Interesting, full of food for thought. I appreciated this book about a less know serial killer and his story
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

"The Serial Killer's Apprentice" by Katherine Ramsland dives into the world of serial killers with a blend of meticulous research and engaging storytelling. Ramsland, known for her expertise in criminal psychology and true crime writing, delivers a gripping narrative that explores the minds and motives of some of history's most notorious murderers.

What sets this book apart is Ramsland's ability to humanize the perpetrators without glorifying their actions, offering readers a nuanced understanding of the complex factors that contribute to the creation of a serial killer. Through meticulous examination of case studies and psychological profiles, she provides valuable insights into the dark intricacies of criminal behavior.

Ramsland's writing is both informative and captivating, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as she navigates through the darkest recesses of the human psyche. Whether you're a true crime enthusiast or simply curious about the inner workings of the criminal mind, this is a must-read that offers a compelling exploration of one of society's most disturbing phenomena that is written by one of today's most credentialed and experienced authorities on forensic psychology.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very interesting to hear about crimes from an accomplice and how he feels he was lead to becoming a murderer.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and ARC of this book.

The Serial Killer's Apprentice is a harrowing and intimate account of "The Candyman," a serial killer who used teenage boys as apprentices to torture and kill other adolescent boys in Houston, Texas. The author (Ramsland) is a forensic psychologist, and Ullman is investigative journalist and documentarian. Together they weave a terrifying recount of the events and perpetrators in the Candyman killings.

The book primarily focuses on Dean Corll and his apprentices - David Brooks and Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., the latter of which is the primary accomplice. It is a disturbing and vivid portrait of true evil (Corll) and all of the horrible things he did. Despite their willing participation in the murders, it is difficult yet important to remember that Brooks and Henley were they themselves targets and victims, having been chosen and groomed as teenagers because they were vulnerable.

This book was very hard to read (trigger warnings for crimes and abuse against children, including case photos at the end). The book talks in length about abduction, grooming, torture, murder, and burial of adolescent children. The author also expands on Corll's background and the work of a larger criminal organization of sex offenders dealing in the trafficking and murder of boys. It is fast-paced and engaging and a very eye-opening and illuminating report of this heinous case.

I definitely recommend this book for true-crime aficionados, or anyone interested in learning more about The Candyman case.

In 1971, fourteen-year-old Elmer Wayne Henley, Jr. met a man named Dean Corll via another local teenager named David Brooks. Corll’s family had once owned a confectionary company and he was known to distribute the sweets to the youth of Houston, Texas, earning the affectionate nickname “The Candy Man”. Unbeknownst to those in his community however, he had groomed David and then Wayne to bring other boys to his house so that he could sexually abuse and murder them, ultimately killing upwards of 20 people, though the true number may never be known and is likely much higher.

The Houston Heights neighborhood that Henley hailed from was poor and many of its children came from abusive, neglectful, or broken homes. Their unfortunate circumstances made them easy targets for Corll and furthermore led to the local Police being dismissive of the numerous reports of missing boys, typically writing them off as runaways. This allowed Dean to continue operating undetected for years, sadistically torturing and then murdering an unfathomable number of children. Henley and Brooks would often be coerced into participating in these acts, partly for Corll’s amusement but also to give him leverage over them, making them feel that they had no choice but to continue to assist him lest they be punished for their actions. That is until Wayne is finally pushed to the breaking point and kills Corll before turning himself into law enforcement and leading them to all the bodies he was aware of.

This book is not for the faint of heart. While the authors avoid using these tragic deaths for lurid thrills, they are still discussed in fairly graphic detail and will certainly impact the reader. Since Corll was killed, it is unlikely anyone will ever know exactly why he committed such atrocities, though the authors make an attempt, using other serial killers to try and explain his actions. They were able to interview Henley in prison, and so can better ascertain his motivations and offer a fascinating yet disturbing look at how someone like Corll was able to gain so much influence over the young man. Again, other similar cases are also examined and the book closes with a list of signs parents should look for to keep their own kids safe.

The Serial Killer’s Apprentice will upset readers and leave a lasting impression on them. While Corll was ultimately stopped, if adults had listened to Henley sooner, or if the Police had taken the wave of missing boys more seriously, his reign of terror could have been ended much sooner and many lives would have been spared. There have been and will always be others like him, as evidence points to him being at least loosely connected to a ring of child sex traffickers, so hopefully Henley’s story can be used as a lesson and a warning to prevent something similar from ever again going unnoticed for so long.

The Serial Killers Apprentice is well written and a very detailed accounting of the Texas Candy Msn killings. Although the book is very repetitive as it basically tells the sane story from every witness’s POV I liked the extra details here and there but the repetitive story was hard to read over and over again and I had to keep putting the book away n going back to it a few days later. Overall it’s a chilly take of how in that time it was easy for a serial killer to find and groom his targets. I was shocked as person after person discounted any attempts to tell the truth or get help no one believed any of the boys m. And I’m still shocked everyone was so accepting of a friendly partying with teenagers on a regular basis. It’s all red flags to read yet so many people thought nothing of it. I hate to wonder how many other victims could still be out there unfound. Very good book chilling and tragic definitely something to think about when it cones to protecting youth from such dangers.

I was not very familiar with the Candy Man killings in Texas. They happened when I was a baby but I am still surprised I didn’t know anything about them. The authors were very thurough in their recounting of crimes and events. I sometimes wished for fewer details and was a little surprised at how repetitive it was. There were entire sections that were repeated word for word. Still, it was an interesting look at how predators work and how they can control those around them, especially when they target children. I wish there had been more on the connection with the national ring and other killers.

I didn’t manage to finish this book as the only format available was via my phone which just did not work for me. From what I did read I did really enjoy this and it gave a lot of background information which made for an interesting read.

The Serial Killer's Apprentice is a dark and disturbing true crime book that seriously haunted me. This was a tough book to read due to the content but expertly written and superbly researched.

I highly recommend it for fans of true crime.

This was a very very intense read but very well written! It always intrigued me on the mind if a serial killer and this book provided a ton of information!

Great job to the author!!!

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review

This was intense! It was very interesting to see into the mind of a serial killer. This book was very well researched and provided a lot of information. The subject makes it a somewhat difficult read, but I knew what I was getting into. This was well written.

The Serial Killer’s Apprentice recounts the chilling story of Elmer Wayne Henley Jr.'s descent into becoming the apprentice of serial killer Dean Corll. Henley's involvement in kidnapping and murdering young boys begins at just fourteen years old, driven by financial gain. Despite his actions, Henley grapples with moral consequences and ultimately kills Corll. Ramsland meticulously details the crimes and police investigation, delving into the psychology behind Henley's actions. While not as fast-paced as other true crime books, it offers valuable insights into criminal psychology.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this arc. This book was well written and takes a hard look at an awful crime. I would recommend it to anyone interested in true crime cases.

Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Ramsland, Tracy Ullman, and Crime Ink Publishing for an ARC! This is a unique non-fiction account of the bizarre relationship between serial killer John Edward Robinson and his protege, Jerry Howell.

The coolest part of this book (for true crime readers at least, lol) is the psychological insight. Most true crime readers love learning about the psychology of serial killing, and The Serial Killer’s Apprentice provides plenty of that. It’s not often we get to see a “serial killer in training” like we do in this book.

There are a mix of short and long chapters, but none of them are too lengthy (which is a big win for me). This title is 320 pages long, which is on the shorter end of true crime books.

At times the writing is a bit clinical, but it’s also very graphic, so the two balance each other out. I’ll take clinical terminology if it describes gore, LOL.

Get your copy on April 16, 2024!

The Serial Killer’s Apprentice by Katherine Ramsland and Tracy Ullman
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: 16 April 2024

The Serial Killer’s Apprentice takes us on a journey through one of the most disturbing cases in true crime history. Ramsland and Ullman do a brilliant job of navigating through the story, bringing together all the different narratives and dynamics in a very unique and solid way, showing just how in depth their research of the subject matter was.

This was an incredibly interesting read, and as someone who might be a little more than obsessed with true crime, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was thought provoking, especially the examination of the grey areas between what makes someone a victim or perpetrator.

I warn you though, this is a dark read and parts for some might be a bit hard to swallow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Crime Ink for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've run across the story of depraved Dean "Candyman" Corll before but this is the most complete account I've read. Dean would lure young boys in with promises of candy or in cases of teen victims-weed and alcohol and then violently assault and murder them. Preying on two teenage boys from troubled homes, Corll groomed them to become accomplices in his gruesome crimes. One of these accomplices-Elmer Wayne Henley Jr, was ultimately responsible for killing Corll and from his prison cell serving six life sentences for his role in the crimes-tells how a seemingly normal kid got sucked into a serial killer's orbit. A little bogged down in places, this was an eye opening account of this string of murders in 1970's Houston. It is mind boggling how many young men and boys went missing and the police chalked it up to them all being runaways.

I had heard of this crime before reading this book, and knew a bit about the background information and trials. However, this book shed so much light on the criminology and psychology behind Dean Corll’s horrific hold on both Henley and Brooks but also so much of Houston at the time. This case is so important not only because of the murders but because of the aftermath. The mentions of other cases similar to this one and the organized crime that surrounds it were very intriguing and the talk of psychologists opinions and knowledge were fascinating. This was such a detailed and powerful read and I can’t recommend it enough to those who are interested in diving deeper into true crime.

Dean Corll's hunting ground was Houston, his prey was young boys and teens. Corll tortured and slaughtered at least 28 boys before he was gunned down by one of his teenaged accomplices in an act of self-defense. True crime noble Katherine Ramsland turns her eye to this oft overlooked case. Through interviews with the last living participant, Elmer Wayne Henley, she shows how a normal teenager can be groomed by a psychopath to become a killer. Ramsland thoroughly explains the grooming process to educate others and help prevent potential abuse. Ramsland also explores Corll's connections to sex rings and John Wayne Gacy, which haven't been breached in previous works. This is a book true crime readers can't miss.

First off THANK YOU! to Netgalley & Penzler Publishers | Crime Ink for my ARC digital of The Serial Killer's Apprentice.

A psychological examination of the blurred line between victim and accomplice—and how a killer can be created.

BRAVO!!!! I devoured this book in 2 settings! This was so detailed and fascinating to read. My jaw was literally on the floor the entire time. I cannot believe this case is not widely known or discussed more. This was such a great read!

While the subject matter is very heavy and at times, hard to read, it was so well written and definitely will be one I recommend to other true crime fans.

First, thank you to Penzler Publishers for this eGalley. While I found the premise of the book fascinating, I have a feeling that I might have liked this book more if I hadn't read it using the NetGalley Shelf App. It was clunky and cumbersome, hard to look through the pages, and glitchy.

As for the book, however, I found myself desperate for some endnotes. Several moments were a bit hard to follow or hard to delineate between chronology, so either a timeline or a series of endnotes would have helped enormously. Especially during the discussions of psychology terminology, I wanted to see which source these definitions came from. Knowing whether definitions came from either the DSM IV or V would be enormously helpful. A compelling tale, but one that needed more structure for me.