Customer Reviews

This Is the Zodiac Speaking: Into the Mind of a Serial Killer

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I find it interesting how much controversy has been stirred up by this excellent book. For example, reading the other reviews, I noticed one by Bill Nelson. This gentleman attempted to write a book that connected Charles Manson and his "family" with Zodiac. It was one of the most horrific books I've ever seen, filled with errors, typos on every page, and virtually unreadable. Yet, he somehow finds this book difficult to manage. One has to wonder about his motivation.

The truth is that this is an excellent read. However, it takes a very different position on the Zodiac killer. In essence, the authors find that this killer was anything but a genius. He was, in fact, brutal, not particularly educated but naturally bright and manipulative. In othe words, much like one would expect from his crimes. However, this concept apparently upsets any number of alleged "Zodiac investigators" who consistently portray the killer as some kind of demigod of exceptional genius.

This point of controversy may lie at the heart of why this book has received so many glowing reviews and a few absolute "pans." It is clear from the "pans" that they were written by alleged "Zodiac investigators" who seem to hold fast to the killer as something special. This obviously flies in the face of what the authors of this book believe. It also would seem to fly in the face of common sense, at least from a law enforcement perspective.

Is is possible that by portraying the Zodiac killer as a rather ordinary, definitely sick, and clearly evil individual these "Zodiac investigators" have, themselves, been brought to a more mundane role? It would seem so.

This is an fine read, different, and definitely controversial. For those who have a closed mind about the Zodiac killer, or view themselves as the ultimate authorities about a crime that has never been solved, it can be unsettling. For those who want a better understanding of this killer, it's a must read.

This is in my opinion slightly better than Robert Graysmith's Zodiac but it does get bogged down with the information of the analysis of the letters.However, this book discounts a few theories about the Zodiac.It denies that Zodiac was a brilliant killer. It denies that Zodiac intentionally created a Z around the city when he did his crimes, the author stating it was more a connect-the-dots connection that was weak by any stretch of the imagination.Another popular theory was that Zodiac only killed near water. This book discounts that theory too, saying that San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides.Yet another speculation was that Zodiac was brilliant in eluding the authorities when there was evidence to the contrary. Two policemen stopped him after he killed Paul Stine, a taxi driver, and if it wasn't for a wrong description about the killer (the description was of a black man) Zodiac would have been apprehended.There is more speculation about that too, that Zodiac would not have been so easily arrested; he would have put up a fight.
I also think that the suspect in Graysmith's Zodiac Unmasked was not Zodiac because he was cleared through finger-printing. Zodiac had sloppily left two partial finger-prints on a taxi after he killed Paul Stine.
This book does more of a psychological profile than Zodiac and much of it made sense, I think the author got it right about the Zodiac.
The author, Kelleher, and David Van Nuys, Chair of the Psychology Department in a Northern Californian University, differ occasionally in their opinions about the Zodiac, but mostly agree.
Van Nuys claims that Zodiac had a multiple personality disorder, brought on from a childhood trauma. Van Nuys claims that possibly he was sexually abused and had a dominant father.He states that the normal well -adjusted personality didn't know what the Zodiac personality was doing and vice versa.
The book goes on to say that Zodiac, if he still was alive,he would be looking back on his crimes now and may have been horrified by them. Van Nuys claims that possibly the good personality might have won over the Zodiac personlity. Or possibly Zodiac had committed suicide or was dead as a result of age...if he was alive he would probably be in his mid sixties.
This book doesn't really come up with any good suspects although that has been done before with other books and failed to yield results. The suspects in Graysmith's book Zodiac, I believe were not Zodiac so this subsequent book doesn't go into suspects...I think it adds to the mystery.
****&a half.

This is the Zodiac Speaking is a joint venture with David Van Nuys, Ph.D. and is a must-have for any serious researcher. The book paints a picture of an exceptionally cold-hearted killer whose propensity for violence was surpassed only by his incredible ability to play the media and to constantly adapt and evolve, a tactic that allowed him to stay several steps ahead of the police at all times.

Kelleher and Van Nuys stick to the known facts of the case and don't repeat the glaring mistakes that other authors and researchers have made in this case (such as focusing on a single suspect or claiming to have "solved" the Zodiac murders).

Scholarly, well-written and highly recommended!

This is an excellent book. It's very different from any true crime material I've read. Basically, the authors look at the Zodiac case using a different criminalistic tool than has ever been applied before -- profiling. That tool was not available to investigators during Zodiac's crime spree, so it adds a whole new dimension to the case.

We are taken through the case as it is known to the public but the emphasis is strongly upon the killer's own words. Fortunately, Zodiac left many letters behind and this is what the authors use to analyze his personality and motivation.

Like many people, I believed that Zodiac was a killer with a genius IQ who was too facile to be identified or captured. The authors make a compelling case for a very different type of personality. They argue that Zodiac's real genius was in his ability to work the media against itself. As a serial killer, he was anything but a genius. He was cruel, not especially cunning, and somewhat lucky. This is a very different portrait of the Zodiac than the one that has been made public for so many years. It was certainly a revelation to me.

The book reads exceptionally well. It is like sitting in on a private conversation between two professionals as they work their way through a killer's mind and begin to draw conclusions about why he did what he did. Sometimes the authors agree and sometimes they don't. Some of their conclusions fly in the face of what many of us have long believed about this killer.

This is a new and fascinating approach to true crime. It does not dwell on murder or mayhem like so many other TC books. Instead, it allows us to draw our own conclusions based upon what we learn about Zodiac's mind. In this way, the reader becomes an important part in the process.

I highly recommend this book, especially for true crime devotees and those who are interested in learning about the Zodiac case from a fresh, interesting perspective.

This is not only a great read, it's a frightening one! Fifteen years ago, Robert Graysmith also wrote about the Zodiac killer, but in a very different way. He gave us the details -- the story of Zodiac's crimes, along with his own speculation about a few suspects. Kelleher and Van Nuys have worked this killer from the inside-out, taking us through his mind by using the killer's words. It's hard to imagine anything more real than this. What makes the book even stronger is that it is exceptionally well written. It's in the "can't put it down" category.

Highly recommended!

The Zodiac myth has become nearly absurd over the years, and made worse by the advent of several Internet websites that do little more than spread rumors and silly conspiracy theories. Thankfully, this book takes a step back into reality -- a large step.

Using the killer's own letters and words, the authors re-examine the Zodiac case in a fascinating and intensely objective way. Gone are the assumptions of grand Zodiacal conspiracies and the claptrap of amateurish assumptions. This book deals with the mind of the killer and points out how he was able to manipulate the media in a way that seems almost laughable by today's standards.

This book will likely upset some folks, particularly those who have spent years trying to fabicate a grand killing scheme out of what was, in fact, a series of brutal, senseless, and horrible crimes. The authors pull no punches, use only the facts, stay away from the silliness that infects so many Zodiac websites, and put this cold case into clear focus.

After so many years of no information, this book puts a spotlight on the Zodiac serial killer case. It brings the case up to date, provides a balanced and authentic view of the facts, and, most importantly, probes deeply into the killer's mind.

This is the best of both worlds for true crime reading -- the history and details of the crime and a deep analysis of motivation.

It's one of those true crime books that you can't put down.

Finally, something new on the Zodiac case! Not only new, but different and compelling. There's something here for everyone. If you're new to this unsolved serial murder case, this book will give you the straight facts in a great read. If you already know the case, it will give you a completely different perspective -- one that makes a lot of sense and is compelling.

Good job!

A thrilling detective story that many of its readers will not be able to put down, Kelleher and Van Nuys have done their homework in spades; the result is a book that explores those dark and dangerous dimensions of the human psyche that many people tend to ignore.

Stanley Krippner, Professor of Psychology, Saybrook Graduate School.

This is not only an excellent yarn about the infamous Zodiac case but it also adds new dimensions to the killer. Factual and based on Zodiac's letters and communications, the two authors have reconstructed the serial killer's crimes and his personality. For those who are truly familiar with the Zodiac case, this book brings on a whole new view of the fugitive and his horrific crimes. It is also an excellent read, keeping your attention as it moves along at a quick pace.