Between the mid 70’s and mid 80’s, California was terrorized by a serial killer and rapist who operated up and down the golden state. In I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, writer and true crime enthusiast Michelle McNamara shares her obsession with the case.

McNamara died prior to finishing I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, and at the time of publication, the killer had not been caught. However, McNamara’s persistence and obsession with the case, helped it stay on the police’s radar and shortly after the original book was published, Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested. McNamara is even credited with coming up with the label, “Golden State Killer.”

Part cold case analysis and part memoir, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, is a fascinating look at one woman’s obsession. Her obsession was so deep, that McNamara’s husband, comedian Patton Oswald, even themed presents to his wife’s work. It also revealed the importance of the crime junkie community in keeping a case alive.

I have a pretty strong stomach for gore and this book has plenty of disturbing details, however, I found the way in which the victims were stalked, to be more than my vivid imagination could handle. I took months to read this book, not because it wasn’t compelling or well-written, but simply because I could not read it when my husband was traveling and I was home alone. Which is odd, because many of the victims were attacked as couples, so it’s not like being home alone was a main factor to his victim choice! In any case, this book made me feel very vulnerable and nervous about personal security.

If you enjoy true crime, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is a must read. McNamara was a gifted writer and the point where she passes during the book, the shift to the people who finished her work is done in a delicate and meaningful way. Almost more intriguing than the actual case, was McNamara’s dedication to solving it.