Utterly unique in its astonishing intimacy, as jarringly frightening as when it first appeared, Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me defies our expectation that we would surely know if a monster lived among us, worked alongside of us, appeared as one of us. With a slow chill that intensifies with each heart-pounding page, Rule describes her dawning awareness that Ted Bundy, her sensitive coworker on … on a crisis hotline, was one of the most prolific serial killers in America. He would confess to killing at least thirty-six young women from coast to coast, and was eventually executed for three of those cases. Drawing from their correspondence that endured until shortly before Bundy’s death, and striking a seamless balance between her deeply personal perspective and her role as a crime reporter on the hunt for a savage serial killer — the brilliant and charismatic Bundy, the man she thought she knew — Rule changed the course of true-crime literature with this unforgettable chronicle.
more
this was highly entertaining since I lived in Oregon while this was going on and I knew Oregon’s own serial killer
You never really know another person.
interesting
It shows what really happens when serial killers escape
Ann Rule is a wonderful writer, she keeps you drawn in from the very beginning. She puts a lot of time in getting all the correct information and presents it very well!!
Fantastic as always by Ann Rule. Haunting to think you could be sitting next to someone like Ted Bundy.
A scary look into the life and mind of Ted Bundy
Fascinating
This is a true story about Ted Bundy and how he went about picking his subjects for murder.
Bone chilling
I have read every book Ann Rule had written they are all page turners. She is missed by all her fallowers. RIP Ann
Reads like a great crime novel — and yet it’s true. Great work by Rule, who does a great job with research into Bundy and his history. Her inside knowledge of Bundy only adds to the story. One of Rule’s best; a great one to get started reading her work.
Love all of Anne Rules books.
Great insight of Bundy by the author. She had actually worked with him.
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule, 1980 (non-fiction)
My favorite quote: Well, this is the one that hooked me: “If, as many people believe today, Ted Bundy took lives, he also saved lives. I know he did, because I was there when he did it.”
Notable characters: Ann Rule, the author; Ted Bundy, her friend, the serial killer
Most memorable scene: It’s hard to break this book down the same way I’ve been doing with fiction books. The Stranger Beside Me is real … and it’s terrifying. So, as for memorable scenes, there isn’t a single one. There can’t be. What stands out to me most, though, is how many women crossed paths with Bundy and survived simply because they listened to that little voice in the back of their mind that told them something was wrong
Greatest strengths: The prose. Ann Rule knows her way around words and if she hadn’t made it as a true crime writer, she could have thrived as a mystery/thriller novelist
Standout achievements: This book has a rare ability to compel, disgust, exhaust, teach, and terrify all at the same time
Fun Facts: There was a 2008 update of this book (which is the one I read) that includes more stories from women who contacted Ann Rule after the release of this book with (mostly substantiated) claims to have come into contact with Bundy and survived
Other media: The 2003 made-for-TV film of same name starring Barbara Hershey and Billy Campbell
What it taught me: This is the book that taught me just about everything I know (and everything there is to know) about Ted Bundy
How it inspired me: I lock my doors every night now. While I certainly would never have qualified as Bundy’s preferred victim type, I was astounded by how many of his crimes were only a matter of opportunity — by how many times he chose his victim simply because her door was unlocked and he was able to walk in
Additional thoughts: There is one thing that bothered me about this book: Ann Rule’s continued friendship with Bundy, long after it was obvious to her (and everyone else) that he was guilty. The way she suspended judgment on him just never sat well with me
My rating: 4 of 5
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
Ann Rule was an amazing woman with a gift of helping the reader truly understand not only the the murderer, but also the victim(s). She was the primary true crime author for once you read her books, other authors have to meet her standard. This book was, of course, about Ted Bundy, the handsome young man who volunteered beside Ann. If you can handle true crime, I encourage you to read all her books.
The fact that Ann Rule knew Ted Bundy makes this the most compelling book about him that I’ve ever read. But her other true crime books do not disappoint either! Green River Running Red is another phenomenal one. I’ll read pretty much anything Ann Rule writes.
Wow! Rule has never let me down! Ted Bundy at his best and wirst.
Suspenseful. Very hard to put down. Want to read late into the night.
A classic. Ann Rule set the bar for writing about serial killers.
By far one of my favorite books ever as of today