I was not aware that James Huddle, the author, was Joseph James DeAngelo's brother-in-law until I read this book. That changed everything for me. He gave a new insight into the Golden State Killer that not many could relate to. I found this book very interesting and it easily kept my attention. I liked his writing style, as it was easy to read and well written. I was able to read it fairly quickly, as well. I had trouble putting it down. I do recommend this book.

The Golden State Killer or the East Area Rapist (EAR) would terrorize California residents from the mid 1970’s – 1986 committing 13 murders and over 50 rapes and 100 burglaries. When Joseph J. DeAngelo (1945-) was identified by DNA evidence and charged with these crimes— debut author James Huddle explains in “Killer’s Keep Secrets” (2020) how his brother-in-law hid in plain sight for decades: undetected, eluding law enforcement, unsuspecting family and friends; also a multitude of criminal investigators until he was charged and taken into custody (2018).

In 1971, Joe DeAngelo was introduced by Sharon Huddle to her family. Joe was a Navy veteran who had served in Vietnam, and would become a police officer. Joe and Sharon eventually married and had three daughters. Joe got along well with his in-laws, had a roommate situation and even went hunting with James. After Joe visited, James thought it was very odd that small items were missing, though he never confronted Joe about it. In addition, he is chilled by thoughts of his own young daughter’s spending time in the past in Joe’s care. Most family members are too traumatized, and understandably, refuse to speak to the media concerning DeAngelo’s crimes.

In the last section of the book, Huddle writes about notorious serial killers: Ted Bundy, The Green River Killer, Gary Ridgeway, John Wayne Gacy, the female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos-- also many others. Huddle discusses the myth’s and similarities surrounding these criminals and what might be compared to DeAngelo’s behavior and criminal history. Huddle seems somewhat as an amateur sleuth, and might have interviewed the experts or law enforcement officials for additional credibility. Still, this informative book provides an important true-life narrative regarding family life and crime. To read further about the crimes of Joseph DeAngelo: “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State killer”(2018) was published posthumously by Michelle McNamara; and is the basis of a recent six part HBO documentary. (3.5*GOOD) ** With thanks to IBPA via NetGalley for the DDC for the purpose of review.

In April 2018, at age 72, Joseph James DeAngelo is arrested for the long-unsolved cases of the Golden State Killer and East Side Rapist.
I found this read like a journal therapy for James Huddle. A way for him to process his thoughts on the shocking arrest of his brother-in-law and friend, Joseph James DeAngelo.
The scary thing here is how DeAngelo lived his life among friends and family all the while, allegedly raping over 50 women and murdering 13 people. Yet, dring the same period, charming neighbors and family with his normal guy vibe.
As we walk through Huddle’s memories of DeAngelo we are presented with his strange hobbies and what seemed like minor red flags about him at the time. The core of this account forces you to consider just how well you know the people around and if your instincts about them might be something more serious than you think. The second half of the book shares similarities between DeAngelo and other infamous serial killers. Although it felt like “filler” I can see how the research was also necessary in the grieving process for Huddle. An attempt at trying to understand how he was fooled, like others for decades.
Overall a good quick read.

Killers Keep Secrets is one man's story of being friends with one of the most prolific serial killers in the United States, the Golden State Killer. Huddle was friends with the accused, and gives a story about Deangelo, who he was, his family, and his mannerisms that Huddle questioned many times.

I've read a few books about the GSK, and all of them are beyond creepy, especially I'll Be Gone In The Dark. But Huddle, no matter how much he may try, isn't able to give Deangelo any traits of humanity. He still is disgusting and vapid, and a killer. I don't think Huddle at any time is trying to explain away Deangelo's behavior. I think he was just as surprised as anyone else, that his former best friend, and former brother-in-law was a rapist murderer. I think any of us could be surprised at something like that.

Huddle also focuses a lot on the victims, which I appreciated, because really, they are the ones who should be getting the attention.

Overall, I thought of it as an excellent book. One that I could see myself rereading years from now.

Killers Keep Secrets publishes 6.30.2020.

5/5 Stars

I don't think anyone familiar with this case is coming into this expecting a grand exposé(due to the fact that the case is ongoing) but this is a good, short look at a famous criminal through a new lens, that of an extended family member looking to make sense of confusion and tragedy. While brief, there are certainly interesting new details about the man we now know to be the Golden State Killer/EARONS and I think anyone with an interest in true crime would enjoy this as a quick afternoon read.

An excellent choice to read after one finishes the other highly publicized book surrounding this case, I'll Be Gone In The Dark. While this book could benefit from some additional time with an editor, it's a good effort to be taken at face value. Three stars due to brevity and some minor editing issues.

What if you found out your brother-in-law was none other than The Golden State Killer himself? How would you deal with that news?

After Joe DeAngelo’s arrest, his family was left to piece together the last forty years and make sense of how the husband, father, uncle and brother-in-law in their lives could have done the heinous things he was accused of.

This story is told by James Huddle- Joe’s friend, roommate once upon a time and eventually became his brother-in-law when Joe married his sister, Sharon. He shares of the time he spent with Joe- riding motorcycles, hunting, living together before they each married their wives, raising their children together and the holidays they shared over the years. James looks back on those years and looks for obvious red flags that he might have missed with Joe, anything to hint at the killer hiding in plain sight. He was conflicted in writing this book and many family members were against it, but to share his story and give some background on Joe helped him ease some of his own guilt for not recognizing what a monster his brother-in-law was.

James opens up about how his family was harassed by reporters for months after Joe’s arrest and none of them were willing to talk back then. James then spent time researching The Golden State Killer so he would have little doubt that Joe was behind the crimes and was shocked to see the patterns of where these crimes took place as Joe and Sharon lived in different areas of California. He hopes that Joe will pay for what he did and is heartbroken and angry for the families that were hurt.

This was a quick read but if you’ve followed this case you’ll find this background on The Golden State Killer very interesting and informative. Thank you Netgalley for this advance reading copy.

The book is interesting in that it was written by someone with so much history - ex-familial and former friendship - with (the alleged) Golden State Killer. But that's it.

I appreciate the author's forthrightness in expressing his obvious dismay and grief over the victims and their families, but this book fell flat for me. No real depth. A lot of speculation versus fact. Much was written about other serial killers, leaving the portion about DeAngelo short and lacking.

For hard core true crime fans, I'd pick this one up. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

Thanks to James Huddle, IBPA, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Although I have seen multiple documentaries covering serial killers and read a lot about their motivation, I don’t think I have come across something like this book. It is interesting to read what family members and people close to someone who turns out to be a serial killer think, how they realise they were ignoring red flags all along. How differently they interpret certain events in the light of new truths. An example of how normal lives seem to be, and how not everything is the way we think it is.
This book gave me exactly what I was looking for- how others see serial killers. How hard it is to accept reality once everything comes out.
The only negative is that the last chapters of the book didn't really make much sense as a part of the book.

Despite being a fan of true crime, I did not enjoy this one. It is an interesting concept for a book as the author is the ex-brother-in-law of Joseph DeAngelo and he writes about his experiences with him prior to his arrest. He regularly trusted DeAngelo with his children and never suspected him to be the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer. However, the execution of the story was not done well. I feel like the author ran out of things to write about after 100 pages and turned to writing about infamous serial killers who committed similar crimes to DeAngelo. Overall, there are probably better books to read if you are interested in learning about the reign of terror of the Golden State Killer. (I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

In this short and bingeable book, Huddle writes about his brother-in-law/former roommate, Joe DeAngelo, the man who is alleged to be the Golden State Killer (and also the East Area Rapist, the Visalia Ransacker, the Diamond Knot Killer, and the Original Night Stalker).

If you’re unfamiliar with the Golden State Killer and all of his crimes, this book will provide a thorough and concise overview of each of the crimes chronologically. The footnotes also contain several interesting sources to refer to for further research.

To me the book is at its best when Huddle is detailing his memories of DeAngelo and giving his own personal insight. Huddle’s unique perspective of the situation is what sets this book apart from any other on the subject. I found it fascinating to hear about Huddle’s memories and firsthand observations about the man that he thought he knew so well.

However, the book feels disjointed and lacks a natural flow of narrative. A few sections veer off from DeAngelo and his alleged crimes and describe other serial killers in the same area and time period. While all of this information was well-researched and interesting, it did not feel fully cohesive with the rest of the book. Despite that, I found the book to be interesting, and I am glad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, IBPA, and the author for the advanced reader copy of this book!

This memoir, written by the brother-in-law of the Golden State Killer, written shortly after the arrest of this serial rapist and killer (he has since said he would plead guilty), Mr. Huddle reconstructs the crimes in a way that only he could - from the dry language of police or other reports. Unlike the compelling account of the attempt by law enforcement to finally locate this killer by Michelle McNamara in her best selling book, I'll be Gone in the Dark, published after her death, this memoir is the author's recollection of interactions with a family member whose arrest was met with disbelief and shock by his extended family.

Huddle relies on decades of old memories, wondering if clues were missed, not only by him, but by others. These questions haunt those who learn after the facts of horrors committed by people they thought they knew well. Ann Rule's memories of her time spent working as a volunteer on a crisis hotline alongside Ted Bundy led to her long and successful career studying and writing about crime.

The author's history is, of course, revealed along with the circumstances of his interactions with his sister's husband. Neither the author's own history nor his memories of DeAngelo elevate this book to the level it could have been if others had agreed to share their own memories which taken together might have woven a more compelling narrative. Additionally, if the author could have told where he was or other family members were and what happened on any one of the days that DeAngelo was breaking into houses, raping women or later bludgeoning people to death, it would have provided information about DeAngelo's double life.

The author undertook an effort that is commendable. Hopefully, the process has helped he and his family deal with an almost unimaginable circumstance. The least we reviewers can do is applaud that effort and wish he and his family the best.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This was an informative, quick read on the man who would eventually be know as the golden state killer.

if you've never read a true crime before, this is a good book to start with.
the chronological description of events makes it a fast read, and quite interesting hearing from someone who knows the killer personally.
it could use a bit of editing -mainly in finding other words besides "according" to reference official documents.
adding information about serial killers in general and specifics about some well known ones helps round up the book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, James Huddle, and IBPA for giving me an ARC in exchange for review!

The Golden State Killer found ways to truly test the limits and evil humanity can find within themselves. But, what if this inexplicable evil was your roommate, your brother?

In the first pages of this book, it was unsettling that the author (a relative of the Golden State Killer) noted that none of the family wanted to be a part of the book. Though this doesn’t necessarily mean that they were opposed to its creation, I still felt worried about the line between writing the book to tell a story while also respecting the wishes of those involved. Farther into the novel, there is a consistent listing of the victims, which is done predominantly by age/date and manner of crime. This felt insensitive to those victims, and though this is the story of their murderer/rapist/burglar, I don’t think his voice deserves to be heard over theirs and the rushing through each of their stories portrayed it that way. As a typical consumer of true crime, I do try to be aware of the respect given to the victims whose stories I, for lack of better words, am being entertained by, as well as the wishes of all those involved (other than the perpetrator typically).

Beyond that, the book was very informative and quite a unique lens to this infamous story. I think it is a story that anyone interested in this case, or any followers of true crime, would enjoy consuming. It is a great length, written concisely, and well researched. My favorite aspects of the book were those from the author’s own perspective, rather than facts or statistics, finding out what Joseph James DeAngelo’s life looked like. I also enjoyed the ending of the novel broadening the scope, looking at the evolution of serial killers, some famous names, and fitting DeAngelo into that picture. The photographs included at the end of the novel were a powerful, haunting addition that cemented the story together and made the narrative feel real. Because it is real.

A very interesting account about the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, by a man who knew him well, his brother-in-law James Huddle. While they were no longer connected through marriage, prior to his arrest, James and DeAngelo were still close. Huddle recounts the memories he has of DeAngelo in a compelling way. While some parts of the book read like a crime fact sheet, it is hard not to do when there were so many crimes committed by DeAngelo. A wonderful up-close perspective regarding a man no-one suspected. Huddle recounts what he calls “little red flags,” that, with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, give a glimpse into who DeAngelo really was. This book is very well done on a subject most (including most of Huddle’s own family) choose to keep private.

Astonishing account of decades of life lived right next to Joseph DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer. The author is DeAngelo's brother in law. While it's a bit irritating to constantly read that "if" Joe did it, a way to keep up appearances I presume, it's clear that the author does understand that his brother in law did murder a dozen people and rape over 50 women, much of the time working for a paycheck for a police department in northern California.
The quality of the writing isn't great and the author is always referring to DNA as though it was useful in the 70s, but the very fact that this person is one of the few who had a ringside seat, makes this read fascinating.

The premise of this book was really fascinating, and I hoped that it would give an insight into the EAR/ONS case from the perspective of someone who was close to DeAngelo, as well as show how his family struggled with the development that all was not as it seemed. I think the start of the book was very effective in this respect- it covered all of the crimes that the East Area Rapist committed, as well as interspersing it with the happenings within the DeAngelo family. For that, I really applaud the author- he did a marvellous job balancing the crimes with what he saw himself within his family, and he doesn't bring with him a huge amount of moralising or discussion of any other extrinsic materials like politics (as some biographies about serial killers in the family seem to take the road of).

However, it did go a little off the tracks later in the book. It felt stretched in places as it went into the types of crimes committed in America, as well as some of the many serial killers that had made their ways into the annals of history. I think the ones that made the most sense and really should have been there was the Green River Killer- there was a lot in terms of similarity there- as well as BTK. Those were evidently crucial to the processing of having shared part of your life with someone who could commit such horrific acts. The rest, though, really wasn't needed.

As a whole, I thought this was one of the better memoirs written by a family member in respect to a serial criminal. It isn't overly attached, but it isn't detached either, and I do think it clearly shows exactly how much processing that this kind of event needs.

Killers Keep Secrets was a very interesting book. It was interesting to hear from the brother in law of the Golden State Killer. I thought James Huddle did a very good job of not only showing of the side of Joe that he and his family knew. But also showing us how they had started to accept that he is the Golden State Killer.

What It's About: The Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist, the Visalia Ransacker, the Diamond Knot Killer, the Original Night Stalker - all these are monikers given to Joseph James DeAngelo - a serial killer, rapist and burglar, who is accused of at least 13 murders, over 50 rape cases and burglaries across California between 1975 and 1986. He eluded the authority for 40 years until his arrest in 2018 and has been in custody since.

We read about his crimes in true crime books, news, podcasts, and so forth. But we have little knowledge about his other life - his normal life as a husband, father, and employee, and this is what this book is about. Written by his brother-in-law, a family member and a longtime friend, James Huddle, talks about his relationship with DeAngelo, their families and how his children remember DeAngelo as the loving, fun but eccentric Uncle Joe.

My thoughts: I appreciate that the author shares this story and gives us a glimpse of the other life of DeAngelo. It is shocking and I can't imagine the disbelief and betrayal to know that a family member you are so close with is one of America's most prolific serial killer. In the first few chapters of the book, Huddle talks about their friendship and how later on DeAngelo becomes part of his family. He also talks about their families and DeAngelo's eccentricities. Huddle constantly questioned himself how he had missed all the red flags about DeAngelo.

I liked how Huddle shares about the crimes DeAngelo committed over the years in a chronological but brief manner. There is a lot! DeAngelo ceased his criminal activities after 1986 and there were speculations that most probably he died or in prison for another crime. But according to Huddle it is most probably because DeAngelo is focusing on his family life. Huddle also shares how the aftermath of DeAngelo's arrest impacted their families. It is heartbreaking.

There are also chapters on other serial killers - myths, behaviors, background similarities, statistics and so forth. It is interesting to know that there were a spike in serial killer cases from 70s - 90s.

This book is easy to read and I liked the quick and to the point writing style. But, since it is a short book and it is more about familial relationships, the cases of GSK is not covered in an in-depth manner. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this to everyone.

Pub. Date: 30 Jun, 2020

***Thank you Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you Netgalley, James Huddle, and IBPA for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joseph DeAngelo, to many it's a simple name, to others it hits too close to home. In the 1980s, DeAngelo operated under the name Golden State Killer. He murdered 13 people, raped 500 others, and committed 100+ burglaries in Northern and Southern California. James Huddle, the killer's brother in-law, recounts his experiences with Joseph "Joe" DeAngelo, and how he brushed aside warning signs, thinking nothing of it.

This is a book that's sort of in the same vein of The Stranger Beside Me--a true crime story told from the perspective of a person who was close to the murderer and can live to tell the story. Huddle considers throughout that DeAngelo had ample opportunity to take him off the map, or his daughters, and yet he chose not to. It's a book that examines the fact that he is haunted by DeAngelo years after the Golden State Killer's crime spree had stopped, and now he's in jail sitting on a plea deal to avoid the death penalty. Huddle is constantly turning over interactions with DeAngelo, including the times he left his daughter alone with him while he worked.

I cannot imagine being close to someone and then finding out they're an American Monster (yes I stole that from ID) and Huddle has lived that nightmare. Within, DeAngelo is painted as a lovable, kind man with a few behavioral quirks that no one thinks twice about; like his love of hunting and killing animals, his rage, his kleptomania, and the fact that he seems to take great joy in fabricating elaborate stories to make himself seem better than he actually is. This is not enough to raise red flags in a person, but Huddle kept this quirks tabbed and archived in case some wild shit happened considering that the Killer's rampage was near where he and his daughters lived.

Huddle's writing is quick and to the point. He is not the type of author that handles similes and metaphors like one would handle a double whipped iced macchiato from Starbucks. He says, "Fuck that," and writes simple prose that's easy to follow and quick to read. This is both a pro and a con.

It's a pro in the sense that the book is easy to follow. It immerses you in the story and the people involved without the reader pausing to dwell on a beautiful metaphor or a line that lands with eerie clarity. I felt like I was flying through this book at a pace that I wasn't exactly used to, considering that I don't read books fast at all. A testament to engaging writing. A testament to engaging storytelling.

But, it's also a con. Without the metaphor or the line of eerie clarity, there is nothing to dwell on. It reads less like a true crime book examining a relationship with a serial killer, but more like a Netflix documentary; ironically, this book would make a wonderful documentary, or at least a true crime thriller movie. Because that's how it reads. It's incredibly fast paced, simple, and easy to read. Huddle doesn't dwell on things except for asking the basic "What if?" questions, but I cannot exactly fault on him that because the things DeAngelo did are traumatizing, and triggering for many people.

However, this book lacks that emotional depth. It tells instead of shows. It discusses familial relationships and then Huddle begins listing factoids about the crimes that DeAngelo committed--the rapes, the murders, the things he stole from people's homes, what was ransacked and where; all told in simple sentences and easy reading prose. And this book, to me, relies to heavily on filler to fill the required pages, or to meet word count goals.

There's a chapter that was around a page (page and half if we want to push it), there are chapters that are titled one thing and discuss another thing entirely, like Master Manipulator that discusses one instance of manipulative behavior before then proceeding to detail the crimes Joe committed around that time frame. There's two chapters at the end of the book that detail serial killer behavior, serial killer myths, shit that could be sprinkled throughout, however it's attached to the end like an extended appendix. I don't want to disrespect the author and skim through these sections, but the information presented wasn't anything new or spectacular. It wasn't revelatory or eye-opening, leaving me questioning even the mailman and wondering if he wants to fuck me. When discussing familial anecdotes and experiences, it felt very much like filler, applied last minute to make the lips plumper or the ass bouncier but did nothing to improve the overall figure of the book itself. I understand the point of these chapters, comparing various serial killers and their tendencies to live double lives with that of Joe, however this book was about Joe, and I feel that these chapters are unnecessary.

This book is enjoyable and I would recommend this book to someone just starting out reading true crime novels. But if you want a better Golden State Killer book, I'd suggest you read I'll Be Gone In the Dark.