Not what I was expecting, but worth the read. WAY too much of religion in it. I understand it's her personal journey but it bogged down the story. A must read if this case interests you.

Kerri Rawson, who, of course, is the daughter of Dennis Rader aka the BTK serial killer, starts off her book well enough, offering a concise history of her family and her parents' relationship up til when Kerri and her brother are born. She then begins to recount her childhood, spending chapters upon chapters narrating her vivid memories of camping and hiking trips with her family/father.

It quickly became less a memoir centered on a daughter of a notorious serial killer contrasting the memories she had of the father she thought she knew and the horrendous secret life he had behind everyone's back, and more of a long-winded chronicle of her teenage angst and journey to finding god. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this book is basically a christian memoir.

I'm not going to knock her for her faith, especially if it helped her find peace after her father was revealed to be BTK. I just have a personal aversion to christianity, and the overabundance of religious talk throughout the book didn't sit well with me - especially in terms of expecting this to be more centered on life with her father, and also because it felt like I was witnessing someone's testimony, which is not something I would voluntarily do.

Additionally her tone in regards to a few things was a bit questionable, to say the least. One thing that particularly stood out to me was how she'd write entire passages describing random bits of her childhood or teenage years (often with barely a mention of her father) and then ended the chapter(s) with a sentence that went along the lines of 'and in whatever-year or whatever-month, my dad killed this person'. It seemed very flippant to me the way she talked about her father's victims, and I ended up with the impression that Kerri viewed herself almost like more of a victim than them. That's a harsh thing to say, I know, but that feeling was cemented for me toward the end of the book when she -finally on topic- recounts her father's sentencing hearing. She writes about being upset that the prosecution didn't get permission from her family to present a detailed account of her father's crimes to the public in order to aid in his sentencing, and rather, only asked for the approval of the families of the victims. I'll quote her directly...

"Considering my dad's narrow telling, the public's need to hear the full truth, and the victims' families rights to closure, the prosecutors decided to go forward with a full disclosure of my dad's reign of terror. They checked with the victims' families before proceeding, making sure they were okay with a full release of the evidence. None of them objected. But the prosecution didn't check in with this family. The eighth family." She then goes on to ask the reader, "Wouldn't it embarrass my family further? Shame us? Hurt us?"

How incredibly selfish.

Unfortunately, Kerri Rawson doesn't have a lot of insight to offer about her father's life and having grown up as his daughter, and that's not because she doesn't actually have any, she just chooses to focus on other things, such as her religious journey and the camping trips that led her to finding god. This is hardly a book about what it is like to be a serial killer's daughter and it's very far away from being the book it's advertised as.

For true crime books that are written by family members of the perpetrators of famous crimes, that are both more insightful and dignified, I'd highly recommended A Father's Story by Lionel Dahmer (Jeffrey Dahmer's father) as well as A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold, the mother of Dylan Klebold.

2.5 Stars

I commend Kerri Rawson for having the strength to write this and carry on after finding out who her father was.

I think this would have done better as an essay. The first third to half of the book was basically a normal girl with normal problems lives a normal life. I know it was there to show how we never know what may be hiding in the shadows, but it really dragged. Once Rawson got to the part where her dad was arrested, things picked up. It was sad to see how affected she was by what her father did and I think it’s important to remember that the family of these killers are also victims.

If you are a true crime fan I wouldn’t recommend this. But if you like memoirs about how faith can save you then definitely pick up this book.


I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Such an interesting story. I don't know how I would feel\act if I found out somebody in my family was an infamous criminal\killer. The author is very brave in telling her story of who her father is, not just to us, but to her as well.

Dennis Rader's daughter took a brave step in reclaiming her life by admitting her identity and showing love for a father, not the serial killer he turned out to be. Learning to separate his two identities, the one she lived with and loved, and the man he was to the world, took extraordinary strength.

When an FBI agent showed up at her door, Kerri Rawson immediately thought that they had the wrong apartment. Instead, she was stunned to learn that her father was the BTK serial killer. Looking back at her life, Kerri tries to piece together what she and her family were doing when her father was out killing. After the arrest, Kerri and her family are thrown into a different sort of nightmare. With the press hounding them at every opportunity, Kerri and her family are trying to reconcile the man they thought they knew, with the horrible crimes that he committed.

This was an intriguing book. Kerri told her story in a poignant manner, without glossing over the horror and brutality of what actually happened. I found the passage about the Grand Canyon trip particularly interesting, as it gave a glimpse into the father-daughter relationship. Kerri relied on her faith heavily at times, which tended to come across as preachy. Despite this criticism, I would recommend this book to people of all faiths and beliefs. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

This is Kerri Rawson's story, daughter of self named BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader.
It's a survivors story. She describes the shock and how she coped from being part of a normal family to discovering her dad was a serial killer. Kerri takes you through the book almost step by step what it was like before and after and how it affected her and her family.
I found it easy to read and just horrific of what she was going through. How can you love your father yet know that he brutely killed 10 people, including some that you knew. This is her struggle and how she rose above the chaos.
Kerri turned to her faith to help her and she also questioned her faith on how this could have happened. If you are reading this book to learn why Dennis Rader (BTK) did what he did, you will not find the answers in this book. You will find a compelling story of a strong young woman.

I’ve been working on this book since I was granted access to it. It’s a very painful, emotional read, and is something I had to read in spurts. I seen people complain about the daughter trying to profit off her fathers crimes, but must disagree. I think it took a lot of strength, courage, and likely a lot of pain was endured in sharing this with the public. Children don’t get to choose their parents and many may have infamous parents, which could likely learn some things on how to deal with the aftermath of losing a parent, in a way, to something so heinous, and not getting the support in grief the victims would. I’m glad I continued the heart wrenching journey this book took me on, but be prepared for a very emotional, painful read, if you pick it up. I have worked on it for a few minutes each day, which was an adequate amount of endurance. I hope this young lady the best. I do hope more start to empathize or sympathize with Kerri Rawson, instead of criticizing her, it was a courageous move and needs to be looked at as such.
I will be recommending to the members of Chapter Chatter Pub.

This book was very painful to read and I found myself wondering why the author made it public. While I understand that it was probably cathartic for the author and helped the author forgive her father as a Christian, it felt too personal and raw . It is hard for someone who is not in the situation to understand the love and compassion that a child still has for a parent who murdered, tortured and sexually assaulted innocent people. It's hard to hear letters from a serial killer just living life in jail with his buddies seeming unmoved by his crimes, just living life while he took that life from others. I felt no compassion for him and sorry for his daughter. But left with the thought -- why was this book published?

No one should buy or pick this book up. It’s an attempt to profit from the infamy of being BTK’s daughter and make a bit of money on the side by playing the victim card. An infuriating read. An apologist manual. Also a self-pitying exercise. Apart from great denial and support for BTK which oozes from every pore of this woman and her mother and in fact her entire family. Yes, Kerrie Lynn Rawson did not endear herself to me, neither did her extended family. Her first letter to her incarcerated ‘dad’ whom she hasn’t spoken to or met since the holy-crap revelation and arrest, starts rather mundanely with the usual ‘family stuff’ of where everyone is at and doing what, assures him that everyone is doing okay, convinces him that she was not the one to turn him in or betray him, as a message of solidarity, and how sorry she and everyone is that he has been living in such pain (aka his crimes) for so long (!) and that she hopes he is treated fairly, with compassion and she is sorry ‘dad’ is alone in fighting this trial and wants him to know that she hasn’t abandoned him, but will visit or call when she’s ‘ready’. Normal stuff. Yes, that’s the letter a serial killer’s daughter would write.

This puke-inducing candy floss exchange occurs on pages 181-182 and the pattern follows till the end with a rose-colored letter-writing competition between ‘dad’ and daughter. Hallmark Greetings. Even at the end of the book when the daughter tries to feign anger at the father in one of the letters, it is done as if the ‘dad’ had merely gone off his rocker, had an allergic reaction to his circumstances, some childhood abuse no one can find, and snapped, been essentially a ‘bad boy’.

My anger is not directed at the book because the family must have known or had an inkling of the predilections of the man they loved (because seriously, who can imagine living with the most-wanted murderer who stalks, tortures and strangles women over lunch breaks or Boy Scout camp retreats?), rather it’s their actions/ reactions after they find out that really are very telling. BTK was not the only one wearing a mask in that family. Buying and reading this book means you are acknowledging that this family deserves sympathy (and extra money). They don’t.

One of my many problems with this narrative is that the daughter and her entire family whom she is obviously close to, did not even once ask the ‘dad’ ARE YOU REALLY BTK, did not even once question this ‘dad’ WHY, and the ‘dad’ never once tried to explain anything to them either, and none of them felt sorry or said sorry to the actual victims’ families. What kind of looney bin is this? Instead the daughter is angry at how the FBI revealed her ‘dad’s other life’ to her, how FBI ‘tricked her into giving a DNA sample’ (!) She wants therapy to talk over her childhood issues as if she had an ominous inkling over the threat that lived under her roof but which she couldn’t decipher (seems the ‘dad’ is not the only one suffering from delusions of grandeur). And she conveniently skims over the entirety of any conversation the family must have had after his arrest with each other and him, his past, present, his sex life, the killings, method, the awfulness of it all, what the cops and his psychologists spoke to them about different events and cases, what his son and wife must have asked him, if not the daughter, or did everyone’s brains went to pasture simultaneously in a land far far away? Instead, a pastor is brought in to cushion the blow for the family and to make life easier for BTK, so that everyone can cruise their way around the elephant in the room. No one asks ‘dad’ Who is he? How could he do this? How could he do this to us? Who are we and what were the murdered women to him? Did he ever think of killing us? Did he ever beat mom in bed or lose temper with men? His friends? His brothers? No. Instead, the daughter has the gall to declare her family as his eighth victim (!) Can someone please tell her she is not an actual victim? I don’t for a second believe that the family did not know BTK would have to talk about his crimes in court after pleading guilty - they knew, that’s why his family wasn’t in court, and all the victims’ families were. If they cared about the murdered, they would have shown up. If BTK’s family really thought they themselves were victims, they would have shown up. Instead, they all hid in shame so that media could not capture their faces while continuing to write kind poetic letters to ‘dad’! Further on, the daughter is angry that prosecution did not ‘ask her family’s permission’ or ‘prepare the family’ before giving the entirety of the sadistic evidence against her father in court at the time of his sentencing - even though none of them was present. This in spite of the fact that she already knew what BTK was and did and knew her father was BTK not a grocery store thief. I think it incredibly selfish, narcissistic and demeaning of the daughter to say or expect that (she didn’t attend the two-day hearing, but read about it on the net later on and feels justified in feeling betrayed by prosecution!)

This book is selective memory and eulogy, as if her suffering is greater than, if not equal to, that of the dead and their families. A little bit of empathy is all it takes, even if it is for public consumption and a book tour, but no. What the daughter does show in this 336 page opus, is the need for self-centered appraisal and gloating attention to her mental problems without reflection or retribution - almost like her father. What she shows is that this family is as big a coward as the guy who betrayed them.

And you know what the clinker is: once a strange, anonymous FBI guy is on her doorstep to tell her that her ‘dad’ is BTK, she never once says, ‘no, you are wrong, you’ve got the wrong guy, my dad isn’t the sort, he’s a nice guy, he wouldn’t hurt a fly.’ She does it only when her husband gets home and she has had time to think that yeah, this actually is true and is in disbelief over the enormity of what that means - for her. She doesn’t call her mom. And starts asking when all the victims were killed and tries to correspond the family activity with it - and brings her broken arm into it - an incident she comes back to repeatedly in this book (Fact: Broken Arm is mentioned 4 times: pgs. 25, 129, 143, 211. Her Night Terrors since childhood are mentioned 11 times: pgs. 25, 109, 120, 155, 195, 196, 268, 273, 281, 282, 293, 317; The murdered are mentioned as ‘victims’ 11 times; One of them, Mrs. Hedge, is mentioned 22 times; One creepy chapter - 37 - notes where the family was when each killing occurred - sounds sensationalistic, but doesn’t highlight anything of significance, you can get more in forensics or true crime series) - when the only two things that were really important were asked by the FBI: your father collects and stores stuff at home, doesn’t he? and may I have your DNA sample? Again, she never once asks him why FBI needs it, or why he is asking about the storage unit.

I was surprised just like everyone else when BTK turned out to be a church leader, Boy Scout, military-background, home-security-alarms professional, long-married father of two, a collector of stamps and quarters and aficionado of astronomy, birds and hiking. He was the epitome of a seemingly well-adjusted normal family man. Not a loner with sexual problems; blue collared with a dysfunctional family full of mental illness; man with mommy issues living in a decaying house. Nothing. But all the questions that come in the minds of normal functioning people, especially after the grenade disclosures, and the self-analysis that goes with it, never came in the minds of his family. Instead, they wrote this book lamenting the unfairness of their new life. And talk about a broken arm and night terrors.

The ‘dad’ confesses to police without ever first talking to any member of his family (I don’t know what he did with his one phone call) - and that tells you a lot about this guy’s relationship with his family. And when the daughter is told this, she never once asks FBI that she’d like to talk to her dad or could someone from the family be allowed to talk to him. More evidence of creepy? Read the correspondence between ‘dad’ and daughter. It makes you think the ‘dad’ is Nicholas Cage from Con Air, serving out a wrongful manslaughter conviction and the seven-year old daughter is writing about bullies at school and concerned for her daddy far away from home. From pages 181-336, narcissism, entitlement and immaturity run free - both ways. It’s all in extremely bad taste. Mom is talking to ‘dad’ about pleasantries. The serial killer’s family wants him dressed ‘appropriately’ for his trial, no orange jumpsuit, so Uncle Bob, BTK’s brother, selects a suit. The daughter does not want ‘dad’ to get any bad news about Grandma or mom’s foot injury. She wants him to be careful who he writes to in fan mail lest it sends the wrong message out there or “hurts your case in court”. She wants ‘dad’ to stay strong and healthy (because gee, if a serial killer doesn’t have his health, what does he have?!) After his conviction, she and her husband watch the TV movie ‘The Hunt for the BTK Killer’ and she doesn’t like who plays her father. She quotes a Holocaust survivor to refer to her feelings about her ‘dad’. She is not angry that her father killed people mercilessly, or at all, she’s just miffed he called her a ‘social contact’ in front of the judge and by extension, the world. She thinks he’ll go to heaven because he asked God’s forgiveness (and not the victims’). I sat and read in disbelief.

Plus, considering how the daughter is enraged at and condescending of the media presence and coverage, she is callously exploiting the need to know/ decipher BTK aka her ‘dad,’ through this book. I hope the advance was worth it. That BTK is a rage-oholic control-freak, obsessed with his own mythology and celebrity-status, is a given, but his daughter and family come across as similar too. And for all her talk of privacy and sheltering the family, and the threat of ‘family pictures’ making it to news or ebay, they are all on display for a buck right here! What’s more? The ‘dad’ has given permission to the daughter for the reproduction of his nine letters given in the book - which means the daughter has told him about her book-publishing intentions - which means he has more than heaven to look forward to.

My guess is this book is written in part to please ‘dad’ and make a bit on the side. An attempt to mock the pain of the actual victims’ families and mock the curiosity of every ‘stranger’ who has wondered about BTK and his family. Instead of coming across as ‘we are not our father, brother, husband, son’ it comes across as ‘who do you think you are to point a finger at us’ kind of an effort. It’s an attempt to give voice to and humanize the serial killer and his thoughts: He writes on his arraignment: “let’s get the dog and pony show on the road”; On relations with his fellow inmates: “I’ve gotten respect of the Pod / Dirty Dozen”, “the guards like me”; On his trial: “I’m so tired of Boot Camp 101, ready for closure, what a mess for us”; On life in prison: “Bible and Christians are my new friends”; On family occasions: “need to design a birthday and wedding anniversary card”, “your mother has not sent a thank you even though I sent a birthday card”; On the house being sold, both ignoring how he also killed while living there and hid trophies: “sad about the house, all those loving years there”, “defense did not tell me about the lien on the house, I trust no one in the legal system anymore”; His plea for a better treatment: “I will need monetary funds for books, magazines, hobby supplies, mailing items…..bottom line, either the family support me or I will have to create another support system”, “my art is improving and everyone want some poem from me”; His fears for children: “I would wish no harm to you but some crazy individual might try something”; His future plans: “In the event of my death, I wish to be cremated and ashes spread in Flint Hills….it’s nice to know where you will be at and in God’s hands,” “someday we will meet again on the other side of the River.”

This book adds to the kind of notoriety BTK loved and the boogeyman he wanted to come across as. Don’t feed this monster like his family has. Don’t feed the egos of his family either. Should the daughter of a serial killer profit from his story or her relation to him? Don’t buy or read this book.

A Serial Killer's Daughter is the traumatic story of the daughter of the BTK killer. This is a very emotional book that I read in one night. The book is interesting and gives you a different perspective.

This book was absolutely phenomenal and I almost read it in one sitting. The author is very authentic in her writing and I felt as though I could feel her pain on every page. Her journey of faith, forgiveness and all the details of learning about her father was written with such clarity and grace. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a crime story but also to anyone who thinks it’s impossible to move on or forgive the worst things or people that happen in life. So glad I read this book.

I tried reading a few chapters, but it didn't grab my interest at all. It felt too flat. It just wasn't interesting enough.

I have often read true crime books as I like finding out how they were solved. In all the years of reading these books I never considered that the killer's family is also a victim! In reading Kerri's book it really made me stop and think. I was so sorry to read how long she struggled with the knowledge of her father's crimes. I hope she finds peace in telling her story! My Mom always said she would stand by any of her kids if they were convicted of a crime. She wouldn't condone it, but she would still love them! She also said they would have to pay for their crimes. Kerri exemplified this. She loved her Dad, but knew he had to pay for his crimes! She brought a new prospective to my reading. Definitely a thought provoking book.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book is wonderful~ Kerri put a lot of time and thought into
writing this story of HER life! This book is not the place to find
gory details etc. It's just not here! Their camping trip was enjoyable
for me. So much so, I actually got online and searched for photos of
all the stops they made inside the Grand Canyon trail. I was on the
edge of my seat, holding my breath as she was walking in the extreme
heat up next to the walls to keep from falling off. Also, the anticipation
waiting for her brother to get to them.
This book is so much better than I thought it would be. I feel like
Kerri is a friend of mine now. I know her, now. I feel some of what she felt.
She is a victim too, her entire family is. I just cannot wrap my head around
living with this day after day. I do think this book is Therapeutic for her.

“A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Faith, Love, and Overcoming by Kerri Rawson is aptly named. The book isn’t about Dennis Rader (also known as BTK) the serial killer who terrorized Wichita, Kansas. It’s about his daughter and her process of recovering after the trauma of learning that her father was BTK. This might sound like semantics, but for me, it made the book an exceptional read. It’s not for gawkers who want an eye full of the gory details of BTK’s crimes. It is a story of recovery, forgiveness, and the immeasurable grace of God.

Karri was an adult, newlywed when she learned that her father was the man who committed the crimes that gave her nightmares, growing up. When she learned that she was a notorious serial killer’s daughter, all of her memories of the man she called “Daddy,” were tainted. She was left with a million questions without answers. The media circus only added to the pain. Her father left 7 families, directly victimized by his crimes. Karri’s family was the 8th and final family lain waste by BTK.

“A Serial Killer’s Daughter” is her response. It is her testimony. It is difficult to imagine what it would be like to learn your father is a serial killer. But many people understand the pain of betrayal, grief, and trauma. It is that common ground that makes Karri’s story so important. Her story also shows that there is so much more than a flashy headline when tragedy strikes a community. The casualties aren’t always who you expect.

I read “A Serial Killer’s Daughter” knowing nothing about BTK other than his name. I still feel like I know little about him, but I know something more important. As a Christian, this book both encouraged and challenged me. It’s wonderful to hear about the power of God to heal even wounds as deep as those experienced by Karri and her family. It isn’t so easy to forgive, to do the hard work of going back to the source of the pain and trying to do the right thing, even when it is the hard thing, the seemingly impossible thing. Yet, somehow, that is what Karri attempts to do.

I was fascinated and touched by her story and the direct way she tells it. She includes many of the letters exchanged between her father and her. I was surprised by the feelings they sparked. She doesn’t give a polished version of her life’s story, but the real, often messy one. Isn’t that how all of our lives are? There was such authenticity about it. This book felt a lot like a diary at times, organized by month and year.

There was neither vulgar language nor any explicit descriptions of BTK’s crimes.

I recommend “A Serial Killer’s Daughter,” particularly to Christian women and readers interested in true crime. Of course, it would also interest readers interested in BTK, but without the sensationalized aspects of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me with an ARC of “A Serial Killer’s Daughter” in exchange for an honest review.

“A Serial Killer’s Daughter” is a heartbreaking and courageous story written by Kerri Rawson, one of the most notorious serial killer’s, BTK, daughter. Kerri writes about her family life before and after she found out that her father was a serial killer, who committed multiple, gruesome crimes right behind his family’s back. I felt sad and heartbroken for Kerri, I just can’t imagine what trauma it caused for her to find out that her father was a monster. As much as I appreciate Kerri openness and willingness to write this book, I was a little disappointed in the book. I think I was expecting a true crime book, and I got a memoir filled with author’s feelings and her spiritual awaking.

So many thoughts coming out of this book! I totally thought and hoped this would be a 5 star read but there were some issues I had. First yes I completely understand this was her side of the story but there were many boring sections that didnt need to be included. But I loved seeing his "human" side and the details she provided between his kills. Great book!
I will be filming a book review for my youtube channel so be on the look out for that - kwellsbooks

Book Court - Where I'm the Judge and Jury
CHARGE (What is the author trying to say?): To process and overcoming discovering that her father is the BTK Killer.

FACTS: Imagine growing up with a father who led two lives – one as a father, compliance officer, and a pastor’s assistant, and another killing ten people – including an elderly woman in his own neighborhood – all while working for a home security company, attending college, and even working in a office in the police department complex.

Kerri recalls a rather normal childhood with a father who loved his family but often struggled with anger control issues. His arrest caught the entire family by surprise. After he began confessing, Kerri believed that “my whole life was a lie – from before I was born.” How do you pick up the pieces from this kind of betrayal? It is eerie, in hindsight, how the author is able to link the murders with what was going on in their family at the time. How do you respond to the breakup of your family due to your father’s incarceration? Is it OK to love your father if he is a serial killer? Did loving her father mean she had forgiven him? Could she? Kerri relates how her Christian faith helped her move on from this horrible trauma. After seeing her recent interview on 20/20 it was very interesting to read more details of this horrific situation.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged. This was a remarkable reaction to unspeakable horror.

#Aserialkillersdaughter #NetGalley

A Serial Killer’s Daughter” is a courageous memoir by Kerri Rawson , I got my copy for giving a honest review from Netgally. I want to start off by saying I really feel sad for Kerri. ,She was a Daddy's girl and very close to her Dad then to have her heart stomped the way it was. That would crush anybody. .This book tells mostly family life and then what the family went threw after finding out that Dennis was killing people behind their backs and keeping evidence of it in the home. .He was one of those people that you never touch their things.( I live with 1 them people, was married to 1 walk on egg shells.) .I live an hour from Wichita and have my entire life. .My Mother is from Eldorado ,Kansas. So I know all areas talked about in the book well. I am saddened for all families involved. .