The Killer Inside Me

By: Jim Thompson

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

In The Killer Inside Me, America's "Dimestore Dostoevsky" Jim Thompson goes where few novelists have dared to go, giving us a pitch-black glimpse into the mind of the American serial killer years before Charles Manson and Brett Easton Ellis's American Psycho, in the novel that will forever be known as the master performance of one of the greatest crime novelists of all time.

Everyone in the small town of Central City, Texas loves Lou Ford. A deputy sheriff, Lou's known to the small-time criminals, the real-estate entrepreneurs, and all of his coworkers - the low-lifes, the big-timers, and everyone in-between - as the nicest guy around. He may not be the brightest or the most interesting man in town, but nevertheless, he's the kind of officer you're happy to have keeping your streets safe. The sort of man you might even wish your daughter would end up with someday.

But behind the platitudes and glad-handing lurks a monster the likes of which few have seen. An urge that has already claimed multiple lives, and cost Lou his brother Mike, a self-sacrificing construction worker fell to his death on the job in what was anything but an accident. A murder that Lou is determined to avenge - and if innocent people have to die in the process, well, that's perfectly all right with him.

©1952 Jim Thompson (P)2011 Hachette

Wow!

A chilling look into the mind of a serial killer. It had me hooked from the beginning. This is a "must listen" for anyone who enjoys a psychological thriller. The performer was spot on and at times gave me chills.

Was a fan of the film

It is apparent that the film was a pretty loyal adaptation.
Peels the layers of the psyche back while being gritty & raw. A truly epic crime thriller

Much better than those ratings indicate.

This is typical Thompson. That is to say: it's dark, it has tempting babes, it has a straight forward plot that flips every time the listener gets comfortable. There has been discussion of the ending, but remember: this is about a crazy person!
The narration is suited to the story, his voices are perfect for the characters, and the pace is noir creepy. This is a fun listening experience.

5 Stars

What made the experience of listening to The Killer Inside Me the most enjoyable?

The way the characters are so completely different and vivid. As if each were product of the imagination of a different author.

What other book might you compare The Killer Inside Me to and why?

None to date

Which character – as performed by Kevin T. Collins – was your favorite?

Howard Hendricks the lawyer

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

jail cel interview between Hendricks and Ford

Any additional comments?

Great story, great characters, great narration.

A Man who smoked cigars for the wrong reason.

Top notch narrator. Intriguing plot twists. Not for everyone. But neither is Retsina. A great listen for driving through west Texas.

Even if you read pop 1280

This is essentially a reworked version of pop 1280, but still worth your time. The story is compelling and Jim Thompson was definitely ahead of his time.

Twisted

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not "well-spent" but perhaps "not begrudged". I'm not a fan of the 1950s crime noir with its bleak, cynical writing and cheap women, but Thompson was certainly an over-the-top writer and I was never quite sure where the story would go next. The narrator did a nice job; in lesser-skilled hands (or voice), the story may have been just too off the wall.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jim Thompson? Why or why not?

No, one of his books is enough.

Which character – as performed by Kevin T. Collins – was your favorite?

It has to be deputy sheriff Lou Ford: a sadomasochistic sociopath who feels no remorse for anything he does, who gets castrated by his father and pumps himself full of hormones so he can still perform brutal sex acts, a cold-blooded deviant and double-crosser who most people in town believe is a good citizen of the community, and yet someone who I just couldn't quite completely dislike. I even found myself horrified a few times when I laughed out loud at his sick sense of humor.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No; reading about it was enough.

Best Audible performance

The narrator in this recording was just phenomenal. Made a great story/book even more exceptional

Didn’t see that coming

So well written for a 1950’s serial killer book. The story is written from the POV of main character. As you know from the title the Main Character is a serial killer. For the 1950's the author knows a good deal about the psychiatric behavior of a serial killer. Which is the focus of the story. The main character works on the police force in a small town in Texas. The detectives have a good idea that there is something not quite right about him. Based on his work on the force and he's friends with some of the detectives. The suspicion is often dismissed. He always has an answer for the cops. They always believe him. Until he begins to be too reckless. It's like Dexter. Only the main character has zero moral compass.

Best inside mind of a sociopath ever

Written in mid/early 20th century, this is still the reigning champion of first person perspective storytelling, narrated by an antisocial protagonist.