I really enjoy true crime, especially when it’s done well. I like that this book isn’t just about Son of Sam but it takes to another level about the people involved in and around the case. I’m glad Quirk revived this book - it’s definitely one true crime fans should check out.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

"The true crime cult classic that inspired an upcoming Netflix documentary series and companion podcast, The Ultimate Evil follows journalist Maury Terry's terrifying investigation into the true evil behind the Son of Sam murders."

If I had read this book as a teenager in 1987 (when it was first published), I would have thought it was the best thing since Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. It had all the ingredients that I loved at that time: grisly murders, conspiracies, cults etc. It would have scored 5 stars without a doubt.

Now, more than 30 years later, I can read this with a certain detachment and see it for what it is. A somewhat interesting book - a somewhat LARGE book - that spends its time trying to convince the reader (or even the author himself) that the Son of Sam murders of 1977 were not, in fact, the act of one man (David Berkowitz), rather, he was just the trigger man for a group known as the Process Church of the Final Judgment.
This theory then expands into questionable territory, as the author finds connections to other nefarious groups and individuals (the Manson murders are the most tenuous link) and finds "evil" on every corner of New York City. Everything from drug dealers, Nazi symbolism, and every New Age or Pagan group as a sure-fire evidence of Satanism. That really did get a bit tiring.
The other aspect of this story that kinda disappointed me was the interviews with Berkowitz himself. Assuming they are accurate, the author (and his associates) were very good at something you hear in B-grade legal thrillers a lot - "Leading the witness." I took very little stock in anything that came from those transcripts.

The sad thing about this whole thing is that Maury Terry is a decent writer. He just fell into the whole story, head-first, and was so in love with the conspiracy idea, that every single thing he found got forced into his book to fit the narrative.

Did Berkowitz act alone? I still think he did, but there was certainly enough evidence to suggest he was involved with some people of shady character who may, or may not, have been involved in something more serious than a single killer.

Let me finish by saying this was interesting, confusing, challenging, and bizarre all at once. But I would never read it again.


Paul
ARH

Bravo to Quirk Books for publishing a new edition of Maury Terry’s classic, The Ultimate Evil. The original, published more than 30 years ago, is practically impossible to find not at an extraordinary collector’s price. Even a reprint, published more than 20 years ago, is still difficult to find. Now, the masses can access it at an affordable price.

Filmmaker Joshua Zeman also released a documentary and podcast that coincided with the new edition of this book. The podcast is very well done, although I would give a heartier recommendation for the documentary and book. You really can’t beat the book pound for pound. As others have noted, it is more than 500 pages thick and packed with detail. For that reason alone, I recommend the book. That said, Terry was a skilled writer, so it is worth reading for the depth of research he put into it, as well as some of the well-crafted sentences. I would give a hearty endorsement for the documentary because the fact that Zeman was able to capture some of these shocking revelations on camera (often with archival footage) is astounding. The story is so out there at times that you have to see it to believe it. One interesting point for me is Zeman seemingly buys into Terry’s story in the documentary and podcast but comes across incredibly skeptical in the introduction to this book. Some artists are just more skilled in certain mediums than others. I think Zeman chose the correct medium, as his flair for visuals far exceeds his skill with the written word.

Terry went down a deep rabbit hole with this case, as it essentially became the only case for which he is known. In some respects, it’s sad to consider, but his decades-long obsession with this case is also why it is so impressive. Most who read this book walk away believing that there were more involved than just David Berkowitz. Prior to Terry publishing this book, most believed the establishment story that the murders were the work of a lone nut (Berkowitz). I think he accomplished this goal, although he never really achieved his larger goal of cracking the case and I don’t feel like it will ever happen.

Terry definitely did not think Son of Sam ended in New York, and that is kind of where this book gets tricky (hence, why the book begins with the murder of Arlis Perry at Stanford University). Terry tries to connect The Family in California with the Son of Sam murders in New York. It isn’t completely inconceivable, but the case is thin. I will warn potential readers that if this is a first reading, there is some heavy, dark material here. Even if you don’t believe Terry’s claims, it can still be difficult to read. Whether a reader believes Terry’s claims or not, he has done an incredible amount of research and gives readers plenty to consider.