Behold the Monster is a true crime book written by Jillian Lauren. It tells the story of America’s most prolific serial killer, Sam Little and his many victims. This book also looks into a bit of the psychology of what could have potentially made Little behave the way he did.
I appreciated learning about Little’s childhood and upbringing, even though it was at times difficult to read. I also appreciated seeing the victims’ stories through their eyes. But again, it was often difficult. What I disliked about the book was the way it seemed to jump from situation and perspective to another. It felt loose and unstructured to me at times. I also felt the author colored it with too much of her own perspective. I’d rather read my nonfiction without the author’s added inflections. While I agree Same Little did horrible things, I don’t believe anyone would disagree with that. The added commentary is subtle and seldom, but it still knocked me out of my nonfiction mode. It’s difficult to describe unless you read nonfiction the same way I do. I just want the information to form my own opinions based on the facts.
With all of that said, I know many will truly enjoy this book! I feel I’m a minority with my criticisms. But I need to be true to my instincts when rating. Otherwise, what’s the point in writing reviews? I give Behold the Monster three out of five stars.
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mysteries and Mayhem 