The Man with the Candy

By: Jack Olsen

Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

A full account of the most heinous crime of the century in which nearly 30 young boys were sexually tortured to death.

©1974 Su Olsen / Evan Olsen (P)2018 Su Olsen / Evan Olsen

I will look for more narrations by Kevin Pierce

This read has a strong start and a strong end. There were lulls in the middle for setting the scene I could have done with less of but overall this was a fascinating, dark and disturbing story that I would recommend to any Murderino.

NOT a Sweet Story

This book is a true crime story. I hope that this story can open some eyes and ask the question Do we really know who children hand out with? I enjoy listening to Kevin Pierce read books written by Jack Olsen. This author writes true events in a methodical way allowing the reader to easily understand when and how the story took place. The narration is excellent! The evil people in this book actually manipulated the children and adults around them into thinking they were good After their arrest and bodies found, there were still people sticking to the false integrity these monsters portrayed. This book was given to me by the narrator for an unbiased review

A very sad story that highlights the early 70's

Even though I was a young child at the time, I recall some parts of this story fairly well. Listening to the descriptions of time and life during this period reminded me of what it was like growing up in Houston back then.

whether or not it is the author's intention, I find myself wanting to mail research some of the unanswered questions that came to mind during the reading of this book. this is certainly one of the least known mass murder events that occurred during my lifetime so it was refreshing to find a book that contains such detail and was interesting as well.

Good, wanted to know more about Killers' Motives

First, I love all things Kevin Pierce. I actively seek out his narration since his voice is just mesmerizing. This story was very detailed about the victims and I appreciated that. Often, we read books that almost glorify the killer(s). Here, we learned of how much the parents suffered, how desperately they looked for their loved ones, how painful their losses were. That is what is most important to a student of the human condition such as myself. However, I aim to learn the mindset of the killer as well. I never understood just what motivated the person to take comfort in the deaths of countless children or why the accomplices helped. There was little emphasis on how the victims were killed or what happened when they were taken. I also felt that the sicknesses of the accomplices were not stressed enough. What was their background? How could something like this be supported by other young people? The deeper questions were not answered for me. It was a good read, but it would have gained more from being given more detail.

Candy Man is Certainly not Sweet

This book was so incredibly good (if I could/should even say that). The narrator Kevin Pierce does such an amazing job and he makes you feel like you are actually there, with his descriptions and emphasis on certain words. I hate the fact that I mention that the book is good due to the fact that there is actually book on this and the fact that it is true makes my heart cringe. I feel like as a parent, you do not always want to hover over your children and children should have the ability to be a kid and go outside and play or walk down to the neighborhood pool without fearing for their life.

The fact that Dean could appear as an ordinary man, one whom everyone seemed to love, with great manners and the willing to help others, could basically be Jekyll and Hyde is so scary and makes every mother want to keep her children inside. I feel so sympathetic to the families of all those children....my heart just breaks

I was provided this audio book at no charge by the narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBoom.com

Well done.

This book was well written as well as thoughtfully and sensitively narrated. It is a tough book to get through. Take breaks and drink lots of water.

Interesting

Historical component very interesting. First half of the story is intriguing however, the second half is slow and the book concludes without much of an ending.

Somethings were a little off the mark!

It was a very good book, with the very inaccurate description of the Houston dialects. Being a 3rd generation Houstonian, and a 6th generation Texan... I have never heard anyone speaking as described in this book. Even my mother, who I would say, has a distinct Texas accent, but not at all the way he described it. I probably wouldn't have said anything about it, except he made quite a point of it in the book.
The Hights of Houston was a working class part of town, and is now overhauled as a upper middle class, trendy place to be.
I was young when this happened, but remember it very well. I lived very close to the boat shed and remember seeing the activity going on there. It was a scary time, I didn't understand what had transpired at the time, very well, so it was nice to hear more of the inner dynamics and what the families were going through.

you never really know some people

This case always fascinated me And it's great to hear in such detail with all the Different tellings from all the people involved. very tragic case and My heart breaks for the families that were affected by this tragedy

Honest. Sensitive. Deeply moving.

Olsen avoids the easy headline approach to one of the most brutal series of murders in history, and instead gives us a true and understanding portrait of the individuals and the times. This book is about the people far more than it is about the gruesome details of the murders.

Olsen paints an amazingly true and insightful portrait of Houston that I remember from those times, of the neighborhood where the victims lived and of those who peopled it. It may read as a bit dated to some people who don't have a memory of those times. The book has a wealth of information and research even though it was published only 2 years after the trials. It is a sensitive and enriching read.

I remember when these murders were uncovered in Houston while I was growing up not far away. At the time, even the idea of 'homosexual' was in the closet, hidden and unacknowledged in the culture of that place and time. I well remember some of the parents of victims absolutely rejecting the fate the befell their son, walking out of the trial after hearing horrific details of the rapes and deaths, and telling reporters that their boy was not a murder victim but was still alive and missing and would return home some day.

For those that may be worried about reading the details of the torture other than rape that was inflicted on the victims, it is merely mentioned one time near the end of the book. In the last portion of the book the author reveals what happened to the victims, but does not linger over it.