Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott

by James Jeffrey Paul

A young man kidnaps his own nephew and makes him his servant and sex slave. He abducts young boys, has his way with them, and, if they "know too much," kills them. He forces his nephew to participate in his crimes and to consign these little victims, sometimes still living, to their graves. His father is afraid of his own son. His son mocks and abuses him, falsely accuses him of incest and child abuse-and still he supports his son. His mother loves her boy and will do anything to help him-even commit murder. The Gordon Stewart Northcott case-a part of which is fictionalized in the major new Clint Eastwood film CHANGELING, starring Angelina Jolie-is still, eight decades later, one of the most nightmarish in American criminal annals. This book-nearly two decades in the research and writing-tells the whole story for the first time. It should be noted that the film CHANGELING is not based upon this book, nor this book upon it. Both are entirely separate works, and one had no influence upon the other´s creation.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, History, Biography

278 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2008

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott (Kindle Edition)

I got this book after reading another book first about these crimes and hearing of this one. I liked the other one much more, but like getting the full picture by reading all available on this very old crime that was so horribly shocking at the time. This one seemed to be less broad, and not very well edited.

[Judith A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is what I look for in true crime: an engaging story, a lesson to be learned, and a plethora of research. However, it is so bogged down in court testimony- relying on much of it to tell the facts- I found myself bored and struggling through some of it.
It almost feels like a cut n paste from the courtroom trial notes.

[P J Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting Read

This book was an interesting, true tale of an unbelievably strange, sadistic and demented murderer whose horrific crimes inspired the film "The Changeling." I enjoyed the factual, journalistic style of the author and his inclusion of actual trial transcripts and newspaper articles from the actual era when the real events occurred. Although some readers criticised the no-frills, almost textbook, format of the book, that was exactly what I was looking for to better understand what happened in Wineville. The author put a tremendous amount of research in this endeavor. After reading this book, I feel that I now have a better understanding of the time and place where the crimes took place; as well as, the enabling, wacko family structure and environment that produced the sociopathic murderer Gordon Stewart Northcott. It's certainly a cautionary tale for anyone so inclined to allow an offspring to bully, abuse and dominate everyone around him with no boundaries or respect for others. The Northcott's created a monster and unleashed him on their grandson and all the other unsuspecting children of Los Angeles. I have also read "The Road Out of Hell," the story of Sanford Clark, the grandson/nephew who survived the torture and abuse his murderous uncle inflicted on him. The Clark story is the other side of the coin: a story of survival, redemption and the triumph of the human spirit over the worst possible depravity. Evil, depraved G. Stewart Northcott faced the gallows. Sanford Clark overcame the evil that was done to him and went on to live a good and productive life. While both books had entirely different styles, each worked well within the framework of the type of stories the authors were attempting to convey. To get a real sense of this bizarre, tragic story, both books are well worth reading.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really think an interesting book could be written about this case. It is about Gordon Stewart Northcott, who was convicted in 1929 of murdering three boys, who he had kidnapped and molested. One of his victims was Walter Collins, whose mother was played by Angelina Jolie in the recent Clint Eastwood movie "Changeling."

This young man was living on a chicken farm with his nephew, who was about 5 years younger than him. Apparently he was in some kind of abusive rapist/molester relationship with this nephew also. He was not tried for sodomy, but it was sure discussed a lot in the court, as it was considered the motive for the murders. At the same time, it's not clear why GSN turns to murder, or how his other family members may have helped him with the murders or helped hide the murders. His mother ended up being convicted of one murder, but she may very easily have been lying when she confessed to that. GSN would tell different stories to different police and lawyers, confess to exaggerated numbers of crimes, and then retract and say he was innocent. The mother and to some extent the father would also lie and change their stories a lot. It was pretty tiresome.

This book didn't really shed any new light on it for me. I hoped there would be more insight into the way the homosexual aspects of it were treated by the media at the time. I still don't have a clear picture of what this guy was up to. Was he really a pedophile, what we think of now as a pedophile? The victims seemed to get younger over time, maybe just because they were easier to kidnap, or convince to go home with stranger?

I was surprised at some of the testimony from some of GSN's living victims, earlier victims that he apparently molested and let go. These accounts didn't seem to surprise anyone in the trial as much as they should. It was described that GSN would meet boys in public places and invite them home, and ask them to get in bed with him. They didn't sound upset about it, or even to think it was unusual. One of them specifically testified that he (the victim) didn't like he situation after getting in bed, and got up and left without ever being afraid of the defendant or threatened in any way.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw and really enjoyed the move The Changeling. I wanted to learn more about the real Gordon Northcutt, so I bought this book.

It was interesting, chilling, and a pretty good read. I would have liked to know more about the victims, but I understand the focus was more on the killer and his bizarre family.

I enjoyed the actual quotes from the court proceedings.

For those who like books about serial killers, I would recommend this book.

[Aljan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ack! I made it through the first three or chapters of this book and just couldn't convince myself to finish. Although obviously meticulously researched, there is nothing of the author's style that makes what should be such a compelling and interesting case, despite its horrors, personable enough to make a readable story out of it. I found it to be completely uninteresting and was very disappointed.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about Stewart Northcott, a child molester and murderer. Apparently the movie "The Changeling" is at least partially based on this story, although I haven't seen it to compare it to. The story is well told, although it does bog down near the middle with the minutiae details, otherwise a good read.

[Fishface · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, well-researched and MUCH more horrifying than anything in the movie version, "The Changeling" starring Angelina's Jolie's lips in oppressive close-up. The story if far worse than you may suspect if you only saw the movie.

[Emma :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

BON il y en a des choses à dire cette fois-ci!
Je suis extrêmement déçue par certains aspect de cet ouvrage. Ce cas est mon favoris et pourtant, j'ai trouvé Nothing is Strange with You décevant.
Je consent néanmoins que certaines informations ont été fort intéressantes mais elles ne devaient pas composer plus de 20% du livre.
Lors du commencement de ma lecture, j'étais ravie, de nouvelles informations sur Gordon Stewart Northcott et ses différents crimes, un résumé complet de l'affaire très satisfaisant... Mais à partir du chapitre cinq (qui correspond à l'affaire Christine Collins) je n'ai pas compris ce qui arrivait. Les chapitres d'environs ving pages chacun s'avéraient n'être que des retranscriptions d'interrogatoires ou de procès atrocement ennuyants... Uniquement des dialogues et rarement, un petit passage "constat" ou encore quelques informations plutôt importantes qui m'ont permis de ne pas abandonner ma lecture.

Je dois avouer ne pas comprendre quel était l'intêret d'autant retranscrire les dialogues... En me procurant ce livre, j'ai pensé avoir l'occasion de lire une véritable analyse criminologique ou ne serait-ce qu'un avis bien argumenté sur différents moments de l'affaire... Faire une chapitre entier composé de pauvre question et de "yes" ou "no" n'était pas intéressant, tout comme détaillé bien des moments assez inutiles dans la compréhension du texte (oui, personnellement, je me fiche de la lettre qu'à envoyé le tueur du Zodiaque en 1966 à la police)
Je suis pourtant étrangement convaincue que James Jeffrey Paul a dû énormément travaillé cet ouvrage bien que je pense qu'il ne s'y est pas prit de la bonne manière...

Je vais essayer de conclure rapidement mais, malgré les nombreux aspect négatif et inintéressant de cet ouvrage, je suis satisfaite de ma lecture qui, même si elle ne m'a pas donné de véritable réponses à mes questions, m'a permis d'en apprendre beaucoup plus sur cet affaire que j'aime tant.

[Courtney Gibbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book but if you were not familiar with the case or have ever seen the movie then you might find it confusing. I've seen the movie and read the nephew's book titled ( the road out of hell: the true story of the wineville chicken coop murders) so I was very familiar with the case. Knowing everything that I do know, I was still in awe and shock while reading this book. The case, this very sick man and extremely dysfunctional family were a complete circus! I felt bad for the police and investigators who had to tolerate this utter nonsense and the numerous lies and dramatics that these characters threw at them. He was sick. I also have to say that I think Sanford was an amazing young man who carried himself with such dignity while confronting his uncle and abuser. It would be hard to find someone that young now that would be able to handle surviving that scenario and testifying to it like Sanford did.

[Sean McAree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shocking, Moving, Insightful

The crimes upon such vulnerable children are shocking. I am moved by the character of Sandford and his bravery in overcoming such heinous abuse and control by his Uncle. The insights into human nature are remarkable - cold lack of empathy on the part of Stewart Northcott and determined love of parents determined to know the truth as to their sons loss by such injustice and cruelty.

[Cee Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very thoroughly researched book on the life and crimes of serial killer Stewart Northcott. I appreciated every drop of information in it. The prose was not very strong and at times there was information overload that could have been pushed to footnotes, appendix and the like. Still I really enjoyed the book and recommend it.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was crazy and horrific. But amazing it was told and not just a story lost in the past. Due to the writing style it was hard to follow and focus (for me personally) but the author did awesome research and had tons of facts!
Crazy to think us, as humans, can be so evil to eachother.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit disappointing mostly because the latter part takes a transcript of Northcott's trial and quotes verbatim from the transcript. You can see Northcott is a disturbed individual but we already knew that. A disappointing book about a fascinating case and prepetrator.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping and engrossing! Loved it nonetheless. :) (I don't like Gordon at all, but I love the way the author tells his story.)

[Cailen K. Franze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closure

A great follow-up to The Road Out of Hell. Nothing is Strange With You painted the final portrait of a cunning, evil, and methodical Gordon Stewart Northcott.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and sad...

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must read

Such a unbelievable story. But very true what he had to deal with is very heartbreaking. Please read this book!!

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting, horrific, and dispicable. The story and background were worth reading this book. I gave it three stars because it was dry, dense, and occasionally confusing.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and well researched piece of true crime, but at times monotonous due to prolonged quotes from trial transcripts.

[KnowledgeGeek · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most poorly executed books I've ever attempted to read. Just a hugely confusing & difficult to follow, hodge-podge of cut & paste quotes & terrible writing.

This is a truly fascinating & highly disturbing true story of a sadistic child killer & his equally disturbing family or origin. If one wishes to read an extremely well written version with much better detail, and something one rarely ever reads of in a case such as this, a somewhat "happy ending" I highly recommend The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is good, despite the author's writing style. If he had just let the story tell itself, it would have been amazing. The historic details are insightful and add interest to the main storyline. BUT THE AUTHOR STINKS! He doesn't understand the meaning of the word irony, he peppers his text with italics and exlamation points (rather than using writing style to show emotion) and he constantly asks aside questions that are better left for reader to ask, not the author. His writing style continuously interrupts the flow of the story and breaks up what would have been an amazing, if disturbing, piece of history.

[Melfie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the author's self/published effort of incredible research. I like it as a reference and would recommend reading "The Road out of Hell" (Flacco/Clark) first or soon after this one. JJ Pauls' book is hard to read, so I looked on the internet and surprised to find so much online. The author has a 6 part youtube.com lecture about the book as he dedicated the 3 thousand plus page court records to Riverside Library and Historical society. I needed to read it after starting the other book.

[Dawn Kunda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very creepy book and if it weren't nonfiction, I'd have a hard time believing the vulgar, insensitive, and unconscionable actions of Stewart Northcott.
A deeply researched drama mostly taken from the court proceedings shows us the twisted mind of a murderer who used young men for his pleasure. Northcott, an intelligent man, was also a chronic liar. This is noted as he represents himself in his defense of his criminal activities.

[Dkeslin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like really gory serial killer stuff, you will be facscinated by this true story about the life of Gordon Stewart Northcott who kidnaps his own nephew and makes him his sex slave and partner in a series of killings of young boys in Southern California. The book is the basis for the movie Changlings with Angelina Jolie. Creepy!!

[Kyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This true story is fascinating, but the way the author presents the story is very poor. There are sometimes pages and pages of court transcript when a summary of its contents would have been much more efficient and interesting. I'm reading "The Road Out of Hell" by Anthony Flacco next, which is also about the Wineville murders and I'm hoping to get a more cohesive narrative of the case there.

[Sara Downing · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose to read this after watching The Changling and learned of this nonfiction book about the serial killer. It was a very detailed book, but I'm sorry to say, it was written in a style which I did not find enjoyable or easy to follow.

[Pat Shafer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informational and thorough. Ithelped me out in writing my report on Northcott so much, so i thank you Mr. Paul, for that. I think it could have used a bit more editing, but overall, very interesting and useful.

[Kathleen]

The is the real story behind the movie "The Changling" and I thought it would be more interesting without the drama of Ms. Jolie.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at all. I enjoy reading about crime and murder, but I suppose this book simply gave too much detail.