John Wayne Gacy: The Killer Clown

by Gisela K.

John Wayne Gacy was a prolific American serial killer who buried most of his victims in the crawlspace under his house in Cook County, Illinois. What started as an investigation to find one missing teenager ended up being one of the most disturbing true crime cases in history.With 27 victims found buried mud under his house, 2 elsewhere on his property, and 4 recovered from the Des Plaines River, Gacy had quickly become the most frightening and least funny clown and serial killer that had ever lived. While he mostly dressed up as a police officer while he was cruising for victims, it was his work as a registered clown at children’s parties and his charming trickery that earned him the title of “The Killer Clown”. He had learned many tricks and charms to con his victims into the rope and handcuffs that would end their life, using what he called “the rope trick” to strangle them to death as he read them passages from the Bible.A sadistic sexual predator with an insatiable need to belittle, torture, and violate young boys and men- this case is hauntingly unforgettable and disturbing in every sense. When he was caught in December 1978 following a complacent slip-up in target selection, he displayed no signs of remorse for what he had done, instead, blaming his victims for killing themselves and using his fourteen years on death row to prove his innocence. He was a businessman, politician, community leader, family man, and friend who shocked the world with the evil and depravity that nobody knew he was capable of.What exactly did the man who holds the record for having the longest sentence ever imposed on a mass murderer get up to?Let’s investigate!

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2021

About the author

Gisela K. is a fulltime True Crime Author and offers a series of e-books, paperbacks, audiobooks and podcast seasons that focus on the classic and most prolific serial killer cases in history.

This series does not strive to sensationalize the killers but rather to re-humanize their victims and to present a solid case that includes the killer's background, relationships, habits, and their decision-making process. Each book features interesting details, thought-provoking speculation, and comprehensive coverage of the entire case, including suggestions for movies, documentaries, music, and books that are a must.

As the daughter of a former police officer, true crime runs in her blood, which is evident in her work. Follow Gisela to be the first to know about new releases in this exciting series. Visit grizzly-books.com for podcast, social media, art, and news updates.

Reviews

[Niall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great detailed read, 5 star well worth the read.

[Tricia S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of us know about John Wayne Gacy. Out of all the Audiobooks and movies i've seen and listened to, this audiobook is the most detailed of John's crimes. I knew of some of the details of his crimes but I didn't know about the detailed accounts of his early crimes that landed him in prison. I liked this audiobook, only cause John Wayne Gacy kind of fascinates me. This fascination comes from the disgust of this man living above his victims, I don't understand how anyone could live with that smell.

[Chanel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have listened to plenty of podcasts and audiobooks about John Wayne Gacy. But none of them went into detail about his first murders or that he had boys to help him lure in his victims.

I really enjoyed this book, not just because it went into detail about the murders but also because I'm fascinated by serial killers - I like to know 1) what goes through their minds to do these acts and 2) WHY?

I would highly recommend this book.

[Hannah Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gisela clearly has done her research. I find it interesting that Gacy idolized killers in his life. Typically these are not my go to readable, but I find it fascinating the extent that some people will go to for pleasure and satisfaction. Gacy clearly is one of those people. He showed little respect for the lives of those around him and only cared about his satisfaction.

Gisela does a great job of not showing sympathy for Gacy, while also showing that Gacy had a tough childhood. I know a lot of the discussion, especially following the Dahmer Docuseries on Netflix was that creators were trying to gain sympathy for these killers. Gisela does not do that. In this book there is a whole section dedicated to each victim, their families, and even what their families might be up to today.

Overall, this story was a good overview of the life of John Wayne Gacy and the crimes that he committed. It definitely can be difficult to read as the ways in which Gacy used and eventually murdered his victims, but if are at all interested in true crime, definitely check it out.

[Jessica Cleghorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt like quite a comprehensive, almost podcast-style audiobook. I appreciated that the victims were given a large portion of attention in honor of their memories. My one criticism is that the book did get repetitive in places.

[Jenna Woodard · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has a lot of information but it's downfall is that she repeats the same information OVER and OVER and OVER. It drove me nuts. It reminds me of someone who needs to meet a page count so they just repeat to fill it in.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hideous monster, but I ‘enjoyed’ this look at his actions/motivations - it felt well researched.

[William Wessex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this book by really enjoying the author’s true crime YouTube channel. This book was worth reading once, however facts and details are repeated over and over to the point of frustration.

[Nicola Of Arkham · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A good read. Just felt very repetitive at times.

[Marissa Bones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed reading this book and if you enjoy reading true crime then this is for you as it has everything you are looking for. It's great and I highly recommend it.