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A Death in California
1 HARDCOVER BOOK WITH DUST COVER
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
May 20, 2022
This was another unforgettable true crime book I read twice because it was that good! The whole story is is captivating, crazy and so unbelievable so any lover of true crime stories needs to read this one. They also made a tv movie on it starring Cheryl Ladd and Sam Elliott who made the movie a real hit (he's a great actor). If I remember correctly this took place in the 1970's. This book is written so well I would even read it a third time since the bizarre crimes that took place I've never come across again!!
December 6, 2018
This was a good book, except it was smothered in tiny details. For instance in describing the police that arrived at an incident the author describes it this way. ( page 67 )
"As time went on and the search deepened, many other authorities were involved, including-but not limited to-members of the Fox Lake Police Department, Waukegan Police Department, Park City Police Department, McHenry City Police Department, Grayslake Police Department, Lake Villa Police Department, Gurnee Police Department, North Chicago Police Department, Libertyville Police Department, Northbrook Police Department, DesPlaines, Skokie Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Glenview Police Department, Oak Park Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Melrose Park Police Department, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Chicago Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
Really? Was it really necessary to list all twenty? The author could have said " several departments, various, numerous, or noted that twenty departments were involved."
Unfortunately the entire book is written like this. It was way too tedious for me, too many tiny, minor facts clouded the story. This could have easily been a four or five star book in my opinion, but as written, I gave it three stars, and wish I could have given it two and a half stars. While I wanted to finish to see how the story turned out, I was relieved when I was done. My head was ready to explode.
"As time went on and the search deepened, many other authorities were involved, including-but not limited to-members of the Fox Lake Police Department, Waukegan Police Department, Park City Police Department, McHenry City Police Department, Grayslake Police Department, Lake Villa Police Department, Gurnee Police Department, North Chicago Police Department, Libertyville Police Department, Northbrook Police Department, DesPlaines, Skokie Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Glenview Police Department, Oak Park Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Melrose Park Police Department, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Chicago Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
Really? Was it really necessary to list all twenty? The author could have said " several departments, various, numerous, or noted that twenty departments were involved."
Unfortunately the entire book is written like this. It was way too tedious for me, too many tiny, minor facts clouded the story. This could have easily been a four or five star book in my opinion, but as written, I gave it three stars, and wish I could have given it two and a half stars. While I wanted to finish to see how the story turned out, I was relieved when I was done. My head was ready to explode.
April 8, 2016
The edition I read was subtitled 'A True Account of Love and Murder Among the Very Rich.' That line was obviously intended to appeal to a certain audience, but the fact is I started the book in spite of that description, not because of it. I'm glad I did because it was engaging from start to finish, and most definitely NOT about 'love and murder among the very rich.' It is the story of a sleazy career criminal and the mischief he created across the country. One of his victims had parents with money, but that was not a factor in any of the crimes.
July 3, 2016
What a bizarre story! Truth is stranger than fiction.. Captivating story, well written.
August 18, 2016
Not bad
One of those books of true crime that you can't help shake your head at. I think the author made a good attempt to show us how strange some of these people are. Some of the actions were just nuts. Hence the head shaking; are people really this stupid. Or perhaps I should say gullible? Some actions seemed drawn out and there were repetitions. Re: small, gold necklace. Not a bad read but it did feel as though the murder was given just a quick going over.
One of those books of true crime that you can't help shake your head at. I think the author made a good attempt to show us how strange some of these people are. Some of the actions were just nuts. Hence the head shaking; are people really this stupid. Or perhaps I should say gullible? Some actions seemed drawn out and there were repetitions. Re: small, gold necklace. Not a bad read but it did feel as though the murder was given just a quick going over.
November 13, 2017
Another great crime writer. I seem to be on a true crime kick lately. Excited to find new crime writer's since Ann Rule's passing. This book was/is excellent. Didn't want to put down but had things that took me away from it, but the whole time thinking I just want to get back to this book. Twists and turns galore, shocking moments. I sure hope this author has additional books. Highly recommend.
June 19, 2018
We didn't need to know the complete life story of every cop involved. Taking out all the unnecessary/irrelevant parts would shorten this book by 100 pages. First part is a structural mess. The last part/trial part is pretty good, though.
January 17, 2025
Am I the only one who read this book because I was familiar with G. Daniel Walker from his 1991 appearance on Unsolved Mysteries "Diabolical Minds" episode?
In high school, I did a report on psychopaths, and part of my presentation was to show Walker being interviewed by Robert Ressler. I was just a kid when I became aware of Walker's crimes, and I remember finding Walker quite charming, and I briefly considered writing to him, but as it was pre-internet, I (thank God) had no way to follow up on that idea.
About five years later, I saw a story in the paper about how G. Daniel Walker was the king of nuisance lawsuits as he was incarcerated in Illinois then. So over the years I've kept vague track of Walker, and wondered if he was still alive, and this go-round I checked to see what stories I could pull up and found he'd married a prison employee in the 80s and manipulated her and her children into a credit card fraud operation. I can't find any information on what happened to the second Mrs. Walker after her incarceration but I highly doubt they are still together. (I think Edna was his only wife, and Drew his only child in his younger, freer days. I can't find any additional information on them either.) I was able to find where his parents Virgil and Irene Massie Walker were buried - in an obscure little cemetery in Williamsport, Ohio, south of Columbus. I was pleased that I was able to track down that small detail. His dad died in 1976 and his mom in 1982.
The latest story I found was that Walker's parole had been denied for the 15th time in August of 2024. Walker is currently 93 years old and resides at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton.
Now onto the book -- I was too young at the time it came out to realize this book existed or that there was a TV movie about the case. I just happened to stumble across it as I was browsing through digital titles my library had access to and I saw the name G. Daniel Walker.
Given that this book was very early true crime -- I will cut the author a little bit of slack. She said she was going to approach it novelistically rather than journalistically, but oh my does she include every single detail she got her hands on and proceed to beat you over the head with each and every one of them. No one seemed to exercise any editorial discretion to say, "that can be summarized" or "it is perfectly find to leave that out." She will also repeat details at length. Like the gold bracelet in the teacup and then reiterate every detail of it in someone's testimony. It becomes absolutely excruciating to read, and I began to skim.
Our understanding of victim trauma has come a long way since 1973. Clearly in our modern age we would have recognized that Hope was profoundly traumatized by what Walker put her through. I pray that if this had happened today she wouldn't have been incarcerated at all. Hope was clearly also profoundly naive, (she allegedly had an IQ of 183 though.) At points I wanted someone to just shake her by the shoulders, and say, "he killed Bill and he raped you. You know that. He is lying to you. The rest of it is all lies."
There were some aspects that made me wonder if Ted Bundy had read about the Walker case because of the similarities. Bundy also got his record of escapes and prior convictions repressed in his trial in Florida, and chose to represent himself. Having worked in corrections in Illinois I also wondered how many of our rules were put into place because of Walker and his shenanigans. (He was allowed to draw his own blood?! The guards allowed people to wander into his room for chats?! These people then had house keys and credit cards stolen and used in his run from the law. The 70s were clearly a wildly different time.)
The author never tried to psychoanalyze Walker about why he did what he did, most of what I gleaned I got from the interview he did with Unsolved Mysteries. The man clearly loved chaos and drama and using anyone and everyone to achieve his own ends. He is a stone cold psychopathic predator who loved an adrenaline rush. I would have loved to know the stories behind his shooting and stabbing scars. It would seem that at least a couple of times in his life people had seen through him.
I was also hoping for more information on his early life and crimes. That is unfortunately missing, even if Walker, as I would expect, would lie about his childhood, I would still have liked to hear what he had to say -- or what more credible sources like his former teachers/neighbors/parents/childhood friends had to say. At this point, I fear, after so much time has passed those stories are lost to time.
I'm giving this 3 stars because of the amount of research the author did, and because of the fact that she brought me more information on one of the last surviving boogeymen from my childhood. But overall this book is a slog, and if it hadn't been for that connection, I would not have bothered to read it.
In high school, I did a report on psychopaths, and part of my presentation was to show Walker being interviewed by Robert Ressler. I was just a kid when I became aware of Walker's crimes, and I remember finding Walker quite charming, and I briefly considered writing to him, but as it was pre-internet, I (thank God) had no way to follow up on that idea.
About five years later, I saw a story in the paper about how G. Daniel Walker was the king of nuisance lawsuits as he was incarcerated in Illinois then. So over the years I've kept vague track of Walker, and wondered if he was still alive, and this go-round I checked to see what stories I could pull up and found he'd married a prison employee in the 80s and manipulated her and her children into a credit card fraud operation. I can't find any information on what happened to the second Mrs. Walker after her incarceration but I highly doubt they are still together. (I think Edna was his only wife, and Drew his only child in his younger, freer days. I can't find any additional information on them either.) I was able to find where his parents Virgil and Irene Massie Walker were buried - in an obscure little cemetery in Williamsport, Ohio, south of Columbus. I was pleased that I was able to track down that small detail. His dad died in 1976 and his mom in 1982.
The latest story I found was that Walker's parole had been denied for the 15th time in August of 2024. Walker is currently 93 years old and resides at the California Health Care Facility in Stockton.
Now onto the book -- I was too young at the time it came out to realize this book existed or that there was a TV movie about the case. I just happened to stumble across it as I was browsing through digital titles my library had access to and I saw the name G. Daniel Walker.
Given that this book was very early true crime -- I will cut the author a little bit of slack. She said she was going to approach it novelistically rather than journalistically, but oh my does she include every single detail she got her hands on and proceed to beat you over the head with each and every one of them. No one seemed to exercise any editorial discretion to say, "that can be summarized" or "it is perfectly find to leave that out." She will also repeat details at length. Like the gold bracelet in the teacup and then reiterate every detail of it in someone's testimony. It becomes absolutely excruciating to read, and I began to skim.
Our understanding of victim trauma has come a long way since 1973. Clearly in our modern age we would have recognized that Hope was profoundly traumatized by what Walker put her through. I pray that if this had happened today she wouldn't have been incarcerated at all. Hope was clearly also profoundly naive, (she allegedly had an IQ of 183 though.) At points I wanted someone to just shake her by the shoulders, and say, "he killed Bill and he raped you. You know that. He is lying to you. The rest of it is all lies."
There were some aspects that made me wonder if Ted Bundy had read about the Walker case because of the similarities. Bundy also got his record of escapes and prior convictions repressed in his trial in Florida, and chose to represent himself. Having worked in corrections in Illinois I also wondered how many of our rules were put into place because of Walker and his shenanigans. (He was allowed to draw his own blood?! The guards allowed people to wander into his room for chats?! These people then had house keys and credit cards stolen and used in his run from the law. The 70s were clearly a wildly different time.)
The author never tried to psychoanalyze Walker about why he did what he did, most of what I gleaned I got from the interview he did with Unsolved Mysteries. The man clearly loved chaos and drama and using anyone and everyone to achieve his own ends. He is a stone cold psychopathic predator who loved an adrenaline rush. I would have loved to know the stories behind his shooting and stabbing scars. It would seem that at least a couple of times in his life people had seen through him.
I was also hoping for more information on his early life and crimes. That is unfortunately missing, even if Walker, as I would expect, would lie about his childhood, I would still have liked to hear what he had to say -- or what more credible sources like his former teachers/neighbors/parents/childhood friends had to say. At this point, I fear, after so much time has passed those stories are lost to time.
I'm giving this 3 stars because of the amount of research the author did, and because of the fact that she brought me more information on one of the last surviving boogeymen from my childhood. But overall this book is a slog, and if it hadn't been for that connection, I would not have bothered to read it.
November 24, 2020
For reasons I can’t explain, I just don’t get all that excited about true crime books. I’m not sure why I downloaded this one several years ago, but it finally rose to the top of a precariously tall to-read pile.
First, the book was twice as long as it needed to be. A five or six-hour audio book that dealt with this would have been about right. I drifted off way too often. But in fairness to the book, had someone else reviewed this who doesn’t have an anti-true-crime-book bias, that writer would have crafted a much more enthusiastic review.
Hope Masters is a 31-year-old waif who weighs 90 pounds and can dress and look like she’s 15. She has no girlfriends, but she goes from man to man quicker than a COVID particle can get under your doily face mask. A mother of three, Hope is seeing a guy named Bill when all this unfurls. She and Bill go to an isolated house in central California owned partly by her socialite mother. While there, they meet a guy who claims to be a writer doing a story on bachelors. It amuses him that the bachelor he has targeted has a girlfriend, but the story goes on. Before the night ends, the fake writer murders bachelor Bill and rapes Hope. But over time, the two of them get cozy and …
This is just a twisted nasty little book that will leave you yearning for a brain shower. Yes, granted, there’s a hard-working cop in Illinois who has been after the bad guy for a long time, and when law-enforcement officials charge Hope with the murder of her boyfriend, the Illinois cop comes to California convinced that she had help at the very least, and maybe she didn’t kill the guy at all.
First, the book was twice as long as it needed to be. A five or six-hour audio book that dealt with this would have been about right. I drifted off way too often. But in fairness to the book, had someone else reviewed this who doesn’t have an anti-true-crime-book bias, that writer would have crafted a much more enthusiastic review.
Hope Masters is a 31-year-old waif who weighs 90 pounds and can dress and look like she’s 15. She has no girlfriends, but she goes from man to man quicker than a COVID particle can get under your doily face mask. A mother of three, Hope is seeing a guy named Bill when all this unfurls. She and Bill go to an isolated house in central California owned partly by her socialite mother. While there, they meet a guy who claims to be a writer doing a story on bachelors. It amuses him that the bachelor he has targeted has a girlfriend, but the story goes on. Before the night ends, the fake writer murders bachelor Bill and rapes Hope. But over time, the two of them get cozy and …
This is just a twisted nasty little book that will leave you yearning for a brain shower. Yes, granted, there’s a hard-working cop in Illinois who has been after the bad guy for a long time, and when law-enforcement officials charge Hope with the murder of her boyfriend, the Illinois cop comes to California convinced that she had help at the very least, and maybe she didn’t kill the guy at all.
December 11, 2018
A criminal never loses his stripes
The author did a excellent job of taking a string of convoluted mass of lies twists turns u turns and did not attempt to explain it condone it justify it she wrote it exactly how it was presented. Walker is a sociopath, his whole existence was based on his latest stories, so bizarre people believed because he was so convincing. Meeting someone like his can be very scary, confusing and deadly. He was never involved it was a third person an imaginary person, he convinced himself and others believed it was true. Hope Masters should be praising God that she survived this evil person. He could have killed her anytime he wanted. I understand keep friends close but enemies closer knowing he is still locked up. The author did took a major criminal case that would be hard to believe someone could take a persons experience and convince them it did not happen that way how Hope found her way back to reality and chose to oppose Walker in court was very risky. Good read if you like a true crime can’t get truer then this
The author did a excellent job of taking a string of convoluted mass of lies twists turns u turns and did not attempt to explain it condone it justify it she wrote it exactly how it was presented. Walker is a sociopath, his whole existence was based on his latest stories, so bizarre people believed because he was so convincing. Meeting someone like his can be very scary, confusing and deadly. He was never involved it was a third person an imaginary person, he convinced himself and others believed it was true. Hope Masters should be praising God that she survived this evil person. He could have killed her anytime he wanted. I understand keep friends close but enemies closer knowing he is still locked up. The author did took a major criminal case that would be hard to believe someone could take a persons experience and convince them it did not happen that way how Hope found her way back to reality and chose to oppose Walker in court was very risky. Good read if you like a true crime can’t get truer then this
April 5, 2019
Well that was 10 hours of my life I’ll never get back. Incomprehensible and banal book about the most pointless murder in history. I hated or was bored by pretty much everyone in this pathetic excuse for a true crime read. The most forgettable book ever written if you can even say that someone wrote this trash. More like regurgitated it. Please don’t waste your time. Trivial is the only word I can think Of to describe this drivel?. Had I not been spending all my time staying with my partner during a lifetime and unexpected hospitalization I would have dropped this in the trash three chapters in. UGH.
Clearly, the folks who gave this book a good review are unfamiliar with actual writing. I suspect they get all their news from US magazine and Entertainment Tonight and are fascinated by the Kardashian’s.
Clearly, the folks who gave this book a good review are unfamiliar with actual writing. I suspect they get all their news from US magazine and Entertainment Tonight and are fascinated by the Kardashian’s.
October 9, 2019
This book just did not keep me interested. The murder and trial should have been more interesting. I think I just did not care for the author's style. The murder happened in 1973. I have no memory of this. I was in college at the time which might be why. Not very much extra time for TV or newspapers during those years. The person convicted of this murder did end up being the most interesting person in the story.
April 11, 2020
What a story. Even scarier that it's true. What a pure evil man. What a stupid woman!!!!!
crazy man lures couple to a ranch near Porterville then murders man and rapes woman
What happens next is worst nightmare. I don't understand the woman at all, her poor children had to suffer with this not understanding what's going on. I didn't know what was happening most of the time. Whole family dysfunctional to the max.
crazy man lures couple to a ranch near Porterville then murders man and rapes woman
What happens next is worst nightmare. I don't understand the woman at all, her poor children had to suffer with this not understanding what's going on. I didn't know what was happening most of the time. Whole family dysfunctional to the max.
November 7, 2023
Waaaayyyyy too long
I was curious about the case, but gave up halfway through this 550+ pp book. It seems to consist of every thought and every word that came from the people involved. I grew tired of Hope's weak personality and her attachment to a murdering, raping conman/sociopath. I got bored and ran out of patience with the whole thing. It was not shaped into a readable narrative.
I was curious about the case, but gave up halfway through this 550+ pp book. It seems to consist of every thought and every word that came from the people involved. I grew tired of Hope's weak personality and her attachment to a murdering, raping conman/sociopath. I got bored and ran out of patience with the whole thing. It was not shaped into a readable narrative.
November 16, 2023
Unbelievably informative book about a psychopathic killer, one who survived, and those who catch him. The one who survives definitely displays Stockholm syndrome imo. Also, unbelievably detailed, to the point that it completely detracted from the book for me. If it was written as a case study for law endowment it might make sense to include the excruciating amount of detail.
May 3, 2025
I was completely immersed in this story!
From beginning to end, this book had me hooked! It was written so well that I felt like I was there, right in the room with the murderer and his victim and my heart was pounding! For all the twists and turns, knowing it was a true crime made it all the more fascinating! Very well written!
From beginning to end, this book had me hooked! It was written so well that I felt like I was there, right in the room with the murderer and his victim and my heart was pounding! For all the twists and turns, knowing it was a true crime made it all the more fascinating! Very well written!
February 2, 2018
As a lover of true crime novels, I truly enjoyed this book. When Walker takes the stand though...that left my mouth agape.
This was fairly well written, though a little wordy at times. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.
This was fairly well written, though a little wordy at times. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.
June 24, 2024
So bizarre
This story is as twisted as it gets. It is hard to believe it is real. It just shows how there are those people who know how to get people to believe such absurd things. The duped people will do anything based on those impossible stories.
This story is as twisted as it gets. It is hard to believe it is real. It just shows how there are those people who know how to get people to believe such absurd things. The duped people will do anything based on those impossible stories.
August 10, 2024
Readable tale
Good read but seems a little drawn out at times. Covering ground so throughly you could identify each blade of grass. Really interesting story, seemed like a tale of Stockholm syndrome, is a strange form.
Good read but seems a little drawn out at times. Covering ground so throughly you could identify each blade of grass. Really interesting story, seemed like a tale of Stockholm syndrome, is a strange form.
July 12, 2018
Interesting case study of a California murder in the 1960’s. It was well researched and a decent read, though I was ready for it to end.
April 22, 2020
Couldn’t finish. Too weird. Too much detail and back and forth.
November 12, 2023
An astonishing story.
March 25, 2024
Good read
I have started half a dozen books since January, this is the only one I finished. I kept coming back to it.
I have started half a dozen books since January, this is the only one I finished. I kept coming back to it.
July 28, 2024
Very bizarre murder case. Was made into a Lifetime movie with Cheryl Ladd
December 15, 2024
I love true crime books but this one moved at a snail's pace....just too slow for me.
February 14, 2025
unbelievable
The strangest story I’ve ever read about a crime. I was left not truly sure what happened at the crime scene and before the crime happened.
The strangest story I’ve ever read about a crime. I was left not truly sure what happened at the crime scene and before the crime happened.
March 23, 2025
Finally finished!
Waaaaay too long! Skipped over a lot of it. Too hard to stay focused. Got lost several times trying to keep track of who was who and who did what to whom.
Waaaaay too long! Skipped over a lot of it. Too hard to stay focused. Got lost several times trying to keep track of who was who and who did what to whom.
May 28, 2025
Well,that was quite a story. I don’t know what to think, but just telling it was quite a feat.
June 6, 2025
A most convoluted book and a very long read...Did not care for it at all!
March 23, 2017
A fascinating read. The level of detail is staggering.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews