The Boy Next Door

As a middle school teacher of both the two Belmont victims and the murderer himself, I felt obligated to read this account to help fill in many of the missing pieces I didn't pick up from the newspapers, and to help me answer the question "why?" Gretchen Brinck's book was truly "a labor of love" in that it allowed the tragic story to be told so that all might learn from it, and in doing so bring some closure, some peace and some understanding to those who experienced it. Her thoroughness was much like Vincent Bugliosi's account of the Manson Murders in his book, Helter Skelter. It helped explain the thoughts and feelings of a shy little boy who was often teased by classmates and who became a psychopath, the dedication and mistakes of a police department, the perseverance of the victims' parents, the complex courtroom issues of psychotic and psychopathic behavior, and what probably happened in each of the three murders. The presentation seemed very fair, objective, and compassionate. Thank you, Gretchen Brinck, for your time, your research, and your publicizing of this human tragedy so that those who died and their suffering families might have died and suffered in vain.

As a sibling of one of the murder victims I have to say I learned more from the book than sitting in court or the keystone cops oh I mean Belmont cops ever told me. It is true and real and will grip you. I guess that i have to say it can happen to you and this book is a real account of just that. I have to say it is almost all dead on but for afew minor details and only i know them so read and enjoy without the personal pain and suffering that I had to go through. She is great and did her best to get everything right if it wasn't for those darn attorneys. Read and don't live it. It will be much more fun.

One of the interesting aspects of this book is the way it shows how the panic around child abductions in the 80's actually caused in-action by law inforcement and public policy. It's really a good book. I normally don't read true crime but I found Ms. Brinck book quite readable.

Once you begin reading this amazing story about one of the youngest serial murderers in the country, you won't put it down!

I would not put this book in the category of "In Cold Blood" and "The Executioner's Song," if it didn't belong there. As a true crime fan, I can truthfully say this is one of those rare books that after you've finished, you vow to read again on a regular basis. Instead of a sensational account of lurid details, this book peels back the layers of unsuspecting communities, agonized families and struggling police departments. The book concerns a serial killer in Northern California, whose murders shock a small, wealthy community to its foundations. Along the way, his crimes become entangled in the politics of the missing children's movement of the 1980's, and lead to a breathtaking account of police undercover work that is equally audacious and brilliant. If you are fascinated by true crime, I promise that you will not be disappointed with this excellent book.