Savage Vengeance

by Gary C. King

Follows the disturbing case of Charles Campbell, who was released after serving only eight years of a thirty-year sentence for rape, and who sought revenge against his victim by brutally murdering her and her young daughter. Original.

Genres: True Crime

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

About the author

Gary C. King is a freelance author and lecturer who has published more than 500 articles in true crime magazines in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He is also the author of several true crime books including: Blood Lust: Portrait of a Serial Sex Killer, Driven to Kill, Web of Deceit, Blind Rage, Savage Vengeance, An Early Grave, The Texas 7, Murder in Hollywood, Angels of Death, Stolen in the Night, Love, Lies, and Murder, An Almost Perfect Murder, Butcher, Rage, The Murder of Meredith Kercher, Crime Scene: True Stories of Crime and Detection, and Murder Most Foul: True Crime Stories of Murder and Mayhem.

Driven to Kill, the story of serial child killer Westley Allan Dodd's killing spree, was nominated for an Anthony Award in the Best True Crime Book category at Bouchercon 25.

Blood Lust: Portrait of a Serial Sex Killer, details the bizarre case of Dayton Leroy Rogers, Oregon's worst serial killer. A German language edition of Blood Lust was published in 1995. Both Blood Lust and Driven to Kill were chosen as featured selections of Doubleday's True Crime Book Club.

King’s television appearances have included Entertainment Tonight, Larry King Live, Inside Edition, Court TV, MSNBC’s Headliners and Legends, E!, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Extra TV, and several other programs. He also frequently provides radio interviews and has given talks at libraries as well as organizations devoted to readers and writers interested in the genre of true crime.

After years of traditional publishing, King recently joined the growing ranks of indie authors.

Reviews

[Ronnie Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books from these authors (Gary C. King & Don Lasseter) and this is definitely one I'd recommend, although it was really frustrating to read about how this psychopath was able to avoid responsibility so often. He made life miserable for many people, including a young woman from Jamestown, North Dakota who was unfortunate enough to cross his path.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Renae Ahlers Wicklund thought that sunny day in December of 1974 would be the worst day of her life. She was at home with her 16-month old daughter when a man burst into the house. He attacked Renae and told her to strip, saying that he would kill her daughter otherwise. He left only after oral sex. Renae ran to the neighbor's house and reported it immediately to the police.

The man was Charles Campbell. Although he was young, only twenty, he had a long record of victimizing women. He had no problems beating them and threatening their children. He was also into drugs and committed burglaries. When he was captured, he was sentenced to many years in prison and Renae finally felt safe.

But Campbell was the kind of man who managed to work the system. Instead of the years he was given, he managed to get out in only seven years although he hadn't been a model prisoner. His first act upon moving to a halfway house? He tracked down Renae, broke in once again and this time killed her, her daughter who was eight by then and a neighbor who came to check on Renae.

Gary King is recognized as one of the genre's best true crime writers. His career has spanned thirty decades and he's written nineteen books as well as writing shorter fiction for true crime magazines and content for the various television shows on true crime channels. It is apparent that he does extensive research and follows the criminal from the crime, through the trial and then gives the reader the disposition of the case. This book is recommended for true crime readers.