"This is the Zodiac speaking. I like killing people because it is so much fun...the most thrilling experience..." This shocking true crime classic is now a major movie. A sexual sadist, the Zodiac's pleasure was torture and murder. He taunted the authorities with mocking notes telling where he would strike next. The official tally of his victims was six. He claimed 37 dead. He was never caught. Author Robert Graysmith tells the inside story of the hunt for the hooded killer, and finally reveals his possible true identity. The new movie "Zodiac" is based on this book. Directed by David Fincher ("Fight Club"), it stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Graysmith himself, Robert Downey Jr and Chloe Sevigny.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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A meticulous, mind-bending, nonstop mesmerizer of a movie. -- Rolling Stone (about the movie)
Zodiac is the sort of vast, richly involving pop epic that
Hollywood largely seems incapable of making anymore. -- LA Weekly (about the movie) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Zodiac is the sort of vast, richly involving pop epic that
Hollywood largely seems incapable of making anymore. -- LA Weekly (about the movie) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Robert Graysmith was a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, the paper to which the killer mailed many of his disturbing letters, before going on to write this book investigating the phenomenon of the Zodiac Killer.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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When he hiked in the rolling hills overlooking Vallejo, David Faraday could catch glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge, the saltwater fishermen, sailboats and speedboats on San Pablo Bay, and the wide, tree-lined streets of the town. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
When he hiked in the rolling hills overlooking Vallejo, David Faraday could catch glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge, the saltwater fishermen, sailboats and speedboats on San Pablo Bay, and the wide, tree-lined streets of the town. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This was one of the rare books that I could not read close to bedtime. I'm fairly inured to horror and to the stories of other infamous murderers, but Zodiac really gives me the spooks. The story of Zodiac's attack on a young couple at Lake Berryessa is one of the most chilling things I have ever read--the stranger approaches, disappears, reappears wearing a black hood, converses with the youngsters, ties them up, then calmly and coolly says "I'm going to have to stab you people," and then goes about doing just that. I would rather meet up with Ted Bundy or Jack the Ripper than I would Zodiac. I was initially worried about the author's presentation because he included a lot of unimportant details about events occurring before the time of the murders and made comments like the air was "exhilarating" on a particular day--things he couldn't have known and which don't matter at all anyway. However, he quickly settled in to a gripping narrative of events, and his own work on the case was presented fairly well and reveals to us the shifting thoughts and theories he had about the case and the perpetrator who was never caught.
Graysmith tells a good story, but his opinions on the case can be questioned. Also, I have to mention the fact that he was the editorial cartoonist of the San Francisco chronicle at the time and not an investigative journalist. I know this fact should not lead me to discount his conclusions, but it does make me wonder how he came to get as much access to this case as he did. The enigmatic ciphers the killer sent to the newspapers represent unique additions to an already mystifying series of murders, and this book published much of this material for the first time. The longest cipher was eventually cracked by the author; although it was verified by experts as correct, I myself did not feel 100% confident about every detail of the solution. In this and some other matters, the author seemed to make jumps that I could not fully justify; with countless suggestions and theories surrounding this case, it was sometimes difficult to see why Graysmith subscribed to one but not another. When he lists details about other possible Zodiac victims, he leaves the waters pretty murky. His remarks about astrological aspects and the moon perhaps determining the dates of Zodiac's actions are interesting but too vague in description for me to fully consider valid.
I first read this book several years ago, and I have recently seen allusions to the fact that Graysmith named the killer in this book. I did not remember him doing that, so I finally decided to re-read the book now. He does identify a suspect (pseudonymously) whom he believes to most likely be the Zodiac killer, but he has nothing beyond circumstantial evidence with which to "convict" the man. In the years since this book was published, facts have arisen which essentially exonerate this individual of the crimes. Thus, you will not find out who Zodiac was in these pages, but you will find a riveting story about one of the most infamous mass murderers in history. Graysmith's efforts are sincere and to be respected, but they cannot be accepted without a critical eye toward the evidence that has accumulated in the years since this book's publication.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By StevieB
Format:Paperback
Without a doubt, the Zodiac killer is one of the scariest characters I've ever come across in fact or fiction!
The book is basically the result of years of investigation by the author into the still unsolved Zodiac murders. Robert Graysmith was a cartoonist who worked at one of the papers that Zodiac continually wrote to during his killing spree. Graysmith poured thousands of his own hours over a number of years into the case, determined to solve a case flooded with clues and suspects, but seemingly destined to go unsolved.
Graysmith sets the scene of the times so well, and his attention to detail (which although sometimes borders on the excessive) helps the reader paint a picture of the characters involved (victimes, detectives and suspects). As a result, at times the book is quite disturbing (descriptions of some of the murders are pretty gruesome) but because of the fascinating story behind the whole Zodiac thing and the passionate way it's told here, it's difficult to put the book down.
I finished the book wondering how a crime where there were so many clues, so many opportunities to catch the person responsible, is still officially unsolved to this day (although there is a prime suspect who is mentioned in the book) and despite the gruesome and just weird nature of the crimes, it leaves you wanting to find out more.
The book has now been made into a major film 'Zodiac' and it's also very good and quite true to the book.
The book is basically the result of years of investigation by the author into the still unsolved Zodiac murders. Robert Graysmith was a cartoonist who worked at one of the papers that Zodiac continually wrote to during his killing spree. Graysmith poured thousands of his own hours over a number of years into the case, determined to solve a case flooded with clues and suspects, but seemingly destined to go unsolved.
Graysmith sets the scene of the times so well, and his attention to detail (which although sometimes borders on the excessive) helps the reader paint a picture of the characters involved (victimes, detectives and suspects). As a result, at times the book is quite disturbing (descriptions of some of the murders are pretty gruesome) but because of the fascinating story behind the whole Zodiac thing and the passionate way it's told here, it's difficult to put the book down.
I finished the book wondering how a crime where there were so many clues, so many opportunities to catch the person responsible, is still officially unsolved to this day (although there is a prime suspect who is mentioned in the book) and despite the gruesome and just weird nature of the crimes, it leaves you wanting to find out more.
The book has now been made into a major film 'Zodiac' and it's also very good and quite true to the book.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the only book I've been compelled to write a review for. I picked this up after seeing David Fincher's movie, which is not a bad thing to do because of the vast amount of names that crop up in the first few chapters, being able to put a face to them helps.
This is probably the best account of a mystery ever put on paper, it is a fact by fact account of twenty year investigation and it is an incredibly compelling insight into the minds of two astonishing people. One unspeakably evil, the other unspeakably dedicated.
Who do you think did it?
This is probably the best account of a mystery ever put on paper, it is a fact by fact account of twenty year investigation and it is an incredibly compelling insight into the minds of two astonishing people. One unspeakably evil, the other unspeakably dedicated.
Who do you think did it?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Still the best Zodiac book
Really, most of the books contain rather outlandish theories. While Graysmith is certainly emotionally involved in the case, his writing does not appear to get away from him and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Croach
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent read
After watching the David Fincher film, which is based on this book, I became obssessed with the whole case (and myth) of the zodiac killer. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Dermot Monaghan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended
found this book very useful. Although it was written for a general audience, it contains enough hard info and science to have been very useful when writing my doctoral thesis. Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Craven
5.0 out of 5 stars
Zodiac
After watching a program about the Zodiac killer, decided to buy the book; a very interesting read if you are interested in this sort of thing.
Published 4 months ago by Eric2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
A review for those who like the film...
I bought this book after seeing the film by David Fincher. The film, in my opinion, is excellent, holds your interest while telling a coherent story. Read more
Published on 12 May 2011 by EF230 Derbyshire
3.0 out of 5 stars
Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story
I became interested in the Zodiac case a few years ago after reading the short version of the story in a 100 unsolved murders book and decided to find out more. Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2009 by C. Blackburn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Zodiac. by Robert Graysmith. The shocking true story of America's...
Delivery and condition of item - excellent. A very thought provoking and disturbing account of exactly how degenerate,savage and low a human being can sink in order to satisfy... Read more
Published on 23 April 2009 by Mrs. V. M. Padget
4.0 out of 5 stars
good true crime book
Robert Graysmith was the cartoonist on one of the papers who received letters from the serial killer named Zodiac. Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2009 by lovemurakami
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting yet flawed
While no-one can doubt the hard work Robert Graysmith has done, the thousands of hours he's devoted to the investigation and the enormous number of facts he has collated from... Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2008 by Virgil Hilts
4.0 out of 5 stars
very interesting
this is a very good interesting book which goes into quite a lot of detail about each murder. if you are a patient sort of person who is interested in this sort of topic, this... Read more
Published on 23 Oct 2008 by Nick
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