Killer Clown

The John Wayne Gacy Murders

By: Terry Sullivan, Peter T. Maiken

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

He was a model citizen. A hospital volunteer. And one of the most sadistic serial killers of all time. But few people could see the cruel monster beneath the colorful clown makeup that John Gacy wore to entertain children in his Chicago suburb. Few could imagine what lay buried beneath his house of horrors—until a teenage boy disappeared before Christmas in 1978, leading prosecutor Terry Sullivan on the greatest manhunt of his career.

Reconstructing the investigation—from records of violence in Gacy's past, to the gruesome discovery of 29 corpses of abused boys in Gacy's crawlspace and four others found in the nearby river—Sullivan's shocking eyewitness account takes you where few true crime books ever go: inside the heart of a serial murder investigation and trial.

©2013 Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Gripping." (Publishers Weekly)

Compelling and gruesome

I lived in the Chicago area during the time of the murders but tuned out the details. When I started the book I did not realize the extent of this horrific crime. Did I finish it? I did but I’d recommend it with eyes wide open. It’s not an easy read/listen as many details are given.

What a well-written memoir!

I remember hearing about the Gacy murders when I was very small. I lived in Central Illinois and listened to the news on WLS Chicago radio every day. It is such a sad and interesting story. The details are captivating and make the listener feel like you are there. I can't recommend this enough.

A lot of details

Lots of details on the arrest and investigation. Not so much story details and victims stories. I enjoy the investigation elements so I enjoyed the books. Wish the reader wasn’t as monotone but otherwise, enjoyed the book.

A good read.

Let me start off by saying, the narrator was horrible in another series, but his voice worked well in this story. I really don't think his gift as a reader is in creative works, but in delivering information, he does a good job.

The history of this case I knew only the basics, and this book really goes through it all in every detail. Even what the investigators thought decades after the case, which was appreciated. I did find after Gacy was jailed the story slowed down a bit, but as the trial started it picked back up.

Couldn't Stomach

Reading about John Wayne Gacy's life and murders in "Killer Clown" was disgusting to its core. At one point, I needed to stop and remember that there are people out there that were born to be evil. As despicable Gacy was, he is also fascinating to finish this book. What kind of person do you have to be to take 33 lives from others? How messed up do you have to be to keep your victims in the crawl space in your house? What in the world was Gacy thinking when he was doing these horrific acts? John Wayne Gacy's story was almost too much for me to stomach. Very gruesome book. This isn't for the faint of heart. When I was reading "Killer Clown", I kept daydreaming in my mind of constant fear of how many copycat killers out there that we have yet to discover.

American Original

What can I say about Gacy that the informed do not know?
The books commentator got the information across in an appropriate manner, but I left the book wondering if Hollywood is partially responsible in creating monsters such as John Gacy, but we all know they most certainly are. I am one of the minority, in where I do not believe Audible should carry this book for the good of humanity itself. I have watched this past year how very dark books are becoming invouge, thus sprouting more of these dark thoughts that Gacy partially used in his to long of a life. I gave the book 5 🌟 as it plainly relays the consequences of moving away from God.

I was riveted....

I was 10 years old living in Park Ridge, IL when John Wayne Gacy was arrested. I remember learning that he "killed children" but when you're 10 you don't really understand the overarching legacy of something like that.

Then, in my first year of graduate school, I watched the made-for-TV movie, "To Catch a Killer," starring the great Brian Dennehy. And I recalled more of this story of this awful, evil man.

But this book gave me the whole story - the things I was not old enough to understand, growing up less than 2 miles from where Gacy lived. The narration is spot-on, the level of detail, and the storytelling is incredible. Terry Sullivan has written the penultimate true crime book.

Killer Clown

Very good book. Well written and read. The narrator did an excellent job on reading the story of John Wayne Gacy Jr. This man was a for sure a narcissistic predator and pedofile. While listening to this book I could almost feel the fear these young men felt knowing they were about to die at the hands of this sociopath. I am so glad that technology has improved so law enforcement can catch these predators faster.

Store about the True Hero of the case

Amazing to hear how they where able to gather the evidence to convict this monster.

exceptionally good! hard to put down

very hard to put down it's great story the narrator is my favorite! it's a must-have for your audio book collection