Horror Aficionados discussion

Can a serial killer character narrate his own story effectively? What if plenty of dialogue is included to keep it well paced?

Doesn't Dexter tell his own story? He is a riot and it works for him. Perhaps if you were going for horror it would work, not sure but it has been done successfully.

I have to say No.

Chatty serial killers lke that aren't serial killers.
They're third string Batman villians.

Tracy wrote: "Doesn't Dexter tell his own story? He is a riot and it works for him. Perhaps if you were going for horror it would work, not sure but it has been done successfully."

I have only watched the television series, but yes, Dexter tells his own story, else how would we know what's going on inside that over-active brain of his?

The killer in The Collector tell his own story, I believe; it's been a while since I read the story. And the boy in The Wasp Factory and the man in Zombie. Correct me if I'm wrong—I know y'all will.

Oh, and the man in His Father's Son. And The Killer Inside Me.

Tressa wrote: "The killer in The Collector tell his own story, I believe; it's been a while since I read the story. And the boy in The Wasp Factory and the man in Zombie. Correct me if I'm wrong—I know y'all will."

Point taken.

And you can't shut Gary Ridgway up.....

I always thought of serial killers as being cunning and keeping it close to the chest. I guess once they're caught they got nothing to do but brag and get raped by Bubba.

The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and letting him tell his story. He seemed honest and pretty straight forward about what he had done and why. He was actually kind of funny in a creepy way. Even the arresting officers were commenting on how polite he was.

Tressa wrote: "I always thought of serial killers as being cunning and keeping it close to the chest. I guess once they're caught they got nothing to do but brag and get raped by Bubba."

Sarcasm, Tressa.

Gary Ridgway never spoke.
He never will.
Why should he?

Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and letting him..."

Rifkin is a Bundy style glory hound. You should have seen him pontificating when asked about Long Island's new serial killer.
Just like Bundy telling cops he could help catch Green River.
I'm sure Gary gets a giggle out of that one.

Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and letting him..."

Ken, I've often heard how charming Ted Bundy was. Easygoing, nice looking, charming...at least that's the way others described him. Seems like he used a cast on his leg to garner sympathy from his potential victims.

Jon Recluse wrote: "Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and..."

Jon, don't you think those television interviews are the PG version? I always get the feeling that the interviewer set a lot of bounds before the tape rolled. Or maybe just a lot of editing to avoid terrorizing the populous who fail to realize how few true serial killers are active in this country concurrently.

Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show ..."

Of course.
Reflects the maturity level of the media at large.

The populace doesn't give a damn about a bunch of dead hookers until it lowers their property values.

Remember the "Iceman" interviews on HBO many years ago?

If, in fact that was not a "staged" interview as HBO claimed, I believe, there was one talkative hitman/serial killer. (If you can combine the two "types" of criminal into one personality?)

Apples and oranges.

So when do we ever get to hear the unedited version of the self-talk in the serial killer's head? And I don't mean the Charles Manson type of self-aggrandizing. Is that information strictly in the domain of law enforcement and their interviews?

We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need.

Gary Ridgway never spoke.
He never will.
Why should he?
..."

Ah, I thought he was one of those braggarts like Otis Toole.

Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and letting him..."

Who is that serial killer that's about 6'8" and he killed and raped (yes, in that order) his mother and shoved her vocal chords down the garbage disposal? Then he called his mother's friend over for dinner and killed her too. And he killed several girls and had their heads in his trunk when he want to meet his parole officer. Well, he was polite too. And actually interesting to listen to.

Ted Bundy had a fake cast on his arm and needed help—from the ladies—to put something in/on his car. Ladies, when a man in a cast asks you to come to his car to help him lift something heavy, the only lifting he's going to do is your body into the trunk. Run like the devil's chasing you!

Tressa wrote: "
Gary Ridgway never spoke.
He never will.
Why should he?
..."

Ah, I thought he was one of those braggarts like Otis Toole."

Nope.
He hasn't said a word.

Tressa wrote: "Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and..."

Is that the one who, when interviewed in prison by the FBI, offered to yank Ressler's head off and leave it on the table for the guards?

Edmund Kemper

Tressa wrote: "Ken wrote: "The Biography Channel has a series of shows about serial killers. I watched the one about Joel Rifkin a couple of weeks back. They spent a large portion of the show interviewing him and..."

I'm I a little sick in that I totally want to know who this is so I can read up on him?

Yes, Kemper. The gentle giant, except when he was raping dead women.

Tressa wrote: "Ted Bundy had a fake cast on his arm and need help—from the ladies—to put something in/on his car. Ladies, when a man in a cast asks you to come to his car to help him lift something heavy, the onl..."

Thanks for the Bundy correction Tressa. I don't know why I thought it was his leg. And very impressive on the list of first-person narrative killer novels.

Jon Recluse wrote: "We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need."

Jon, are you aware of any of them writing an autobiography? I'm not interested in a biography. For some unknown reason, I really want to hear their motivation, planning, and execution (no pun intended)of their crimes in their own words. Maybe I could wrap my head around the concept if I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. It seems too simplistic to write them all off as nut jobs, because I know plenty of certifiable folks, and even worked with medically documented clients who didn't express themselves through homicide.

Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need."

Jon, are you aware of any of them writing an autobiography? ..."

This is so totally me. I would love to know the 'why' of it all, to put it into the most simplistic terms. This sort of thing totally fascinates me.

Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need."

Jon, are you aware of any of them writing an autobiography? ..."

An actual serial killer autobiography?
No.
Doesn't exist.
And I don't think they are certifiable.

A true serial killer is an evolving predator.

Most serial killers are patient, cunning, and bright.

I did read the Pee Wee Gaskins story that he told to a writer, but I don't know of any serial killer who wrote his own book. Gaskins was a nasty, brutal son of a bitch.

Jon Recluse wrote: "Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need."

Jon, are you aware of any of them writing an au..."

Are you saying they are not psychopathic or sociopathic?

Tressa wrote: "Most serial killers are patient, cunning, and bright.

I did read the Pee Wee Gaskins story that he told to a writer, but I don't know of any serial killer who wrote his own book. Gaskins was a na..."

Thanks Tressa. Got a title? If not I could probably find it.

Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "Evan wrote: "Jon Recluse wrote: "We don't.
Law enforcement ain't getting anything either.

There are no words.
There is blood and screams and need."

Jon, are you aware of any o..."

Some killers are.
Even some serial killers.
But there is a missing piece to the puzzle.
There are levels in the human brain, leftovers from our evolution. Instincts. Primal impulses. The predator we once were.
Babies are never born insane.
True serial killers are wired to kill in the womb.

Final Truth: The Autobiography of Mass Murderer/Serial Killer Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins

I think it could work in fiction.

Tressa wrote: "Final Truth: The Autobiography of Mass Murderer/Serial Killer Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins"

Thanks Tressa! You are a Rolodex of horror.

George wrote: "I think it could work in fiction."

So do I. Quite well actually

Evan wrote: "Tressa wrote: "Final Truth: The Autobiography of Mass Murderer/Serial Killer Donald "Pee Wee" Gaskins"

Thanks Tressa! You are a Rolodex of horror."

I scare myself sometimes.

One of the Alex Cross novels was 3rd person serial killer's point of view that was very effective. Actually he probably did it a few times. The name of the one I'm thinking about escapes me.

The closest thing I've ever read to what goes on in the head of a serial killer was Slob.

Tressa wrote: "Ted Bundy had a fake cast on his arm and need help—from the ladies—to put something in/on his car. Ladies, when a man in a cast asks you to come to his car to help him lift something heavy, the onl..."

Yes, Tressa! Remember in Silence of the Lambs how the senator's daughter was lured into helping Jame Gumb? I think they stole that from Bundy. I think that Bundy's charm and decent looks are part of what made him so successful a killer.

I hadn't heard that the iceman interviews were staged? I remember watching some of them and they were totally chilling. He was talking of killing someone and then going home to have Christmas with his kids. And another time when someone was smoking in the car next to his at a stop light. Since he didn't like smoking he shot the guy.

I'm sure Ted's infamous fake cast gave Thomas Harris the idea to have Jame Gumb grunt and struggle with moving that couch. My brother has always been a ladies man, and my sister and I joke about the items in his medicine cabinet, such as plaster of paris, lol. I guess to be safe women will just have to be as non-helpful as they can. That's hard for me to do living in the south where we love helping people in need.

I read a story about Gary Ridgway driving to some woods with a hooker and his son. Gary and the hooker went into the woods, and only Gary came back. His son is like, "Where's the lady?" "Son, we had an argument and she decided to stay in the woods." These sociopaths have some nerve.

Nothing as heartwarming as a dad teaching his son.

That was a heartwarming bonding moment.

I'ed keep an eye on that kid.

And stop him before he kills, say, 80 women.

That's not fair.
Then he'll never know if he's as good as his daddy.

Pick him up when he hits triple digits or Seattle runs out of hookers.

True serial killers are wired to kill in the womb.
Um, no. Not remotely proven. (The old XYY theory worked as nice fiction, though.) Also, what makes one a "true" serial killer and the other...um, not? Do we say the latter isn't wired that way (and imply a circular argument?)

By Reason of Insanity by Shane Stevens had first person narration by the serial killer as well.

Tressa wrote: "Yes, Kemper. The gentle giant, except when he was raping dead women."

Do they actually still call that rape?