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    The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer
    The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer
    The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Kill Jar: Obsession, Descent, and a Hunt for Detroit's Most Notorious Serial Killer

    Written by J. Reuben Appelman and Catherine Broad

    Narrated by Joe Barrett

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Four children were abducted and murdered outside of Detroit during the winters of 1976 and 1977, their bodies eventually dumped in snow banks around the city. J. Reuben Appelman was six years old at the time the murders began and had evaded an abduction attempt during that same period, fueling a lifelong obsession with what became known as the Oakland County Child Killings.

    Autopsies showed the victims to have been fed while in captivity, reportedly held with care. And yet, with equal care, their bodies had allegedly been groomed post-mortem, scrubbed-free of evidence that might link to a killer. There were few credible leads, and equally few credible suspects. That's what the cops had passed down to the press, and that's what the city of Detroit, and J. Reuben Appelman, had come to believe.

    When the abductions mysteriously stopped, a task force operating on one of the largest manhunt budgets in history shut down without an arrest. Although no more murders occurred, Detroit and its environs remained haunted. The killer had, presumably, not been caught.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 28, 2018
    ISBN9781541487178
    Author

    J. Reuben Appelman

    J. Reuben Appelman’s true-crime memoir, The Kill Jar, inspired the popular Hulu docuseries, “Children of the Snow” (2020), with Appelman serving as an on-camera investigator and Executive Producer. He received an MFA in poetry from Boise State University and has published across all genres. Appelman currently works as a private investigator in the state of Idaho, where he has lived for nearly twenty-five years.  

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    Reviews for The Kill Jar

    3.5/5

    26 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is a true crime story about four children who were abducted and murdered in Detroit in the 70’s. This book is meticulously written and the author has certainly done his research. Although a chilling story, I enjoyed reading about the evidence and suspects and was disappointed that this case still hasn’t been resolved. Than being said, it took me a long time before I became used to the writers style. Because the writer mixes in a lot of imagery and metaphoric inuendos, it was confusing at first and I found the writing to be a bit obtuse. I found the case fascinating but was distracted by the intermittent addition of the authors tragic life story a little distracting. Self-described as a trip down the rabbit hole, I did feel like the author was in a slow spiral to a very dark place reminiscent of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. This is a memoir and a deep look into the murders and possible suspects but I feel like the author was writing two separate books and they shouldn’t have been combined. I enjoyed reading about the criminal investigation but reading about the authors childhood home-life, his almost abduction, his failed marriage, his unfortunate friendships, etc., was very depressing and should have been edited out in my opinion. I received a complementary ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
    • 2/5
      This was a very intriguing telling of horrific child murders. But it was disappoint and distracting that the author made himself part of the story. The focus should have been solely on the victims and their families. Cannot recommend.
    • 3/5
      With the recent events in the Golden State Killer case and popularity of docu-series like Making a Murderer and The Staircase, interest in true crime seems to be increasing. This book introduced facts and theories regarding the unsolved disappearance and murder of 4 children in the Detroit area in 1976 and 1977. The author, J. Reuben Appelman, attempted to create a story that was both an informational text about the murders and a memoir of his personal experiences. I found the informational portions concerning the murders to be well written. As a reader, I felt they flowed well and effectively painted a portrait that provided information in a non “textbook” fashion. The areas I encountered difficulties when the author attempted to include his personal experiences or opinions. These sections did not have the same polish and sophistication. I can hesitantly recommend The Kill Jar as a possibility for readers who enjoyed books like The Stranger Beside Me and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark but I would add the caveat that it is not as easy to read and that the writing is not on the same level as Ann Rule and Michelle McNamara’s.