The Serial Killer Whisperer

How One Man's Tragedy Helped Unlock the Deadliest Secrets of the World's Most Terrifying Killers

By: Pete Earley

Narrated by: Alan Sklar

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Fifteen-year-old Tony Ciaglia had everything a teenager could want: good grades, good athletic skills, and good friends - until he suffered a horrific head injury at summer camp. Pronounced clinically dead three times by helicopter paramedics before he reached a hospital, Ciaglia lapsed into a coma. When he emerged, his right side was paralyzed and he had to relearn how to walk, talk, and even how to eat. The areas of his brain that were damaged required him to take countless pills to control his emotions and rages. Abandoned and shunned by his friends, he began writing to serial killers on a whim and discovered that his traumatic brain injury - which made him an outcast to his peers - enabled him to emotionally connect with notorious murderers in a unique way.

Soon many of America's most dangerous psychopaths were revealing heinous details to Tony about their crimes - even those they'd never been convicted of. The killers opened up to him, trusted him, and called him a "best friend". But there was a price. As Tony found himself being drawn deeper and deeper into their violent worlds of murder, rape, and torture, he was pushed to the brink of despair and, at times, forced to question his own sanity - until he found a way to put his unusual gift to use. Asked by investigators for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for help in solving a murder, Tony began launching his own personal searches for forgotten victims, incredibly with clues often provided to him voluntarily by the killers themselves.

The Serial Killer Whisperer takes listeners into the minds of murderers in a way that has never been done before - straight from a killer's thoughts. It is also an inspiring (albeit sometimes terrifying) tale of an American family whose idyllic life is shattered by a terrible accident and how healing and closure came to a tormented man in the most unlikely way: by connecting with monsters.

©2012 Pete Earley (P)2012 Tantor

Great Book but beware not for feint of heart

Wow! One of the best books I have heard. Loved the narrator. He has a chilling voice(in a good way) and he really brought a unique vibrance to the story from the beginning. The ending was poignant and made me happy that I read it. Beware the in-between-this is true crime and very gruesome. I empathized with Tony’s mom and had to shut it off to take a mental break. A few times. I loved how Tony found his purpose and in doing so, helped all of us find ours. His family is so loving. So many emotions in one book! I laughed and cried, steamed and cussed at it. Listening with headphones I’m sure people thought I was Crazy! This is my first Pete Earley book. I will be getting more, his writing was engaging.

not bad

it had a few slow points but overall it was interesting. a page turner without the pages.

A bit Scary

Mr. Earley"s research on the book is amazing.
The story opens with Tony getting in the head by a jet ski. He almost lost his life several times while in the hospital.
Tony was a promising young guy and the accident ended his chances in life as everyone thought he would have.
He grew up in an affluent family in Dallas, TX. So he had the best health care available and saved his life, but changed his personality.
He became obsessed with serial killers and started writing to every person in prison.
Tony became penpals for murders and most responded to Tony.
They seemed to tell Tony about hidden bodies that were never found and crimes they weren't charged with.
As time went on the FBI and different police departments became interested in his letters and the close bonds he had with the serial killers.
You will learn the stories that these guys were charged with in graphic detail.
Mr. Alan Sklar's narration is spot-on for this book.
Not for the faint of heart but very enlightening about the criminal mind.

I've Only Just Started This Story....

Any additional comments?

I've only just started this story but I have been reeled in by not only the narration, but the story itself. Once I have completed the story I will be able to update my review. So far though....so good!

Very graphic and violent, yet so memorizing.

Don't read this book if language, talk of rape, torture or killing bothers you, it is very graphic. The content comes directly from serial killers and no punches are held back. Even I had a hard time with it and thought TMI was added. With that said the story was so engrossing. What does it say about me, when I have a fascination with serial killers. I don't know, but thankfully it is only a passing interest. The author mentions serial killers that I had not heard of both past and present ones. I happened to look the names up to find out what they had done. As morbid as it is, it was also fascinating. As for the story about Tony's tragedy it is amazing how people are able to overcome life, this part of the book was an emotional roller coaster. Narrator is a little monotone, but as you continue on with the story he really fits the part.

WOW...One of the Best

Any additional comments?

WOW… if you like true crime books, this one is a MUST!!!
This book is well written by Pete Earley and the Audio book was narrated by Alan Sklar, one of the best narrators around.

BUT BE WARNED - this is not just a true crime book and IT IS NOT for the squeamish. This Book is not what you would first expect, as it is so much more. As a reader you are drawn into the minds of these monsters, murderers and rapist like no other book has. This book is filled with actual brutal letters from serial killers describing their crimes in graphic detail & detailed conversations with the serial killers themselves.

It is a true story about a young man Tony Ciaglia, who as a teenage was in a horrible accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury. It takes you through the compelling, unusual, and strange biography of Tony’s Recovery and the effect this had on his family and the after effects that defined the "new" Tony.

Tony emerged from the coma having to learn how to walk and talk again, his thoughts and emotions were erratic and violent and he now had to take pills to try and control these new dark emotions. Shunned by his friends, an outcast to his peers Tony attempts to understand this darkness and make sense of his life now and he started writing to serial killers. These serial killers stated writing back and the traumatic bran injury and the dark emotions allowed Tony to talk to these dangerous psychopaths on their level and they became BFF’s in a sense. These monsters soon were revealing to him heinous details about their crimes, and eventually even crimes they’d never been convicted of. Tony eventually used this gift to aid in solving a murder, which leads to Tony launching his own searches for forgotten victims with clues provided by the killers themselves.

What I took away from this book is a deep respect for the courage shown by Tony's family. They did not judge him; they made it easy for him and made this a part of their daily lives.

Disturbing

This is a fascinating story, but be warned that it pulls no punches in its graphic subject matter.

SPOOKY

If you could sum up The Serial Killer Whisperer in three words, what would they be?

Unmatched, Well done, Very Scary

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Serial Killer Whisperer?

Metheney YIKES!!!!!!

What does Alan Sklar bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Decent delivery

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Oh wow yeah Metheney's acts and Gore's .....

Any additional comments?

With over 700 books in my library I rarely write reviews unless they are that good or that bad. The bad details of this book make it one of the best in my opinion. The writer has certainly found a niche into getting the horror filled facts from some of the worst people to ever live. Many books I've read in this genre have some sort of lame code that prevents them from digging deep into the facts and details of the who, what, when, where and especially the how - NOT SO with this book.

Too much for me, but maybe not you

I had to stop listening. I'm not weak of stomach, but I felt dirty listening to the depravity.

Will leave you numb and nauseous

Not for the weak at heart, sensitive souls, those who can not tolerate obscene grotesque language and context. Riveting and left me wanting to know more. Hope there is a sequel and the performance was spell bounding.
A must read for sure!

I'd like to know where all characters involved (alive) are now and any new findings or closures.