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The Night Stalker

The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez

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The Night Stalker

Written by: Philip Carlo
Narrated by: Tom Zingarelli
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Decades after Richard Ramirez left 13 dead and paralyzed the city of Los Angeles, his name is still synonymous with fear, torture, and sadistic murder. Philip Carlo's classic The Night Stalker, based on years of meticulous research and extensive interviews with Ramirez, revealed the killer and his horrifying crimes to be even more chilling than anyone could have imagined. From watching his cousin commit murder at age 11 to his 19 death sentences to the juror who fell in love with him, the story of Ramirez is a bizarre and spellbinding descent into the very heart of human evil.

Incredibly, after The Night Stalker was first published, thousands of women from all over the world contacted Carlo, begging to be put in touch with the killer. Carlo interviewed them and here presents their disturbing stories and the dark sexual desires that would drive them towards a brutal murderer. And in an exclusive death row interview, the killer himself gives his thoughts on the "Ramirez Groupies" - and what he thinks they really want.

©1996 Philip Carlo (P)2016 Tantor Americas Crime Murder True Crime United States Scary Serial Killers True Crime
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What the critics say

"This book will provide true crime readers a chilling inside perspective of a serial killer." (Library Journal)
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The final 3rd of the book definetly becomes difficult to stomach after a while. fantastic otherwise!

Great Book Overall But..

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the story was fine but it definitely read like reading a court transcript or a police file.

it's... ok

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Phillip Carlo concentrates on screenplay-like conventions to drive his exposé on the case of Richard Ramirez - who terrified mid-1980s Los Angeles. Carlo researches the book extensively but incorporates hypothetical inner thoughts for the killer, victims, and investigators.. leading me to question the authenticity of the narrative. The murders, trial, and conversations are too heavily scripted. Carlo had me thinking that he was painting a picture.

Unhelpfully, Tom Zingarelli turns in a distinctly average reading performance, too. His diction, timbre, cadence, and pacing are undeniably professional.. but his storytelling approach compounds the stylistic problems that I have with the author (this book almost sounds like sensationalist fiction). After factoring in subpar voice-acting, I was left unimpressed.

Altogether, 'The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez' rates 8.5 stars out of 10. It's more "Infotainment" than enlightening documentary, but worth a Credit. Can recommend.

[NOTE: The psychopathology among serial killer groupies is jawdropping. Either the maternal instinct kicking in & an irresistible need to "help the poor, sexy bad boy" or seriously disturbed individuals: "One of the women admitted to being sexually aroused by the descriptions of stab wounds to a victim's throat". Wow. Imagine convicting a vicious killer, voting to put him to death, and then making it your life's work to free him because you "fell in love with him the first time she saw him". Carlo's fascination with these bizarre women largely feed the "10th Anniversary Update"]

Cinematic True-Life Horror

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Enjoyed this book for the first 2/3 of the book. Very interesting to learn about his childhood and details of his crimes. The narrator was good too. However the trial portion was extremely repetitive and went into unnecessary excruciating detail. Every adjournment, side discussion and minute detail was brought up. It made the last part of the book drag on for a long time.

3.25 stars

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Disturbing but couldn’t put it down! Recommend for true try crime enthusiasts you won’t be disappointed

Chilling Reality

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