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darth_vader's review against another edition
5.0
This book is tough to read emotionally. The author did a fantastic job placing a most difficult situation of a serial killer in to a written dialogue. Riveting story.
stellaphemister's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.75
redhdlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
The recorded interviews with Ted Bundy, and Ridgeway moved the book from three stars to 4 stars. I enjoyed hearing about the Sheriffs struggles, changes in technology, and the entire search for the Green State Killer.
_lilbey_'s review
3.0
2.5- Good look at the investigative pieces of the GRK case, but a bunch of stuff bothered me about this book.
So the first thing I thought was that it was weird that he had his title of Sheriff included in his author line... I mean... who does that? And HIS picture is on the front cover- just weird. Upon reading this book, I realized that titles and power over others are both very important to this guy and so he needed everyone to know his importance. While he was the primary on the GRK case, it wasn't because he was the best at his job, it was because he was there first. He resented anyone else who stepped in with advice or power over him (e.g. how apparently John Douglas offered no advice that they didn't already know themselves- yet they kept contacting him, and his refusal to accept a former coworker- a Black woman nonetheless- as his superior officer after she had earned that title) and was judgmental of people who made similar errors in the investigation as he had (it was reasonable that he spent a lot of time chasing down the wrong guy, but when others did it later with another suspect, well this was just a waste of time and resources). He complains about the media ruining the investigation early on, as well as the presence of the FBI and lack of funding later on- the lack of arrest could never possibly be due to something HE did wrong. When an experienced investigator reviews what has been done and has critiques, you can see Mr. Reichert was never going to listen to anything that was said and resented that someone would possibly find things wrong with the way he was doing things (again, he had this job due to being there, not due to vast experience with serial killers). He then seemed to hold a grudge against Keppel (who prepared the report with the critiques, a report that, I might add, encouraged- and got- increased funding for the GRK task force) for the rest of the narrative, if not into present day.
I also felt like much of the narrative was him trying to get the reader to like him- how he sympathized with the families of the victims, how he has no vices, his constant references to god and religion, how he donated time and money and a bike... and on and on it goes. Not sure what most of this had to do with the investigation and therefore the general topic of this book. Further, while he kept insisting he thought of the victims as people and not prostitutes, he did little to illustrate this fact- the only time we learned anything personal about any of these women was two statements made by parents during the filming of a TV show and the victim impact statements at the end. Nothing to show that he really did see these women as something beyond prostitutes. Coupled with his descriptions of the other prostitutes that were interviewed during the course of the investigation and how he repeatedly stated that these women were someone's daughters (so they are only worthwhile by virtue of their relationships to others?), his sentiments about the victims seemed unreal.
While he complained about people who contacted the police with tips saying they wanted fame and notoriety due to their connection with this case, that seems to be what Mr. Reichert wanted as well.
So the first thing I thought was that it was weird that he had his title of Sheriff included in his author line... I mean... who does that? And HIS picture is on the front cover- just weird. Upon reading this book, I realized that titles and power over others are both very important to this guy and so he needed everyone to know his importance. While he was the primary on the GRK case, it wasn't because he was the best at his job, it was because he was there first. He resented anyone else who stepped in with advice or power over him (e.g. how apparently John Douglas offered no advice that they didn't already know themselves- yet they kept contacting him, and his refusal to accept a former coworker- a Black woman nonetheless- as his superior officer after she had earned that title) and was judgmental of people who made similar errors in the investigation as he had (it was reasonable that he spent a lot of time chasing down the wrong guy, but when others did it later with another suspect, well this was just a waste of time and resources). He complains about the media ruining the investigation early on, as well as the presence of the FBI and lack of funding later on- the lack of arrest could never possibly be due to something HE did wrong. When an experienced investigator reviews what has been done and has critiques, you can see Mr. Reichert was never going to listen to anything that was said and resented that someone would possibly find things wrong with the way he was doing things (again, he had this job due to being there, not due to vast experience with serial killers). He then seemed to hold a grudge against Keppel (who prepared the report with the critiques, a report that, I might add, encouraged- and got- increased funding for the GRK task force) for the rest of the narrative, if not into present day.
I also felt like much of the narrative was him trying to get the reader to like him- how he sympathized with the families of the victims, how he has no vices, his constant references to god and religion, how he donated time and money and a bike... and on and on it goes. Not sure what most of this had to do with the investigation and therefore the general topic of this book. Further, while he kept insisting he thought of the victims as people and not prostitutes, he did little to illustrate this fact- the only time we learned anything personal about any of these women was two statements made by parents during the filming of a TV show and the victim impact statements at the end. Nothing to show that he really did see these women as something beyond prostitutes. Coupled with his descriptions of the other prostitutes that were interviewed during the course of the investigation and how he repeatedly stated that these women were someone's daughters (so they are only worthwhile by virtue of their relationships to others?), his sentiments about the victims seemed unreal.
While he complained about people who contacted the police with tips saying they wanted fame and notoriety due to their connection with this case, that seems to be what Mr. Reichert wanted as well.
harvio's review
3.0
- "No other serial killer in U.S. History had killed so many people."
- straight-forward, detailed police procedural...but depressing!
- straight-forward, detailed police procedural...but depressing!
xonrad's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting insight, not into a serial killer, but the author's mindset, and his flavour of hindsight.
When a person in authority uses objective references to female victims as "somebody's daughter" in a traditionalist attempt to humanise them... it becomes one of many socially conditioned responses that define the author/Sheriff, and many of such pre-programmed instances of his moral conditioning dominate throughout this text.
In short, the antithesis of objectivity lays within. Interesting as a psychological study in itself, but in no way unique.
The audio edition and the interview segments between the Sheriff and the killer are, by today's standards, unacceptable examples of "leading" almost to the extreme.
When a person in authority uses objective references to female victims as "somebody's daughter" in a traditionalist attempt to humanise them... it becomes one of many socially conditioned responses that define the author/Sheriff, and many of such pre-programmed instances of his moral conditioning dominate throughout this text.
In short, the antithesis of objectivity lays within. Interesting as a psychological study in itself, but in no way unique.
The audio edition and the interview segments between the Sheriff and the killer are, by today's standards, unacceptable examples of "leading" almost to the extreme.
bookishblond's review against another edition
2.0
So boring! If you're interested in a book about Gary Ridgway, read anything but this...
elizabethise's review against another edition
3.0
I chose to listen to this as an audiobook during a long road trip. I loved that the perspective was from the actual Sheriff who was knee-deep in this case. True Crime books are all the rage right now and I'm here for it! This was a great addition to my true crime education! I didn't know too much about the GRK and loved getting the firsthand story. For true crime fans - definitely add this to your TBR pile!