I'll Be Gone in the Dark

One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer

By: Michelle McNamara

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Gillian Flynn - introduction, Patton Oswalt - afterword

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

The basis for the major six-part HBO documentary series.

Number one New York Times best seller.

A best book of the year:

Washington Post | Maureen Corrigan, NPR | Paste | Seattle Times | Entertainment Weekly | Esquire | Slate | Buzzfeed | Jezebel | Philadelphia Inquirer | Publishers Weekly | Kirkus Reviews | Library Journal | Bustle

Winner of the Goodreads Choice Awards for Nonfiction | Anthony Award winner | SCIBA Book Award winner | Finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime | Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence

The haunting true story of the elusive serial rapist turned murderer who terrorized California during the '70s and '80s, and of the gifted journalist who died tragically while investigating the case - which was solved in April 2018.

Introduction by Gillian Flynn

Afterword by Patton Oswalt

“A brilliant genre-buster.... Propulsive, can’t-stop-now reading.” (Stephen King)

For more than 10 years, a mysterious and violent predator committed 50 sexual assaults in Northern California before moving south, where he perpetrated 10 sadistic murders. Then he disappeared, eluding capture by multiple police forces and some of the best detectives in the area.

Three decades later, Michelle McNamara, a true-crime journalist who created the popular website TrueCrimeDiary.com, was determined to find the violent psychopath she called "the Golden State Killer". Michelle pored over police reports, interviewed victims, and embedded herself in the online communities that were as obsessed with the case as she was.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark - the masterpiece McNamara was writing at the time of her sudden death - offers an atmospheric snapshot of a moment in American history and a chilling account of a criminal mastermind and the wreckage he left behind. It is also a portrait of a woman’s obsession and her unflagging pursuit of the truth. Utterly original and compelling, it is destined to become a true-crime classic - and may at last unmask the Golden State Killer.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Tell Me Productions (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

A haunting masterpiece

As a fan of the true crime genre and Michelle's fantastic blog, I was so excited for this book -- and devastated to learn of Michelle's sudden death in 2016, when she was still writing it. As Gillian Flynn notes in the forward, a lot of us grapple with our fascination with true crime, and one way to approach it is by seeking justice, truth and compassion rather than voyeurism, misinformation and shallow answers. Michelle was always a crusader of the highest order, and her obsessive sleuthing and thoughtful reckoning of her own motivations (“We, who hunt him, suffer from the same affliction. He peered through windows. I tap ‘return.’ ”) shine through here with fierce humanity. If you don't about the Golden State Killer, also known as EAR/ONS, "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" will pull you into the story of the faceless monster behind one of America's most notorious and horrific unsolved cases, but it is Michelle's voice that stays with you in the end. This book is a rare gem of dogged research and masterful writing that elevates it to the top tier of true crime. A special benefit of the audio version is hearing Gillian Flynn’s forward and Patton Oswalt’s moving afterword in their own voices. (It is also thanks to Oswalt, researcher Paul Haynes, and investigative journalist Billy Jensen that the book was completed.) I hope its legacy leads to what Michelle wanted most of all: an answer, and justice for the victims.

A story that leaves a scream stuck in your throat.

Gripping, chilling and absolutely engrossing, Michelle McNamara’s obsession to find the killer is a triumph. I couldn’t stop listening and finished this in a day. McNamara keeps you thinking, guessing and piecing together clues as well as interweaving her own life story into this finely shaped puzzle that will set your mind on fire. Thank you Patton Oswalt for completing this to perfection and amazing narration by Gabra Zackman.

Too special to not try

Where does I'll Be Gone in the Dark rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

"I'll be gone in the Dark" definitely ranks highly among all the audiobooks I've listened to, but it is one of the best true crime books I've read.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The most interesting piece to me was learning about DNA testing and how much the process has changed since these crimes occurred.

Any additional comments?

I purchased this book after listening to an interview with Patton Oswalt talking about getting this book published after Michelle MacNamara died. While I enjoy true crime, this book was also special because of the lives Michelle touched and devotion to her project. Great true crime read, but oh so frustrating because there is no end yet.

Amazing. Riveting. Masterpiece.

What I said before. No one else could have written this book, and only those who loved her could have finished it with the reverence Michelle and her journey deserved.

Zackman is to female readers as Scott Brick is to male.

Zackman and Brick are love them or do not like them readers.
The book is an excellent one- so if you like GZ style, GREAT BOOK.
Use the 5 minute sample.
And remember Audible/Amazon is so righteous that if you have a bad experience with the book, return it.
Been on audible since 2003 - an excellent book.

Scary memories.

I spent alot of time in Fair Oaks with my cousins when the EAR was attacking Charmical. I had always wonderd why he was never caught. This book is fragmented because the author died before it was completed. This raises many "what if" questions that will not be answered. I do recommend it but be warned it is difficult to hear.

Where is the "show me more like this" button?

What did you love best about I'll Be Gone in the Dark?

The writing is a wonderful mix of personal (author) and amateur crime sleuth story. When I say amateur, I don't mean her writing, and certainly not her journalistic investigation skills. McNamara is a marvelous storyteller, weaving into the story of the EAR her personal observations and perspective, her struggle to come to grips with her obsession, her interactions with the law, police, and other obsessed crime buffs. I could read it again.

The thing I love, love, love about this crime story is that McNamara knows when to pull away. Unlike some crime stories (I'm a crime buff myself) is that she pulls away from the detail and horror before you start to feel uncomfortable, or feel guilty about not being uncomfortable. While I read crime non-fiction, so many authors pander to a certain reader by presenting gore and graphic detail, showing a bit too much enthusiasm. She does a dance, telling just enough to let you know that bad stuff happened, and hinting at the extent, but without the ghoulish detail. Thanks for that.

What was one of the most memorable moments of I'll Be Gone in the Dark?

I enjoyed her interactions with the forums of crime sleuths. As someone who was weirdly obsessed with JonBenet of all things, I really "got it" when she felt conflicted over her own obsession and seeing a bit of herself in some of the obsessed posters.

Which scene was your favorite?

Many come to mind.

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

It made me think. About my safety, about how easy it is to blend in if you are a smart sicko, about how rare serial killers are but how real.

Fate writes a new epilogue

Having listened to the book, I now want to read it. As a dentist my personal passion became forensic dentistry. That experience added a whole dimension for me when I listened...enraptured. I’m no literary critic, I only know what moves and intrigues me. And this most certainly did. I felt the writing was incredible drawing the listener in with the judicious use of imagery and metaphor along with the articulate presentation of fact. My only regret is that the author could not experience the fruits of her labor. I’m content to believe that somewhere in the cosmos she’s heard the news.

Why can’t everyone’s voice be this clear

Thank you, Michelle. And everyone involved in making this book happen. I haven’t felt this fascinated or affected by a book/writing in a long, long time.

Horrifying.

This was truly a test of what I could endure with regards to details in true crime narratives. But the book was so artfully composed and structured that I was riveted. Added bonus was the infusion of the author’s personal relation to the genre and this case in particular.
A+ despite - spoiler alert - the case is still unsolved.