Zodiac by Robert Graysmith
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Book Reviews of Zodiac
Book Review: Deadly Killer, Dull Book
Summary: 1 Stars
A terrific new cover for the paperback edition, the legacy of America's most notorious uncaptured serial killer, and a tie-in to a well-regarded David Fincher film can't disguise the fact that "Zodiac" the book (first published in 1986) is one extremely slipshod piece of work.
There's ample warning from the first page in that truth is taking a holiday even if death isn't. Author Robert Graysmith channels the mind of David Faraday, taking in the sights of the Golden Gate Bridge just hours before being killed by the title figure, a serial killer who terrorized Northern California in the late 1960s. Faraday didn't have a chance to share these observations of his, so they can only be fictional constructs sent up by Graysmith to give his true-crime book a novelistic feel. It's a small moment of irritation that grows steadily as the pages turn.
First come accounts of each of the Zodiac killings. These are decently presented in some cases, with Graysmith delivering some of the same flair for setting that made his Bob Crane murder book "Auto Focus" such a good read. Unfortunately, he also reveals that book's difficulty with exposition was not a one-time thing. He mentions intriguing clues (an early victim's escapades with dangerous pals, a rumored recording of the Zodiac phoning in one of his crimes) and raises questions (why was one of Zodiac's victims dressed in several layers of clothing on a warm summer night?), but he drops these and other tangents just as soon as he picks them up, never tying them together or providing context within the larger scope of the crime.
What was Graysmith, a political cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, doing at the center of this case? He notes the Zodiac's use of cryptic lettering.
"As an editorial cartoonist you develop a strong sense of justice, a need to change things, and as a painter and cartoonist I worked with symbols every day," he writes. "The tools of my career were being misused, appropriated by a murderer."
If that sounds less than convincing, Graysmith goes on to decipher one of Zodiac's cryptic notes to the media, explaining that he did so by taking his commonly-used words from other writings and grafting them onto promising-looking patterns. Then he discloses the message he got out of it, revealing a jumble of catch-phrases and clearly random words.
It's clear that operating without any professional sense of discretion or detachment, Graysmith became too enmeshed in the drama of Zodiac for his own good. He visits the former hangouts of suspects, like a movie theater where he talks to a guy he is sure knows more than he is telling. Meanwhile, he notes footsteps on the floor above.
"I had a feeling that at any moment a stocky man in a black hood could step into the room holding a pistol," Graysmith writes. This episode occurs in 1978, nine years after Zodiac's last known murder. Needless to say, no hooded stranger appears.
The whole book is like that, full of twists and turns leading nowhere. He spends a chapter on a psychic who comes up with the numbers "2" and "11" before leaving the case, and another on the phases of Saturn during each of the killings. By the time Graysmith finally begins to discuss a suspect he believes is the Zodiac, he employs the pseudonym "Bob Starr" because of the threat of a lawsuit. Here's an idea: Stick to the facts, then the guy can't sue you.
Well, now the guy can't, 'cause he's dead. Graysmith mentions his name now, in a long paperback postscript devoted to the movie. While authorities have apparently ruled him out, no one has mentioned another suspect to take his place. That gives Graysmith a sliver of credence, no one else has come up with a better. Yet it is likely the wrong name.
I didn't care so much about that. I just felt my intelligence insulted by Graysmith's poor writing style and overall turgidness. "Zodiac" performs the amazing feat of making murder as exciting as accounting, only this time the book doesn't balance.
Book Review: Embarrassing to be seen on my shelf!
Summary: 1 Stars
I am in Doctorate school for Forensic Psychology and decided I would like to read up on the Zodiac killer over the winter break for something fun to do with my free time. Robert Graysmith got this ALL wrong. The Zodiac is not (from the crimes I read about in the book) a sexual sadist, as was depicted through the whole book. I also felt the extreme need to note that the majority of the book consist of assumptions, with one consultation from an "expert" on the field related to serial killers. This "expert" who happened to work at Stanford Law (and for his poor sake I will leave his name out of this) suggested to Robert (the author) that there are two types of serial killers: A sexual sadist and a paranoid schizophrenic. I am not going to ramble on about how ridiculously wrong that statement is; for those of you reading my comment.....you can do the research on your own if interested in learning more (I suggest peer reviewed articles and profiles of criminals created by someone in our field, not a cartoonist with a curiosity). I don't usually comment on here about the books that I have read, but because this was of personal and professional interest to me, I felt the need to let the public know that this is NOT an accurate account of the Zodiac. The evidence and information about the crimes committed and investigated are the only worthy parts in this book, giving the reader a look at the letters Zodiac wrote and a somewhat thorough job in describing the crime scenes.
I'm giving advice, for those of you who are interested in learning about the truth and not something fabricated to make a crime look good on paper. Be careful what you choose to learn and gain your information from. Pay attention to who wrote it, and NEVER assume that just because it is published that it is accurate.
Book Review: Have you heard of tunnel vision?
Summary: 1 Stars
This book is very disappointing. I was even appalled at the nerve of the author to re-release this book and identify the man he THINKS is the Zodiac killer after the man's death. The author actually demonstrates how an investigation can get botched with tunnel vision. A prime suspect is the sole focus and evidence is distorted any way it can be to "prove" this suspect is the Zodiac killer. There were other possible leads and suspects that were discounted by the author.
By the time you reach the middle of the book, you'll see it is already obvious who the author THINKS is the Zodiac killer. The rest of the book discounts other leads and suspects and focuses on "evidence" that "proves" the author has identified the Zodiac Killer. Very disheartening.
It should be noted the author is not an investigator and the identity of the Zodiac killer remains a mystery to this day. The author has NOT proven his "identification" of the Zodiac killer. This book is a shame.
Book Review: Graysmith might as well be the killer
Summary: 1 Stars
First and foremost the worst part about this book is the way Graysmith has written it. By using pseudonyms for just about everyone in the book keeping everyone straight with their real identities is nothing but a jumbled mess. And more so, its completely unneccesary now since everyone knows that Graysmith is trying to pin it on Arthur L. Allen. When they reprinted this for the movie they should have fixed this problem.
Additionally, this book seems to deal more with Robert Graysmith than the Zodiac killer. I'm not saying he's the Zodiac, I just think it's more than a bit odd.
Also, like so many have pointed out Graysmith plays it rather loose with the facts. Yes, this book can be entertaining. But so can Fox News. Neither of which are truthful.
Book Review: Don't buy this!
Summary: 1 Stars
This book Zodiac is the earlier book written by Robert Graysmith, a newspaper cartoonist who became fascinated by the case of the Bay Area killer, Zodiac. In this book, the read identity of the main suspect is disguised. Instead, I would recommend Graysmith's Zodiac Unmasked, written many years later and revealing all the details. Neither book is well edited: I found myself often going back over previous pages because there would be a reference to a person or aspect of the case that had not yet been revealed in the book. A fascinating story, though, of Zodiac and the lives he destroyed.Zodiac Unmasked