Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

Although this book pulled me in from page 1, it lost me about midway through. Though McNamara was obviously thorough in her research, I found my mind wandering throughout the second half. To be fair, this book was cobbled together by other writers after McNamara's early demise, so one can't judge it too harshly. I, of course, wanted the book to end with the capture of the Golden State Killer but, alas, McNamara didn't live long enough to witness his arrest and conviction. Though well written, the test of a great book for me is whether I would recommend it to others. Sadly, this one falls short of the mark.

Content Warnings

booksandmarvel's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark informative slow-paced

Content Warnings

bethboo's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

2.0

This is the story of a true crime junkie becoming obsessed with a serial rapist and murderer. To the point that she worked with detective from the cases, knew all the sordid details, and made several attempts at naming a suspect. She died before she could finish her book or catch the guy, so the author put together her story.

This book kind of solidifies my opinion about weird true crime junkies. Look man, I get it. It's morbidly interesting and makes you feel a little adrenaline. It's all so mysterious and violent that it feels separate from real life. I've been there, I've listened to true crime podcasts and watched the youtube videos. But at some point you have to realize that this is weird and those events truly happened to someone and that you, a random person, is not the "key to the case". You're just consuming trauma-porn of the worst day of someone's life. Like if you can't be self aware, then wtf. This lady let it take over her entire life.

I thought the book was well written and I thought the case was well laid out, thought I wish we hadn't focused on the lady obsessed with this guy rather than the victims. I feel like we really skipped over a lot of women, like they were just pins on a map. I'd never heard of this guy before and I hate to think that all those women had to live through such a horrid experience. Their safety had to be shattered so thoroughly. And I can't imagine you being married to one of those women and having to see someone you love so much be hurt like that. It's horrible.

Content Warnings

roach_okay's review

Go to review page

dark informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Content Warnings

lakinlindsey's review

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

Content Warnings

More...