murdeREADos discussion

Let's discuss! This was my first time reading this book and I really enjoyed it, although I did yell at Ann a lot for her actions, even after she knew better. I feel like a basic rule of law is "Don't go out to lunch with a known serial killer."

I know, right? I tried to put myself in her place and think about what she knew when and the fact that back then there was no internet to blast information instantly all over the place. But still....

I'm still in progress on the book (grad school and full-time work give me limited reading time), but I'm LOVING it. I can't say I've ever read a true crime novel, always stuck to the fictional stuff, so this makes me even a little more jumpy. I am interested to see how it unfolds when Ann finally makes the connection that it's the Ted she knows.

Agree with your girls! I was most shocked by the relationship she had with him even after she knew what he was doing.

I'm about 2/3 through, read most of yesterday. I've already given some feedback on the Facebook thread but one new thing- I knew the chronology of Ted's crimes pretty well but never knew he was in multiple "committed" relationships while a lot of the murders were taking place. Gives me the heebie jeebies thinking of someone I was in love with, living with, being capable of that.

Also- being in Tallahassee the Chi Omega and other FSU attack are of special interest to me. Why do you guys think he went on such a spree after being free for only a week? Could he really just not contain himself?

Yes Holly! And even after Meg turned him in...they continued their relationship! I also was pretty shocked by it taking just a week before he had to murder again. That night was like at the park that one day....more than one victim at a time.

Okay, so, he's just been found guilty of the Florida murders. Was he never even charged with the Washington ones? Did he ever confess to those? It is insane to me to think that if he didn't run from his Colorado case he would still be alive.

As far as I understand he was never formally charged in WA, probably due to him getting the death penalty in FL. A lot of times courts will decide that basically "ok that's enough, he's already gonna get executed". Mostly to save money and time. They may also not have had enough physical evidence for a conviction. He did confess though.

I'm pretty sure he confessed. That's how they knew there were so many, because they didn't actually find the bodies of all of them- so they just took his word for it.

On another note- when they didn't know Ted Bundy was behind the co-ed killings, my mother's Biology teacher in middle school was accused and questioned until they found Ted. Another fun fact- that teacher MARRIED one of the college girls that survived. Crazy!

That is crazy! How horrible to be accused of such horrendous acts, even in passing.

I just listened to the episode where K&G talk about Ted! Such a fun interlude for this reading.

Katie wrote: "I just listened to the episode where K&G talk about Ted! Such a fun interlude for this reading."

It's my favorite transition in the history of MFM. Just "Nope. Know why? I'm doing TED BUNDY" *mic drop*

I finished the book before listening to the Bundy episode, intentionally saving it as a "celebration" (is that dark?) of finishing the book. THEN, when I was done, I happened to be in Seattle the following week. I visited Lake Sammamish state park. Even though it's a beautiful escape, years past those events, I still felt an eerie air... and then I stopped by the Green River for good measure.

But about the actual book... am I the only one who thinks Ann had a little crush on Ted, and that's what motivated her discovery, belief, astonishment, and dedication? My feeling is fueled by her multiple "I am a woman NOT in love with Ted" and "If I had been in love with Ted, but I am NOT..." statements.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Rachel wrote: "I finished the book before listening to the Bundy episode, intentionally saving it as a "celebration" (is that dark?) of finishing the book. THEN, when I was done, I happened to be in Seattle the f..."

I for sure thought she had a crush on him and she said several times she was not in love with him and how she was older so she didn't have affection for him like that.

I believe Ann Rule definitely had an enduring friendship with Ted. Near the end of the book she mentions how she connected him with her brother who committed suicide. So, while there wasn't a romantic love, there was definitely a caring and friend aspect there.

At the same time, I felt their friendship was sporadic. There were years there was no contact which I get. It just seems... odd. I also know she was writing the book, and obviously having contact with Ted helped. (Not to say she wasn't trying to be fair, and it seems she still had some hope that this was all a bad dream.)

I also liked it that Ann made a point to go back to the women influenced by Ted. Not just her, but his romantic interests, his victims, his mother, etc. Even cases that are suspected to be Ted, she made sure to repeat their names again and again, so we don't forget that a lot of wonderful women (and children) were cut off at the prime of their lives by a predator.

It definitely wants me to know more about the case. It seems like the book tells you a general story of Ted Bundy's arrest history and some of this victim's cases. The fascinating aspect is it is by someone who KNEW Ted and had a continued friendship through his arrests and trial.

Which now makes me want to read more books by people involved with the case (Or Bundy).

Rachel wrote: "I'm pretty sure he confessed. That's how they knew there were so many, because they didn't actually find the bodies of all of them- so they just took his word for it.

On another note- when they d..."

I am not sure what version you have, but in an updated version of the book, Ann covers Bundy's confessions. (As he is trying to get extra years / out of his fourth death declaration - execution date ). I will admit, I feel the book WITHOUT this added chapter seems... absent an ending.

Finally finished!! What a creep! I had always known the basic stuff about what Bundy did, but I never got elbow deep into the details until reading this book! When I first started, someone had commented about not being able to read it at night, and I was like, what, why? I quickly found out. It was creepy reading about how the girls were found and the speculations everyone had, but at he end where he confesses and tells how he did it... skin crawling