Serial Killer Groupies

True Crimes Collection RJPP, Book 19

By: R. J. Parker

Narrated by: Don Kline

Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Known as "serial killer groupies" or even "prison groupies", a great number of these women have shown a surprising desire to get connected to the serial killer of their choice. A large number of these women have become directly aligned with these killers, and some have even married or gotten engaged with these criminals.

It is believed that these women are living vicariously through these high-profile criminals, and enjoy the attention and notoriety in the media. Like many other mental conditions, the treatment varies from medications such as Phenothiazine to psychotherapy.

So why are these so-called "groupies" attracted to serial killers? Experts have compiled several reasons why, including:

• Rescue fantasy - The Groupie believes that he or she can change the killer with love and understanding.
• Perfect boyfriend/girlfriend - He or she knows where their criminal lover is at all times (in prison). She can love him without being jealous or having to deal with trust issues.
• Nurturing - Most female groupies have said that they see the little boy in these serial killers and that they want to console and nurture them like a mother would do with her son.
• Drama - Many women and men need to have drama in their lives. They get engrossed in the trial of a serial killer, then an infatuation begins which follows sending letters to the killer.
• Hybristophilia - Sexual arousal of those who commit violent crimes.
• Male figure - Several female groupies have acknowledged that they were raised without a father or male figure, abused and neglected, they look to the serial killer to fill that need.
• Self-esteem - Some women have very low self-esteem and believe that they can't find a man. Since these killers are in prison and lonely themselves, those women will target them for attention and a fantasy relationship.

©2015 R. J. Parker Publishing Inc. (P)2015 R. J. Parker Publishing Inc.

great read

this is a great read for an airplane or long car trip..a great add to your true crime collection..although no new information to be found..

More than expected for a true crime short.

I was a bit worried when the audiobook started out by rehashing such famous cases as Ted Bundy an Richard Ramirez. But as it continued the cases became less "old hat" and there were even some recent cases such as Luka Magnotta, which ignighted my interest. The actual subjects of the book, the "Serial Killer Groupies", were interesting, but a bit short. It might have been nicer to flesh them out if possible, to understand their motivations/lives that led them into contact with serial killer penpals. Although as most had not committed a crime, I could see how their privacy may need to be protected. All in all a decent if quick listen with some new stuff, despite a bit of a boring start.

Poor writing, poor reading.

It's hard to know what to list first. The writer doesn't even seem to know correct grammar. I'm not fanatically picky, but this was so bad that I couldn't ignore it, and it was very distracting. Many sentences didn't even make sense in the way they were written.

The words "subsequently" and "ultimately" were used a ridiculous number of times. I guess "after that", "later he was" or even "he then" were not big enough words to use once in a while.

To top it off, the narrator didn't know his material enough to read without pausing mid sentence, as if the statement were complete, only to say the last word or two separately after the pause. He did this throughout the entire reading. The fact that he was reading very immature writing, only made him sound worse.

The total effect made it a painful listen that I intend to return. Something I haven't done with any of my other, thousand plus, audible books.