Hometown Killer

Rating:
Summary: A Job Well Done
Review: Although this was the first book written by this author, I feel she did an exceptional job of telling this story. I'm appreciative that someone took the time to tell the stories of those loved ones that were lost to this insane madman. The book has made me understand what really went on in my hometown. Thanks Carol for all your hard work and dedication.

Rating:
Summary: Best look into a serial killer's mind and motivation
Review: HOMETOWN KILLER by Carol J. Rothgeb is a true crime story that gives rare insight into the mind and behavior of a serial killer.
It is rare for an author to have, as here, over 21 hours of videotape to review to give us the killer's actual words combined with, uniquely, an excellect description of his actions, responses and behavior as he is questioned and shown the victims' clothing, the murder weapons and pics from the crime scenes and hear his chilling comments. Rothgeb tells what we never see; the personal agony of gifted and tenacious Police to find a killer of young girls the ages of their own daughters and other young women randomly selected and to calm the terrors of an entire City. Police work at its best here. A gifted story-teller, Gastgeb gives an eyewitness account of the trial of the man who said: "All the b-----s must die!"

Rating:
Summary: A Job Well Done
Review: I have been an avid true crime reader for years, and never have I found a book any more disappointing than this one. It truly is almost as if the author retyped the trial transcripts word-for-word and renamed as a "book." I got no real insight into any of the characters, which is the most important part of what makes a true crime account so fascinating. There was also a lot of skipping around, with a less than smooth effort to present the sequence of events in a manner the reader can follow easily. Hopefully, this was a "first book" for this author, and future efforts will improve. Otherwise, I think I will stick with known authors in the genre that I can count on to deliver.

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing--Trial transcript disguised as a "book"
Review: I have been an avid true crime reader for years, and never have I found a book any more disappointing than this one. It truly is almost as if the author retyped the trial transcripts word-for-word and renamed as a "book." I got no real insight into any of the characters, which is the most important part of what makes a true crime account so fascinating. There was also a lot of skipping around, with a less than smooth effort to present the sequence of events in a manner the reader can follow easily. Hopefully, this was a "first book" for this author, and future efforts will improve. Otherwise, I think I will stick with known authors in the genre that I can count on to deliver.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a real page turner!
Review: I highly recommend "Hometown Killer" by Carol J. Rothgeb; a true life multiple murder case that is an excellent example of "truth being stranger than fiction"! A behind the scenes look into the psychological process used by police detectives to try and get to the truth. I was tremendously impressed with their professionalism, intelligence and compassion.
Some scenes in the book will leave you in shock, anger and disbelief that a human being could possibly do such things to another human being, seemingly without conscience, and all the while living a parallel life that appeared to be "normal". It is a chilling lesson also about the necessity of being ever vigilant around strangers no matter how charming and harmless they may appear to be on the surface.
I applaud the author's focus in being able to sift and sort through a massive amount of documented information to bring it together into a very readable book. Once I got past the preliminary setup of a very large cast of characters, which seemed a little overwhelming (but necessary), I could hardly put this book down! And being in a reading group made for some insightful and interesting discussion as well. A very fine effort and a very fitting public tribute to the key detectives in the case.

Rating:
Summary: This book is a real page turner!
Review: I highly recommend "Hometown Killer" by Carol J. Rothgeb; a true life multiple murder case that is an excellent example of "truth being stranger than fiction"! A behind the scenes look into the psychological process used by police detectives to try and get to the truth. I was tremendously impressed with their professionalism, intelligence and compassion.
Some scenes in the book will leave you in shock, anger and disbelief that a human being could possibly do such things to another human being, seemingly without conscience, and all the while living a parallel life that appeared to be "normal". It is a chilling lesson also about the necessity of being ever vigilant around strangers no matter how charming and harmless they may appear to be on the surface.
I applaud the author's focus in being able to sift and sort through a massive amount of documented information to bring it together into a very readable book. Once I got past the preliminary setup of a very large cast of characters, which seemed a little overwhelming (but necessary), I could hardly put this book down! And being in a reading group made for some insightful and interesting discussion as well. A very fine effort and a very fitting public tribute to the key detectives in the case.

Rating:
Summary: Transcript book..weak
Review: If you are interested in a novel with over 70% of the story being police or court transcripts..this one is for you. Poorly told, the Author jumps around from character to character and all of the police interviews with the Defendants..where they just lie and lie.. that you just lose interest...Save your time and money. I will be hesitant to purchase another book from Kensington publishers again.

Rating:
Summary: Transcript book..weak
Review: If you are interested in a novel with over 70% of the story being police or court transcripts..this one is for you. Poorly told, the Author jumps around from character to character and all of the police interviews with the Defendants..where they just lie and lie.. that you just lose interest...Save your time and money. I will be hesitant to purchase another book from Kensington publishers again.

Rating:
Summary: In my hometown.
Review: This is one hell of a book. I read it today and I went straight to the site of where is happened. I live roughly 5 mins. away. This is a great but, true story. I would recommend this book any day out of the year. Great book and starts from the begening.

Rating:
Summary: Majority is court transcripts
Review: Was recommended. Very disappointed. More than half the book was just copied from the transcripts. The story line is an excellent true crime subject but needs to be more detailed for reading pleasure and less repetition of duplicate conversations.