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The Deadly Dozen: America's 12 Worst Serial Killers
The Shocking True Crime Stories of the 12 Worst Serial Killers in American HistoryDavid Berkowitz: Known as the “Son of Sam,” Berkowitz was a deeply disturbed young man who prowled the streets of New York dispensing death with his .44 caliber revolver.
William Bonin: One of a trio of deadly psychopaths who trawled the freeways of Southern California during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bonin was a depraved child killer who abducted, raped and tortured more than 20 teenaged boys.
The Boston Strangler: Albert De Salvo took the fall but most experts agree that he was not the Strangler. So who was the real killer? And how did he get away with the series of brutal murders that so terrified the citizens of Boston?
Ted Bundy: Charming, intelligent and lethal, Bundy is America’s most notorious serial killer, a deadly fiend who cut a swathe of destruction across the country, raping, killing and committing necrophilia on his young victims.
Dean Corll: Along with two willing teenaged accomplices, Corll orchestrated what was at the time the biggest murder spree in American history, raping torturing and killing at least 25 young boys.
Jeffrey Dahmer: Hideously depraved killer who preyed on young homosexual men in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, cannibalizing them and conducting bizarre experiments on their bodies.
Albert Fish: He looked like a frail old man, but Albert Fish was actually a psychotic child killer and torturer, with a taste for human flesh.
John Wayne Gacy: Cold-hearted killer who raped, tortured and strangled at least 33 young men, burying their bodies in the crawlspace of his Chicago house.
Randy Kraft: The least well known of California’s three “Freeway Killers.” And yet Kraft was both the most prolific and the most depraved, responsible for the torture killings of as many as 67 young men.
Dennis Rader: Known as the “BTK Killer” (after his Bind, Torture, Kill) Radar held the citizens of Wichita, Kansas in a state of fear for over 30 years, during which time he claimed 10 known victims.
Richard Ramirez: A satanic burglar who went by the terrifying sobriquet, “The Night Stalker,” Ramirez raped, battered, shot and stabbed his victims during a bloody reign of terror in 1980’s Los Angeles.
Gary Ridgeway: As the horrific “Green River Killer,” Ridgeway engaged the Washington police in a deadly game of cat and mouse, claiming more that 60 victims over two decades.
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Scroll up to grab a copy of The Deadly America’s 12 Worst Serial Killers
Book Series by Robert Keller
Most of my works cover serial killers, while the “Murder Most Vile” series covers individual true crime stories. These are the main collections;
American Monsters50 American Serial Killers You’ve Probably Never Heard OfMurder Most VileHuman MonstersBritish MonstersAustralian MonstersCanadian MonstersGerman MonstersCannibal KillersPlus various other standalone books, including the The Deadly Dozen, which is available as a free download on Amazon, and Serial
William Bonin: One of a trio of deadly psychopaths who trawled the freeways of Southern California during the late 70’s and early 80’s. Bonin was a depraved child killer who abducted, raped and tortured more than 20 teenaged boys.
The Boston Strangler: Albert De Salvo took the fall but most experts agree that he was not the Strangler. So who was the real killer? And how did he get away with the series of brutal murders that so terrified the citizens of Boston?
Ted Bundy: Charming, intelligent and lethal, Bundy is America’s most notorious serial killer, a deadly fiend who cut a swathe of destruction across the country, raping, killing and committing necrophilia on his young victims.
Dean Corll: Along with two willing teenaged accomplices, Corll orchestrated what was at the time the biggest murder spree in American history, raping torturing and killing at least 25 young boys.
Jeffrey Dahmer: Hideously depraved killer who preyed on young homosexual men in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, cannibalizing them and conducting bizarre experiments on their bodies.
Albert Fish: He looked like a frail old man, but Albert Fish was actually a psychotic child killer and torturer, with a taste for human flesh.
John Wayne Gacy: Cold-hearted killer who raped, tortured and strangled at least 33 young men, burying their bodies in the crawlspace of his Chicago house.
Randy Kraft: The least well known of California’s three “Freeway Killers.” And yet Kraft was both the most prolific and the most depraved, responsible for the torture killings of as many as 67 young men.
Dennis Rader: Known as the “BTK Killer” (after his Bind, Torture, Kill) Radar held the citizens of Wichita, Kansas in a state of fear for over 30 years, during which time he claimed 10 known victims.
Richard Ramirez: A satanic burglar who went by the terrifying sobriquet, “The Night Stalker,” Ramirez raped, battered, shot and stabbed his victims during a bloody reign of terror in 1980’s Los Angeles.
Gary Ridgeway: As the horrific “Green River Killer,” Ridgeway engaged the Washington police in a deadly game of cat and mouse, claiming more that 60 victims over two decades.
˃˃˃
˃˃˃
˃˃˃
Scroll up to grab a copy of The Deadly America’s 12 Worst Serial Killers
Book Series by Robert Keller
Most of my works cover serial killers, while the “Murder Most Vile” series covers individual true crime stories. These are the main collections;
American Monsters50 American Serial Killers You’ve Probably Never Heard OfMurder Most VileHuman MonstersBritish MonstersAustralian MonstersCanadian MonstersGerman MonstersCannibal KillersPlus various other standalone books, including the The Deadly Dozen, which is available as a free download on Amazon, and Serial
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
June 26, 2024
This is really just a summary, if you're looking for in-depth details on the serial killers this is not the book.
It is however very readable and quite interesting although in the end all the serials merge into one as it's not detailed enough for any particular criminal to stand out in your mind.
Three stars.
It is however very readable and quite interesting although in the end all the serials merge into one as it's not detailed enough for any particular criminal to stand out in your mind.
Three stars.
March 17, 2016
This was a very quick recap of America's worst serial killers, a very quick, not too much detail and not enough description into the psyche of the killers, which I found was a little disappointing. The book describes mostly the killings or attempts around the time the killers are caught. It wasn't bad, eh, but it wasn't my favorite either.
July 30, 2017
A decent beginners guide to true crime and the serial killer phenomenon. Of each of the twelve cases, a basic history is given to each man and the author describes their crimes some in more graphic detail than others.
It's a short read and ideal for those who don't want to delve too deep into the crimes. The author ends with his own analysis of why serial killers emerge and compares similarities in their backgrounds (such as abusive childhoods, head injuries and overprotective mothers).
As I prefer more detailed accounts of true crime I refrain from rating this higher. The authors writing is good, I was just left wanting more.
It's a short read and ideal for those who don't want to delve too deep into the crimes. The author ends with his own analysis of why serial killers emerge and compares similarities in their backgrounds (such as abusive childhoods, head injuries and overprotective mothers).
As I prefer more detailed accounts of true crime I refrain from rating this higher. The authors writing is good, I was just left wanting more.
June 16, 2016
This book is among the best of kindle freebies. I couldn't put it down. It is really detailed (maybe WAY too detailed), which gives the reader a complete idea of these horrible and violent crimes. Also, it makes us understand the inside of the mind of notorious serial killers.
I was kind of frustrated at first, because I thought that others like Ed Gein and Fred and Rosemary West had to be in the list. Then I found out there is a Volume 2. So, we're good.
Finally, I absolutely loved the epilogue. Why do people kill? Are there people who are just born evil? What's there to blame? And, are all humans capable of these horrendous things? What do they all have in common?
Those common questions are really well answered. It was a book full of information and details about the lives and crimes of America's Worst Serial Killers.
Recommended for all true crime fans.
I was kind of frustrated at first, because I thought that others like Ed Gein and Fred and Rosemary West had to be in the list. Then I found out there is a Volume 2. So, we're good.
Finally, I absolutely loved the epilogue. Why do people kill? Are there people who are just born evil? What's there to blame? And, are all humans capable of these horrendous things? What do they all have in common?
Those common questions are really well answered. It was a book full of information and details about the lives and crimes of America's Worst Serial Killers.
Recommended for all true crime fans.
October 15, 2017
Excellent short synopsis of 12 vicious men
These stories were well written but very short on the details of police efforts to capture these various villains. The tales were crammed with the names and dispatch methods of, over the entire volume, hundreds of victims. No effort was made to humanize the victims, nor the killers. These were more like magazine or newspaper items. But the overall effect was quite intense.
These stories were well written but very short on the details of police efforts to capture these various villains. The tales were crammed with the names and dispatch methods of, over the entire volume, hundreds of victims. No effort was made to humanize the victims, nor the killers. These were more like magazine or newspaper items. But the overall effect was quite intense.
August 5, 2019
This book summarises the 12 of the biggest names of American serial killers. A fascinating read. It doesn't go into too much detail so is ideal for someone looking for a quick read. I found it well written and it was interesting to read about names that I hadn't previously heard of. I would definitely read more by this author and Reccomend this book to any fans of true crime books.
June 22, 2015
Knowledgeable
Mr. Keller kept it real. It wasn't like reading a documentary. He will draw you in by his writing style. This made me emotional just thinking of those families.
Mr. Keller kept it real. It wasn't like reading a documentary. He will draw you in by his writing style. This made me emotional just thinking of those families.
May 12, 2022
5 stars
People are extremely disgusting.
People are extremely disgusting.
September 13, 2015
The purpose of a short overview of only twelve serial killers escapes me, because I presume there are tomes referencing every single American serial killer (or at least most of them) and acting as introductions. I was testing Kindle in my phone the other day, and this was available for free in Amazon's Kindle books, so I figured I wouldn't be losing anything by at least trying this out.
Well, I did finish this, since I was morbidly curious about how much the level of craziness would grow, but otherwise I have to say I wasn't particularly impressed.
Obviously, there are interesting details here. John Gacy performed as a clown, and was known as an outgoing and succesful businessman. One of Jeffrey Dahmer's drugged victims escaped and the police believed he was his lover, because Dahmer (who worked at a chocolate factory at one point) was so well-spoken and calm, but if they had checked his apartment when they escorted them back there, they would've found the decomposing body of one of his latest victims on the bedroom floor. Well, later this happened: "There's a goddamn head in the refrigerator!". Ted Bundy worked at Seattle's Suicide Hotline crisis center, and earned a commendation from the police for saving a toddler. David Berkowitz had no success with women, so he decided to off them instead.
All these, however, I'd rather read from a proper and coherent reference book, or from an individual biography of one of the killers. Keller's approach is much too simplistic and, as he admits, subjective. A bit more polishing would have been great, too, since there's repetition in the parts where the victims are listed. It's all and well to note every single victim and treat them with respect, but at least a bit of variation sentence-wise would have been nice. I found no reason why one should read this instead of a Wikipedia article.
Well, I did finish this, since I was morbidly curious about how much the level of craziness would grow, but otherwise I have to say I wasn't particularly impressed.
Obviously, there are interesting details here. John Gacy performed as a clown, and was known as an outgoing and succesful businessman. One of Jeffrey Dahmer's drugged victims escaped and the police believed he was his lover, because Dahmer (who worked at a chocolate factory at one point) was so well-spoken and calm, but if they had checked his apartment when they escorted them back there, they would've found the decomposing body of one of his latest victims on the bedroom floor. Well, later this happened: "There's a goddamn head in the refrigerator!". Ted Bundy worked at Seattle's Suicide Hotline crisis center, and earned a commendation from the police for saving a toddler. David Berkowitz had no success with women, so he decided to off them instead.
All these, however, I'd rather read from a proper and coherent reference book, or from an individual biography of one of the killers. Keller's approach is much too simplistic and, as he admits, subjective. A bit more polishing would have been great, too, since there's repetition in the parts where the victims are listed. It's all and well to note every single victim and treat them with respect, but at least a bit of variation sentence-wise would have been nice. I found no reason why one should read this instead of a Wikipedia article.
May 31, 2018
I have to admire the tenacity of the author in pulling all these facts together into one volume. It could have been an interesting and informative read. However, it needed much stricter editing than it has clearly had to link everything together into some sort of coherent narrative rather than, as one reviewer has already said, something resembling a series of Wiki entries. I would be slightly harsher and say a series of rough drafts for Wiki entries.
It's written in a style rather reminiscent of those Monday morning diaries we did at school. 'On x-day, he killed xxx. Then two days later he killed xxx. A day after that he killed xxx' and so on. As the book refers to some of the best-known serial killers in history, most people will probably know a lot of the details anyway.
Interestingly, in the summing-up at the end, the author himself refers to this an an 'article', and that's rather the impression it gives. Someone deeply interested in a subject putting facts together to share with others.
Once Keller moves away from facts and onto some sort of speculative conclusion, he does tend to lose his way. This is where an experienced editor could have guided him into a slightly better presentation. It's repetitive. It's also contradictory. He gives, early on, the FBI definition of a serial killer as being someone who has killed at least three times. Yet in the summary he refers to Mary Bell who killed only twice.
Two well-merited stars for the effort which has gone into this book but for me the writing style let it down too much to warrant any more than that.
It's written in a style rather reminiscent of those Monday morning diaries we did at school. 'On x-day, he killed xxx. Then two days later he killed xxx. A day after that he killed xxx' and so on. As the book refers to some of the best-known serial killers in history, most people will probably know a lot of the details anyway.
Interestingly, in the summing-up at the end, the author himself refers to this an an 'article', and that's rather the impression it gives. Someone deeply interested in a subject putting facts together to share with others.
Once Keller moves away from facts and onto some sort of speculative conclusion, he does tend to lose his way. This is where an experienced editor could have guided him into a slightly better presentation. It's repetitive. It's also contradictory. He gives, early on, the FBI definition of a serial killer as being someone who has killed at least three times. Yet in the summary he refers to Mary Bell who killed only twice.
Two well-merited stars for the effort which has gone into this book but for me the writing style let it down too much to warrant any more than that.
February 24, 2016
Great Book!!!!!!
A detailed look into the 12 worse serial killers of history. They include Ted Bundy Jeffrey Damer BTK Dennis Rader Richard Ramirez Wayne Gacey justs to name a few. The lives and details of these killers will amaze you. A interesting and amazing book a Must Read for all True Crime Lovers.
A detailed look into the 12 worse serial killers of history. They include Ted Bundy Jeffrey Damer BTK Dennis Rader Richard Ramirez Wayne Gacey justs to name a few. The lives and details of these killers will amaze you. A interesting and amazing book a Must Read for all True Crime Lovers.
January 14, 2018
Excellent Book.
Well written. If you can stomach the horrific crimes, the author does an amazing job in giving the reader the information without glorifying the monstrous creatures that created the crimes. As well as scripting plenty enough knowledge without any extra unnecessary details mocking up the story. If you're curious in the title this book covers it.
Well written. If you can stomach the horrific crimes, the author does an amazing job in giving the reader the information without glorifying the monstrous creatures that created the crimes. As well as scripting plenty enough knowledge without any extra unnecessary details mocking up the story. If you're curious in the title this book covers it.
December 18, 2016
This was a kindle freebie and a good one. I have a morbid curiosity for serial killers. What makes them do the horrendous things they do? This book had some killers I've never heard of and some I already know about. But I learned more gruesome details. It's sick and twisted and oddly fascinating.
February 10, 2017
I loved it.if your in to reading true crime then you should check this one out.
July 1, 2018
A good introduction to serial killers with a short recap of the men Robert Keller considers America's worst serial killers. I also liked the way he added the section about serial killers in general.
June 29, 2019
The chapter stories that interested me the most are: Dean Arnold Corll; Gary Leon Ridgway; Randy Steven Kraft; Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramírez
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material (LGBTQ, child verbal/mental/physical/sexual abuse, human sex slavery, prostitution, & trafficking) which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written true crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great true crime thriller movie, PP presentation, or better yet a mini TV series or even a documentary (True Crime; American Crime Story). There are no references, works cited, or endnotes so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; eBookStage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material (LGBTQ, child verbal/mental/physical/sexual abuse, human sex slavery, prostitution, & trafficking) which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written true crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great true crime thriller movie, PP presentation, or better yet a mini TV series or even a documentary (True Crime; American Crime Story). There are no references, works cited, or endnotes so I will only rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free author; eBookStage; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
January 19, 2021
OMG!!!
Don’t ask me why I’m so shocked after reading this book about the 12 worst serial killers of USA.. like, what did I expect?? But I was NOT ready for this (my fault).
I didn’t know almost any of the serial killers mentioned in the book. I’m shocked and disgusted to read how bad humanity can behave. Reading about the tortures that these beings have done to young boys and girls almost made me literally sick. I thought more than once to leave the book without finishing it.
Each chapter is dedicated to a serial killer, so it’s about 10 pages each. Therefore there aren’t many details about the murders, police investigations or court proceedings, but there are mainly name of victims, ages and brief descriptions on how they were killed. At the beginning I thought the lack of information was a flaw of the book, now I’m quite glad I didn’t read of all the details.
So personal feelings and emotions apart, as per above, I think this book is more of an introduction to these particular 12 serial killers. An introduction that was revolting and horrifying enough for me.
Don’t ask me why I’m so shocked after reading this book about the 12 worst serial killers of USA.. like, what did I expect?? But I was NOT ready for this (my fault).
I didn’t know almost any of the serial killers mentioned in the book. I’m shocked and disgusted to read how bad humanity can behave. Reading about the tortures that these beings have done to young boys and girls almost made me literally sick. I thought more than once to leave the book without finishing it.
Each chapter is dedicated to a serial killer, so it’s about 10 pages each. Therefore there aren’t many details about the murders, police investigations or court proceedings, but there are mainly name of victims, ages and brief descriptions on how they were killed. At the beginning I thought the lack of information was a flaw of the book, now I’m quite glad I didn’t read of all the details.
So personal feelings and emotions apart, as per above, I think this book is more of an introduction to these particular 12 serial killers. An introduction that was revolting and horrifying enough for me.
August 9, 2019
A good introduction to some of America's most prolific serial killers. A bit like an encyclopedia of evil doers, each gets a few pages laying out what they did and to whom, and how they were eventually caught. Many I was familiar with but a few, like Albert Fish, were new to me.
November 8, 2019
Pretty good, but you probably know these cases
Keller tells a good story, but if you read a lot of true crime books, you are certainly familiar with these cases. I would definitely read other books by this author, however.
Keller tells a good story, but if you read a lot of true crime books, you are certainly familiar with these cases. I would definitely read other books by this author, however.
February 6, 2021
It's always hard to read about some of the biggest monsters to exist but this author has a great ability and be doesn't go into too much details. I like the short quick glimpse into the crimes and the lives of these people
June 2, 2024
This was such a very interesting and informative book. I learnt about some serial killers I have never heard about before. Some serial killers are just plain evil and nasty and don’t deserve to be alive as they’re sick and twisted. I am always so intrigued about people and what makes them bad. Overall very good book. Xxx
February 11, 2018
Interesting and entertaining read.
June 21, 2024
This was disappointing. It was more like a list of facts with no interpretation and no interesting information.
November 5, 2024
An Okay Start to a True Crime Journey
This read a lot like a rather long magazine article instead of a book. It mostly just lists the killers, their victims, and what became of them. But it never goes into deep detail on anything.
This read a lot like a rather long magazine article instead of a book. It mostly just lists the killers, their victims, and what became of them. But it never goes into deep detail on anything.
May 1, 2018
This was OK. I am not a huge fan of true crime, but I needed a book to complete a task in the read harder challenge and this was available and it sounded interesting. However, it was hard to read the murders details. I hated them.
July 6, 2017
Reader beware if you are squeamish or prone to nightmares to not pick up this book even if you think you may be able to handle it. After normally one or two entries I would have to set the book down to get my thoughts away from the gruesomely disgusting acts that were being recorded within the pages.
The writing isn't the best that there is since of the fact there is no emotional depth into it whether it was trying to portray the victim and/or killer as a normal person twisted by the circumstances of life into their frightening role. Instead it was just a bland listing almost of the crime - what happened, who died, when and how or where the victim was found. And then a quick cap of what it took to capture the serial killer, how it was achieved, the sentencing if there was one and the results.
Parts of the chapter would give a brief look into the younger life and even the adult years of the serial killer before they started on their murderous spree but it was quick facts without a thought to the person that was there. Then again do murderers really deserve an attempt at making them human before darkness invades.
Another thing the last chapter - "What Makes A Serial Killer?" - should have been included at the beginning of the book in my opinion before exploring these notorious men. All in all, though, a somewhat decent read for those who are into gruesomely detailed true crime.
The writing isn't the best that there is since of the fact there is no emotional depth into it whether it was trying to portray the victim and/or killer as a normal person twisted by the circumstances of life into their frightening role. Instead it was just a bland listing almost of the crime - what happened, who died, when and how or where the victim was found. And then a quick cap of what it took to capture the serial killer, how it was achieved, the sentencing if there was one and the results.
Parts of the chapter would give a brief look into the younger life and even the adult years of the serial killer before they started on their murderous spree but it was quick facts without a thought to the person that was there. Then again do murderers really deserve an attempt at making them human before darkness invades.
Another thing the last chapter - "What Makes A Serial Killer?" - should have been included at the beginning of the book in my opinion before exploring these notorious men. All in all, though, a somewhat decent read for those who are into gruesomely detailed true crime.
April 24, 2018
Informative true crime book!
I gave The Deadly Dozen: America's 12 Worst Serial Killers ( American Serial Killers) a 5 star rating because it was truly informative. I have read about some of these criminals before but I learned new details about them from reading this book. I will warn interested readers though, it is very graphic at times. This was the first book I read from this author but I will definitely read more. I recommend this book to people who like to read about true crime.
I gave The Deadly Dozen: America's 12 Worst Serial Killers ( American Serial Killers) a 5 star rating because it was truly informative. I have read about some of these criminals before but I learned new details about them from reading this book. I will warn interested readers though, it is very graphic at times. This was the first book I read from this author but I will definitely read more. I recommend this book to people who like to read about true crime.
April 24, 2018
A really fascinating insight into how the deadly dozen became the depraved sadistic monsters.
Not for the faint hearted as the details of the murders are very grisly but gives the reader an insight in to their psychosis.
A quick but very interesting read
Not for the faint hearted as the details of the murders are very grisly but gives the reader an insight in to their psychosis.
A quick but very interesting read
June 25, 2019
A general overview of 12 serial killers. Exactly what is says on the tin. I don't think you'll learn anything from this book, even after reading it I couldn't say I remember any that I didn't know of before.
October 26, 2016
Basic overview of 12 American serial killers. Some rad as just lists of victims with little details interspersed between the names.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews