer folks and how this manifested in Bruce McArthur's serial murders. As you'd hopefully assume, not a light read and not for the faint of heart but very much worth the time and emotional investment.
karimorton33's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
4.0
This was a great audiobook detailing the case of Bruce McArthur and how he was able to kill so many for so long. It was well researched and I liked the focus on the victim's and their lives, to learn more about them.
ruthlessreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This is one of the best, most thoughtfully done true crime books I've ever read. Ling takes great care to represent the victims honestly and to include interviews and permissions from family members. He also discusses the exploitative nature of true crime, as a genre, and the ways in which telling the stories of crimes against & within marginalized communities is valuable.
Using over 5 years of research, the author outlines how a serial killer hunted & killed members of Toronto's queer community, how that community responded, and the egregious mismanagement of these cases by local police. He also humanizes the victims, providing a window into their lives through the interviews of their family & friends. This account of loss, grief, and systemic discrimination against race, gender, and sexuality speaks to current societal issues while also highlighting the real human cost of failed policing & marginalization of personal identities.
Using over 5 years of research, the author outlines how a serial killer hunted & killed members of Toronto's queer community, how that community responded, and the egregious mismanagement of these cases by local police. He also humanizes the victims, providing a window into their lives through the interviews of their family & friends. This account of loss, grief, and systemic discrimination against race, gender, and sexuality speaks to current societal issues while also highlighting the real human cost of failed policing & marginalization of personal identities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, Grief, Homophobia, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Sexual assault, and Hate crime
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Classism, Biphobia, Alcohol, Drug use, Deportation, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Torture