It's pretty impossible to imagine what it's like to one day be standing in your home in your pajamas, open the door to an FBI agent and learn your dad is a prolific serial killer. But that's Kerri Rawson's story. In this memoir, Rawson walks you through the two sections of her life: before and after finding out her dad was BTK.
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I listened on audio and was touched by how gracefully Kerri handled not only relating her story, but how she handled finding out what her dad had done. She pressed into her relationship with God and let her faith be a pillar of her healing. She also openly discusses her mental health and the various healthy and unhealthy ways she sought help.
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If you are interested in true crime stories, memoirs, and/or faith accounts, you will enjoy this book.

A brave effort to tell the BTK story from an often overlooked perspective. For those seeking insights into BTK’s background and possible motivations, this book offers no answers. It exposes the simple fact that killers can come from all walks of life, with no prerequisites to point them out. The ordinariness of the Rader family makes the BTK killings all the more shocking. The heavy focus on religion is a little off putting for me as a reader, but I understand this was key to the author coming to terms with her father’s crimes and what this meant for herself and her family.

BTK is one of the serial killers that I have heard a lot about. This book gave a unique inside since it was written by his daughter. I found it very interesting and hard to put down.

Serial killers' relatives are also called "secondary victims" as I can't imagine what is the choc of discovering that someone near you was ruthless killer
This is a personal memoir about BTK's daughter and not about BTK. I read that in a review that we are not able to understand why he became a killer.
Got a news for you if you are expecting to reading about the killings or the mind of a serial killer: nobody know why they became what they are and there's plenty of true crime.
It's moving, it's very personal. It's also a book on how to surive
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Very interesting and insightful read! It gave a great outlook on what people's families go through. It's something that I think most people don't give a lot of thought to.

I think this was interesting as it’s easy to forget about the family of the killer and they’re often unfairly tarred with the same brush. It is also eye opening to read and have examples of how someone could parent ‘normally’ but at the same time equally torture people!

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

One of those true crime novels that hurts your heart in a whole different way. There is the grief of the victims, the families of the victims and everyone that suffers the loss and fear surrounding this situation, but then there’s the killers family. How horrible to have to discover someone you loved and looked up to did these things. To have to question your life, your childhood, every memory you have, your own identity, whether you can be a good person when raised by someone capable nor such atrocities. I can’t imagine this and my heart goes out to this young woman and ofcourse to all the victims and their kin, but I think no one looks at the families of serial killers as victims too and they truely are. They can’t control what their husband or father etc has done. Regardless this is a powerful though provoking book with a lot to contemplate.

This book hit me hard. Kerri Rawson writes with raw honesty about the unthinkable.
Discovering that her kind, church-going dad was actually the BTK killer. It’s not just a true crime story; it’s a deeply personal account of shock, grief, and the slow, painful work of healing.
What stood out to me was how much compassion and strength Kerri shows, even when her world is crumbling. She doesn’t shy away from the horror, but she also doesn’t let it define her. Her journey through faith, trauma, and forgiveness is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once.
It’s a reminder that even in the darkest places, there’s still a way forward. A heavy but incredibly powerful read.

A Haunting Story with a Heartbeat

It’s not every day you pick up a memoir that pulls you into the chilling orbit of one of America’s most notorious criminals, yet still manages to feel deeply human. Kerri Rawson’s A Serial Killer’s Daughter does exactly that. As the daughter of Dennis Rader—the infamous BTK killer—Rawson could have written a book that was all shock and gore. Instead, she chooses to share her personal journey of grappling with betrayal, rebuilding faith, and making peace with the past. The result is a story that feels less like true crime spectacle and more like a powerful testament to resilience.

The Story Behind the Scars

The book begins with the moment Rawson’s life was upended: the FBI knocking on her door to tell her the impossible truth—that her father was the BTK killer who had terrorized Wichita, Kansas, for decades. From there, she recounts the duality of her childhood, growing up with a dad who seemed ordinary, even loving, while hiding horrific crimes from his family. The memoir takes readers through her shock, grief, anger, and eventual attempts to reconcile the man she loved with the monster the world knew. Along the way, Rawson also reflects on her faith, her family bonds, and her ongoing struggle to carve out a sense of peace in the shadow of her father’s crimes.

More Than Just True Crime

What makes this memoir stand apart is its heart. Rather than focusing on grisly details, Rawson explores themes of forgiveness, survival, and the complexity of family ties. She writes with honesty but also with compassion—for herself, for her loved ones, and even in her attempts to process the legacy of her father. Readers who come expecting a sensationalized true crime account may be surprised to find a story that is equal parts memoir, spiritual journey, and emotional recovery. It’s raw and vulnerable, yet hopeful in ways you wouldn’t expect.

Why It’s Worth Reading

A Serial Killer’s Daughter is a brave and moving book, one that gives a voice to someone often overlooked in true crime stories: the family of the criminal. Kerri Rawson’s willingness to be open about her pain and healing makes the memoir not just gripping, but also relatable for anyone who has faced betrayal or carried the burden of a complicated family history. It’s a reminder that behind every headline lies a web of human lives forever altered. For readers who want more than just the facts of a case—for those who want to understand the personal fallout and the slow climb toward redemption—this book is absolutely worth your time.

I had been wanting to read this book for some time and finally picked it up thanks to NetGalley.
I can’t imagine what life was like for Kerri Rawson after she found out her father was a serial killer. While the book goes into a fair bit of detail, I am sure there is so much more that has not been included that she has struggled with. How do you cope with finding out a parent you love has done such horrendous things, that he has this life you have never seen and are appalled by. I am not sure how I would have reacted either, as the struggle of loving your parent and the social stigma of how can you love them when they have murdered people, she would have faced constantly. This story goes into Kerri’s childhood and you can see she is trying to recall all the good times to show the other side of her father, but her struggle with what has been found out with his arrest.
I am really glad that Kerri has found a way forward and has a family of her own. While there are still mental health struggles, with all that she has been through you can understand why. I hope that things keep getting better for her and her family and this book was a healing process for her.
I have given the book four stars as it would have been very hard to write. Definitely worth a read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this book and provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nelson Books for providing a complimentary copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine opening your door one day to an FBI agent who is trying to tell you that your father is the notorious BTK serial killer that they've been searching for for over thirty years. This is the true account of how Denis Rader's (BTK) daughter dealt with the life-changing news that her father had killed 10 people, including two children. Kerri Rawson shares stories of her childhood spent with her loving and devoted father not having any clue that he led a double life as a serial killer.

This was hard to read...in a good way. I thought Kerri did a great job talking about her inner and outer experiences discovering the news as well as navigating life afterwards. Even after reading her account, I have zero clue how I would react or how I would function post-knowledge. I admire her strength and her faith. We don't get a lot of first hand exposure to what families go through when they find out someone they love isn't the person they thought they were, and I'm starting to see that more and more, which I really enjoy. It's common to have the thought of "woah, I wonder how the family is taking this," and here we are with the start of that phenomenon.

A Serial Killer’s Daughter by Kerri Rawson is a courageous and deeply personal memoir recounting the unimaginable discovery that her father was the notorious BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader. The book chronicles Rawson’s devastating journey from shock and disbelief to a process of faith, healing, and forgiveness. Rawson writes with candor and emotional depth, sharing not only the horror of her father’s crimes but also the impact on her family and her path toward reclaiming her life amidst unimaginable betrayal.​

The memoir provides a unique insider’s perspective on the true crime story, revealing how the man known publicly as a devoted family man and community leader lived a secret double life. Rawson’s story explores themes of love, loss, identity, and resilience, and she does not shy away from painful truths while also emphasizing personal and spiritual transformation. Readers appreciate the blend of raw emotion, honesty, and moments of dark humor, which help convey the complexity of loving someone who committed such atrocities.​

This book is highly recommended for readers interested in true crime memoirs that go beyond sensationalism to explore the profound human experiences surrounding the fallout of a serial killer's actions on their family. It is a testament to strength, survival, and the search for light in the darkest circumstances.

Loved so much! So unusual to read from a witness first hand. I couldn’t put it down. I’ve heard the story before but this was such a unique perspective