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Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice

by Maria DiLorenzo

SYNOPSIS – A startling profile of one of the most prolific serial killers and the disturbing experience of the journalist who earned his trust for the sake of justice.

When crime journalist Maria DiLorenzo mailed a letter to Gary Ridgway, she never expected him to reply. He refused to speak to reporters and would send only religious materials back to anyone who contacted him in prison—if he replied at all. But instead of silence or a boilerplate letter, Maria’s phone rang–and it was the Green River Killer calling.

Over the next several years, Ridgway would call Maria hundreds of times, using all of his free time in prison to speak with her. Her goal: to pry the details of his dozens of unidentified and unsolved murders from him. His motivation in speaking to her: unknowable. Through these hundreds of hours of phone calls, Ridgway revealed new details about his life, his crimes, and his motives – and manipulated Maria much like he tormented his victims.

An insightful and deeply personal profile of a dangerous mind, Confessions of the Green River Killer is the closest depiction of Gary Ridgway ever seen and a disturbing glimpse into what it’s like to truly know a killer. Readers of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and The Stranger Beside Me will be enraptured to experience Gary Ridgway through the eyes and ears of a woman he came to deeply trust—and deeply covet.

MY THOUGHTS – While I found this interesting for the insights into how Gary Ridgway’s mind works, it was also quite frustrating. The premise is that the author being the only known media person that the killer actually agreed to have contact with, her objective to try to get information on additional kills falls flat. In fact, it mostly seems that Ridgway is really just toying with her, shutting down her endless questions until she feels like she only gets information when she’s letting him control their talks. He’s more interested in her as a fantasy, and tries to advise her how to avoid becoming a rape victim. True crime is my main reading genre, so I was surprised that at the very end of this story, it says that it is a work of fiction. What the heck. How is this a true story then?

PUBLISHER – Crooked Land Books – 320 pages

PUBLICATION DATE – July 21^st 2026

MY RATING – 3/5 STARS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Maria DiLorenzo received an MFA in English / creative writing from Hunter College in 2011. For several years she worked as a contributing writer for The Crime Report, and in 2020, she founded the website Beyond the Crime, which shares firsthand interviews with those incarcerated for murder to gain a deeper understanding of the criminal mind. She is one of the only journalists to extensively interview Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. Her work in true crime has been chronicled in podcasts and documentaries, including an appearance on ABC’s 20/20. She currently resides in Staten Island, NY.

In Public Record: A Journey to the Truth of a Murder and Trial

by Michael Kelly

SYNOPSIS – September 1990. In Shaker Heights, Ohio, teenage honors student Lisa Lee Pruett vanishes into the night. A boy calls 911 when she does not arrive for a secret late-night meet-up. Police soon find her nearby, stabbed to death and left exposed.

Lisa had just passed an important test and earned her driver’s license. She was a Girl Scout, athlete, musician, and lover of poetry. Then her life was cut short.

Investigators quickly focused on a troubled young man who lived a few blocks away. His name leaked, the media swarmed, and the case became a spectacle. Two years later, he was indicted on controversial testimony, tried under national attention, and ultimately acquitted. His life never recovered.

Decades later, the murder remains unsolved.

Now a former police officer reopens the trail, determined to separate rumor from evidence and find the truth, if it is still there to be found.

MY THOUGHTS – This was kind of a mixed bag. A quick read about a former cop’s efforts to further a murder case that had been written about in a book that got him interested. You are left a different culprit put forth and the suggestion that a cover up of some sort was certainly afoot.

PUBLISHER – WildBlue Press – 125 pages

PUBLICATION DATE – Jan 20^th, 2026

MY RATING – 3/5 STARS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Michael Kelly, thirty-eight, is a survivor whose life has been a remarkable journey of transformation. From a troubled teen to a soldier, criminal, and drug addict, his path was fraught with challenges and adversity. Later, as an undercover operator, Michael navigated the darkest corners of human experience. Yet, through the grace of God, he found redemption and a renewed sense of purpose. Today, Michael dedicates his life to making a difference, channeling his resilience and hard-earned wisdom into creating lasting change. He is passionately working to establish an cused on building orphanages and schools worldwide, providing hope and opportunity to vulnerable children. Guided by faith and a profound love for humanity, Michael’s mission is to bring light where there was once darkness, proving that no matter how broken a life may seem, redemption and purpose are always within reach.