Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer--America's Deadliest Serial Murderer

Im glad Ann Rule was able to finish the coverage on this case before her passing. Ann Rule gives us all of the shocking, jaw drooping, and eye opening details in the Green River Killer Case.This is a top pick for any true crime junkie.

Having relocated to the Seattle area in late 1985 (was serving at Ft Lewis, Washington...now Joint Base Lewis McChord) and living there until late 1997, this book was a MUST READ for me. Ironically some of the apartments I lived in at the time were just off of Pacific Highway south in the area that was known as "The Track" it started at 152nd avenue south (by KFC and what used to be Larry's Market) and ended at 216th avenue south where there was a Safeway grocery store, a popular grocery store chain in the PNW. The news stories about the accusations of just who might have done this and the public conversations about who we thought had committed these heinous crimes brought back a flood of memories. One of them being that there was an individual I knew personally years back who worked for the King County Sheriff's department and was under the command of Dave Reichart and then ironically of all things, worked at the same Kenworth Trucking Plant years later that the main subject of this story Gary Ridgeway did and believe me, he was known as "Green River Gary" The author Ann Rule really did a WONDERFUL job of telling the story as it should have been told and did not let her personal bias take over in finding him guilty before the courts did. There was a time or two when after he had spoken to the police which crazily enough, still amazes me at the time how they had enough probable cause due to being the last known person to be seen with Marie Malvar that they could have went after him then, and she takes you through how her and the publics opinion of how the Des Moines, Washington police department really messed this up but it was already a consensus shared by 99% of the public. If you lived in the Seattle area at the time of this horrific tragedy this is a GREAT read, and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Unlike some of the previous reviewers, I found this book to be both interesting and engaging. If you have followed Ann Rule's work over the years, you know she has been waiting for (and working on) this book but was unable to do so because the killer had not yet been caught. I've read other books on the GRK and found this one to be the perfect book 'end' to the story. I find it refreshing that she focused on the victims, who were for the most part, faceless "hookers" to much of the population while these crimes were happening. I also liked the way the narrative went from crime to killer; weaving time together for the reader. I wanted to read this book precisely because Ms Rule was so involved. I enjoyed the fact that she'd been to the scenes and met the key players. As a true crime reader, I put this near the top of my list.

You have to wonder what makes a serial killer tick. Perhaps this book by Ann Rule will help to explain a little. The case of the Green River killer began in 1982, when the first body was found. The case went on for twenty years until a new DNA matching technique was available and used to identify Gary Ridgway. He later confessed to killing 48 women, and is suspected of killing an addition twenty or more. This extraordinary book chronicles the search for the killer, but in doing so it brings great humanity to the murdered girls and their families. It also covers the years of frustration for the police working on the case. Finding body after body with no evidence to go on to link them to a killer.

How fitting that this book is less about "Green River Gary" - as he himself had hoped - but rather focuses on his victims, with a positive tribute to each. Ann's regular readers may be surprised at the dearth of material on the GRG, but will not be disappointed! I lived in Kent during the 80's, and regularly rode my bike along Green River Road. I was horrified the day Opal, Marcia & Cynthia's bodies were found on the banks of the Green River, realizing I'd attributed the smell to the meat packing plant across the River. I'm thankful we no longer need wonder if the killer is still out there. Thanks to Sheriff Dave Reichert and the Green River Task Force for solving the crimes - and to Ann for telling the story.