Chase darkness with me

 

Chase darkness with me / Bill Jensen, read by the author 317 pgs.

Looking for a new hobby?  Well Bill Jensen has an idea for you.  Become a "citizen sleuth" and help the cops solve crimes.  He's been doing it for years.  Sometimes resulting in unbelievable frustration but other times, resulting in justice.  Here he tells the story of how he became interested in solving crimes, he talks about his friendship with Michelle McNamara, the citizen sleuth that helped solve the case of the Golden State Killer. I am not the biggest fan of true crime books but I found myself unable to put this one down.  The audio, read by the author is fine but I had to grab the print version at times because I couldn't wait to hear what he was reading.

I'll be gone in the dark

I'll be gone in the dark: one woman's obsessive search for the golden state killer / Michelle McNamara, read by Gabra Zackman, 337 pgs.

An amazing book that tells of an obsession by an investigator.  A woman who is focused on a crime spree of the Golden State Killer, a name she pens after becoming increasingly involved in these crimes.  Michelle McNamara is not paid for this work...nor are many others who "partner" with her and share information.  Of course there are professionals on the job.  A bunch of investigators who work at different jurisdictions but who are often also obsessed with these cases.  This book is amazing.  I'm amazed by the crimes, I'm amazed by the writing, I'm amazed by the devotion to this project.  The narration is exceptional.  Recommended for anyone who likes true crime or well written non-fiction.  Michelle did not live to see the case broken but undoubtedly, her work is important to the recent arrest of a suspect that seems to be the perpetrator of this many crimes.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara, 328 pages.

Michelle McNamara, who died in 2016, had spent several years trying to track down the man that she had dubbed the Golden State killer. He had been known at one time as the East Area Rapist, but it had become apparent long ago that this rapist operating in the Sacramento area had not only expanded his territory, but had also started killing his victims. McNamara and her readers on the True Crime Diary website helped link other victims throughout California to the same killer. She worked doggedly to try and find the killer, but at the time of her death, the crimes remained unsolved (update on 4/26/2018, maybe not so unsolved).
 A compelling read.