I’ve seen interviews where Kerri Rawson was speaking about her father. When I saw this book available to review, I was interested in hear more of her story. Dennis Rader was not a model father. He definitely had anger issues, but nothing that seemed to indicate he was a serial killer.

This book goes over her life from the beginning. Her life is split into “before” and “after” finding out her dad was the BTK killer. While she mentions the victims, this book does not go into detail of the killings. She puts it in context to what was going on in her life at the times the killings took place to try to reconcile how her life could be what it was when her father was doing these horrible things to people. She has some of the letters between the two of them once her father was in jail. She details her struggles with remembering the dad she loves with him being a killer. It affected all aspects of her life and her faith.

It’s clear to see how what he did would devastate the victims’ families but I hadn’t really thought about the effect on his own family. It was chilling how he felt slighted when members of the family chose to totally disconnect from him and felt that was un-Christen of them, knowing the horrible atrocities he had committed. The one part of this book that felt off to me was when Kerri was upset with the prosecutors proceeding with a full disclosure of her father‘s crimes. They checked with the victims’ families to make sure they were with doing this, but they didn’t check with Rader’s family. Dennis Rader’s family members were victims and suffered as a result of his crimes, but it isn’t the same as for the seven families that lost loved ones.

It was an interesting story that I read in one day.

Thank you to the author, Nelson Books, and NetGalley for the review copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This was a poignant and moving memoir. It isn’t meant to be a retelling of BTKs crimes or his life, but the life of his daughter and the impact his crimes had on his family. Betrayal trauma is real and the author takes you through that in a way that highlights the effect he had on her state of mind, trust and perception of the world. The dad she knew was not BTK. He fooled his wife and family as well as everyone else. It’s important to note that this book is also infused with her Christian faith and how it helped her through. Although I am not a religious person, I am glad her faith was able to help her.

DNF at 60%.

Kerri Rawson writes of her experience growing up with her seemingly ordinary father who turned out to be the BTK killer, turning her family’s lives upside down.

I’m not sure what I expected, but 40% into the book is nearly all drawn-out stories about Kerri hiking in the Grand Canyon, getting married, and grieving the loss of loved ones with her family - her notorious father included. There is a looming reference to her depression and finding god, long before she learns of her father’s proclivities. There are occasional references to him uncharacteristically “snapping” at people as if that should’ve been a sign he was a serial killer (like we don’t all get mad sometimes), or implying that the kids and his wife were afraid to “go against him”, once he tried to strangle his brother, and there was fear of him. But the book largely speaks to him as completely normal and loved - their normal, heroic father… so it is hard to gather which is real and the way it is written seems like a stretch in an effort to sprinkle in BTK relevance throughout Kerri’s childhood. About 50% into the book she tells us that there were three physically abusive episodes toward her brother and her, but they didn’t impact the way she viewed her father as a hero. Kerri was a child when BTK was active, so she probably would not have noticed any signs honestly. I wouldn’t expect her to - but the focus on the book as far as I read is not largely about BTK or how that actually impacted Kerri.

BTK taunted police for over thirty years. Sending notes and hints, all while living a normal, suburban family life with a wife and kids. This book seems like there is still denial despite his confessions - and a large focus on religion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nelson Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This actually gutted me. Seeing how NORMAL Dennis Radar was and then… he’s killed 10 people. But all the while he’s playing with his kids, helping his daughter move, crying at her wedding, and hiking the Grand Canyon. That’s just absolutely wild.

I felt for Kerri so much. She struggled with hating BTL but still loving her dad. The letters she shared though, it’s crazy how he processes things.

This book tells a crazy story through the eyes of someone who knew a completely different person than the one the rest of us learned about.

In this powerful and deeply personal memoir, Kerri Rawson shares the unimaginable story of discovering that her beloved father, Dennis Rader, was the infamous BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill) serial killer.

Raised in what seemed like a normal, loving household, Kerri’s world was shattered in 2005 when the FBI knocked on her door and revealed her father’s horrifying secret. What follows is not just a recounting of crimes, but a courageous journey through shock, betrayal, grief, and ultimately, healing.

Kerri writes with raw honesty and emotional depth as she grapples with reconciling the father she loved with the monster the world came to fear. Her story is one of resilience, faith, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable truth. Rather than focusing on the crimes themselves, the memoir centers on the emotional aftermath and the process of rebuilding a life and identity in the shadow of a devastating legacy.

This is a well written book! I can't imagine what it would be like to have a serial Killer for a father, until now. Worth reading!

It is a memoir (keep that in mind). Very religion focused. Daughter of the BTK serial killer. I found it difficult to read especially from the 50% mark.

It’s not often we get to hear the children’s side of certain situations involving a criminal parent. I can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like. You want to reach the book and give them a hug and at the same time praise them for their bravery for dealing with something they definitely didn’t ask for. Kudos to you Kerri for telling your story, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

An interesting read highlighting the perspective we don't often see in instances of true crime. The families of the perpetrators aren't often heard from and this was an incredibly intriguing read!

I was really looking forward to this and it is hard to review this book without sounding like I don't care.

It is extremely important to share stories especially of this magnitude. I think it was honest and really nice that she wrote this. However, I really could not get into the narrative. I guess I was not ready for the type of book this was and thought it would be a little more. I am glad that I read it though.

As someone who has consumed much true crime through television, podcasts and books, reading A Serial Killer's Daughter by Kerri Rawson was definitely a perspective you often don't get to hear. I'm sure this book truly just touched on the surface of the experience of Rawson and her family. I appreciated the perspective that Kerri shared. It's truly hard to rate a book like this because no one can put a rating on one person's incredibly traumatic life experience.

I’ve personally read a lot of true crime memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies as part of my degree. So, picking this up, I was really expecting the inside story of the family who are left behind in the devastation that their loved one has caused. However, this book left me feeling beyond uncomfortable and not in the way you’d expect.

This is Rawson’s experience, narrative and truth about her family and life. Whilst at points it could be argued this was tone-deaf and narcissistic. This is someone’s real-life story and therefore, I can’t comment on how they should act, relive, or narrate their life. I do think elements of this did offer valuable insight into the side of BTK as a ‘Dad’ and so from an academic perspective, I did find it interesting.

Personally, my actual issue was the religious aspect. Whilst I’m all for people believing what they want. As a reader who doesn’t subscribe to religion in that way, I found it to be very overwhelming and heavy. Whilst I’m glad Rawson has found comfort in Christianity, this left me wanting to skip a lot of the book.

I don’t rate non-fiction or memoirs but for me, I don’t think this is one I’d read again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Yeah this was hard to read. I feel sorry for Kerri. It is interesting to read about the home life of a serial killer. It’s pretty eye opening. Thank you for granting me access to this arc. Overall I enjoyed it.

I have read my fair share of memoirs and I have never read one that is bad…until now. The purpose of this book was just to make money and ensure everyone knows that BTK’s daughter is the biggest victim of while still being in contact with him.

Kerri is deep in self-pity and selling Christianity. She is still contacting her father because religion tells her to forgive and that means she has to keep contacting him even though it’s clear how toxic it is.

I’m sorry to give bad reviews but this was just that bad. I guess we will see if I keep getting ARCs after this but I cannot honestly give a good review of a religious book that is trying to be sold as a true crime-related story and promoting very disturbing and toxic family practices.

Only good thing about this book is if you can read this as a guide book how people in toxic family think and reason for themselves why to keep doing wrong things to themself and their family around them and thus how do avoid yourself to let that happen.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

This book made me think about the strength of family ties. I found it meaningful to learn about their history, how Kerri and her family coped with the challenges they faced, and everything they went through and experienced after Dennis was arrested.

This memoir offers a unique and undeniably compelling perspective on one of the most infamous serial killers in American history. Kerri Rawson, daughter of Dennis Rader—better known as the BTK killer—shares her emotional journey after discovering the horrific truth about her father in 2005. What unfolds is a deeply personal account of grief, betrayal, and an ongoing attempt to reconcile the man she knew with the monster he actually was.

Rawson writes with honesty, and the trauma she describes feels real and raw. The book’s strongest elements lie in her struggle to redefine her identity and survive the emotional fallout of learning her entire life was built on a terrible lie. Her love for her family and her pain over what happened are palpable, and it’s easy to understand how deeply this revelation would shake someone to their core.

However, it’s important to note that this book is heavily steeped in religion and faith. Rawson relies heavily on her belief in God as a guiding force through her trauma, which may resonate with some readers—but as an atheist, I found this aspect difficult to connect with. At times, it even felt disingenuous or frustrating. There’s a recurring message that God helped protect her and her brother from their father’s evil, which—considering the many innocent women and children who weren’t “saved”—comes across as jarring and, frankly, comical in its contradiction. While I don’t doubt that her faith is sincere, it sometimes reads like she’s clinging so tightly to it that it borders on being emotionally disconnected from the wider tragedy.

If you’re looking for a detailed true crime narrative about the BTK case, this book isn’t that. It’s very much about Kerri’s internal process rather than her father’s crimes. And while that’s a valid and important story, readers should go in knowing this is more memoir than investigative.

Overall, this is a unique and personal story that will speak to those interested in the emotional aftermath of living with someone who hid such darkness. But the heavy religious framing and lack of broader reflection on the victims may limit its reach for secular or more critically-minded readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nelson Books for approving me to read this eARC.

This book follows (and is written by) Kerri Rawson, the real life daughter of the serial killer BTK. The killer who bound, tortured and killed.
We get to follow along Kerri’s life as a daughter to a man who later turns out to be a killer but also her road through trauma towards healing.

This is such a hard book to review for me as it is written by the person who went through it all. This isn’t fiction where everything is just pretend. But at the same time I did not enjoy my read sad to say.

I understand the important points of showing the man behind the monster cause that’s what they all are. Mortal men and females who commit awful acts. I don’t have a problem with that but it was a slow read. Some parts could have been shortened or even removed but like I said, this author experienced this and has her right to write whatever she wants.

My biggest issue with the book is how much God plays apart in it. As an atheist (technically Christian but not a believer) I really don’t get how Americans can BELIVE so much. In a way it feels like they’re putting every good thing on God instead of their own power. Kind of sad.
Kerri is a strong woman who overcame something that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. Own it. Don’t say that it’s Gods wish or whatever, she did it. She actively worked on conquering depression, anxiety and PTSD. SHE.
But I’m also happy for her that she had something to believe in cause I bet it was a comfort to her. It’s just not something that I think should matter AS MUCH. But that’s a whole other discussion for another time.

This book is such a good read but hard to read at the same time. No one thinks their family member who they love is capable of such horror. It also shows us how these monsters can have 2 sides and blend into to society better then we think. This is great for any true crime fan

What would you do if someone you loved, someone you thought you knew, turned out to be a serial killer? This book was slow at times and contained a lot of Biblical references, but it was still an informative and emotional read.

“My dad was raising children, yet he chose to take another mother away from her children. He was about to have a daughter yet took two more daughters away from their families.”

“But he was still my father, and I loved him—no matter what he had done.”

This was a book I read a few years ago, at its' original release. It was so good, I devoured it again cover to cover years later. The way the author is so real, genuine, and authentic with her feelings. The way she chooses to forgive her dad, and invite the reader into her forgiveness process and the way she is honest about the PTSD, and coming to grips with the fact her childhood wasn't as "perfect" as she truly felt it was, all help the reader step into her life and her healing. I hope this author will write more because she is truly gifted and has a story to share.

I received this book from netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine exclusively.