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Rating: 
Summary: One of the Few Case Studies I recommend
Review: Bruce Henderson very carefully details the present day difficulties in conducting a successful serial homicide investigation. With so much unwarrented hoopla given to FBI profilers on bringing down serial killers, this fine book shows where the bulk of the work of a serial homicide investigation occurs; in the homicide bureau of the local police department. One must realize, however, that a number of extremely competent investigators were working on these cases, Ray Biondi and Vito Bertocchini just to name two, so excellent on-the-site profiling was accomplished. Even so, problems with police administration refusing to release information to the public, refusing to allocate resources to further the investigation and continuing difficulties with the D.A.'s office in taking the murders to trial are clearly described. This is one of the most useful accounts any profiling student will encounter in his reading. Pat Brown, Director/Investigative Criminal Profiler/The Sexual Homicide Exchange of Washington DC and Vicinity
Rating: 
Summary: I couldn't put this book down!!!
Review: I love to read, and I rarely find a book that I didn't want to stop reading, but this was one of them!! Bruce Henderson does a fantastic job bringing all of the victims, police, and suspects to life that you feel like you are watching the events happen. He walks you through the last days of the victims, throught the investigations and the trial with the greatest of ease that before you know it you've read 130 pages in one sitting. I didn't want to stop reading, and I thouroughly enjoyed the update of all the characters at the end of the book to let you know what they went on to do after this investigation was over. I highly suggest that you get this book if you are interrested in any sort of true-crime readings!! You won't be disappointed! I know I wasn't!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Trace Evidence
Review: I thought the writing was more like that of a highschool senior and not a journalism teacher. The facts were not totally accurate, at least to the part of the story I have personal knowledge of. Lastly Mr Henderson spelled my daughter's name wrong it's Nichole not Nicole.
Steve Higgins
Rating:
Summary: Trace Evidence
Review: Now I know everything I want to know about the I-5 Strangler...except possibly for a few fringe elements that were hinted at in the Epilogue which could have been expanded upon previous to that.The main focus here is the police investigation, crossing several US counties, which was undertaken to discover who was prowling I-5 in the Sacramento area, and beyond, luring women to appalling deaths by strangulation. Two women investigators--Detective Kay Maulsby and Criminalist Faye Springer--are key players in the case against early and evermore likely chief suspect, quiet-man and loner Roger Kibbe. So, though it is not made a prime theme of the book in any kind of tubthumping way, this is a place to come to watch intrepid women crime-solvers match pace with the men. Meanwhile, how much can author Henderson really reveal about the inner essence of the Strangler? Kibbe is still a frustrating enigma to this reader, and it's not Henderson's fault; Kibbe's not just a convicted killer of the worst kind, he's a clam. The book does demonstrate that Kibbe has two sides to his personality (neither very accessible)--a "normal", albeit poker-faced, side, and a vicious sadistic ravager of innocent victims who we get a glimpse of from the testimony of the one known woman who escaped Kibbe's attack just before he clamped handcuffs on her (likely one of the first sad steps that kept leading to murder). Interesting details well-presented by Henderson: We get a terrific look at Kibbe's odd relationship with his wife, Harriet (a pseudo mother?). Perhaps I would have liked more details involving Roger Kibbe's dynamic with his own family, including his mother (maybe the details weren't there to be cultivated, but not a lot is presented). All the details of the investigation are presented clearly, and generally stay interesting. The personalities of the detectives, victims, and victims' families (especially the moms) shine through amidst all the data constantly being dealt out. The book does indicate that multi-jurisdictional red-tape kept stalling the investigation, with a Detective named Biondi getting the most headaches over this, but I'm not sure we get all the details on just how big a dilemma this was (this may not be such a bad thing, if it was complicated and would have deadened the flow). A few complaints: A brief comment in the Epilogue indicates something even I suspected...if the DNA and trace evidence techniques of today were available when Kibbe was killing women, the case might have been much more ironclad much faster. I suppose I can figure out why, using common sense, but a more detailed explanation of how DNA could specifically be used against a Roger Kibbe of today would have been interesting. The Epilogue, brief as it is, is also the only spot where we get a quickie description of crucial confessions Kibbe finally gave to his wife and his cellmate. Nevertheless, what is presented about Roger Kibbe and the police who linked him to his many crimes is fairly complete, disturbingly eerie in a car-breaks-down-at-night worst nightmare kind of way, and leaves a reader feeling well-informed on virtually all aspects of this true horror story. The weakest part of the book is the trial portion near the end, which is concisely summarized, but really just rehashes everything the book has already covered, not counting one outburst by a grieving mother. Solid, lucid true-crime reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Page Turner!
Review: Rarely do I find true crime books that are written so well. This book, although about a true killing spree, reads like a novel and is hard to put down. I can't count the number of nights I found myself reading it until 2 in the morning. Outstanding journalism which brings in the human interest of the detectives, the victims, and the killer. Must read!!
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