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The People vs. the Golden State Killer
“Sacramento DA Thien Ho is a tenacious prosecutor who played a crucial role in putting the Golden State Killer in prison for life. The People vs. the Golden State Killer is a riveting behind-the-scenes account about the investigation, capture, and prosecution of Joseph DeAngelo.”
—Paul Holes, bestselling author of Unmasked
In The People vs. the Golden State Killer, Thien Ho, the current District Attorney of Sacramento, recounts his harrowing and exhilarating experience as the lead prosecutor responsible for capturing and prosecuting Joseph DeAngelo. Referred to at various times by law enforcement and the media as the Visalia Ransacker, the East Bay Rapist, the Original Nightstalker, and finally the Golden State Killer, DeAngelo, a former policeman, is widely considered “one of the most notorious serial predators in American history.”
Ho’s book is the first official account of how the Golden State Killer was apprehended and put behind bars for life. Ho led an elite team of law enforcement from six California prosecutor's offices, using a newly developed tool known as “investigative genetic genealogy” to connect DeAngelo to multiple cold cases stretching back nearly a half century.
Many previous narratives about DeAngelo, including two bestselling books and multiple documentaries, focused largely on the killer and his heinous crimes. This book not only provides hundreds of facts and details never revealed to the public about the Golden State Killer’s crimes, it also presents the real-life story of the people who worked tirelessly to bring DeAngelo to justice. It also offers the unprecedented authorized perspective of three survivors of DeAngelo's crimes who courageously turned their pain into empowerment and activism. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated both by the author and Third State Books to Phyllis’s Garden, a nonprofit advocating for victims’ rights begun in honor of a GSK survivor.
The People vs. the Golden State Killer also recounts Ho’s fascinating personal journey, from escaping communist Vietnam with his family as a child to working his way up from an internship to an elite homicide division and eventually becoming one of only ten Asian American district attorneys out of 2,400 nationwide.
—Paul Holes, bestselling author of Unmasked
In The People vs. the Golden State Killer, Thien Ho, the current District Attorney of Sacramento, recounts his harrowing and exhilarating experience as the lead prosecutor responsible for capturing and prosecuting Joseph DeAngelo. Referred to at various times by law enforcement and the media as the Visalia Ransacker, the East Bay Rapist, the Original Nightstalker, and finally the Golden State Killer, DeAngelo, a former policeman, is widely considered “one of the most notorious serial predators in American history.”
Ho’s book is the first official account of how the Golden State Killer was apprehended and put behind bars for life. Ho led an elite team of law enforcement from six California prosecutor's offices, using a newly developed tool known as “investigative genetic genealogy” to connect DeAngelo to multiple cold cases stretching back nearly a half century.
Many previous narratives about DeAngelo, including two bestselling books and multiple documentaries, focused largely on the killer and his heinous crimes. This book not only provides hundreds of facts and details never revealed to the public about the Golden State Killer’s crimes, it also presents the real-life story of the people who worked tirelessly to bring DeAngelo to justice. It also offers the unprecedented authorized perspective of three survivors of DeAngelo's crimes who courageously turned their pain into empowerment and activism. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated both by the author and Third State Books to Phyllis’s Garden, a nonprofit advocating for victims’ rights begun in honor of a GSK survivor.
The People vs. the Golden State Killer also recounts Ho’s fascinating personal journey, from escaping communist Vietnam with his family as a child to working his way up from an internship to an elite homicide division and eventually becoming one of only ten Asian American district attorneys out of 2,400 nationwide.
292 pages, Hardcover
Published November 11, 2025
63 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 27, 2025
I received an advanced reader copy after hearing the author speak at the 2025 American Library Association annual conference. Fascinating presentation, which made me want to read the book.
As someone who did not grow up in California, I had really only heard the name Golden State Killer but didn’t know much about the case.
Thien Ho lays out the case in a way that makes you want to know the outcome, without just jumping on the Internet to learn the outcome. Hopefully the victims and their families find peace.
Well written.
As someone who did not grow up in California, I had really only heard the name Golden State Killer but didn’t know much about the case.
Thien Ho lays out the case in a way that makes you want to know the outcome, without just jumping on the Internet to learn the outcome. Hopefully the victims and their families find peace.
Well written.
November 10, 2025
BOOK✶REVIEW
#ad much love for my finished copy @booksforwardpr #partner
🆃🅷🅴 🅿🅴🅾🅿🅻🅴 🆅🆂 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅾🅻🅳🅴🅽 🆂🆃🅰🆃🅴 🅺🅸🅻🅻🅴🆁
< @thirdstatebooks >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ɴᴏᴠᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 𝟣𝟣, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟧
ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ | ꜱᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀꜱ | ᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴏʟᴏɢʏ
𝟤𝟪𝟫 ᴘᴀɢᴇꜱ
The People vs The Golden State Killer is told to us by Thien Ho - the Sacramento DA who prosecuted Joseph DeAngelo (the Golden State Killer).
While there have been several different books written on this serial killer, this is the first that goes inside the police investigation, inside the courtroom, inside the search of his house, inside his police interview room, inside the legal strategies used to find him guilty, and so much more.
While most of you know I have major issues with our justice system. I feel it’s a racist and flawed system, but when it comes to cases like this one - I’d like to say that they got it right. This is what our justice system should be used for, what it should look like when it does work. Even if it took 40+ years to unmask this sadistic killer, stalker, and predator.
I enjoyed reading about the author’s own life, the many pictures that are included in this book, and how it’s written and told. This is a solid book that I think you’d enjoy greatly - if true crime is your thing.
The book covers his crimes - from the very beginning to the end. We’re taken back to the mid 70’s, through more current times, and into the complex web that is this case and the trial. It’s truly a fascinating but brutal read.
#thepeoplevsthegoldenstatekiller #booksforward
#ad much love for my finished copy @booksforwardpr #partner
🆃🅷🅴 🅿🅴🅾🅿🅻🅴 🆅🆂 🆃🅷🅴 🅶🅾🅻🅳🅴🅽 🆂🆃🅰🆃🅴 🅺🅸🅻🅻🅴🆁
< @thirdstatebooks >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ɴᴏᴠᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 𝟣𝟣, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟧
ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ | ꜱᴇʀɪᴀʟ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀꜱ | ᴄʀɪᴍɪɴᴏʟᴏɢʏ
𝟤𝟪𝟫 ᴘᴀɢᴇꜱ
The People vs The Golden State Killer is told to us by Thien Ho - the Sacramento DA who prosecuted Joseph DeAngelo (the Golden State Killer).
While there have been several different books written on this serial killer, this is the first that goes inside the police investigation, inside the courtroom, inside the search of his house, inside his police interview room, inside the legal strategies used to find him guilty, and so much more.
While most of you know I have major issues with our justice system. I feel it’s a racist and flawed system, but when it comes to cases like this one - I’d like to say that they got it right. This is what our justice system should be used for, what it should look like when it does work. Even if it took 40+ years to unmask this sadistic killer, stalker, and predator.
I enjoyed reading about the author’s own life, the many pictures that are included in this book, and how it’s written and told. This is a solid book that I think you’d enjoy greatly - if true crime is your thing.
The book covers his crimes - from the very beginning to the end. We’re taken back to the mid 70’s, through more current times, and into the complex web that is this case and the trial. It’s truly a fascinating but brutal read.
#thepeoplevsthegoldenstatekiller #booksforward
November 9, 2025
I recieved an ARC of The People vs. the Golden State Killer by Thien Ho from Books Forward. So thanks to Books Forward and Ho for giving me the opportunity to read this before its release!
This book goes back and forth between discussion the case of the Golden State Killer from beginning to end and Ho's past and upbringing, which happened during GSK's terror spree. Ho details things from the events of the crime, to how evidence is collected and processed, to all of the intricacies and politics within the justice system. Ho doesn't shy away from addressing corruption and political games during and after the case, as well.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ho greatly focuses on the victims that have been effected by the crimes. Ho takes a lot of care to present the survivors, their experiences, and their involvement is putting GSK behind bars. He even included copies of their victim impact statements towards the end of the book. I really got the feeling that it was very intentional for Ho to do this as throughout the book Ho discusses the lack of care victims have been given in the past and present. I really appreciated this and Ho also mentioned that proceeds from the book will be donated to a nonprofit that the survivors created, aimed to provide a better experience for survivors of crimes during police interviews.
Ho also does not present himself as the "sole" prosecutor or person responsible for putting GSK away. He mentions and gives credit to everyone involved from his office's secretary to the social workers that checked in with the victims as the trialed is prepped and carried out.
This is how a true crime or criminology books should be written.
This book goes back and forth between discussion the case of the Golden State Killer from beginning to end and Ho's past and upbringing, which happened during GSK's terror spree. Ho details things from the events of the crime, to how evidence is collected and processed, to all of the intricacies and politics within the justice system. Ho doesn't shy away from addressing corruption and political games during and after the case, as well.
My favorite thing about this book is that Ho greatly focuses on the victims that have been effected by the crimes. Ho takes a lot of care to present the survivors, their experiences, and their involvement is putting GSK behind bars. He even included copies of their victim impact statements towards the end of the book. I really got the feeling that it was very intentional for Ho to do this as throughout the book Ho discusses the lack of care victims have been given in the past and present. I really appreciated this and Ho also mentioned that proceeds from the book will be donated to a nonprofit that the survivors created, aimed to provide a better experience for survivors of crimes during police interviews.
Ho also does not present himself as the "sole" prosecutor or person responsible for putting GSK away. He mentions and gives credit to everyone involved from his office's secretary to the social workers that checked in with the victims as the trialed is prepped and carried out.
This is how a true crime or criminology books should be written.
October 31, 2025
Reading The People vs. the Golden State Killer by Thien Ho felt like pulling back the curtain on one of the most chilling chapters in American criminal history and realizing the true heroes were the people working tirelessly behind the scenes.
I’ve read and watched more than my fair share of true crime stories about Joseph DeAngelo, but Ho’s account is something entirely different. This isn’t another retelling of the Golden State Killer’s atrocities; it's a deeply personal, behind-the-scenes chronicle of how justice was finally delivered after decades of fear, mystery, and cold leads.
Ho’s perspective as the lead prosecutor adds a layer of intensity that only someone who lived it could capture. From the use of investigative genetic genealogy, a revolutionary tool that cracked the case wide open to the emotional toll of hearing survivors’ testimonies, every chapter pulsed with urgency and empathy. I found myself awed not only by the precision of the investigation but also by Ho’s humanity. He never sensationalizes the horror; instead, he focuses on the courage of survivors and the collective determination of those who refused to let this case fade into history.
And then there’s Ho’s own journey from fleeing communist Vietnam as a child to becoming one of only ten Asian American district attorneys in the entire country. His story adds an unexpected and moving dimension to the book. It’s both an incredible American success story and a reminder that justice is carried out by real people with their own histories, fears, and hopes.
This book gripped me, inspired me, and left me thinking long after I closed it. It’s part courtroom drama, part detective story, and part testament to human resilience.
⚡️Thank you Books Forward PR, Third State Books and Thien Ho for sharing this book with me!
I’ve read and watched more than my fair share of true crime stories about Joseph DeAngelo, but Ho’s account is something entirely different. This isn’t another retelling of the Golden State Killer’s atrocities; it's a deeply personal, behind-the-scenes chronicle of how justice was finally delivered after decades of fear, mystery, and cold leads.
Ho’s perspective as the lead prosecutor adds a layer of intensity that only someone who lived it could capture. From the use of investigative genetic genealogy, a revolutionary tool that cracked the case wide open to the emotional toll of hearing survivors’ testimonies, every chapter pulsed with urgency and empathy. I found myself awed not only by the precision of the investigation but also by Ho’s humanity. He never sensationalizes the horror; instead, he focuses on the courage of survivors and the collective determination of those who refused to let this case fade into history.
And then there’s Ho’s own journey from fleeing communist Vietnam as a child to becoming one of only ten Asian American district attorneys in the entire country. His story adds an unexpected and moving dimension to the book. It’s both an incredible American success story and a reminder that justice is carried out by real people with their own histories, fears, and hopes.
This book gripped me, inspired me, and left me thinking long after I closed it. It’s part courtroom drama, part detective story, and part testament to human resilience.
⚡️Thank you Books Forward PR, Third State Books and Thien Ho for sharing this book with me!
November 14, 2025
An enveloping read about one of the most notorious crime cases across multiple counties, four decades, and dozens of victims to ever be tried in California.
Ho take readers on the backroads to the hunt for the culprit who went by several names as he spread his crime across several locales. Readers also experience the tremendous time, effort, and coordination to bring DeAngelo to trial and to ensure he never leaves prison.
For someone who terrorized neighborhoods for two decades DeAngelo is the lowliest of the lowest cowards and hats off to every person who worked tirelessly to track him down and prosecute him.
Thanks Books Forward and Third State Books for the advance copy.
Ho take readers on the backroads to the hunt for the culprit who went by several names as he spread his crime across several locales. Readers also experience the tremendous time, effort, and coordination to bring DeAngelo to trial and to ensure he never leaves prison.
For someone who terrorized neighborhoods for two decades DeAngelo is the lowliest of the lowest cowards and hats off to every person who worked tirelessly to track him down and prosecute him.
Thanks Books Forward and Third State Books for the advance copy.
November 10, 2025
The People vs The Golden State Killer 4.5/5⭐️ I absolutely loved this book! The way Thein talked about the victims and the senseless things done to them was beautiful. His compassion for these people really showed through his writing. I pleasantly surprised by how he chose to create the time line in the book. The time skips between the 1970s and 80s to 2018 flowed seamlessly. Overall very well done!
The only reason it did not get a full five out of five stars is us glasses wearers need bigger print. I wish good reads would let me put half stars so it’s in the review!
The only reason it did not get a full five out of five stars is us glasses wearers need bigger print. I wish good reads would let me put half stars so it’s in the review!
Want to read
September 25, 2025as someone that closely followed this case, i'm excited to read this!
December 17, 2025
There wasn’t much in terms of new information. It was interesting to see how things unfolded behind the scenes, though.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews