I'm No Monster: The Horrifying True Story of Josef Fritzl

(Author), Bojan Pancevski (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Proving beyond a reasonable doubt the falsity of the title, London Times writers Marsh and Pancevski detail the internationally infamous life and depraved crimes of Josef Fritzl. Born in Austria in 1936, married in 1956 and the father of seven, Fritzl saw himself as a hardworking family man. In reality, he was a rapist (convicted in 1967) and a tyrant, routinely beating his wife and children. He began sexually abusing his daughter Elisabeth when she was 11 and later imprisoned her for 24 years in a secret bunker beneath the family home, during which time she bore seven children. (Fritzl told everyone she had run away to join a cult.) But when one of Elizabeth's daughters became gravely ill, requiring a trip to the hospital, his plot unraveled, and he was sentenced to life in prison in 2009. Through interviews with family acquaintances, doctors and prosecutors, Marsh and Pancevski not only portray a sadistic Fritzl, but also Elisabeth's courage in surviving and attempting to protect her children. The authors also indict police and social service agencies for ignoring clues that something was terribly amiss in the Fritzl household. (Nov.)
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Product Description

The true-crime story that stunned and appalled the world. With photos and never-before-revealed information.

For 24 years Josef Fritzl held his daughter Elizabeth prisoner as a sex slave and, with her, he fathered seven of his own grandchildren. But the true depth of his depravity was yet to be uncovered in the underground bunker his children called home. Over the years, his secret family knew next to nothing of the outside world. Incredibly, Josef's submissive wife Rosemarie never suspected a thing. It was a tale so appalling, so unbelievable, it reverberated in shock waves across the globe.

In defense of his own moral character, Josef Fritzl made a stunning statement. "I'm no monster," he reasoned. "I could have just killed them and no one would have ever found out about it." With exclusive interviews, and never-before- released information, award-winning journalists Stefanie Marsh and Bojan Pancevski tell the complete story of an abominable crime.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425230031
• ISBN-13: 978-0425230039
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #593,325 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Well Thought Out Angle for Writing a Horrifying Story, November 7, 2009

By	L. Boki "L. Boki" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

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I admit to being completely fascinated by this horrible, horrible story when it first hit international news. There is something about holding your own flesh and blood in a windowless dungeon, repeatedly raping her, fathering 7 children, etc. all once again occurring in a windowless dungeon in the dark for a lot of the time that stumps me.
It is far from an exaggeration that this was indeed "a living hell". I became so obsessed with this story that I read the first book, "Secrets in the Cellar" soon as I discovered it. That book was written in haste, taking a lot of liberties since the trial had not even happened by the time it was released. In "I'm No Monster", they make no attempt to try and "fill in the blanks" on facts that they did not know. That hardly prevented it from being a compelling read. It actually works as a good compliment to this book since this is a not a rehash but instead a more analytical approach to the subject at hand. I am not certain how this book would read without the first one as background filler.
Still, I have read enough articles to get a fairly good composite of what may have occurred. There has been a 2 hour documentary on MSNBC that still runs periodically, that also goes along way in filling in the blanks. (I would suggest you search out that documentary, it is available on YouTube, as a good starting place before you read this book). That is why I can only offer 4 stars, when in actuality it probably is closer to 3 1/2 stars if i were judging it on its own merits (too much is skimmed over to rate any better than this.....but having read what I have, the horror is a lot easier to envisualize).
I am always astonished at man's ability to inflict such cruelty on man and other living entities. I guess it is part of my nature to be drawn, yet painfully afraid, of such darkness.
I am still compelled to want to know more especially to understand how Elisabeth Fritzl and her children have recovered from this tragedy.
I commend the writers in not giving into sensationalism and for staying above the temptation to over dramatize what is terrifying on its own.
For those who have difficulty reading dark material, I would suggest you stay away from "Secrets in the Cellar". If you have a working knowledge of this baffling case, this book should at least keep your interest.