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Sudden Terror The True Story of California's Most Infamous Serial Predator The East Area Rapist AKA The Original Night Stalker
This book is based on the actual case of the East Area Rapist, later also known as the Original Night Stalker, a masked man who terrorized California communities for ten years; 1976 through 1986, and possibly to this day. Because I was not involved in the initial rape investigations, they are written from hundreds of reports, notes, memos, newspaper clippings, conversations and interviews with those who were involved. The crimes are factual. The crimes are real. While all characters and events have direct counterparts in the telling of the story, I have created some dialogue in the interest of readability. The cops in the initial rapes are not factual, their actions are. Their names and descriptions are completely fictitious. The names of the victims, witnesses and suspects are fictitious; the terror, the dialogue during the crimes, and the investigations are real. The cops involved in the cases after I was involved are real, their names and dialogue is factual, the investigations are real. The pain and terror may have diminished in the minds of the victims, I hope that the pain does not return. My intent is to tell the story without endangering the privacy or the dignity of the victims. They have suffered enough.
499 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2010
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1856 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 27, 2017
I really wanted to like this book. The horrifying legacy of the EAR/ONS has always bothered me (especially when home alone), not only because of the number of his victims or the depravity of his crimes, but the evasion of his capture to this day. Even decades after his crime he remains a well-known figure perhaps not among everymen but at least among the mystery websites I frequent (sorry). As such, it in theory would not be difficult to write a gripping account of these crimes. It touches on a vulnerable place within all of us -- our privacy invaded, the sanctity of our homes destroyed, our fear of being violated or being helpless as our loved ones are violated. The fact that the book was written by someone who worked on the case, rather than a mere researcher, should have made this even more interesting and in-depth.
Instead we got this. First and foremost, this book was in terrible need of an editor, or even someone with just a basic grasp of grammar. Not only were there distracting spelling and grammatical errors ("Untied States", its/it's, you're/your, law suites vs. lawsuits in a book written by a damn member of law enforcement) there were also inconsistencies in spelling among aliases of the victims (Carey/Cary) or inconsistencies in the name itself, especially glaring when they occurred on the same page (a victim's surname changing or a child's name changing). Scenes that should have been separated by paragraphs run together and can cause some confusion with some smash-cut transitions, headers are formatted inconsistently, and dialogue is almost never punctuated correctly. Any editor could, and should, have corrected this. Whatever failings the story structure itself had, it would have at least been a cleaner read.
Some parts I found formatted strangely, such as passages that seem to repeat almost exactly what was stated earlier, epilogues in the middle of nowhere, and an overall plodding and haphazard pace. The book comes to a rather abrupt end, with the main investigation concluding with a lecture that has really nothing to do with the rest of the plot. In this case I feel a co-author experienced in crafting a narrative would have really helped. This makes for an extremely weak true crime book and has little sense of urgency or tension outside of the rape scenes themselves, which grow increasingly repetitive and grow dangerously close to making the reader impatient, unlike the terror that the victims themselves felt. Page space is wasted developing law enforcement figures who either don't appear again or are only loosely based on officers anyway, when all I wanted was more coverage on the case and its developments, which felt consistently undercooked. Details that should have been brought up earlier are just dropped out of nowhere as if the reader was supposed to know already. Some pieces feel strangely omitted; for instance, the Maggiore murders, which have their own section on Wikipedia even back when its relation to the case was speculation, are referenced for one sentence in an offhand anecdote and not even by name, not even in the (small) section related to the EAR/ONS's murders. That's the sort of thing I bought the book to read, not about the driving skills or skydiving hobbies of the officers involved.
Not that the reader may even want this focus on law enforcement even in the context of the investigation. I understand the stress that the hunt placed on those involved, especially after failing to stop the rapist time and time again, but for an author who was involved, he paints a surprisingly unflattering portrait of the police effort. I don't think this was his intention. Sure, there are a few examples of them working hard and tirelessly, and feeling terribly for the victims. But there are also plenty of examples of them as frustratingly incompetent at best and borderline antagonistic at worst. An officer falls asleep during a stakeout and likely scares away the EAR/ONS. Another seemingly gets pissy whenever neighbors don't call when they see something suspicious, then gets pissy when they do call when they see something suspicious. One cop spends his time trying to pick up nurses at the hospital after the reader is treated to the account of a young girl's rape. Several suspects are bullied and harangued long after it's apparent they aren't the rapist, with one cop having a vendetta about a guy repeatedly cleared with an alibi; despite this cavalier attitude from the police force not quite flying today, when the "suspect" becomes annoyed and threatens a restraining order, the narrative still mocks him and acts like the reader is, of course, supposed to be laughing at him. That's a recurring incident in the book, and I'm not sure if the author knows who he's writing for. At one point a woman reports that her ex-boyfriend might be the rapist, and without any prior warning as to her appearance, the responding cop begins mentally mocking her appearance. Any suspects (who the reader already knows will be cleared) will usually be described negatively related to their mannerisms, lifestyle, and personal appearance. Pot-smokers, homosexuals, and bondage practicioners are met with similar disdain, attitudes that may have flown in the 70s but should never have been included in a book published in the New 10s.
Again, this could have been a great book. There's plenty of material here from a source with a wealth of first-person information. An editor and an experienced writer could have easily turned this into a bestseller. It's better than nothing, but not the best.
Instead we got this. First and foremost, this book was in terrible need of an editor, or even someone with just a basic grasp of grammar. Not only were there distracting spelling and grammatical errors ("Untied States", its/it's, you're/your, law suites vs. lawsuits in a book written by a damn member of law enforcement) there were also inconsistencies in spelling among aliases of the victims (Carey/Cary) or inconsistencies in the name itself, especially glaring when they occurred on the same page (a victim's surname changing or a child's name changing). Scenes that should have been separated by paragraphs run together and can cause some confusion with some smash-cut transitions, headers are formatted inconsistently, and dialogue is almost never punctuated correctly. Any editor could, and should, have corrected this. Whatever failings the story structure itself had, it would have at least been a cleaner read.
Some parts I found formatted strangely, such as passages that seem to repeat almost exactly what was stated earlier, epilogues in the middle of nowhere, and an overall plodding and haphazard pace. The book comes to a rather abrupt end, with the main investigation concluding with a lecture that has really nothing to do with the rest of the plot. In this case I feel a co-author experienced in crafting a narrative would have really helped. This makes for an extremely weak true crime book and has little sense of urgency or tension outside of the rape scenes themselves, which grow increasingly repetitive and grow dangerously close to making the reader impatient, unlike the terror that the victims themselves felt. Page space is wasted developing law enforcement figures who either don't appear again or are only loosely based on officers anyway, when all I wanted was more coverage on the case and its developments, which felt consistently undercooked. Details that should have been brought up earlier are just dropped out of nowhere as if the reader was supposed to know already. Some pieces feel strangely omitted; for instance, the Maggiore murders, which have their own section on Wikipedia even back when its relation to the case was speculation, are referenced for one sentence in an offhand anecdote and not even by name, not even in the (small) section related to the EAR/ONS's murders. That's the sort of thing I bought the book to read, not about the driving skills or skydiving hobbies of the officers involved.
Not that the reader may even want this focus on law enforcement even in the context of the investigation. I understand the stress that the hunt placed on those involved, especially after failing to stop the rapist time and time again, but for an author who was involved, he paints a surprisingly unflattering portrait of the police effort. I don't think this was his intention. Sure, there are a few examples of them working hard and tirelessly, and feeling terribly for the victims. But there are also plenty of examples of them as frustratingly incompetent at best and borderline antagonistic at worst. An officer falls asleep during a stakeout and likely scares away the EAR/ONS. Another seemingly gets pissy whenever neighbors don't call when they see something suspicious, then gets pissy when they do call when they see something suspicious. One cop spends his time trying to pick up nurses at the hospital after the reader is treated to the account of a young girl's rape. Several suspects are bullied and harangued long after it's apparent they aren't the rapist, with one cop having a vendetta about a guy repeatedly cleared with an alibi; despite this cavalier attitude from the police force not quite flying today, when the "suspect" becomes annoyed and threatens a restraining order, the narrative still mocks him and acts like the reader is, of course, supposed to be laughing at him. That's a recurring incident in the book, and I'm not sure if the author knows who he's writing for. At one point a woman reports that her ex-boyfriend might be the rapist, and without any prior warning as to her appearance, the responding cop begins mentally mocking her appearance. Any suspects (who the reader already knows will be cleared) will usually be described negatively related to their mannerisms, lifestyle, and personal appearance. Pot-smokers, homosexuals, and bondage practicioners are met with similar disdain, attitudes that may have flown in the 70s but should never have been included in a book published in the New 10s.
Again, this could have been a great book. There's plenty of material here from a source with a wealth of first-person information. An editor and an experienced writer could have easily turned this into a bestseller. It's better than nothing, but not the best.
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July 16, 2020I know this is the third book but it could be even the fourth I have read about this ugly small cowardly killer with the little weener. So far they did not really engage me but hey it is hard to write about so many rapes that mostly went the same way and then the murders. As a reader I noticed I became bored which is such a terrible thing to admit to. But it happened.
I want to know
The thing is what I want to read most is so far not something I have found in the books.
I want to know how the last police team reacted when they received the fantastic DNA results and they knew they were finally getting close to get him. They now knew he was from one family but had to find out which of them was the coward that exactly matched their DNA. I want to read about that and what they discovered exactly in his house and how he reacted.
I also loved to know where all the families of the victims were and what they were doing when they learned the great news.
Please tell me one day there will be a book that tells us this.
I want to know
The thing is what I want to read most is so far not something I have found in the books.
I want to know how the last police team reacted when they received the fantastic DNA results and they knew they were finally getting close to get him. They now knew he was from one family but had to find out which of them was the coward that exactly matched their DNA. I want to read about that and what they discovered exactly in his house and how he reacted.
I also loved to know where all the families of the victims were and what they were doing when they learned the great news.
Please tell me one day there will be a book that tells us this.
August 11, 2016
What a great book. I've been fascinated by the elusive, unapprehended EAR (East Area Rapist, also known as the Original Night Stalker and Golden State Killer) since I first learned of him in early 2001 on an episode of MSNBC's MSNBC Investigates. This is the first of only two books that have been written on the case.
The author, a former detective on the case after EAR had been active for a few years, presents us with facts about the rapes and murders with rape victims' dialogue taken right out of police reports. There's even a list of rape/murder dates and times in chronological order in the back and a few black and white photographs of murder victims and crime scenes.
Only about thirty-two pages were about the ten murders, towards the end of the book. Some reviewers complain about that but since they're dead and can't tell you what all happened like the rape victims can, I understand why more time wasn't spent on it.
One thing I really like about true crime books is that we usually learn about other rapists/murders who were active in the area we're reading about and with this book, I learned about several from the 1970's that I want to research, including a couple of California rapists who are still on the loose: East San Diego Rapist, Car Key Rapist, Stinky Rapist, Early Morning Rapist, Wooley, a copycat EAR rapist.
I loved the book and consider it a must-read for anyone interested in this case.
TELEVISION SHOWS ON THIS CRIMINAL
Original Unsolved Mysteries broadcast, youtu.be/iz9sRmks61M?t=18m50s
Cold Case Files (part 1 is missing), www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TfaY6FwXx8
Cold Case Files, www.aetv.com/shows/cold-case-files/se...
MSNBC Investigates 'Deadly Behavior', www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHDSucWloN4
E! THS (True Hollywood Story) Investigates, youtu.be/9BzzUj6GXGU?t=2s
I.D.'s Dark Minds 'Original Night Stalker', youtu.be/9ZkPwIEhgDY?t=1s
WEB SITES
Wikipedia- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_Night_...
ear-ons.com/
jjmcgr.googlepages.com/home
thequesterfiles.com/the_night_predato...
www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/3513...
There are several websites dedicated to his monster: Ear-ons.com (earons), Casebook of the Bedroom Killer. There's an informative discussion board dedicated to the case, earonsgsk, here. Earons has a complete listing of all EAR's crimes, link.
Here's an audio interview that Larry did with Blogtalk Radio in early 2013, I think.
Here's an excellent article Michelle McNamara (she's married to Patton Oswalt) did on EAR for L.A. Magazine.
PLEASE JOIN THE DISCUSSION FORUM FOR THIS CASE! http://earonsgsk.proboards.com/
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2011
A fascinating subject written by someone with first-hand knowledge of the crimes. My biggest compaint with the book is the way in which it slips from fact into fiction and into fact again. The factual aspects of the book are its greatest strengths. The fictional accounts and characters its weakest. All told, I appreciate Larry Crompton's hard work on the case and I applaud his efforts to keep this dirt bag in the public's eye in hopes to someday bring justice to the victims.
June 29, 2022
A log of rapes committed by the Golden State Killer, alternating with some first-person narration of the surrounding detective work, which, before Paul Holes (who found the killer via popular DNA apps), was frankly a lot of cops throwing up their hands in dismay. No way should this be over 700 pages long.
June 5, 2025
oooof this was a really hard book to get through, i love larry crompton as a detective but he is DEFINITELY not a good author, he published it himself so there’s a lot of grammar/spelling mistakes. a lot of the attacks are very descriptive and it seems to be going back and forth from fiction to non-fiction as he wasn’t there in the beginning stages of the investigation. love him on documentaries, just not a good author.
April 26, 2018
This is an incredibly fascinating case. In the middle of the 1970s a serial rapist began to attack middle class couples in Sacramento. As the crimes continued his spree extended far beyond just one community.
Back in 2010 I watched an THS: Investigates episode about the case.
They had this book's author Larry Crompton as one of the many investigators. Larry Crompton has said he has felt haunted by this criminal for years. At the end of the episode they show him at his home. One includes a scene of him typing on his computer. He states "I retired in 1998. I've been working on a book called Sudden terror. It covers from the first rape in Sacramento, all the way to the last murder in Southern California." From that moment on I was incredibly excited to see it published and get a copy. Finally in 2011 when it was published I bought it.
It's an amateur writing style with a fictional narrative thrown in.
It was the very first book ever written and published about this serial rapist/killer.
For the first book it isnt a bad attempt even with the fictional narrative in it.
I was asked by a fellow true crime fanatic if the book was any good and I told them that I personally find it to be a very good book, but warned that "it's repetitive" Because it is.
If you want a book that is rape, after rape, after rape, after rape, after rape for over 100 pages. Then you'll like it.
The east area rapist raped at least 50 women. So of course the book is gonna have a lot of it. Along with the investigation, and some interesting information. Such as the community, the East area rapist's phone calls, and taunting.
In 2001 The east area rapist was linked through DNA to a series of brutal murders. All bludgeoning except for the first attack. I like the fact that with each couple/women murdered it shows the victim's photos before giving the facts of the murder case. Very few books do that.
The murders gave him the nickname The original night stalker, the diamond knot killer, the Chinese knot killer, and finally the Golden state killer.
The book is very good, specially for the first book published.
Could of been better, but still good.
I love the psychic parts of the book.
One of them was a locally famous psychic. The book totally shreds her to pieces.
The police even asked her "Will he kill?" and she said "no." The book also points out that her information was useless and the profile could of easily been lifted from the papers. She made big news in 1993 when Polly Klaas was kidnapped and strangled to death. This psychic took credit for recovering the murdered girl. Even though all evidence states otherwise and she even misled the investigators by saying the sketch of the suspect [given by Polly's girl friends at the slumber party] was not good. Even after he was caught she stilled denied the sketch looked anything like the killer. Even though it was a perfect match.
Now for some personal info and newly discovered information.
As I was reading the book I began to develop my own profile. Looking at everything I decided that this rapist/killer most probably worked in construction. Everything about him screamed construction to me.
For many reasons.
Well 2 years later. In late 2013 new evidence was discovered and released.
Paint evidence was found on two of the murder victims and this new evidence was linked to a specific construction company. One that sadly went out of business and therefor lost all it's records.
From everything I've seen...I never once saw anyone. Crime sleuths, the investigators, etc. None of them were saying construction. The investigators were going with the idea that he was involved with the local hospital. The most popular is that he was in the military. I do believe he has some connection with the military.
He also seemed very inadequate to me. Some details of the crimes really screamed that at me.
I also believe he probably suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder.
A very good first book on the case, but it is repetitive since the rapist/serial killer never really changed his attacks that much. Still some new stuff thrown in, but mostly all the same. Some really brazen attacks as well. It's amazing at how brazen he was and yet was never caught.
The police department was obsessed with him and did everything they could to try and catch him. Yet never did.
Update: 4/25/18. They finally caught him!!!! I was wrong as were the police when it came to him being in construction. He was a police officer. Very exciting and I am thrilled at him finally being caught. Joseph DeAngelo is the original night stalker. I was planning to get the newest book "I'll be gone in the dark." later in the year. Should of bought it when it was first released. Oh well, can't wait for more details to be released.
Back in 2010 I watched an THS: Investigates episode about the case.
They had this book's author Larry Crompton as one of the many investigators. Larry Crompton has said he has felt haunted by this criminal for years. At the end of the episode they show him at his home. One includes a scene of him typing on his computer. He states "I retired in 1998. I've been working on a book called Sudden terror. It covers from the first rape in Sacramento, all the way to the last murder in Southern California." From that moment on I was incredibly excited to see it published and get a copy. Finally in 2011 when it was published I bought it.
It's an amateur writing style with a fictional narrative thrown in.
It was the very first book ever written and published about this serial rapist/killer.
For the first book it isnt a bad attempt even with the fictional narrative in it.
I was asked by a fellow true crime fanatic if the book was any good and I told them that I personally find it to be a very good book, but warned that "it's repetitive" Because it is.
If you want a book that is rape, after rape, after rape, after rape, after rape for over 100 pages. Then you'll like it.
The east area rapist raped at least 50 women. So of course the book is gonna have a lot of it. Along with the investigation, and some interesting information. Such as the community, the East area rapist's phone calls, and taunting.
In 2001 The east area rapist was linked through DNA to a series of brutal murders. All bludgeoning except for the first attack. I like the fact that with each couple/women murdered it shows the victim's photos before giving the facts of the murder case. Very few books do that.
The murders gave him the nickname The original night stalker, the diamond knot killer, the Chinese knot killer, and finally the Golden state killer.
The book is very good, specially for the first book published.
Could of been better, but still good.
I love the psychic parts of the book.
One of them was a locally famous psychic. The book totally shreds her to pieces.
The police even asked her "Will he kill?" and she said "no." The book also points out that her information was useless and the profile could of easily been lifted from the papers. She made big news in 1993 when Polly Klaas was kidnapped and strangled to death. This psychic took credit for recovering the murdered girl. Even though all evidence states otherwise and she even misled the investigators by saying the sketch of the suspect [given by Polly's girl friends at the slumber party] was not good. Even after he was caught she stilled denied the sketch looked anything like the killer. Even though it was a perfect match.
Now for some personal info and newly discovered information.
As I was reading the book I began to develop my own profile. Looking at everything I decided that this rapist/killer most probably worked in construction. Everything about him screamed construction to me.
For many reasons.
Well 2 years later. In late 2013 new evidence was discovered and released.
Paint evidence was found on two of the murder victims and this new evidence was linked to a specific construction company. One that sadly went out of business and therefor lost all it's records.
From everything I've seen...I never once saw anyone. Crime sleuths, the investigators, etc. None of them were saying construction. The investigators were going with the idea that he was involved with the local hospital. The most popular is that he was in the military. I do believe he has some connection with the military.
He also seemed very inadequate to me. Some details of the crimes really screamed that at me.
I also believe he probably suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder.
A very good first book on the case, but it is repetitive since the rapist/serial killer never really changed his attacks that much. Still some new stuff thrown in, but mostly all the same. Some really brazen attacks as well. It's amazing at how brazen he was and yet was never caught.
The police department was obsessed with him and did everything they could to try and catch him. Yet never did.
Update: 4/25/18. They finally caught him!!!! I was wrong as were the police when it came to him being in construction. He was a police officer. Very exciting and I am thrilled at him finally being caught. Joseph DeAngelo is the original night stalker. I was planning to get the newest book "I'll be gone in the dark." later in the year. Should of bought it when it was first released. Oh well, can't wait for more details to be released.
November 29, 2010
Much of this book reads like a police report, as can be expected since it was written by a detective. As it is self-published, it is poorly edited. However, as someone who vividly recalls this crime wave, I was engrossed in following Larry Crompton's account. His frustration in working with other police agencies is palpable, and leaves me wondering how many criminals get away with their crimes due to a lack of cooperation among the people who should be on the same side.
December 26, 2018
This book had too many unnecessary and graphic details about the rapes. It should come with a trigger warning.
September 28, 2020
I read this book after watching the documentary "I'll Be Gone In The Dark". Michelle McNamara had spoken about Larry Compton multiple times and I wanted to hear about this case from his perspective. I was very disappointed in his writing however. I did not like the fact that he added dialogue, changed names, and repeated the details of each case the way he did. I think a better author would have summarized the various details that were the same in each case and only written about he variations. It was hard to get thru this book. Maybe reading back before this case was solved may have had a different impact but I didn't learn anything new and found it difficult to sort out what was fact and what was added by the author.
May 9, 2022
This is a very interesting book that came out quite a bit before "The Golden State Killer" and the other book "I'll be gone in the dark" .
At this time he was only known as E.R.S /O.N.S. Larry Compton was one of the original detectives on this case, so offers some very detailed information and photo's, drawings and maps. He's not the greatest writer , he's a ret policeman and writes the way he speaks.
At least that's my impression of his writing . But I have to say that I found it easy to read and understand the different aspects of this case.
At this time he was only known as E.R.S /O.N.S. Larry Compton was one of the original detectives on this case, so offers some very detailed information and photo's, drawings and maps. He's not the greatest writer , he's a ret policeman and writes the way he speaks.
At least that's my impression of his writing . But I have to say that I found it easy to read and understand the different aspects of this case.
February 15, 2023
I can't even finish this. A police officer writing about some of the most brutal rapes and homicides and even still talks about women in the most derogatory disgusting way. It is uncomfortable to read someone who is supposed to be helping the victims speak like he does and I hope the co verdagions he's portraying are more fictional and for shock value rather than any actual conversations that came about throughout the case
Disgusting.
Disgusting.
May 8, 2018
Compared to Shelby's "Hunting a Psychopath," this one definitely reads more easily, and is far more entertaining to read. He takes some creative liberties throughout the book, but Crompton's perspectives and retellings of the investigation are incredibly thrilling to read. It's a definite must-read for anyone interested in the EARONS case, or true crime in general.
March 25, 2021
This is helpful as further reading regarding the case of The Golden State Killer but as a stand alone book I probably wouldn't have found it well written enough to persevere with. This is good further reading either before or after you read 'I'll be gone in the dark' by Michelle McNamara.
June 18, 2024
I would have given this book 5 stars because it was fairly well-written and absolutely held my interest. However, I took off 2 stars for sexist, tasteless, and homophobic “jokes” that had no place in this book.
July 14, 2018
Hard to read but necessary if you are following the EAR-ONs case.
March 16, 2021
Amazingly written! I found my heart racing at different points of the story!
April 2, 2023
I felt so bad for these people knowing the guy wouldn’t be caught till 2018! But at least he ones and these people never gave up trying to find him. Bravo!
March 25, 2015
This book is about my favorite case, the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker. I knew a lot about the case going in, but finally getting to hear about it from someone who actually worked the cases was both eye-opening and shocking. This offender was even more awful and sick than I knew going in, and Crompton does an excellent job of conveying the terror and humiliation his victims were forced to endure.
While the book has many errors in spelling, grammar, etc. and is obviously the product of someone not used to writing in this format, I was willing and able to overlook that due to the detailed and fascinating nature of the content. There are a few areas where events become confusing, though whether that's the fault of Crompton or of the data he was using as a reference is unclear. I actually wish the book had been even longer and MORE detailed, because while I was absorbed into the events I had trouble at times immersing myself to imagine exactly what it would've been like to be there, since I was not alive during the time period and thus lacked certain info until it was mentioned briefly later on (the lack of streetlights on many streets at the time, for example.) I also wish more detail was included about the murders and not just the rapes, although I understand why that was not done.
I appreciated Crompton's honesty about the crimes, the Sacramento area citizens' reactions, and the investigation. It's nice to be afforded a look into the insulated and sometimes chillingly unconcerned, arrogant and lazy world of mid-70's California police and investigators, and to learn just how many people did not report even majorly disruptive or disturbing criminal activity in their neighborhoods/homes. Crompton does not shy away from pointing the finger at all of these people - himself included - and daring to ask "how much did we miss? could we have done more to stop this person? why did so many let so much go unreported or unresponded to?" It's rare to see that kind of blunt honesty and admission of guilt and accountability in true crime books, especially from a former member of law enforcement. It's also rare to read such repeated emphasis on and description of the lasting psychological damage suffered by the victims; Crompton seems to truly understand and, regrettably, feel somewhat responsible for their unresolved pain. I could feel the enduring strength of his anger and desire to see EAR caught and for justice to be done on behalf of the victims and survivors, as well as his frustration with the fact that this may never be done.
Reading about the repeated lack of police cooperation was stunning, and that lack of cooperation, jealousy and resentment apparently continues to hamper this case to this day. I believe strongly that this case is solvable, and to know that there are still pissing contests and childish withholding of information going on in some circles of the investigation is absolutely disgraceful. There were times when I had to put the book down and take a moment to breathe and relax because I was so angry. Angry at both the offender and at the people whose job it was to stop him, who were sometimes too busy looking after themselves to do that job properly. At other times I had to force myself to stop reading in order to get other things done because I had been so completely engrossed in the book, and had been at it for longer than intended.
Overall this was one of the best, most unique, and most interesting true crime books I've ever read. It has armed me with vital new information about the crimes committed by EAR/ONS, deepened my understanding of the ongoing investigation, and increased my appreciation for people like Larry Crompton who will not stop working to unmask this horrible serial rapist and murderer in attempt to bring him to justice. This is a story that needs to be told and retold until EAR/ONS is as widely known as the more notorious serial offenders, since it is possible that he is still alive and still committing crimes, feeling safe in his obscurity. By writing this book Larry Crompton has taken a large and admirable step in assuring that this case won't be ignored or forgotten.
While the book has many errors in spelling, grammar, etc. and is obviously the product of someone not used to writing in this format, I was willing and able to overlook that due to the detailed and fascinating nature of the content. There are a few areas where events become confusing, though whether that's the fault of Crompton or of the data he was using as a reference is unclear. I actually wish the book had been even longer and MORE detailed, because while I was absorbed into the events I had trouble at times immersing myself to imagine exactly what it would've been like to be there, since I was not alive during the time period and thus lacked certain info until it was mentioned briefly later on (the lack of streetlights on many streets at the time, for example.) I also wish more detail was included about the murders and not just the rapes, although I understand why that was not done.
I appreciated Crompton's honesty about the crimes, the Sacramento area citizens' reactions, and the investigation. It's nice to be afforded a look into the insulated and sometimes chillingly unconcerned, arrogant and lazy world of mid-70's California police and investigators, and to learn just how many people did not report even majorly disruptive or disturbing criminal activity in their neighborhoods/homes. Crompton does not shy away from pointing the finger at all of these people - himself included - and daring to ask "how much did we miss? could we have done more to stop this person? why did so many let so much go unreported or unresponded to?" It's rare to see that kind of blunt honesty and admission of guilt and accountability in true crime books, especially from a former member of law enforcement. It's also rare to read such repeated emphasis on and description of the lasting psychological damage suffered by the victims; Crompton seems to truly understand and, regrettably, feel somewhat responsible for their unresolved pain. I could feel the enduring strength of his anger and desire to see EAR caught and for justice to be done on behalf of the victims and survivors, as well as his frustration with the fact that this may never be done.
Reading about the repeated lack of police cooperation was stunning, and that lack of cooperation, jealousy and resentment apparently continues to hamper this case to this day. I believe strongly that this case is solvable, and to know that there are still pissing contests and childish withholding of information going on in some circles of the investigation is absolutely disgraceful. There were times when I had to put the book down and take a moment to breathe and relax because I was so angry. Angry at both the offender and at the people whose job it was to stop him, who were sometimes too busy looking after themselves to do that job properly. At other times I had to force myself to stop reading in order to get other things done because I had been so completely engrossed in the book, and had been at it for longer than intended.
Overall this was one of the best, most unique, and most interesting true crime books I've ever read. It has armed me with vital new information about the crimes committed by EAR/ONS, deepened my understanding of the ongoing investigation, and increased my appreciation for people like Larry Crompton who will not stop working to unmask this horrible serial rapist and murderer in attempt to bring him to justice. This is a story that needs to be told and retold until EAR/ONS is as widely known as the more notorious serial offenders, since it is possible that he is still alive and still committing crimes, feeling safe in his obscurity. By writing this book Larry Crompton has taken a large and admirable step in assuring that this case won't be ignored or forgotten.
May 24, 2021
After reading the McNamara book "I'll Be Gone In The Dark" I really wanted to know more about the crimes and the investigations and heard this book provided in depth coverage of both and was pleased to find it so. Sgt. Larry Crompton was on a major task force gathered to investigate EAR/ONS and provides intimate details and retelling of each crime pretty much in chronological order. By reading about each individual crime you get a sense of the fear/terror caused by the rapist and the frustrations of the officers and criminologists involved in the investigations. Mr. Crompton combines actual case facts on the cases he was involved in, and fictionalizes the cases he was not a part of based on actual case files. You also learn that since many jurisdictions were involved that cooperation among the different organizations was hit or miss. Knowing at the time of reading the McNamara book that DNA evidence had finally solved the mystery you kept seeing hints that the investigators were on the right track throughout both books but never got the "break or tip" that could solve the case.
Overall I recommend this book for its comprehensive telling of the crimes and you really get a sense of the time period and the feel of the neighborhoods involved. Since it was written by an officer involved in the investigations you get his personal thoughts and insights that were valuable in the retelling of the story, but, you also get some insights that maybe should have been withheld when the author questions whether one of the victims' was truly victimized or not. To be fair the author states several times that he hopes the book will help provide clues that would ultimately lead to the rapist/murderer's capture and not just re-victimizing those actually involved in the crimes.
Overall I recommend this book for its comprehensive telling of the crimes and you really get a sense of the time period and the feel of the neighborhoods involved. Since it was written by an officer involved in the investigations you get his personal thoughts and insights that were valuable in the retelling of the story, but, you also get some insights that maybe should have been withheld when the author questions whether one of the victims' was truly victimized or not. To be fair the author states several times that he hopes the book will help provide clues that would ultimately lead to the rapist/murderer's capture and not just re-victimizing those actually involved in the crimes.
December 8, 2015
"Sudden Terror" is a work by one of the police officers on the Original Night Stalker/East Area Rapist case of the 1970s. The story is horrific and fascinating--a twisted individual repeatedly terrorized the public and was never caught. Larry Crompton's point of view is invaluable, as someone who actually worked the case. The problem is that the majority of the book is presented as conversations, like a minute-by-minute replay of small jokes between officers and requests to go investigate, and that is just plain boring. Points of analysis (example: cooperation between agencies seriously hindered pursuit of ONS/EAR) are therefore pushed to the introduction and conclusion. I thought those points of conclusion were the most important part of the book, rather than the sadly repetitive replay of the attacks. (A better strategy would have been to pick out a few that were unique in some fashion and abandon the instant replays of the rest.) In addition to this issue, I was troubled by some typos and some bizarre word choices.
March 13, 2013
"Sudden Terror" is a page-turner, which is probably the true measure of success for a book structured around police reports. I did not mind the middle of the book, during which Crompton employs a cast of fictional detectives to move the narrative along. The section devoted to the Original Night Stalker murders could have been a bit longer but there are less details there to work with. Crompton goes a good job of conveying the frustration and emotional exhaustion experienced by the detectives working the EAR and the unimaginable terror the EAR struck in the victims whose lives he forever altered.
August 9, 2020
Scary many well written
Compton’s investigative work was astonishing and detrimental to the capture of the EAR aka The Golden State Killer. Even tough, all his hours were to no avail his book kept the vicious crimes in the forefront of many interested parties. After seeing most of the HBO special, “I’ll Be Gone Before Dark” this book furthered my interest in this long despicable criminal. I’m ever so grateful to have read the full account and content that he was finally apprehended. A truly grotesque read.
Compton’s investigative work was astonishing and detrimental to the capture of the EAR aka The Golden State Killer. Even tough, all his hours were to no avail his book kept the vicious crimes in the forefront of many interested parties. After seeing most of the HBO special, “I’ll Be Gone Before Dark” this book furthered my interest in this long despicable criminal. I’m ever so grateful to have read the full account and content that he was finally apprehended. A truly grotesque read.
June 5, 2018
This review is for the Kindle edition only
I was excited that this book was finally available in a kindle edition. Unfortunately it looks like rather than typing it out, someone just scanned the pages and it is very difficult to read. Also because it is images of text you cannot use the search function to search the book.
Had I known this, I would have purchased a physical copy.
I was excited that this book was finally available in a kindle edition. Unfortunately it looks like rather than typing it out, someone just scanned the pages and it is very difficult to read. Also because it is images of text you cannot use the search function to search the book.
Had I known this, I would have purchased a physical copy.
August 8, 2020
Very informative
This is a really in-depth accounting of the crimes of the Golden State Killer. It is incredibly interesting to be able to read a police officers experience of investigating a serial killer and rapist. If you enjoy true crime and can handle intimate details of the crimes then I would recommend this book however I do warn you that it is at times quite graphic.
This is a really in-depth accounting of the crimes of the Golden State Killer. It is incredibly interesting to be able to read a police officers experience of investigating a serial killer and rapist. If you enjoy true crime and can handle intimate details of the crimes then I would recommend this book however I do warn you that it is at times quite graphic.
August 11, 2013
Kudos to the cop who assembled this info dump. The writing isn't great, but the subject matter is fascinating and horrifying. The scariest, creepiest, serial rapist and killer in the history of US jurisprudence. And he still hasn't been caught!
September 28, 2017
See my review on the only other book on the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker (EARONS) for more. What I say about Hunting A Psychopath by Richard Shelby is pretty much the same as I'd say about Larry Crompton's Sudden Terror -- both books have some positive approaches in the way they recount the crimes of North America's most mysterious unknown serial killer, but they fail at the end due to some serious flaws. Where the Shelby book is loaded with terrible writing, editing, and ridiculous turns of phrase, the Crompton book is too heavily fictionalized with a cast of cops and incidents that have been scripted.
What you get here sure reads like it's an authentic retelling of the EARONS case, as Crompton was a cop who became involved with the investigation in the later 1970s. But it's all made up, right down to conversations amongst the police, between investigators and victims, and so forth. Even the officers themselves here are composites of real people. Reading that disclaimed at the end of the book really killed my enthusiasm for the entire book. As a result, even though the feel is good, Crompton undercuts any claim to this being a definitive work because all the reader is really getting is his interpretation of what happened, complete with dramatized scenes to make it all more realistic to the reader. It's all something of a fake-out, even though I'm sure Crompton didn't intend it this way, and even though I'm sure his writing captures the mood of events of what really happened.
I'm hoping for better from the posthumous publication of Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark next February.
What you get here sure reads like it's an authentic retelling of the EARONS case, as Crompton was a cop who became involved with the investigation in the later 1970s. But it's all made up, right down to conversations amongst the police, between investigators and victims, and so forth. Even the officers themselves here are composites of real people. Reading that disclaimed at the end of the book really killed my enthusiasm for the entire book. As a result, even though the feel is good, Crompton undercuts any claim to this being a definitive work because all the reader is really getting is his interpretation of what happened, complete with dramatized scenes to make it all more realistic to the reader. It's all something of a fake-out, even though I'm sure Crompton didn't intend it this way, and even though I'm sure his writing captures the mood of events of what really happened.
I'm hoping for better from the posthumous publication of Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark next February.
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