No comments about 29 below: An encounter with John Wayne Gacy.

No comments about A Question of Doubt: Commentary on the Arrest and Trial of John Wayne Gacy.

No comments about Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders.

No comments about Fall of the House of Gacy.

5 comments about Buried Dreams: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer INSIDE.

1. It's 8 in the morning and im down here in the crawl space digging. i cant stand the smell and the people around here are begining to complain. "it's the sump pipe, besty.i'll take care of it soon." is my patten answer, but really... i dont care. As i bury my lastest prey (boy, it's getting easier every time), i say to my self " Jhon Gacy is a winner! I am the man!" The bodies bruied under the crawl are my trophies! See dad i'am a winner!If i could only get rid of the smell. anyway, im digging and then the doorbell rings. Great another puck asking about when he'll be paid or a copper asking about some kid...maybe the kid im burying now. i dust my pants off after leaving the crawl space and answer the door. "MR. Morgan, here is your package." the ups guy says. At that moment i realize that i just put down the best book i've every read about Jhon Gacy. this book is the best to date. After reading this book, you will have a deep understanding of a sick man and a understanding of how/why he commited these horriable crime---as if you witness them yourself. a real tour de force!!!



2. I don't know how anyone my age or near my age who grew up in Chicago or the outlying suburbs could not remember the Gacy case. I had just turned 14 and was a freshman in high school when news first broke of his crimes. I remember my mother turning off the television for the 5:00 PM local news because of the lurid footage showing the remains being carried out of the house in bags. And I remember the Chicago Tribune running a full page showing individual pictures of all of the identified victims; the yearbook and school pictures of the boys looked like most of my classmates.
   
   I first read this book back in 1987. I recently read it again, almost 20 years later, and I still believe it to be the most thorough, comprehensive book on Gacy. Cahill, an excellent journalist, has done an excellent job of presenting a complete picture of the man and his crimes. He managed to "get inside Gacy's head" (an unhealthy place) to give the reader a clear look of Gacy's personality, views on life, attitude towards his victims and reactions to his trial.
   
   Along with covering the crimes, investigation, arrest and trial of Gacy, Cahill also delves into Gacy's childhood and early years, including his relationship with his abusive father. The book is detailed, and Cahill writes with the kind of insight that only comes from having a complete understanding of his subject. It's also clear that Cahill researched Gacy thoroughly, and he notes in his introduction that he culled his information from a number of sources.
   
   As can be expected, this book is scary stuff, with two chapters in particular being extremely disturbing and frightening to read. Cahill doesn't merely describe, he casts the reader in the role of witness to one of Gacy's murders, showing Gacy's core of pure evil. That said, this is also the type of book that is tough to put down, and also the type that stays with you long after having finished it.
   
   I too could not disagree more with the reviewer who accused Cahill of plagiarising "Killer Clown." They are two very different books. And while "Killer Clown" is a good book, written largely from a legal/trial and punishment perspective, the better of the two by far is "Buried Dreams." The best overall book on Gacy.



3. Chilling. I could not put this one down. This book is a dramatized cover of the life and crimes of John Wayne Gacy which reads like a fiction novel (read: not boring or heavy with Dr. Bob said this) yet provides clear, factual, and consistent information in with some of the author's speculation as to what went on in the mind of Mr. Gacy.
   The end result is a story which will make the hair on your arms stand on end - not only with possibilities and facts, but the feasible likeness of Mr. Gacy's mindset through his actions.



4. I first read this book in 1988 and recently read it again. It still gave me the creeps. In the same league as Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and The Boston Strangler by Gerald Frank. I highly recommend it.



5. Some of this book was interesting, but most was very slow moving. It just didn't captivate. I believe it could have been better written. I don't feel that I or the author ever got "into the mind" of John Wayne Gacy. Then again, to the author's credit, after reading the book, I'm not sure if anyone could accomplish this feat. I came away feeling that on the surface, Gacy seemed calm and even rational almost all of the time, but was totally the opposite while committing the murders. Either way, the book didn't flow well and is lacking. It wasn't as "meaty" as expected... no pun intended.

2 comments about The Chicago Killer.

1. This is a chilling true police story about the capture of John Wayne Gacy, one of America's most prolific serial killers. The story is told by the former Chief of Detectives for the Des Plaines, Illinois Police Department, Joseph R. Kozenczak and was co-authored with Karen M. Henrikson. The book offers two additional Bonus Chapters regarding the Use of Psychics in a serial Murder Investigation, along with an insight into the use of a lie-detector which helped in cracking the case. This book is a Silver Commemorative Issue, First Edition. Well worth reading!



2. Given his primary role in the investigation and arrest of John Wayne Gacy and his years of service in law enforcement, I wish I could say better things about Mr. Kozenczak's book.
   
   Unfortunately, I can't. I purchased the book thinking it would offer new insights into the case from a detective who was an active participant. Instead, this is a dull and disjointed book. The writing is awkward, the story is hard to follow, and there are enough typos scattered throughout to make you want to whip out your red pen and start making corrections.
   
   Plus, at least in the edition I read, there's an oversight that should have been caught prior to publication: Kozenczak omits one victim's name entirely--Greg Godzik--when he excerpts the portion of the trial where the prosecution named each identified victim and stated how their bodies were found.
   
   The most interesting part of the book deals with the role of one particular psychic in the investigation, prior to Gacy's arrest when no one but the police knew he was a suspect. Other than that, I can't say this book really held my attention or offered much in the way of new information on the case.
   
   This book was published 25 years after the death of Gacy's last victim, so Mr. Kozenczak has lived with this case for a while and probably knows it better than just about anybody. With that kind of familiarity, I guess I just expected a better book. Mr. Kozenczak has no doubt had a distinguished career and considerable professional achievements, but this book is a mediocre effort at best.

2 comments about A Question of Doubt: The John Wayne Gacy Story.

1. This book, (clearly) written by Gacy himself (and without the benefit of an editor), is excellent for those who are already very familiar with the details of his case, and have some understanding of his personality. On it's face, the book is nothing more than "The Lies of John Wayne Gacy: Final Cut" ... but with enough back ground information, the book is an invaluable resource ... It provides the reader with the opportunity (as limited as it may be) to see why it was that Gacy told the stories that he did, what effect he hoped to have on the reader, why he thought that a particular lie might work ... If you are not very familiar with the case, the book is not for you -- if you find a copy, BUY IT ... but set it aside until after you have read another book about Gacy -- I would recommend "Killer Clown" by Terry Sullivan.



2. It is what it is, and well packaged for the viewer. Most have slipcases, a full signture from Gacy and tell his skewed side of the story. A must-have for a true crime fanatic, but not a must-read.

5 comments about The Last Victim: A True-Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer.

1. I read this book when it was originally published. I knew the author and his family quite well so my mind was probably more receptive to it being a "great" book. Alas, upon re-reading it, I realize that it is not a "great" book at all but a fairly mediocre one. It is obviously written by a "first time" author and has an almost child-like narrative form. To give credit where it is due, however, it is nonetheless, disturbing and the guy had guts. I am sad to report that the author took his own life in early June of this year. That is the reason that I decided to read this book again to see if I could find any insight into why he would do this tragic thing...I think I did.



2. Don't waste your time. This book is more about Jason Moss and his egomania then it is about serial killers. It did not offer any new insight or information at all.



3. The author apparently had alot of spare time to mess with serial killers. All poor Jeff Dahmer needed was to be loved.
   
   Too bad John Wayne Gacy didn't make soup out of the author.
   
   The worst of all the books on serial killers I've read.
   
   I wanted to use no stars, but, I had to choose one :(



4. This book is certainly not the worst True Crime book I have ever read. However, it presents with some obvious problems. It is NOT a journey into the mind of serial killer as much as a journey into the mind of the author. Much of the book is about the author himself and his own thoughts. While the book is organized and understandable, the style of writing is rather juvenile and lacking in depth. That said, the prison visits Mr. Moss had with Gacy were interesting and somewhat frightening; it is difficult to believe that prison guards were willing to leave the author alone with Gacy for periods of time long enough to constitue danger for the author. However, this is what happened. The last scheduled visit with Gacy truly scared the author and he never returned.
   
   I knew the author of this book, having met him when he applied to be a Big Brother in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a True Crime fan, I did not find his interest in serial killers disturbing or exceptional. However, it is a bit odd that he found it necessary to correspond with so many of the high profile serial killers. During a routine "home visit" to his apartment as part of the Big Brother screening and application process, Mr. Moss showed me his album of response letters from many other serial killers, includig Charles Manson and Richard Ramirez. (I enjoy True Crime, but this was a bit too close for comfort for me.) If my recollections are correct, he did serve as a good Big Brother to a little boy who needed a male mentor. He did not present as narcissistic... although the tone of his book is self aggrandizing. However, perhaps Mr. Moss was less stable than he appeared at times. Another reviewer states the author took his own life. Somehow, this does not completely surprise me.



5. Jason Moss did indeed turn into Gacy's "last victim". He eventually shot himself. Sad ending.
   ~RIP Jason Moss~6/06/06~
   
   but why did he choose that date? 6 6 6.
   Strange man, yet still tragic.

5 comments about The Man Who Killed Boys: The John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Story.

1. Linedecker's description of the events as they were portrayed in the media is accurate and complete. Trouble is, it appears he simply went to all the old newspaper articles to cull the information he needed. He also managed to go through police reports. But this books is scant on first person interviews. All the quotes in the book appear to have been taken from newspapers. The book follows an easy narrative, one that is logical and continues to move forward. I agree with another reviewer's comment that the narrative at times is homophobic. But that's not surprising from a book originally published in 1980. While this book is lacking in content, it should not be ignored by those who are interested in Gacy. It at least provides a perspective of how the horrific events of the murders were revealed, as well as the typical nonchalance police exhibit when confronted with missing teen reports.



2. While not as good as Buried Dreams or Killer Clown,which go into much greater detail about the entire story,this book had some details that I had not known when I read the other books many years ago. A lot of info on gacys neighbors,friends and mostly,some of his victims stories that were not as well publicized as the other unfortunate kids.



3. This book really was rather disappointing. After reading the back cover and Introduction, the reader is told to expect detailed insight into the details of this near north side Chicago house of horrors and the man who owned it.

   While The Man Who Killed Boys offers to the reader a reasonably accurate chronicle of the events that were Gacy's twisted reality, it fails to dig deep below the surface to explore what made him tick. Moreover, it fails to probe Gacy's past as it glosses over his childhood years and spends the majority of the pages reciting murder after murder scene.

   The back cover tells us that The Man Who Killed Boys recreates the drama of Gacy's trial... the book spends less precious few pages talking about the actual trial, while it consumes many a page discussing Gacy's jail conditions and other items related to his confinement.

   If you want to read a story, this is probably an acceptable choice. But if you're seeking an explanation for or insight into what powers a monster like Gacy, keep moving as you wont find it here.




4. If you are reading all or much of what material is out there on the Gacy case, you will likely come across this book. Published in 1980, it's now a rather dated account of the Gacy murders. Other reviewers have mentioned the book's homophobic slant, with which I agree. Linedecker also uses the last few pages to editorialize on the faults in "the system" for dealing with known sexual predators, criticizing--among other things--the "liberal" civil right activists who Linedecker feels thwart law enforcement's efforts to treat sex offenders.
   
   Linedecker covers the main points of the Gacy case, and the book itself is a quick and easy read. It's obvious Linedecker made the effort to interview the victims' families at length, as you will find information on several of the victims that is not provided in other books on the case. Then again, at the time the book was published, a gag order was in effect for many of the direct participants in the case, so the number of sources Linedecker had access to was limited. Book is average at best, not a total bore but not in the "couldn't put it down" category either. For a better and more complete account of the Gacy case, skip this one and buy "Killer Clown" or "Buried Dreams" instead.



5. The man who killed boys should be called the man who loved sex with dead boys, because that is ultimately what Gacy was doing with the boys he killed. This book while it does NOT go into much detail concerning Gacy's childhood, is still a very good read. I found the interviews with Gacy's neighbors to be very interesting and they revealed some previously unknown details about the man (or monster?). I sincerely believe that Gacy's bizarre obsession with bodies has its roots way back in the 1950s and quite possibly includes the Peterson-Schuesler murder from that period. I had the opportunity to correspond (verbally and literally) with one of Gacy's childhood friends from that period recently and what he revealed about Gacy's childhood was downright shocking. Hopefully one day the complete TRUTH will come out concerning this man...or monster...

5 comments about Killer Clown: John Wayne: The John Wayne Gacy Murders.

1. this book was about one of americas most well known serial killer, john wayne gacey. as far as the book goes.. it was well written with some nice photo pages. i didnt know to much about these crimes and i did learn alot from reading the book.. there are some parts that are pretty graphic (like the part about finding his fecal encrusted dildo.... yea.. gross i know..) but over all it was fun to read .. sort of get inside his head



2. Very informative, thorough, factual, and fast-paced. Covers the period from Gacy's last victim through his trial, written from the law enforcement perspective in engrossing detail.



3. I read (and still have!) the very first paperback version of this book way back in the autumn of 1985. I am old enough to have watched the initial TV news broadcasts of this case from back in December of 1978! This book is a very interesting and entertaining read about the subtle (and sometimes NOT so subtle)surveillance,tracking, taunting and eventual arrest of this man who had been raping,murdering (and sodomizing AFTER they were dead) boys throughout the seventies. While the book does NOT go into very much detail at all about Gacy's private life (other than a few brief glimpses into his marriage and some scattered observations from a neighbor, co-worker, employee and such)it is still a very good book on Gacy, the man and the monster. I am an AVID collector of all things Gacy and will be putting some of my very valuable collection on display up on YOUTUBE very soon.



4. I have read Killer Clown and some other books on the John Wayne Gacy serial murders, and can unequivocally tell you that the book by Terry Sullivan is the most accurate. I should know. I was the Assistant State's Attorney to whom John Wayne Gacy made several confessions, and I testified for the State of Illinois in the trial. Additionally, I spent several hours with the authors as the book was being prepared. If you are looking for a true chronicle of the events leading up to the arrest, trial and conviction of that animal, this book is what you want.



5. This book would have been very well written, if it were a work of fiction. I really didn't sense that the events depicted in this book actually occurred.
   
   But I will say that the author went into great detail in all aspects, including the investigation leading up to the arrest of John Gacy, the search of his property (the most shocking and vividly described part of the book), right down to the nitty-gritty details of the jury selection, defense, and prosecution.