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Slow Death
Details the disturbing true story of David Parker Ray, a sadistic Satanist, and his girlfriend Cynthia Hendy, who, along with a drifter and various family members, kidnapped, brutally tortured, raped, and murdered more than thirty women while making "snuff" films. Reissue.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
February 15, 2018
This has got to be the most bizarre true crime book I've ever read. It's about 200 pages too long, but apparently the authors felt that absolutely every detail remotely related to the crime or the perpetrator needed to be included, down to messages posted on a forum about the killer's daughter years after his death.
While the crimes of David Parker Ray, who tortured women in an excessively outfitted trailer called "The Toy Box" were horrifying, the constant adulations of the teenage reporter who covered the case were almost more disturbing. Was the author, presumably a much-older man, in love with this kid who worked at the local paper? Or was the prosecutor, who always seemed to be giving the teen inside info about the case? It is truly off-putting how much of this book is dedicated to gushing about a seventeen-year-old reporter and committing every word she spoke and wrote to paper. Perhaps she should have written this book.
The descriptions included were strange as well. Is it important to contrast that the prosecutor, while younger, was balding, while the sixty-something killer had a "full head of hair"? I'm not sure where the editor was in this project, but it needed a good one.
While the crimes of David Parker Ray, who tortured women in an excessively outfitted trailer called "The Toy Box" were horrifying, the constant adulations of the teenage reporter who covered the case were almost more disturbing. Was the author, presumably a much-older man, in love with this kid who worked at the local paper? Or was the prosecutor, who always seemed to be giving the teen inside info about the case? It is truly off-putting how much of this book is dedicated to gushing about a seventeen-year-old reporter and committing every word she spoke and wrote to paper. Perhaps she should have written this book.
The descriptions included were strange as well. Is it important to contrast that the prosecutor, while younger, was balding, while the sixty-something killer had a "full head of hair"? I'm not sure where the editor was in this project, but it needed a good one.
January 8, 2016
Yes, the subject matter is rather horrific. But this book is not an outstanding piece of literature because of the rudimentary, downright primitive writing skills and somewhat obvious style of the author. The subject matter held my attention long enough to want to finish the story, but the writing is certainly no big deal. Sorry.
June 4, 2020
This is a terribly written book about an immensely fascinating subject. Important information is omitted, extraneous information abounds, and there does not seem to be much of any structure to large sections of the book. That said, David Parker Ray's case is so unique and complex that I don't regret reading it.
There is still so much more that I would like to know about. How did DPR learn to make people lose their memories? How many victims are in his diaries? To what extent did other people know about what he did? Hints to these questions are provided in the book, but the reality is that it consists of mostly rambling accounts from those acquainted with the case and dramatizations of court documents.
There is still so much more that I would like to know about. How did DPR learn to make people lose their memories? How many victims are in his diaries? To what extent did other people know about what he did? Hints to these questions are provided in the book, but the reality is that it consists of mostly rambling accounts from those acquainted with the case and dramatizations of court documents.
January 16, 2014
meh, was curious about the real story behind this case, but it was so badly written, I needed to find a trailer to live in before I could get down to it's level.
March 22, 2018
David Parker Ray. BOY.....if anyone deserved to be raped in prison or have his pecker cut off it would be this cat. I don't even know that there is a word to describe this wacko. Rapist ain't bad enough. Psycho? No. Sexual sadist(a person that needs to inflict pain to be sexually aroused) is as close as you can get I reckon. This dude woulda been BFF with Dahmer or Bundy. And his little helper Cindy Hendy? That one that helped him on at least 2 occasions, she'll be getting out of prison THIS YEAR.(2018) By the way, has anyone ever heard of Truth or Consequence, New Mexico? Yeah, that's the actual name of the city Ray lived in. And even though he wasn't convicted of murder(he let his victims go!!) I believe he killed numerous women, whether on purpose or by accident. He had been doing it for 40 years. Yup, 40. I'll never be a hooker, that's for sure. Too many serial killers target those poor souls. Anyway, good true crime book for true crime enthusiasts. And if you think you're a weird person for liking kinky sex, read this book. You won't feel so bad about your habits after reading what this loopy turd enjoyed. If you happened to feel ashamed for weird sexual behavior, that is. What a creepy and disturbing story.
June 5, 2020
Long time ago I did read a book about the same subject but then written by the normally very good writer John Glatt. I do recall I did not like the book. So I decided to read another book on the cowardly saidst David Ray Parker and his helpers.
Lately I have been on a reading spree to stay in killer modus :) and read the books I picked in 2 to 3 days but not this time. It took me 5 days to finish and I am not sure it is the writing but I think it is the case it self.
How weird because you read about a woman running bound and gagged from a trailer where she was being tortured by a couple, man and woman. The man had gone off and the girl managed to escape but not without having to fight for her life against said woman. She managed to grab an ice pick and stuck in in the woman's neck.
The fbi discovered the trailer was really a torture chamber. He David Ray Parker called it his toy box.
That said you'd think the books would be great but they were not.
Perhaps because there is a lot of guessing.They think many women were killed but never managed to find proof.Maybe because there were too many weird characters telling the story. I normally love weird people, but these were thick as F.
3 stars
Lately I have been on a reading spree to stay in killer modus :) and read the books I picked in 2 to 3 days but not this time. It took me 5 days to finish and I am not sure it is the writing but I think it is the case it self.
How weird because you read about a woman running bound and gagged from a trailer where she was being tortured by a couple, man and woman. The man had gone off and the girl managed to escape but not without having to fight for her life against said woman. She managed to grab an ice pick and stuck in in the woman's neck.
The fbi discovered the trailer was really a torture chamber. He David Ray Parker called it his toy box.
That said you'd think the books would be great but they were not.
Perhaps because there is a lot of guessing.They think many women were killed but never managed to find proof.Maybe because there were too many weird characters telling the story. I normally love weird people, but these were thick as F.
3 stars
January 2, 2011
This book contains some extremely disturbing content. I think I may swear off true crime forever after reading it. If you do choose to read the book, do so with caution. It will sicken you, and you may have nightmares, especially if you are a woman. I definitely do not recommend it for squeamish readers.
I could only give it two stars because I found the structure of the book sort of confusing. Parts of it should have been fleshed out more; for example, the history and or psychology of the perpetrators, and parts of the trial. Other parts were pretty unnecessary. I am not sure why the girl reporter (Frances?) was in the book at all, and the conversations between her and the lead investigator seemed incredibly pointless. Why do I care that he went to her wedding a year after the trial ended? Maybe the author was trying to give readers an emotional break from the madness and horror of the crimes, but it did not really work that way for me.
I kind of wish I had never read it. Pick it up if you are really, really interested in true crime and if you can deal with extremely disturbing material. But be warned that it is definitely NOT a book for everyone.
I could only give it two stars because I found the structure of the book sort of confusing. Parts of it should have been fleshed out more; for example, the history and or psychology of the perpetrators, and parts of the trial. Other parts were pretty unnecessary. I am not sure why the girl reporter (Frances?) was in the book at all, and the conversations between her and the lead investigator seemed incredibly pointless. Why do I care that he went to her wedding a year after the trial ended? Maybe the author was trying to give readers an emotional break from the madness and horror of the crimes, but it did not really work that way for me.
I kind of wish I had never read it. Pick it up if you are really, really interested in true crime and if you can deal with extremely disturbing material. But be warned that it is definitely NOT a book for everyone.
January 5, 2018
There are at least 2 or 3 true crime coverages of this haunting case out of New Mexico. Along with the cases of Nathaniel Bar-Jonah, Joseph Edward Duncan, Garry Heidnik, and Robert Berdella, this is a case that will give you nightmares and day terrors. There are families who are wondering where their daughters are, and yet Jim Fielder chooses to include the disgusting and graphic words of this sadistic murderer as he describes exacting his revenge against a prostitute out of Phoenix AZ who gave him gonorrhea once. Kelli Garrett, Angelica Montano and Cynthia Vigil will always be heroes to me for coming forward/testifying against this monster, but he still got off easy, dying of a heart attack while in prison. The victims' names are the names that deserve to be remembered, our society makes killers into celebrities by publishing their disgusting words. Once I started reading about the prostitute, I almost puked. I was so upset that I could not finish the book, so I could not gain any insight about missing people connected to the case or who went missing while this monster was active. Serial killers should NOT be portrayed or seen as CELEBRITIES/HEROES in our society!
January 23, 2022
I know this book is poorly written and some may find it brutal and disturbing but how can you write about one of the most sadistic serial killer without get deep into his twisted mind and MO.
Slow death is about the infamous serial killer David Parker Ray a.k.a the toybox killer, a man who kidnapped, tortured and raped a lot of women during the late 80's early 90's. What's fascinating (in a good way) about this story and how he tortured and raped and killed is how he get into the psyche of his victims, he would use a soundproof trailer equipped with items used for sexual torture and a guideline about how to proceed with the torture, also he would get so much into the mind of his victims with drugs and hypnosis that the few of them that he abandon on the road they wouldn't know what had happened to them.
If you're interested about how a twisted mind works and you love true crime this book is worth reading, it would get boring once the trial begin but at least the first half of the book will leave you breathless.
Slow death is about the infamous serial killer David Parker Ray a.k.a the toybox killer, a man who kidnapped, tortured and raped a lot of women during the late 80's early 90's. What's fascinating (in a good way) about this story and how he tortured and raped and killed is how he get into the psyche of his victims, he would use a soundproof trailer equipped with items used for sexual torture and a guideline about how to proceed with the torture, also he would get so much into the mind of his victims with drugs and hypnosis that the few of them that he abandon on the road they wouldn't know what had happened to them.
If you're interested about how a twisted mind works and you love true crime this book is worth reading, it would get boring once the trial begin but at least the first half of the book will leave you breathless.
September 8, 2020
First, if graphic sex, torture, and/or beastiality bother you, don't read this book.
I think someone recommended this one to me, but I don't recall who at the moment. The book is about David Ray Parker. He is called a serial slayer, but they never found one body. He is believed to be connected to 40-60 missing persons. A lot of his victims were drugged and/or hypnotized and released with no memory. No telling how many victims there actually were.
This book contains readings from Ray's journals, descriptions of videos, pictures of things found in "the toy box" and a lot of information about the court proceedings of Ray and a couple of his accomplices including his daughter.
It does get slow at times, but this is a book about the details, not a sensationalized story.
I think someone recommended this one to me, but I don't recall who at the moment. The book is about David Ray Parker. He is called a serial slayer, but they never found one body. He is believed to be connected to 40-60 missing persons. A lot of his victims were drugged and/or hypnotized and released with no memory. No telling how many victims there actually were.
This book contains readings from Ray's journals, descriptions of videos, pictures of things found in "the toy box" and a lot of information about the court proceedings of Ray and a couple of his accomplices including his daughter.
It does get slow at times, but this is a book about the details, not a sensationalized story.
December 19, 2014
This book...I say I liked it because it is the only book I have ever picked up, started reading and then could not continue to read for the graphic detail of the novel itself. I tried to read it three times. Finally on my way to Germany I asked my friend to not let me get off the plane without leaving the book behind. I still think about buying it again just to see if I can stand reading it again.
November 5, 2013
I liked "Cries in the Desert" better. I'm still not convinced that David Ray was prolific serial killer. The lack of bodies, or any non-circumstantial evidence, really, is an insurmountable problem. He was a sick old pervert, for sure, but some guys are making a good living on the internet doing what he admitted to more than a decade ago.
May 15, 2009
Another book on David Ray Parker's crimes.
November 25, 2020
Extremely difficult read, only because of the disturbing content. Written well, though, with updates at the end.
October 3, 2017
Haven’t finished this book. Not planning to either. It’s disgusting. Also not written very well. Didn’t do proper research to find a book based on David Parker Ray. No woman should even attempt to read this. It’s sick.
June 30, 2015
This is a rather disturbing book. As an aspie, I don't really have empathy for the suffering of the victims, only for how I would feel in their place (ie: I have sympathy for them, but not empathy). The thing that disturbs me most is the one question the book doesn't answer. We know the how, we know the what, we know some of the who, but we don't know the why. And since he's dead, we probably never will. And I really want there to be a why. I think that the idea that people do this sort of thing for the same sort of reasons that I bought those 3 balls of alpaca lace (they're so soft, and pretty, and I want them) is terrifying.
January 7, 2016
Okay now I have mixed feelings on this book if I had the option I would give 3 1/2 stars, there were times when I was so into it that I was not able to put it down and times when I was like get on with it.... the author did his research and I like the details about how the prosecutor had such a hard time on what seemed like it would be an open/close case, and I cant believe some of the facts! ( I dont want to give any spoilers) so I would recommend this book to people if you can stomach the horrific things that were done, and just so you will anticipate it there is a surprise at the end that was pretty shocking! Happy Reading! :)
October 10, 2020
I didn't really enjoy this book that much. So much of the information seemed unreliable, to say the least- a good part of the book is the author talking to town residents, writing down their stories, and while saying that almost all of the people that he "interviewed" in town were drug addicts, he seemed to take all of their words at face value. It mostly seemed like he was writing down gossip. And he seems to have swallowed the "Satanism" angle whole, which seems odd for an experienced journalist.
There are a lot of details, but by the end of the book I wasn't sure which, if any, were true.
There are a lot of details, but by the end of the book I wasn't sure which, if any, were true.
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September 23, 2012I don't know how to rate this. It was interesting and fairly written, but the content is so horrific, that I can't say I liked the book. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone that has difficulty reading things about sexual violence and torture. This book is as graphic. David Parker Ray was one twisted individual, and it's unnerving reading about his crimes and the audio and video tapes that he made. I almost put it down after reading the prologue. I don't know how the regular people who were involved with the case were able to hear and see these tapes firsthand.
October 6, 2011
I read this book a long while ago. I was at a truckstop in Memphis, Tn on a layover and another driver gave me a copy of this book to read. I have not read a book in a long time so I tried this to pass the time and got hooked on reading ever since! I read the 1st chapter and could not put it down, the story was disturbing and could not believe it actually happened. I don't recomend this book to the squeamish reader' I could not sleep good that night. Otherwise a great book to read.
August 3, 2010
This book is well rewritten and is well informed on what happened. However, while I did like this book it is not for the light hearted. You have to be interested in True Crime novels to begin with. Also, when you realize this actually happened its a little disturbing to say the least. If you enjoy True Crime novels I would recommend it, however if you don't, I wouldnt recommend it at all.
September 3, 2016
I usually enjoy true crime books. I could not wait to finish this one. Was uninterested in anything David Ray Parker had to say in his audiotapes, so didn't read any of them after the first one. Hard to believe there are people like this on Earth. It wasn't badly written and it was an important trial. So, now I know about New Mexico's sickest serial torture-slayer ever.
July 19, 2021
Book of a park ranger that kept a trailer for the rape, torture, and murder of women he captured. He had a crew of goons to help him. The stuff of horror movies and oddly enough I bought this because he looked like Vincent Price. I remember buying this at Wal-Mart and finding it odd that they primarily carried serial killer books and Chicken Soup For The Soul.
December 28, 2020
I don't even know what to say. This has to be the most disturbing true crime book I've ever read. I'm frankly surprised this is the first I've heard of him. The writing in this book is pretty lackluster. It reads more like a report than a book. I gave it a 4 because of the actual true crime aspect. I would have given it a 2 for writing.
July 29, 2014
I think I'm rating the content.. It's quite... Horrible. I don't think it's the book itself I disliked. Not sure. I also found myself getting bored during a lot of the back stories & descriptions. Got about 3/4 of the way. Never finished it.
July 15, 2015
I see no point in finishing this book. Having read 80%, the worst is likely behind me. But the thing is so dark, the actions of the main character so evil, I just found the uninspired chronicle of this true crime not really worth the time I was putting into it. So many books, so little time…
January 7, 2021
Poorly written book, but the subject matter is interesting. Far too detailed about useless data and not enough detail about actually relevant information. Not the worst book I’ve read on the subject or in the genre but it’s definitely up there.
July 3, 2025
Best book on David Ray you can read, I read it on internet archive and was utterly enthralled by the details and information put into this book. It’s the most comprehensive book on this case I’ve ever read. For those who are interested I’d totally recommend it.
March 2, 2016
This was the first true crime book I have ever read. It was salacious but kind of boring. I don't think I'll read more in the genre.
March 14, 2021
Jim Fielder did an excellent job writing this book. If you like true crime then you will like this book. It is terrifying to know we live in a world where monsters like this exist.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews