What do you think?
Rate this book
Bundy: The Deliberate Stranger
THE TRUE CRIME CLASSIC THAT STARTED IT ALL. NOW REISSUED.
Richard W. Larsen’s expose, based on first-hand conversations with the killer himself, remains the granddaddy Bundy book of them all – even inspiring a hit miniseries, starring Mark Harmon, that riveted America for weeks.
Now THE DELIBERATE STRANGER returns to mark the 30th anniversary of the execution of America’s most famous serial killer.
Between 1974 and 1978 a series of brutal sex slayings claimed the lives of nearly forty innocent young women and left a trail of blood that stretched from Seattle, Washington to Tallahassee, Florida...a trail that seemed to lead to Ted Bundy.
But Theodore Robert Bundy is an unlikely looking murderer. A handsome, articulate former law student, Bundy looks more like a candidate for public office than for Death Row. But in July 1979, 32-year-old Bundy was sentenced to the electric chair for bludgeoning to death two Florida coeds. And Bundy is suspected by police of being responsible for as many as 36 murders, spanning four years and four states.
Larsen, who knew Ted Bundy well before he ever fell under suspicion for murder – when Bundy was a rising star in Washington State politics helping to re-elect Governor Daniel Evans – interviewed Bundy extensively in writing the definitive account of his story.
In 1975, when Bundy was released on bail after his first arrest – a kidnapping charge in Utah – it was Larsen who met him at the door of the police headquarters and spend the day with him, and Larsen who lent Bundy his car after dinner so he could go out on the town that night, catching himself on the verge of parting joke – “Ted, I’d just as soon not read in the morning paper that some girl mysteriously disappeared in a Gremlin”
In THE DELIBERATE STRANGER, Larsen brings his masterful reporting and writing skills to bear on one of the most chilling, true crime stories in U.S. history. From the moment the first young woman disappears under mysterious circumstances, you are caught up in a cumulatively tense and gripping drama. Larsen has captured it the anguish of the parents, the frustration of the police, the horror of discovery, the growing suspicions and mounting evidence pointing to “all-American” Ted, the drama of his arrest, his incredible escapes – one from prison, one from a courthouse – his recaptures and the sensational, televised Florida murder trial at which Bundy conducted his own defense. And through it all, the enigmatic figure of Ted Bundy – the deliberate stranger – known by the author as well as he will ever be known by any person.
At once an exciting, fast-paced thriller, and a dazzling, unsentimental dissection of a cold-blooded killer, A DELIBERATE STRANGER is a true crime classic
Richard W. Larsen’s expose, based on first-hand conversations with the killer himself, remains the granddaddy Bundy book of them all – even inspiring a hit miniseries, starring Mark Harmon, that riveted America for weeks.
Now THE DELIBERATE STRANGER returns to mark the 30th anniversary of the execution of America’s most famous serial killer.
Between 1974 and 1978 a series of brutal sex slayings claimed the lives of nearly forty innocent young women and left a trail of blood that stretched from Seattle, Washington to Tallahassee, Florida...a trail that seemed to lead to Ted Bundy.
But Theodore Robert Bundy is an unlikely looking murderer. A handsome, articulate former law student, Bundy looks more like a candidate for public office than for Death Row. But in July 1979, 32-year-old Bundy was sentenced to the electric chair for bludgeoning to death two Florida coeds. And Bundy is suspected by police of being responsible for as many as 36 murders, spanning four years and four states.
Larsen, who knew Ted Bundy well before he ever fell under suspicion for murder – when Bundy was a rising star in Washington State politics helping to re-elect Governor Daniel Evans – interviewed Bundy extensively in writing the definitive account of his story.
In 1975, when Bundy was released on bail after his first arrest – a kidnapping charge in Utah – it was Larsen who met him at the door of the police headquarters and spend the day with him, and Larsen who lent Bundy his car after dinner so he could go out on the town that night, catching himself on the verge of parting joke – “Ted, I’d just as soon not read in the morning paper that some girl mysteriously disappeared in a Gremlin”
In THE DELIBERATE STRANGER, Larsen brings his masterful reporting and writing skills to bear on one of the most chilling, true crime stories in U.S. history. From the moment the first young woman disappears under mysterious circumstances, you are caught up in a cumulatively tense and gripping drama. Larsen has captured it the anguish of the parents, the frustration of the police, the horror of discovery, the growing suspicions and mounting evidence pointing to “all-American” Ted, the drama of his arrest, his incredible escapes – one from prison, one from a courthouse – his recaptures and the sensational, televised Florida murder trial at which Bundy conducted his own defense. And through it all, the enigmatic figure of Ted Bundy – the deliberate stranger – known by the author as well as he will ever be known by any person.
At once an exciting, fast-paced thriller, and a dazzling, unsentimental dissection of a cold-blooded killer, A DELIBERATE STRANGER is a true crime classic
Paperback
First published July 1, 1980
266 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 7, 2023
Fascinating, a lot of (to me) new information, worth a read
March 11, 2026
It was the first book written on this case so I give it credit for that but it pales in comparison to Ann Rule’s book on Bundy (I don’t think that can ever be topped).
If you know nothing about the case, you could start here but I don’t really recommend it. It feels like an abridged version.
2/5; Rule’s book is the one to read.
If you know nothing about the case, you could start here but I don’t really recommend it. It feels like an abridged version.
2/5; Rule’s book is the one to read.
February 6, 2024
I’d heard of this book, but I had no idea that, like Ann Rule, Richard Larsen was also a reporter with a coincidental pre-existing relationship with Ted Bundy.
At times, this book is hard to follow, as there aren’t as many dates given, but it’s rich with insider information from everyone involved. Larsen’s journalism background was really evident to me; there isn’t too much introspection on his personal connections or his own views. He built relationships with people involved in all aspects of the case, from police to victims’ families to Bundy himself. There were times I thought he was too kind to Bundy, but he ultimately lets the case speak for itself as the book progresses.
Larsen heavily focuses on the various police investigations into Bundy’s crimes, especially in Utah and Colorado. Some of the lead investigators are his closest sources, which results in a book rich with firsthand insight into the methods and exhaustive manpower used to find physical evidence that could definitively link Bundy to the murders. To me, it was more similar to All the President’s Men than The Stranger Beside Me—lots of focus on the tedious hours of work it takes to definitively prove something like this.
At times, this book is hard to follow, as there aren’t as many dates given, but it’s rich with insider information from everyone involved. Larsen’s journalism background was really evident to me; there isn’t too much introspection on his personal connections or his own views. He built relationships with people involved in all aspects of the case, from police to victims’ families to Bundy himself. There were times I thought he was too kind to Bundy, but he ultimately lets the case speak for itself as the book progresses.
Larsen heavily focuses on the various police investigations into Bundy’s crimes, especially in Utah and Colorado. Some of the lead investigators are his closest sources, which results in a book rich with firsthand insight into the methods and exhaustive manpower used to find physical evidence that could definitively link Bundy to the murders. To me, it was more similar to All the President’s Men than The Stranger Beside Me—lots of focus on the tedious hours of work it takes to definitively prove something like this.
February 26, 2016
- My Description -
This book recites Ted Bundy's life and crimes authored by his news reporter friend Richard Larsen.
- My Review -
Yay! Another book to add to my 2011 book challenge. =)
I quite enjoyed this book.
Con: The book didn't have photos, of which I was disappointed.
Double Con: There was one time in the book the author had said that I considered EXTREMELY inappropriate. He refereed to one of the murdered girls as to having a "cute fanny". That bothered me. She died a horrible death. She didn't need to be violated again, this time by the author.
Anyway, This book offers more detailed accounts on his crimes. It's grisly, but it needs to be told.
It was a pretty cool read. It did bounce the events in the book too much for my taste, but it was easy to understand what was going on anyway.
And onto, the next read....
November 24, 2021
Written by Richard Larsen, this book depicts the story of Ted Bundy and the brutal murders he committed. It has the conversations that Bundy and Larsen had when he was first arrested and throughout all of the trials and convictions he faced. It goes into details on the searches for the women he murdered and how they were found. Ted Bundy believed his innocence all throughout the trials, no matter how much circumstantial evidence pointed to him. Juries continued to convict him for every crime he was accused of and Bundy kept appealing, trying to evade the inevitable. Due to the gruesome and graphic details included in this book, I would recommend it to older, mature readers who are fans of true crime like I am. I found this book interesting and intriguing. This book does not have a place within an academic setting due to the tragic events detailed, but older students should feel free to read if they are interested.
April 16, 2024
Nothing new. It was definitely a book.
March 5, 2026
Ted Bundy is disturbing and I don’t like how much media tends to sensationalize him with the different movies, true crime podcasts etc.
However, I thought this book was very well written as it was written by a journalist from the Seattle Times, rather than a true crime author. The attention to details in the book was well done and I liked that the author treated each victim as a multidimensional person with hopes, personality, loved ones and the author spent time with each victim’s life and their family in a respectful way that didn’t glorify or sensationalize their deaths while also pointing out how horrific their deaths were.
The author did know Bundy in Seattle and does keep up a relationship with him throughout the trials etc. and I found it really interesting to see the journalist struggling between not wanting to believe that he could have done this but also not dismissing the evidence he could see and the doubts that were forming.
The tone of the book is factual and I appreciated a book that reinforced the fact that the victims were real people with real lives rather than just victims of a serial killer.
However, I thought this book was very well written as it was written by a journalist from the Seattle Times, rather than a true crime author. The attention to details in the book was well done and I liked that the author treated each victim as a multidimensional person with hopes, personality, loved ones and the author spent time with each victim’s life and their family in a respectful way that didn’t glorify or sensationalize their deaths while also pointing out how horrific their deaths were.
The author did know Bundy in Seattle and does keep up a relationship with him throughout the trials etc. and I found it really interesting to see the journalist struggling between not wanting to believe that he could have done this but also not dismissing the evidence he could see and the doubts that were forming.
The tone of the book is factual and I appreciated a book that reinforced the fact that the victims were real people with real lives rather than just victims of a serial killer.
June 13, 2023
The book Bundy The Deliberate Stranger published in 1980 is a great read. This book is about Ted Bundy back in the 1970s. While it does show all of his victims and how he had killed them all it also shows what happens to ted and how he gets caught. The events in this book are true and accurate according to history. While I've heard and watched many movies about Ted Bundy, this book truly shows all the little interesting details you may be waiting to hear. Although, this book can have some gorey details and violent descriptions. I would give this true crime book 5 stars and I think all the true crime readers out there would thoroughly enjoy it.
February 12, 2026
3.5 stars. The story of Bundy is insane, and I loved reading about it from the POV of someone who knew him. I did not like how many unnecessary details there were. This book, while super informative, was infuriating. Between the police incompetence and the many, many, many details that I didn’t need to know, I would have thrown my book if it had been physical and not on my phone. I have soooooo many highlights. Lol
Would I tell someone to read this book if they wanted to learn about Ted Bundy’s case? Probably. It’s insane. But I would absolutely warn them that it will make them want to flip tables.
Would I tell someone to read this book if they wanted to learn about Ted Bundy’s case? Probably. It’s insane. But I would absolutely warn them that it will make them want to flip tables.
February 12, 2026
As a someone that is a little too obsessed with serial killers, reading about Bundy was fascinating. I actually learned a few things about Ted that I previously didn't know about some of his crimes.
HOWEVER this book was loaded down with un-needed and sometimes completely useless details that drove me up a wall. And the authors extreme detailed description of a little girl was extremely concerning and un-needed. I'm not one that focuses on editing of books but this book could've used a editor.....badly.
And a side note: The police incompetency in the 70's was staggering, how the managed to catch and solve any crimes baffles me lol
HOWEVER this book was loaded down with un-needed and sometimes completely useless details that drove me up a wall. And the authors extreme detailed description of a little girl was extremely concerning and un-needed. I'm not one that focuses on editing of books but this book could've used a editor.....badly.
And a side note: The police incompetency in the 70's was staggering, how the managed to catch and solve any crimes baffles me lol
April 16, 2021
Surprisingly, after reading so many books on Bundy, I learned a lot I did not know. The perspective of someone who knew Bundy before the world did was definitely interesting. However, I did not rate it five stars because of the feeling the author gave with regards to the Florida residents. His attempt to capture the “slang” felt insulting as if he viewed Southerners as ignorant. As a Southerner, I felt it was completely unnecessary to the integrity of the story. Other than that, it was a great, well written book.
March 12, 2024
Like Anne Rule, Richard W. Larsen also personally knew Ted Bundy. It’s not as well-written as The Stranger Beside Me, but it filled in some of the missing details from Rule’s book. Specifically, I thought Deliberate Stranger really focused on the victims, digging into their history and personalities, which made the story all the more heartbreaking. Deliberate Stranger also does a better job of covering the court hearings, delving into Ted’s issues with his defense team and the issues Ted created through his arrogance.
June 9, 2019
Chilling and eerie, very good details and writing. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to get scared. Also, for anyone writing their own thesis on the criminal psychopathic mind.
Chilling and eerie, very good details and writing. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to get scared. Also, for anyone writing their own thesis on the criminal psychopathic mind.
Chilling and eerie, very good details and writing. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to get scared. Also, for anyone writing their own thesis on the criminal psychopathic mind.
April 4, 2024
I think that everyone who writes novels for reviews is interesting. They write these reviews as if they are paid or as if their life depends on their words. Some are so passionate about their views, and I am here writing that this book was interesting and laid out a good timeline of events. I am not an expert by any means, but from what is known in Pop culture, and from basic documentaries this seems to be an accurate account of events.
October 11, 2025
BEST OF ALL THE BUNDY BOOKS IVE READ
I have read extensively on Ted Bundy. The more I learn about him the more I despise him. It’s his victims that draws my attention. This book is the first of several I’ve read that gives a in depth overview of each victim and their families and friends. Each victims death impacts so many love one that his victims are limitless. It’s for them I mourn.
I have read extensively on Ted Bundy. The more I learn about him the more I despise him. It’s his victims that draws my attention. This book is the first of several I’ve read that gives a in depth overview of each victim and their families and friends. Each victims death impacts so many love one that his victims are limitless. It’s for them I mourn.
April 4, 2026
Bundy.Evil piece of shit
Written well,but with restraint.
Larsen and Rule knew this living ,breathing horror and disseminate facts in terrific prose.What it lacked is the absolute evil that was Ted Bundy.Manipulator,necrophiliac,cannibal.
January.24,1989 was a great day.
There is no retributive punishment that can make up for the evil and destruction of lives and families for which he was responsible.
For those that cared about Bundy,shame on you.
Written well,but with restraint.
Larsen and Rule knew this living ,breathing horror and disseminate facts in terrific prose.What it lacked is the absolute evil that was Ted Bundy.Manipulator,necrophiliac,cannibal.
January.24,1989 was a great day.
There is no retributive punishment that can make up for the evil and destruction of lives and families for which he was responsible.
For those that cared about Bundy,shame on you.
Read
March 27, 2021Excellent, detailed story
This is the most detailed book about Ted Bundy. The book delves into his actions, his reactions and perhaps most revealing, his manipulations and compartmentalizing of the gruesome crimes he committed. In the few instances where Bundy alludes to his crimes, he does so by distancing himself, ie, speaking in third person, speaking hypothetically.
This is the most detailed book about Ted Bundy. The book delves into his actions, his reactions and perhaps most revealing, his manipulations and compartmentalizing of the gruesome crimes he committed. In the few instances where Bundy alludes to his crimes, he does so by distancing himself, ie, speaking in third person, speaking hypothetically.
April 27, 2019
Excellent book about Ted Bundy
Richard Larsen was a well respected reporter who knew Ted Bundy personally, years before anyone suspected he was a killer. The memoir is thorough, balanced and very interesting. It is on a par with Ann Rule's book. Highly recommended.
Richard Larsen was a well respected reporter who knew Ted Bundy personally, years before anyone suspected he was a killer. The memoir is thorough, balanced and very interesting. It is on a par with Ann Rule's book. Highly recommended.
June 25, 2021
Information not in other books
I've read a lot of books on serial killers in general and Ted Bundy in particular oh, and I've watched a number of documentaries. But this book had information I'd never read or heard before. Highly recommend
I've read a lot of books on serial killers in general and Ted Bundy in particular oh, and I've watched a number of documentaries. But this book had information I'd never read or heard before. Highly recommend
November 24, 2024
A thorough timeline, but the details in this book are sad, the way that he stole innocent women from their families and extinguished their lives. The audio version is terrible, read by a computer voice.
May 2, 2019
Good book
Good book but it was really long and some parts continued on forever.
But overall very informative and explains a lot
Good book but it was really long and some parts continued on forever.
But overall very informative and explains a lot
June 14, 2019
Same
Nothing special in this account of Bundy's crimes and convictions. Although the author knew Bundy personally in Seattle, he offers no unique insights.
Nothing special in this account of Bundy's crimes and convictions. Although the author knew Bundy personally in Seattle, he offers no unique insights.
August 14, 2019
Good read
Written well and tells a different perspective. There were certain areas that felt as though it trailed off but I would recommend to anyone interested in the reading genre
Written well and tells a different perspective. There were certain areas that felt as though it trailed off but I would recommend to anyone interested in the reading genre
August 2, 2020
Good read.
I have read several books about Ted Bundy and this is ok. It’s not the best one out there but it’s good.
I have read several books about Ted Bundy and this is ok. It’s not the best one out there but it’s good.
April 4, 2023
Good book, but incomplete: stops before Bundy starts all his appeals. A better & more thorough book about Bundy is Ann Rule's "The Stranger Beside Me".
May 15, 2024
Some new info when I thought I knew it all 👀
June 7, 2024
Jon Douglas’ book was more readable. This book, has details that we did not study in profiling class.
April 25, 2025
Reissue of older book,, worthwhile.m
November 1, 2025
Ted Bundy told his attorney he killed over one hundred people.He was only convicted of 3 and is credited with 30.
November 29, 2025
An in depth telling of Bundy's crimes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews