Buried Dreams: Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer

I don't know how anyone my age or near my age who grew up in Chicago or the outlying suburbs could not remember the Gacy case. I had just turned 14 and was a freshman in high school when news first broke of his crimes. I remember my mother turning off the television for the 5:00 PM local news because of the lurid footage showing the remains being carried out of the house in bags. And I remember the Chicago Tribune running a full page showing individual pictures of all of the identified victims; the yearbook and school pictures of the boys looked like most of my classmates.

I first read this book back in 1987. I recently read it again, almost 20 years later, and I still believe it to be the most thorough, comprehensive book on Gacy. Cahill, an excellent journalist, has done an excellent job of presenting a complete picture of the man and his crimes. He managed to "get inside Gacy's head" (an unhealthy place) to give the reader a clear look of Gacy's personality, views on life, attitude towards his victims and reactions to his trial.

Along with covering the crimes, investigation, arrest and trial of Gacy, Cahill also delves into Gacy's childhood and early years, including his relationship with his abusive father. The book is detailed, and Cahill writes with the kind of insight that only comes from having a complete understanding of his subject. It's also clear that Cahill researched Gacy thoroughly, and he notes in his introduction that he culled his information from a number of sources.

As can be expected, this book is scary stuff, with two chapters in particular being extremely disturbing and frightening to read. Cahill doesn't merely describe, he casts the reader in the role of witness to one of Gacy's murders, showing Gacy's core of pure evil. That said, this is also the type of book that is tough to put down, and also the type that stays with you long after having finished it.

I too could not disagree more with the reviewer who accused Cahill of plagiarising "Killer Clown." They are two very different books. And while "Killer Clown" is a good book, written largely from a legal/trial and punishment perspective, the better of the two by far is "Buried Dreams." The best overall book on Gacy.

I couldn't disagree more with the "Borderline Propaganda" review below. On the contrary, Cahill's writing was nothing short of masterful -- a chilling glimpse into the mind and motivations of a true sociopath.
I've never read "Killer Clown," so I can't speak to the charges of plagiarism. But I must take exception to the comment that the book doesn't tell us what Gacy is thinking. In fact, it basically tells the story from Gacy's point of view, exposing him -- using his own words -- as a liar, a manipulator and a malingerer without equal. I always imagined Cahill writing this book with a nod and a wink to the reader, as if to say "Can you believe this guy?" Far from being a Gacy dupe or apologist, Cahill simply doles out the rope, and Gacy dutifully wraps it around his neck and ties the noose.
It's a fascinating, and sometimes macabre, journey into a sick and twisted mind, and I haven't found anything since that comes close to matching the style or insight offered by this book.

I'm surprised this book is out of print, because it really is outstanding. It is similar to In Cold Blood in its gradual and suspenseful unfolding of the killer's personality and m.o. and in its novelistic structure and texture. The author very skillfully conveys the complexity, subtlety, and ambiguity of Gacy's personality. This is one true crime book that goes beyond the genre-typical reporting style and takes the reader's imagination down a journey that is deep, dark, compelling, and very disturbing. I highly recommend this book if you can get access to it.

This book isn't for the fain of heart. It is a tough read due to the detailed accounts of these horrific murders. The author gets deep into this case and it's a scary place to be. This book will make you cringe and might make you break out in sweat from time to time especially if you have a vivid imagination. It will take you on a journey of terrors. Amazing book.

The way this book is written, using John Wayne Gacy's own words and multiple lies in a conversational form, gets to be both tedious and irritating. I've read over 200 books in this true crime genre and this is only about the third one that I've set aside before I finished it.

No doubt Gacy was an interesting character and the book, as much of it I read which was about half, does make that point quite well. But listening to his lies being repeated endlessly (Gacy was a real talker) is disruptive to not only the inner ear but also to the story.

I am an avid reader but I found this book hard to get thru. In fact it sits in my bookshelf unfinished. Gacy was truly a disturbing person and his crimes are shocking. Everyone knows the end to this story, but everything in between is sad and horrible.

A really great read!

A really great read!

This book was great! Very informative and fascinating to look into the mind of a killer.Glad I ordered it!

This is how good this book is, its not memorial. Dont even remember who the killer was. Maybe pass on this one. i read alot of true crime.