Edgar Award Finalist: The terrifying true story of savage murders, a terrorized midwestern town, and the serial killer who could have lived next door In 1967, during the time of peace, free love, and hitchhiking, nineteen-year-old Mary Terese Fleszar was last seen alive walking home to her apartment in Ypsilanti, Michigan. One month later, her naked body–stabbed over thirty times and missing … thirty times and missing both feet and a forearm–was discovered, partially buried, on an abandoned farm. A year later, the body of twenty-year-old Joan Schell was found, similarly violated. Southeastern Michigan was terrorized by something it had never experienced before: a serial killer. Over the next two years, five more bodies were uncovered around Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, Michigan. All the victims were tortured and mutilated. All were female students.
After multiple failed investigations, a chance sighting finally led to a suspect. On the surface, John Norman Collins was an all-American boy–a fraternity member studying elementary education at Eastern Michigan University. But Collins wasn’t all that he seemed. His female friends described him as aggressive and short tempered. And in August 1970, Collins, the “Ypsilanti Ripper,” was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole.
Written by the coauthor of The French Connection, The Michigan Murders delivers a harrowing depiction of the savage murders that tormented a small midwestern town.
more
I knew personally the people (themayor) who lived across the street in Ypsi from the state polceman relative of John Norman Collins. Since this is true crime I cannot understand why this author did not use real names. I am a true crime fan so find this puzzling. He does miss many facts of the times and of this case.
I remember that time well. The book does the time justice.
I don’t understand the author changing almost everyone’s name. Not only the victims, which are easily found online, but even the murderer’s name! And, no photos were included. It was an informative true crime book, that at times was too informative when it came to deatails of the past lives of detectives, which was unnecessary, IMO, to the telling of this true serial murder case. However, I did learn a lot of important crime details. The 3 star rating was due to the above complaints (name changes, no photos, and some unnecessary details.).
Interesting to me because I had family in Michigan and was familiar with the areas mentioned in the book. Well researched and informative. Names were a bit confusing at times.
It was certainly not a page turner for me.