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American Ripper: The Enigma of America's Serial Killer Cop
American Ripper is the true story of Gerard John Schaefer, a Florida law enforcement officer who was a prolific serial killer in the late 1960s early 1970s. The decade that was thought to be filled with love, peace, and happiness became a new dark age, breeding more serial killers than any other time in US history including Charles Manson, the Zodiac Killer, the Son of Sam, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy, who was held in the same prison as Schaefer and whom he both idolized and resented for the recognition his crimes brought him, a recognition Schaefer never received.
This book chronicles Schaefer's life, education, his career as a cop, and his path to become a sadistic murderer. Based on extensive empirical research that includes reviews of the case's investigation and subsequent trial, interviews with families of victims, numerous police and attorneys involved with the case, forensic doctors, and the killer himself, the author attempts to discern how Schaefer became the antithesis of what a lawman should be. Schaefer's metamorphosis can never be rationally explained, but reviews of the case's transcripts, the killer's psychiatric evaluations, and the author's own experience with Schaefer help paint a picture of an unfettered mind that fed on its own darkness.
This book chronicles Schaefer's life, education, his career as a cop, and his path to become a sadistic murderer. Based on extensive empirical research that includes reviews of the case's investigation and subsequent trial, interviews with families of victims, numerous police and attorneys involved with the case, forensic doctors, and the killer himself, the author attempts to discern how Schaefer became the antithesis of what a lawman should be. Schaefer's metamorphosis can never be rationally explained, but reviews of the case's transcripts, the killer's psychiatric evaluations, and the author's own experience with Schaefer help paint a picture of an unfettered mind that fed on its own darkness.
594 pages, Paperback
Published June 2, 2020
139 people are currently reading
1020 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 11, 2022
This is…a lot. I was super intrigued about this case after the Morbid podcast episode, and I was actually surprised by how gruesome the descriptions in this book were. I don’t think I’ve read anything that made me squirm like this. And that text came straight from Schaefer’s diary, so that’s all on him.
It’s obviously very well researched, but it’s bogged down with very extended interviews and notes and information that doesn’t seem super relevant and pertinent. I think the author included every single scrap of information available about this case. If that’s what you’re looking for, that’s great, but I could’ve done away with half of it and for the better. Even if it still included every topic, so much filler could’ve been removed. For example, I don’t need three pages of an interviewee just repeating that they don’t know as the interviewer asks the same questions.
I also read this on my kindle, and it was formatted horribly. It included so much “external text” (journal entries, etc) that were at a point 2 font size. I’d constantly be blowing my kindle’s font size to the max and then bringing it back down to read the actual author’s text. Super annoying and made me want to stop reading. If anyone important to this book ever reads this review, this is definitely worth fixing.
I don’t think the average person would enjoy this, but if you are particularly obsessed with Schaefer’s case, this would be an informative read.
It’s obviously very well researched, but it’s bogged down with very extended interviews and notes and information that doesn’t seem super relevant and pertinent. I think the author included every single scrap of information available about this case. If that’s what you’re looking for, that’s great, but I could’ve done away with half of it and for the better. Even if it still included every topic, so much filler could’ve been removed. For example, I don’t need three pages of an interviewee just repeating that they don’t know as the interviewer asks the same questions.
I also read this on my kindle, and it was formatted horribly. It included so much “external text” (journal entries, etc) that were at a point 2 font size. I’d constantly be blowing my kindle’s font size to the max and then bringing it back down to read the actual author’s text. Super annoying and made me want to stop reading. If anyone important to this book ever reads this review, this is definitely worth fixing.
I don’t think the average person would enjoy this, but if you are particularly obsessed with Schaefer’s case, this would be an informative read.
August 19, 2024
This book made me sick to my stomach but it has a lot of important information every girl should read.
July 2, 2020
Before now, I had read a lot about Gerard John Schaefer: a Florida police officer turned serial killer. However, nothing I read satisfied my inquisitiveness about it all, they all lacked originality. Finding this book by Patrick Kendrick: "American Ripper: The Enigma of America's Serial Killer Cop" brought my curiosity to a rest. I hadn't read anything with so much detail about this serial killer before, so it overwhelmed me a little when the book transitioned me into the reality of the incidences. I could feel the fear of the victims as they were abducted and killed, as well as the frustrations of their families. This is a lot of research work, from the criminal investigation, to the various lives of the victims and the killer, the trial and the inevitable aftermath. It’s well worth my money. I recommend 100%. Thumbs up, author Kendrick!
February 19, 2021
American Ripper: The Enigma of America’s Serial Killer Cop is a true crime novel written by Patrick Kendrick. At nearly 600 Kindle edition pages, this story is one that was clearly written with diligence in mind. The decade stemming from the late 1960s to early/mid-1970s is one with a significant focus on crime and murder, despite the decade being thought of as peaceful.
The focus of the story is on convicted serial killer Gerard John Schaefer. With diligent research from his early life to the time of the misers and his conviction, Schaefer’s mental mindset is dutifully examined, as well as his complete and total disregard for human life. Though any true crime fanatic would already know the fate of the aforementioned murderer, I especially appreciated the author’s approach with keeping the facts of the story straight and leaving out his personal opinion until the very end of the book. I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching Schaefer after hearing of him mentioned on a true-crime podcast that I followed a few years back, but I was more impressed than I was anticipating by the amount of research that has gone into ensuring only the most adequate and relevant information was released by the author to keep the story straight for the readers benefit.
I should also mention that this is not a recommended read for the faint of heart. American Ripper includes detailed explanations of the attacks inflicted by Schaefer as well as the deviant actions that he shared in his own writing. (Adamantly denied by Schaefer, though found within his possessions and detailing specifics to the deceased remains.) This is a deep read and one that will not leave your mind easily after reaching the ending. The family members and friends of these victims did not see the end of the trial and then simply move on with their lives. They’ve had to live with the loss and missing loved ones and no amount of justice can return what they have lost. In keeping everything factual and in line with the presented facts of the case, I also appreciated the court proceedings that were included in the story as a way of knowing the specifics of the case without having to refer back to them myself. The trial proceedings are listed with specific questions and answers by all parties as they occurred with relation to the case. The author has personally communicated with countless parties who were involved with the case, including family members of victims and suspected victims.
I typically try to refrain from reading the author’s bio pages before I finish their stories in order to keep my reviews as unbiased as possible and I’m especially pleased that I stuck with that through the end of this one. Because of the author’s dedication to getting this story out to the public, he endured haunting harassment by the killer, which, that statement alone rattles me to my core. I cannot fathom the dedication it must take to continue with a story that not only could keep you up at night with the visual and emotional turmoils but to also deal with a convicted serial killer’s ongoing threats.
As a fan of true crime documentation, I feel honored to have had the opportunity to see an inside look at what I consider more of the behind-the-scenes view of the world of Gerard Schaefer and the victims impacted by his choices. American Ripper: The Enigma of America’s Serial Killer Cop is not for the weak, though highly recommended by me and easily rated 5 out of 5 stars. It’s difficult for me, even as an experienced reviewer, to feel that I’m giving justice to the dedication and writing quality presented by Patrick Kendrick and his years of devotion to such a horrendous account. I know there’s no adequate way recommendation for this story that can touch the surface, but I will say that this is a story that reads best when told by someone who has spoken to countless first-hand witnesses to the experience- insert Kendrick.
The focus of the story is on convicted serial killer Gerard John Schaefer. With diligent research from his early life to the time of the misers and his conviction, Schaefer’s mental mindset is dutifully examined, as well as his complete and total disregard for human life. Though any true crime fanatic would already know the fate of the aforementioned murderer, I especially appreciated the author’s approach with keeping the facts of the story straight and leaving out his personal opinion until the very end of the book. I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching Schaefer after hearing of him mentioned on a true-crime podcast that I followed a few years back, but I was more impressed than I was anticipating by the amount of research that has gone into ensuring only the most adequate and relevant information was released by the author to keep the story straight for the readers benefit.
I should also mention that this is not a recommended read for the faint of heart. American Ripper includes detailed explanations of the attacks inflicted by Schaefer as well as the deviant actions that he shared in his own writing. (Adamantly denied by Schaefer, though found within his possessions and detailing specifics to the deceased remains.) This is a deep read and one that will not leave your mind easily after reaching the ending. The family members and friends of these victims did not see the end of the trial and then simply move on with their lives. They’ve had to live with the loss and missing loved ones and no amount of justice can return what they have lost. In keeping everything factual and in line with the presented facts of the case, I also appreciated the court proceedings that were included in the story as a way of knowing the specifics of the case without having to refer back to them myself. The trial proceedings are listed with specific questions and answers by all parties as they occurred with relation to the case. The author has personally communicated with countless parties who were involved with the case, including family members of victims and suspected victims.
I typically try to refrain from reading the author’s bio pages before I finish their stories in order to keep my reviews as unbiased as possible and I’m especially pleased that I stuck with that through the end of this one. Because of the author’s dedication to getting this story out to the public, he endured haunting harassment by the killer, which, that statement alone rattles me to my core. I cannot fathom the dedication it must take to continue with a story that not only could keep you up at night with the visual and emotional turmoils but to also deal with a convicted serial killer’s ongoing threats.
As a fan of true crime documentation, I feel honored to have had the opportunity to see an inside look at what I consider more of the behind-the-scenes view of the world of Gerard Schaefer and the victims impacted by his choices. American Ripper: The Enigma of America’s Serial Killer Cop is not for the weak, though highly recommended by me and easily rated 5 out of 5 stars. It’s difficult for me, even as an experienced reviewer, to feel that I’m giving justice to the dedication and writing quality presented by Patrick Kendrick and his years of devotion to such a horrendous account. I know there’s no adequate way recommendation for this story that can touch the surface, but I will say that this is a story that reads best when told by someone who has spoken to countless first-hand witnesses to the experience- insert Kendrick.
September 3, 2024
Patrick Kendrick uses the phrase "in the interest of brevity" at one point and he must have been kidding. At almost six hundred pages, that adjective is the wrong one. Court and interview transcripts are used extensively with the author's points made in-between. The repetition is downright exhausting.
Handwritten notepads of what Schaefer described as "creative fiction" were discovered at his mother's house, in addition to pieces of jewelry. His writings were deeply disturbing tales of torture and depravity. A trail of dead women followed with an uncanny resemblance to Gerald's musings.
Kendrick was sued by the killer and although the suits were tossed, lawyer's fees were a major nuisance. He was unable to determine the total number of victims and Gerry took his secrets to the grave after being sliced and diced in prison by a fellow inmate.
American Ripper is much too long and I recommend "Killer Fiction" by Schaefer and London and Hangman by Michael Newton.
Handwritten notepads of what Schaefer described as "creative fiction" were discovered at his mother's house, in addition to pieces of jewelry. His writings were deeply disturbing tales of torture and depravity. A trail of dead women followed with an uncanny resemblance to Gerald's musings.
Kendrick was sued by the killer and although the suits were tossed, lawyer's fees were a major nuisance. He was unable to determine the total number of victims and Gerry took his secrets to the grave after being sliced and diced in prison by a fellow inmate.
American Ripper is much too long and I recommend "Killer Fiction" by Schaefer and London and Hangman by Michael Newton.
December 22, 2024
3.5 stars...I rounded down to 3 because of my physical copy's glaring grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
This book is H E A V Y. I'm not a squeamish person, but I'd have a hard time recommending this read to anyone else because of how disturbing it is. How this particular murderer managed to escape the infamy awarded to Ted Bendy, John Wayne Gacy, Ed Gein etc...Gerard John Schaefer was as despicable and depraved a human as they come.
He met an appropriate end, couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.
What I really took away from this book was just how difficult life was for the author in collecting this information and the aftermath of dealing with a psychopath like Schaefer. I wanted to rate the book higher for this alone.
While it was a worthwhile read (and I always take information away on how these sick people operate and feel I educate myself a little more with each true crime story I absorb), I can't in good conscience recommend this. It's just too awful.
This book is H E A V Y. I'm not a squeamish person, but I'd have a hard time recommending this read to anyone else because of how disturbing it is. How this particular murderer managed to escape the infamy awarded to Ted Bendy, John Wayne Gacy, Ed Gein etc...Gerard John Schaefer was as despicable and depraved a human as they come.
He met an appropriate end, couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.
What I really took away from this book was just how difficult life was for the author in collecting this information and the aftermath of dealing with a psychopath like Schaefer. I wanted to rate the book higher for this alone.
While it was a worthwhile read (and I always take information away on how these sick people operate and feel I educate myself a little more with each true crime story I absorb), I can't in good conscience recommend this. It's just too awful.
January 21, 2023
I almost didn’t finish this book because I was sick to my stomach after the first chapter. Reading the excerpt from Schaefer’s diary was nauseating. No matter how you feel about his innocence or guilt, it is obvious that he was a severely unhealthy individual. I even recommended to someone NOT to read it based on the first chapter alone but I retracted that recommendation after pushing on. The first chapter was the worst though and the rest wasn’t quite as bad. It turned out to be an incredibly interesting and well written book with excellent detail, great narration and cohesive timelines. If you can stomach the severely deranged tale/truth, I highly recommend this book.
September 11, 2022
Dry
Bought this after having it recommended by the host of a TC podcast who couldn't stop raving about it. Instead of an in depth study of either victims or killer, I found a lot of regurgitated legal depositions and confusing timelines, interspersed with far too many "this reporter"s and "this author"s. I suppose there are folks out there who enjoy that, so I do recommend it if that's for you, but I don't suggest it for anyone looking for fleshed out stories of the victims or concrete facts of their killer.
Bought this after having it recommended by the host of a TC podcast who couldn't stop raving about it. Instead of an in depth study of either victims or killer, I found a lot of regurgitated legal depositions and confusing timelines, interspersed with far too many "this reporter"s and "this author"s. I suppose there are folks out there who enjoy that, so I do recommend it if that's for you, but I don't suggest it for anyone looking for fleshed out stories of the victims or concrete facts of their killer.
October 13, 2022
This was a lot, and the beginning does a great job (is that even the right phrase?) of setting up the tone of the rest of the book.
Overall I found it interesting, but I wish there were more breaks - one chapter took SO long to read and it would have been nice to have a few more natural breaks than stopping mid chapter. Also, I read the Kindle version so this could be why, but it had quite a few typos making it difficult to read at times.
But, really, it was both interesting and terrifying to read. Not for the lighthearted 😬
Overall I found it interesting, but I wish there were more breaks - one chapter took SO long to read and it would have been nice to have a few more natural breaks than stopping mid chapter. Also, I read the Kindle version so this could be why, but it had quite a few typos making it difficult to read at times.
But, really, it was both interesting and terrifying to read. Not for the lighthearted 😬
January 7, 2025
Wow, sick dude!
I’m surprised we don’t hear more about this killer in the circle of true crime enthusiasts. Some of the dialogue in this book is long and exhausting, but that does not diminish my enjoyment of this story. The detail and depth of the writing was fantastic, allowing your imagination to flow with the story without effort. The cautionary advice from the author reminds us all that people this demented exist. We never truly know what most people are up to or dreaming about! Great book, thank you!
I’m surprised we don’t hear more about this killer in the circle of true crime enthusiasts. Some of the dialogue in this book is long and exhausting, but that does not diminish my enjoyment of this story. The detail and depth of the writing was fantastic, allowing your imagination to flow with the story without effort. The cautionary advice from the author reminds us all that people this demented exist. We never truly know what most people are up to or dreaming about! Great book, thank you!
April 21, 2024
This book is very heavy I would not recommend this for anyone who is into light true crime this made me sick to my stomach. The author states that he will show both sides of the story? Most of the book is court documents which then have comments defending the prosecution. At the end the authors gets sued by the killer and I guess goes off the deep end? Overall…. Bunch of gore at the beginning then endless court stuff with only biased insight from the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2025
This book focused on the case of Gerard John Schaefer, a Florida Highway Patrolman that was found guilty of murder. This serial killer hunted the roadways for hitchhiking women to not only torture and kill but to desecrate their remains. This book goes into so much detail of the case but also the mental psyche of this killer that it can be a bit hard to read at times, but I loved it. I highly recommend this book!
September 2, 2022
A one-of-a-kind look into true horror. The fact that this is nonfiction is chilling…
October 22, 2022
I started this book today, and DNF, it’s too much. Let me first say I love true crime. But, this book is so graphic, I wanted to vomit.
November 9, 2022
Lots of good information about the case but it's written almost exactly like court documents so it drags a bit
January 5, 2023
review
Well written account of horrible crimes, not a quick or light read by any means. Full long excerpts of trial arguments.
Well written account of horrible crimes, not a quick or light read by any means. Full long excerpts of trial arguments.
September 12, 2023
This has a lot of information into the case and the victims.
Kendrick laid it out in a way that was easy to follow.
Kendrick laid it out in a way that was easy to follow.
March 4, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Interesting book, a VERY deep dive into this case. I definitely did enjoy the book, but the grammatical/formatting errors in the Kindle version were a little frustrating.
Interesting book, a VERY deep dive into this case. I definitely did enjoy the book, but the grammatical/formatting errors in the Kindle version were a little frustrating.
May 12, 2024
Tons of info about a fairly unknown serial killer, but it’s dryer than the Sahara. However, if you’re a fan of reading transcripts of interviews and legal proceedings you’ll be in hog heaven.
July 19, 2025
just super long interviews and court transcripts that literally mean nothing to the case
March 23, 2025
Read this book after Morbid: A True Crime Podcast covered this case. Very informative and fairly well written. I think the author too often tried to disconnect the many examples of poor police work from why Gerard went so long undetected. The more I read, learn, and listen to any content concerning serial killers, especially the ones active in the 60s-late 80s, the more it’s obvious that one of the major reasons they were all able to make victims of so many people was because of the nature of their respective investigations (or, too often, the lack thereof). I don’t think Gerard was railroaded by the justice system - he was charged as he should have been. It’s a shame the other departments thought it would be a “waste of taxpayer money” to try him for any others. Families have a right to know what happened to their loved ones
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews