Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This is a haunting and disturbing look at an unsolved serial killing in New York. If you like your true crime with a hefty dose of humanity and a lot of realism (as opposed to sensationalism), this sensitive book will be right up your alley.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Very aptly named. I expected this would be focused on a murder investigation, but instead the author’s descriptions of the lives of the victimized, lost women are what stuck.
Every backstory was tragic, as each woman had a difficult (to say the least) upbringing marked by poverty, abuse, and instability. Sadly, it was unsurprising that they all were led to sex work as they saw it as their last way to make a living. By exposing the finer details of their work and their lives, you can’t help but feel immense pity for them. The current media landscape in a sense makes it out that sex workers are independent and empowered, but by all accounts each woman was anything but that. Even though they “willingly” decided to enter the line of work, there were clear abusers leading them into that path they saw as a last resort. Though we certainly should be prosecuting the johns and pimps (especially the vile men profiled in this), my takeaway is that all sex workers are exploited one way or another.
This was incredibly difficult to get through as there was so much tragedy surrounding the lives of the murdered. From a narrative perspective, there were also a lot of names thrown about so it got confusing to keep everything straight. That being said, it was powerful and will definitely stick with me. I hope the killer, or killers, is brought to justice.
Every backstory was tragic, as each woman had a difficult (to say the least) upbringing marked by poverty, abuse, and instability. Sadly, it was unsurprising that they all were led to sex work as they saw it as their last way to make a living. By exposing the finer details of their work and their lives, you can’t help but feel immense pity for them. The current media landscape in a sense makes it out that sex workers are independent and empowered, but by all accounts each woman was anything but that. Even though they “willingly” decided to enter the line of work, there were clear abusers leading them into that path they saw as a last resort. Though we certainly should be prosecuting the johns and pimps (especially the vile men profiled in this), my takeaway is that all sex workers are exploited one way or another.
This was incredibly difficult to get through as there was so much tragedy surrounding the lives of the murdered. From a narrative perspective, there were also a lot of names thrown about so it got confusing to keep everything straight. That being said, it was powerful and will definitely stick with me. I hope the killer, or killers, is brought to justice.
I would have liked it more had it had more forensic information and facts. Key questions were left unanswered. Why did the medical examiner not check other bones for bone marrow drug testing? Why were key people disqualified as suspects?
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Abandonment
dark
sad
slow-paced
It's important to remember the victims, sometimes their stories get lost or overlooked. This books focus was on giving them voices, and I believe kolker did a good job telling their stories. Interviewing many different people from thier lives to try and give a full picture. He didn't shy away from the truth about sex work and how they are mistreated by many, giving a spotlight to the lack of empathy from police.
I thought he managed to stay neutral, not pointing fingers at anyone while still giving details from many different sides.
I thought he managed to stay neutral, not pointing fingers at anyone while still giving details from many different sides.
This was an easy read and the author does a great job of not imposing judgement on the world of sex workers or their families which is no small feat.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced