LibGuides: True Crime Book Club: June 2024

About the Author: Kerri Rawson

Background:
- Kerri Rawson was born in Wichita, Kansas, in the United States.
- She grew up in a seemingly ordinary family, unaware of her father's dark secret.
Family Life:
- Kerri is the daughter of Dennis Rader and Paula Dietz Rader. She had a brother, Brian Rader.
- Her family life took a drastic turn when her father was revealed to be the BTK Killer.
Discovery of Father's Identity:
- In 2004, Kerri Rawson's life was shattered when her father was arrested for the BTK murders.
- The revelation about her father's true identity and the nature of his crimes had a profound impact on her and her family.
Memoir:
- Kerri Rawson authored the memoir "A Serial Killer's Daughter," which was published in 2019.
- The memoir explores her journey of grappling with the truth about her father, the emotional turmoil she faced, and her efforts to rebuild her life.
Personal Struggles and Resilience:
- Kerri's memoir delves into the psychological and emotional challenges she faced as she coped with the aftermath of her father's crimes.
- She discusses themes of faith, love, forgiveness, and the process of overcoming the trauma associated with being the daughter of a serial killer.
Advocacy:
- Kerri Rawson has used her platform to raise awareness about the impact of crimes on the families of perpetrators.
- She has spoken about the stigma and challenges faced by individuals with family members involved in heinous crimes.

Kerri Rawson on Writing the Book

Fact vs Fiction: Dennis Rader (The BTK Killer)

Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK (Bind, Torture, Kill) Killer, was an American serial killer who committed a series of gruesome murders between 1974 and 1991 in Kansas. Here is a brief biography of Dennis Rader:

Early Life: Dennis Lynn Rader was born on March 9, 1945, in Pittsburg, Kansas, USA. He grew up in Wichita, Kansas, and had a seemingly ordinary childhood. Rader attended Kansas Wesleyan University and later transferred to Wichita State University, where he graduated with a degree in administration of justice.

Military Service: In 1966, Rader joined the United States Air Force and served for four years. During this time, he developed an interest in bondage and control, which would later manifest in his criminal activities.

Family Life: After leaving the military, Rader settled in Park City, a suburb of Wichita, where he lived with his wife, Paula Dietz, and their two children. Rader held various jobs during his life, including working for the ADT Security Services.

Criminal Activities: Between 1974 and 1991, Rader committed a series of ten murders in the Wichita area. He terrorized the community by sending taunting letters to the media and police, detailing the crimes and claiming responsibility for them. The BTK Killer's modus operandi involved stalking and eventually murdering his victims, often using ligatures to bind and strangle them.

Rader's victims included men, women, and children. His last known murder was in 1985, but he continued to send letters and communicate with the media and authorities, keeping the community in fear.

Capture: For years, Rader eluded law enforcement, leaving a trail of unsolved murders. In 2004, he resurfaced by sending a floppy disk to the police. The disk contained metadata that could be traced back to a computer at the Christ Lutheran Church, where Rader was the president of the church council.

On February 25, 2005, Rader was arrested at his home. He later confessed to the murders during a detailed and chilling court hearing. In June 2005, he pleaded guilty to ten counts of first-degree murder.

Legal Proceedings and Imprisonment: In August 2005, Dennis Rader was sentenced to ten consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He is serving his sentence at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas.

Legacy: Dennis Rader's case is infamous for the heinous nature of his crimes and the prolonged period during which he eluded authorities. The BTK Killer's reign of terror had a profound impact on the community, and the case remains a notable chapter in the history of criminal investigations.

TV & Movies

Mindhunter

Catching a criminal often requires the authorities to get inside the villain's mind to figure out how he thinks. That's the job of FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench. They attempt to understand and catch serial killers by studying their damaged psyches. Along the way, the agents pioneer the development of modern serial-killer profiling. The crime drama has a strong pedigree behind the camera, with Oscar-nominated director David Fincher and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron among the show's executive producers.

The Hunt for the BTK Killer

For 31 years, the serial killer known as BTK raised terror in the small town of Wichita, Kansas. Starting in 1974 and ending in 1991, BTK killed 10 people and resurfaced in 2005, in which the BTK killer was captured. This is the story of how police found, captured, and convicted the vicious killer named Dennis Rader.

BTK: Confession of a Serial Killer

The horrific crimes and psyche of notorious serial killer Dennis Rader. This documentary provides unprecedented access into the mind of Rader, who is currently serving 10 consecutive life sentences in El Dorado Correctional Facility. Dr. Katherine Ramsland shares the intimate details of Rader's past and his gruesome murders while providing insight to arm criminologists and law enforcement on how to better identify and potentially deter extreme violent offenders in the future. The author and renowned professor of forensic psychology leads the examination Rader's transformation from an American boy to an American monster who wreaked havoc in Wichita, Kan., and went uncaptured for 30 years.

Legacy of Fear

In 1977, a serial killer brutally kills the wife of the detective who is investigating his case, driving him to suicide; 30 years later, the detective's daughter is the victim of a maniac who strikes using the same modus operandi.

Feast of the Assumption

A living victim's personal journey through one of the most unique serial killer cases in U.S. History - the BTK murders, as told through the eyes of Charlie Otero, the oldest surviving member of the first family BTK murdered on January 15th, 1974.

The Mark of a Killer: Bound to Kill

A serial killer taunts Wichita, Kan., for decades by sending brazen letters and taking credit for horrific kills; at the introduction of the computer era, the killer gets sloppy and accidentally leaves a digital clue.

World's Most Evil Killers: Dennis Rader-BTK

Serial killer Dennis Rader, the self-proclaimed 'BTK Killer', terrorised the state of Kansas as he brutally murdered at least ten people, including children, between 1974 and 1991.

Very Scare People: BTK

He calls himself B.T.K. for Bind, Torture, Kill. For decades, this serial killer terrifies Wichita. Wichita residents live in fear that they will be his next victim.

The Clovehitch Killer

A picture-perfect family is torn apart after Tyler finds a cache of disturbing images in his father's possession. He begins to suspect that the man he trusts most in the world may be responsible for the murder of 13 girls ten years prior.

Synopsis

What is it like to learn that your ordinary, loving father is a serial killer

In 2005, Kerri Rawson opened the door of her apartment to greet an FBI agent who shared the shocking news that her father had been arrested for murdering ten people, including two children.

That's also when she first learned that her father was the notorious serial killer known as BTK, a name he'd given himself that described the horrific way he committed his crimes: bind, torture, kill. As news of his capture spread, the city of Wichita celebrated the end of a thirty-one-year nightmare. For Kerri Rawson, another was just beginning.

In the weeks and years that followed, Kerri was plunged into a black hole of horror and disbelief. The same man who had been a loving father, a devoted husband, church president, Boy Scout leader, and a public servant had been using their family as a cover for his heinous crimes since before she was born. Everything she had believed about her life had been a lie.

Written with candor and extraordinary courage, A Serial Killer's Daughter is an unflinching exploration of life with one of America's most infamous killers and an astonishing tale of personal and spiritual transformation.

Discussion Questions

Personal Reflection:
- How did Kerri Rawson's perspective and emotions change throughout the memoir? What moments or realizations had the most significant impact on her?
- In what ways did you find yourself empathizing with Kerri Rawson's journey, and were there any aspects of her experience that you found particularly relatable or surprising?
Family Dynamics:
- Explore the impact of Dennis Rader's crimes on his family. How did the revelation affect the relationships between family members, and how did they cope with the aftermath?
- Discuss the challenges and ethical dilemmas faced by family members of individuals who commit heinous crimes. How responsible do you think family members should be held for the actions of their relatives?
Survivor's Guilt and Stigma:
- Kerri Rawson discusses her feelings of guilt and shame associated with being the daughter of a serial killer. How did these emotions manifest, and how did she cope with them?
- Consider the societal stigma attached to the family members of criminals. How can society better support individuals like Kerri Rawson who find themselves connected to someone with a criminal past?
Justice and Closure:
- How did the legal proceedings against Dennis Rader impact Kerri Rawson and her family? Did the legal system provide any sense of closure or justice for them?
- Explore the concept of justice in cases involving serial killers. Do you believe that the legal system adequately addresses the needs of the victims' families?
Psychological Impact:
- Discuss the psychological toll of learning that a loved one is a serial killer. How did Kerri Rawson and her family grapple with the realization, and what kind of long-term effects might such a revelation have on an individual's mental health?
Media and Public Perception:
- How did the media coverage of Dennis Rader's crimes affect Kerri Rawson and her family? Discuss the role of media in shaping public perception and the potential consequences for the families of criminals.
- Consider the ethical implications of media coverage in cases involving heinous crimes. How can the media strike a balance between informing the public and respecting the privacy of the individuals connected to the perpetrator?
Forgiveness and Healing:
- Explore the theme of forgiveness in the memoir. How does Kerri Rawson grapple with the idea of forgiving her father, and what role does forgiveness play in her healing process?
- Discuss the concept of forgiveness in cases of extreme trauma and betrayal. Do you believe forgiveness is necessary for personal healing, or are there situations where it may not be appropriate or possible?

"A Serial Killer's Daughter" by Kerri Rawson

Read-Alikes
Resources

Liliana's Invincible Summer by Cristina Rivera Garza
Call Number: 362.882 RIVERA
October 18, 2019. Cristina Rivera Garza travels from her home in Texas to Mexico City, in search of an old, unresolved criminal file. "My name is Cristina Rivera Garza," she writes in her request to the attorney general, "and I am writing to you as a relative of Liliana Rivera Garza, who was murdered on July 16, 1990." It's been twenty-nine years. Twenty-nine years, three months, and two days since Liliana was murdered by an abusive ex-boyfriend. Inspired by feminist movements across the world and enraged by the global epidemic of femicide and intimate partner violence, Cristina embarks on a path toward justice . Liliana's Invincible Summer is the account--and the outcome--of that quest . In luminous, poetic prose, Rivera Garza tells a singular yet universally resonant story: Liliana is a spirited, wondrously hopeful young woman who tried to survive in a world of increasingly normalized gendered violence. Rivera Garza traces her sister's history, depicting everything from Liliana's early romance with a handsome but possessive and short-tempered man to that exhilarating final summer of 1990 when she loved, thought, and traveled more widely and freely than she ever had before. Using her skills as an acclaimed scholar, novelist, and poet, Rivera Garza collected and curated evidence--handwritten letters, police reports, school notebooks, interviews with Liliana's loved ones--to document her sister's life. Through this remarkable and genre-defying memoir, she confronts the trauma of losing her sister and examines how this tragedy continues to shape who she is--and what she fights for--today.
Finding Baby Holly by Holly Marie; Cindy Lambert (As told to); David Lambert (As told to)
Call Number: 363.233 Marie
Holly Marie was forty-two years old the day she found out she was missing. At ten months old, Holly Marie was brought to the door of a church by three barefoot women in white robes and head coverings. Adopted by the pastor and raised in a loving Christian home, Holly nevertheless struggled with the ache of not knowing what had happened to her biological parents. She still felt their absence even as she married and started a family of her own. When two detectives showed up at the restaurant where she worked and informed her that she had a large family in Florida who had been searching for her for over 40 years, Holly's past became the reality of her present, and she began the sometimes painful journey of discovering the truth about her origins: Her parents had been brutally murdered, their case still unsolved. With the help of law enforcement across four states, forensic genealogists, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and her newly discovered family members, the missing pieces began to come together. Except these-- why had her parents been murdered? And who had murdered them? She soon found out that the truth leads not always to answers but sometimes to more questions, that it also brings healing and restoration, and that we must surrender our unknowns to God until, in His perfect timing, all truths are revealed. Finding Baby Holly is the true, inspiring story of a wife and mother who was "missing" for over forty years after her parents' murders, the persistent detectives who never stopped investigating, and the birth family who never lost hope in finding her.
If You Tell by Gregg Olsen
Call Number: 364.1523 Olsen
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom , it claws like an eagle's talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now. For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother's dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders. Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor's story of absolute evil--and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today--loving, loved, and moving on.
The Babysitter by Liza Rodman; Jennifer Jordan
Call Number: 364.1523 Rodman
This chilling true story and "harrowing account of the evil that can lurk around the edges of girlhood" (Carolyn Murnick, author of The Hot One )--reminiscent of Ann Rule's classic The Stranger Beside Me --follows a little girl longing for love who finds friendship with her charismatic babysitter, unaware that he is a vicious serial killer. Growing up on Cape Cod in the 1960s, Liza Rodman was a lonely little girl. During the summers, while her mother worked days in a local motel and danced most nights in the Provincetown bars, her babysitter--the kind, handsome handyman at the motel where her mother worked--took her and her sister on adventures in his truck. He bought them popsicles and together, they visited his "secret garden" in the Truro woods. To Liza, he was one of the few kind, understanding, and safe adults in her life. But there was one thing she didn't know; their babysitter was a serial killer. Though Tony Costa's gruesome case made screaming headlines in 1969 and beyond, Liza never made the connection between her friendly babysitter and the infamous killer of numerous women, including four in Massachusetts, until decades later. Haunted by nightmares and horrified by what she learned, Liza became obsessed with the case. Now, she and cowriter Jennifer Jordan reveal "a suspenseful portrayal of murderous madness in tandem with a child's growing loneliness, neglect, and despair, a narrative collision that will haunt" (Sarah Weinman, author of The Real Lolita ) you long after you finish it.
My Brother the Killer by Alix Sharkey
Call Number: 364.1523 Sharkey
In the gritty docklands of south-east England, Alix Sharkey and his younger siblings grew up in awe of their charismatic yet violent father, a vicious alcoholic. Yet it was Alix's kid brother Stuart--button-cute and fearless--who defended his siblings at home, at school and on the streets. Their fraternal bond was deep and powerful until Alix moved away from their rough hometown. Stuart remained--and slid into a furtive life of sexual violence against teenage girls, punctuated by prison time. Having started out inseparable, their paths diverged radically. Alix became a journalist, cosmopolitan and bilingual, working for upmarket media in London, Paris, New York, and Los Angeles. Today, Stuart remains incarcerated in Britain's most notorious high security prison, awaiting imminent parole. Twenty years ago, he was convicted of the kidnap and murder of his 15-year old niece Danielle, daughter of his wife's brother. Despite his conviction, a lost appeal, and repeated pleas by her parents, Stuart has steadfastly refused to reveal the location of his victim's remains, condemning the girl's parents to two decades of unresolved grief. How do two brothers choose such different paths? Could anything have prevented Stuart from becoming a killer? What factors contributed to his fall? What does Alix owe to Stuart--the fiercely protective kid brother--and what does he owe to the truth? With the clock ticking, can he convince Stuart to do the right thing and give the victim's family the closure and peace they've sought for so long? Or will Stuart walk free, unrepentant and defiant?
Nowhere Girl by Cheryl Diamond
Call Number: BIOGRAPHY DIAMOND
By the age of nine, I will have lived in more than a dozen countries, on five continents, under six assumed identities. I'll know how a document is forged, how to withstand an interrogation, and most important, how to disappear . . . To the young Cheryl Diamond, life felt like one big adventure, whether she was hurtling down the Himalayas in a rickety car or mingling with underworld fixers. Her family appeared to be an unbreakable gang of five. One day they were in Australia, the next in South Africa, the pattern repeating as they crossed continents, changed identities, and erased their pasts. What Diamond didn't yet know was that she was born into a family of outlaws fleeing from the highest international law enforcement agencies, a family with secrets that would eventually catch up to all of them. By the time she was in her teens, Diamond had lived dozens of lives and lies, but as she grew older, love and trust turned to fear and violence, and her family--the only people she had in the world--began to unravel. She started to realize that her life itself might be a big con, and the people she loved, the most dangerous of all. With no way out and her identity burned so often that she had no proof she even existed, all that was left was a girl from nowhere. Surviving would require her to escape, and to do so Diamond would have to unlearn all the rules she grew up with. Wild, heartbreaking, and often unexpectedly funny, Nowhere Gir l is an impossible-to-believe true story of self-discovery and triumph.
Dancing with the Octopus by Debora Harding
Call Number: BIOGRAPHY HARDING
One Omaha winter day in November 1978, when Debora Harding was just fourteen, she was abducted at knifepoint from a church parking lot. She was thrown into a van, assaulted, held for ransom, and then left to die as an ice storm descended over the city. Debora survived. She identified her attacker to the police and then returned to her teenage life in a dysfunctional home where she was expected to simply move on. Denial became the family coping strategy offered by her fun-loving, conflicted father and her cruelly resentful mother. It wasn't until decades later -- when beset by the symptoms of PTSD-- that Debora undertook a radical project: she met her childhood attacker face-to-face in prison and began to reconsider and reimagine his complex story. This was a quest for the truth that would threaten the lie at the heart of her family and with it the sacred bond that once saved her. Dexterously shifting between the past and present, Debora Harding untangles the incident of her kidnapping and escape from unexpected angles, offering a vivid, intimate portrait of one family's disintegration in the 1970s Midwest. Written with dark humor and the pacing of a thriller, Dancing with the Octopus is a literary tour de force and a groundbreaking narrative of reckoning, recovery, and the inexhaustible strength it takes to survive.