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Read my review here: https://bookbumzuky.wordpress.com/2017/01/23/the-spider-and-the-fly-by-claudia-rowe/
As you may have noticed from the other reviews, this book is <i>not</i> a retelling of a serial killer's crimes, how he did them, how he got away for so long, and eventually, how he got caught. This is much more about a (platonic) relationship between journalist and killer.
Rowe is a journalist who becomes <i>obsessed</i> with Kendall, a convicted convicted serial killer of eight women, and at times, reading about this deep fascination gets a little uncomfortable. Openly admitting that she feels a sense of importance and flattery at having so much on Kendalls attention seems pretty disgusting, but she then admits that she now knows these feelings were inappropriate and has come to realise that her obsession got the better of her.
I have to agree with other reviews, that this book is a little all over the place. Rowes writing is absolutely gorgeously put all the way through, its really poetic, its just that the structure is a bit off. Topics skip all over the place and it can sometimes be hard to grasp how one thing connects to the next.
In the end, I actually really enjoyed this novel even though it wasnt a classic true crime kinda novel. It was interesting seeing the correspondence between the two of them and getting the feel for how someone like Kendall works in a different way to us. Im not really interested to read all about the Attica riots, so that will be a new addition to my bookshelf soon, Im sure!
If you like going through a true crime novel finding out what the killer did in chronological order, what drove them to do it and some of the more gruesome details of their crimes, then this probably isnt the novel for you, but if you like something a little more personal and moving I would recommend giving this one a try.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for a review!
As you may have noticed from the other reviews, this book is <i>not</i> a retelling of a serial killer's crimes, how he did them, how he got away for so long, and eventually, how he got caught. This is much more about a (platonic) relationship between journalist and killer.
Rowe is a journalist who becomes <i>obsessed</i> with Kendall, a convicted convicted serial killer of eight women, and at times, reading about this deep fascination gets a little uncomfortable. Openly admitting that she feels a sense of importance and flattery at having so much on Kendalls attention seems pretty disgusting, but she then admits that she now knows these feelings were inappropriate and has come to realise that her obsession got the better of her.
I have to agree with other reviews, that this book is a little all over the place. Rowes writing is absolutely gorgeously put all the way through, its really poetic, its just that the structure is a bit off. Topics skip all over the place and it can sometimes be hard to grasp how one thing connects to the next.
In the end, I actually really enjoyed this novel even though it wasnt a classic true crime kinda novel. It was interesting seeing the correspondence between the two of them and getting the feel for how someone like Kendall works in a different way to us. Im not really interested to read all about the Attica riots, so that will be a new addition to my bookshelf soon, Im sure!
If you like going through a true crime novel finding out what the killer did in chronological order, what drove them to do it and some of the more gruesome details of their crimes, then this probably isnt the novel for you, but if you like something a little more personal and moving I would recommend giving this one a try.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for a review!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Shrine of Jeffery Dahmer in Books
Mar 20, 2021
39 of 250
Book
The Shrine of Jeffery Dahmer
By Brian Masters
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
AN UNSPEAKABLE CRIME
When he was arrested in July 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer had a severed head in the refrigerator, two more in the freezer, two skulls and a skeleton in a filing cabinet.
A DEPRIVED ACT
But if anything could be more disturbing than the brute horror of this scene, it was the evidence that Dahmer had been using these human remains not only for sexual gratification, but as part of a dark ritual of his own devising -- to furnish a shrine to himself.
A KILLER, BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING
________________________________________
The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer offers a chilling insight into the mind of a serial killer and reveals the horrors within.
This had me gripped! After watching Des which is a tv adaptation of the UK serial killer Denis Nielsen who killed in similar ways to Dahmer this author came to my attention. This delved deeper into Dahmers life and childhood it’s so easy to place blame when in fact this was a very sick individual! We could argue he was a victim of the very poor mental health system. The book is very well written every well researched it in no way glorifies the hideous crimes committed by Dahmer but it does bring to your attention the thin line the mental health sits on. This poor men and their families I did find a few parts very hard to stomach and read and it keeps you questioning all the way through I think my husband got annoyed at me constantly trying to discuss or read certain bits out to him just so I could process them myself!
It’s a fascinating subject in the sense do we decide between nurture vs nature, control and no control is there that part of the brain missing in men like Dahmer that says no stop missing? Also it brings to light very slack policing also shines a bad light on those professionals that didn’t pick up those warning signs could some of these men’s life been saved? .
I guess it’s something we will never know!
Book
The Shrine of Jeffery Dahmer
By Brian Masters
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
AN UNSPEAKABLE CRIME
When he was arrested in July 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer had a severed head in the refrigerator, two more in the freezer, two skulls and a skeleton in a filing cabinet.
A DEPRIVED ACT
But if anything could be more disturbing than the brute horror of this scene, it was the evidence that Dahmer had been using these human remains not only for sexual gratification, but as part of a dark ritual of his own devising -- to furnish a shrine to himself.
A KILLER, BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING
________________________________________
The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer offers a chilling insight into the mind of a serial killer and reveals the horrors within.
This had me gripped! After watching Des which is a tv adaptation of the UK serial killer Denis Nielsen who killed in similar ways to Dahmer this author came to my attention. This delved deeper into Dahmers life and childhood it’s so easy to place blame when in fact this was a very sick individual! We could argue he was a victim of the very poor mental health system. The book is very well written every well researched it in no way glorifies the hideous crimes committed by Dahmer but it does bring to your attention the thin line the mental health sits on. This poor men and their families I did find a few parts very hard to stomach and read and it keeps you questioning all the way through I think my husband got annoyed at me constantly trying to discuss or read certain bits out to him just so I could process them myself!
It’s a fascinating subject in the sense do we decide between nurture vs nature, control and no control is there that part of the brain missing in men like Dahmer that says no stop missing? Also it brings to light very slack policing also shines a bad light on those professionals that didn’t pick up those warning signs could some of these men’s life been saved? .
I guess it’s something we will never know!
Kym Penny (24 KP) rated Take Me With You in Books
Jul 23, 2017
Relatable characters (2 more)
Dark, intense thriller
Almost no stagnant "filler" parts
Great serial killer novel! Gotta love The Crazies!
This was a difficult book to put down. It has a great mix of features that makes an intense story; deep character development, detailed world building (but not too detailed because, you know, imagination), interesting backstories, mysteries, horror, a little (very little) humor, psychologically thrilling and it sticks with you for a time after the last page. This is the type of novel to read when you are sick of the typical happy-go-lucky, boy-meets-girl romance and you're looking for something dark but not too dark. On a darkness scale between Christian Grey and Black Sabbath, I'd give this a solid M. Night Shyamalan. (Whatever that means)
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Sculptor (Sam Markham, #1) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I found Funaro quite by accident when his second book (The Impaler) was a free book on Barnes & Noble. So I actually read that first. I enjoyed it so much I had to get the first Sam Markham book. This one is about a serial killer who murders & then poses his victims to look like sculptures by Michaelangelo. I didn't like this book quite as much as The Impaler, but it was still a good, suspensful read. I think my biggest "complaint" with this book is that at times the plot would drag when Markham and Cathy would start talking about the art in great detail. Yes, it helped the story, but at times seemed heavy handed.
But with all that being said, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
But with all that being said, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated Good Me, Bad Me in Books
May 16, 2018
What a great book. I was already intrigued by the plot: told from the point of view of the teenage child of a female child serial killer? I am here for this!
I wasn't disappointed; the story itself kept me riveted from page to page, and I was sad when it was over (not sad at the story, sad that there was no more to read). Was the story disturbing? Absolutely. But it was also fascinating, and the ending was really quite satisfying.
This review is a little sparse, yes, but that's because I'm being very mindful of spoilers. Trust me, you'll want to enjoy this one all on your own.
Thanks to Ali Land and the folks at Flatiron Books for the complimentary ARC, and allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book!
I wasn't disappointed; the story itself kept me riveted from page to page, and I was sad when it was over (not sad at the story, sad that there was no more to read). Was the story disturbing? Absolutely. But it was also fascinating, and the ending was really quite satisfying.
This review is a little sparse, yes, but that's because I'm being very mindful of spoilers. Trust me, you'll want to enjoy this one all on your own.
Thanks to Ali Land and the folks at Flatiron Books for the complimentary ARC, and allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book!
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Snowman (2017) in Movies
Feb 11, 2018 (Updated Feb 11, 2018)
Where was Aled Jones?!
Misfiring Scandi crime thriller which was part of Michael Fassbender's attempt to appear in as many dud movies as possible in 2017. There's a serial killer on the loose and a brilliant detective with a troubled personal life (gee, where do they think of these new ideas?) gets on the case.
The film's plot is really lacking in focus and it engages in the usual casual misogyny that seems to be perfectly acceptable on-screen; a baffling subplot featuring flashbacks with Val Kilmer is arguably a mistake (then again, this film is not exactly short of mis-steps). The film's pretensions to be a serious drama are not much helped by the extent to which the Magic Wand of Improbable Coincidences has been waved over the script. It is all a bit grim and muddled.
The film's plot is really lacking in focus and it engages in the usual casual misogyny that seems to be perfectly acceptable on-screen; a baffling subplot featuring flashbacks with Val Kilmer is arguably a mistake (then again, this film is not exactly short of mis-steps). The film's pretensions to be a serious drama are not much helped by the extent to which the Magic Wand of Improbable Coincidences has been waved over the script. It is all a bit grim and muddled.
Watchman (19 KP) rated Beast (2017) in Movies
Jan 9, 2019 (Updated Feb 15, 2019)
Outstanding acting (1 more)
Unpredictable
A chilling fairytale
A girl with a dark past, the black sheep of the family with a perfect sister, a strict, overbearing mother and an ill father, starts a red-blooded affair with a local boy, an enigma with history of run ins with the law.... and now a suspect in the worst of crimes.
Set in the gorgeously filmed isle of Jersey, Michael Pearce has directed on his debut a real nail biter. This take on the search for a serial killer of young girls, intertwined with a forbidden love story is an uncomfortable, disturbing watch at times.... but hypnotic. And newcomer Jessie Buckley is mesmerising, its hard to take your eyes off her.
Brilliant script, plot, pacing and ominous soundtrack.
A must watch for any fan of dark psychological thrillers.
Set in the gorgeously filmed isle of Jersey, Michael Pearce has directed on his debut a real nail biter. This take on the search for a serial killer of young girls, intertwined with a forbidden love story is an uncomfortable, disturbing watch at times.... but hypnotic. And newcomer Jessie Buckley is mesmerising, its hard to take your eyes off her.
Brilliant script, plot, pacing and ominous soundtrack.
A must watch for any fan of dark psychological thrillers.
Peter G. (247 KP) rated A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) in Movies
Oct 30, 2019
Aged but incredibly original and unsettling for it's time this slasher single handedly caused me a few sleepless nights due to its connection with sleep and dreams.
The serial killer with the unforgettable name who affects dreams and pushes into the real world was a horror story type unheard of back then and Robert Englund was quite menacing and genuinely frightening as Freddy and the bladed glove scraping along walls was a huge indicator that shit was going to hit the fan and someone was going to die.
If you are interested in this franchise then this classic is the one to see and not the confusing and muddled sequels that followed.
It delivers strongly on the fright even though the budget was quite low and changed the landscape of horror that had somewhat stalled at that time.
The serial killer with the unforgettable name who affects dreams and pushes into the real world was a horror story type unheard of back then and Robert Englund was quite menacing and genuinely frightening as Freddy and the bladed glove scraping along walls was a huge indicator that shit was going to hit the fan and someone was going to die.
If you are interested in this franchise then this classic is the one to see and not the confusing and muddled sequels that followed.
It delivers strongly on the fright even though the budget was quite low and changed the landscape of horror that had somewhat stalled at that time.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Before Watchmen: Rorschach in Books
Nov 22, 2019
Having already had as much of an origin story as I think we're likely to get, in the Nite Owl component of the series, this book serves as an additional story to show Rorschach in action alone.
The book demonstrates his determination to seek justice, despite everything thrown at him, which we see later in the Watchmen book proper.
Rorschach is determined to try and clean up the streets and seeks out the pimps and drug dealers he feels are responsible for the state of New York. This is in the midst of The Bard, a serial killer preying on women and writing poetry on their bodies. Interestingly, these two stories work in parallel, Rorschach only catching up to deal out justice in the final pages. This goes against the reader's expectations and was a nice contra-twist.
The book demonstrates his determination to seek justice, despite everything thrown at him, which we see later in the Watchmen book proper.
Rorschach is determined to try and clean up the streets and seeks out the pimps and drug dealers he feels are responsible for the state of New York. This is in the midst of The Bard, a serial killer preying on women and writing poetry on their bodies. Interestingly, these two stories work in parallel, Rorschach only catching up to deal out justice in the final pages. This goes against the reader's expectations and was a nice contra-twist.
Time After Time (1979)
7.6
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