Green River, Running Red

By: Ann Rule

Narrated by: Barbara Caruso

Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In the most extraordinary journey Ann Rule has ever undertaken, America's master of true crime has spent more than two decades researching the story of the Green River Killer, who murdered more than 49 young women.

Green River, Running Red is a harrowing account of a modern monster, a killer who walked among us undetected. It is also the story of his quarry - of who these young women were and who they might have become. A chilling look at the darkest side of human nature, this is the most important and most personal audiobook of Ann Rule's long career.

©2011 Simon & Schuster Audio (P)2004 Ann Rule

Critic reviews

"[C]onveys the emotional truth of the Green River case." ( Los Angeles Times)

"Riveting." ( People)

"Perhaps Rule's finest work." ( Statesman Journal)

Very, VERY detailed!!!

This is Ann Rule's most detailed and specific book to date...almost too much so! We kind of lost track of which girl was which!!

Love Ann Rule, just not this one

I am a huge fan but this one was just too hard to get into. The flashing between people so often made it hard to become vested.

Another Excellent Book by Ann Rule

This is another excellent book by Ann Rule. Her stories are as much about the victims as the serial killer. The last quarter of the book was chilling as it includes the confession of Ridgeway. The end when the victim's family and judge speak at trial is heartbreaking.

If you are interested in True Crime this book is a must read.

Another great Ann Rule book!

If you enjoyed The Stranger Beside Me you will love this book! It is a great "sequel".

Jaw-dropping scope of murders of sex workers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, in spite of the fact that so many women lost their lives to this monster. Ann Rule is an amazing writer and managed to hold my attention the entire time. "Meeting" the women/victims was the hardest part, since it seems to be such an easy thing to dismiss them as disposables and I appreciate so much that Ann Rule didn't do just that. I don't really care for the narrator but the story made it worth it.

Marathon book!

I have often wondered what happened with this investigation. I heard about these killings throughout my teenage years, but never really understood the significance of what was happening. The author took much care in showing that the victims were loved, had goals, and endured extreme hardships. It’s very sobering and very graphic at times.

Dreadful Narrator

What made the experience of listening to Green River, Running Red the most enjoyable?

The way Ann Rule writes this book is outstanding, especially her treatment of the victims as human beings.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ann Rule's writing is well done.

How could the performance have been better?

Sadly, the narrator should have been someone else. When she says someone is dead, it's a flat, heavy sound that makes you cringe. It's a sharp contrast to the narrator of the abridged version of this audiobook, who is a lot better at reading such horrific content.

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

It was everywhere, but particularly, there were two "mother" stories here that were similar but widely contrasting in economic circumstances: Ridgeway's mother, and the mother of one of the victims (I'm so sorry, I don't remember her name; there were so many, and that's not really an excuse). Both were horrible people, yet one was middle class and the other poor. Shows an example on how circumstances don't make the person.

Any additional comments?

I wish this book was reread by the abridged book's narrator.

Gripping

Started off slow, but I love how she starts to work in bits about the killers life throughout. So intriguing!! Plus all the details at the end!!

Well written, wrong narrator

Having lived in the PNW my entire life—and being an Ann Rule reader for 40 years, I have to say that Barbara Caruso was a poor choice as narrator. Ms. Caruso has a lovely British(?) accent, it’s just not appropriate for this book. The writing is first person so should be read with a Pacific Northwest voice. Most location names are mispronounced, which I find annoying. Whoever proofed it, if anyone, didn’t do their homework.

Okay

The woman who read this story wasn't great. she mangled "el cajon" pronouncing the cajon like cajun like on a bayou in Louisiana. Forte was turned into "fort" and many other, seemingly simple words to pronounce were garbled.

The story went into exhausting detail on some murders and left others mainly with just the basics. It seems odd the way she laid out the story.