I don't usually not finish a book, but this was not written very well. Lots of detail (too much?) without ever fleshing out the characters. The style is kind of stiff. I really wanted this to be like "Devil In The White City", but it wasn't remotely close. Lots of facts, not much feeling.

This book explored a frightening period in the history of Austin, Texas, as well as a terrifying first for the U.S., namely, a review of the facts & circumstances of the first serial killer in its history. While obviously very well researched, I felt it delved into a bit too much detail which detracted from the story itself. The fact that there was no guilty party found also limited the enjoyment of the book leaving the reader with on satisfactory open ended tale.

Skip does a terrific job of using history to set the tone and provide vivid context around each murder. This is of course accomplished through some tireless research I'm sure he would admit was on the verge of obsession. I am not an avid reader but I'm sure many writers employ the technique of toggling back and forth between history lesson and subject matter. Skip manages this without ever becoming boring. It is peculiar how the occurrences were so unspeakably horrible that a much more Puritan society decided it was best to erase it from history altogether.