Body Count

Historically speaking, the northwestern part of the United States has seemed to breed its share of serial killers. This being said, it may seem challenging to stand out in a background with the Green River Killer and Ted Bundy. Yet the story of Robert Yates Jr. is compelling on a number of levels. And just as important, Burl Barer proves to be a talented writer in "Body Count" with good pacing, appropriate word choice, and lending a sense of dignity to the genre of true crime. Robert Yates Jr. committed his first murder in 1975. However, the uncontrollable urge to kill did not take him over until the late 1990's. Despite having a daughter the was near the same age of some of his victims, Yates systematically murdered prostitutes in the area of Spokane, Washington. Unlike his somewhat random first murders of the 70's, the prostitute murders were typified by a bullet behind the ear and three plastic bags over the head to seemingly control bleeding. There are many interesting aspects to this case which I am somewhat hesitant to advertise and spoil the enjoyment of this book for others. The miltary and security guard background of Yates seem to play to the idea that he not only sought control in his killings in addition to sexual gratification. While Yates seemed to defend his crimes to some degree by noting that he was molested as a child, not every molested child becomes a serial killer. Burl Barer is a true crime writer that I believe belongs in the upper echelon of the genre. I never got the impression that he was exploiting the misfortune of others or just out to make a quick buck in this book. He tells the story with a solid writing style.

Burl Barer is, in my opinion, the #1 true crime writer in America. Each book takes a tragic case, elevates the victims' deaths to the level of sacrifice, and probes the inner working of the killer's mind and upbringing. I was mystified by the review that said there was no information about Yates' life and upbringing -- in truth, Barer delves deeply into Yates personal history. An added shocker is that author Burl Barer knew Yates' first victims, and also knew one of Yates' final victims. Both the killer and author lived in the same small town; their daughters attending the same school. Unlike Mark Fuhrman's book about the same case, Barer's is accurate in detail. Yes, there is one unsolved murdrer after another...a repetitive "problem" with serial killers -- but Barer uses this very aspect of the case, and the dead ends of the investigation for many years, to heighten the sense of frustration and desperation that haunted the Homicide Task Force prior to their arrest of Robert Lee Yates. If you want to read true crime at its best, pick up any book by Burl Barer.

I simply had to respond to the absurd review posted by someone saying that there was no background information in this book about the killer, his childhood, etc. NONSENSE. This book delves into Yate's childhood, upbringing, the tragedy of an ax murder in his family, his molestation by a nieghbor boy when he was younger, the disintegration of his first marriage and his peculiar sexual proclivities indicated early on. Yes, the book creates sympathy for the victims, and yes the investigative process was long and tortuous, but I would never term BODY COUNT "boring" unless you consider top notch journalistic investigation coupled with brilliant narrative skills, "boring." The only "fault" i could find with BODY COUNT was that it tends to be episodic -- and that is because the killing spree and the investigation were exactly that. Barer is beyond a doubt the finest investigative true crime author. The only one better was Jack Olsen, and he died. Anyone who likes true crime will find Barer's books of the highest quality -- and BODY COUNT is no exception. It doesn't have the narrative thrust of his MURDER IN THE FAMILY, but BODY COUNT is one hell of a wild, disturbing ride.

I don't know why Burl Barer isn't getting more attention for his powerful, haunting, and disturbing true-crime books. He has an uncanny knack for finding the most unusual murder cases to explore and manages to get inside the minds of the gruesome killers he profiles. This isn't just a paperback court transcript and a hodge-podge of newspaper clippings. Barer brings a fiction-writers skill and a journalist's hunger for facts to his unforgettable true crime tales.

BODY COUNT gives us not only the fascinating story of the Homicide Task Force's investigation into the Spokane Serial Killings, but takes us into the hidden world and private lives of his victims, most of whom were women of "high risk lifestyles" == prostitutes and crack addicts. With amazing compassion and attention to detail, Barer brings these women into focus as the daughters, sisters, mothers, and freinds that were their true reality. By the book's end, readers will have a hard time justifying looking down on these women who, due to choice or circumstances, found themselves easy victims for Robert Lee Yates, Jr., the Spokane Serial Killer. The photo section is excellent, and the details of the investigation are absolutely fascinating. Another true crime classic from Burl Barer.