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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
A Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) az utóbbi évek egyik legnagyobb port kavart sorozatgyilkos esete lett, a külföldi médiában viszonylag sokat foglalkoztak vele, azonban az elkövető(k) kiléte a mai napig ismeretlen maradt, és ha engem kérdeztek nem hiszem, hogy valaha ki fog derülni, pontosan kicsoda LISK.
Az áldozatokat nagyjából egy helyen találták meg az Ocean Parkway mentén, Long Island-en 2010. decemberében. Több körülmény is azon következtetés levonására kényszerítette a rendőrséget, hogy egy sorozatgyilkos tevékenykedik a környéken. Fontos megemlíteni, hogy az áldozatok mindegyike escort-ként dolgozott, és szolgáltatásaikat a Craigslist-en árulták, ami igencsak megkönnyítette a gyilkos dolgát, mivel így nagyon könnyen tudott áldozatokra vadászni, hiszen ez gyakorlatilag nullára redukálja a lehetséges szemtanúk számát, plusz a hívások is visszakövethetetlenek.
Nos, a könyv nem véletlen kapta a 'Lost Girls' címet, hiszen igazából nem LISK-ről szól, hanem az áldozatokról. Az oldalak nagy része arra megy el, hogy LISK ismert áldozatainak életét feltárja pontról-pontra, és főleg arra fókuszálva, hogyan jutottak odáig, hogy magukat a Craigslisten árulják. Kolker rengeteg interjút csinált a hozzátartozókkal és a barátokkal, hogy bemutassa: lehet, hogy ezek a lányok escortként dolgoztak, de ez csak életük egy része, ők valakik lányai voltak, anyák voltak, barátnők, testvérek, tele álmokkal, vágyakkal, és így is kellene kezelni őket. Hiszen sokan nem így kezelték és nem is így kezelik őket, hanem egyszerűen prostikként, akik maguknak köszönhetik, hogy egy sorozatgyilkos áldozataként végezték. És ez a gondolkodás felháborító, mert részben ennek köszönhető, hogy LISK a mai napig nem került kézre. Hiszen a "kit érdekel egy prosti" felfogás miatt nem indult nyomozás, amikor a hozzátartozók bejelentették az eltűnést, de egyébként se nagyon törték magukat a nyomozás során a rendőrök. A mai napig senkit nem vádoltak meg a gyilkosságokkal és nem történt az ügyben egy letartóztatás sem.
LISK kilétére több teória is létezik, azonban ez a könyv nem szolgál ilyen szempontból válaszokkal. Igaz, a szerző elbeszélgetett több oak beach-i lakossal, többek között Dr. Peter Hackett-tel és Joe Brewer-rel is*, azonban Kolker csak dokumentál, nem állít semmit. Sőt, a könyv egyik pontján kijelenti, hogy az a baj a különféle elméletekkel, hogy az emberek egy idő után hajlamosak aszerint szelektálni a tényeket, hogy mi illik bele az adott teóriába és mi nem.
Szóval a 'Lost Girls'-t mindenkinek tudom ajánlani, hiszen egy viszonylag egyedi hangvételű, főleg az áldozatokra fókuszáló true crime könyv. Akkor is érdemes elolvasni, ha megvolt a film, mert a film azért a legjobb szándék ellenére is itt-ott eléggé egyoldalúra sikeredett.
*Főleg Hackett-ről szeretik azt állítani, hogy ő lehet LISK. Joe Brewer viszont Shannan Gilbert eltűnése miatt gyanús.
Az áldozatokat nagyjából egy helyen találták meg az Ocean Parkway mentén, Long Island-en 2010. decemberében. Több körülmény is azon következtetés levonására kényszerítette a rendőrséget, hogy egy sorozatgyilkos tevékenykedik a környéken. Fontos megemlíteni, hogy az áldozatok mindegyike escort-ként dolgozott, és szolgáltatásaikat a Craigslist-en árulták, ami igencsak megkönnyítette a gyilkos dolgát, mivel így nagyon könnyen tudott áldozatokra vadászni, hiszen ez gyakorlatilag nullára redukálja a lehetséges szemtanúk számát, plusz a hívások is visszakövethetetlenek.
Nos, a könyv nem véletlen kapta a 'Lost Girls' címet, hiszen igazából nem LISK-ről szól, hanem az áldozatokról. Az oldalak nagy része arra megy el, hogy LISK ismert áldozatainak életét feltárja pontról-pontra, és főleg arra fókuszálva, hogyan jutottak odáig, hogy magukat a Craigslisten árulják. Kolker rengeteg interjút csinált a hozzátartozókkal és a barátokkal, hogy bemutassa: lehet, hogy ezek a lányok escortként dolgoztak, de ez csak életük egy része, ők valakik lányai voltak, anyák voltak, barátnők, testvérek, tele álmokkal, vágyakkal, és így is kellene kezelni őket. Hiszen sokan nem így kezelték és nem is így kezelik őket, hanem egyszerűen prostikként, akik maguknak köszönhetik, hogy egy sorozatgyilkos áldozataként végezték. És ez a gondolkodás felháborító, mert részben ennek köszönhető, hogy LISK a mai napig nem került kézre. Hiszen a "kit érdekel egy prosti" felfogás miatt nem indult nyomozás, amikor a hozzátartozók bejelentették az eltűnést, de egyébként se nagyon törték magukat a nyomozás során a rendőrök. A mai napig senkit nem vádoltak meg a gyilkosságokkal és nem történt az ügyben egy letartóztatás sem.
LISK kilétére több teória is létezik, azonban ez a könyv nem szolgál ilyen szempontból válaszokkal. Igaz, a szerző elbeszélgetett több oak beach-i lakossal, többek között Dr. Peter Hackett-tel és Joe Brewer-rel is*, azonban Kolker csak dokumentál, nem állít semmit. Sőt, a könyv egyik pontján kijelenti, hogy az a baj a különféle elméletekkel, hogy az emberek egy idő után hajlamosak aszerint szelektálni a tényeket, hogy mi illik bele az adott teóriába és mi nem.
Szóval a 'Lost Girls'-t mindenkinek tudom ajánlani, hiszen egy viszonylag egyedi hangvételű, főleg az áldozatokra fókuszáló true crime könyv. Akkor is érdemes elolvasni, ha megvolt a film, mert a film azért a legjobb szándék ellenére is itt-ott eléggé egyoldalúra sikeredett.
*Főleg Hackett-ről szeretik azt állítani, hogy ő lehet LISK. Joe Brewer viszont Shannan Gilbert eltűnése miatt gyanús.
This book is too dense to be read in ebook format. I have been loving this but struggling to comprehend the details in the ebook format. So I’m putting it down for now with the intention of picking it back up in physical form. So definitely not a negative DNF but just a pause on this one for now.
dark
informative
mysterious
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
If a possibly unhealthy interest in true crime has taught me anything, it's that the law does not function equally for all members of society. Many of the most prolific and longest working serial killers were those that preyed on prostitutes. The media don't consider these victims compelling news, and the police often feel these women are at least partially to blame for their fates and put their cases on the back burner. In the 21st century, sites like craigslist and backpage have added even more anonymity to the process of connecting with a sex worker. All of these ingredients have combined to aid a killer in Long Island who has killed at least 4 and as many as 10 women and who is still at large as of today.
Lost Girls narrows its focus to 5 of these young women: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Shannan Gilbert. It is Shannan, who placed a frantic 911 call before running off screaming into the night that brings attention and the subsequent discovery of the bodies of the other four girls into the news. The book begins by giving a brief outline of the short and difficult lives of the girls. Then Kolker covers the days leading up to their disappearances, the discovery of their bodies and the ensuing case which seems to have uncovered some suspicious characters, but no strong leads. Also complicating this is the fact that the community of Oak Beach, where the bodies were found, is peopled by well-off, private people that would like nothing more than this entire mess to go away.
This book is well written and researched but the subject matter is bleak. The title tells you going in the case is unsolved. I found it difficult reading about the girls childhoods filled with poverty and abuse knowing that there would be no justice in the end for them. If you follow this read up with the Making a Murderer and the Paradise Lost documentaries, you can solidify your disillusionment with the American Judicial System.
Lost Girls narrows its focus to 5 of these young women: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Shannan Gilbert. It is Shannan, who placed a frantic 911 call before running off screaming into the night that brings attention and the subsequent discovery of the bodies of the other four girls into the news. The book begins by giving a brief outline of the short and difficult lives of the girls. Then Kolker covers the days leading up to their disappearances, the discovery of their bodies and the ensuing case which seems to have uncovered some suspicious characters, but no strong leads. Also complicating this is the fact that the community of Oak Beach, where the bodies were found, is peopled by well-off, private people that would like nothing more than this entire mess to go away.
This book is well written and researched but the subject matter is bleak. The title tells you going in the case is unsolved. I found it difficult reading about the girls childhoods filled with poverty and abuse knowing that there would be no justice in the end for them. If you follow this read up with the Making a Murderer and the Paradise Lost documentaries, you can solidify your disillusionment with the American Judicial System.
I remember this case fairly well. I even studied it briefly in college. But I only had a rough idea of the details.
I was skeptical of this book, since most of the time when a book is written on an unsolved case, the author tends to promote their theory of the case, sometimes to the exclusion of all others. But Robert Kolker did not do this. He explained the facts of the case. He talked with everyone who was willing to talk to him. He proposed any legitimate theories he was presented with. And the best thing he did was humanizing the victims. Because the 5 main girls that he discussed were escorts, people tended to brush off their disappearance, and later murder, as hazards of their business. And even worse, some thought the girls had asked for it by their chosen profession. But Kolker humanized them, showing they had families that weren't perfect but who loved them, they had dreams and goals, they were just trying to survive in a world that doesn't always care.
The reason I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars (to be honest, it probably warrants at least 4 1/2 stars) is the first part of the book. The way it is set up is a bit too confusing. The first two sections are broken down into chapters based on each girl. But each chapter was split over the two sections. For example the first chapter was about Maureen Barnes, but the second half of her story is in part 2 under Marie. So by the time I got to part two of the book, I had to flip back to part one to figure out who Kolker was referring to.
I was skeptical of this book, since most of the time when a book is written on an unsolved case, the author tends to promote their theory of the case, sometimes to the exclusion of all others. But Robert Kolker did not do this. He explained the facts of the case. He talked with everyone who was willing to talk to him. He proposed any legitimate theories he was presented with. And the best thing he did was humanizing the victims. Because the 5 main girls that he discussed were escorts, people tended to brush off their disappearance, and later murder, as hazards of their business. And even worse, some thought the girls had asked for it by their chosen profession. But Kolker humanized them, showing they had families that weren't perfect but who loved them, they had dreams and goals, they were just trying to survive in a world that doesn't always care.
The reason I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars (to be honest, it probably warrants at least 4 1/2 stars) is the first part of the book. The way it is set up is a bit too confusing. The first two sections are broken down into chapters based on each girl. But each chapter was split over the two sections. For example the first chapter was about Maureen Barnes, but the second half of her story is in part 2 under Marie. So by the time I got to part two of the book, I had to flip back to part one to figure out who Kolker was referring to.
dark
sad
slow-paced
This is how a non-fiction should read. Very good flow and I liked how the author added commentary that helped him give us the whole picture with his interviews. He used his commentary to detail the exact moods during the interviews and made them more compelling, because then you can understand the context and subtlety of things unsaid. It also helped you get a feel for the true characters of the people involved. I'd would recommend this book, and I'd even go as far as to say that it'd make me want to look more into the shows that have aired about this case.
This is such an infuriating and frustrating case.
I hate how the police (and society in general) treat sex workers, like they’re not even human beings, like they deserve what they get. They are one of the most vulnerable populations and the most likely to be murdered. Many women do it because they have few options. They often come from poverty, abusive homes, bad relationships, etc.
So it makes me incredibly mad when the police seemingly didn’t care that much, and then botched the case. Or covered something up….
There is no way Shannan wasn’t murdered. She was an escort who called 911 in fear of her life, in an area where they found the bodies of other escorts, and the police have the audacity to rule it as an accident by misadventure! I listened the the 911 call. Even if she was on drugs, she had the clarity of mind to call for help and run to neighboring houses. The fact that there are no suspects makes no sense. I would be furious if I was her family.
I think there are multiple guilty people and I definitely think Hackett is partly responsible, at the very least, a huge liar.
This was a (somewhat) wealthy community’s word against the word of escorts and impoverished families. Of course it’s still unsolved.
Anyway, this book did a great job of humanizing the victims and delving into their lives, but there wasn’t a whole lot about the case itself. I wanted to know more, but because it’s unsolved, maybe they couldn’t share anything else.
Overall, I thought this was extremely slow and depressing as hell.
I hate how the police (and society in general) treat sex workers, like they’re not even human beings, like they deserve what they get. They are one of the most vulnerable populations and the most likely to be murdered. Many women do it because they have few options. They often come from poverty, abusive homes, bad relationships, etc.
So it makes me incredibly mad when the police seemingly didn’t care that much, and then botched the case. Or covered something up….
There is no way Shannan wasn’t murdered. She was an escort who called 911 in fear of her life, in an area where they found the bodies of other escorts, and the police have the audacity to rule it as an accident by misadventure! I listened the the 911 call. Even if she was on drugs, she had the clarity of mind to call for help and run to neighboring houses. The fact that there are no suspects makes no sense. I would be furious if I was her family.
I think there are multiple guilty people and I definitely think Hackett is partly responsible, at the very least, a huge liar.
This was a (somewhat) wealthy community’s word against the word of escorts and impoverished families. Of course it’s still unsolved.
Anyway, this book did a great job of humanizing the victims and delving into their lives, but there wasn’t a whole lot about the case itself. I wanted to know more, but because it’s unsolved, maybe they couldn’t share anything else.
Overall, I thought this was extremely slow and depressing as hell.
I listened to the audiobook of this book, so that might color some of how I felt. I was really glad that there is a book about the lives of the women who were murdered or otherwise lost their lives on this small strip of Long Island. And I approve of the message that sex workers need to be brought into the light and not pushed further into the shadows (especially in light of recent legislation that is taking more and more steps into burying them in darkness and taking what little protections they may have away). But listening to the audio book was confusing, as there's a huge cast of characters, several of whom have similar names. It might be easier to read, as I heard there is a list of who's related to who in the back of the book. I do believe that the fact that these girls were escorts not only was the cause of their deaths (not specifically because escorts, but because homicides happen more to sex workers) but also was the reason the police didn't take their disappearances seriously or investigate them like they would a "clean cut girl" who disappeared. I do pray that they find the individual(s) who murdered these women.