The Search for the Green River Killer

The True Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer

By: Carlton Smith, Tomas Guillen

Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright

Length: 17 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

In the 1980s and 1990s, 49 women in the Seattle area were brutally murdered, their bodies dumped along the Green River and Pacific Highway South in Washington State. Despite an exhaustive investigation - even serial killer Ted Bundy was consulted to assist with psychological profiling - the sadistic killer continued to elude authorities for nearly 20 years.

Then, in 2001, after mounting suspicion and with DNA evidence finally in hand, King County police charged a 52-year-old truck painter, Gary Ridgway, with the murders. His confession and the horrific details of his crimes only added fuel to the notoriety of the Green River Killer.

Journalists Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen covered the murders for the Seattle Times from day one, receiving a Pulitzer Prize nomination for their work. They wrote the first edition of this book before the police had their man. Revised after Ridgway's conviction, The Search for the Green River Killer is the ultimate authoritative account of the Pacific Northwest killing spree that held a nation spellbound - and continues to horrify and fascinate, spawning dramatizations and documentaries of a demented killer who seemed unstoppable for decades.

©1991 Carlton Smith and Tomas Guillen (P)2019 Tantor

A good book

This a good, not great, book. I enjoyed it. I will say it is MUCH better than the Ann Rule book on the same subject, which I just did not like at all. But this book focused more on the investigation instead of just trying to tell the story of each victim, which sounds nice and all, but frankly, most of the victims had the same story, and it all just blended together in the Ann Rule book. This one is a huge upgrade.

misleading subtitle

This book tells the story of the investigation into the Green River Killer, it's not the story of the Green River Killer. Much of the book is taken up by descriptions of news coverage and the personalities of the investigative leadership. It all works well together as a story of the investigation, including pressure and the effects of the media and politics. But, it's not the story of the killer. And, you hear more about the press than about the victims and survivors.

Detail that just gets exhausting

I love details, but that was ridiculous. I understand that the book was written before the killer was caught so they wanted to be thorough but they went too far. Go ahead and mention John Douglas getting sick, but did we need a chapter on him collapsing and his premonition and buying insurance? No we did not. Go ahead and mention the psychic and her vision, but maybe leave out that she was vacuuming at the time! The entire chapter of the guy dying in a scuba diving accident was too much information!!!

It was read well but probably twice the length it needed to be. It ends up being equally about 1980s state politics as is is about the killer.

Disappointing...

The story had great potential and came close to achieving it but ultimately fell short. The author(s) made assertions concerning individual’s thoughts, motives, etc. The author would do well to remember that his job in writing true crime is to tell the truth backed up with facts.

too long

Interesting story, but book is very long. Very procedural. Characters really didn't come to life for me.

Narrator was irritating

Story was ok. Didn’t feel the ending was written very well. Just kind of “done”. It had lots of info but the ending just ended. Seems to be lacking any kind of climax

Thorough retelling written prior to the initial arrest with updates added after Ridgeway was caught.

Excellent work. So many hero’s bound by the technology and practices of the day. This story is a deep dive.

great

I really liked it. the narrator really puts you in touch with the characters and the people who were investigating the crime during the eighties

Seriously?!

Did I honestly just listen to this whole book and nothing was mentioned about Gary Ridgway? The narrator was fantastic way too much detail sometimes, I don't care how the strip came to be. If you're looking for information about Gary Ridgway, this is not where you're going to find it.

Complete

It gives an objective view of the long hunt for the killer. It describes the points of view of many investigators, politicians and community members along the way.