Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders

This book is a thorough recollection of the police investigation and trial of John Wayne Gacy told from the point-of-view of the lead prosecutor Terry Sullivan. It's factual, to-the-point, and a very fast read with little to no literary flair. I found it quite interesting how Sullivan illustrates the importance of each police action, question, decision, etc. and how they built their case. At times, especially in the first half, it was a bit drawn out and reads like a police report, though I have to admit that it sort of mirrored how boring police surveillance work can be. The trial portion is very detailed, and while some people may also find it boring or too long, I thought it was fascinating to hear about the prosecution's strategies and thoughts over the course of the trial.

Sullivan doesn't delve into the psychology of JWG beyond what is covered in the trial, and there are passing statements about his childhood without any analysis. He does not attempt to answer why JWG did what he did, he simply shows how JWG was caught and convicted.

I believe it's hard to bring life to every victim when there are least 33 of them while keeping the book at a reasonable length for most people, however some true crime books accomplish this very well. Sullivan did his best to humanize some of the victims within the scope of the crimes committed against them and the effect their deaths had on their families.

Some people may find the gruesome detail that some of the crimes are described (particularly by the living victims) to be too much. I don't recommend it if you prefer true crime books that gloss over those details.

The update felt a bit all over the place.