Robert Beattie (1) (1945–)

Subtitled "The Hunt for the BTK Strangler", this is a nonfiction account describing each of the cases attributed to BTK, and some that weren't - at least at first. It also describes the course of the investigation, the different techniques that were employed, and the problems encountered in conducting an investigation over a period of 30 years.

I thought the first part of the book - the historical examination of each of the killings - was very good - well researched and thoughtfully presented. The reaction of the police department to the mounting evidence and their reluctance to admit that a serial killer was loose in town was also nicely done.

However, the latter part of the book has an entirely different tone. Somewhere in the meddle, when the narrative reaches the point in time that Beattie decided to write the book, he suddenly becomes part of the story. I didn't care for this, but understand the reason why. It had been the practice of the police department not to allow new investigators assigned to the case to talk to old investigators moving off the case. They had complete access to the files and evidence, but the leadership in the department didn't want personal biases and errors in logic being passed from one "generation" to the next, so the individuals were kept apart. Beattie, however, had no such restrictions. As an outsider to the police department (he is an attorney), he was free to talk to anyone and everyone, and he did. He had a more complete understanding of the history of the investigation than anyone actually involved in the investigation. The time came when he actually WAS part of the story. As he talked first to retired investigators then to active investigators, he passed information. Also, it was widely recognized that the announcement of Beattie's intention to write the book was the impetus behind BTK's resumed communication with police and the press which eventually led to his arrest.

The last section of the book was written in a very frantic fashion, little more than a journal of events as they unfolded, as though the book was rushed to press as soon as the arrest took place. Which may be exactly what happened, as there is no mention of a trial - or lack of one, since it was avoided by Rader's confession to the crimes. There also was no indication of whether Rader had ever been considered a suspect during the investigation (my understanding is that he was). All suspects were given code names in the book, and, while some were clearly dismissed from suspicion, no further mention was made of the others - was one of them Dennis Rader?

It is hard for me to be totally objective about this book. Wichita is my hometown and I lived there, or near there, during the time many of these events took place. I know the locations that are mentioned in the book. Many of the individuals and businesses named are familiar to me, and it felt deliciously gossipy to be reading about all these familiar people and events. This book was written by a local man about a local event for local readers - and it reads like a long investigative story in the local Sunday paper. As such, it pales in comparison to In Cold Blood, the only other true crime I've read. Even though the BTK case received national attention, I can't imagine that this book would ever have such wide appeal.… (mere)