Diversity in All Forms! discussion

The topic is True Crime.

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

I read this book January 2019.


I just want to start off saying that I think I would like this book a lot more if I hadn't listened to it on audiobook. Since I did listen on audiobook, I found the stories to be jumbled and not organized well. I got really lost in what was going on and what happened when.

However, this book was very powerful. It gave me nightmares and took me a long time to finish. I had to take long breaks from it, so I wouldn't feel like I was getting murdered or raped. The author did a great job at sharing the horrifying stories of what happened to the victims.

Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I admire McNamara's dedication to uncovering the identify of the Golden State Killer. She was relentless with her computer search for information and clues and it's sad that she wasn't able to complete her manuscript before she died.

This book was put together from her notes and writings, and I think it's very well done. 4 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’m listening to the audiobook and finding it both fascinating and horrifying. Definitely increases paranoia and nightmares and requires breaks. I like how the author works in personal information about herself and her family, it makes it less grim.

I bought this book the day after they caught the gsk, and I devoured it. I loved it. I really liked that there were aspects to it that were very much like a memoir. I’ve just realized in my other favorite true crime book, The Stranger Beside me, Ann Rule does a similar thing successfully. Like mentioned in this thread, I really admired McNamara’s dedication and also her honesty. This book revealed a lot about her self as a person; I cried at some moments when she talked about her mother. I was terrified while reading the sections about gsk; it got into my head.

I agree that the personal details about McNamara and her family were interesting and added a lighter side to the book.