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  • Confession of a Serial Killer

  • The Untold Story of Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer
  • By: Katherine Ramsland PhD
  • Narrated by: Michael Braun
  • Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (39 ratings)
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Confession of a Serial Killer

By: Katherine Ramsland PhD
Narrated by: Michael Braun
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Summary

Explore the mind and motivations of a serial killer.

In 1974, Dennis Lynn Rader stalked and murdered a family of four in Wichita, Kansas. Since adolescence, he had read about serial killers and imagined becoming one. Soon after killing the family, he murdered a young woman and then another, until he had 10 victims. He named himself “B.T.K.” (bind, torture, kill) and wrote notes that terrorized the city. He remained on the loose for 30 years. No one who knew him guessed his dark secret. He nearly got away with his crimes, but in 2004, he began to play risky games with the police. He made a mistake. When he was arrested, Rader’s family, friends, and coworkers were shocked to discover that B.T.K. had been among them, going to work, raising his children, and acting normal. 

This case stands out both for the brutal treatment of victims and for the ordinary public face that Rader, a church council president, had shown to the outside world. Through jailhouse visits, telephone calls, and written correspondence, Katherine Ramsland worked with Rader himself to analyze the layers of his psyche. Using his drawings, letters, interviews, and Rader’s unique codes, she presents in meticulous detail the childhood roots and development of one man’s motivation to stalk, torture, and kill. She reveals aspects of the dark motivations of this most famous of living serial killers that have never before been revealed. In this audiobook Katherine Ramsland presents an intelligent, original, and rare glimpse into the making of a serial killer and the potential darkness that lives next door.

©2016 by Katherine Ramsland (P)2022 by Blackstone Publishing

What listeners say about Confession of a Serial Killer

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Interesting story

the story of this audiobook is very interesting. the narration could be better. the only thing I didn't like was the over analysing of situations and things that happened

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

If Homer Simpson was a deranged serial killer

The book is very well put together, and yes Rader is comes across as pathetic and moronic.

Narration was OK, certainly suited Rader’s narrative, but a little relentless at times. Also … why wasn’t it read by a woman?

Hard to know if a book like this will prevent killers like Rader or inspire more of them.

Because Serial killers seem to share as many dissimilarities as they do commonalities. Will a complete picture of Rader help us prevent future offenders? Really hard to see how it can.

But I don’t work in this field so I’m not qualified to say.

Worth a listen. But if you’re not already familiar with the case, brace yourself because it’s as dark as that come.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating detail

Lots of interesting details and insights about the killer, including his own thoughts on his desire to kill and how it was like an addiction to him. I didn't like the narrator's voice very much, but that's just personal taste. I sometimes got confused about when the narrator's was speaking as Dennis Radar and when he was not, which was annoying.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting

A different take on the murders of BTK. Centred around correspondence received by the author from Radar it gives an insight in to the life/murders from the killers point of view. It’s the story of a narcissist , psychotic, cowardly individual who shows no remorse while sitting in his prison cell. It is an interesting book and it was in Audibles plus catalog.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

very disturbing account

This one seems to have been born bad, or poss it was a brain injury?
BTK was having thoughts of sexual torture as a young boy, and practised killing (you guessed it) on animals. As a young kid.

The code that's used throughout is confusing, I should've made notes on what all his were from the start. PJ this and BE that, you get lost.

One of the worst sadistic killers ever, managed to disguise himself as a family, scout & church man, a good employee. People need to look closer at the people in these positions, ask questions.

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Excellent book

Very well narrated and some good insight to be gained here for students of serial murder

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Not worth finishing

Tried to finish thus but couldn't. Very bringing in my opinion. Just give it a miss.

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