56 Followers
"That summer I hunted the serial killer at night from my daughter’s playroom. For the most part I mimicked the bedtime routine of a normal person. Teeth brushed. Pajamas on. But after my husband and daughter fell asleep, I’d retreat to my makeshift workspace and boot up my laptop, that fifteen-inch-wide hatch of endless possibilities…" This was the first book I read about true crime years ago and after reading the chapter about Michelle in Paul Holes book, I had to reread it. This is not just the story of a decade-long crime spree, of a elusive burglar, rapist, and murderer. It is a story about obsession, as the author, active and retired police as well as private citizens bury themselves in the clues and forensic, genetic and geographical trail left by this offender. It is also a story of the impact that monster had on the communities he terrorized and on how advances in technology over several decades brought hope that one day he would be brought to justice. McNamara’s writing makes it easy to follow along. She keeps the narrative moving, avoiding excessive detail. She reports on some of the gore the GSK generated, but not too much. She has a way to clarify the forensics, while keeping in touch with the terrors experienced by the victims, and the hopes and frustration of those hunting the GSK. Michelle McNamara died in her sleep, in April, 2016, at age 46, from a combination of drugs interacting with an undiagnosed medical condition that caused a blockage in her arteries. She had been stressed out, putting in long hours and suffering anxiety and nightmares that kept her from sleeping. In a way she is a victim of the GSK as well. Her husband Patton Oawalt, researcher Paul Haynes and investigative journalist Billy Jensen completed the book McNamara had worked on for so long. The GSK burglarized more than 120 homes, raped dozens of women, killed at least ten people during the 1970s and 1980s. We do not know how many people he drove mad or how many lives were ruined as a result of his crimes. The good news is that in April 2018, a few months after the publication of this book, Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested, based on DNA evidence. The Golden State Killer is finally in jail.
Jul 27, 2025
"That summer I hunted the serial killer at night from my daughter’s playroom. For the most part I mimicked the bedtime routine of a normal person. Teeth brushed. Pajamas on. But after my husband and daughter fell asleep, I’d retreat to my makeshift workspace and boot up my laptop, that fifteen-inch-wide hatch of endless possibilities…" This was the first book I read about true crime years ago and after reading the chapter about Michelle in Paul Holes book, I had to reread it. This is not just the story of a decade-long crime spree, of a elusive burglar, rapist, and murderer. It is a story about obsession, as the author, active and retired police as well as private citizens bury themselves in the clues and forensic, genetic and geographical trail left by this offender. It is also a story of the impact that monster had on the communities he terrorized and on how advances in technology over several decades brought hope that one day he would be brought to justice. McNamara’s writing makes it easy to follow along. She keeps the narrative moving, avoiding excessive detail. She reports on some of the gore the GSK generated, but not too much. She has a way to clarify the forensics, while keeping in touch with the terrors experienced by the victims, and the hopes and frustration of those hunting the GSK. Michelle McNamara died in her sleep, in April, 2016, at age 46, from a combination of drugs interacting with an undiagnosed medical condition that caused a blockage in her arteries. She had been stressed out, putting in long hours and suffering anxiety and nightmares that kept her from sleeping. In a way she is a victim of the GSK as well. Her husband Patton Oawalt, researcher Paul Haynes and investigative journalist Billy Jensen completed the book McNamara had worked on for so long. The GSK burglarized more than 120 homes, raped dozens of women, killed at least ten people during the 1970s and 1980s. We do not know how many people he drove mad or how many lives were ruined as a result of his crimes. The good news is that in April 2018, a few months after the publication of this book, Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested, based on DNA evidence. The Golden State Killer is finally in jail.
Jul 27, 2025
