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Confession of a Serial Killer

The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer

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Confession of a Serial Killer

Written by: Katherine Ramsland PhD
Narrated by: Michael Braun
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About this listen

Explore the mind and motivations of a serial killer.

In 1974, Dennis Lynn Rader stalked and murdered a family of four in Wichita, Kansas. Since adolescence, he had read about serial killers and imagined becoming one. Soon after killing the family, he murdered a young woman and then another, until he had 10 victims. He named himself “B.T.K.” (bind, torture, kill) and wrote notes that terrorized the city. He remained on the loose for 30 years. No one who knew him guessed his dark secret. He nearly got away with his crimes, but in 2004, he began to play risky games with the police. He made a mistake. When he was arrested, Rader’s family, friends, and coworkers were shocked to discover that B.T.K. had been among them, going to work, raising his children, and acting normal.

This case stands out both for the brutal treatment of victims and for the ordinary public face that Rader, a church council president, had shown to the outside world. Through jailhouse visits, telephone calls, and written correspondence, Katherine Ramsland worked with Rader himself to analyze the layers of his psyche. Using his drawings, letters, interviews, and Rader’s unique codes, she presents in meticulous detail the childhood roots and development of one man’s motivation to stalk, torture, and kill. She reveals aspects of the dark motivations of this most famous of living serial killers that have never before been revealed. In this audiobook Katherine Ramsland presents an intelligent, original, and rare glimpse into the making of a serial killer and the potential darkness that lives next door.

©2016 by Katherine Ramsland (P)2022 by Blackstone Publishing
True Crime Emotionally Gripping Scary Serial Killers True Crime
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What listeners say about Confession of a Serial Killer

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    4 out of 5 stars

amazing , very detailed and full of info.

I enjoyed the book. the narrator was very good
kept my attention all the time. the only negative would be that there is a little too much minutiae, padding. otherwise, worth a purchase and a listen. best book on Keyes I've read. keep in mind this is an opinion, most would give this a 10 out of 10. hope that helps.

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BTK Mostly His Own Words

Not for the faint of heart but certainly interesting. Skip the more gruesome parts so you can sleep at night. Denis is a grotesquely malignant person who who occasionally did ‘good’ things to cover for his crimes. Like other serial criminals BTK never stopped trolling or planning to kill. Dr. Ramsland has been played by her subjects like Rader and Kohlberger. She seems to suggest these deviants are good people who have done bad things. Must read for BTK material but in the end it is what it is.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Great book, stupid killer

If you're a fan of true crime or serial killers you'll love this book; most of it is in Rader's own words. The one thing you may find irritating (as I did) was how insanely stupid this man was.

As a classic narcissist he clearly believed he was brilliant, yet his spelling and grammar were subpar. He didn't see that spreading his DNA over multiple crime scenes was not a good idea, and don't get me started on the idiocy of using work and church computers in his crimes. If he'd been able to keep his ego in check he may never have been found, but he just couldn't do it. Not smart.

Overall I'd recommend the book, just be prepared to be offended by his crimes AND his stupidity.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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The author loves this killer

Self-absorbed stupid messed up person ponders in his limited way about why he is so special. The author seems in love with him. It’s gross overall.

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not so entertaining

Was very repetitive in text. Found it hard to get a picture of events
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Amazing book

One of the better if not best true crime books I have ever read. You feel the intensity of his crimes and get a glimpse inside his head.

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Interesting

Hearing Rader's own words were quite chilling at times. His description of stalking of his potential victims reaffirms my belief that you can never be too careful.

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Disturbing

I guess with a title like this I should have expected it. Was just passing time waiting for another credit so thought I should check out this book.

Dang is this book disturbing. I struggled listening and thought I should stop and delete it a few times but like a train wreck had to struggle through to hear the end. Truly chilling descriptions of a sick mind.

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