Take a photo of a barcode or cover
70 reviews for:
The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer
J. Reuben Appelman
2.97 AVERAGE
70 reviews for:
The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer
J. Reuben Appelman
2.97 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Jesus, this was the most lurid true crime book I've read in years - maybe ever? - and I couldn't put it down for a second. The book goes way beyond the bounds of simply laying out what's known about a 40 year old cold case and speculating on the culprit to give a no holds barred 1st person account of the research process of the book ... and the seamy memoir of the author's life in all its gritty detail. I learned way more than I counted on learning about a whole lot of things, some of which explain a lot about the stranger danger zeitgeist I absorbed in the 70s & early 80s.
The details of the author's search for a killer are interesting, but I didn't really want to hear about the author's current struggles as a parallel storyline.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
slow-paced
I received this from Goodreads in a giveaway but that did not influence my opinion on this. It's hard to review this (and in fact it took me quite some time to get to this point for which I apologize. I do try to review ARCS quickly). As a true-crime book, this isn't my favorite. As memoir, it works but that's probably not what it's meant to be.
It centers on The OCCK ( The Oakland County Child Killer), a series of rape/murders in Detroit in the late 70s. The author was nearly kidnapped there himself in this time period which makes for an understandable compulsion for Appelman to dig into this case. However, it feels almost like we're looking at his raw notes. This isn't a clean progression from the first crime to the conclusion. It's all over the place as if we're seeing things written just after he interviewed whoever the short chapter was about. There's not much depth to it.
To be fair there isn't a conclusion. What is clear there was a pedophilic ring in action here (I've seen TV true crime shows with interviews of some of the surviving victims). One of the pedophiles was wealthy enough to maybe buy some justice but ends up dead in the world's most suspicious suicide (read, he was murdered but it was written off). Appelman (and some of the victim's family members) all buy accuse some of the cops of being dirty, and while there is a suggestion of it, there isn't a whole lot of proof (to back up all the names that were named).
The rest of the book is pure memoir, him talking about his abusive upbringing, his disintegrating marriage (I'd be curious what his kids think of all this), the drug-addicted ex girlfriend he dances around as he investigates this case, his own near abduction, his alcoholism, his iffy relationship with his kids and his sister.
It's a raw and oddly compelling read as a memoir. It was much less satisfying as a true-crime book.
It centers on The OCCK ( The Oakland County Child Killer), a series of rape/murders in Detroit in the late 70s. The author was nearly kidnapped there himself in this time period which makes for an understandable compulsion for Appelman to dig into this case. However, it feels almost like we're looking at his raw notes. This isn't a clean progression from the first crime to the conclusion. It's all over the place as if we're seeing things written just after he interviewed whoever the short chapter was about. There's not much depth to it.
To be fair there isn't a conclusion. What is clear there was a pedophilic ring in action here (I've seen TV true crime shows with interviews of some of the surviving victims). One of the pedophiles was wealthy enough to maybe buy some justice but ends up dead in the world's most suspicious suicide (read, he was murdered but it was written off). Appelman (and some of the victim's family members) all buy accuse some of the cops of being dirty, and while there is a suggestion of it, there isn't a whole lot of proof (to back up all the names that were named).
The rest of the book is pure memoir, him talking about his abusive upbringing, his disintegrating marriage (I'd be curious what his kids think of all this), the drug-addicted ex girlfriend he dances around as he investigates this case, his own near abduction, his alcoholism, his iffy relationship with his kids and his sister.
It's a raw and oddly compelling read as a memoir. It was much less satisfying as a true-crime book.
good for people looking for true crime with a personal touch, very similar to The Babysitter by Liza Rodman or Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones
4 chilling stars to The Kill Jar! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A serial killer in the Detroit, Michigan area abducted and murdered four children in 1976 and 1977. The author was six-years-old when the murders occurred, and someone dressed as a security guard attempted to abduct him during that same timeframe. After, J. Reuben Appleman says he became obsessed with the Oakland County Murders.
The narrative reviews the available evidence in true crime fashion, and these sections were well-written and engaging, though of course, extremely difficult to read due to the content.
The abductions stopped without rhyme or reason, and the task force shut down without an arrest.
The author has a history with violence, and he details his past and how he was shaped by the early events in his life, including the attempted abduction by a possible serial killer. The author connects the crime to his own thoughts as he grew up and relays his own opinions. I found this an interesting added layer of honesty, but I also could see how it might be distracting, especially if you are looking for a straight-up true crime book.
My favorite aspects of The Kill Jar were the investigations into the murders. The details were laid out in an easy-to-follow format, and the author clearly had performed extensive research. Appelman covers the corruption and possible scandal and illustrates why these murders have proven difficult to solve.
While I am not sure the true crime genre is one I will visit regularly, The Kill Jar held me captive. I wished for an outcome (i.e., some kind of answers) for these families throughout reading, and I will continue to wish that for them now knowing the cases are still unsolved.
Thank you to Gallery Books for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. The Kill Jar will be released on August 14, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
A serial killer in the Detroit, Michigan area abducted and murdered four children in 1976 and 1977. The author was six-years-old when the murders occurred, and someone dressed as a security guard attempted to abduct him during that same timeframe. After, J. Reuben Appleman says he became obsessed with the Oakland County Murders.
The narrative reviews the available evidence in true crime fashion, and these sections were well-written and engaging, though of course, extremely difficult to read due to the content.
The abductions stopped without rhyme or reason, and the task force shut down without an arrest.
The author has a history with violence, and he details his past and how he was shaped by the early events in his life, including the attempted abduction by a possible serial killer. The author connects the crime to his own thoughts as he grew up and relays his own opinions. I found this an interesting added layer of honesty, but I also could see how it might be distracting, especially if you are looking for a straight-up true crime book.
My favorite aspects of The Kill Jar were the investigations into the murders. The details were laid out in an easy-to-follow format, and the author clearly had performed extensive research. Appelman covers the corruption and possible scandal and illustrates why these murders have proven difficult to solve.
While I am not sure the true crime genre is one I will visit regularly, The Kill Jar held me captive. I wished for an outcome (i.e., some kind of answers) for these families throughout reading, and I will continue to wish that for them now knowing the cases are still unsolved.
Thank you to Gallery Books for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. The Kill Jar will be released on August 14, 2018.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
This book is the very opposite of what the synopsis reads. It is neither gripping or thrilling. It is melodramatic and languishes in the author’s self pity for what has happened to him in adolescence. When all is said and done, I feel like I know the author in a way I did not care to know or need to know. The murders however? I feel like I know almost nothing about the murders.
This reads like an autobiography with a sprinkle of a cold case investigation added in. Not worth the time.
This reads like an autobiography with a sprinkle of a cold case investigation added in. Not worth the time.
