• House of Evil

  • The Indiana Torture Slaying
  • By: John Dean
  • Narrated by: John Glouchevitch
  • Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (128 ratings)

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House of Evil  By  cover art

House of Evil

By: John Dean
Narrated by: John Glouchevitch
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Publisher's summary

In the heart of Indianapolis in the mid-1960s, through a twist of fate and fortune, a pretty young girl came to live with a 37-year-old mother and her seven children. What began as a temporary childcare arrangement between Sylvia Likens's parents and Gertrude Baniszewski turned into a crime that would haunt cops, prosecutors, and a community for decades to come.

When police found Sylvia's emaciated body, with a chilling message carved into her flesh, they knew that she had suffered tremendously before her death. Soon they would learn how many others - including some of Baniszewski's own children - participated in Sylvia's murder, and just how much torture had been inflicted in one house of evil.

©2008 John Dean (P)2016 Tantor

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What listeners say about House of Evil

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Horrific

The story itself is something that has and will continue to haunt my nightmares. The writing in this story is magnificent because it captures the horrors of the story and the facts. It is the perfect balance between capturing the audience with a captivating story while still sticking to the facts and avoiding embarrassments. Rest In Peace dear Sylvia, May your soul always be protected.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Retelling of a Horrible Tragedy

Do NOT read if your are faint of heart. The very true crime story of Sylvia Likens is a heart breaking and disturbing one. 💔

I think the author did a tremendous amount of work and research into this case (besides actually being present during its proceedings), and a tasteful retelling of a story that needed to be known. Sylvia deserves to have her story told.

My only gripe is a personal one; too much lead-in to the court room setup. I understand this is an important part of the story and Sylvia's justice. But it really is just the introductions of the attorneys, judge, and jury that is too drawn out for my liking. Very dry. I found myself wanting to skip ahead but decided against it.

Besides this later part in the book, it picks right back up with a heart jolting description of testimonials and juror interactions. Very good read, I do recommend to my true crime fanatics! 👍

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

The book was hard to listen to, Rip Sylvia likens. This story was very tragic and sad.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

John Dean ruins the start

3 chapters of him talking BS about his book. I get it he wanted to explain but shut the hell up already. He’s annoying. I didn’t like his voice either. Not the right narrator for sure. Book amazing.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

One of the most sadistic true crime stories I’ve read

I’ve read “The Girl Next Door” and watched “An American Crime” which cover the crime itself, but this book, written by a reporter who was there covering the trial, offers insight into what happened in the courtroom.

Sylvia’s story remains one of the saddest, most sadistic true crime stories I’ve ever read, but Dean does so in a concise and respectful way.

Very well written and worth the read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

OK if you want a court case story

it was more about the court case and the trial and the lawyers and who was charged than it was the story of sylvia I really didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wished it would have been longer with a little more detail.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is terrible, yet interesting. I can’t believe the human race can act this way. So sad.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good summary

This book gave a good summary of the events that occurred in the case, including court proceedings and outcomes.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Terrible - Don't waste your money

This review isn't about the horror that was the end of Sylvia Likens life but about the way it's told in this book.

To start you have 20min, 3 very short chapter of the author talking about this book. TBH I didn't listen to it all, what I heard of it was useless and uninteresting. Then you start the 'story' with John Glouchevitch who has a very halting way of narration in addition to a tone that I'm sure he meant to sound sympathetic but the more I listened the more annoying and disingenuous it sounded. A bit like Captain James T Kirk if you know what I mean.

I struggled getting thru 5 chapters, well, technically 2 since I skipped the fluff. This writing is part conjecture and part storytelling. The mix is done badly and doesn't flow well at all. It's a hard enough story to listen to or know without it being mangled so badly.

I just want to save anyone I can from waiting a credit or money on this. I wasn't able to finish it and have no way to get back what time I spent on it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

Sylvia's story leaves a mark on our hearts. Someone, anyone, could have helped her.

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