The Search for the Green River Killer

The True Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer

De: Carlton Smith, Tomas Guillen

Narrado por: Keith Sellon-Wright

In the 1980s and 1990s, 49 women in the Seattle area were brutally murdered, their bodies dumped along the Green River and Pacific Highway South in Washington State. Despite an exhaustive investigation - even serial killer Ted Bundy was consulted to assist with psychological profiling - the sadistic killer continued to elude authorities for nearly 20 years.

Then, in 2001, after mounting suspicion and with DNA evidence finally in hand, King County police charged a 52-year-old truck painter, Gary Ridgway, with the murders. His confession and the horrific details of his crimes only added fuel to the notoriety of the Green River Killer.

Journalists Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen covered the murders for the Seattle Times from day one, receiving a Pulitzer Prize nomination for their work. They wrote the first edition of this book before the police had their man. Revised after Ridgway's conviction, The Search for the Green River Killer is the ultimate authoritative account of the Pacific Northwest killing spree that held a nation spellbound - and continues to horrify and fascinate, spawning dramatizations and documentaries of a demented killer who seemed unstoppable for decades.

©1991 Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen (P)2019 Tantor

misleading subtitle

This book tells the story of the investigation into the Green River Killer, it's not the story of the Green River Killer. Much of the book is taken up by descriptions of news coverage and the personalities of the investigative leadership. It all works well together as a story of the investigation, including pressure and the effects of the media and politics. But, it's not the story of the killer. And, you hear more about the press than about the victims and survivors.

A good book

This a good, not great, book. I enjoyed it. I will say it is MUCH better than the Ann Rule book on the same subject, which I just did not like at all. But this book focused more on the investigation instead of just trying to tell the story of each victim, which sounds nice and all, but frankly, most of the victims had the same story, and it all just blended together in the Ann Rule book. This one is a huge upgrade.

Detail that just gets exhausting

I love details, but that was ridiculous. I understand that the book was written before the killer was caught so they wanted to be thorough but they went too far. Go ahead and mention John Douglas getting sick, but did we need a chapter on him collapsing and his premonition and buying insurance? No we did not. Go ahead and mention the psychic and her vision, but maybe leave out that she was vacuuming at the time! The entire chapter of the guy dying in a scuba diving accident was too much information!!!

It was read well but probably twice the length it needed to be. It ends up being equally about 1980s state politics as is is about the killer.

Disappointing...

The story had great potential and came close to achieving it but ultimately fell short. The author(s) made assertions concerning individual’s thoughts, motives, etc. The author would do well to remember that his job in writing true crime is to tell the truth backed up with facts.

too long

Interesting story, but book is very long. Very procedural. Characters really didn't come to life for me.