Night Stalker (True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Clifford L. Linedecker (Author)

Book Description

Series: True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks) | Publication Date: August 5, 2004

From the darkest corner of your bedroom a gaunt face suddenly looms over you. You're pulled violently from your bed and a terrifying voice screams, "Swear to Satan!"
During a two year rampage, a sadistic serial killer entered the homes of families from El Paso to San Francisco. He raped, mutilated and tortured his unfortunate victims in one of the most vicious crime sprees in California history.
This is the horrifying account of his bloody journey, of the strange coincidence that led to his arrest-and of the sensational trial where the Night Stalker's eerie sexual magnetism resulted in women actually demonstrating for his acquittal.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In 1985, Richard Ramirez, a petty thief and drug-using drifter, terrified the Los Angeles area, brutally raping and murdering more than a dozen people. Dubbed the "Night Stalker" by the media for his habit of invading middle-class suburban homes at random, Ramirez was sentenced to death after a lengthy trial. Linedecker, author of The Man Who Killed Boys ( LJ 3/15/80), has written a standard case summary, albeit somewhat plodding and pedestrian. His tone of high moral outrage finally wears thin--we know Ramirez resembles a "beast" and a "monster," but what motivated him? Not wishing to appear sympathetic to Ramirez, Linedecker's speculation ends up being trite and superficial. Suitable only where sufficient interest warrants.
- Gregor A. Preston, Univ. of California Lib., Davis
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Clifford L. Linedecker is a former daily newspaper journalist with eighteen years experience on the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rochester (N.Y.) Times-Union, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, and several other Indiana newspapers. He is an experienced investigative reporter who has covered police and the courts on each of the papers where he was employed. He is a former articles editor for National Features Syndicate in Chicago, and for "County Rambler" magazine. He is the author of numerous true crime titles, including The Man Who Killed Boys, Night Stalker, Killer Kids, Blood in the Sand, and Deadly White Female.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (August 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312925050
• ISBN-13: 978-0312925055
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but lacks a lot of detail, September 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Night Stalker (True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks)) (Mass Market Paperback)

I think Cliff Linedecker has an annoying habit of writing a promising book and then not filling it in with details. I have a feeling Phil Carlo's book will be better detailed, since it is about 600 pages. While this does have some good points, Linedecker seems to have done his rush to print style, such as his earlier work about John Wayne Gacy. However, I enjoyed this as a quick and easy distraction from the hard days at school; I think any serious student of true crime will agree when I say this isn't the definitive Ramirez story ( You will enjoy the Satanism in America chapter as well as the later one about the lawyers and the press; those are both very rewarding).

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth the paper it's written on, July 3, 2002

By 

Rhiannon Bishop (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Night Stalker (True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Not what I would call a well written book.

Not even what I would call a factual book.

That being said, I'd suggest that if Richard Ramirez fascinates you, and you wish to learn more about him and the crimes that he committed pick up a copy of Philip Carlo's book "The Night Stalker: the life and crimes of Richard Ramirez". Carol's book is a much better documented account of Ramirez, due in part, because Carlo actually interviewed Ramirez numerous times.

If you really don't care that the information is correct or you just want a macabe story to read, then by all means, get this book. Otherwise, buy Carlo's book, you'll be happy you did.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst book ever made!, December 26, 2007

By 

Holly R. Shoun "Blue" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night Stalker (True Crime (St. Martin's Paperbacks)) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the WORST book I have ever read in my life. Riddled with discrepancies, the author felt the egotistical heroism to change the name of some of the victims (which are readily available to anyone who wants to research them anyway) all this book does is irritate and confuse those who are already familiar with the Night Stalker case. Even some of the names he DIDN'T try to cover up, he got wrong. The suspect's sister, as one example. The author is obviously biased and will make underhanded cheap shots at Mr.Ramirez at any open opportunity. It's childish and disgusting and makes for a terrible read, completely un-educational, the false facts poison the entire story. Mr.Linedecker couldn't even get the number of siblings Richie had/has correct, he consistantly goes back to change the "facts" he had already mentioned and gotten incorrect (such as how a victim had been killed, going from shooting an incorrect number of times, to stabbing). Falsified information, he repeats himself endlessly, skips details altogether, and just plain makes things up. I have zero respect for this author, this was an uninteresting read through and through. Before I had even begun, I was curious how someone could fully cover a subject like this with so few pages, and the answer is--you can't. I felt as if I was reading the rough draft of an awful story that a 5th grader had written, I hope the author didn't get paid for this piece of trash. Take this one out of the 'true crime' section and file this one under FICTION, in the bargain bin.

If you want the real deal, please, I cannot beg you enough, read Night Stalker by Philip Carlo. He's a brilliant author who spent over 100 hours talking with Richard Ramirez himself. I trust that he got all the information he possibly could, as close to truth as humanly possible. He's creative with his words, expresses environments in such a way you can nearly feel it, and most importantly he isn't biased. He brings us enlightenment on every area of the subjects life, this book provides a wonderful insight into the killers mind, and puts you right there in the action.

Leave Linedecker's garbage in the trash, where it belongs.