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I'm Not Guilty: The Development of the Violent Mind: The Case of Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy, the notorious serial killer, was responsible for over thirty brutal homicides of young women in the early 1970s. Imprisoned for almost 15 years before his execution in the Florida electric chair in 1989, Bundy was interviewed for hundreds of hours by psychologists, journalists, and law enforcement professionals. He offered insight into the thoughts and methods of other serial killers of the time—but almost never spoke about his own crimes.
Dr. Al Carlisle evaluated Bundy for the Utah court when he was first arrested in 1975 and conducted extensive interviews with him after that. Carlisle has painstakingly reconstructed the life of Ted Bundy through conversations with his friends, family, neighbors, lovers, investigators, and surviving victims—and with the killer himself. I’M NOT GUILTY finally answers the questions about Bundy’s own crimes through a fictional dialogue between Carlisle and Bundy on the day before his execution, and sheds light on the development of the violent mind.
Dr. Al Carlisle evaluated Bundy for the Utah court when he was first arrested in 1975 and conducted extensive interviews with him after that. Carlisle has painstakingly reconstructed the life of Ted Bundy through conversations with his friends, family, neighbors, lovers, investigators, and surviving victims—and with the killer himself. I’M NOT GUILTY finally answers the questions about Bundy’s own crimes through a fictional dialogue between Carlisle and Bundy on the day before his execution, and sheds light on the development of the violent mind.
439 pages, ebook
First published February 14, 2013
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807 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 27, 2015
The majority of this book is made up of a fictionalized interview with Ted Bundy. I find such speculation inappropriate at best, skirting unethical at worst, considering the author is a psychologist. If he's such an expert on the man, it would behoove him to present the information in a straightforward fashion instead of indulging in this sort of wankery.
April 22, 2019
I'm pretty irritated that I paid for this as it has turned out to be tripe. Whole passages being repeated ad nauseum till I'd seen enough, thanks, and deleted it in disgust.
Al Carlisle clearly knows his stuff and I've no doubt he DID meet Ted Bundy but in no way did Ted tell him anything enlightening. He just used to play around with anyone sent in to interview him and use them for his own amusement. And I'm no psychologist, trust me, but I've watched and listened to interviews with him and he's always the same. He speaks like Russell Brand does......throws out a lot of big words but is in essence talking rubbish and really saying nothing at all. It's just a way to cock around and have a laugh to himself, I believe. And therefore, this book needed to be padded out and so passages just got repeated, word-for-word, till I'd had enough of it. And I'd only sat through 55 of 343 pages !!
He refers to Ted as being an ordinary child from an ordinary family. I'd beg to differ. Here was a kid being raised by grandparents with a sister.......though his sister was his mother !! I'd hardly refer to that as normal, even in today's liberal times !
Even the Table Of Contents was laid out most strangely at the beginning with no chapter numbers in Part 1 and Chapter 38 having no title at all......I thought that was a tad sloppy. He also got my back up by referring to authors Ann Rule and Stephen Michaud & Hugh Aynesworth but named the book by the blokes but not Ann's......which is called The Stranger Beside Me and is very, very good indeed.
Liquor isn't spelt as liqueur and this sentence didn't need him repeated, "I remember him seeing him in an Albertson's store..."
I reached the third passage that had been totally repeated and finally gave up on this.
Al Carlisle clearly knows his stuff and I've no doubt he DID meet Ted Bundy but in no way did Ted tell him anything enlightening. He just used to play around with anyone sent in to interview him and use them for his own amusement. And I'm no psychologist, trust me, but I've watched and listened to interviews with him and he's always the same. He speaks like Russell Brand does......throws out a lot of big words but is in essence talking rubbish and really saying nothing at all. It's just a way to cock around and have a laugh to himself, I believe. And therefore, this book needed to be padded out and so passages just got repeated, word-for-word, till I'd had enough of it. And I'd only sat through 55 of 343 pages !!
He refers to Ted as being an ordinary child from an ordinary family. I'd beg to differ. Here was a kid being raised by grandparents with a sister.......though his sister was his mother !! I'd hardly refer to that as normal, even in today's liberal times !
Even the Table Of Contents was laid out most strangely at the beginning with no chapter numbers in Part 1 and Chapter 38 having no title at all......I thought that was a tad sloppy. He also got my back up by referring to authors Ann Rule and Stephen Michaud & Hugh Aynesworth but named the book by the blokes but not Ann's......which is called The Stranger Beside Me and is very, very good indeed.
Liquor isn't spelt as liqueur and this sentence didn't need him repeated, "I remember him seeing him in an Albertson's store..."
I reached the third passage that had been totally repeated and finally gave up on this.
February 10, 2019
Having watched the new Netflix so documentary about Ted Bundy, i wanted to dive into his case and try to make sense of who he was. This book is interesting because the first 1/3 is filled with details about Bundy and his victims and the rest is a speculative interview between the psychologist and Ted. I dont know how to feel about Carlisle taking these liberties, was Ted really thinking that way? Oh well. What a creep, a true incel.
April 4, 2013
Loved this. The only thing I would fault it on is that I wanted to know more.
September 17, 2014
Review Copy
As a rule, I review fiction, generally horror fiction, but as we all know rules are made to be broken. I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1) is the exception to the rule.
The book, through various interviews with Ted Bundy, and then distilled into a mock interview format, takes the reader through the time leading up to his first murder right through his last.
The author, Dr. Al Carliisle, was a psychologist who was involved in the 90-day evaluation of Bundy after his conviction for the 1974 attempted abduction of carol DaRonch.
What follows is an amazing story of a man who was able to get a college degree, begin law school, and maintain mostly normal relationships, all while killing numerous co-eds over a number of years.
In the end, after reading I'm Not Guilty, I would have to say I'm likely to be a much less trusting individual. You just never know.
I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1) is published by Genius Book Publishing in both paperback and Kindle formats and is available now.
If you enjoy non-fiction with a bent toward horror, I can certainly recommend I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1).
As a rule, I review fiction, generally horror fiction, but as we all know rules are made to be broken. I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1) is the exception to the rule.
The book, through various interviews with Ted Bundy, and then distilled into a mock interview format, takes the reader through the time leading up to his first murder right through his last.
The author, Dr. Al Carliisle, was a psychologist who was involved in the 90-day evaluation of Bundy after his conviction for the 1974 attempted abduction of carol DaRonch.
What follows is an amazing story of a man who was able to get a college degree, begin law school, and maintain mostly normal relationships, all while killing numerous co-eds over a number of years.
In the end, after reading I'm Not Guilty, I would have to say I'm likely to be a much less trusting individual. You just never know.
I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1) is published by Genius Book Publishing in both paperback and Kindle formats and is available now.
If you enjoy non-fiction with a bent toward horror, I can certainly recommend I'm Not Guilty: The Case of Ted Bundy (The Development of the Violent Mind Book 1).
February 29, 2020
Every investigating officer claims to have cracked the enigma behind why violent crimes are committed. This book is no different. Do read through if you want a well-documented account of the rational justifications Ted gives in explanation for his despicable acts. One can only wonder what led to such a seemingly charismatic and accomplished individual to have such a shocking dual life..
January 26, 2014
I'm Not Guilty is an examination of what goes int turning a normal child into a serial killer. The first part is a hypothetical conversation between the author and Ted Bundy, the subject of the book. Dr. Carlisle knew, met with, and interviewed Bundy extensively. If anyone is qualified to capture his voice, Carlisle is.
The second part is an examination of all the facts known about Bundy, without speculation. There is some repeated information, which can be confusing in this format.
The second edition of I'm Not Guilty will be released in April 2014. It is a revisioning of the format to intersperse the factual information with the hypothetical conversation. The effect is a much more intense and comprehensible read, with no perception of repeated information.
Genius Book Publishing is working on a way to offer discounted copies of I'm Not Guilty Second Edition to readers who bought the first edition. Updates will be posted as the release date nears.
The second part is an examination of all the facts known about Bundy, without speculation. There is some repeated information, which can be confusing in this format.
The second edition of I'm Not Guilty will be released in April 2014. It is a revisioning of the format to intersperse the factual information with the hypothetical conversation. The effect is a much more intense and comprehensible read, with no perception of repeated information.
Genius Book Publishing is working on a way to offer discounted copies of I'm Not Guilty Second Edition to readers who bought the first edition. Updates will be posted as the release date nears.
December 18, 2018
Disappointing
Author Carlisle appears to be a competent and experienced psychologist and I found the beginning of his book engaging. Apparently he did actually spend some time with Ted Bundy after submitting his professional opinion. At least they did have phone conversations when Ted would call.
Carlisle, like several other investigators, regrets that Bundy stayed secretive about his actual feelings and activities. He talked about it but only in a limited degree.
What this author does to compensate is make up a whole dialogue between Bundy and himself. This is fantasy out of whole cloth, with Carlisle making up both questions and "Bundy's" answers.
Terribly disappointing. I don't care how close it might be to the truth. It's just a foolish attempt that has no chance of having any integrity because we can't put words into Bundys or anybody else's mouth. Really, I'd like to get my money back.
Author Carlisle appears to be a competent and experienced psychologist and I found the beginning of his book engaging. Apparently he did actually spend some time with Ted Bundy after submitting his professional opinion. At least they did have phone conversations when Ted would call.
Carlisle, like several other investigators, regrets that Bundy stayed secretive about his actual feelings and activities. He talked about it but only in a limited degree.
What this author does to compensate is make up a whole dialogue between Bundy and himself. This is fantasy out of whole cloth, with Carlisle making up both questions and "Bundy's" answers.
Terribly disappointing. I don't care how close it might be to the truth. It's just a foolish attempt that has no chance of having any integrity because we can't put words into Bundys or anybody else's mouth. Really, I'd like to get my money back.
September 3, 2015
From Hero to Sadistic Murderer
Dr. Carlisle does a wonderful job of showing us how a 'normal' boy could become a serial killer. The use of fantasy in Bundy's life was key. Fantasy is a common element in the lives of many serial killers I have read about. In Bundy's case it progressed from daydreams of being a hero rescuing pretty girls to fantasies of a far darker nature when frustration and loneliness continued. Bundy does not escape accountability for his crimes - he chose the route he took. The book it's based on Dr. Carlisle's evaluation of Bundy in Utah and his many years in the field. It's fascinating reading!
Dr. Carlisle does a wonderful job of showing us how a 'normal' boy could become a serial killer. The use of fantasy in Bundy's life was key. Fantasy is a common element in the lives of many serial killers I have read about. In Bundy's case it progressed from daydreams of being a hero rescuing pretty girls to fantasies of a far darker nature when frustration and loneliness continued. Bundy does not escape accountability for his crimes - he chose the route he took. The book it's based on Dr. Carlisle's evaluation of Bundy in Utah and his many years in the field. It's fascinating reading!
January 2, 2021
Dr. Carlisle does a wonderful job of showing us how a 'normal' boy could become a serial killer. The use of fantasy in Bundy's life was key. Fantasy is a common element in the lives of many serial killers I have read about. In Bundy's case it progressed from daydreams of being a hero rescuing pretty girls to fantasies of a far darker nature when frustration and loneliness continued. Bundy does not escape accountability for his crimes - he chose the route he took. The book it's based on Dr. Carlisle's evaluation of Bundy in Utah and his many years in the field. It's fascinating reading!
July 24, 2013
I have always been fascinated by serial killers. Ted Bundy is one of them. I had a chance to listen to Al Carlisle lecture at Life The Universe and Everything conference in Utah. I was able to hear Ted's voice from the time he called Al after he escaped the first time from Colorado. This book was fascinating. It was well researched and well written.
February 5, 2017
Review to follow.
Read
March 19, 2017I don't really understand why more than half the book was a hypothetical conversation between the author and Ted Bundy.
February 2, 2020
I went into this really interested in the idea of a text delving into the psyche of a serial killer to try to pinpoint how he ended up as he did. The initial section seemed promising, with a bit of an homage to Freud and some of the other big names of the field in attempting to explain some of the methodology of developing a framework of Bundy's psyche. But my suspicions first came up when Carlisle referred to an interview with a different serial killer with the same exact sentence only a page or two apart.
The speculative interview (not exactly a novel format...) suggests what Bundy might've said if he approaches his last days with honesty. It's a clever presentation of Carlisle's thoughts on Bundy's pathology, but it's exactly what is is--entirely speculative, and, based on what Carlisle says, does not seem to mesh with Bundy's own view of himself. It's difficult to dive into someone's psyche if we are changing the circumstances of that examination to try to speculate. The fact is Bundy didn't come clean in such an interview. Even so, Carlisle writes his mock interview so that he gets the better of Bundy in several places in a manner that I'm not so sure would've happened. Bundy was undoubtedly a monster, but he was also not dumb, and he would clearly recognize the contradictions in his stories and psyche were this to be the case.
I do think Carlisle would've been much better-served presenting his own story with how he met and observed Bundy, drawing his own conclusions from those meetings and the interviews of others. It would have felt like a more authoritative read, and, honestly, would have been far more compelling. In this text, there's not only the mock-interview that is of questionable ethics and truth, but also the fact that many passages that are repeated with only slight changes.
The speculative interview (not exactly a novel format...) suggests what Bundy might've said if he approaches his last days with honesty. It's a clever presentation of Carlisle's thoughts on Bundy's pathology, but it's exactly what is is--entirely speculative, and, based on what Carlisle says, does not seem to mesh with Bundy's own view of himself. It's difficult to dive into someone's psyche if we are changing the circumstances of that examination to try to speculate. The fact is Bundy didn't come clean in such an interview. Even so, Carlisle writes his mock interview so that he gets the better of Bundy in several places in a manner that I'm not so sure would've happened. Bundy was undoubtedly a monster, but he was also not dumb, and he would clearly recognize the contradictions in his stories and psyche were this to be the case.
I do think Carlisle would've been much better-served presenting his own story with how he met and observed Bundy, drawing his own conclusions from those meetings and the interviews of others. It would have felt like a more authoritative read, and, honestly, would have been far more compelling. In this text, there's not only the mock-interview that is of questionable ethics and truth, but also the fact that many passages that are repeated with only slight changes.
June 1, 2017
I really enjoyed the unique format of this book. Many true crime novels are written from either a clinical or speculative perspective, Al Carlisle marries these two genres.
The first section of the book is both background information and a series of recorded interviews with Ted Bundy himself.
This then segues into an extensive fictional interview where the author speculates on Bundy's involvement in additional crimes.
We cannot know for sure if this section is a work of pure fiction, or whether there is some basis upon 'off the record' conversations, but what we do know is that the author was able to meet with and study Bundy first hand, and build as strong a sense as anyone of the killer's psychological state of mind. As anyone who has read anything about Bundy knows, he was a master of deception - at presenting a face & persona to the world at complete odds to his true self. Many believe he took a great many more secrets to the grave than he was ever accountable for in his life. Al Carlisle's fictional interview gives scope to some of those.
A very interested read, from someone who probed the mind of one of the most prolific and disturbingly 'capable' serial killers of our time.
The first section of the book is both background information and a series of recorded interviews with Ted Bundy himself.
This then segues into an extensive fictional interview where the author speculates on Bundy's involvement in additional crimes.
We cannot know for sure if this section is a work of pure fiction, or whether there is some basis upon 'off the record' conversations, but what we do know is that the author was able to meet with and study Bundy first hand, and build as strong a sense as anyone of the killer's psychological state of mind. As anyone who has read anything about Bundy knows, he was a master of deception - at presenting a face & persona to the world at complete odds to his true self. Many believe he took a great many more secrets to the grave than he was ever accountable for in his life. Al Carlisle's fictional interview gives scope to some of those.
A very interested read, from someone who probed the mind of one of the most prolific and disturbingly 'capable' serial killers of our time.
October 14, 2017
I bought this book after attending a panel "discussion" with Dr. Carlisle at Comic Con. He evaluated Ted Bundy when he was in prison and later Bundy called him and Dr. Carlisle recorded the conversation. He played that for us and it was eerie to think I was actually hearing the voice of the evil man whose cellar I'd gone into on a haunted tour of SLC.
It was an interesting format for a book. The Goodreads listing shows it's a novel, but my copy of the book didn't say that. The first section of the book is factual information about Bundy. The second section is a fictional interview between the author and Bundy, imagined based on conversations he actually had with him. (Part of me thinks this is weird, but another part of me remembers that I did this exact thing for a few college assignments because I didn't want to actually interview someone and I did quite well on those papers.)
Somebody should probably tell Dr. Carlisle to fix the spelling error on the front of his book when the next edition comes out.
It was an interesting format for a book. The Goodreads listing shows it's a novel, but my copy of the book didn't say that. The first section of the book is factual information about Bundy. The second section is a fictional interview between the author and Bundy, imagined based on conversations he actually had with him. (Part of me thinks this is weird, but another part of me remembers that I did this exact thing for a few college assignments because I didn't want to actually interview someone and I did quite well on those papers.)
Somebody should probably tell Dr. Carlisle to fix the spelling error on the front of his book when the next edition comes out.
August 6, 2022
I was seriously disappointed by this book. It’s not actually material obtained through interviews with Bundy. Instead it’s SPECULATIVE, what Ted Bundy might have said. Carlisle constructed the narrative using various and sundry source materials available to any of us. You or I could have written this book as long as we were decent enough researchers.
While I’m sure that Dr. Carlisle is a competent psychologist who interviewed several violent offenders, i wanted to get Bundy’s perspective as to why he did what he did. Unfortunately i didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know after reading Ann Rule’s book.
In fact, you are far better off reading Ann Rule’s the Stranger Beside Me if you want to know details about Bundy’s crime spree. Also Polly Nelson’s book Defending the Devil.
While I’m sure that Dr. Carlisle is a competent psychologist who interviewed several violent offenders, i wanted to get Bundy’s perspective as to why he did what he did. Unfortunately i didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know after reading Ann Rule’s book.
In fact, you are far better off reading Ann Rule’s the Stranger Beside Me if you want to know details about Bundy’s crime spree. Also Polly Nelson’s book Defending the Devil.
September 3, 2019
Large focus on the development of vivid fantasies, to a large part based in relational and sexual frustration, beginning with hero stories and turning more vile with time. How an urge grows worse and worse, and the serial killer will not stop killing.
Also about the gradual dissociation from reality and identification with the "entity". How killing someone profoundly (and irreversibly) changes one's identity.
Very much a story of loneliness.
I feel like there are many parallels I would like to draw from this book, but haven't really found them yet. Interesting reference point about the ways minds can develop anyhow.
Also about the gradual dissociation from reality and identification with the "entity". How killing someone profoundly (and irreversibly) changes one's identity.
Very much a story of loneliness.
I feel like there are many parallels I would like to draw from this book, but haven't really found them yet. Interesting reference point about the ways minds can develop anyhow.
December 20, 2018
While interesting, the fact that the author postulated an interview with Bundy right before his death is pretty ridiculous. He should have stuck with the information from his initial interview with Bundy rather than construct a made of interaction. Makes me wonder if the author doesn’t suffer from delusions of grandeur because he had a run in with a serial killer. Had I known the hulk of this book was made up, I wouldn’t have read it.
March 19, 2024
Ordered Book 1, got Book 2
Intriguing case histories (Westley Dodd and Gary Bishop) - worth reading for insights into the connection between pedophilia, child sexual abuse and serial murder of children. Some good insights into the similarities between less harmful addictions and this horrific, but ‘naturally occurring’ (spontaneously produced human phenomenon) plague in humanity.
Intriguing case histories (Westley Dodd and Gary Bishop) - worth reading for insights into the connection between pedophilia, child sexual abuse and serial murder of children. Some good insights into the similarities between less harmful addictions and this horrific, but ‘naturally occurring’ (spontaneously produced human phenomenon) plague in humanity.
May 11, 2017
A good read with a bit of in site into the mind of a killer
I gave this book 4 stars only because I wish he was more open in the second part where he lays out what Bundy may have said. It was like reading fiction while your thinking did he actually say any of this. The rest of the book was good it gave you the Drs look into Bundy.
I gave this book 4 stars only because I wish he was more open in the second part where he lays out what Bundy may have said. It was like reading fiction while your thinking did he actually say any of this. The rest of the book was good it gave you the Drs look into Bundy.
July 16, 2017
Interesting Read
I liked the first part because it clarified some details of Bundy's life.
The last part of the book, while interesting, sound scripted because it is. It seems more conjecture than fact. I understand it was pieced together from other interviews. It just shows that Bundy did what he did best, play the chameleon.
I liked the first part because it clarified some details of Bundy's life.
The last part of the book, while interesting, sound scripted because it is. It seems more conjecture than fact. I understand it was pieced together from other interviews. It just shows that Bundy did what he did best, play the chameleon.
February 18, 2019
Interesting information
This book was a very interesting account of information learned from Ted Bundy from a psychologist who evaluated him extensively for the court system in Utah. It is certainly thought-provoking, postulating some answers regarding how such a dangerous and pathological personality forms while also admitting that there is much that may never be known.
This book was a very interesting account of information learned from Ted Bundy from a psychologist who evaluated him extensively for the court system in Utah. It is certainly thought-provoking, postulating some answers regarding how such a dangerous and pathological personality forms while also admitting that there is much that may never be known.
March 29, 2019
I would not recommend this. Although interesting, the largest part of the book was a speculative interview. I think this would have been a better book if Al had stuck to the facts. I wasn't really interested in reading an interview where he decided what Bundy was thinking/saying. I felt that it was for the psychologists own benefit of what he wish had happened if he had interviewed him again.
May 21, 2020
First 20 or so 30% were cool analyzes on Bundy by doctors, people who knew him and other serial killers, but then after that was only what the autor imagine would be like a conversavion with Bundy if Bundy would talk about his past and his motives and it's boring and it feels like that is conversation that would autor wish would happend and not probably what would Bundy say.
March 25, 2017
Fascinating
I've read many books on serial killers, psychology, and specifically on Ted Bundy. This was a different style than the others. Uniquely well-written and deeply intriguing. I loved getting to know the inner workings of the psychopathic mind. If you like true crime, books regarding the vilest among us, this is just a fascinating read. Immensely enjoyed it.
I've read many books on serial killers, psychology, and specifically on Ted Bundy. This was a different style than the others. Uniquely well-written and deeply intriguing. I loved getting to know the inner workings of the psychopathic mind. If you like true crime, books regarding the vilest among us, this is just a fascinating read. Immensely enjoyed it.
April 2, 2019
Disappointing
I was disappointed with this book but that was probably because I was expecting something different, more like details of his crimes. If one is looking for a psychological report on Bundy then this is for you.
I was disappointed with this book but that was probably because I was expecting something different, more like details of his crimes. If one is looking for a psychological report on Bundy then this is for you.
September 10, 2018
Sucks you in
This book is so important. RIP AL CARLISLE. You were truly great. This book needs more attention by the public, psychology students, and more.
This book is so important. RIP AL CARLISLE. You were truly great. This book needs more attention by the public, psychology students, and more.
December 24, 2021
Excellent
Well, written and extremely well written. This is a book that many missed. It answers so many questions.
The book is EXCELLENT.
Well, written and extremely well written. This is a book that many missed. It answers so many questions.
The book is EXCELLENT.
December 19, 2022
This books was interesting, but I just didn’t care much for the speculation of what Bundy might have said in certain scenarios. This book just wasn’t what I expected.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews