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Two Of a Kind: The Hillside Stranglers

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I loved this book. I inherited among others from a deceased family member (among other books).

The "Hillside Strangler" became an everyday headline that frightened Los Angeles for a year or so in the late 1970's. During that year, bodies of young women started showing up on the hillsides around the city. But the horror waned beside the revelations that came to light in what became the longest criminal trial in American history--BEFORE O. J. Simpson's 1994 trial--and one of the most controversial

The Hillside Strangler was thought to be one person with a real fast pace in killing. With TWO OF A KIND, Darcy O'Brien gives the inside story and is the first book to make the shocking disclosure that "the Hillside Strangler" was not one man, but two, and not only that -- they were were cousins!

In Mr. O'Brien's riveting story examines the relationship between the murderers and the drive behind their hideously evil crimes. It tells the entire story of the Hillside Stranglers as it has never been told before. He begins with the stranglers themselves who just decided one night out of bordom that they hated women and wanted to kill them (even as one strangler was living with a pregnant girlfriend and hiding the truth of his killing spree from her).

It reveals the torture, the prostitution ring, the killings. But it also shows the other side of the drama--the law. The police were so baffled by the disappearing women and then the subsequent finding them on a hillside dead, that they took drastic measures to ensure justice would prevail in this case.

TWO OF A KIND is a true story of crime and punishment here and now. But even more disturbing, it is a tale of primal evil rising from the darkest human depths and our age-old struggle to defend ourselves from it.

Readers of True Crime will find this out-of-print book worth the search. The author not only compellingly writes about the rape, torture and murder of 10 young women in Los Angeles in the late 1970's but also provides insight into the strange relationship between the two cousins who commit these unthinkable crimes.

A young, charismatic man, under an almost hypnotic spell of a truly evil older uncle takes center stage in the longest criminal trial in this country. The defense of "multiple personalities" was as much on trial as the guilt or innocence of the defendants.

I liked this book very much because the characters--victims, murders, investigators, lawyers and judge--became real people as I read. The trial was especially intriguing as the prosecutor, defense attorney and judge laid the groundwork for a strange and new defense. This book would certainly not be a disappointment.

From

"Two of a Kind: The Hillside Stranglers" is a book I have been anticipating reading for quite some time. The fact that is out of print made it somewhat difficult to acquire a copy. As a whole, it was worth the wait. The book is well scripted and informative on the subject of two of America's most noted killers and perhaps most famous killing duo.

Angelo Buono had his way with women, but his anger toward his mother and failed relationships caused something to crack inside him. While he was violent and neglectful of women, it was not until he formed an unholy alliance with his cousin Kenneth Bianchi that he began to kill women. The duo killed ten women who were mostly prostitutes through the means suggested in the book's title. However, the murder of two school girls certainly raised my ire toward them. Although the duo was under suspicion, it was not until the pair "broke up" that the heat rose. Bianchi killed two women on his own to satiate his lust, but was not nearly as efficient without his cousin.

The one aspect of the book I disliked was that there seemed to be more focus on the detectives than the criminals. This was a small flaw in the grand scale. The book was well written and tough to put down. Even knowing the results of the trial, the writing managed to keep me on the edge of my seat wondering what might happen next. I even doubted the possibility of conviction for a moment. Although it is often verbose and quite lengthy at times, I would recommend this work of true crime.

I reread this book every couple of years. This is an must read for any true crime junkie. It was so well written and showed all sides of the story. It made me realize random acts of violence against women was the "high" for these two idoits. They killed women they knew as well as someone they just spotted on the street. They were cold blooded murderers ...and ended up where they needed to be... a premanet resident of the state prison. As a female it made me more aware of my surroundings and I never get out of my car without looking around first for weirdo's lurking. :)

I was arrested on March 30, 1978 as the Hillside Strangler. The Media with their TV camera's were present when the LAPD arrested me when I come home from work and took me downtown. My picture was on the local and national news and in Newsweek magazine.
I spent four days in jail, where my life was threatened. Chief Gates released me for lack of evidence and issued me a public apology. The LAPD advised me to leave LA and California because "vigilantees" were looking to harm me.
I flew back to Boston under an assumed name and filed a slander and defamation of character lawsuit. Ten years later I was awarded a 5 figure amount by ABC Television which sent it's Boston reporter to LA to follow me and film my arrest.
I have written an account of my ordeal of Media and Police abuse entitled, "Disposal People".I will send a copy to anyone who wants one.I believe I know who murdered two "copycat" Hillside Stranglings and I give their names and details in my story.
I have been trying to get a "No-Name Law" passed that would prevent the Police from giving suspects' names to the Media until they are charged with a crime. There should be no disposable people by murders or by the Police and Media. Peter Jones

although im sure the author did his utmost to be accurate... there are certain things about this case that we will never know for sure... all in all its a very good read... while it gets boring towards the end(painting the trial of buono with bianchi the key evidence)i enjoyed every page... and i would suggest this book to anyone who wants to get to know kenneth bianchi and angelo buono a little better ;)

I don't know who is stranger? This author or Angelo Buono. The biggest hero in this book is a alcoholic philandering cop who, when he gets liquored up he shoots off his gun. I am inclined to believe Angelo Buono was innocent after reading this geeks view of the world.