The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery

by Brenda Haugen

In the late 1960s, the Zodiac Killer terrorized the area near San Francisco, California, killing at least five people. The killer mailed letters to newspapers written in code, daring police to discover his identity. He taunted the police and spread fear around San Francisco and beyond. Would the police and the public, working together, find this terrifying monster?

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Teen, History, Mystery

96 pages, Library Binding

First published August 1, 2010

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a straight-forward and interesting account of the facts surrounding the Zodiac case, as far as was known in 2011, when this book was published. Although Haugen recounts the events surrounding each shooting or stabbing, she does not go into gory detail, making this book suitable for teen readers (or anyone who wants to know the basics). She also relates some of the work that the police did in trying to identify the killer. The book is illustrated with photographs, including a couple of the Zodiac's letters. At the time of this writing, the case was still unsolved (although in 2017, a couple of detectives think they know who the culprit is or was). The book concludes with a timeline of events, a glossary, two bibliographies, an internet site, and an index.

[Hailey Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book highlighted the horrors that Zodiac commited, and all the leads he gave law enforcement. Its very interesting reading this story as this is considered an unsolved/ cold case. Knowing that the Zodiac killer never was brought to justice is an unnerving feeling, especially considering how many victims he had.

[Joella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my 9th book for the YALSA Best Books reading challenge. This yet again was a little out of my comfort zone. (But that is particularly why I was reading this one.)

This is a non-fiction book about a serial killer. I am not usually one for "true crime" and the Law and Order type of shows are not my favorite. I will (and have) watch them (usually with roommates who love them) but if I had my druthers I pick up or watch some happy comedy rather something full of blood and gore. So it surprised me that I actually mostly liked this book. I say mostly because I still have a weak spot for blood and the Zodiac Killer did kill people. But the way it worked through what happened made me interested.

I also liked the format. If it isn't designed well enough to look good I often lose interest, no matter how good the text might be. I REALLY liked the quotes that were in red. There are these crazy quotes by the killer that sneak their way onto a page. Imagine reading about the killer and then in large red you read, "I also killed those kids last year." There were lots of photographs of the victims (not the gruesome crime scenes but head shots or what not) and pictures of the letters that the killer sent to various newspapers. The text had some space in between lines so it was easier to read. There were also less than 100 pages so it really was an interesting read that wouldn't take buckets of time. I could definitely recommend it for the reluctant readers (which is where this was on the YALSA lists). A good solid read full of high interest murder and intrigue. And mystery...since they never caught the killer...

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a real simple book for mostly young readers. It gives the simple background of the Zodiac Killer. Good short read for someone just wanting to learn a little bit about the serial killer.

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was more informative than anything. It did not provide any extra interesting information that could not be found on the internet in a quick search. It was short and sweet with straight facts about what happened. It would be great for a research project or if you want to know briefly what took place.

[Lizbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I liked about this book would be the fact that it was in my own city. The way that they would disciple how the killer would kill the people that he picked out, like wondering how he knew that each person had

[Nikki Matacic · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title should read: baby's first unsolved murder. So incredibly simplified, too much so. Perhaps that was the point, I grabbed it randomly at the library. Definitely not a read I'd recommend to anyone.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very short and straightforward but I was hoping for more insight into the code used, where the investigation took detectives, etc. This was a basic summary of the murders and a timeline, which was well done, but isn’t overly detailed.

[Kati Polodna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great basic introduction to the Zodiac Killer. For teens.

[Karly Glauser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very short, to the point, no fluff just facts kind of book.
I enjoyed it but now I feel like I need to read another book about the Zodiac Killer to fill in all the details.

[Jasee Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very good read but it seemed very wordy. It gave great details but some seemed unnecessary. All around it was a great boook! I would definently read again!!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and easy to read. Introduction to the Zodiac Killer.

[Ace Newberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, could have more info.

[Presley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn’t get into this book all that much it was a pretty short book I finished it in a day but I just didn’t really get in to it I kept reading to see if I would like it but I just didn’t

[SRIMUGUNDHAN]

this book is great and shows you exactly how the zodiac did the killings.

[Taylor Baldacci]

Brief Review: A nonfiction book for young adults about the murders that took place in the 1960's and 1970's linked to the notorious serial killer, known only as, the Zodiac Killer. This book provides a history of his crimes, leading all the way up to their influence in recent years, colored pictures providing evidence of the letters the suspect sent police, and a detailed timeline outlining all of the killers major moves over the years. This book is very simple and a quick read, it would be a great place for a student that is interested in this sort of stuff to start.

Content areas: This book gives a brief introduction to the crimes committed by the Zodiac. It could be used to spark interest in the world of criminology, forensic science, or even psychology. This would be a great book to use in history. Learning about the past can sometimes become stale and boring, and being as it seems some people are incredibly interested by gore and macabre, this could be used to capture interest. You could also use the detectives as examples on how researching and looking for evidence to back a claim is incredibly important.

Comprehension questions:
1: Although the Zodiac was still confident in his kills, sending letters and phone calls to the local police, why did he start having so many slip ups at his crime scenes? Did he want to get caught and end his game?
Answer: I think that the Zodiac was trying to get caught. Someone who is as twisted as he seems, could have become bored with the game of cat and mouse, and was wanting it to be over but didn't want to just quit. I also wonder if he was maybe slipping up on purpose, in hopes that someone would become a copy cat killer, and carry on his work while he was done.

2: The book says that the 1971 movie 'Dirty Harry' was inspired by the Zodiac's crimes and threats, how do you think the Zodiac killer felt about this?
Answer: I think that the killer probably took pride in his work, and was happy about the movie. He enjoyed bragging to the police and the world about how he couldn't be caught, and a movie about it seems like it could be a punch in the face to the cops that were struggling to catch him.

Wonders:
1: Are any of the theories about the Zodiac possibly true, or was he someone else entirely? Was is possibly an inside job?
2: If the Zodiac is still alive, has he seen the movie about himself, if so what does he think about it?

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This books describes the series of murders (and attempted murders) that the self-named Zodiac Killer committed in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Zodiac Killer began sending coded messages to local newspapers, taking credit for the murders and claiming that the police would be able to find him if they cracked his codes. However, many of his codes were never cracked (perhaps because the Zodiac Killer wasn't very good at spelling), and the murderer was never caught.

This story of true crime is a brief introduction to the Zodiac Killer. It leaves a lot of questions unanswered (mainly because so many questions remain about the Zodiac Killer), so readers will likely want to do some addition reading or research. Luckily, the book has a bibliography and references for more information. This is a good choice for those who are interested in crime stories but who don't necessarily want a bloody, gory description of the crimes.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why I picked it up: It fulfilled something for 2 of the reading challenges I am doing at the moment.

This nonfiction book aimed at young adults (middle school and up) covers the basics of what is known about the Zodiac Killer and the crimes he committed.

I am not a true crime person, but this book is accessible and not overly graphic. It also breaks things down into short sections. It includes a decent list of additional reading on the subject and a code that can be put into the publisher's website to bring up internet sites related to the book. Only one website was there, which I found to be disappointing.

Contains: descriptions of crimes, including murders, committed by the Zodiac Killer

Genre Bingo: True Crime

[Avery Brewer]

This is one of the most informative books about the Zodiac Killer that I have read. Though a non fiction book, this one was very fun to read. It went into great detail on each murder that police are fairly sure was the Zodiac Killer. You can tell that the author has done extensive research and has become very knowledgable about the subject. The Zodiac Killer is probably the most mysterious serial killers in the fact that it is still unknown as to who they are. But what is crazy is that the police are fairly certain that they even talked to him right after he committed a murder but didn't know it was him! I would recommend this book to any serial killer lover who is looking for an informative, nonfiction book.

[Marylou · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was one of the 2012 YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Readers. Many readers are fascinated by true crime stories and young adults are no exception. This book was a quick, easy read. The print was large, there were plenty of pictures and copies of artifacts and the printed pages were broken up by them as well as drawings, large quotes and sidebar information. The fact that this killer was never found or identified further adds to the interest level. The book presented the information factually and without unnecessary graphic descriptions. I can see why this book was chosen for being one of the best for reluctant readers.

[Lori Schiele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written, obviously, about the never-captured nor identified Zodiac Killer who murdered several people in the San Francisco area in the 1970s, communicating with the police and newspaper journalists through ciphers, (letters created through the use of a specially-created code).

The book was very short and had very large print, and didn't go into as much detail about the Zodiac Killer as I had hoped. Unfortunately, it was the only book available in my library's system on the subject. If you want a quick blow-by-blow, so to speak, this book is fine. If you're looking for something more in-depth, you'll have to find it elsewhere.

[Lady ♥ Belleza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those crimes that has not and will probably never be solved. There were never even any suspects. This book is very short, and the font is large along with many pictures. The way it is written, I almost thought it was geared toward children, except for the subject manner. It is designed for “Reluctant Young Adult Readers”. It gives a very basic description of the crimes committed. It follows the crimes chronologically and is not graphic in its descriptions. If you want a very basic understanding of the Zodiac Killer this book will give it to you.

[Jack Dente · Rating 4 out of 5]

the zodiac killer was a very good book that kept you on your toes and it was impossible to put down because you needed to find out who did it. another reason i really liked this book was because it was a quik read and i really recomend it for some body who is looking for a short read that will keep you thinking. if i could change one thing i would make it more detailed and not as fast paced so you can really think about what the auther is saying andbe able to take a minute and process every thing in the book.

[Mckenzi Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a student in criminal justice classes, I had always heard and learned about the Zodiac Killer. None of my studies were thorough but this book assisted in filling missing pieces. The book was very interesting to me because it covered all the victims that the killer attacked. It also told of how he was never caught and always gave the police a challenge when I came to communitcating with him. Uncortinalty the book does not ever state who the killer was and only released the people the FBI had suspicion of. To this day the case has new suspects but there still has never been one revealed.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grades 7-11. I had never heard of the Zodiac Killer. This is a good low-level, high interest book for middle/high school. This guy was a real creeper-- sending coded messages to the police department, etc. It would be like if the urban legend of "The Hook" were true. (This is the story where the teens are "parking" and hear there's a one-armed psycho on the loose... only to find a hook in their door when they get home.)

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents the story of the Zodiac Killer almost blandly. It states the facts, uses a few pictures of victims, provides a timeline, and a bibliography. It is a good basic source to find out about the story, but there is no spark to it. I usually love mysteries about serial killers, fiction and non, but this one did not capture my attention. It is, however, very short and easy to get through.

[Anthony · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was pretty suspenseful even know you knew what was coming next because of the pictures. But this book was not too factual and very interesting because in the book it had a page about the the killer wanted to be known in the newspaper. Also in the book, the killer sent messages with weird symbols and detectives were supposed to find his name out. His name was the zodiac. I would totally recommend this book for fun read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, I didn't really know much about the Zodiac Killer before this book, but I'm officially terrified to go to California ever again. The book describes everything in frank detail, but it is really slim. However, that's perfect for the very reluctant readers that have trouble reading, especially with the chillingly compelling reading material.

[Ariel Cummins · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at a very famous case. Intended for teens, but it's so short and light on in-depth facts that I think it's mostly appropriate for very young teens and tweens. Well laid out, though, and very visually pleasing!