Thank you Netgalley, James Huddle, and IBPA for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joseph DeAngelo, to many it's a simple name, to others it hits too close to home. In the 1980s, DeAngelo operated under the name Golden State Killer. He murdered 13 people, raped 500 others, and committed 100+ burglaries in Northern and Southern California. James Huddle, the killer's brother in-law, recounts his experiences with Joseph "Joe" DeAngelo, and how he brushed aside warning signs, thinking nothing of it.

This is a book that's sort of in the same vein of The Stranger Beside Me--a true crime story told from the perspective of a person who was close to the murderer and can live to tell the story. Huddle considers throughout that DeAngelo had ample opportunity to take him off the map, or his daughters, and yet he chose not to. It's a book that examines the fact that he is haunted by DeAngelo years after the Golden State Killer's crime spree had stopped, and now he's in jail sitting on a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. Huddle is constantly turning over interactions with DeAngelo, including the times he left his daughter alone with him while he worked.

I cannot imagine being close to someone and then finding out they're an American Monster (yes I stole that from ID) and Huddle has lived that nightmare. Within, DeAngelo is painted as a lovable, kind man with a few behavioral quirks that no one thinks twice about; like his love of hunting and killing animals, his rage, his kleptomania, and the fact that he seems to take great joy in fabricating elaborate stories to make himself seem better than he actually is. This is not enough to raise red flags in a person, but Huddle kept this quirks tabbed and archived in case some wild shit happened considering that the Killer's rampage was near where he and his daughters lived.

Huddle's writing is quick and to the point. He is not the type of author that handles similes and metaphors like one would handle a double whipped iced macchiato from Starbucks. He says, "Fuck that," and writes simple prose that's easy to follow and quick to read. This is both a pro and a con.

It's a pro in the sense that the book is easy to follow. It immerses you in the story and the people involved without the reader pausing to dwell on a beautiful metaphor or a line that lands with eerie clarity. I felt like I was flying through this book at a pace that I wasn't exactly used to, considering that I don't read books fast at all. A testament to engaging writing. A testament to engaging storytelling.

But, it's also a con. Without the metaphor or the line of eerie clarity, there is nothing to dwell on. It reads less like a true crime book examining a relationship with a serial killer, but more like a Netflix documentary; ironically, this book would make a wonderful documentary, or at least a true crime thriller movie. Because that's how it reads. It's incredibly fast paced, simple, and easy to read. Huddle doesn't dwell on things except for asking the basic "What if?" questions, but I cannot exactly fault on him that because the things DeAngelo did are traumatizing, and triggering for many people.

However, this book lacks that emotional depth. It tells instead of shows. It discusses familial relationships and then Huddle begins listing factoids about the crimes that DeAngelo committed--the rapes, the murders, the things he stole from people's homes, what was ransacked and where; all told in simple sentences and easy reading prose. And this book, to me, relies to heavily on filler to fill the required pages, or to meet word count goals.

There's a chapter that was around a page (page and half if we want to push it), there are chapters that are titled one thing and discuss another thing entirely, like Master Manipulator that discusses one instance of manipulative behavior before then proceeding to detail the crimes Joe committed around that time frame. There's two chapters at the end of the book that detail serial killer behavior, serial killer myths, shit that could be sprinkled throughout, however it's attached to the end like an extended appendix. I don't want to disrespect the author and skim through these sections, but the information presented wasn't anything new or spectacular. It wasn't revelatory or eye-opening, leaving me questioning even the mailman and wondering if he wants to fuck me. When discussing familial anecdotes and experiences, it felt very much like filler, applied last minute to make the lips plumper or the ass bouncier but did nothing to improve the overall figure of the book itself. I understand the point of these chapters, comparing various serial killers and their tendencies to live double lives with that of Joe, however this book was about Joe, and I feel that these chapters are unnecessary.

This book is enjoyable and I would recommend this book to someone just starting out reading true crime novels. But if you want a better Golden State Killer book, I'd suggest you read I'll Be Gone In the Dark.

This was a folksy, honest look at what happens when a member of your family turns out to be an infamous serial killer. The author discusses his long, close history with his brother-in-law, Joseph DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer. This book is unique because it's written in a easy, friendly manner from somebody who knew this monster as someone simply named "Joe."

The author discusses meeting Joe, Joe marrying into the family, and Joe's normal daily routine while the area was rocked by his horrific events. The author discusses red flags that he only realized in hindsight, and the family pictures at the end are chilling in their normality.

The book respectfully glosses over the nitty gritty details of the cases. This will give you valuable insight about how the killer hid in plain sight for years and how the family dealt with the ensuing aftermath. The author is likable and I enjoyed this book. It's a perfect book for someone to wants to learn more about the killer they've seen all over the news, but perhaps doesn't have the stomach to do a case-by-case deep dive. It's a quick, easy read that anybody interested in the case would enjoy.

This is a quick summer read for people already familiar with the Golden State Killer case. It starts off with a few chapters that give a high-level overview of the cases, from the Visalia Ransacker's early days through the last Original Night Stalker murders. It's enough information to refresh your memory in case it's been awhile since you read I'll Be Gone In The Dark, but not so much that it feels like a full retread of what other books and podcasts have already covered.

The middle chapters, when Huddle talks about his relationship with DeAngelo and the relationships between their two families, are by far the most interesting. Huddle gives us glimpses into the many little red flags that, in retrospect, add up to something more than someone who is "just a little eccentric" or "just a little off." But I wish there had been more here -- more stories, more detail, more reflection about what they should've seen in those red flags. Ultimately, Killers Keep Secrets scratches the surface of who DeAngelo was with his family, but it never really digs in.

Killers Keep Secrets: The Golden State Killer’s Other Life, is absolutely gripping while being horrific and terrifying because of the crimes committed. It makes you question just how well do you really know the people you are close to and let into your life?

Thank you to NetGalley and IBPA for the arc of Killer keeps secrets by James Huddle.

This book is about the Golden State Killer, It’s written by his ex-wife’s brother, who spent a lot of time with him. It comes from his point of view, and is interesting in that respect. Unfortunately, once it goes over the family stuff and his personal memories of De-Angelo, He goes over the murder cases of serial killers and and listing other serial killers.

Quite interesting as it is a true crime book, it was quite short which is a shame, so i finished it quickly but overall a great read

4 Stars

James Huddle writes about the Golden State Killer from a unique perspective: he is the brother-in-law of this infamous criminal. Imagine, after knowing someone for over 40 years, that they are suddenly unmasked as being a cold-blooded rapist and murderer. Huddle discusses Joseph D'Angelo, who is married to his sister Sharon, and gives insight to the popular notion that madmen can live among us.

This book is about the now-becoming-familiar Golden State Killer, but from another angle. It’s written by his ex-wife’s brother, who spent a lot of time with him over the years, decades and considered him family. It comes from his point of view, and is interesting in that respect. Unfortunately, once it goes over the family stuff and his personal memories of DeAngelo, etc. it runs out of gas and falls back on filler to make even a book on the shortish side. He goes over the murder cases, then really stretches things by talking about serial killers in the US, at one point listing non-white male serial killers. And a female one. I’m still glad to have read it, but it’s a bit thinner than I’d have liked on material. Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author James Huddle, and the publisher.

When I received this book from NetGalley, I was very excited but also nervous. Another book about the Golden State Killer which meant that the only way to impress me would be to learn somethings I didn't already know. And let me tell you, this book did just this. James Huddle's brother-in-law was Joseph James DeAngelo. The authors daughters only knew Joe as their uncle. It was so interesting to see what he was doing with his time after the murders stopped and also a very personal account of someone who knew him probably the best (besides his wife). I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about GSK/EAR.

Initially the title grabbed my attention and to find it was true crime, i could wait to read it. I am by no means a fast reader, but to read a book in little over a day as i did with 'Killers Keep Secrets' is saying something. I recall reading something about when the Golden State killer was caught and that he was a former police officer, but didn't really know much about him. Unbelievable that he got away with what he did for so many years, but thankfully he was finally caught. Towards the end of the book, the author wrote a brief account of other well known serial killers. Recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, which i have voluntarily given.

“American are fascinated with serial killers.” I believe this statement is incorrect a majority of people all around the world are fascinated with serial killers.
The quest to try to understand what makes a serial killer and how they hide in plain sight is one of the most intriguing mysteries.
This book was a big surprise to me because I must admit that when I conducted research on a few killers the Golden State Killer was not one I focused my attention on the most. The fact that he had this normal life with friends and visited people’s houses, hanged out shows how deceptive the perception we have of a killer may be.
I liked the myth clarification part because there were some of them I still thought to be true.