The Last Victim : A True-Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading for serial killer "fans"
Review: First, in response to previous reviews about Mr.Moss's character, he does go on about himself, but not that much. Besides, His accomplishments ARE impressive.
What I really liked about the book, is that, in my opinion,he speaks up for fans of the serial killer/true crime genre. We enjoy reading of the STORIES of these villians, NOT them. We feel no sympathy for them. In fact, some got off with easy deaths. And relief is felt that the executed and otherwise deceased (Dahmer) paid for their crimes WITH THEIR LIVES!
OK I'll climb down from my soapbox and actually review this book. It is very articulate. The vocabulary shows the inteligence of this amazing young man. The research and the corespondence really seem to take the reader into the minds of the "stars" of the book. A very chilling read..
The one critsism/question I have is: the communication between Mr. Moss and the killers. Wouldn't prison officials monitor the letters and conversations of criminals? Especially THESE particular criminals? I can see the argument of right to privacy, but then again, didn't these people throw those rights away when they chose to violate their victims right to breathe??
In a nutshell, (before I get to preaching--yet again!) This is a well-written book. A definite must-read.
















































































































Rating:
Summary: Homoerotic pornography
Review: As unprofound as the title of this review may be, that is the first thing I said after finishing this book.
The book reads like a well-constructed horror movie, in which you may well find yourself yelling at the "main character" (Author Jason Moss) "What are you doing?!?! Get yourself out of there!!!"
This is the true story of how Moss' curiosity about what exactly happens between a serial killer and their victim inspired him to invent a character to which serial killers like Gacy would respond. Playing his "victim" character, he crafted letters intended to draw the killer's curiosity.
His physical and emotional reaction to the hilarity (NOT) that ensued showed that at some level, his instincts were working overtime to let him know he was in danger. By what seemed force of sheer will, he overrode his gut feelings and pushed the relationships further. (Lesson: Trust your instincts when they warn you!!)
Considering what ultimately happens when Moss visits a killer on Death Row, I think he was incredibly lucky to be able to tell his story at all.
Moss' youth and bravado throughout the book revealed a side of him that I wonder if HE even recognizes as juvenile. There is a very obvious theme throughout the book of Moss trying desperately to gain his exasperated Mother's attention and approval. What stood out clearly to me was something never mentioned in the book- that Moss' journey into the dark world of killers was actually a journey to explore the dark side of himself. He wanted to see what his OWN limits were. Never mind that he claimed to want to "win" a mental game with the killers. I think his motives were more subconscious and less academic. Having been a so-called perfect student all of his life, it is little wonder that his psyche would seek a way to balance the compulsive over-achievement.
Perhaps I am wrong...but what I saw in Moss was his pursuit to confront HIMSELF by using the most dangerous people he could find as a mirror. I also thought that he lived vicariously through them, allowing himself to befriend those who had the nerve to do what he knew he never would or could.
This book is an interesting view into how a killer manipulates victims' minds; but it is equally an interesting look inside the mind of a person whose curiousity about his own limits led him to risk his life to find out how far he could go.
P.S. Moss seems the kind of person who probably cannot help but read reviews on his work. ;-) So, hello Jason. Stop caring so much about what other people think about you. Find out what you think about yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Morbidly interesting and macabre.
Review: I agree w/ Stephanie Dietz on virtually everything that she said about this book in her review (May 23, 2004). For me, this book was a new way for me to scare the $h!t out of myself! An ex of mine actually worked for the publishing co. which commissioned the book to be published which is how I came across it. My interest in reading and literature is primarily restricted to fantasy, science fiction, urban archaeology, history, and, ancient history. Horor isn't one of my favorites per se, but this true horror story definitely shook me. Jason Moss is arrogant and full of himself, but he isn't as nauseating as some of the reviews of this book might leave you to think. If you have absolutely no interest whatsoever in such morbid subjects as serial killers then this book is one that for you may be best left unread. However, if you have at least some interest in such morbid subjects then I suggest you pick up this book and read it carefully. It is certainly not for the faint of heart!

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant work
Review: I found this book terrible interesting. You learn a lot about J.Moss, which is a great start...In a book like this one it helps to understand why a young man would do such a thing as because friends with serial killers! Many people are interested in Serial killers and what makes them tick!! J.Moss opens the void into many disturbing minds. In this book you will read about John Wayne Gacy, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, Henry Lee Lucas and Andrew "Koko" Kokoalies. With this book you will learn information about these men that you may not have known before you picked this book up. Really how many people can truly say that they have gotten into the mind of a killer?? Doctor's try by doing different tests and what not, and they find out info that is very important and interesting. But because Jason pushes onto what drives these men it opens the void on communication between a killer and an average person. I recommend this book to anyone who is truly interested into the mind of killers, their beliefs and their lives.

Rating:
Summary: The Last Victim? How about the Biggest Ego?
Review: I was not sure whether this book was intended to be an insight into the mind of a killer, or a self-congratulations to the author on his supreme intelligence. While the subject matter of the book itself was very intersting, I was so overcome with dislike for the author that it ruined the entire book. This book is riddled with stories and comments regarding the defendant's intelligence and how "even as a teenager adults were always underestimating him" complete with a story on how he got one over on a stupid adult. Further, he repeatedly criticizes his parents, the same parents who seem to be funding his college education, all the while explaining how intelligent he is and what a wonderful, if over-protective brother he has always been. He is in fact so overprotective that he provides not one, but many serial killers their home address. Including Richard Ramirez, who maintains contact with many satanic cults, including those in the Las Vegas area, where Jason Moss and his lucky family reside. He even goes so far as to communicate with John Gacy while impersonating his brother. Wow, we should all be so fortunate as to have a relative who brings serial killers into our lives. It is bad enough that he is so ignorant as to believe that he can risk involving himself with these persons, but to involve your family and, in particular a younger sibling is disgraceful. Finally, I find it extemely offensive that he refers to himself as the Last Victim, in particular John Wayne Gacy's Last Victim. He is his own victim and until his ego recedes some, he will probably remain so.

Rating:
Summary: Self-absorbed trife
Review: Not much to be said that wasn't already covered in the other negative reviews. The author is smug, and severly overestivmates both his skills at manipulation and writing ability. The good news is, if you go to his website (he's now an attorney) he's now BALD!!! Hahahahahahha, look at his photo, he tries to look so intense and determined but he's BALD. Hair today, gone tomorrow...

Rating:
Summary: False "true" crime
Review: Personally, I know Jason Moss and his family. Jason is a self-absorbed psycho who is on some harsh medication that he should have been on when he was a kid. Jason grew up tormenting his family and this was another way (the contact with serial killers and later the book) he was able to do so. Now despite what he says about this being a school project in the book, it wasnt. It was just another one of his peversities. The book is 90% fiction and is solely the mind of Jason Moss, not John Wayne Gacy. Tell Jason how much you loved his book - [e-mail] - or tell him the truth. Just dont buy it. He doesnt deserve it.

Rating:
Summary: I really liked this book
Review: The book is not written by a professional author so of course the language and story line are not always perfect, but it is very interesting. I enjoyed it a lot.

Rating:
Summary: I really liked this book
Review: The book is not written by a professional author so of course the language and story line are not always perfect, but it is very interesting. I enjoyed it a lot.

Rating:
Summary: Very Engrossing....
Review: This book is about a man, Jason Moss, who takes his college project to far. It starts out as a harmless project, but sort of turns out more then he expected. When he gets to writing to these notorious serial killers, he gets entrapped in their inner thoughts. He begins to play off his roles so good that they want to talk to him more then he expects, rather then him getting to know each one, they talk more about him. Some of the serial killers he writes to are John Wayne Gacy, Jeffery Dahmer, Charles Manson, and Richard Ramirez. These are the few that helped him in gaining credentials for becoming a criminal profiler for the FBI.

I liked this book because it was funny at times, but for the most part it was very informative and very serious. It was very interesting as to how he (Jason Moss) was able to gain the trust of such killers and be able to hold conversations with them on paper and on the phone at times. When he was able to play off his roles that he used for each different killer he was very sincere and it seemed like he was the person he was pretending to be. This book was also very scary as to how this man would go to lengths that he did to open up certain things than not even his parent knew about him. He told them his most inner thoughts and desires. So I would say that this book kept me reading until I wasn't able to keep my eyes open to read anymore.