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Confession of a Serial Killer

The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

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 ten victims. He named himself "B.T.K." (bind, torture, kill) and wrote notes that terrorized the city. He remained on the loose for thirty 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.

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    • Library Journal

      June 1, 2022

      Michael Braun's compelling narration breathes life into Ramsland's portrait of the cold, calculating BTK serial killer Dennis Lynn Rader and his cold, calculating words. From 1974 to 2005, Rader stalked, tortured, murdered, and robbed 10 people to fuel his sexual gratification. He kept this portion of his life hidden from his family and friends, who were shocked to learn that he was capable of committing such atrocities. His hubris caused his downfall. Rader's own words are blended with those of forensic psychologist Ramsland (criminal justice, DeSales Univ.; Beating the Devil's Game: A History of Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation), whose observations were made after exchanging letters and interviewing him. Braun's stunning performance maintains its energy and intensity throughout the reading. Close listeners will note that there is a slight change in vocal intensity between Ramsland and Rader, as if it was an auditory change of "font." Voicing for Ramsland is clinical and objective, while Rader's voicing is serious and remorseless. Braun adds a softer edge to Rader's voice when talking about his home life, work, and friends; he picks up the tempo with a harder unemotional timbre when discussing his dark, lascivious life and crimes. VERDICT Perfect for true crime fans of authors John Glatt and Christopher Berry-Dee.--Stephanie Bange

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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  • English

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