A Monster Of All Time: The True Story of Danny Rolling, The Gainesville Ripper

by J.T. Hunter, R.J. Parker, Bettye McKee (Editor)

Ambitious, attractive, and full of potential, five young college students prepared for the new semester. They dreamed of beginning careers and starting families. They had a lifetime of experiences in front of them. But death came without warning in the dark of the night.

Brutally ending five promising lives, leaving behind three gruesome crime scenes, the Gainesville Ripper terrorized the University of Florida, casting an ominous shadow across a frightened college town.

What evil lurked inside him? What demons drove him to kill? What made him 'A Monster of All Time'?

JT Hunter is a bestselling true crime author and attorney living in Florida. His books include:

Devil in The Darkness: True Story of Serial Killer ISRAEL KEYES
The Country Boy Killer: The True Story of Serial Killer Cody Legebokoff
In Colder Blood: True Story of the Walker Family Murder as depicted in Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood
Deadly Deception: True Story of Tampa Serial Killer, Bobby Joe Long
Death Row Romeo: The True Story of Serial Killer Oscar Ray Bolin
The Vampire Next Door: True Story of the Vampire Rapist and Serial Killer

All JT's books are available on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback and Audiobook editions

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Thriller, Suspense, Ebooks

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 4, 2018

About the author

J.T. Hunter is an attorney with over fourteen years of experience practicing law, including criminal law and appeals, and he has significant training in criminal investigation techniques. He is also a college professor in Florida where his teaching interests focus on the intersection of criminal psychology, law, and literature.

JT's bestselling true crime books include:

Devil in The Darkness: True Story of Serial Killer ISRAEL KEYES
The Country Boy Killer: The True Story of Serial Killer Cody Legebokoff
In Colder Blood: True Story of the Walker Family Murder as depicted in Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood
Deadly Deception: True Story of Tampa Serial Killer, Bobby Joe Long
Death Row Romeo: The True Story of Serial Killer Oscar Ray Bolin
The Vampire Next Door: True Story of the Vampire Rapist and Serial Killer

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would think there is no one in Florida who hasn’t heard of Danny Rolling and seeing I live here, I wanted to know more. A book taking place in a familiar location has that little bit extra.

Serial killers….Nature? Nurture? Born evil? Made evil? We can beat the subject to death, but to me the plain truth is…they made the choice…and they need to pay the price for that choice.

J T Hunter covered all the basics and then some. I want to know what makes the bad guy tick, but will that ever really be known? And what makes a woman want to be his penpal, his fiancee, his wife? Now, that, I will never understand. And that raises the question of rights. Why should we make the criminal comfortable and be treated fairly, when he…did what he did. He didn’t give two hoots in hell, so why should we?

Facts don’t tell the whole story, but how can we believe what comes out of his mouth?

And what about the innocents caught in the crossfire…those accused…their lives ruined? The media has a big responsibility and, all too often, I feel they abuse it. I won’t got into a big rant about them, but just look at the shape of the news delivered to you today via radio and TV and tell me you believe what they say and feel they are covering all the things that are pertinent to your life or just splashing the ugly across the headlines.

A Monster of All Time by J T Hunter is a true story that riled up a lot of emotions and ethical and moral questions. We all have to figure out those answers for ourselves.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Monster of All Time by J T Hunter.

Read more at fundinmental

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always had an interest in reading about serial killers. They say that many of us may know one, even be friends with one. Guess that saying about never really knowing a person is true, in a terrifying way.

Danny Rollins’ killing spree occurred during August of 1990. I had moved to the south in 1986 and find it hard to remember much about him. Perhaps it’s because Ted Bundy was executed in 1989 and that day, along with the many books and movies made about him, blurred my memory about Danny.

This book reads so smoothly. Almost like a work of fiction. But the author makes sure you remember it’s all true. Danny may not have the larger number of victims like Bundy, Gacy and several others, but if he hadn’t been caught, he would have added more victims.

Danny had a bad time of it growing up. I’m sure you could check off many serial killer indicators on the list after reading about his life. But at what point did he choose, yes, choose, to kill? Many people go through what he did and don’t kill. Why did he kill? That question is one I don’t think even he could really have answered. Bundy said he didn’t know why he was a serial killer. It was just who he was.

I was captivated by this story. And also horrified after reading about Danny’s crimes. The author did his research. He kept me turning the pages to learn more. And wrapped it up nicely. If you enjoy true crime books and reading about serial killers, this would be a good one for you.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just a little girl when Danny Rolling murdered the five college students. As a fan of true crime stories, I really enjoyed this book. It was just right with the formula. Not bogged down with details but at the same time no little details were lacking either.

I will admit that the murders are very gruesome. It is no wonder that the detectives had nightmares. There was a few times reading this book that I almost put it down for a moment. While, I did not know any of the victims of Danny Rolling; I felt a strong emotion to all of the victims.

I agree that while it was good to see Danny be executed; his punishment did not fit the crimes he committed. This book was a one day read for me. A surprising fact was to learn that Kevin Williamson, creator of the Scream movie franchise found his inspiration from the Gainesville Ripper murders.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not very often I venture out of my fantasy/paranormal bubble. I usually read to escape from reality, not learn about the horrific nature of what's out there. However, my guilty pleasure is True Crime, if only for the fact it reminds me just how good it is to escape!

This is one of those books. The one where I can't put it down, gripped by morbid fascination to find out what happened to the killer, even as I mourn his victims. I'm from the UK, and so have no real grasp about the death sentence, being as the last person died in 1964, but these books do make me wonder. I find myself wondering if he would EVER have changed. I seriously doubt it considering the run-up to the murders. Why should the taxpayer have to cough up for his keep and health, when he so brutally extinguished the lives of eight people? I don't know. I don't have the answers. What I do have is more information about this 'man', what he did, the aftermath, and other people who were involved.

This book is non-fiction, but at times, it almost reads like fiction. The writing style was easy to follow, and not being as dry as some I have read. It is very graphic in parts, but no pictures. I loved how he isn't referred to by name during the time he was actually committing the crimes, and how the ending was about the victims - they are the ones whose names we should remember, not his.

I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. That would just be wrong. However, I can say that it is excellently written, without glamorising the murders, or the murderer. If you like true crime, then I can definitely recommend this one.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 4, 2019

[Bettye McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wolf among the lambs

In August of 1990, an ex-con drifted into Gainesville, Florida, with a heart filled with anger, hatred, rage, and a desire for revenge against the society that had mistreated him. Gainesville, home of the University of Florida, was teeming with pretty, young girls like a buffet awaiting his selection.

In a matter of days, he had mercilessly and viciously murdered five young college students. The search for the killer led authorities to arrest, persecute and destroy an innocent young man whose only crime was being in Gainesville in an unstable mental state. He was interrogated for endless hours while his medication was withheld. When an ex-con named Danny Harold Rolling appeared on their radar, it was through his own confession after he was arrested for an armed robbery. Thus they were able to obtain irrefutable evidence to prove his guilt.

Hunter describes the lifetime of inescapable abuse that created the savage monster that was Danny Rolling.

3

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In A Monster Of All Time, author JT Hunter takes the reader behind the scenes of a riveting true crime thriller for an in depth look at a highly publicized murder case set in Gainesville, Florida.

In a span of four days, from August 24-27, 1990, thirty-six year old convict/drifter Danny Rolling terrorized the quiet University of Florida town of Gainesville with a series of three heinous and gruesome crime scene murders of five college students in their apartments. This is a horrific story of a narcissistic and depraved man's descent into madness with a lethal bitterness for the wrongs committed against him in the past, and a dark and twisted sense of revenge to make others suffer and ultimately pay the price by taking their lives, and the investigative and legal process that took sixteen years for justice to prevail.

A Monster Of All Time is a riveting story that easily draws the reader in from the start, keeping them captivated as the author weaves a thoroughly intriguing and intricate recounting of a highly publicized murder case. I remember seeing this case profiled on the television news outlets back in 1990, so when I saw that the author wrote an in depth true crime novel based on this case, it peaked my interest and I knew that I had to read it.

The author provides the reader with a fascinating and richly detailed and in depth look into the back stories and lives of the victims and the serial killer. The author utilized his extensive experience as a criminal attorney and college professor to provide a thorough recounting of this heinous case with a critical eye towards the research of the serial criminal's background, and the investigative and legal processes of the case; including a very detailed timeline, quotes that open each chapter, and crime scene photo inserts throughout the book.

You can't help but get drawn into this complicated, fascinating, and multi-layered story, it is a gripping dark account of a truly horrific serial killing spree, and the mind boggling investigative and legal path that took the justice system sixteen years to render justice for the five victims.

A Monster Of All Time is a gripping and chilling true crime account of the Gainesville Ripper serial killer that is a must read for all true crime fans.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Monster Of All Time: The True Story of Danny Rolling is a true crime novel that discussed the horrible actions of a true monster.

Far too often, I’ve found that true crime tales focus on just one element of the case, rather than giving the full picture.

That wasn’t the case here; this novel was wonderfully written!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author as a participant of the Partners In Crime Book Tour in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

The tale was set up in a way that was really interesting. In the beginning, it was split between chapters about the murders, and flashbacks to the murderer in prison beginning with his dream of revenge and moving along his path as he got out of jail and began his evil deeds.

These timelines met up toward the middle, where we then focused on the murderer and the court proceedings, as well as the fall out of a man who had been previously accused.

I appreciated the information that this novel included because it really told the full story. We were given background information about the murderers childhood and plenty of information about his actions. We read the horrific details about the murders and saw the autopsy sketches. We got the court action, notes about the media coverage, and the resolution of the case.

But most importantly, we were given an equal amount of information about the victims and their families. We learned what the victims were like, what they did in high school, and what they were going to college for. We learned about their families and how their loved ones dealt with the horror. I especially loved that we were able to read quotes from the family members once the monster was put down.

This novel absolutely broke my heart. The crimes were terrifying and absolutely horrible. But with the elements from the families, and the reaction from the community during and after the events, this tale was also slightly uplifting.

I highly recommend reading this one if you’re interested in true crime.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I read Crime Fiction. I'm used to descriptions of horrible things being done to people. Murder and mayhem on every page and gruesome stories in infinite variety being played out on the page for my entertainment.

At first, I was concerned my palate would be too jaded to appreciate a True Crime story but the murders of Sonja, Christina, Christa, Manuel, Tracy and the Grissom family and the everlasting effect these murders had on family and friends quickly moved me to tears.

The storyline wanders all over the place, it moves around in time and focuses on different people. If this were crime fiction I would complain about the lack of focus but the way the story flows it reflects real life. It shows how the police were desperate to find someone to blame for the horrific crimes and if the person they blamed was the wrong person so be it. It also showed the consequences of being blinded to the truth because of a belief in an alternate reality.

We also get a glimpse into the world of women who correspond with inmates and the outcomes of such relationships.

Danny is shown as both an evil monster and an abused child. While the damage inflicted on him by his abusive father is to be abhorred it in no way excuses or justifies the actions Danny took as an adult. The book clearly shows Danny as a wounded and tormented soul but it also clearly shows him as a beast who is unfit to live among the rest of us.

I enjoyed this book, I thought it captured the essence of what happened that summer so long ago but my enjoyment is tempered by the knowledge that these real events cost people their lives.

[Jolie Simballa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply disturbing but in-depth analysis of the Gainsville murders and the people involved. I greatly appreciated the author devoting time and voice to the victims' families especially near the end of the book. A painful but enlightening and horrifyingly fascinating read.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not usually the most pleasant books to fill your free time with reading, books like “A Monster of All Time” are nonetheless important, especially for people seeking to find understanding from the an awful, shared experience.

As I was only a small child during Rolling’s terrorization of my quaint town, I had trouble understanding why everyone was so panicked. Obviously, the adults did the best they could to keep the gory details from children too young; but with its constant media news coverage, it was a subject people never stopped talking about.

My mother was a UF law student at the time and I thank god she wasn’t harmed (she also lived off campus as she was married to my dad and caring for me and my older sister as well). Plus, she was 5’10, so I’m not necessarily sure she was his type (although the pretty, thin brunette she did have covered). It’s weird because I was too young to worry back then, but I’ve thought of things during the years like, “what if she had been 5’3? Was he ever targeting her then decided against it?”

Some of my earliest nightmares I recall were that I was going to get the electric chair. I thought that “being bad by doing things like staying up past bedtime” would cause the police to come and strap me into the electric chair. Not exactly normal thinking for a 4 year old. This is what Danny Rolling did to Gainesville in 1990. Everyone was affected, whether you lost someone or not. Although I can’t even imagine what the families went through, especially some of the more grisly and horrific deaths like that of Christa Hoyt.

It’s definitely worth a read. Hunter does his research and presents the facts of what happened in a fair, balanced way. I really felt he did a great job, for instance, remembering the victims and speaking often about their families and the memorials they held in their honor.

However, some of the material was repetitive at times (for example, it’s mentioned twice how Rolling responded to a UF student journalist’s question on the death penalty, only I guess the second time in a little more detail?). Too much info on the fame whore Sondra London as well. Nothing interesting about her; just another bimbo death row groupie in denial of the fact that the man she claims to “love” may have very well murdered her one of those nights instead, having come across as her as a stranger. Also, I felt horrible for Ed Humphrey (the young man who hadn’t taken his meds for I believe a schizoaffective type disorder) and simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, causing Gainesville police to arrest him, with leaks emerging that Humphrey was the “primary suspect.”

While I can’t imagine having to be that poor guy and have the entire country looking at you as if you were the Gainesville Ripper, committing some of the most depraved acts ever witnessed among serial killers in this country, I think the book was a bit disjointed with all that info. Not a big fan of the back-and-forth (i.e., “As Danny Rolling prepared for sentencing, Ed Humphrey was embarking upon a new journey in his life and getting married”). I’m glad Humphrey found happiness and persevered, but that all could have been wrapped up neatly into one chapter instead of segueing randomly in and out through the main story.

I don’t know; I just like to mostly keep my focus on one topic or person at a time. Other than the book being a little scattered with a few typos, it was still a good book with extensive info, and didn’t over glorify Rolling’s atrocious crimes. Rounded up to 3.5 stars.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**
I am really surprised that I had never really heard of Danny Rollings, except in brief reference.

This is quite an in-depth look at the horrific murders committed by Danny Rollings. It followed the basic format of most true crime novels: overview of the crime, investigation, background of the killer, trial etc. It also went into a bit of detail about some of Rollings attempts to achieve fame from his killings.

What Danny Rollings did to his victims was truely reprehensible, and there is no excuse or justification that can explain his actions. I do believe that Danny Rollings was abused by his father, but that does not give him reason to murdered, dismember and rape. The author does include many of Rolling's biblical quotes, I am not sure if I believe he was truely religious and remorseful, or if that was an attempt to be forgiven.

I did find the book slightly repetitive, and would have like some more 'colour' from the author. A certain perspective that I couldn't get from any other true crime novel.

Not the best, not the worst. Have moved on to another true crime novel by the author.

It really does show that more needs to be done to save children from abuse, and protect the public from violent offenders.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sad story of a bloodthirsty monster and his victims.

I have read other books about Danny Rolling and his sorry excuses of why he did what he did, but I'm not buying it. Rolling was a master manipulator and sociopath. With his manners and singing he tried to fool everyone, but he was the ultimate .com man, fooling no one. At least this book honored the victims and their families. What damage one man could do! True crime readers should enjoy this book because it is well written and sticks to the facts of the case. However don't be looking for a book filled with exploitive details, the authors aren't sensational hacks and they stay objective and clear. Gainesville will never forget that summer of fear!

[Kellye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually really interesting. The author isn't on par with Anne Rule or Truman Capote, but this is a fair treatment of this really bizarre story. I attended grad school at UF, and I was really moved by the way the community came together. I also appreciated that the author detailed how a prime suspect who WASN'T the killer was able to get his life back after he was cleared. Oddly enough, it made this a very hopeful story. It was worth my time to read.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gripping, fascinating tale about a horrifying serial killer and his reign of terror! I consider myself to be quite the true aficionado and I'm shocked I never heard about Rolling before.

Now that I have, if I had to describe him in a word: Monster. What he did to these five women (and two men and even one young boy) is simply horrible. I honestly recommend going into this book not knowing anything about his crimes because it will take you through it in a comprehensive manner.

The first third of the book is somewhat confusing because it jumps around in time a lot. I found myself flipping back and forth to keep track of when different events had occurred. Danny is referred to with common nouns for the majority of this section. I think it was done to keep an emphasis on the victims, which is great, because we should remember the victims not the killer.

However, it could have also been done to build suspense, because there is a second suspect. However, with it being a true story (and Rolling's name on the cover) it doesn't really hold a lot of weight. I did enjoy hearing about the other suspect and how the police tried to just make it work. It really reminded me of the story of Steven Avery's nephew from Netflix's Making a Murderer.

The second half of the book deals with the aftermath of the killings - the trials, the conviction, the verdict, and the healing of the victims' families. I found both the court proceedings and the attempts to get back to normalcy to be very intriguing. I also enjoyed the inner look at how long it takes from ordering the death sentence to the actual event. I don't feel like that's a spoiler since it happened in real life.

Check this book out if you enjoy true crimes; it's very well-written, detailed, and informational. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, as there are graphic descriptions of the victims right of the bat (but no pictures).

Thank you to Partners in Crime Book Tours for giving me a chance to read and review this book.

[Anne Cupero · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this, knowing a fair amount about Danny Rolling, the "Gainesville Ripper." Many of these books have the same basic format, description of the crimes, then backtracking to the perpetrator, and their upbringing, laced with comments from people who knew them, and from families of the victims. And of course, the salacious details of the groupies who want to "meet' and/or make money off of the perpetrator's story. This was no different. I always wish for a little more depth to the stories, rather than just a very long newspaper story, which I feel these always seem like. Snippets of what happened to members of the victims' families, for example. These read like news stories. This was a horrible, horrible set of crimes, done by a person whose life was exemplified by the antisocial, sociopathic personality. Two or three times in the book, mention was made of his 110-115 IQ. Why? To say, that "he could have done something else with his life"? That IQ no more defined him than his brown hair did. It was simply a small descriptor of his trait. What did define him was his upbringing. His pathetic rearing by his domineering father and passive mother. Looking into that as a phenomenon and a recipe for violence the world over, would be a good supplement. Of course, environment isn't everything, which the author points out with regard to Danny's brother.

Genetics is the other piece of criminal behavior. There were some instances in the book of mental illness on both sides of his family, which is probably the other side of Danny. I suppose my disappointment with many of these types of books that I read (to gain any info I don't know for my classes on Forensic Science), is that they never fully cover anything. Not the victims (and that is harder when there are many, I will admit), not the perpetrator, not the crime scenes (which are extremely important), although they are all touched on with chapter coverage. Maybe more time needs to pass, but then the people who could be interviewed would be gone. Flesh these stories out more thoroughly, and people would truly be amazed by reading the story. As it is, they are easy to forget. And we ALWAYS owe the victims more - their stories are the saddest.

[Karen Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting how throughout the retelling of events in this tragic tale that the killer is never referred to by his name in the beginning of the book; solely laid out as just "the prisoner", sort of a reversal of roles as most that follow true crime know that often the serial killer views his victims as impersonal or objects in which he does not associate them as people .
Was this intentional on author's part so that the killer does not receive as much fame & notoriety? Or is it merely out of respect for the victims and their families?
Another thing noticed while reading was that it seems law enforcement was more on point with communication between states & counties; whereas other notable serial killers in same time frame didn't warrant as much luck.
Interesting reading for sure.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrific crimes

I knew about the Gainesville Ripper but not all the horrific details of this monster's crimes. His punishment was too long coming and too easy. God rest the souls of his victims amd may God bless the victims' families. Danny Rolling was the epitome of true evil.

The story was carefully written with great respect for those murdered, the investigators, and the family members of the victims.

[Julia Coppage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, intelligent and informative

Very well written, engrossing and direct, this is one of the more engaging examples of true crime as it should be. It offers a balanced and inclusive report of the victims, the killer, families and friends, the trials and the aftermath. Never boring or repetitive, it covers all relevant information in a suspenseful format that holds your attention easily. Highly recommended. jscoppage

[Colleen Fourie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awful but good read

Definately not a feel good read. This book is extremely disturbing! It takes you out of your safe, secure world into a world where gruesome murders happen- where so- called normal people murder young people who had done nothing to deserve losing their lives. Well written

[Judith Sentyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Evil

This is the first book I have read by Mr. Hunter. This book is very well written and well researched. I remember the case but did not know a lot about it. I will be reading more by this author.

[erika. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was always interested in learning more about this as I remember it on news when I was younger and then went to UF, but it was hard to get through with the details of the obvious subject at hand and the fact that it was repetitive and overall not well written.

[Miranda Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evil story, Great book

I bought this book on a bored whim and it blew me away. It was factually and the author could back the claims made in this story. I would suggest this book to anyone, but it's somewhat of a page turner.

[Lisa-Jaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly J T Hunter's books do not seem to be my style. This is the second one I DNF and I just found the start really good then then it seems to become repetitive and boring.

[Prescottl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating account of a serial killer. The author presented the facts in chronological order, culminating in a accurate portrayal of the killings, the hunt for the killer, and his trial.

[Tricia Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

I’ve read a lot of true crime and this is one of the better ones. Such a gripping tragic story.

[nicholas thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb writing

A truly amazing piece of work,great detail,not over gruesome,well researched,a great read,a must for any true crime reader,one i will go back to again.

[Celia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those interested in the full story or fans of true crime.

[MELCHIOR DSOUZA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book reading

Well documented keeping you grilled to complete the book at a stretch. Author has a knack of writing the episode in a well documented way.

[Feather Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Monster of All Time is well-deserving of five stars. J.T. Hunter’s non-fiction book, A Monster of All Time, shook me so deeply that there were times I had to put it down for a day or two. It is a powerful read, not simply because the subject matter is intense, but also because J. T. Hunter wrote with such unrestrained clarity and eloquence that occasionally I wanted time to digest the chapter.

I was prepared to read the story of the brutal murders carried out by a serial killer – or I thought I was. This murder mystery had been on one of the televised documentary programs I follow. Human behavior is an interest of mine. The author’s unrestrained depiction of the raw and gut-wrenching acts of violence on the victims was ‘executed’ without becoming morbid. The crimes and characters are not given a Hollywood spin. He honors the facts. This author’s description of the murders was not my Achilles heal. It was the roller coaster ride between the horror, and then identifying with happy college kids. Again and again with each successive attack.

What I found particularly unique, is that after reading A Monster of All Time, both a prosecutor and the defense lawyer could use this book’s detailed account to present a solid case before the judge and jury. The detailed facts flow smoothly, without being laboriously tedious. J. T. Hunter skillfully reveals each twisted character with an unforgiving light, and yet with a non judgmental voice. Incredible!

Though the reader is initially not certain who is responsible for the deaths, the mystery is revealed enticingly slow. The reader also is drawn, albeit reluctantly, to almost empathize with what led the killer to commit a level of brutality that is beyond comprehension.

This is what made A Monster Of All Time an emotional hell ride as well as being given the pleasure of reading a superbly written book. I highly recommend this book to readers who are accustomed to intense crime thrillers, psychological thrillers, mystery novels, and to those who study human behavior.

If you don’t lock your doors before going to bed …. maybe you should think about it.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always had an interest in reading about serial killers. They say that many of us may know one, even be friends with one. Guess that saying about never really knowing a person is true, in a terrifying way.

Danny Rollins’ killing spree occurred during August of 1990. I had moved to the south in 1986 and find it hard to remember much about him. Perhaps it’s because Ted Bundy was executed in 1989 and that day, along with the many books and movies made about him, blurred my memory about Danny.

This book reads so smoothly. Almost like a work of fiction. But the author makes sure you remember it’s all true. Danny may not have the larger number of victims like Bundy, Gacy and several others, but if he hadn’t been caught, he would have added more victims.

Danny had a bad time of it growing up. I’m sure you could check off many serial killer indicators on the list after reading about his life. But at what point did he choose, yes, choose, to kill? Many people go through what he did and don’t kill. Why did he kill? That question is one I don’t think even he could really have answered. Bundy said he didn’t know why he was a serial killer. It was just who he was.

I was captivated by this story. And also horrified after reading about Danny’s crimes. The author did his research. He kept me turning the pages to learn more. And wrapped it up nicely. If you enjoy true crime books and reading about serial killers, this would be a good one for you.

I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.