I have read a few books based on Ted Bundy and this is by the far the most well written and insightful.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Interesting and riveting read. Love to read true crime. This didn’t disappoint and kept me reading. There are always new things and diff ideas

This is a deep dive into Ted Bundy, using actual interviews with the killer. It's insightful but it is also long winded and I found myself losing focus at times. I don't agree with all the authors views and find some of them completely unnecessary, such as his descriptions of the victims. Overall this is a concise, interesting read but could be shorter.

The most comprehensive book I've read on Ted Bundy. Includes interviews, court transcripts and information pertaining to police procedure and forensic science. In "The Only Living Witness", Michaud and Aynesworth provide a chilling but factual deconstruction of Bundy. The book uses his own words throughout, gleaned from a series of interviews with the authors. I can only imagine how harrowing the whole process was for them.

I received a free e-galley of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Somehow I had never heard of this book and when it showed up on Netgalley I assumed it was newly published - in fact it was originally published in 1983 (I believe) and I think that's important for readers to keep in mind. There's some casual ableism and sexism from the get-go which could easily have been edited out for this shiny new edition. This might seem like an odd gripe to have for a book full of all sorts of horrible crimes, but when I'm reading about them I don't need the author's opinions on Bundy being a 'hunchback' on the inside or the relative attractiveness of his victims. But that's all I'll say about that. Do better, publishers.

That aside, this is considered one of the best books about Ted Bundy and indeed of true crime in general for a reason. It's a very full account written by someone in a good position to know and I definitely learned things I didn't know before. Unlike some other books about Bundy (like Ann Rule's) it's not particularly interested in talking about how charismatic he was, so if that was an issue for you with Rule's book, definitely try this instead. That said, I do prefer Rule's writing style as a way of creating a compelling narrative - I found this book to be very dry and longwinded in a way a book about a serial killer really should not be. Still, my interest held out in the end. I'd definitely recommend this if you're interested in the Bundy case or in true crime in general.

Watching true crime on tv is very addictive but this is the first time I have read a book about true crime. Ted Bundy needs little introduction as I cannot imagine anyone not at least recognising the name. However The only living witness is a very unique read, Stephen and Hugh recorded their many interviews with Bundy and this novel gives a completely unique insight into the mind of this prolific serial killer. I was completely hooked by the writing style, the completely detached way it is written, no gore or glamorisation, just Bundy’s words. Throughout this unique interviews Bundy would not openly admit to anything but he would talk in the third person about a ‘serial killer’ and speculate what he might have done. The unique picture that Bundy discusses in these interviews shows just how serial killers develop. The sheer banal way he explains such horrific acts often leaves the listeners so disgusted that they barely make it out of the prison to the car park befor they are violently sick; their bodies reacting in such a visceral way to the depraved acts he explains. Bundy was unique amongst serial killers as he was not ‘strange’, he was so ordinary that when he was arrested a number of his close ‘friends’ could not believe that the police had the right man.
I found this book both terrifying and thrilling. I will certainly be reading more true crime novels and these two authors have many for me to chose

I find Ted Bundy a very interesting Chatacter and this book just says it all! This book kept me totally engaged from the word go and the descriptions made you feel like you personally knew Bundy.
You can tell that the authors put a lot of time and effort into this book and were very clued up on their knowledge with Bundy.
I really enjoyed this novel and having an insight into the mind of a serial killer.

A really good insight into he mind and world of Ted Bundy. A very well written account, and something that I would highly recommend to people to gather a greater insight into his mind and him as a person.

I read Ted Bundy: Conversations with a Killer by these authors so I couldn’t resist reading this. There is quite a bit on Netflix and tv about Bundy but personally I prefer to read. It’s thirty one years ago since he was executed so it’s very fitting that I read this now. I found this to be a complex and interesting read. Although I usually read books quite quick I didn’t with this one. I needed time to pause and take it in. A chilling read that will stay with me for a long time. Brilliantly written I can’t fault this at all.

One of the scariest books I have ever read. Bundy has always attracted a huge amount of interest, and this is arguably one of the best books on him. How Michaud and Aynesworth were able to carry on with the book, as they were hearing the horrific confessions in the third party, I really don't know.
If you only read one book on Ted Bundy, make it this one.

This book was originally published in 1999 and is a compelling read made from interviews with Bundy during his incarceration. At this point, everyone interested in true crime knows the story of his crimes and hearing it in his own words is chilling and highlights the ugliness of humanity.

I am afraid to say that I am fascinated by everything to do with Ted Bundy. He was such a horrible evil man. I was not disappointed with this book, I do not want to give too much away but this book is compelling, intriguing and a must-read. REcommended.

This is an interesting true crime book, that fans of the genre will enjoy (if enjoy is the right word here...) reading.

I now know more about Ted Bundy than I ever thought I needed to know! This book doesn't skimp on the details of his murders (although it wasn't the most gory of true crime books that I've read, which is a bit of a relief) and the details of his trials. The book begins with the victims, their names, their stories. This is important; in my opinion they are more important to remember than Bundy himself. Then we get into Bundy's story as he commits his crimes, and then the long, drawn out process of his trials and appeals.

I went into reading this with very little knowledge. I know Bundy's name, and that he was a serial killer, but that was pretty much it. The writers of this book interviewed him, so some of it is actually in his own words. It's interesting, to see how his mind worked, how he perceived the world. Ultimately though, my take away from this is that there's nothing 'special' or even particularly 'twisted' about serial killers. They're just angry, selfish men (for the most part) who like to control women and want to get their own way.

I prefer reading about crime for the puzzles. How the detectives figure out the case, put the clues together, track down the culprit. I found the first half of the book very interesting in that respect. The second half, which is about Bundy manipulating police and lawyers, and trying to control the outcomes of his trials, was less interesting to me, but it would probably be fascinating to people with an interest in that side of true crime.

I don't feel like it's necessary to produce more and more versions of the same story over and over again. Ann Rule produced (in my opinion) a comprehensive accounting of Bundy's crimes. This in conjunction with the Phantom Prince by his then girlfriend, Elizabeth Kendall, provides the whole picture for me. This book wasn't necessary.

i enjoyed reading this well written would recommend i had watched different things about ted bundy on various tv programmes but i prefer to read i think connect more with people or characters in books than you can on tv

Ted Bundy is a name that's synonymous with American serial killers; a true psychopath. A name that conjures up images of depravity, heinous slaughter of women, and a 20th-century monster. The epitome of the 'serial killer' term. A name that's spawned as many films as books, Bundy's narcissism, escape techniques, matinee star good looks and debonair charm courted controversy in the courts, and on television, giving him an almost stardom status. This book debunks the myth and delves into the psychopathology of Bundy's psyche, a treat for any fan of true crime.

Stephen G.Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth give a first-hand account of one-to-one interviews with Bundy taken within his cell with a tape-recorded, as he gives a 3rd hand account of his crimes and his time on the run. The more in-depth the interviews become, the more you realise the sheer scale of just how psychotic, narcissistic and psychopathic Bundy was.

The prose is well-written, police procedural understandable, and well-paced as the USA police cross counties in search of Bundy's almost hobo like tendencies. The book ends with Bundy finally reaching the electric chair. The only shocking thing is how he got away with it for so long.

Oh I loved this!! Bundy, like many other serial killers before and after him fascinates me! What makes someone commit such atrocities is beyond me, so by reading or watching tv programmes about Bundy who appeared to live a normal life running parallel to his heinous monstrous side, I try to understand!
Well written, it covers most of what we know - but with some new information from interviews and it continues right up until his death.
Excellent!

This book unfortunately wasn't my cup of tea so I did end up DNF'ing the book. I was attracted to the plot of this book but unfortunately did not meet my expectations.

I chose this book because I had heard about Ted Bundy, a prolific serial killer in America, but knew little about him. I hoped this would include some first-hand accounts of what and why he did the crimes.

The authors were given access to talk to him, so much of the text is indeed in his own words. However, he was a clearly damaged individual with no concept of guilt or taking responsibility for his actions.

The book follows a rough chronology, and paints an accurate picture based on testimony from witnesses - the few lucky girls who escaped being captured, usually because they became suspicious and followed their instinct to run - as well as his family and Bundy himself. The result is heartbreaking and spine chilling. One feels many became victims because they were too polite to walk away from this charming man.

Bundy was finally captured and tried for a fraction of the 30 murders he eventually admitted to. I was extremely angry to learn the authors conspired to allow him to marry the deluded woman who believed he was innocent and wanted him as a role model for her son! How the family who's daughter had been murdered felt to see the trial hijacked to allow this travesty of a marriage to take place by subterfuge in the court, I cannot imagine. And then the prison authorities allowed the prisoners access to their visitors so she ends up pregnant! Unbelievable!

The book is generally well written, although occasionally there is some poor sentence structure (almost as if transcribed notes have been poorly copied) which jolts the reader. The authors make much of their role in drawing Bundy out, but at the end one feels Bundy played everyone, he only told what he wanted to and manipulated everyone around him all his life.

A very interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mirror Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.