The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1

By: RJ Parker

Narrated by: Beth MacEwan

This book is an astounding compilation of 50 of the world's most notorious and ruthless serial killers, including: Serial Killers Who Were Captured, Serial Killings That Were Never Solved, Female Serial Killers, and Doctors Who Killed Their Patients.

Some of the more infamous cases are: Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Son of Sam, Karla Homolka, Christine Fallings, the Green River Killer, Dr. H.H. Holmes and the Zodiac.

This book also includes: The Black Widows, Cannibals, Unsolved Serial Killings, and the various categories of serial killers as defined by the FBI.

©2012 RJ Parker (P)2012 RJ Parker Publishing

Critic reviews

"R. J. Parker writes the most informative and interesting books, hands down. Unsolved even gave me true crime I didn't already know about. Didn't think that was possible! This author rocks!" (Lori Smith)

" Women Who Kill is an interesting and eclectic dossier on some of the nastiest female murderers ever. He has researched well and presented the reader with a collection of the more unusual and bizarre femme fatales than one usually finds in similar True Crime compilations." (William Cook)

"This book is very emotional and brilliantly written! The author brings the crimes alive in detail and in a tearful read of the reality of everyday bullying! Once you start reading this book of horrors yet saddening, not only for the victims but the killers themselves, you wont want to put it down. 5 stars to R. J. Parker for having the words and courage he brings to the pages." (K.L. Rotunno)

Big Disappointment

Would you try another book from RJ Parker and/or Beth MacEwan?

Not in my lifetime will I get another book done by Beth MacEwan.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N/A

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Beth MacEwan?

Scott Brick, Bill Dufris, Grover Gardner. Anyone but MacEwan

What character would you cut from The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1?

N/A

Any additional comments?

The reader sounds like she's giving a lecture to third graders. Very cold and unpleasant diction with no personality at all. If I could I would like to return this download for a credit.

Horrific narration

What did you like best about The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1? What did you like least?

This is a promising book. I wish I could have tolerated the narration long enough to finish it.

Can I have a refund please?

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Perverse 12 year olds...maybe I'm being too hard and not taking into account the subject matter and intention of the book, but if you're looking for a dry compilation of facts presented at a 6th grade reading level, look no further. If you're looking for something a little more sophisticated I think Dr. Suess would do the trick. The book does present good information, and covers the subject of Serial Killers well, it just does it in such a disjointed and rudimentary manner it makes it hard stay engaged. The narrator doesn't help either, and may actually be to blame for the way this is received, for if this book is written at the level of a 6th grader, her literacy is at the level of a 5th grader, and that is being generous. Maybe the most entertaining aspect of the audible is listening to this illiterate octogenarian bite her tongue, mispronounce words, trip over sentences and awkwardly stop and restart due to complete errors in her reading.

What could RJ Parker have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

He could have expanded upon the retelling of the facts so as to make it not seem like a straight read from a serial killer wiki - more expert insight and speculation and more relation between each killer and their proposed "style" or "psychology" would have made for a more interesting approach. Maybe it's just me, but I think the fascination around serial killers it not just the brutal details and gory truth but the unfathomable acts they commit and our inability to relate - any attempt at an answer to the mystery of "why?" would go a long way.

Would you be willing to try another one of Beth MacEwan’s performances?

No...that was not a performance. She fell off the stage before the hook could pull her back.

What character would you cut from The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1?

Beth MacEwan

Any additional comments?

please give me a credit back

Arrgghh! I didn't read the reviews!!!

Would you try another book from RJ Parker and/or Beth MacEwan?

No. I do not know which was worse, the writing or the narration.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Beth MacEwan?

My six year old granddaughter reads more naturally. I wish I could have given the performance 0 stars.

Any additional comments?

ALWAYS READ THE REVIEWS!

Horrible...don't waste your money or credits

What disappointed you about The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1?

I have never felt the need to review a book before, but after listening to the first quarter of this book I had had enough. I feel as though I wasted my money. Audible should not carry books of this quality. It sounded interesting...I should have listened to the sample first. The material is dry but the narrator is the worst part. She sounds like she is reading to small children with no expression and over enunciation. She makes mistakes and they have not been edited out. A very unprofessional job.

Would you ever listen to anything by RJ Parker again?

I would consider it if the narrator was different.

Would you be willing to try another one of Beth MacEwan’s performances?

Never.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Serial Killer Compendium, Volume 1?

All of the ones that contain errors in the narration.