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The Garden State Parkway Murders: A Cold Case Mystery
"I know that the way the bodies were left, the person who killed those girls had an excellent knowledge of chemistry, knowing that the three things you need are heat, moisture, darkness, and the proper point of acidity to eliminate evidence. All of that was accomplished. It was remarkable." - John Divel, Ocean City Police Department
The Garden State Parkway Murders: A Cold Case Mystery is the first and only historical account of the unsolved murders of college friends Susan Davis and Elizabeth Perry, who were stabbed to death in the woods alongside the Garden State Parkway near Ocean City, New Jersey on Memorial Day 1969. The discovery of the wealthy coeds three days after their slayings, as reported by Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News, touches off one of the largest manhunts in New Jersey since the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Over the next ten years the New Jersey State Police, Atlantic County (N.J.) Prosecutor's Office, and FBI question thousands of people, tracking leads as far as San Francisco in search of the killer. Among the suspects are infamous serial killers Ted Bundy and Gerald Eugene Stano, who were living within an hour's drive from the murders at the time they occurred, resided next to one another for a time on Florida's Death Row, and indirectly confessed to the murders before being executed.
The Garden State Parkway Murders tracks the author's decade-long obsession with seeking justice for Davis and Perry. Presented with all the information surrounding these brutal murders, including a discussion of recent technological advancements in DNA and FBI serial killer profiling, the reader is asked to consider, why hasn't this cold case been solved?
The Garden State Parkway Murders: A Cold Case Mystery is the first and only historical account of the unsolved murders of college friends Susan Davis and Elizabeth Perry, who were stabbed to death in the woods alongside the Garden State Parkway near Ocean City, New Jersey on Memorial Day 1969. The discovery of the wealthy coeds three days after their slayings, as reported by Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News, touches off one of the largest manhunts in New Jersey since the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. Over the next ten years the New Jersey State Police, Atlantic County (N.J.) Prosecutor's Office, and FBI question thousands of people, tracking leads as far as San Francisco in search of the killer. Among the suspects are infamous serial killers Ted Bundy and Gerald Eugene Stano, who were living within an hour's drive from the murders at the time they occurred, resided next to one another for a time on Florida's Death Row, and indirectly confessed to the murders before being executed.
The Garden State Parkway Murders tracks the author's decade-long obsession with seeking justice for Davis and Perry. Presented with all the information surrounding these brutal murders, including a discussion of recent technological advancements in DNA and FBI serial killer profiling, the reader is asked to consider, why hasn't this cold case been solved?
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 20, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 17, 2021
Having grown up in NJ but born the same year as this horrific crime happened, I was drawn to reading this book. I'm glad I did, even though it is heartbreaking. There are a lot of suspects over the years, but even more questions. A fascinating but sad story, well-written and well-researched.
August 3, 2021
This is a book about the unsolved double murder of two college-aged women at the New Jersey shore in May 1969. Although I’m a New Jersey native very close in age to the two victims, I don’t recall ever hearing about this crime, maybe because it occurred in South Jersey and I’m from North Jersey. At any rate, the New Jersey connection prompted me to read the book.
It’s a hard one for me to rate. On the one hand, the story is compelling. The author clearly did very thorough research on the case and probably knows everything about it that’s available to the public. (Some information remains available only to law enforcement because it’s still an open investigation.) On the other hand, in my opinion, he has allowed his research to overwhelm the story, discussing at length numerous potential suspects whose connection to the crime is little more than conjectural, sometimes based on a thread as a slim as having been within 50 or 60 miles of the murder scene around the same time as the crime.
In the most egregious example, he devotes three chapters to Ted Bundy, despite very flimsy possible connections between Bundy and these murders. Most of what is reported here is not new and just pads the narrative for anyone who knows anything about Bundy. Mark Thomas was a more legitimate suspect than Bundy, but the chapters detailing his white supremacist activities and possible connection to the Oklahoma City bombing, while very interesting in their own right (I actually found them to be one of the best parts of the book), seem to have little to do with the case at hand.
Finally, I have to disagree with the reviewers who have called this book well-written. I agree that some sections are well written—and the author makes very effective use of cliffhangers at the ends of chapters—but the numerous odd turns of phrase, poor or incorrect word choice, and grammatical errors outweigh the better writing elsewhere. Just a few examples: “Krep’s legend is preceded only by his esteemed reputation”; “He was certain he could goad Thomas’s wrath”; Bundy was electrocuted “in the glimpse of an instant” and “the anticipation of the early morning electrocution grew rampant for the two hundred or so onlookers and news reporters impatiently teeming on the pasture.” Sometimes I got the impression that this was being written as a high school essay in which the author was trying to impress the teacher with flowery language or big words that he didn’t really have a handle on.
Because of the poor quality of much of the writing and the unnecessary padding of the narrative, I really can’t recommend this book with much enthusiasm. The story of the young women’s murders deserves telling, but I wish the author had pared it down. He could have saved much of his material on Mark Thomas for a separate book, and he could have left much of the Ted Bundy story to the numerous other Bundy books, movies, etc., that already exist. He should also have hired a good copyeditor.
It’s a hard one for me to rate. On the one hand, the story is compelling. The author clearly did very thorough research on the case and probably knows everything about it that’s available to the public. (Some information remains available only to law enforcement because it’s still an open investigation.) On the other hand, in my opinion, he has allowed his research to overwhelm the story, discussing at length numerous potential suspects whose connection to the crime is little more than conjectural, sometimes based on a thread as a slim as having been within 50 or 60 miles of the murder scene around the same time as the crime.
In the most egregious example, he devotes three chapters to Ted Bundy, despite very flimsy possible connections between Bundy and these murders. Most of what is reported here is not new and just pads the narrative for anyone who knows anything about Bundy. Mark Thomas was a more legitimate suspect than Bundy, but the chapters detailing his white supremacist activities and possible connection to the Oklahoma City bombing, while very interesting in their own right (I actually found them to be one of the best parts of the book), seem to have little to do with the case at hand.
Finally, I have to disagree with the reviewers who have called this book well-written. I agree that some sections are well written—and the author makes very effective use of cliffhangers at the ends of chapters—but the numerous odd turns of phrase, poor or incorrect word choice, and grammatical errors outweigh the better writing elsewhere. Just a few examples: “Krep’s legend is preceded only by his esteemed reputation”; “He was certain he could goad Thomas’s wrath”; Bundy was electrocuted “in the glimpse of an instant” and “the anticipation of the early morning electrocution grew rampant for the two hundred or so onlookers and news reporters impatiently teeming on the pasture.” Sometimes I got the impression that this was being written as a high school essay in which the author was trying to impress the teacher with flowery language or big words that he didn’t really have a handle on.
Because of the poor quality of much of the writing and the unnecessary padding of the narrative, I really can’t recommend this book with much enthusiasm. The story of the young women’s murders deserves telling, but I wish the author had pared it down. He could have saved much of his material on Mark Thomas for a separate book, and he could have left much of the Ted Bundy story to the numerous other Bundy books, movies, etc., that already exist. He should also have hired a good copyeditor.
May 21, 2020
This is a chilling true crime of an unsolved double murder of two girls called Susan and Elizabeth in the year 1969. Both girls were staying in Ocean City and their bodies discovered by the side of a parkway. Although the pacing was a little slow, I feel this book was well researched and really dug into all angles regarding suspects, settings and the attention of not just locals, but others across the country. Available to read on KU!
August 17, 2020
In depth look at the garden State parkway murders.
The author of this book did a lot of research to give a detailed report of many of the prime suspects for the 1969 co-ed murders, which is still a cold case. Sometimes the research given in the book seemed exhaustive. I wish the book was a little bit shorter, but it is well written and thought provoking.
The author of this book did a lot of research to give a detailed report of many of the prime suspects for the 1969 co-ed murders, which is still a cold case. Sometimes the research given in the book seemed exhaustive. I wish the book was a little bit shorter, but it is well written and thought provoking.
April 5, 2020
Depths of depravity
Very well researched and presented in a logical way. Parkway Murders held my attention throughout the read. In June 1969 I graduated from a NJ college and entered the military. I never really returned to NJ after I left. I was completely unaware of this tragedy until I saw it on Amazon now, in 2020. I am saddened for the parents on these young ladies. May all these now Rest In Peace.
Very well researched and presented in a logical way. Parkway Murders held my attention throughout the read. In June 1969 I graduated from a NJ college and entered the military. I never really returned to NJ after I left. I was completely unaware of this tragedy until I saw it on Amazon now, in 2020. I am saddened for the parents on these young ladies. May all these now Rest In Peace.
April 5, 2020
A Must Read
Will hold your attention for sure. I lived just up the parkway and next to it when these murders took place. My husband and I both spoke to Christian years later when he was researching this case. My husband was Police Chief in Egg Harbor Towhship in the 70s and 80s. You will learn a lot about different murder cases.
Will hold your attention for sure. I lived just up the parkway and next to it when these murders took place. My husband and I both spoke to Christian years later when he was researching this case. My husband was Police Chief in Egg Harbor Towhship in the 70s and 80s. You will learn a lot about different murder cases.
March 28, 2020
Apart from an occasional Ann Rule book, I don’t usually read this type of book. I was interested in this one mainly because I had been in the same high school class as one of the victims. This is a well written book and very detailed - perhaps too many details. It’s hard to keep the names and dates straight. Very sad and seemingly unsolvable.
June 12, 2020
Disappointing. Probably less than 20% of the book is actually about the GS Parkway murders. Think of the GSPM material as nothing more than a prologue and an epilogue to what is actually a book about various serial killers and the author's attenuated efforts to connect them to the murders.
There are five chapters on Ted Bundy alone, with more biographical detail on Bundy's childhood and upbringing (not to mention the hours and minutes leading up to his execution) than you'll find in any DEDICATED Bundy book. The devotion to Bundy stems from a wild attempt to argue that Bundy killed the two girls as his very first victims, a nonsensical assertion based on wild leaps of imagination. For starters, there's Bundy's own admission that his first murder didn't occur until nearly two years later, when he was on the west coast. Second, Bundy never went after more than one victim at a time until the Chi Omega house murders in Florida, his next to last attacks (Kimberly Leach would become is final victim, also in Florida). In numerous interviews Bundy has described his modus operandi, including his constant fear of getting caught; there's no way in his first attempt he threw caution to the wind and decided to go after two victims (in unfamiliar territory no less), moreover by getting them to pull over in their car on a major freeway. Finally, the two girls died from stab wounds, though there were also signs of attempted strangling. Bundy never used a knife: most of his victims were killed via blunt force trauma (strangling was a rare alternative).
The other serial killers he profiles - in great depth - include Gerald Stano. Essentially, Barth's only criteria is that a particular killer can be located at some point in his life - however brief -within within 100 miles of Ocean City, NJ at some point roughly proximate to the time of the murders, and then just runs with it.
In sum, this isn't really a book about the GSP murders - there's very little on those - so much as it is a book about various serial killers (and a couple of unlikely suspects). If that's what you're looking for, have at it, but if you're interested in real analysis of the crime and the police procedural aspects of trying to solve it, you won't find that here.
There are five chapters on Ted Bundy alone, with more biographical detail on Bundy's childhood and upbringing (not to mention the hours and minutes leading up to his execution) than you'll find in any DEDICATED Bundy book. The devotion to Bundy stems from a wild attempt to argue that Bundy killed the two girls as his very first victims, a nonsensical assertion based on wild leaps of imagination. For starters, there's Bundy's own admission that his first murder didn't occur until nearly two years later, when he was on the west coast. Second, Bundy never went after more than one victim at a time until the Chi Omega house murders in Florida, his next to last attacks (Kimberly Leach would become is final victim, also in Florida). In numerous interviews Bundy has described his modus operandi, including his constant fear of getting caught; there's no way in his first attempt he threw caution to the wind and decided to go after two victims (in unfamiliar territory no less), moreover by getting them to pull over in their car on a major freeway. Finally, the two girls died from stab wounds, though there were also signs of attempted strangling. Bundy never used a knife: most of his victims were killed via blunt force trauma (strangling was a rare alternative).
The other serial killers he profiles - in great depth - include Gerald Stano. Essentially, Barth's only criteria is that a particular killer can be located at some point in his life - however brief -within within 100 miles of Ocean City, NJ at some point roughly proximate to the time of the murders, and then just runs with it.
In sum, this isn't really a book about the GSP murders - there's very little on those - so much as it is a book about various serial killers (and a couple of unlikely suspects). If that's what you're looking for, have at it, but if you're interested in real analysis of the crime and the police procedural aspects of trying to solve it, you won't find that here.
June 13, 2020
This book has the disputable honor of ...
Being the only true crime book I have ever stopped reading only partially the way through.
I’m afraid I just cannot get past this authors way of calling every single person by their full name, where they’re born, their history etc etc, it really just bugged me.
I don’t know why some authors feel the need to ‘pack’ the book and by that I mean adding useless non essential information so there’s a higher page count. Most do it to some extent, but the majority try and keep it to information that’s actually needed to tell the story, this book however is just FILLED with it.
I started to find myself skipping page after page and finally decided if I’m not enjoying it to this extent then why bother.
So I deleted it.
Being the only true crime book I have ever stopped reading only partially the way through.
I’m afraid I just cannot get past this authors way of calling every single person by their full name, where they’re born, their history etc etc, it really just bugged me.
I don’t know why some authors feel the need to ‘pack’ the book and by that I mean adding useless non essential information so there’s a higher page count. Most do it to some extent, but the majority try and keep it to information that’s actually needed to tell the story, this book however is just FILLED with it.
I started to find myself skipping page after page and finally decided if I’m not enjoying it to this extent then why bother.
So I deleted it.
February 24, 2020
Well researched, well written book about an event I remember well. I was raised 55 miles northwest of Ocean City NJ and spent a week with my parents and siblings each summer in OC (mostly in the month of June). At the age of thirteen I followed the news accounts and while there were many suspects, never an arrest. The story is brought to life through the words of family, investigators and suspects. Detailed description of landmarks and events rounds out the story. The family’s loss still resonates fifty one years later. Highly recommend this book.
February 26, 2020
Chilling True Crime
As someone who vacations regularly in Ocean City, NJ, this book really hit me. I also grew up in Philadelphia which was home to some of the suspects. I found some parts very chilling since I am familiar with some of the places mentioned in the book. The writer had me picturing these places in my mind. The victims, Susan Davis and Elizabeth Perry will stay with me for quite awhile. I will always think of them when passing mile marker 31.9 on the Garden State Parkway.
As someone who vacations regularly in Ocean City, NJ, this book really hit me. I also grew up in Philadelphia which was home to some of the suspects. I found some parts very chilling since I am familiar with some of the places mentioned in the book. The writer had me picturing these places in my mind. The victims, Susan Davis and Elizabeth Perry will stay with me for quite awhile. I will always think of them when passing mile marker 31.9 on the Garden State Parkway.
May 29, 2023
I didn't enjoy this. I only bought it because I live near that road. As it turns out, it wasn't a goodread.
February 18, 2023
Way, way too much
Usually a lot of detail is good in a true account. Usually. Too much repetition & info that has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the case are clear exceptions. And after reading some other reviews on Amazon after I finished this, I found he actually got very important facts wrong. Also, he was low-key talking smack about another, very established author as if his research was far superior to her own. Poor form.
I think 1/3 of the book was just about Ted Bundy. And I mean going as far back as to before he was even born. I think a statement of the crimes he was convicted of and the ones he was suspected of and his link to the area of the crime at the time of the crime would've been enough detail. If I wanna read a book about Ted Bundy tho doen I'll read a book about Ted Bundy.
There was another suspect who was in the KKK. I don't need to read excerpts from his speeches and sermons. Too much. Way too much.
True crime authors have a delicate string to walk. Give enough detail and do it in such a way as to keep your audience engaged. I skimmed a good majority of this book because it had absolutely nothing to do with the crime on the cover; the title of the book.
Turns out he's working on or started work on a SECOND book about this crime. Maybe he'll link to The Zodiac or The BTK killer in some way this time. His links were tenuous, at best, because the nature of the crimes were not at all in line with the MO of other killers he referenced. I actually feel bad for people who read this and gave it a shining review not knowing much about some of the criminals he mentioned in the book and thought it was well researched and written. It wasn't.
To be honest, he could have written whole books on their own about people he "linked" this crime to. This book should have been 100 pages. He went off on too many tangents. I feel bad because he apparently spent 10 years or so writing this but it just wasn't good. At all.
Usually a lot of detail is good in a true account. Usually. Too much repetition & info that has absolutely, positively nothing to do with the case are clear exceptions. And after reading some other reviews on Amazon after I finished this, I found he actually got very important facts wrong. Also, he was low-key talking smack about another, very established author as if his research was far superior to her own. Poor form.
I think 1/3 of the book was just about Ted Bundy. And I mean going as far back as to before he was even born. I think a statement of the crimes he was convicted of and the ones he was suspected of and his link to the area of the crime at the time of the crime would've been enough detail. If I wanna read a book about Ted Bundy tho doen I'll read a book about Ted Bundy.
There was another suspect who was in the KKK. I don't need to read excerpts from his speeches and sermons. Too much. Way too much.
True crime authors have a delicate string to walk. Give enough detail and do it in such a way as to keep your audience engaged. I skimmed a good majority of this book because it had absolutely nothing to do with the crime on the cover; the title of the book.
Turns out he's working on or started work on a SECOND book about this crime. Maybe he'll link to The Zodiac or The BTK killer in some way this time. His links were tenuous, at best, because the nature of the crimes were not at all in line with the MO of other killers he referenced. I actually feel bad for people who read this and gave it a shining review not knowing much about some of the criminals he mentioned in the book and thought it was well researched and written. It wasn't.
To be honest, he could have written whole books on their own about people he "linked" this crime to. This book should have been 100 pages. He went off on too many tangents. I feel bad because he apparently spent 10 years or so writing this but it just wasn't good. At all.
August 19, 2023
Christian Barth certainly did his homework in this comprehensive account of the still unsolved murders of college students Susan Davis and Elizabeth Perry in Ocean City, NJ in 1969. An abandoned Chevy convertible was found by the side of the road and the pair were later discovered with multiple stab wounds to their bodies.
The list of suspects is a long one beginning with the candidate, Mark Thomas. Although lacking physical evidence, lead detective Jack Kreps believed that Thomas was guilty of the crime. Others believed that the 125 pound teenager was incapable of subduing two women at the same time. A chapter on his membership in the KKK was unnecessary and added nothing to the story.
It was also the summer of the Manson murders and of the Michigan murders which had some similarities to the Jersey killings. A book of that title covers the arrest and conviction of John Norman Collins but no one could place him in the northeast at that time. I still have the paperback from the 1980s.
And now onto the main course and Ted Bundy. The king of all serial killers lived with his aunt in Philadelphia while attending Temple University in 1969. He disclosed to Dorothy Otnow Lewis that he was in Ocean City at that time and visited the beach frequently. Arthur Norman was one of his appellate lawyers and Ted told him that his first two murders were in New Jersey in 1969. Richard Larsen, author of The Deliberate Stranger, believed that Susan and Elizabeth were killed by Bundy.
The book is a bit too long but is still a good read.
The list of suspects is a long one beginning with the candidate, Mark Thomas. Although lacking physical evidence, lead detective Jack Kreps believed that Thomas was guilty of the crime. Others believed that the 125 pound teenager was incapable of subduing two women at the same time. A chapter on his membership in the KKK was unnecessary and added nothing to the story.
It was also the summer of the Manson murders and of the Michigan murders which had some similarities to the Jersey killings. A book of that title covers the arrest and conviction of John Norman Collins but no one could place him in the northeast at that time. I still have the paperback from the 1980s.
And now onto the main course and Ted Bundy. The king of all serial killers lived with his aunt in Philadelphia while attending Temple University in 1969. He disclosed to Dorothy Otnow Lewis that he was in Ocean City at that time and visited the beach frequently. Arthur Norman was one of his appellate lawyers and Ted told him that his first two murders were in New Jersey in 1969. Richard Larsen, author of The Deliberate Stranger, believed that Susan and Elizabeth were killed by Bundy.
The book is a bit too long but is still a good read.
June 26, 2024
I bought this book because I was familiar with the case, spent my late teens and 20’s going to the shore most weekends. One day recently it popped in my mind and I wondered if it had ever been solved. I saw a book had been written, so ordered it.
It was interesting to me because I was familiar with many of the places mentioned in the book. I frequented a number of them regularly and drove the Garden State Pkwy, Atlantic City Expressway and Black Horse Pike in my travels from Suburban Philly to the shore and back.
Very disturbing that these murders have never been solved. I learned a lot of new information, but was surprised at the seemingly lack of willingness to provide the public or the author with information. It’s unlikely that it will be solved at this point unless they have DNA that they could now test. I doubt they are even pursuing it as a cold case.
Anyway the author provided lots of detail, but I was bothered by his extensive delving into subjects that weren’t relevant to this particular crime. Yes, he did lots of research, but it was overkill. Could have cut back in several areas
It was interesting to me because I was familiar with many of the places mentioned in the book. I frequented a number of them regularly and drove the Garden State Pkwy, Atlantic City Expressway and Black Horse Pike in my travels from Suburban Philly to the shore and back.
Very disturbing that these murders have never been solved. I learned a lot of new information, but was surprised at the seemingly lack of willingness to provide the public or the author with information. It’s unlikely that it will be solved at this point unless they have DNA that they could now test. I doubt they are even pursuing it as a cold case.
Anyway the author provided lots of detail, but I was bothered by his extensive delving into subjects that weren’t relevant to this particular crime. Yes, he did lots of research, but it was overkill. Could have cut back in several areas
February 25, 2021
Book better titled: Exhaustive review of all serial killers even potentially connected to the Garden State Parkway Murders. Amazingly researched, but considerable details about the dark side of serial killers of the time sometimes left me wondering when the story would tie back to the two subject women. Amazing how a few sick men can traumatize women, communities, life. It would be difficult for me to spend a whole career searching for that one sick person responsible for taking those innocent lives.
December 2, 2020
Overall, pretty interesting
The storyline gets lost and goes down a white nationalist rabbit hole and then the Oklahoma City bombing, bank robbing and them snitching on one another in jail. This all felt superfluous in relation to the rest of the book. The author gets back on track with Ted Bundy and deep diving into other probable suspects and I was hooked for the rest of the book.
The storyline gets lost and goes down a white nationalist rabbit hole and then the Oklahoma City bombing, bank robbing and them snitching on one another in jail. This all felt superfluous in relation to the rest of the book. The author gets back on track with Ted Bundy and deep diving into other probable suspects and I was hooked for the rest of the book.
January 18, 2022
Well written
Such a sad story....I hope this case is solved someday.
This book was well written and informative. It maintained my interest and I found myself reading this book quickly.
Such a sad story....I hope this case is solved someday.
This book was well written and informative. It maintained my interest and I found myself reading this book quickly.
January 29, 2025
I think this is similar to the Jon Benet Ramsey case - cops don't do their job and families suffer; a year later a young woman was in a similar situation and the cops (again) did nothing. Had they not dismiss the disappearances as runaways this could have been solved long ago. Sad that nothing has changed in 50+ years
July 23, 2025
Too drawn out! Multiple chapters on Ted Bundy that could’ve been left out. If this was streamlined this could’ve been so good! However it was all well researched & if you’re a local there’s a lot of nostalgia here, mentioning places that are long gone. So there’s that.
April 24, 2020
I really enjoyed the book. Most of my life was spent in the area at or near where the murders took place. I was born in Philly so much of it I found to be chilling.
I love true crime but always find it frustrating when the killer or killers are not found.
I find the book well written and a real page turner. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime.
I love true crime but always find it frustrating when the killer or killers are not found.
I find the book well written and a real page turner. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime.
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February 12, 2023Poorly edited
June 15, 2023
Terribly organized. Skimmed through the last 200 pages out of annoyance because I don't like to not finish a book.
May 14, 2025
Great read, but it did get a little too wordy, I hope that someday their murders can be solved.
November 7, 2025
There is a lot of information but not much story. I lost interest when it started exploring Ted Bundys family tree.
February 7, 2021
Was a little slow at time, at lot of the same details repeated over and over. I enjoyed the profile on the different suspects. I found that fascinating. I wished there was a little more focus on the victims, but overall it was an interesting read.
August 28, 2020
Interesting book!
This book details the horrible murders of two college girls, Susan Davis and Elzabeth Perry, who were heading to Susan's home in Pennsylvania from Ocean City in New Jersey where they had been vacationing. They were murdered on May 30, 1969, and unfortunately their killer was never caught. The author offers several theories on who the killer might have been. While the book was informative, the author made a few mistakes such as when mentioning killer, Richard Speck, he said Speck killed fourteen nurses in a hospital in Chicago, when in fact he killed the nurses in their townhouse. I highly recommend this book to other readers interested in true crime.
This book details the horrible murders of two college girls, Susan Davis and Elzabeth Perry, who were heading to Susan's home in Pennsylvania from Ocean City in New Jersey where they had been vacationing. They were murdered on May 30, 1969, and unfortunately their killer was never caught. The author offers several theories on who the killer might have been. While the book was informative, the author made a few mistakes such as when mentioning killer, Richard Speck, he said Speck killed fourteen nurses in a hospital in Chicago, when in fact he killed the nurses in their townhouse. I highly recommend this book to other readers interested in true crime.
April 14, 2021
While the astounding amount of detail is impressive, this book seemed fail to keep me attached to the main story: the Parkway Murders. There is a solid book here but it fails to deliver due to running each storyline thread to the point of exhaustion.
January 25, 2021
Competent reworking of a cold case from the Jersey Shore in 1969 that I have a vague memory of once doing a feature on in the early 1970s at the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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