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I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer Hardcover – Illustrated, February 27, 2018
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THE BASIS FOR THE MAJOR 6-PART HBO® DOCUMENTARY SERIES
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Washington Post | Maureen Corrigan, NPR | Paste | Seattle Times | Entertainment Weekly | Esquire | Slate | Buzzfeed | Jezebel | Philadelphia Inquirer | Publishers Weekly | Kirkus Reviews | Library Journal | Bustle
Winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for Nonfiction | Anthony Award Winner | SCIBA Book Award Winner | Finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime | Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence
The haunting true story of the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California during the 70s and 80s, and of the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case—which was solved in April 2018.
Introduction by Gillian Flynn • Afterword by Patton Oswalt
“A brilliant genre-buster. . . . Propulsive, can’t-stop-now reading.” —Stephen King
For more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.
Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer." Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Utterly original and compelling, it has been hailed as a modern true crime classic—one which fulfilled Michelle's dream: helping unmask the Golden State Killer.
- Print length352 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHarper
- Publication dateFebruary 27, 2018
- Dimensions6 x 1.16 x 9 inches
- ISBN-100062319787
- ISBN-13978-0062319784
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Get to know this book
What's it about?
Gripping true crime account of a relentless journalist's obsessive hunt for the elusive Golden State Killer who terrorized California.Popular highlight
I love reading true crime, but I’ve always been aware of the fact that, as a reader, I am actively choosing to be a consumer of someone else’s tragedy.617 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
Holding my newborn daughter, I got it. I got the love that guts you, the sense of responsibility that narrows the world to a pair of needy eyes. At thirty-nine, I understood my mother’s love for me for the first time.540 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
We swim or sink against our deficits in life, and she made it a point to encourage me in ways that she had not been.443 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
I need to see his face. He loses his power when we know his face.391 Kindle readers highlighted thisPopular highlight
“Make one move and you’ll be silent forever and I’ll be gone in the dark.”361 Kindle readers highlighted this
From the Publisher
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
An Amazon Best Book of March 2018: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Michelle McNamara’s compelling investigation of the “Golden State Killer,” who terrorized northern California from the mid-70s to the mid-80s, is one of the best true crime books to come along in a decade. It’s the story of two obsessions: McNamara’s obsession with the criminal, and whatever abhorrent obsession drove him to commit a series of horrific rapes and murders over ten years. The author, a true crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, describes the crimes and examines clues in an effort to uncover his identity. Occasionally, she challenges convention by inserting herself into the narrative (at one point, she even writes directly to the Golden State Killer), and the book acquires even more personal weight when one takes into account the fact that McNamara, at the age of 46, died while writing it. Knowing all of this, and with each chilling description, McNamara’s obsession begins to become our own. She believed that the Golden State Killer would still be alive today. You will discover yourself hoping she’s right, so that you can see him captured and brought to justice. -- Chris Schluep, the Amazon Book Review
Review
“Both a vivid and meticulous investigation of a twisted predator who terrorized quiet, upper middle-class communities in California for nearly a decade, and a wrenching personal account from a writer who became consumed by her subject.” — Alexandra Alter, New York Times
“Unputdownable.... Powerful.” — Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air
“This is a one sit-down read. That’s how riveting it is. Very few writers have the skill to bring a decades-old cold case to life; in these pages, Michelle McNamara has not only successfully resuscitated the fascinating case of the Golden State Killer, but done so with humanity, insight, and grace.” — Michael Connelly
“A singular, fascinating read. It’s lifelike in its incompletion... a posthumous treasure that feels thrillingly alive. A-” — Entertainment Weekly
“What makes McNamara’s work so compelling is her empathy and sensitivity toward the people touched by these crimes.... I wish I could read the next 10 books she would have written.” — Kate Tuttle, Los Angeles Times
“What readers need to know—what makes this book so special—is that it deals with two obsessions, one light and one dark. The Golden State Killer is the dark half; Michelle McNamara’s is the light half. It’s a journey into two minds, one sick and disordered, the other intelligent and determined. I loved this book.” — Stephen King
“Both a vivid and meticulous investigation of a twisted predator who terrorized quiet, upper middle-class communities in California for nearly a decade, and a wrenching personal account from a writer who became consumed by her subject.” — New York Times
“Remarkable… The detective’s nose for the crucial clue transmutes so easily into a novelist’s eye for the concrete detail that conjures a memory or emotion. She applies the same gift to a handful of portraits of people affected by the killer’s crimes.... These read like fragments from Raymond Carver stories, tales of ordinary lives fractured by incomprehensible violence. Had she lived, McNamara might have helped identify the man who committed that violence, but before she died, she did something nearly as miraculous: making them all live again in some small way.” — Laura Miller, Slate
“This book just knocked me over.” — Megan Abbott
“Utterly gripping.” — People
“A powerful portrait of the scale of the Golden State Killer’s crimes, of the mechanics of criminal investigations, of the strange particular dread and paranoia in the California in the 1970s, and of McNamara’s own obsession with violent men, and this one violent man.” — San Francisco Chronicle
“Breathtaking, ambitious, and exquisitely written.” — New York
“Michelle McNamara was an obsessive. She was also a damn good writer. That combustive mix has produced I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, a dark page-turner.... Scintillating.” — USA Today
“That the book feels triumphant even after tragedy upon tragedy is a testament to McNamara’s skill as a reporter.” — Esquire, “The 25 Best True Crime Books Every Person Should Read”
“Narrative true crime journalism at its very finest, a complex, multilayered, chilling portrait of a faceless monster, and a remarkable tribute to the woman who, up until her last day, believed she would one day have him in her crosshairs.” — Village Voice
“Any true crime project is basically a reckoning with death, but in this case, it’s a reckoning that is no longer theoretical. McNamara is gone. And what’s especially sad about her absence is just how good she was.” — The Portland Mercury
“Remarkable.... A modern true crime classic.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Chilling.... Hard to put down.” — Minneapolis Star Tribune
“The work has many notable qualities — in particular, a penetrating and elegiac voice.” — Seattle Times
“Impressive.” — Booklist, starred review
From the Back Cover
A masterful true-crime account of the Golden State Killer—the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California for over a decade—from Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case
You’ll be silent forever, and I’ll be gone in the dark.
Over the course of more than ten years, a mysterious and violent predator committed fifty sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated ten sadistic murders. In 1986 he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.
Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true-crime journalist who created the popular website True Crime Diary, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called “the Golden State Killer.” Michelle pored over police reports, inter-viewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.
At the time of the crimes, the Golden State Killer was between the ages of eighteen and thirty, Caucasian, and athletic—capable of vaulting tall fences. He always wore a mask. After choosing his victims—he favored suburban couples—he often entered their homes when no one was there, studying family pictures, mastering the layouts. He attacked while they slept, using a flashlight to awaken and blind them. Though they could not recognize him, his victims recalled his voice: a guttural whisper through clenched teeth, abrupt and threatening.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark—the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death—offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Framed by an introduction from Gillian Flynn and an afterword by McNamara’s husband, Patton Oswalt, the book was completed by Michelle’s lead researcher and a close colleague. Utterly original and compelling, it is destined to become a true-crime classic—and may at last unmask the Golden State Killer.
About the Author
Michelle McNamara (1970–2016) was the author of the website True Crime Diary. She earned an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Minnesota, and had sold television pilots to ABC and Fox and a screenplay to Paramount. She also worked as a consultant for Dateline NBC. She lived in Los Angeles and is survived by her husband, Patton Oswalt, and their daughter, Alice.
Product details
- Publisher : Harper; Illustrated edition (February 27, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062319787
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062319784
- Item Weight : 1.35 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.16 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #64,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #68 in Law Enforcement Biographies
- #148 in Serial Killers True Accounts
- #2,019 in Memoirs (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the writing wonderful, enthralling, and fascinating. They describe the content as fantastically interesting, a true classic crime buster, and inventive. Readers describe the plot as heart wrenching, gripping, and sinister. They also praise the level of detail as painstakingly researched and fresh. Opinions differ on the writing style, with some finding it empathetic and driven, while others say it seems disjointed.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book fantastically interesting, well-written, and impressive. They also appreciate the incredible details and background story. Readers describe the story as soothing, deeply moving, and heart wrenching.
"...She absolutely has a way with words and its very soothing to read. She takes her time...." Read more
"...However, McNamara’s writing is so fluid, easy to read, and interesting, the reader is drawn in immediately...." Read more
"...The book reads like a novel...." Read more
"...The sections of the book written by McNamara are polished and compelling...." Read more
Customers find the writing and content of the book wonderful, powerful, and direct. They also say the author has a real gift for the written word, and the book flies by smoothly.
"...The book as a whole was wonderfully written not only because Michelle has a way with words, but because she focused a lot on the victims...." Read more
"...However, McNamara’s writing is so fluid, easy to read, and interesting, the reader is drawn in immediately...." Read more
"...Michelle tells the stories so tactfully, she is conscious of the victims and their families, but wants to ensure that the details about the suspect..." Read more
"...It stands on its own as a well-written, riveting true-crime tale, but the reader is left wondering what McNamara’s finished product might have been...." Read more
Customers find the book painstakingly researched, factual, and well written. They also say the author weaves timelines and lifetimes effortlessly, ensuring the narrative remains fresh and authentic. Readers also say it's easy to read, simple to follow with interactive maps, and an amazing step back in time.
"...history and to stick to the facts while ensuring that the narrative remains fresh and sounds authentic, especially given the repetition inherent to..." Read more
"...McNamara brings the case starkly to life with skilled writing, voluminous research and vivid, chilling detail...." Read more
"...It takes off and what a ride. Factual and really well written. Loved it." Read more
"...I read only the best; writers who are dogged, insightful, and humane.”..." Read more
Customers find the plot riveting, sad, and chilling. They also say the book captures the fear, anger, and frustration of trying to find the truth. Readers also describe the book as beautifully written, page-turning, and sinister. They say the plot grabs them from the start and keeps them along for the ride.
"...to life with skilled writing, voluminous research and vivid, chilling detail. The reader feels the terror of the traumatized and McNamara’s empathy...." Read more
"...This book is so good, it immediately grabs you and pulls you in, till the next thing you know, it's way past bedtime!!..." Read more
"...It’s deeply moving, it’s gripping, it’s heart wrenching...." Read more
"...the last few pages of the book, written by McNamara herself, gave me goosebumps. This closing proved again what a wonderful writer McNamara was...." Read more
Customers find the storyline amazing, digestible, and frightening. They also appreciate the well-drawn portraits of the victims and law enforcement. Customers also say the book is a credible account of an underreported story.
"...On the whole, this is a fascinating look at a demented and dangerous serial killer...." Read more
"...I read only the best; writers who are dogged, insightful, and humane.”..." Read more
"...anyone seeking an intro to the case, this is a digestible presentation of a underexposed killer...." Read more
"...She gives a voice to the victims and survivors, rather than a spotlight on the killer...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the writing style. Some find the author empathetic and driven, adding a quality of humanity to an otherwise chilling book. They also find the autobiographical sections compelling and draw them in to her world. However, others feel the structure is confusing and disjointed. They mention the details are gruesome and the history appalling.
"...My only criticism is that after a while the details seem to pile up, one after the other more like a police report than interesting data for the..." Read more
"...While meaningful and poignant, Michelle's personal narratives lacked momentum and didn't arrive at a point; there was no continuation of her journey..." Read more
"...However, overall, the book suffers from a feeling of disjointedness so that I often found myself feeling a little disoriented about what I was..." Read more
"...But McNamara's work is undeniably exceptional, as were her efforts on this case, and she's an inspiration to a future generation of civilian sleuths..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the pacing. Some find the book quick-paced and interesting, while others say it jumps around in time without an underlying reason. They mention the book lags in parts and feels rushed.
"...didn’t mind the switch in focus, but was frustrated that the book jumped around in time without an underlying reason to do so...." Read more
"...’s writing is so fluid, easy to read, and interesting, the reader is drawn in immediately...." Read more
"...It began as a really slow read...." Read more
"...Not only does the pitch-perfect pace grab the reader by the wrist and pull them breathlessly along, but the book walks the line between memoir and..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the readability of the book. Some mention it's nearly impossible to put down and one of the hardest books to stop reading. Others say it'll keep you engrossed in the story.
"...The timing and characters are all over the place and it’s hard to keep track of what is going on and when...." Read more
"This is an exquisitely written book, and it's nearly impossible to put down...." Read more
"I’m 63 pages in, difficult to put down, and absolutely love Michelle’s writing. It’s almost as if she’s reading it to me...." Read more
"I don't usually read this type of book, but I really enjoyed it. Hard to put it down. Getting an alarm system put in...." Read more
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In my past I have read true-crime written by mostly men. They were absolute fact based, dry and to the point. Here's the killer, this is how he did it. It was procedure based and most of the time the true-crime was written by the detective who spent all his time with the madman, the killer. So I would go into these books expecting horrific facts and more of a textbook of this particular case and killer. Now....lets talk about the way Michelle wrote this book.
Michelle McNamara has always wanted to be a writer. She absolutely has a way with words and its very soothing to read. She takes her time. She really captures the feel, the essence of what she is about to say. Not only was she a great writer, but she had a true-crime podcast that really honed in her skills and helped her shine when it came to killers. A lot of people "tuned" into her podcasts. She would talk about a new killer/ unsolved crime and humanize the story. Allowing the listeners/readers to be captured in the story and eager to find out more. It was like Michelle was telling you a scary bedtime story, but with real facts.
Michelle spent a few years following EAR/ONS. EAR stands for East Area Rapist and ONS stands for Original Night Stalker. Those two acronyms are ugly and dull. Not that a killer/rapist needs a jazzy name. But....when it comes to awareness to the public? A catchy name helps keep the bad man close so that way people are still out looking for them. Michelle penned the name Golden State Killer. Her helpful, jazzy name for this very mysterious bad man helped bring more awareness to himself and the cold cases. People had forgot about him in America. Maybe not for the people who lived in the neighborhoods he prowled, but police stopped caring for the most part. People assumed he was dead. Once a killer stops killing....is there still a reason to look? Of course! But, we have new killers everyday. Sometimes those cold cases stay cold cases. Michelle however wanted....needed more. She felt a deep connection to this case (maybe because she was raped herself when she was younger). She kept the momentum alive to catch this guy.
The book is broken up into 3 parts. Part one describes the different areas the rapist chose to pursue his victims. At first it was just peeping into their windows (he only ever attacked people in one -story homes), then he started raping. At first it was just girls when they were home alone, then he upped his game and started raping women while their spouses were home. Tying up the husband/boyfriend, while he raped the women. Eventually that was not enough thrill for him. After 50 rapes the Golden State Killer started killing his victims so there wouldn't be anymore witnesses to describe what he looked like. He ended up killing 10 people.
Part two we follow Michelle on the ways she tried to help the detectives solve this case. She was apart of a forum exclusively working on solving this four decade long cold case. These public sleuths or civilian detectives really helped the police figure out different angles. They had everything mapped out. They cross referenced all the cases. Putting people with the similar attacks in the same boxes. Over the years they figured out that attacks that were not assumed was from EAR/ONS...really were the work of the same man. The section also talks about how the old detectives traced their findings through early DNA.
Part three is the aftermath. This section was written after Michelle died. Her husband, along with the civilian detectives and real detectives helped finish this part of the book for her. They told their stories to the editor that put the rest of the book together. It's sad that Michelle didn't get to see how much she helped solve this case and how she effected the ones surrounding this case.
The book as a whole was wonderfully written not only because Michelle has a way with words, but because she focused a lot on the victims. They weren't just some names on a sheet. They were and are, flesh and blood people. Their stories are important and Michelle in her own gracious way, told these stories to the masses. She allowed the victims privacy by not giving us their real name, but also by being so delicate with the way she told it. She didn't glamorize their unfortunate situation. She was trustworthy. The victims could feel that she only wanted to help, not get money off of their stories and so they told them. And she did a great job speaking for them.
I'm at the point of rambling now. If you have never picked up a true-crime before, I'd pick this one up. It's written like fiction with all the emotional parts and like a non-fiction with all the technical parts. It's just so well written. Once you are done, go and watch the docuseries on HBO. It was directed so well. I just loved having the faces to the names that I read about in the book.
McNamara was well known by investigators closely associated with the case. She consulted several experts in multiple fields, such as experts in the study of DNA, which she believed would be key in solving the case. She met with multiple profilers, at that time a new psychological science and new tool developed by the FBI, which was used effectively to catch predators, especially sexual. Crime solving techniques using land geographical mapping also narrowed down the location where he lived and felt comfortable, and she became involved with understanding this budding science. However, good old detective work is what usually solves the majority of cold cases.
The victims and their families, the investigators (and often their families), as well as McNamara’s lives were all deeply affected, if not destroyed in some way, by The Golden State Killer. Originally called the EAR, the acronym for the east area rapist, DNA also proved him the terrorist called the Original Night Stalker. Whatever he was called, he was a nightmare. His pattern of stalking his victims, ransacking their homes, then raping them after tying them up with torn towels or shoelaces all while wearing a mask, and then quickly repeating his crimes with a boldness that defied logic. He then turned to murder in order to increase his thrill or leave no witness behind.
Most true-crime thrillers can be so jam-packed full of details one cannot keep up or the information overload and dryness lose the reader’s interest. However, McNamara’s writing is so fluid, easy to read, and interesting, the reader is drawn in immediately. Her death is a major loss to those of us who loved her blog, and now her book. She wanted this monster caught, and she did not care who caught him, as long as he was “placed in bracelets and the doors with bars slammed on him forever.” She would be ecstatic to know two years (after her death) in April 2018, this monster was caught, using the technique she thought would catch him.
I highly recommend reading this book, especially if you like true crime thrillers. Also, like my daughter who feels invincible, I hope it makes one become more aware of the monsters who could be stalking anyone at anytime. Yes, evil still walks among us, and the Golden State Killer is just one prime example.
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But knowing that the author passed away before it was finished, it gives a reason why it is this way. If you read this as a insight of what an obsessed woman does to get to her goal, the sacrifices she makes, the uncertainty that she is doing the right thing. Well that aspect of the book deserves a solid 5 stars. Is it what you would expect when reading a true crime? Probably not, but I believe it is good that readers of the genre get a reality check. The victims are real people, the police are real people and we the readers, get our entertainment out of it - like Gillian Flynn exactly describes in her introduction.
I started to read the book after I saw the intriguing HBO show, and I wasn't disappointed, as the take on Mrs. McNamara own personal life and her obsession seemed more important to me than the actual mystery.
If I could, I'd give the book both a 2 and a 5 star, depending on the chapters and the point of view. I've settled for 3.