Cold Kill:The True Story of a Murderous Love

by Jack Olsen

True crime book. After weeks of planning, the young misfits from two fine old Texas families donned grotesque battle gear and crept into the luxurious home where Cindy Ray's parents lay asleep with her two small sons. The "cold kill" was over in seconds. The author's journalism was recognized with the National Headliner Award, the Chicago Newspaper Guild's Page One Award, the Washington State Governor's Award, and the Scripps-Howard Award. He was described as "the dean of true crime authors" by The Washington Post. His crime studies remain on required reading lists in university criminology courses.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Crime, Biography

391 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Laura Peden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one hooked me right away and I binged it straight through! Read like fiction a bit. These two crazies were something else 😂 just kukoo for Cocoa Puffs. I laughed way more than I normally do reading true crime 😬

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This true crime book reads like a novel. It's well organized, moving from perspective to perspective of the many people involved in this case. It does end rather abruptly, leaving a few minor questions unanswered, but the fate of Cindy and David is disclosed.

Kevin Pierce delivers his customary outstanding performance. He's an excellent reader of true crime.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.

[Carla (There Might Be Cupcakes Podcast) · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was way too much internal dialogue—beyond the pale. This was a true crime book, not a novel. I cannot believe that David West was able to report that much of his inner life to Jack Olsen. Were it not for Kevin Pierce’s superb narration of the audiobook, I would have bailed.
Plus, the book was supposed to be about the killer couple, not about the male of the couple and the wacky but well-meaning PI that caught him. So very odd.

[Polly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is one of those based on a "true story" but one that I do not remember. Love story turning into an obsession that ended up costing many lives. I don't know why this fascinates me, but delving into the mind of a psychotic feeds my curiosity and perhaps defines more clearly how a seemingly "normal" person growing up can physically and mentally committ horrific crimes.

[Yelsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Incredibly abrupt ending in my opinion BUT the pictures were a nice touch

[Jimmy Chaillot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I have only read one other Jack Olsen book “doc” and that was pretty good but this one knocks it out of the ballpark.

It doesn’t take the same route as other true crime books as it goes into the first person view of most of the main characters in this one. Throw in sarcasm from jack(which I thoroughly enjoy) and it was damn near a classic.

Great read. Highly recommend.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to in audio format.

When David West was introduced to Cindy Ray by his ex girlfriend he was not impressed. Cindy barely spoke, was over weight and did not bathe, preferring to cover herself with heavy perfume.

Over the coming weeks David found out Cindy was fun and flirtatious and they started a relationship. David put Cindy on a diet and exercise regime, pretty soon he had moulded her into his perfect girlfriend.

Cindy was mentally ill and she had been married twice before. She had two children who she was unable to look after so they were cared for by their grandparents. Cindy told David she had been sexually assAulted by her father. She claimed she had been mentally abused by the rest of her family.

Cindy persuaded David to kill her parents, they went to her mother's house during the night and shot them both whilst they were sleeping . Although the police suspected Cindy they could not prove it. Four years later Cindy's sister was convinced that Cindy had shot her parents in cold blood and hired a Private Investigator. Ex marine Kim is given the job of investigating David, when he does not confess she lures him into a honeytrap.


I felt sorry for David and his poor taste in women. First Cindy who was a consummate liar and Kim who was trying to coax a confession out of him.This was another well researched book written by the late Jack Olsen. I have awarded four stars because the booked ended rather abruptly. I also would of been interested of some of the court testimony.

_

[Stevefk · Rating 4 out of 5]

About 30 years ago, I went through a faze of reading true crime books, finding them to be riveting, in that they reveled an inside look at communities and lives hard to comprehend . Then I more or less quit the genre, from the belief that I should be spending my time on higher brow literature. Thinking back on how interesting I found these books, I have now decided that if adults can read Harry Potter and live with themselves, then I should be able to indulge myself with true crime now and then. So I am back with this one. Jack Olsen was my favorite author of this kind of fare, and he remains so today. This was a fascinating look at evil digging its way into mixed up lives. One of my favorite things about the book, was what the author left out. There was no bloating of the book with dull trial transcriptions.
Nonfiction or fiction, I cannot stand when an author tells the story once and then goes on to tell it all over again with page after page of trial testimony. Jack Olsen is perfect here. No tedious trial mechanics at all. Hooray! Seems I will be reading true crime once again.

[Koren · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a reason Jack Olsen is considered one of the best True Crime writers. This book is well-researched, is not repetitive and he managed to write a 380 page True Crime book with very little investigation and no trial testimony. Actually, there is an investigation but the female private detective is the most interesting character in the book. It is not merely a repeat of information we already know. As the book was published in 1987 I wanted to search to see if this woman continued in her job as private detective but was unable to find anything. I thought the book ended rather abruptly so did a search to find out more. There is a bit more about them that is worth a google search when you are done with the book.

[Imani · Rating 5 out of 5]

In truth this was a four, not a five, but I really liked the way that Olsen fleshed out all the characters with really expressive dialogue, and internal monologues, throughout. A *lot* of poetic licence was surely taken, but it was so worth it to make the people come across as three-dimensional.

Some true crime writers tend to stick with: Well this guy did the killing, so he's the bad guy. And this guy is the victim, so he must be the good guy. (I'm looking at you, Ann Rule). It's always so much more complicated than that.

The killer never seemed predatory or motivated by greed - he was just not-that-smart and super desperate to be loved. And he made a horrific choice in that pursuit. So sad for everyone involved

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent read/listen and adds some interesting insight into the Campbell murders in Houston TX way back in 1982, but the narration by Kevin Pierce really makes it come to life. He puts so much gravity into the story, that you really feel each emotion as the individuals experience them. I wish there had been more insight into how the research was conducted and how the story was pieced together, since that's often as interesting to me in a True Crime story as the story itself.

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with some of the reviews that say the book could've been edited better, but even the unnecessarily long sections didn't bother me because the story is so gripping.

As a true crime fan, I couldn't believe I'd never heard this story before. How has it not been turned into a movie?! The characters, the crime, the undercover P.I... It's like a work of fiction.

Another solid Jack Olsen book. Recommend to true crime readers.

[Holli Borgers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great research, but editing didn't happen.

would love to give this book 5 stars because of in-depth content. But, I just can't because the editing, or lack thereof, is hideous. There is no way Jack approved this to be published

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[pete cruz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible,

So much details leading up to arrest, and nothing about the trial, will never read another Jack Olsen book, terrible.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent enough, just not as good as Olson's usual stuff

[Emilio III · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there is one thing consistent with true crime books, it's that there usually aren't many likable characters. That is true about this story except for one private detective named Kim Paris, who wrangled herself into the life of a killer.

David West is an ex-Marine who described himself as having two personalities. There was the kind, thoughtful, and caring David. Then there was David the soldier willing to take on anyone who got in his way. I'll call him loser one.

Loser two is Cindy Ray Campbell. She is overweight, dependent on others for her survival, and has zero ambition. She is in her mid-twenties but has never had a driver's license. She has never held a real job.

When David first meets Cindy Ray, he see's potential behind that shy, unkempt exterior. He encourages her to lose weight. He helps bring out her best qualities. He turns the ugly duckling into a swan. But Cindy has issues beyond her physical appearance. She claims to be the victim of incest and rape by her father.

A lot of time is spent getting to know the backgrounds of these two losers. They are both so unlikable that it is hard to keep reading about their twisted relationship. But when Cindy Ray comes up with the idea to kill both her parents to receive an inheritance, things kick into high gear.

Cindy is first to slip up. David does so reluctantly after falling for the seductive Kim Paris. In the end, they both get what they deserve.

My only issue with the book was the author's decision to get inside the minds of his characters. Yes, it adds depth to the story, but it also crosses the line as a work of nonfiction. Even if the author spent hours talking to each individual, there's no way that he could know what someone is thinking all the time. I would also have liked some images of the people involved in this story. Lastly, the author never divulges whether or not Cindy's claims of rape and incest were true. She had a child that was supposedly fathered by her father. I would have thought that a paternity test would have put the matter to rest.

[Michelle Tackabery · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very well-written and detailed book, what you would expect from Jack Olsen. I would give it four stars save for this caution: this book was written at the time of the crime, and the language will no doubt make many people upset. Olsen quotes victims, criminals, and police officers exactly, and their language is, at times, racist, homophobic, and misogynous. I could blame this on the language of the early 80s, but even then (I was in college), I would have been offended at this language. I suppose this language was added to make this more of a "street-raw thriller." True crime was not considered a respectable genre at the time, and perhaps this was a marketing tactic.

Despite that, this book grabs you and sucks you in because the story is so detailed and immediate that you feel as if you are there. It is lengthy due to this level of immediacy--at times it seems as if Olsen is picking nose-hairs out of his subjects. But the overall effect is of a contemporary story, which I believe will keep readers captivated for a very long time to come.

[Merrilee Buroker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another chilling telling of a true crime, this time the story takes place in Houston, TX. Cynthia Ray was disturbed beyond belief, and somehow she got a man to off her parents. I feel sorry for him, really. He was basically a nice guy with a vulnerable Captain Justice complex. She played him right from the start, just as she manipulated and baffled everyone she ever met with her unending lies and paranoia. The question remains, why wasn't the family able to get her the help she needed in order to avoid the eventual tragedy? It makes a strong statement about the way we still look away when faced with obvious signs of mental disease.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a special place in hell for these two people. How do you go about killing someone who is basically giving you everything they have. And still want more. Cindy is a very despicable person. David was just someone gullible with a very extreme hero complex. Jack Olson did an amazing job detailing the case and people involved.

[Jill Garvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book a lot. About 60 percent through the book I realized I had already read something on the story from that point on. It must have been another book but I still enjoyed it from another point of view. I will look for another book from the same author.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating True Crime Story

Written mainly from the points of view of the killers, this story shows how sweet love can be. It also shows how dangerous it is when that love is threatened.

[Karen Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime about a double murder in Houston. The beginning of the book had enormous detail (somewhat dull) about the relationship between the two killers. It then ends abruptly before the trial. Would have liked information about the trials and sentences.

[Grace Dreger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Positives:
Binge-worthy
Entertaining
Audio book was well narrated
Interesting story

Negatives:
Filled with unverifiable dialect
Doesn’t touch on the court case at all
This book is carried by the internal dialect of the criminals.

[Peg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

I had not heard about this case before this book. It really makes you wonder about how some people's minds work. I would have liked to have known more about Cindy's actual family life but I can guess about it.

[Leslie Strickland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mediocre for Olson

After reading all of this author's, even though I thought it was better written than lots of true crime, it was just my least favorite of all his books. It took me longer to read because I lost interest, too long to tell the story.

[Jeanine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit this not my favorite Jack Olsen book.. It seemed like a lot of dialogue between two dimensional characters

[Diane Waddington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Loved it.

[Jim Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straight forward reporting of a true crime. Olsen is probably the best as pure reporter of facts on cases like these

[Emerson (Ariel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the reason I read true crime.