Helter Skelter

The True Story of the Manson Murders

By: Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 26 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the 20th century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca murders carried out by Charles Manson and four of his followers. What motivated Manson in his seemingly mindless selection of victims, and what was his hold over the young women who obeyed his orders? Now available for the first time in unabridged audio, the gripping story of this famous and haunting crime is brought to life by acclaimed narrator Scott Brick.

©1974 Curt Gentry and Vincent Bugliosi, Afterword 1994 by Vincent Bugliosi (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“One of the best crime stories ever written.” (Chicago Sun-Times)

Incredibly detailed

Way too long for me, given I only have a passing interest in the case. Fans of minutiae will probably love it.

Crazy, fascinating!

While sometimes this book was a little slow, I found it very educational suspenseful in its own way; a great "documentary" about the Manson family. This book not only tells the story of Charles Manson and his family but also of the murders and of the legal system's handling of them. I found myself pausing the book to Google image-search photos of the actual people involved. I've already recommended the book to several others.

Holy smokes

I read this back in high school in the 80's but I don't remember much of it. So I decided to listen to it. I'm glad I did. There was a lot more information than I remember. Charles Manson is pure evil and his cult of personally ways destroyed so many lives. I will say Susan Adkins may have been the scariest family member after Manson. It also highlights that Manson may have learned a lot if his techniques from Scientology.

Great narrator

Detailed book which touched on everything from Manson’s life, the family’s ideology, murders and the trial. Well worth the listen.

Strong story

You will also need s strong stomach for some of the more gruesome details. I've read a lot of true crime and some are much worse in the gruesome details. Bugliosi was able to tell the story in his precise and detailed way so that the gore wasn't the main focus. The whole story is the focus. He was such a really unique storyteller, because he leaves no stone unturned in the telling of his stories. You hear it from every viewpoint and can overlook the difficult parts, because he puts the reader in his shoes as the prosecutor, policemen and investigators. You are paying so much attention to all the details that you can bypass the gore and see the complete story for what it is. You also try to get inside the people's heads, from the victims to the killers to the professionals trying to bring a resolution to the case.
Excellent true crime book.

LOVE AMAZING TRUE CRIME - WHY THIS ONE IS FOR YOU

Any additional comments?

The Manson Murders are unbelievable shocking, a small cult back in the 60's that committed horrific crimes. It was global news for months.

This book takes you there & explains it all in wonderful, but never dull, detail. The author is in fact the head prosecution lawyer. This shows on two accounts. Firstly he has all the facts & secondly being a prosecution lawyer he knows how to lay out the facts without loosing the attention of the reader, or in his day job the interest of a jury. So is beautiful told, very suspenseful & not too gruesome. A true story that proves fact is stranger than fiction.

my all time favorite book

I have always been fascinated with the true crime genre of books. i bought the hardcover version in my teens. The audio version does not disappoint. The narration is clear and dramatic without being in any way cheesy.

Chilling

Provides great insight into the Manson Family, the crime, the trial and the aftermath. I learned some things that I never knew about the events. The performance was easy to listen to.

Most informative

If you could sum up Helter Skelter in three words, what would they be?

insightful, horrifying, compelling

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

How much of the case you had never heard better

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He uses his voice with a range of differences. It was some times hard to tell it was the same person.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Mr. Bugliosi gave updates on who's where n what the are up to.

Any additional comments?

I grew up in CA so I remember this case well. I was young but it made a major impact on our environment there. Here you get never before released information. Its amazing that this case was ever solved. Thank god for a lot of people who stood unafraid or afraid yet brave.

Helter Skelter

A true crime classic This is the best book on the Manson family. This is an unbelievable account of what really happene.