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The Night Stalker: The Disturbing Life and Chilling Crimes of Richard Ramirez Paperback – August 30, 2016

by Philip Carlo (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,621 ratings
See all formats and editions
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“An astonishing portrait of a killer not seen since In Cold Blood.” 
—New York Daily News

A bestselling masterpiece of true crime on par with Helter Skelter, this definitive account of one of America’s most feared and notorious serial killers takes you deep into the psychology of a murderer, his terrifying crimes, and the cult following that is shockingly revealed in this revised and updated edition of a true crime classic.  
 
Decades after Richard Ramirez left thirteen dead and paralyzed the city of Los Angeles in the 1980s, his name is still synonymous with fear, torture, and sadistic murder. Philip Carlo’s classic The Night Stalker, based on years of meticulous research and extensive interviews with Ramirez, revealed the killer and his horrifying crimes to be even more chilling than anyone could have imagined. From watching his cousin commit murder at age eleven to his nineteen death sentences to the juror who fell in love with him, the story of Ramirez is a bizarre and spellbinding descent into the very heart of human evil.

After The Night Stalker was first published, thousands of women from all over the world contacted Carlo, begging to be put in touch with the killer. Carlo interviewed them and presents their disturbing stories in this updated edition along with an exclusive death row interview where the killer himself gives his thoughts on the “Ramirez Groupies”—and what he thinks they really want.

“I couldn’t put the book down…very scary indeed.”
—Los Angeles Times
 
“An exceptionally well-told true crime tale.” 
—Publishers Weekly
 
Includes 16 Pages Of Photos
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Citadel
  4. Publication date
    August 30, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.99 x 1.22 x 8.93 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780806538419
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0806538419
  8. See all details
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Get to know this book

Previous page

  1. What's it about?

    A chilling true crime account of Richard Ramirez, the notorious serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles in the 1980s, revealing his horrifying crimes and the cult following he inspired.

  2. Popular highlight

    To be a good killer you have to plan things out carefully. You’ve got to be prepared in every way when the moment comes to strike; you cannot hesitate.
    173 Kindle readers highlighted this

  3. Popular highlight

    He was certain that Satan, archenemy of Christ, of all things good, was traveling with him, and that Satan would protect him so long as he stayed evil in his heart and showed no mercy.
    166 Kindle readers highlighted this

  4. Popular highlight

    For a true killer, a good murder is like a good meal: you want to make it last and get the most out of it.
    142 Kindle readers highlighted this
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for THE NIGHT STALKER:

"Phil Carlo paints a disturbing portrait of cold-blooded killer Richard Ramirez. In the true crime tradition of In Cold Blood and The Executioner's Song, Carlo compelling tells the ghastly story from numerous points of view, including those of Ramirez and two ingenious sheriff's detectives who finally cracked the case." 
—PEOPLE Magazine  
      
"Absorbing…detailed, Carlo allows the killer's grotesque acts to be squarely in view." 
—The Los Angeles Times Book Review

"Filled with never-known-before details. [Carlo] did his homework and wrote a very compelling true crime tale." 
—CNN

"Exceptionally well-told."
—Publishers Weekly

"The chilling inside perspective of a serial killer."
—Library Journal

"Carlo has given us an astonishing portrait of a killer not seen since In Cold Blood."
—NY Daily News

"We've all read novelists and true crime writers who try to put you inside-the-mind-of-the-serial-killer, but I can't remember one that succeeded with the physical and psychological intimacy of this collaboration between the writer and the killer himself."
—New York Press

"This is the definitive book on America's most feared serial killer. The writing is so intimate, you actually feel like a voyeur reading this book. A must read that will return you to the time when no one could sleep in Los Angeles because of the Stalker. A real page turner."
—Tony Valdez, Fox TV Los Angeles

"The best book on murder I've ever read."
—Captain Ken Roe, NYPD Homicide

"A true crime masterpiece. Carlo vividly brings to life one of this century's most brutal kinds of predator. A must read!"
—Steve Elshoff, Producer, American Justice

About the Author

Philip Carlo was born and raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. His research for The Night Stalkerincluded spending over 100 hours with Richard Ramirez at San Quentin’s Death Row. The photo above was taken on the day of Ramirez’s wedding on Death Row. He also wrote the true-crime bestsellers The Ice Man, The Butcher, andGaspipe.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0806538414
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Citadel; Reprint edition (August 30, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780806538419
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0806538419
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.99 x 1.22 x 8.93 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,621 ratings

About the author

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Philip Carlo

Philip Carlo

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Philip Carlo was the author of The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer, his New York Times bestselling book about Richard “Ice Man” Kuklinski, murderer of 200 people and a favorite among all seven of the East Coast crime families. He was also the author of Gaspipe, The Butcher, and The Night Stalker, which chronicles the brutal career of serial killer Richard Ramirez. Carlo grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, amidst the world’s highest concentration of Mafia members. When he was 16, Carlo was shot in the head in a gang war, and while recuperating, he read voraciously, discovering the magic of books for the first time. His intimate knowledge of Mafia culture—their walk and their talk—helped Carlo become a successful crime writer. He died in 2010 from ALS.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
2,621 global ratings

Customers say

Customers say the book is thoroughly researched and gives a glimpse into the psyche of the criminal. They also find the writing quality fairly well written and mesmerizing. Readers describe the plot as scary and terrifying, pulling no punches with the crimes. However, some find the storyline confusing, tedious, and redundant.

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ResearchWriting qualityPlotVisual designStorylineContent
42 customers mention "Research"42 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly researched, with details upon details. They also say it's an exceptionally well-told true crime book, very true to what actually happened, and a thorough examination of the Ramirez murders.

"...Very interesting all the way through, extremely informative, and well written...." Read more

"...This is an exceptionally well-told true crime book which I could not put down...." Read more

"...The breakdown of the trial was wonderful written...Very informative!!..." Read more

"...the book very readable and interesting because it was told from different points of view and then tied together with great skill...." Read more

34 customers mention "Writing quality"27 positive7 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book fairly well written for a true crime book. They also say the book is interesting and captivating, with multiple points of view.

"...Carlo's writing in this book is both factual but also reads like an actual fiction book...." Read more

"...It's a well written, well edited book without common mistakes that hinders book reading...." Read more

"...He is, indeed, attractive and mesmerizing, quite like a snake, I imagine, that you want to be able to master before he masters you...." Read more

"...books (Helter Skelter, The Dreams of Ada among them) the writing did not flow smoothly and trial itself made for boring reading...." Read more

21 customers mention "Plot"17 positive4 negative

Customers find the plot of the book very scary, well-written, and epic. They also say it's eye-opening to the dangers everywhere.

"...It is a terrifying book and pulls no punches with the crimes and their aftermaths, so for true crime buffs this is definite a book to read and add..." Read more

"...It is a terrifying book and pulls no punches with the crimes and their aftermaths...." Read more

"...Very entertaining book, very scary to read and had my hands sweaty at times...." Read more

"Detailed on every thing. it is a good read and a spooky one too." Read more

5 customers mention "Visual design"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the visual design of the book chilling and disturbing. They also appreciate the pictures at the end.

"...He is, indeed, attractive and mesmerizing, quite like a snake, I imagine, that you want to be able to master before he masters you...." Read more

"...She loves the detail and how real it is." Read more

"I loved it. I really liked the pictures at the end also. It helped me put faces to the names in the book." Read more

"Well written with lots of detail, some photo's, not disturbing or graphic. Reading this is like having someone tell you the story." Read more

17 customers mention "Storyline"4 positive13 negative

Customers find the storyline repetitive, confusing, and annoying throughout the book. They also say the details on the trial are too much.

"...There was nothing fun about any of it...." Read more

"...The only issue I have with it is, the author left out a lot of details about Richard's crimes. Some he didn't mention at all." Read more

"...The court scenes are overly detailed and well could have been summarized in a third of the space." Read more

"...Because he does such a thorough job and the story is so bizarre, Carlo sets a ridiculously high standard...." Read more

5 customers mention "Content"0 positive5 negative

Customers find the content tedious, intense, and hard to put down. They also say the book is well researched, but some parts are hard to get by.

"...Very well researched. Hard to get by some parts but "it is what it is", true crime." Read more

"...once the book settles into the long, drawn out trial, it begins to feel like a chore...." Read more

"...The entire trial portion of the book tends to be quite tedious and redundant." Read more

"A somewhat tedious and disturbing book..." Read more

4.5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
4.5 stars
This is one of the few books I've read where I felt severely agitated every time I had to put it down to do tasks. I'd race through whatever needed to be done just so I could sit back down and read this book some more and it took me a considerably short amount of time to read this book because I was so captivated with it.Philip Carlo most certainly did his research on Richard Ramirez from birth - including his family, the ones affected by his evil deeds and the ones who were also involved in the case. I was pleasantly surprised by just how thorough this book was. I'd rate the book 4 and a half stars if I could, simply because of overlooked grammatic errors.I find it shameful that Richard Ramirez wasted his good looks by taking a life of crime and hurting many people. He could've made an otherwise normal, SANE person very happy.
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Top reviews from the United States

Linda
5.0 out of 5 stars Nonfiction that reads like a bestselling fiction
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
I got this book after watching the Netflix documentary and being completely astounded by this killer's brutality and wanting to know more about his spree and the background behind the killer and how he turned out to be this way. I was so happy to discover that Carlo's writing in this book is both factual but also reads like an actual fiction book. Very interesting all the way through, extremely informative, and well written. I will say that the trial portion of this book became a little TOO detailed and factual, but I understand the purpose behind it, as he's actually recounting the trial itself. I think this part is the only part that reminds you you're reading a nonfictional book. Towards the end, we get to read the transcript of his interview with Carlo, and you can almost sense Ramirez's introvertedness by the way talks. Its exactly what you expect, especially if you've ever heard him in interviews. It was fascinating that Carlo was able to describe this part of him in a way that makes you really get a glimpse of what its like to SPEAK to the night stalker. Overall, this book is an excellent read for those wanting to supplement the Netflix documentary. You really get all the details of his childhood, upbringing, and adult life, which actually gives such great insight into how he became this crazed killer. The only bad part of this book was that towards the very end, when Carlo describes his own relationship with Ramirez, I got an inkling of a creepy vibe from Carlo hisself. He seems to allude to happily riding the coattails of Richard Ramirez, gaining benefits from his affiliation to this infamous serial killer, and not even including the financial benefits he receives from telling this story. He admits to readers that he received nudes from Richard's groupies, and Richard even shared some of his collection with Carlo for "safe keeping." You get a sliver of this vibe that Carlo is also a bit pervy himself, making physical judgments on some of the groupie girls, when you know he probably would not get this type of female attention if he was not affiliated to Richard as he is. That last part definitely took a bit of credibility away from Carlo, but I believe this part of the book was a special update/edition that was added later, so the actual book and story itself shouldn't be tainted by Carlo's own character flaws. Overall, highly recommend!
10 people found this helpful
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katrig
5.0 out of 5 stars Richard Ramirez. The epitome of Evil
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2020
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This is a well-researched true account of the "Nightstalker" killings. The book captures the rapes and tortures Richard Ramirez whose visit’s upon Southern California in the mid-80s left a fear and reign of terror wherever he went. It is a terrifying book and pulls no punches with the crimes and their aftermaths, so for true crime buffs this is definite a book to read and add to your library.
The story in this book goes through the mass destruction left behind as the trail of the victims tortured, raped, and murdered by Richard as he enters house after house getting bolder and sicker as his arrogance grows and he thinks he is Satan himself. Next the killer himself and his family and how his early childhood shaped who he became. Followed by the detectives who sought Richard Ramirez for months and the build up to the trial, the sick delusional groupies Richards fame attracts during the trial, and finally a verdict.
This is an exceptionally well-told true crime book which I could not put down. The author releases interview’s with Richard Ramirez and some of his groupie’s personal reasons for wishing to see Richard and finishes the book with photographs.
The book will haunt you for ages as to how sick and depraved Richard real was and have you check your windows and doors before you go to sleep.
9 people found this helpful
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Ayoeridani
4.0 out of 5 stars People are crazy!!!
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2021
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The reason why I'm giving this book four stars is the writer's style. It's a well written, well edited book without common mistakes that hinders book reading.

The crimes committed by Richard were disgusting and deserves no spotlight, no fanfare, and certainly no ratings.
I'm not draw to true crime stories for the most part. I find them frightening and cause me stress and nightmares. I read this book because a friend suggested it. The friend has just watched the Night-Stalker docu-series on Netflix. Knowing that I hate watching, the suggestion was that I should read the book. It's a shocking & sobering reality to realize that among human kind also exists a few deviants (for a lack of a better term) who choose to hurt others for the neck of it.

Yet, for me, what was most traumatizing & bewildering at the same time were the Stalkers Groupies aka the Ramirez Groupies. I have never heard of women who would want to be so near a scum for good looks!!!
The guy had horribly damaged teeth that were enough to spook a rational mind away for good and they belied his "so-called good looks".
Why on earth were women so drawn to him? The author tried, but I think unsuccessfully, to explain why these women felt attracted to someone who might have done horrible things to them, given the chance.
I don't get the women! I don't get their thought process. I don't get their rationalization and certainly their failure to notice that once Ramirez was arrested the murders stopped.
I would think they would be attracted to the people that protected them from the monster, not the monster itself!
It's a weird world we live in.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Ismail Abdulbaki
5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed book
Reviewed in Canada on May 26, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book is an interesting book, extremely detailed I could not put it down , I highly recommend this book I even learned some things about the U.S government that I had no clue about!
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Gomes
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of important and pertinent details that don't usually talk about on TV.
Reviewed in Brazil on December 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
I loved the book. It arrived in perfect condition and the writing is very well done, it's as if we were inside some scene described in the book. Very good, it's like I'm there. I really felt like I was there, in the same place as Richard Ramirez. There are a lot of important stuff that people usually leave out in documentaries, necessary stuff. Not just the police rush to catch a serial killer. It really talks the whole thing, from another perspective. You guys won't regret it. Philip Carlo is awesome.
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Gomes
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of important and pertinent details that don't usually talk about on TV.
Reviewed in Brazil on December 28, 2021
I loved the book. It arrived in perfect condition and the writing is very well done, it's as if we were inside some scene described in the book. Very good, it's like I'm there. I really felt like I was there, in the same place as Richard Ramirez. There are a lot of important stuff that people usually leave out in documentaries, necessary stuff. Not just the police rush to catch a serial killer. It really talks the whole thing, from another perspective. You guys won't regret it. Philip Carlo is awesome.
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Manuela M
5.0 out of 5 stars Ottimo libro
Reviewed in Italy on July 10, 2023
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Ottimo libro, interessantissimo, l'autore non giudica, sembra obbiettivo e riesce a descrivere i punti di vista dei protagonisti, senza giudicare il colpevole, ma neppure giustificarne le violenze, consigliatissimo anche per la capacita' di coinvolgere il lettore nella vita tormentata di Ramirez, nel periodo storico degli USA anni 70 - 85
One person found this helpful
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Rosalía
5.0 out of 5 stars Inquietante y bien escrito
Reviewed in Spain on April 19, 2023
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No soy lectora habitual y este libro me está encantando. Dividido en varias partes (asesinatos, pasado/infancia, persecución y encarcelamiento, etc)
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K Sakunthala
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
Reviewed in India on May 13, 2023
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Worth the money. The book came in such a good quality
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